A/N: I know it has been awhile, but I have not been near the computer where I was writing this for a while. This isn't the chapter I was going to go with, but it came to me after a gentle nudge from csi cameron yesterday.

"So Elle mentioned she had a list of presents she wanted." Lena said casually over lunch.

"It's worse than that. It is a list with pros and cons against each."

"Where did she learn to do that?"

"Cat. She was explaining why someone or many someones were idiots. When Elle told her off for calling people names, Cat told her it was fine if you had evidence. Which then led to Cat demonstrating a marking table and a SWOT analysis."

"Cat does remember Elle is five?" Lena asked.

"Apparently you are never too young to learn." Kara replied.

"Seeing Elle has a fully formed and marked wish list, could I get a copy? I'd like to get her something she really wants."

"I'm sure she'd love anything you give her." Kara said.

"But she'd like something from the list even more." Lena pointed out.

"Yeah, but everything on the list is either impossible or banned."

"Impossible?" Lena asked.

"Number one is a baby brother or sister."

"Ahhh." Lena said. "I assume that isn't on the cards?"

"No. We want to, but it hasn't happened."

"And the other items?" Lena said sensing Kara did not want to discuss it further.

"A phone. Which we have vetoed."

"She's five. Why does she need a phone?"

"I don't know. And when I tell her I didn't get mine until I was sixteen she almost has a panic attack."

"Sixteen?!" Lena asked surprised. "How did you survive?"

"Just fine seeing I hadn't even heard of cell phones until I was thirteen."

"Still three years until you got one."

"I didn't need one. I didn't exactly have anyone to call." Kara explained.

"Is there anything on the list I can get her?"

"Not really. As I said everything is either not possible, vetoed or too expensive."

"You know the latter doesn't really apply to me?" Lena asked.

"It does to Elle." Kara reminded her friend.

"I will not break the bank." Lena promised. "But perhaps I could take Elle shopping."

"That would be a bad idea." Kara said. "She can be very persuasive." She explained as the topic of conversation ran over to them.

"Have I missed lunch?" Elle asked looking disappointed.

"She is so your daughter." Lena commented.

"Didn't your dad feed you?" Kara asked ignoring Lena.

"No. He and Alex got distracted."

"With what?" Kara asked as Elle tucked into a bread roll.

"I'm not allowed to say." Elle replied.

"What did they do?" Kara asked.

"I can't say." Elle replied.

"Well, what have you been up to?" Lena asked.

"Playing soccer with Alex and dad." Elle said.

"Is your dad hurt?" Kara asked.

"Only his nose." Elle shrugged before adding in a whisper. "But I didn't tell you that."

"Where are they now?" Kara asked.

"The bathroom." Elle replied.

"Why don't I take Elle for the afternoon while you look after the other kids?" Lena suggested.

"Don't you have an important meeting?" Kara asked.

"It's nothing I can't handle." Lena said.

"Thank you. But no shopping." Kara warned.

-00-

"Kara, hey. What are you doing here? Where's Elle?" Alex asked when she saw Kara approach her.

"She's with Lena." Kara said before asking. "Something you want to tell me?"

"Like what?"

"Something to do with Adam's nose?"

"Oh that. He got hit by the ball. He'll be fine." Alex replied as Adam emerged.

"Where's Elle?" He asked removing the ice pack from his face.

"With Lena." Kara said. "What did you two do? You are meant to be setting a good example for Elle, not getting overly competitive."

"Who said we got competitive?" Alex asked.

"Adam's nose. I am disappointed in both of you." She added before walking off.

"She is really mastering that delivery." Adam commented to Alex.

-00-

"So have you forgiven us yet?" Adam asked when Kara finally returned home.

"No."

"For the record we didn't do anything wrong, it really was just a stray ball." Alex said.

"With your track record, you think I believe that?" Kara asked.

"It's the truth." Alex said.

"It is." Adam agreed. "Technically we weren't even on different sides so we couldn't be competitive." He added as the door opened and Elle entered, flanked by Cat and Lena.

"What happened to your face?" Cat asked Adam.

"Stray ball." He said as he bent down and picked up Elle. "What have you been up to?"

"We played boardroom."

"Do you mean you played a board game?" Adam asked.

"No. Boardroom." Elle said.

"What exactly is boardroom?" Kara asked.

"I sit at the important people table a look at people until they do what Grandma Cat and Lena want."

"I think it is time to start karate practice." Alex said quickly taking Elle and leading her from the room.

"You have been using our daughter as a weapon?" Adam asked once Alex and Elle had disappeared.

"Not a weapon." Lena said.

"We were trying to introduce her to the real world." Cat said.

"You used her a corporate tool to make the board do what you wanted." Kara said.

"Don't be so overly dramatic." Cat said. "She is a five year old girl. Do you really think she could force hardened business men to change their minds?"

"I've seen the pout, so yes." Adam said.

"You were the one who ruled out shopping." Lena reminded Kara.

"Not so you could use her for evil purposes." Kara said. "Or use her at all."

"They weren't evil purposes." Lena said. "Besides you tried to use Elle to get Alex a date."

"That was for a good cause and I was there to make sure nothing bad happened."

"And we were there today. You should be very proud of her." Cat said before glancing at her phone. "I need to go. But you two may want to start paying attention to your daughter, you have a lot to learn from her."

"Manipulation is not a good skill." Adam protested.

"Maybe, but it is an essential skill." Cat said before kissing him goodbye. "I'll see you tomorrow."

-TBC..

A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing.