"Winn, do you have an update on that artifact?" Alex strode into the Command Center with Kara hot on her heels. They'd gotten their asses kicked by the newest alien attacker. Maybe the weird, glowing statue would give them a clue how to win the next fight.
Shaking his head, Winn crushed Alex's hope into dust. "I've got nothing. Less than nothing." He spun in his chair. "I've run every test I can think of and then moved on to making up new tests. So far, I know it wasn't made on Earth and it glows." He shrank back, eyes wide, as Alex took a threatening step in his direction. "Hey! I haven't given up. I'm just…well…I'm still working on it!"
"It looks familiar, Alex." Kara had said that before. Alex rubbed the headache pounding at her temples as Kara picked up the statue (which Alex had warned her not to do repeatedly). "Mom had one. Or…she found one?" The Crinkle appeared as she stared at the glowing marble carving. "I remember she said something about it being a 'symbol of the moral depravity' of the universe."
"That doesn't sound like something you should be holding!" Although, moral depravity didn't immediately set off Alex's internal red alert. Alura seemed like any other Sunday morning televangelist banging on a pulpit and shouting about the downfall of humanity.
God, she was tired. She'd been helping Kara clean up from Game Night when the call came in. And that had been after sixteen hours of Budget Meeting Hell. J'onn said filling in for him was part of her "growth as an agent," but Alex suspected he was simply torturing her. "Alright. if Winn and his computer can't find anything, I'll take the artifact to the lab and poke around."
Holding out her hand, Alex resigned herself to a night of Petrie dishes and whirring machines. Oh, and waiting. She loved sitting and waiting for test results. OK. She actually did love the testing and waiting. Maybe not after listening to Sam Lane whine about how is precious troops were more important than the DEO when it came to tax dollars. Dollars that Alex knew in her bones Lane shared with Cadmus.
"It doesn't look dangerous, Alex." Kara wrapped the artifact in her arms rather than give it to Alex. "I'm sure you…you and Winn can go home and get some sleep. Clear minds and all that," she finished with a brilliant smile and a full-body wiggle.
"Artifact." Alex waved her outstretched hand. "Now."
The statue disappeared behind Kara's back. "You need to sleep, Alex." Kara took a slow step away from Alex.
Alex lunged forward, hoping the element of surprise would trump superspeed. Her plan worked. Mostly. She slammed into Kara with a yelp as her softer human body impacted the Girl of (surprisingly hard) Steel. One hand landed on the top of the artifact.
There was a soundless explosion of light.
Half hanging over Kara's left shoulder, Alex didn't realize there was a real problem until Kara murmured, "Uh, Toto? I don't think we're in Kansas anymore." She pulled Alex right-side up and set her down.
"Welcome to Respite, weary travelers. I am Sluugdin." The short, squat figure in a blinding pink shirt and matching pants bowed. "Your room has been prepared. I will provide a full tour of our amenities along the way."
Eyes raking the richly-carpeted room where they now stood, Alex hunted frantically for an exit. A sign she was dreaming.
"Uh, Sluugdin?" Kara's normally sunny smile was stiff at the edged. "How…How did we get here? And did we have a reservation?"
Their host did seem at all surprised by the questions. Maybe people popped out of thin air every day. "Why, you were brought here by the Desan." He pointed a clawed hand at the artifact Kara still held. "They are limited-range portal keys."
"I told you not to touch it," Alex murmured. She pretended not to see the caustic glare Kara turned on her. "The reservation?" Feeling her way, Alex made an obvious perusal of the reception area. "I'm sure a place of Respite's reputation has a waiting list."
Sluugdin beamed at the praise. "It is true. Respite does have a very select clientele. However, you and Lady Kara have been much anticipated. The suite has been ready for your arrival since your benefactor contacted us."
Benefactor? A chill slithered down Alex's spine. She crept closer to Kara, on full alert.
Sluugdin began to walk toward a doorway Alex hadn't seen. As they passed through the archway, her skin tingled. "Force field," Kara whispered into her ear. "I haven't seen some of this tech since Krypton."
"I want to know who this benefactor is. Not to mention how we get the hell back home." Alex pushed her growing fear away by force of will. She wouldn't be of any use if she was curled in the fetal position, freaking out over being on a different planet.
