Hello

by snixxjuice214

Hello

1. One

Transcendent Interactions

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at /works/11176800.

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Explicit

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F/F

Supergirl (TV 2015)

Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor

Kara Danvers, Lena Luthor, Alex Danvers, Maggie Sawyer, Winn Schott Jr., James Olsen, Cat Grant, Hank Henshaw J'onn J'onzz

No regular updating schedule, I've just taken the characters and run with them, same universe but different storyline/idea, so kinda AU?, Visions, Flashbacks, Soulmate AU, kind of??, Minor Character Death, Eventual Smut, Smut

Published: 2017-06-12 Updated: 2019-03-07 Chapters: 22/? Words: 208444

Summary

They don't know how it started.

Transcendent Interactions

by IHaveTheWrongGlass

Kara Zor-El and Lena Luthor share a special, secret bond that traverses any distance. When tragedy forces Lena to take over the family company, she seeks assurance and help in the one person that knows her the best. However, the two have never met before.

Notes

Hello Everyone!

I'm new to this whole 'writing' thing (If you can even call this writing), so here is my first story. Don't expect too much, I'm writing this as I'm going. Thus, updates will be irregular at best and any plot ideas are very welcome :).

I will ship SuperCorp to my dying breath so, there's that...

Anyway, please enjoy. Constructive criticism is very much welcome and please comment!

P.S This whole idea come to me at 3 a.m. I woke up suddenly, wrote the idea down, and then went back to sleep.

I marked this as explicit because I do not shy away from details of, well, anything really.

There is no beta, all mistakes are my own.

I'm also Australian, so I'm fond of my 'ours' (Flavour, favourite, honour, etc.)

Chapter 1

The first time it happened, it was the most debilitating experience that young Kara had ever had in her life. She was 8 years old and hiding in the Science Guild's Headquarters, watching her father and his associates work. Her tiny hands were gripped around the banister that was high above the men's heads. It was her favourite spot, no one knew it was there as the people who built this place were long dead and no one walked up there (that was if the dust said anything).

Her white dress, steadily getting dirtier from caked dust, pooled around her crouched form. The only thing she wanted in her short life was to follow in her father's footsteps. To lead Krypton into new ages of technological revolution. Maybe one day she'll find a way to make Kryptonians fly, or even shoot lasers from their eyes!

Kara was eight after all.

It was in the midst of these fantasies when the wretched thing hit. One second she was thinking on how cool the name Myriad (no clue what it was) sounded and the next, she was clutching the banister in a white knuckle grip. Her baby teeth clenched and her eyes welled with tears.

Fear like ice dripped through her veins, choking her heart and her throat. Her vision flashed and suddenly she wasn't in the Headquarters anymore. No. She was at a dinner table with a knife and a fork in her hands and the plate in front of her was filled with strange looking food. Some type of glazed meat?

The woman across from her was strikingly powerful, and from what little Kara's mind could fathom, the source of the dreaded fear.

"Lena, you know what happens when you don't get a perfect report card from school." A pause, letting the venom coated words sink in. "I don't send you to Ireland for nothing. I expected better."

Kara flinched, no Lena flinched. She could feel Lena's, no her's, no Lena's heart steadily increasing in pace. This was all too confusing! Kara's mind was retched from the train of thought when Lena's mother addressed her again.

"My darling Lex, on the other hand, is as perfect as always." Kara's view shifted to the young boy with curly back hair next to her, noticing the pleading look in his eyes at Kara. A look that just shouted 'don't listen to what mother says, you know you're perfect.' Kara already liked him much more than the mother.

"Lionel may claim to the public that you're a Luthor, but we all know that you're nothing but an unwanted bag of filth. Now get out of my sight before you make more of a mess out of the family name."

Kara hated her with a burning passion. Lena got up, left her untouched dinner and walked calmly out of the dinning room.

"Luthor's do not cry." Was the last thing Kara heard before she came to.

When Kara opened her eyes again, she was back in the red washed room of the Headquarters. Her small hands had a dull ache from clutching for so hard and so long and her teeth hurt from grinding. Her mind was reeling, what the hell just happened? Was it a really intense daydream? Was she hallucinating?

