Wearing a blue button-down shirt and tan sweater with her khaki slacks, Kara leaned back at her desk, smiling as she read the article she had written. Pen swirling along her lips, she barely stayed on the floor. Front page, she was front page material! This was career altering, life altering, and it was all her. Snapper had fought her tooth and nail on the story, snidely calling her Ponytail and reminding her how little confidence he had in her. She snapped her fingers at that memory. She didn't need his confidence. She had her own.
Excitedly she twirled in her chair, making three complete rotations before stopping and grabbing her cellphone. This called for a celebration. Celebrations needed friends and family. The phone rang three times before Alex picked up.
"Hey Kara, what's up?"
"Alex! Did you see my story?"
"Your story? No sweetie, I haven't had time to—"
"Front page, Alex, I made the front page!" That was followed by another chair rotation. "We have to celebrate."
"Uh, yes we do. I tell you what. As soon as Maggie—"
"Oh, is Maggie there?"
"Kara, breathe!" Alex took a breath of her own, glad she wasn't dealing with her little sister in person at the moment. This was the kind of enthusiasm that could be bone breaking. "Okay, you do remember where I am right now, don't you?"
"Ummm…oh!" Palm slapping her forehead, Kara squeezed her eyes closed. "Acapulco. Oh, I forgot Alex. You're going to Acapulco."
"Right, so in a few minutes, Maggie and I will be getting on a plane and flying someplace warm and sunny. We'll be gone for a week, but as soon as we get back, we'll be happy to celebrate with you."
"What are we celebrating?" Maggie asked as she walked up to her girlfriend, only having heard the very end of the conversation.
"Kara got a story published," Alex explained.
"Tell her it was front page!" Kara exclaimed yet again.
"It was front page," Alex added with much less enthusiasm.
"Awesome. Congrats, Little Danvers."
"Kara, Maggie says—"
"I heard her. Thanks, Maggie. So Alex, maybe I could fly down and see you guys, and we could celebrate. You know…" Kara cupped her hand over her phone as she looked around to make sure she wasn't being observed, then whispered, "…fly down."
"No," Alex said succinctly.
"No?"
"No, Kara, you are not joining Maggie and me on vacation." When Maggie made an odd face, Alex just shook her head assuredly. "Sweetie, I'm excited for you too, but Maggie and I have never had a vacation together. I barely take vacation. We have a hot tub in our room and don't plan on wearing bathing suits. You understand?"
"But Alex, don't you need…oh!" With a nervous smile, Kara asked, "So when will you two be back?"
"In a week. You think you can keep the city safe and manage to not explode with excitement while we're gone?"
Kara considered that. "The city, no problem. No promises on the exploding though."
"Look just—"
A voice came over the loudspeaker and Maggie and Alex both looked toward the gate.
"We gotta go," Maggie said.
"Okay. Kara, our flight is boarding. I'll call you later?"
"Okay," Kara said in a much more subdued fashion.
"Hey, I'm proud of you. I can't wait to read it. Bye."
"Bye," Kara replied, disconnecting the call and leaning back in her chair again, but with a slightly different outlook.
Celebrating was supposed to be about friends and family, and now Alex and Maggie were gone for a week. So much for family. Perking up a little bit, she realized it didn't rule out friends. Grabbing her phone, Kara pushed another contact and wasn't surprised to hear a nearly immediate answer.
"Hello, Kara. What can I do you for today?"
"Winn! Did you see my story!?"
"Your story?" There was the sound of keys clicking, clearly audible to Kara across the line and then Winn said, "Oh yeah, your story. Look at that. Hey, front page. Way to go! Huh, why didn't James mention this?"
"He didn't?"
"Not to me. Maybe he doesn't know," Winn pointed out.
"He knows. He definitely knows," Kara assured Winn and herself. "Hey, anyway, go out with me and celebrate tonight?"
"Ooohhh, not tonight. I wish I could, but with Alex out of the country and J'onn undercover, I'm holding down the fort. Hey, when Alex is back I'm definitely free though. Next week?"
"Next week?" Kara asked flatly.
"Absolutely. I'll put something on your calendar. It will be fun."
"Awesome." She sighed because it wasn't. "I guess I'll call James."