She and Kara were pressed close together, heads bent so they could keep their conversation private. Sluugdin wiggled the wiry hairs (or were they tiny antennae) over his eyes. "Ah, young love. You'll find many way to express your desires on Respite." He waved a claw and another arch appeared.
"Oh my God!" Alex froze. Surely…that wasn't… A full-body blush heated her skin. There were dozens. More. People. Aliens. She should look away, but Alex's gaze stayed locked on the bodies writhing in large and small groups on every conceivable surface of the large room in front of them. One group in particular caught her eye.. She automatically tried to determine the number of people by the flash of limbs. Two. Four arms. No. six? Plus a crop of neon green tentacles.
Kara's voice hissed in her ear. "Did you see the size of…of that…"
Kara never finished the sentence, but Alex put size plus shock together to figure out the body part under discussion. "Uh, must have missed that." Thank fuck. "What…what else does Respite offer?" she asked Sluugdin desperately as she mentally vowed to find their benefactor and shoot him repeatedly with her favorite gun.
"Oh! So many things." For a three-foot tall walking crab in pants, Sluugdin could give a cheetah a race. Alex had to trot to keep up and noticed Kara doing the same.
No matter which archway opened, it was all body parts and naked wrestling. Alex hadn't known you could do most of those things.
She also hadn't known some of them might do more than make her blush. She prayed neither of her companions noticed.
Sluugdin finally waved to yet another archway and announced, "This is your suite. It is keyed to your DNA. Only you may enter, except for Respite staff. If there is anything you need, any desire we have not already met, do not hesitate to let me know. I will make it my personal mission to assist in caring for all your needs during your stay." With a deep bow, he scuttled away.
"Should we go in?" Kara asked, voice lowered.
Alex didn't know. "There shouldn't be anyone inside." Please, no more naked people. She sidled through the archway. "It's clear." Despite being trapped on an alien planet with no way home, Alex relaxed as she walked into the massive suite. It was bigger than her and Kara's apartments put together. The biggest plus was the lack of bodies, naked or otherwise, anywhere in the space.
The force field turned the open arch to a solid wall once Kara was inside. "Wow! Look at this place."
Completely overwhelmed, Alex sank onto the couch. Nervous energy urged her to do something. Anything. Find a way out. Discover who had sent them there and why. One of her legs jiggled, but her mind couldn't keep up.
"Hey!" Kara sat down next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "We'll figure this out together, but not now. I told you before we somehow apparated like Harry Potter, you need to rest. You're the brains of this operation – but your brain is tired."
"God damn it, Kara! We don't have time to sleep," Alex snapped.
Normally, this was when Kara dragged out her puppy dog eyes and her wounded little girl voice. The Statue of Desan must have done more than teleported them across the galaxy. Supergirl stared back at Alex, daring her to keep arguing. "We're sleeping. Right now." Sliding until her back pressed against the arm of the couch, Kara patted her chest. "Your head. Here."
Alex climbed to her feet instead, and she heard Kara sigh behind her. "Who do we know who could not only send us here, but want to?"
There was no response. Alex spun around and watched Kara sprawl on the couch and feign sleep. Including heavy, dramatic snoring.
"Kara!" Why wasn't Kara taking this seriously?
"Oh, I am taking this seriously." Kara locked gazes with Alex. There was an angry set to her jaw.
Wait. Had Alex actually said that part out loud? "Kara…" Could this day get any worse? "I'm sorry."
"No, you're not, Alex. You're not sorry." Kara raised a hand and began ticking off points as she talked. "You're exhausted. You're terrified and trying to hide it. You think you're the only one who can solve this problem. You think I'm going to sit back and make you do all the work. And you've completely forgotten that we have a team of friends back on Earth working their asses off to find us."
Kara was out of fingers. Alex really hoped she was out of things to say because a lot of the comments (while true) had stung. Badly. "I don't think you're just a pretty face, Kara."
The smile she got in response was slow and clearly reluctant. "Yeah, yeah. I bet you say that to all the girls you accidentally bring to a kinky sex resort." Kara sat up. "I know we're in trouble, Alex. This is a whole lot better than the last time I got stuck on another planet, though. At least this one isn't an auction house. Please. Take at least a couple of hours to sleep."
