Legendary

I woke up a little early the next morning, feeling oppressed. It's not just the appearance of a new supervillain organization, but also that my trip was cutting things close for Christmas. "Penny for your thoughts, Petal," Damian said sleepily, and he finished his stretch with an arm around my middle.

"They don't make pennies anymore," I yawned.

"Inflation. I'll give you a quarter." He nuzzled my hair.

"I think I just hit a wall," I admitted after a moment. "The bad guys keep popping up no matter how many are put down or locked away. It's like nothing anybody does makes a real difference. And it's almost Christmas and I've done minimal shopping. And people want to blow up these beautiful old buildings."

"And you're jet-lagged," he murmured, turning me slightly so he could snuggle in, spooning me. "When was the last time you flew?"

"Before I left," I said after a moment of trying to remember. It had been really late at night, because Alfred hadn't yet brought Fiona into the family secrets and I'd wanted to not freak her out if she saw me.

"Take a half day," he invited me. "Fly around, loosen up. That'll help. When you get tense, your wings give you headaches."

"They do?" I was surprised.

"Uh-huh. It's better for you if you can take them out, at least, when you're nervous or focuses, it relieves the tension." He kissed the nape of my neck, and that turned into lovemaking. I took the opportunity to shower with him after- he washed the wings for me--and promised a massage when he got home. I kissed him goodbye when he left, reveling in the familiar spicy scent of his aftershave, and went back to sleep. I got to sleep til almost noon, when my kids decided to pile on. So I got up and got dressed and we had lunch. Alfred graciously agreed to watch the kids a little longer and I flew hard for a half hour, then took the kids into work. We had a partners meeting where I told them what was going on with the explosives and we exchanged other news. After the meeting, I called my associates and told them to be very careful; they were already having the buildings swept every day. Mei had the idea to hire explosives experts, one for each of our active sites, to do the searching in case the anonymous bomber/s got more sophisticated and used smaller devices. It sounded like a good idea to me, and before I left work, I drafted an ad and asked Martha to place it somewhere where military veterans would be most likely to see it. After that, I met Bucky at the Tower for a good workout. Tony finished his work on the weights and took charge of his godkids while my uncle and I tried to pound each other into the ground. Then Steve came down and insisted on equal time, so I went to the weapons range with my bow and shot in silence for a half an hour. My nerves calmed down and I felt better, more optimistic. When I went to hunt up the twins to go home, Bucky and Tony were playing hide and seek with Miles, and Steve had braided carnations from the arrangement in the lobby into a little crown for Iris. They were sitting on the floor and he was teaching her an incapacitating hold. With these enticements, the kids were reluctant to go home, but I insisted. We stopped by the embassy where Loki amused them with projections of himself and he, Modi, and I talked about what had happened. There wasn't anything to be done from Asgard's end, but he had a surprise for me.

Torunn was back and happy to be so. "Asgard's stuffy," she said, and I was careful to thank Modi and tell him how much I appreciated his help. He wasn't so glad to see his sister, since it meant that he'd have to go back to Asgard himself.

"It is stuffy," he agreed dourly, and Loki smiled.

"If you finish your application, we can see about getting you started in the mediation and negotiation classes," he said, and Modi brightened. I issued an invitation for them to come out for Christmas if they could, and then Torunn came home with us. The twins were thrilled to see her again. Modi would pack tonight and move back to the embassy tomorrow.

We went home again, Torunn being glad to see the twins again and playing with them on the drive. Then it was the comfortable, comforting routine of dinner, coffee in the library, and putting down the kids. We heard about Torunn's vacation, which she spent with her parents and included visits to other planets of the Nine Realms. She'd thought to bring me a really pretty flower, called star bright, but reconsidered given the problem of invasive species we already had on Earth. She brought me back a dagger from the dwarves instead, elegantly curved and somehow very obvious that it wasn't an Earth weapon. Specifically, not one of mine. I smiled, playing with it. It had perfect balance, and I thought that Valkyrie might just have a signature weapon. She gave Damian a staff six feet long that collapsed into a disk a little over an inch thick for the times when Nightfall might have to come out of retirement, and Alfred a medallion on a beautiful, textured ribbon that came from some highly-regimented society in which the keepers of hospitality were revered more than any individual family member; the medallion was their symbol. There had been soft toys for the twins, which they'd been given before bed.