"He's busy tonight," Winn informed her.
"He can't even tell me that himself?"
"He's working with me, but you can call him if you want. I mean—"
"It's fine. Thanks, Winn. Bye."
"Bye, Kara."
Sitting back in her chair, the smile gone as she pouted, Kara began to rethink how inappropriate it would be for her to drop in on her sister and Maggie in Acapulco. They couldn't spend the whole vacation on the beach in swimsuits, or in the hotel room, not in swimsuits…right? Her cellphone rang, and she glanced over at it, sitting upright when she saw the familiar name.
Smile returning, Kara answered and said, "Lena, hi!"
"Guess what I'm sitting here reading," Lena said without skipping a beat.
It was almost too much to hope, so Kara said, "I…I don't know, what?"
"A certain front page article from my favorite reporter. Usually, she calls me for the exclusive, but this time I was hoping to get one."
Biting her lower lip, Kara spun in her chair again. "I don't know about an exclusive, but I'm sure I can supply you a quote. It's amazing!"
"It is. It is. I agree and quite well written. I do have to admit to being a bit worried though," Lena added, a touch of concern edging into her voice.
Immediately Kara's brows furrowed. "Worried? About what?"
"Why Kara, you're taking on a major criminal family with this article. I'm worried for your safety. Have you spoken to the police about protection?"
Kara relaxed immediately, responding with a small laugh. "Oh, no. I'm not worried about that. I mean, sure, I blew the lid off a huge criminal underground movement with ties overseas, but I'm fine, just fine."
"That sounds like a reason for concern to me. I could make some calls. We have some of the best security in the business. Why don't I send someone to—?"
"No! I mean…no," Kara tried to sound casual. She couldn't do her job, the one where she protected the city, if she had some kind of bodyguard following her around. "Lena, don't worry. I worked on this story for a long time, and the police were heavily involved. Before I released this, I made sure they had what they needed from me to move in and make arrests. No, these guys have either been scooped up or have fled town, probably the country by now. The police aren't worried, and neither am I. I'm completely safe." Silently Kara mouthed. 'And bulletproof.'
"Well, if you're sure," Lena replied sounding slightly less worried though not completely convinced. "I trust that you and the police have things well in hand. It truly was a fabulous article."
"Wasn't it?" Kara asked, her glee undisguised.
"Yes, truly. Well, I'm sure you have people lined up to wish you well, likely appointments into next week, but when your schedule clears up, I'd love to be on that list. Why don't you call me and we can—"
"I'm free tonight."
"Tonight?"
"Yup."
"Oh." Lena seemed to be considering that before she said, "Well, that's surprising. I mean, wonderful for me. Yes, that's wonderful. There's this new club downtown I've been meaning to look in on, but no good reason to go. You, Kara Danvers, are a good reason, a very good reason indeed. Should we say 7:30?"
Kara was nodding, pushing up her glasses with one finger, and had to speak her reply. "That sounds great. I'm really looking forward to it."
"So am I. I'll send a car for you. Dress…up. Tonight we're celebrating."
"Yes, we are," Kara replied.
"Well, I'm certainly glad I called," Lena added. "Goodbye, Kara. I'll see you at 7:30."
"I'm glad too. See you then. Bye, Lena."
Phone on her desk and biting her lip again, Kara spun her chair around. What struck her the oddest wasn't that she felt like Lena had saved her night by calling and making plans. Kara felt like this was the best possible outcome, like a night celebrating with just Lena, would be the right type of celebration. Lena had said it once, that Lena had never had a friend like Kara, had never had family like Kara. Kara supposed she was starting to see Lena was more than just a friend too.
The flowers that had shown up at Kara's office had been quite the surprise, but much less so when she saw they came from Lena. The card with the two dozen long stem roses read, "Journalism can never be silent: that is its greatest virtue and its greatest fault. It must speak, and speak immediately, while the echoes of wonder, the claims of triumph and the signs of horror are still in the air." Reading it, Kara smiled. It was a quote by Henry Anatole Grunwald, and she knew it well. It appealed to her both in its stark truth and in the way it made her feel seen by the sender.