They were in a resort and not a cage. Alex was tired. "Two hours. That's it."
"Scouts Honor." Alex regretted telling Kara about the Boy Scout Pledge when they were kids. Every single time Kara held up three fingers and made her vow, she never followed through.
"I'm setting the alarm on my watch," she warned. "I said two hours; I meant two hours."
Kara slid back into place on the couch and opened her arms. "You're the boss."
"That's right. I am." Alex carefully crawled on top of Kara, settling into her usual spot for naps or bingeing Netflix. She enjoyed the way Kara wrapped her arms around Alex's back. Tight. Anchoring. Safe. "How long have you known your powers were out?" she asked softly.
"About two minutes after we got her," Kara said, equally soft. "How'd you figure it out?"
Extending a finger, Alex jabbed it into Kara's side.
"Ow!" Kara rubbed at the spot, and Alex's back grew cold from the loss of Kara's arm. "You could just say something."
"Nope. Sometimes actions speak louder than words." It grew harder and harder to keep her eyes open. Alex blinked sleepily. "You're normally like an extra firm mattress without a pillow-top. Today, you have a pillow-top. Soft," she mumbled.
As Alex drifted off, she thought she heard Kara say, "You're the only one who never noticed my pillows…"
Alex woke first, before her alarm. She and Kara had shifted positions. Alex now held the bottom spot with Kara a tangle of arms and legs around her. "Kar?" Moving slowly and carefully, she tried to slip from beneath Kara – and the hand that was firmly cupping her right breast.
For a moment, Alex's plan worked. Then Kara mumbled something unintelligible and her fingers closed more tightly around Alex.
The grip didn't hurt. Exactly. And there was a DEO polo shirt and a bra between hand and breast. Alex's body didn't know or care. Her nipple hardened despite her mind screaming a command to cease and desist. "Kara!"
"Early, 'lex. Go back to sleep." Kara never moved a muscle, and her breathing turned to soft snores.
Alex cursed her body. This hadn't happened for years. Sleepovers and cuddle sessions after Game Nights and Sister Nights. Not a single reaction to Kara. It was this fucking sex resort, eating away at Alex's steely resolve. They had to get home before Kara noticed Alex's problem.
A problem she'd had since a gangly, emotionally-devasted thirteen-year-old orphan landed in the Danvers' front yard.
If Alex ever found the mean-spirited fucker who'd whisked them to a resort guaranteed to destroy her control over her love for her Kara, she'd rip them limb from limb. Shooting was out. It was too fast and not nearly painful enough.
Damn it! She had to move. Marshalling her strength, Alex shoved Koala Kara toward the back of the couch and rolled to safety. It wasn't her most graceful landing. She ended up face first on the carpet – but free.
"Hey! Rude!" Kara yawned and stretched. She was still in her Supergirl suit.
Alex's eyes, as out of control as the rest of her body, chased the play of Kara's muscles beneath the supple material.
Kara suddenly froze. A pulse hammered visibly in her neck. "Alex?"
Oh, God! Kara had caught her staring. Alex scrambled to her feet. "Need to pee! I'll be right back." After an ice-cold shower if the place had those. It was hard to take part in an orgy if you're sexual organs were encased in ice.
There was no shower. Alex stepped into the pool-sized, sunken tub and spun the single tap on the wall. She hadn't spotted a spigot.
When the sound of a waterfall sprang to life behind her, Alex realized why: part of a wall had disappeared, and an actual fall of water poured from the new opening. It would probably have filled the massive tub in minutes.
Alex didn't wait that long. She stepped beneath the hot water. Her skin tingled as she soaked up the heat. It wasn't as effective at killing her arousal, but it did work on the knots in her muscles. There was no soap or shampoo dispenser.
Or a towel on the bar next to the tub.
Resigning herself to putting dirty clothes over wet skin, she climbed out of the tub. Warm air blew from hidden vents as her foot cleared the lip. Well, that explained the lack of a towel. She reached for her clothes.
Her clothes were gone! Alex spun around. Had she left them on the floor? Or on the long marble counter? Both were clear of her uniform.
Storming through the force field "door", she stomped into the living area. "Did you take my clothes?"