Damian had some work to finish up then, so I took a nighttime flight. The air was cold but had moisture from an incoming storm system, making it a little harder to fly in. I quickly set down on the roofline of the mansion as I came up on a group outside that included a couple of men I didn't know. I draped my wings around me as I leaned against a chimney, listening to the goodbyes of Daniel and Diana, Bruce, Superman, Flash, and Hawkman. After the car doors closed and the car sped off down the driveway, the group turned for the door. "You can come down now, Grandma," Daniel said, amused. My grin answered his and I hopped off the roof.

"How did you know I was up there?" I asked curiously. My wings were very quiet when I flew.

Daniel hugged me. "We don't have gargoyles," he explained, and everybody laughed with me except for Hawkman.

Diana and I clasped forearms and did cheek kisses, and Bruce patted my shoulder. I draped my wings around me again (Ok, it was ostentatious, but I don't mind poking at Hawkpeople) as Flash and Superman greeted me. Hawkman just grunted. I grunted back.

Flash, not missing it, asked me about it.

"I thought a wordless vocalized exhalation of breath was the greeting of their kind and wanted to reciprocate," I explained, fighting back my grin, and Flash whooped. Hawkman scowled and grunted again, his scowl getting darker as he realize what he'd done.

"What's up?" I asked.

Diana rolled her eyes. "An image consultant," she said. "As if virtue and love are not the best possible images."

Flash's grin quirked. "They want her and anybody else with longer hair to face into any breeze so that their hair blows fetchingly and toss her hair back a lot. Anybody who comes in for one of those knee-crunching landings is to first look up before standing and is to keep feet shoulder -width or a little less, depending on the width of the shoulders, with arms bent at the elbows and a slightly bent-forward posture if the fight is still going on, and then either fists on hips or arms folded, chest out. Again, if you have a cape, preferably facing into any breeze. And they've got to sell the landing as dramatically as they can. The consultants don't seem to get the reason for the three point landing isn't to look cool but to keep these guys from falling over on their faces."

"Flash!" Bruce growled. I laughed.

"But why?" I asked.

"The Avengers are doing it," Superman said. "Stark recommended them. It's a way to subtly differentiate ourselves from the bad guys. The public is accustomed to a certain demeanor from its heroes, having been conditioned by superhero movies." He sighed. "The consultants would probably like us to employ someone to carry a fan into combat with us so that capes and hair billow appropriately."

"I am the night," Bruce barked. I covered my snort with my hand, but I didn't fool my father-in-law.

"Bats thinks that dressing in black and being broody and emo is enough of an identity," Flash stage whispered. "He doesn't want to be directed."

Even Hawkman cracked a smile at that.

"We're considering what they had to say," Superman said wearily. "But the Avengers have a higher body count than we do, they need it more." My eyebrows lifted as I wondered what they were told. Steve was the Sentinel of Liberty, the original, how much more burnishing did he need? Serena was being branded as Justice; she'd asked me to make her a cool sword and different armor and shield, and I was waiting on an alloy from Emma. Bucky... given how he was still occasionally slandered could use some help in that direction, but I was worried about Tony. He was already larger than life, and I remembered when he was over the top with his Iron Man persona when I was in high school. I needed to talk to him about that.

I was more glad than ever that Valkyrie was a lone wolf and not much was known about her. Given Emma's reaction to the Avengers' publicity team trying to mold her image when she was Paladin, I didn't want to have to deal with that myself. Overall, though, I felt sorry for the consultants if they had to try to make the Hawkpeople media friendly.

I said good night then, and Superman had me step onto his clasped hands to hurtle me into the air so I could use the wings. I flew straight home and found Damian stretching, having just finished with his work. He and Alfred, just arriving with a new pot of rare white tea for Damian, laughed when I told them what the Justice League was up to.