None of the explanations that Kara could come up with felt right. Kara felt it in her gut that out there,

somewhere, there was a scared little Kryptonian, from a family that wore strange clothes and ate strange food and now that Kara thought about it, spoke a strange language that she could somehow understand perfectly... anyway, that little girl was in real emotional pain.

Kara prayed to Rao that night to take care of Lena until Kara was able to take care of Lena herself. _

The first time Lena experienced the vision was when she was 16 and up late at night studying in her dormitory. Her roommate, Victoria Sinclair was nowhere to be seen, probably off betting on poker or something, and Lena had just finished her college thesis on improving the energy conversion of solar panels (she was going to finish a 4 year degree in 2 years), when she was hit with feelings of overwhelming distress and confusion.

She slammed back into her chair, the pencil in her hand broke and her heart rate shot through the roof. Grief was all she could feel and when she closed her eyes, Lena was no longer on Earth.

In front of her were two gorgeous people with tear stained faces and pained smiles. They were muttering reassurances but all Lena heard was muffled goodbyes. She was sitting in what could only be described as a stark white pod in the middle of a launch bay.

The man and woman approached her, grabbed her face and kissed her forehead and Lena had never felt so loved. The woman moved to her ear and muttered something that made Lena's blood run cold.

"Kara Zor-El, take care of your baby cousin Kal-El and don't forget us."

It was then that Lena knew this was not some random lack-of-sleep induced dream. This was Lena experiencing an event that was happening to someone right now. Someone named Kara Zor-El who, from what Lena had gathered, was about to leave her family to look after her cousin.

Lena's view shifted and she was met with a sight that would normally take her breath away, but all she could feel was Kara overwhelming emotions. She saw the pod in front of her shoot off into the never ending space at the end of the dock. Lena had never seen so many stars in her life but the fear clutching at her throat was choking her. Hot tears rolled down her face and she looked back at her parents.

Her father pressed a button and the pod jerked. The last image she saw was her parents smiling before toxic flames engulfed them alive and Lena, no Kara, escaped into deep space. Then, after a horrifying jolt, her vision went black and Lena returned to her dorm room completely disorientated and crying from the overwhelming feeling of loss.

Lena didn't care that she had just experienced the life of an alien, nor that this vision she had had to be real (because any other explanation didn't feel right). No, Lena only prayed that Kara Zor-El was safe and that she had someone to take care of her when landed where ever she was going. Lena had never prayed before, but she was praying to all the Gods that Kara was safe.

Ever since her first vision (that's what she decided to call it) when she was eight, Kara started getting random bursts into Lena life over the years and they could happen anytime. Kara learnt that Lena was not a Kryptonian, but a human from Earth. She asked uncle Non about Earth and he just scoffed and called them a backwards species that would eventually kill themselves. Kara took offence but she didn't let it show. After all, had had not told anyone about her vision. That was her secret between Lena and her. Even if she wasn't sure if Lena even knew Kara could randomly see into her life.

Kara learnt that Lena was extremely smart, even if Earth was far behind Krypton in science. But most of all, Lena was fragile, even when she put on a brave from and built layers upon layers of walls that were sky high. Kara, thanks to these visions and her natural empathy, knew that all Lena needed was someone to stand up for her (and to give her a hug, like honestly). Lex, Lena's brother, was doing that in his own way. He would comfort Lena after their mother's verbal abuse and would play chess with her, or star gaze.

Honestly, Kara loved it when she would randomly flash to moments when Lena and Lex would just be lying on the hill behind their mansion, hands folded on stomachs and heads filled with ancient (by Earth's standards at least) stories about how the stars came to be.

Kara knew them not to be true, but the romanticisation of the stars made them much more interesting. And, sometimes, just sometimes, Kara could almost feel Lena looking at her when she was star gazing (and Kara would look at Earth at those times too). Kara honestly hoped that one day Kara would go to Earth and visit Lena. Kara just didn't know that her wish would cost her Krypton.