Kara had been slumped over on the couch. At Alex's sharp inquiry, she raised her head – and the tear tracks on her cheeks made Alex forget all about her clothes. "What's wrong?" She hustled to Kara's side. "Hey, we'll figure this out. It's what we do, right? I'm sorry I've been such a bitch. You were right. I'm tired and…"
"It's fine," Kara interrupted. "Really."
Her affect was so un-Sunny Danvers that Alex worried there was Red K stashed somewhere on Respite. "Kara." Alex tried again.
"I looked around while you were peeing." If she'd glanced up, Kara would have surely seen Alex's guilty flinch. Alex had run off in a moment of gay, Kara-loving panic. Her lie had been transparent at best. "I know why we're here."
Guilt fled. Alex was all business. "Why? Who sent us?" she fired off.
Rather than respond, Kara tossed Alex the Desan. "This wasn't just a portkey. There was a message." As Alex searched for a hidden compartment or a switch, Kara continued. "It only played once. I tried to get it to come on again, but it won't."
"What did it say?" What was so bad that Kara had lost her sparkle?
"Oh, you know. 'Enjoy the kinky sex resort. Don't do anything I wouldn't do. Love, Myx.'" Kara's laugh was strained. "I really wish I'd done worse than banish him."
Once Alex found the smarmy bastard, Kara wouldn't have to worry about that. "Please tell me he built in a way home?"
Kara shrunk further in on herself. "Yeah."
"And?" Why was Kara acting so defeated? They'd won the last round with the imp.
"Myx thinks I've got a secret love. He's sad it's not him, you understand." There was a strange, brittle quality to Kara's voice. "The only way to get home is for me to speak my truth out loud. To 'unburden my heart and secure my future happiness.'"
Myx had lost his Fifth Dimensional mind. "You tell me everything. I haven't heard word one about a love interest. Unless." Trying to shake Kara out of her mood, Alex teased. "You finally going to tell Cat you've got more than a crush? That's not much of a secret, Kar."
Her attempt at levity crashed and burned. Kara stood. "We should probably look around. If there's another way out, it won't be in this room." She stepped around Alex and walked toward the invisible arch to the outside hall. As she did, the Supergirl suit disappeared. "Great. Just fucking great!"
"Did you just drop an f-bomb?" The world – maybe all worlds – was ending. It had to be. Alex hurried to catch up to Kara, who had already left the room.
"Honey, I'm home!" Alex called out. Unbuckling her tactical belt, she opened the hidden wall safe behind the large print of Argo City on the foyer wall. She slipped the belt onto the built-in peg, added her DOE credentials, and closed the safe.
Well-honed instincts prevented Alex from being knocked over as two tiny terrors hurtled into her arms. "Hey, monkeys. Where's Mama?"
"Watching TB," Jeremiah mumbled. He buried his head against Alex, who kissed his tousled curls.
Zorelle, usually the quieter of the two, nodded. "Mama looks sad, Mommy."
"Well, why don't we go make Mama happy?" It was a good thing Alex worked out. The kids were really too big to be carried, but they both loved it when she hauled them around. Settling both on a hip, she went to find Kara. "Look what I found on the doorstep. What do you think, pretty lady? Should we keep them?"
Kara didn't answer. 'Relle had been right. Mama was sad. "Hey, babies. Why don't you go color in your room for a few minutes? Then we can help Mama make dinner." She set both kids on the ground and steered them in the right direction. They took off in a thunder of footsteps. "What happened? Is it your mom?" The Council on New Krypton had split over the colonization plan. Although Alura wouldn't admit things were bad, Alex had read between the lines during their last, brief conversation.
"My mother's dead, Alex. She has been for thirteen years." Kara shoved Alex away when she tried to pull her into a hug. "You and I aren't married. We don't have two point five kids. This is all a lie!"
Someone must have gotten to Kara. Drugged her. Alex kept her expression blank as she turned to follow Kara's frantic pacing. "What's the truth then?" She hated the pain in Kara's eyes. Hated knowing she'd failed to protect Kara again. "Come here. Please? Just…talk to me, OK? We'll figure it out."