Right at 7:30 the car arrived and Kara had to do a quick change to get ready. She'd spent so much time trying to get the perfect outfit, yet nothing seemed perfect. Luckily for her, a quick change was a very quick change. The dress she finally chose was white with tank top straps, and then a gap with off the shoulder capped sleeves. It had a plunging sweetheart neckline and fitted bodice. The rest of the dress was loose, hanging to mid-calf. It felt comfortable and looked flattering. She'd almost grabbed a pair of heels to go with it, but Lena had said club and club meant dancing. Even to Supergirl, heels weren't a good choice for a long night at a club.
She was dressed and down the stairs in half a minute, surprised to see a limo waiting for her, but only momentarily. When you had plans with Lena Luthor, arriving in anything less than a limo or a Rolls Royce likely meant flying under the radar. A Bentley would do too.
Climbing into the back next to Lena, Kara hugged the other woman and said, "There are flowers in my office again."
"Really?" Lena replied, feigning shock. Her dress was red strips from just above the knee to just above the breast. There the material became sheer and was covered with small crystals. It came up around her neck, covering several inches, but was sleeveless leaving her exposed there. "You're beginning to make a habit of that. Maybe you have a thing for flowers."
"Maybe I do, and great taste in friends."
Lena smiled, her lower lip rubbing along her teeth at the compliment or perhaps at what she wasn't saying in return. Grabbing a pen and Kara's article from the seat next to her, Lena handed them both over to the blonde and said, "Miss Danvers, could I bother you for an autograph if your hand isn't too cramped up from signing your name all day?"
"You want my autograph!?" Kara replied with a laugh, her free hand to her chest. "You're much more famous than I am. I think I should be asking you for yours."
It was Lena's turn to laugh. "Kara, the only time anyone wants my autograph is when it's on the bottom right-hand corner of a check. No, I want you to sign and date this. This is getting framed in my office. In twenty years people will ask if I actually know you, and I'll be able to say that I knew you before you were THE Kara Danvers."
"I'm going to be that famous?" Kara asked incredulously.
"I guarantee it. I wouldn't bet against me."
Pushing up her glasses Kara smiled and laughed as she signed and dated the article. She held it out to Lena, then pulled it back when the dark-haired woman went to take it. "Wait a minute. If I'm going to be THAT famous, maybe I should trade it for one of your signatures…on the bottom right-hand corner of a check." Kara's smile grew.
Lena smiled in return. "How about I buy drinks tonight?"
"Deal," Kara said, handing over the article immediately.
"The Out Crowd?" Kara stood staring at the neon sign, faux flames moving hypnotically in a dance that made Kara look forward to the music within. "I heard about this place. It's supposed to be impossible to get into Out," Kara added, grinning over at Lena as the other woman slid from the back of the limo.
"Impossible, well…I've found that word to be overused. I prefer to think of it as challenging, and I do love a challenge."
"Oh, I've not doubt of that," Kara replied.
She followed Lena up to the front of the club. A long line of people, all hopeful to be allowed in, stretched across the front of the club and curled around the back, disappearing out of sight. Looking at that, Kara thought impossible looked like a pretty good word. Two men stood by the front door, each with upper arms as thick as her waist and forearms the size of her thighs, maybe bigger. Their necks were…scratch that. They didn't have necks. Their heads went straight down to disappear into their massive shoulders. Even as super as Kara was, she found the duo a bit intimidating. It took a moment of self-assessment to remember that no matter how physically strong the human, they were still just human. However, they'd do a good job of holding back anyone who wasn't interested in following the rules and staying outside.
A black, velvet rope stood between them and the entrance. Lena merely stopped at the rope, holding one hand up and gesturing with two fingers for the nearest gorilla to move closer. He eyed her dubiously but came closer, his clipboard in hand. She lay a hand on his arm and leaned closer, whispering something in his ear. Kara was tempted to listen in especially when the man's eyebrows rose high. When he stepped back, removing the rope and stepping to the side, Kara wished she had listened in.
Turning, her red lips parting as her smile grew, Lena tipped her head to the side encouraging Kara to follow as she walked into the club. "Impossible? I didn't think so."
"Maybe you just don't know what it means," Kara said as she took a few hurried steps to catch up, trying to avoid eye contact with those left outside.