When Lena thought back on it, the vision that she experienced back in college probably wasn't the first. When she was younger, she would dream of this amazing place called Krypton. A planet that revolved around a red sun called Rao. Lena honestly thought it was just her imagination, a form of escapism where she was just this girl on a beautiful planet that was way more technologically advanced than Earth. Honest to God, Lena would sometimes base her inventions on the things she saw in her 'dreams.' Things like levitation devices (still in their early stages) and ways of storing knowledge or even water preservation technology.

Lena now knew that her dreams were visions and she was experiencing the life of a girl named Kara from the planet Krypton. Honesty, Lena was surprised how well she was taking this. There was life, sentient life, in space other than humans and they were much more advanced than Earth.

What Lena enjoyed most, however, was the antics that Kara would get up too. Funnily enough, sans for the vision in college, none of the family members ever featured. It was mostly Kara by herself doing random things. Drawing and painting with colours that Lena had never hoped to recreate, inventing little things like a machine that would throw balls for the family pet Krypto (creative name, Lena scoffed). But, by far, Lena's favourite visions lied in the random play fights she would experience through Kara. In Lena's favourite one, Lena got to witness a sword training session. It was just Kara, by herself, in a huge, open training floor. One whole side of the room was open, leading into a large pitch of red soil. The view was magnificent as Rao set over the horizon, the red rays glinting off the polished black metal of the sword in Kara's hand as it sliced the air. Lena had never felt so powerful.

Lena laughed to herself. She remembered that straight after that 'dream,' she got Lionel to agree for her to take weapon courses (she was 11 at the time). Now at 20, Lena was proficient in mixed martial arts, naginata, katana and firearms. Well, Lena mused, she had Kara to thank for Lena finding some self confidence in her fighting abilities.

Fighting was a solace that Lena used when her life got really hard. When Lillian was berating her more than usual, when Lex moved out of town to peruse some grand new idea for Luthor Corp. or when Lionel started to fall ill. Lena may curse the day that Lionel made her a Luthor, but at least he was a half decent human being.

Ever since Lena experienced what she assumed was the death of Krypton, Lena felt immense loss both personally and for Kara. Lena may not have lived on Krypton, but she got to experience a lot of Kara's life there, she felt Kara's emotions as a constant hum in the back of her brain now and Lena will never, ever forget the soul wrenching pain when Kara and Kal-El became the last Kryptonians alive.

In an act of comfort, Lena would do small things to help Kara. She had no idea how they were

linked but she thanked her lucky stars that they were. Without Kara, Lena doubted that she would still be alive today. So when Kara was having a particularly hard day posing as Kara Danvers with the Danvers family, Lena would try to push positive emotions through their bond. When Kara had intense spikes in emotions, Lena would flash and witness and feel what Kara was doing at that time.

And Lena tried so hard to never forget what she knew and experienced on Krypton because she knew how alone Kara felt being one of the last Kryptonians. In some ways, the last true Kryptonian because she got to grow up in that culture for 14 years of her life. Thus, Lena wrote journals upon journals detailing all that she knew, she sketched (nothing to Kara's standard) and she spent days making sure she could be fluent in Kryptonian. She did all of this when she realised that Kara was real when she was sixteen. She did all of this because she wanted to keep Kara's culture alive in some capacity. She did this so when they finally met, Kara wouldn't feel so alone in the world. _

Today was not Kara's day. She just finished her first week at Cat Co. Worldwide Media and really, if she wasn't a morally right alien that had to exhibit immense restraint every moment of every day, she would have attempted to chuck Cat Grant into the sun. She dreamt about that sometimes. And even though Ms. Grant never got her name right, it was refreshing to see a woman in a position of power and she did have her kernels of wisdom. So Kara grit her teeth and bore the degradation with a smile. She needed the job, she was in the rent controlled side of National City after all.

Kara opened her door with a huff, slamming it shut, shrugging off her coat, slipping off her flats and collapsing on her couch. She groaned into the dark studio apartment, her mind spiralling towards self-wallowing.