That drew a disbelieving laugh. "Rao, even when you live in a fantasy world, you think you can fix everything. I…I've got to get out of here. I can't…" Spinning on a heel, Kara ran out the front door.
Alex followed, calling after her.
"Have I told you recently how much I love you?" Alex murmured. Tracing a finger over Kara's abdominal muscles, she nibbled at Kara's left thigh. A devious smile broke out when Kara jumped at the nip. The red sun lamps were completely worth all the teasing from Winn and Vasquez and the thousands of hours in the lab to get them just right. Alex would have chipped a tooth rather than garner a reaction otherwise.
Kara didn't say anything.
Alex's smile grew. It was going to be one of those nights, was it? She loved a challenge. "Get ready to scream my name, pretty lady. We'll talk about my winner's prize after." Kara was stiff under her lips. Too bad for her. Alex was the undisputed champion in every one of their sex games.
She started off slow, giving Kara time to contemplate her upcoming oss – and the many orgasms leading up to it. Soft kisses first. Touch was so important for Kara. She craved it. Especially when her powers were out, like now. Even the slightest touch of lips to flesh made Kara writhe.
Right on cue, Kara's hips rose. "I think I want dinner in Rome. That little place off the Via del Gesu." Alex increased her pace. Patience wasn't her virtue. All she wanted was to bury her face in Kara's pussy. Have Kara break apart under her lips and tongue. Sliding up, she dragged the very tip of her tongue along Kara's labia. Sucking. Licking. Nipping ever so gently. "You're so ready, aren't you, baby?"
Her final target popped into view. Pink and swollen and ripe for the taking.
"Stop." Kara's voice was so choked Alex almost missed it. "Please. Stop."
"Hey! Hey, Kar, it's OK." Scrambling to the head of the bed, Alex wrapped Kara in her arms. "Did I hurt you? Is it the lamps? Are they too high?" Her mind raced as she rocked Kara back and forth. "Whatever it is, I'll fix it. It'll be OK."
Kara reached up. Her fingers touched Alex's cheek reverently. "How do you do that? How do you always make me feel safe despite whatever is happening?"
That was easy. "I love you. While I'm around, nothing and no one is hurting you. Simple." Alex turned her head and kissed the fingers on her cheek. "What's wrong, baby? I can't fix the problem if I don't know what the problem is."
"Alright." Kara slipped from Alex's arms. "I want to show you something." She moved toward the bedroom door. "Come on. We…we have to do this at the same time."
"Do what?" Had Kara planned some kind of surprise? Alex hated surprises. She rolled off the bed and joined Kara at the door.
Kara turned the door knob. "I wish this was real, Alex, but it's all a lie." Yanking the door open, she seized Alex's hand and pulled her through…
"Alex!" Kara's voice was so far away. Faint and fading more with every heartbeat. "Rao, this can't be happening."
Everything was so heavy. Her eyelids. Her arms. Alex dragged her eyelids up. Kara crouched over her, covered in blood. "Are…are you hurt? Where's J'onn? Call…call for…"
Kara placed a hand gently over Alex's lips. "Don't talk. Please. Don't talk. You'll be fine. I promise."
What? Alex couldn't breathe. Her chest was so tight, and she suddenly realized she couldn't feel. Anything. The sky behind Kara had leeched of color. Sunlight shading to gray. Alex didn't see any other DEO agents nearby. There were no sounds of battle.
"You'll be fine, 'lex. Don't worry. None of this is real," Kara babbled. She cradled Alex to her chest. And Alex could feel again. Kisses pressed against her hair.
The feel of Kara's lips was fleeting. The numbness returned, and Alex's eyes slid shut.
Dimly, she heard Kara screaming. At her? Alex couldn't tell. Didn't care. She was…so…tired.
"No! Don't you dare leave me, Alex. Hang on." Kara's voice, right against Alex's ear. Fierce and angry and terrified. "I have to find a door. I'll get us out of her here. I won't let anything happen to you."
It was too late. Alex tried to tell Kara that. Tried to tell her she loved her, and that Kara would be able to go on just fine without her. The words wouldn't come. She pushed harder, ignoring her body's sluggish response. "Kar." Was that her voice? That wisp of sound? "Too…late."
"It's not too late! It's not." Kara was crying. Her voice wobbled and broke. "I'll fix this!"