"Thankfully I'll never have to find out what they'd advise for Nightfall," he said. "I don't know how they could have improved on my manly physique." Even Alfred smiled. Our laughter was interrupted by the patter of little feet as Iris arrived, rubbing her eyes, attracted by the noise. Damian snared her and set her on his lap, offering her a sip of tea. Confidently, she took a big mouthful, then I started to laugh again as her little face wrinkled in distaste. She opened her mouth and the tea dribbled down her front.

"Yuck, Daddy," she said clearly, and Damian looked crushed as I wiped my eyes and tried to tone down my laughter. Damian blotted her jammies with his handkerchief until Alfred produced a tea towel which absorbed the tea much better.

"You think she'll like coffee any better?" my beloved asked with a hint of irritation in his voice.

"I'm not giving either of them caffeine until they're in their thirties," I said. I knew my limits; also, coffee is an acquired taste. Iris clung to her dad and we chatted a little about Christmas, twelve days away now. "The house is gorgeous, Alfred," I said. "I'm looking forward to seeing Fiona again. I haven't seen her lately." Alfred cleared his throat.

"Fiona will be spending the holidays with her family," he said. I frowned.

"We're being awfully selfish," I said, and Damian nodded.

"Why don't you go with her, Alfred?" he asked. "You'll want to get to know them."

"Fiona has decided to go her own way," Alfred said, and it took me a second to realize that she'd chucked him. I looked at him, aghast. "I believe that she did not fully understand the scope of responsibilities that my profession entails."

"Oh, Alfred," I said, shocked. "We can arrange things--"

"It will not be necessary at this time, Miss Alex," he said gently. "I have served six generations of the Waynes, and If Miss Martha and/or Masters Xander and Daniel will bestir themselves, I will serve seven and possibly eight. It is not a trust to be altered lightly, and I am needed here." Iris squirmed away from her father and clamped onto Alfred's leg.

"Alfed," she said adoringly, looking up at him. His face softened.

"Miss Iris," he said, and gently pried her off, giving her a hug and a chuck under the chin. She cooed at him, then wiggled to be let down, and she toddled off, apparently to go back to bed.

I bit my lip to keep my thoughts to myself. Alfred didn't need to hear them. He had to be hurting, and he was the most dignified man I knew. I brooded as we said goodnight and caught up to Iris, crawling up the stairs determinedly. I picked her up--she was getting to be such a big girl--and we put her back to bed. Miles, for once, was right where he was supposed to be and sleeping like an angel. I savored the moment.

"I don't know what we can do," Damian said sadly as we got ready for bed, "except leave him in peace."

"I'd like to tell him we can manage if he wants to have a life, but I think he needs to be needed," I said after spitting out the toothpaste. "I think he takes pride in keeping the ship sailing smoothly so that we can go out and do our various things. I don't want to hurt his feelings by suggesting that he's dispensable. But I could make my own coffee before bedtime."

"Let's let it ride until after the holidays," Damian said pensively. "He's part of the family and needs to know it. Afterward, though, in January, I'll see if I can talk to him. I don't want him to end up resenting us down the road." I nodded. It would be better for a man to have the conversation, I felt. I'd probably embarrass us both trying to fix it.

The next day was perfect for chatting with Tony, it turned out; Ann was busy off site and Damian promptly holed up in his office to work his magic. Tony roared with laughter at the account I gave of the Justice League's preliminary meeting with the image consultants but sobered when I told him upfront that I was worried about the extra load of expectations that Iron Man might be saddled with and why, exactly. He heard me out, then smiled slightly and patted my hand.

"Historically, I'm not the most stable guy out there," he admitted. "But I've got a lot to keep me balanced now. And going home to a family of my own is the best thing in the world. I don't need Iron Man as desperately as I did the first time. I don't think it's going to be a problem. But if it is, I know you've got my back, Tiger."

"Absolutely, Sparky," I said, and we smiled at each other.