"That could be," Lena admitted. "Don't go buying me a dictionary for Christmas. I've also heard from a few business associates I don't know what the word 'no' means either. I didn't become the success I am by being able to define either of those words. I don't intend to find out now."
"Check, change my shopping list for Lena's Christmas present."
Just inside the club, Lena stopped suddenly and turned to face Kara. Her face had changed, that smile and air of confidence both gone. She shook her head several times before speaking. There was a sense of nervousness to her now and something else, something younger. Kara had seen it on occasion but rarely. Each time Kara saw it, there was something that said this was the real Lena.
"No, I…Kara, I wasn't fishing for a gift. You understand that, don't you? I don't want you to think that I was…" Hands twisting together, Lena struggled for the right words.
"Oh, Lena," Kara replied, her hand reaching across the space to cover both of Lena's and still the fidgeting. "We're friends. Friends buy each other gifts. You're getting a Christmas present. It won't be a dictionary…probably. I'm a reporter though so…we'll see. I do like my words."
At Kara's words, Lena relaxed snagging the other woman's hand in both of hers, just fingertips in fingertips. Her strength and confidence seemed to return. "Well, if you get me a dictionary I'll be ripping out at least two pages. You've been warned. Anyway, if I want to read I'd rather read something you wrote." They both smiled for a moment and then Lena added. "Come on. Let's go get a drink."
"Sure since you're paying and I'm celebrating."
"I am, and we're both celebrating," Lena added.
The club was set up with a wide foyer near the entrance and another set of double doors leading into the club. Kara and Lena could hear the music in the foyer. When they opened the doors into the club proper, they could feel it. Sounded bounced off of them and lights crashed, making for a wild display. To either side, tables with tall chairs were packed with club goers. A bar was spread out in front of them, and beyond that, a crowded dance floor thrashed with moving bodies. There were several large, plastic tubes stretching floor to ceiling which drew Kara's curiosity. Using her x-ray vision, she looked above them. There was a second floor of tables with even more club goers. As she watched a person went to one of the tubes, climbing in and hitting a button which allowed them to descend fairly quickly, though with a base like a moving floor. It was a single person elevator with curved, clear walls. Kara imagined there were safeties that didn't allow someone in on the bottom if someone else come in on top and vice-versa.
"Checking out the chutes?"
"Hmmm?" Kara looked at Lena, pulled from her exploration.
"The chutes, their travel system. It looks like a lot more fun than stairs if you aren't afraid of heights. Are you?"
"Well…" Kara smiled nervously. "I'm not exactly fond of them. I don't mind elevators, but you can't see all around you in an elevator. That doesn't look safe."
"Oh, it's perfectly safe. Two people can go in one at once. Come on. Let's go grab drinks. Later, when you're feeling more relaxed. We'll take a ride together, all right?"
Kara nodded, then rolled her eyes at herself when Lena walked away and toward the bar.
They grabbed drinks then headed off to look for a seat. Kara was pleased but not overly surprised to see there was a table reserved for them. What did surprise her was that it was reserved with the name 'K. Danvers', in her name, not Lena's.
"Oh, now my name has clout in this town?" Kara asked holding up the folding cardboard sing with her name on it.
Lena shrugged as she slid into her seat. "How do you think we got past the line out there? The Luthor name only allows you the skip the line when you're waiting for your court date for trial. The Danvers name though, the name Kara Danvers star reporter, now that has cred."
"You're teasing me," Kara said tossing the sign on the table and hopping up into her own chair.
"Not at all. You just underestimate your own value. You're a marketable commodity. Ugh! Did I just say that? I apologize. I sound like my mother. People are not commodities."
"You know you couldn't sound like your mother, don't you Lena?"
"We all sound like our parents. We may not mean to, but their words get into our brains and affect us on a subconscious level. I try and do better, but I'm a Luthor. There's a reason this city won't let me forget it. I can't forget it."
Kara thought about that for a moment. Who was she really? Was she her mother's daughter, last daughter of Krypton, or was she the person who'd come to this world and made her own life? She knew who she wanted to be, and she believed she was at choice about that. None of us was free from any of the influences in our lives, but they didn't have to define us.