Alex managed a wheeze of laughter. "Usually…me…saying that." Her time was up. Alex was cold. Her mind was growing hazy. "I love you, Kara."
"No! I'm not listening to this," Kara protested.
"Yes, you are." Alex had one last change at this. "I love you." Somehow, she opened her eyes. Kara was a dim shape backlit in shadow. "You, Kara Zor-El. You own my heart. You always have. Too…too scared to tell you…until now."
Tears dripped onto her face from above. "I love you, too." Kara touched her lips to Alex. "Rao, I'm such a coward. I should have told you years ago. It's all my fault this happened. I don't know how to save you!" Kara bent her head until their foreheads touched. "I love you so much and I don't know how to get us out of here!"
Blinking against the bright lights in the suite, Alex sat up. Kara stared up at her from her position beneath Alex on the couch.
"You're alright!" Lunging up, Kara hugged Alex until she squeaked. The kiss that followed was fast, hard, and bordered on desperate.
And just like that, Alex remembered everything. Remembered each of the different lives she and Kara had shared in their dreams. She returned the kiss with interest. Kara already knew her secret. Alex didn't have to hide anymore.
"Kara, my darling!" Kara and Alex broke apart. A hologram of Mxyzptlk hovered above the Desan. "You and your love are unbelievably stubborn. Do you know, I thought that merely being in the presence of all the free love at Respite would be enough to get you to admit your feelings?" The hologram form waggled a finger at them. "Imagine my delight when I had to…bring out the big guns, as it were."
Alex grunted as Kara shoved her out of the way and dove for the artifact. "You nearly killed Alex!"
Mxyzptlk laughed. It sent chills up and down Alex's spine. "Oh, my darling, no! Your love was in no danger. Respite is designed to cater to your every fantasy. I simply designed the script in case you were having trouble baring your soul."
"I will rip you apart with my bare hands!" Kara snarled.
Kara was hot like this. Alex leaned back and watched Kara square off with the holographic imp. It was liberating to openly ogle Kara. No shame or guilt. She knew that would return later, but she was one hundred percent done with lying.
They'd have to talk about their shared fantasies. Decide how to move forward as a couple. And, if Kara tried to weasel out of her admission of True Love… Well, Alex would chase her to the ends of the Earth and make her deal with their relationship.
"You wound me, Kara! I was merely trying to help you find happiness." Mxyzptlk pleaded his case. "I'm sure you'll thank me once you finish your vacation. Now that you and your love are officially a couple, take a few days to enjoy the rest of Respite's amenities. I hear they have delightful orgies. I met a charming young Daxamite named Mon-El there during a visit several years ago. Now there was someone who knew how to have a good time."
Of course, Mon-El had been here. Alex rolled her eyes.
Kara reached for the Desan – and Alex knew it was time to step in. "Thanks for the vacation, Myx," she said. "I'm looking forward to some alone time with Kara. We have a lot to talk about."
"I hope you do more than talk." Mxyzptlk's wink was overdone and comic.
Alex winked back. "Only if you promise to let our friends on Earth know where we are and that we're fine. And you swear on your love and devotion for Kara you'll never visit us or watch us for the rest of our stay here."
A delighted grin split Mxyzptlk's face. "If I wasn't already hopelessly in love with Kara, I might believe we were made for each other. Done!" With a snap of his fingers, Mxyzptlk disappeared.
In the peace and quiet in Mxyzptlk's wake, Alex stood and walked to Kara. Her arms slipped around Kara's waist, and she leaned against Kara's muscled back. "We're not in a dream now, Kar. You can't tell yourself I don't know what I'm saying." Gently turning Kara to face her, Alex peered into Kara's eyes. "I am so completely in love with you, Kara Zor-El, and I refuse to hide that a second longer. You're it for me. The one person I want to spend the rest of my life loving and laughing with."
She'd seen Kara smile a million times. It was Kara's default expression. This smile was different. Brighter than the sun and filled with more heat than resiniferatoxin. "Sending a 'thank you' card to Myx is going to suck."
"It'll be worth it in the end, baby." Alex kissed Kara the way she'd dreamed of since she was fourteen. "Maybe we'll even name one of the kids after him."