Feeling better, I kissed my husband goodbye and stopped by Steve's to pick up a dress for Christmas: pine green velvet with a full skirt so I could sit on the floor with the kids and silver embroidery to make it special. He'd fussy pieced the bodice so that the nap of the velvet also created a subtle pattern. It was exquisite as usual, and we talked about the image consultants as I tried on the dress. He nodded when I asked him to give me a head's up if Tony started to derail and we talked about Bucky.

"They're giving him a different costume," Steve said absently as he checked the hem. "White, with some grays." He shuffled paper on his desk and showed me a design.

"Pure as the driven snow, the Winter Soldier?" I asked, and Steve smiled.

"Beats his menacing black," he said, and I had to agree. "No more eyeblack, either."

"Aw, too bad," I said in mock sorrow. "He could be marketed as a panda." Steve broke out laughing and checked off the fit of the dress. Upstairs at Emma's, she showed me the design for Serena's costume--a golden chiton and golden armor, similar to a legionary. We discussed embellishments, deciding on a neoclassic folate design, and she said she'd send over the alloy so I could get to work. The gold would suit her caramel complexion beautifully and make her more approachable.

"If you wanted to make Valkyrie another iteration of armor, I'd recommend white metal. You don't have to worry about the image," she said quietly. "You can do menacing." She gave me an envelope. "See what you think about this, let Steve know about the costume part, and I'll send over some metal for you with Serena's, if you want."

I didn't, really, but it wouldn't hurt to have top-level protection if we had a new Big Bad to deal with.

When I got to work, there was bad news. One of the identified projects that was being done by one of the other firms had largely been flattened by an explosion. The devices had been set off in the tunnels and the structure was badly damaged. The great dome of the Hagia Sophia had collapsed and the tombs buried. My heart fell. Hagia Sophia was beautiful, a jewel of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires. A crude graffiti of Typhon had been slopped onto the largest broken part of the Marble Gates. The paint had still been wet when it was found. Serena and I looked at each other, but there were no words. We'd warned the firm, as strongly as we could, but they'd brushed us off.

Serena looked over the design for her new costume and armor, approved the armor, but had some thoughts to share with Steve about the costume. When I got to my office, Callahan and Mei had checked in. There was a note from Martha saying that the ad for explosives experts had been placed. She'd arranged with the Army to borrow a team to check out the Hall of Justice each day. I pinched the bridge of my nose. Ugh. I hated that this was apparently our new normal.

And there was more bad news; our Valkyrie butler was quitting after our holiday party to move to San Francisco with his girlfriend. I'd almost forgotten about the party.

I couldn't even lose myself in examining the blueprints for another job I wanted to bid on and was grateful for the end of the day. Damian, Torunn, and the kids came up to get me. We went out to do some holiday shopping (preceded by an ice cream downstairs as a special treat) before going home for dinner. It was fun to be with my family, looking in store window and getting some gifts. It fluffed up my holiday spirit some. We stopped by a street vendor for some gingerbread and lebkuchen, buying enough for Alfred too since he wasn't with us, and went home. The kid's sugar buzz had worn off and they nodded off just long enough to be bright eyed and bushy tailed when we pulled up to the door. They regaled Alfred with the whole story, and after the dessert which included the cookies we brought, abruptly crashed from all the excitement. I monitored Alfred as stealthily as I was able, and he seemed quiet but not depressed. Torunn took herself off to the main house to use the gym and we gratefully tucked the twins into bed. Alfred came into the library to refresh our libations.

"I wondered if I might move back here," he said diffidently as he popped a cozy onto Damian's teapot.

"You're always welcome, Alfred," I said.

"You might want to keep in mind that the twins know where you live here," Damian warned, and was rewarded with a smile.

"It is always nice to be with family," he said, and that was that. Damian gave him a head start, then gulped the remainder of his tea and went out to help. I brought in a carafe of water and set a plate of cookies on the nightstand, and went upstairs. The last I saw of the cats was the boys hustling down the hall, Signy ambling along behind.