Why was she the last daughter of Krypton? She was useless! Here she was, a bloody assisstant charged with getting bloody coffee orders and opening mail and rescheduling appointments at her boss' every beck and call. She failed her primary objective. Kal-El, whilst they left at the same time and arrived on earth at the same time, his pod malfunctioned and spend up his aging process during their time travelling in space. His pod was fitted with advanced learning tools that fed his brain when they were asleep. Kal-El knew what he needed to in order to function in modern Earth society. He knew everything about Earth, yet he knew nothing of Krypton.

Kara's family didn't have time to input the correct codes to unlock the learning mechanics of the pod, so Kara had no knowledge of the Earth world. She didn't speak English very well (only what she knew from her visions).

So when they landed, in different places, Kal-El was not a child anymore, but a young, educated, man that was technically older than Kara. Furthermore, Kal-El landed in Kansas and Kara landed in Midvale. She took on the name 'Danvers' and Kal-El changed his whole name to 'Clark Kent'.

It hurt. He never needed her, she failed her parents and Clark basically abandoned their culture and no matter how Kara tried, he never was interested. For all intents and purposes, Clark was a human with powers and Kara was an alien posing as a human.

All in all, Kara was the last true Kryptonian. So why was Clark the one flying out there, wearing the House of El crest and saving people? And well, Kara really wanted to but she couldn't do that to her adoptive family. She just couldn't. Not after all they had gone through trying to keep her a secret, trying to keep her safe. Not after they lost Jeremiah and the strained relationship Alex has with Eliza (which she is pretty sure was her fault).

So Kara vowed to help people another way. One day she will be a reporter. She will help people with her words, not her fists. That was why this week was so bloody hard. Kara was constantly surrounded by people, actual journalists, reporting the news as it happens while she was running all

around National City getting coffee.

She felt the first of her hot tears track their way down her face into the pillow. She felt useless. She couldn't do anything right. She couldn't take care of her cousin, she couldn't even get a fucking coffee order right.

And that's when she felt it.

It was like liquid sunshine running from her mind and into her blood. Her tears stopped, it felt like the most intimate hug possible. Emotions of compassion and support flooded her system, making Kara gasp at the warmth. Her face split into a grin and she just lay there, reveling in the sensations.

Kara knew it was Lena. She must have felt her emotions and decided to try and make her happy. Kara laughed into the empty apartment. The only person to really believe in her abilities was both a friend she had never met and the person she had known for the longest time.

Kara was grateful that Lena was always there for her and, in that dark room, laying on the tear stained couch, Kara vowed to the night air that she would be there for Lena in her moments of need as well. So in return, Kara put all her effort into jamming feelings of thankfulness into their bond, hoping Lena would understand.

Lena's whole world was flipped upside down at the age of 24. Lex, her wonderful brother Lex, the only person that made her feel welcome, loved and needed (besides Kara) was serving 32 consecutive life sentences for the attempted murder of Superman, the murder of innocent lives, unlawful human trials for equipment, and the large scale destruction around Metropolis.

His trial had just concluded earlier in the afternoon where she testified against him in court. Lena noticed Lex's change in behaviours over the years. How he started to become obsessed about aliens when Superman came out (Lena was a little angry at Kal-El for abandoning Kara, so she didn't very much care for Superman), how he would be away for longer periods of time on 'business meetings' and how he would hole himself in his room and labs for sometimes days. Lena should have seen this coming, but still, it blindsided her. She realised that she was only caught unaware because she held on to the ideal that was her brother. The man they put away today was not her brother, but a demon that looked remarkably like him.

Now Lena watched her mother walk around her favourite child's room, cleaning and neatening as if he just went away on a business trip. Lena uncrossed her arms, walked out the house and grabbed her keys to the Range Rover. She needed to clear her head, she needed space to just feel. With a quick look in the back seat to confirm her sword was there, Lena speed out the estate and into the busy streets of Metropolis.

The city that she had resided in for all her summer breaks from school in Ireland and University at Harvard felt even more foreign then usual. How could the sky still be so happy when all Lena could feel was deep, crushing sadness? It was not sadness for herself, no, it was sadness for what her brother could have been if she just paid little more attention to him than herself. It was a sadness of hypotheticals.