As she watched Lena stare into her drink, Kara slid a hand across the table and onto one of Lena's. "Hey." When Lena looked up, Kara smiled. "I don't think of you as a Luthor. I know you are one, but that's not who you are to me. You're Lena. When I look at you, when I think of you, all I see is my friend Lena. We've all been labeled. I know I have. You can't stop people from doing that, but it doesn't stop you from being who you truly are and having people in your life who see that."
Her smile growing the whole time Kara spoke, Lena slid her other hand over Kara's until Kara's was sandwiched in between. "I wish I could see myself through your eyes. I think I'd like that person."
"Well then, you're just going to have the keep me around."
"Well then, I guess I will," Lena replied.
Drinking was followed by dancing was followed by another round of drinks. Kara added in two orders of appetizers, most of which she ate. With super powers came a super metabolism. They were both smiling, laughing, Kara's bad mood from earlier in the day a distant memory. After food, they decided on more dancing which left Kara hungry once again. She grabbed more appetizers and drinks for them both while Lena used the restroom.
Kara had just returned to the table when someone said her name, making her turn.
"Kara Danvers?"
"Yes?" Kara asked sucking barbecue sauce from her chicken wings from her fingers as she stood and turned.
"I thought I recognized you." The man smiled broadly. He was in his mid-thirties, dark hair and tan skin. He wore a jacket over his t-shirt, both which strained slightly over his muscles, and his brown hair was very closely cut. "I read your articles. It was enlightening. I was just telling my buddy that it was you in the club, but he didn't believe me." He held up Kara's article, pulling a pen from his back pocket. "Any chance I could get an autograph?"
"Really? Sure," Kara said, pushing up her glass. "You really liked it?"
"Like isn't the word," the man replied as Kara took the article and turned, laying it on the table to sign her name. "All of my friends read this, and we've all been talking about it. It's all anyone's been talking about."
"Awww, you have no idea what that means to me."
"No, you have no idea what meeting you means to me…no idea at all," he replied.
Kara smiled, signing and writing a quote. She thought about what her future would be like, signing things and being not just the one to take quotes, but to make them. She was so busy thinking about the future that she lost sight of the present. As the man behind her pulled the gun out from his waistband behind him, Kara smiled and wrote. Feet away, Lena froze seeing her friend about to be shot.
"Here you go. I hope you and your—"
There were two shots, loud and sharp even across the crash of music in the club. Kara's head whipped left and right even as people began to scream and run. There had been so many club shootings, so many hate crimes, with this atmosphere of late. It didn't take much to set off a panic, and actual gunfire was more than enough. As the man ran off, Kara watched her friend slump to the ground. Supergirl, the girl of steel, the fastest woman on the planet, stood frozen for several heartbeats. She didn't even notice the fleeing man. She only had eyes for one person.
"Lena!" As her sense returned, Kara was over Lena with a hand to her friend's abdomen. Blood was pouring from the bullet holes. Seeing this, understanding what was happening, there was still some part of Kara that couldn't process it. Lena couldn't be shot. Lena couldn't be hurt. None of this made sense. "Lena, are you…don't move. Just don't move. You're going to be all right. Can you hear me?"
Lena's breath came in gasps. Pain surged through her body and shock was setting in. She tried to speak, but the words were beyond her right now. Grabbing Kara's arm, Lena stared into her friend's eyes and hoped.
"We've got to get you out of here," Kara said. She looked around, seeing security cameras everywhere and knowing she'd be outing herself as Supergirl to the world if she did what she wanted to do and flew Lena to the hospital. Instead, she grabbed the tablecloth, pulling it loose and wrapping Lena's torso with it to provide pressure. Then she picked Lena up, carrying her from the club. Later, if anyone questioned it, she'd say adrenaline was an amazing thing. Getting Lena to safety was all that mattered.
Her plan was to duck into an alley and then go straight to the hospital, but Lena's driver was waiting for them. Her signaled Kara over. Holding the limo door open. Though hesitant, Kara climbed into the back with Lena.
"She's been shot!" Kara barked out. "We need to get her to National City Hospital now!"
As the car lurched forward, Kara x-rayed Lena's body. Both bullets were still inside. All she could do was hold pressure until they got her friend to medical professionals. It wasn't enough. The only thing that would be was turning back time.