Taking backroads and sharp turns, Lena eventually broke past the city boarder. The edge of the city stopped abruptly, like a force field stopped the city from growing its roots any further into the rolling hills that surrounded it. With that said, beyond the city limits was not devoid of life. It was full of small houses and cottages miles apart. Animals walked the grassy landscape with content little hearts and Lena almost smiled when she saw a small fox walking next to the gravel road.

It was only when the yellow sun cast red hues over the horizon did Lena reach her destination. She

got out the car, stretched her stiff muscles and then retrieved her sword. The weight in her hand a small comfort in the trying times. She walked away from the car and into the nature that surrounded her.

There was nothing but trees, grass and wildlife for miles now. A place of solidarity where it was nothing but her mind, her sword and her strength. She attached the sword to her hip, standing in the dirt clearing. She closed her eyes, filled her body with the clean air around her, and drew her weapon. Her eyes opened.

Lena was trained in the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryu technique. She had explored other styles of sword fighting but she found this one resonated with her. She didn't have to think as she went through the notions of slicing the air in front of her with deadly precision. The moves were second nature, her mind was running off in tangents whilst her body was the epitome of grace and hidden power.

She thought of the time Lex Slash.

She thought of the time Lex Stab.

She thought of the time Lex Drawback.

She thought of the time Lex Breathe in.

She thought of the time Lex

Breathe out.

She thought of the time Lex exploding a chocolate cake.

Slash.

She thought of the time Lex boarding school.

Stab.

She thought of the time Lex Drawback.

She thought of the time that Breathe in.

had stolen her a lollipop at the dentist when Lillian wasn't looking. finally won at chess against her and he gloated for the whole day. gave her her first drink.

and her would sneak out to watch the stars.

and her built their first car engine together.

and her were banned from the kitchen by the head maid for somehow

had first picked her up from the airport after her first semester at

helped decorate her room at Harvard.

Lex realized he had male pattern boldness.

She thought, and thought, and thought, and thought of all the times when Lex was her world, when he was her older brother and Lena was just his younger sister, when she was his universe.

Breathe out.

And for the first time since the ordeal, she allowed herself to grieve over the death of her brother.

It was only when she was sitting down in the open field, cleaning her katana and admiring the red light of the smooth metal, bringing out its thousand folds, did she feel liquid sunshine course through her veins.

Lena would be forever grateful that Kara let her work though her own emotions first before offering comfort. It was important because she needed to cement in her mind that this was her reality. Her life was now forever changed and Kara Zor-El understood that to the fullest degree.

Kara patted out the fire trying to burn holes in her super suit. Honestly, people's complacency was ridiculous. Who left a candle burning next to a flammable curtain in a child's room? Thank god she heard the child calling for help and that the worst damage was done to the house and not the occupants.

She made her way home, looking forward to a warm bath and food 'cause Rao she was starving. Walked in, hip checked the door closed and started to undress as she made her way to the bathroom.

This whole week had been intense. Ever since Lex was put behind bars on Monday, all the alien haters in National City had been in an uproar over the incarceration of their icon. Kara didn't understand why people could hold these views, sure there were bad aliens out their but there was also bad people too. When Kara thought further on it, human history was full of discrimination. Humans hated on the most ridiculous grounds, like skin colour or sex. In all honesty, it was a surprise that there were so many people out there that even supported aliens.

Kara chuckled to herself.

She filled the bath with water, heating it up with her heat vision. She got in, sighing as she felt the water working on her taunt muscles.

Aside from the increase in violence, Kara was also experiencing second hand loss. Whilst she would never ever give up her connection to Lena, her pain and her misery over the loss of her brother, coupled with Kara's loss of Lex as well (she felt like she knew him due to years of visions) brought painful emotions that reminded her of the loss of Krypton. Kara couldn't help but draw parallels between Lena and herself.

Both had lost their world. Hers was literally, and Lena's was more metaphorically. But both were huge events in their own right and both changed a person either for better or for worse. Kara was with Lena for the whole of Lex's trial. Every detail down to the wood of the podium was ingrained in her mind and she couldn't get out of her head the look of betrayal on Lex's maddened face. Her vision had ended shortly after Lena walked out the court house, suppressing her emotions and shutting Kara out.

It was only later that day did Kara have another vision. She watched in awe as Lena cut the air with her blade, watching as each stroke mirrored the state of her mind. It was then that Kara knew that this was something that Lena would have to work out herself. That Kara's comfort through their bond would only hinder her full recovery.

Where Kara preferred blankets, hot chocolate and venting, Lena preferred control, calculation and introspection. Kara understood and respected that, so she stayed in that vision, watching as the sun lowered on the horizon only for Lena to stop when the sun was at that angle which made Earth look like a crude version of Krypton. The light bouncing off the metal reminded her of her own sword

lessons (chuckling at the fact that the weapon was common on both planets).

It was only when she perceived Lena was done did she let any sort of comfort flow through their bond. She was met with liquid gratefulness and Kara had smiled for the both of them.

That was only Monday, the rest of the week saw that Kara would randomly flash at any moment. This made sense as it was probably the most trying week in Lena's young life. From the visions Kara learnt that Lena was to be the new CEO of LuthorCorp. as decided by both Lionel and Lex's wishes (Kara wasn't surprised by this). With this decision, Lena's life turned upside down for the second time that week.

It was today, Friday, that the third life changing decision occurred.

Kara was just working on a puff piece for Snapper when her legs gave out and she flashed.

She was sitting at the head of a conference table surround by old men and the stench of a too clean room.

"Gentlemen, you may open the files in front of you." she felt Lena speak.

The men did just that. Flicking through documents as Lena fiddled with her hands under the table. This was her first major decision as CEO and she would defend it with everything she had. She watched as looks of shock, and perplexity engulfed each of their faces as they realised what was in front of them.

The man on the far right spoke first, gaining the attention of the room by the way he jumped out of his chair. "You cannot be serious! Such a big change at a time like this would lower our stocks even further!"

She rose gracefully, staring down at the man until he visibly gulped. A cold grin spread across her features as she spoke the words that would both endlessly scare and thrill Kara.

"This meeting was just a pleasantry gentleman. Whilst I will take your input into consideration, this was just to inform you of whether or not you would want to remain partners with LuthorCorp through this major change. After all, I don't want to waste resources on ungrateful people when I would rather be surrounded by faithful advisors on our move to National City.

Thank you for your time gentlemen."

With that, Lena walked out the glass conference room and went to her office, poured herself a glass of wine and watched, for what would be the last time, the skyline of Metropolis.

Kara came to with a sense of utter fear (what if Lena didn't like her?) and yet a high she had never experienced before. She was finally going to be in the same locality as the one person she had been wanting to meet all her life.

And that was the main stressor for Kara's already stressful week. She relaxed further in to the steadily cooling water, her blonde hair straightening from the weight of the water. Rao, she was about to meet Lena Luthor.

A blush steadily made its way onto her cheeks, she sunk further into the water until only her face was above it. She may be an alien but she sure as hell wasn't immune to the looks of a pretty girl. And, oh Rao, was Lena beautiful.

When she first learnt how to use the internet (thanks to Alex) the first thing that she searched (when

she was alone) for was Lena. Because visions were in first person, Kara didn't actually know how Lena looked unless she passed a reflective surface. Sadly for her, she never flashed when Lena was looking into a mirror.

Kara was shook when she saw her first picture. At that time there wasn't many pictures of the littlest Luthor other than a few cursory photos from galas and events. Ever since then, Kara would randomly check online to see what Lena was up to. Keeping up with her inventions and research papers and feeling proud of the woman Lena was growing into from the scared little girl she had first seen.

And now, with the whole Lex mess, Lena's face was on every news channel for the last week and there was a steady hum of hurt and pain in the back of Kara's mind. Lena was hurting and Kara hated herself for her increased heart rate every time she saw a picture of Lena.

That still didn't stop Kara's hand travelling from the plane of her stomach to the soft curls at the apex of her legs. She needed to relieve stress and Kryptonians were sexual beings. Sure the matrix told them whom to marry based on compatibility but Kryptoninans would forge bonds of love through their arranged marriages by pleasures of the flesh and intellectual debating between partners. It was more of a love after marriage kind of deal.

Krypton had died before Kara was given a match, thus she had to improvise. On Krypton, at the age of 22, Kara would have already been married and in the process of producing an heir for her House. Her mind understood that those customs died along with her planet and that Kara had to adapt to Earth's customs (more specifically, the customs of the United States), but her biology had different ideas.

Kara circled the bundle of nerves at the top of her folds, gasping at the pleasure shooting up her spine. Her other hand played with dusty pink peaks at the top of her breasts.

The matrix was gone, but her body understood how it worked. Someone of her standing on Krypton would only be matched to someone of equal standing. Basically, someone she was both on intellectual and hierarchical par with. Her body decided that someone was Lena.

Kara closed her eyes as a low moan escaped her parted lips. Her body ridged as she climaxed, only to go limp as the pleasure abated.

She got up, dried off and fell into blissful slumber.

Lena had done it. Her plans to move to National City were finally concrete. She chuckled over her third glass of wine. If only Lionel could she her now! The bastard finally got what he wanted, his darling daughter at the head of his company. But at what cost? She was, after all, his favourite, but he couldn't have foreseen mild tempered Lex going off into the deep end.

Lena was glad she kept Kara a secret from Lex for all these years. If she hadn't... she didn't want to think about it. Taking another large sip from the nearly empty glass, Lena surveyed the state of her office. All her personal affects were moved earlier that day, it being near sunset now, and she just finished off some last minute paper work.

She remembered what it was like walking into the office on Monday. It was like walking into the mind of her brother, in some abstract way. The room was filled with dark woods and gleaming brass. The main object being the massive dark oak desk situated in front of the floor to ceiling windows. The view was fantastic.

Lena could picture Lex standing there, looking over the people of Metropolis, his subjects. It

probably fuelled his god complex being this high up. Lena could feel the stifling nature of Lex's presence saturating the very walls of this office.

Was this what it was like for him when he first moved her after father's death? Lena needed something stronger.

She picked up the whiskey distiller from the edge of the oak desk and stared at it. Lex never liked whisky, being one to prefer gin and tonic, so the distiller must have been her fathers. Lena shrugged, taking a swig straight from the bohemian glass. Lena didn't want to let it go to waste, at least that's what she told herself and she deliberately mixed her alcohols. Tomorrow was Saturday after all, she was never going to get a break like this again for the foreseeable future.

She was moving to National City on Monday.

Lena took another mouthful, the burn running down her throat.

Lena was finally going to see Kara and she was extremely nervous. Her Luthor pride had never allowed Lena to get close to anyone, sans Jack but they were lab partners from college. So this was going to be the first time she would interact with someone that knew an unedited version of her past. Some who, on some level, had experienced what she had experienced.

Another mouthful.

God, Lena didn't even know if Kara liked her! It was not like they ever had a conversation, the only thing that Lena had to rely on was Kara's emotions that she would feel from time to time, especially within the last week. Surely, no one would comfort someone they disliked?

Around half the whiskey was gone now and Lena was feeling a little tipsy but she hid it well. She put the decanter back on the desk, lifting her trembling hands up to stare at them. How was she supposed to save a sinking company? One that she was only connected to because of her name? A name that she wasn't related to by blood.

She let her hands fall limp.

Lena made her way back to the tall windows. The lack of balcony irked her alcohol induced brain. Her new office has a balcony, it was one of the factors that led her choose National City. That and the low crime rate, the fact it was not the city her brother went crazy in and not the city where her mother lived, National City was her new start. National City was where she would create a phoenix of this company.

National City was where Kara was.

Lena leaned her head against the cool glass, her breath fogging up the midnight sky. That's when she felt it. Suddenly her body was really tense. All her muscles were on edge, heat was pooling at the bottom of her abdomen.

Lena slowly turned around and slid down the glass, sitting on the plush burgundy carpet. She tried everything to supress the soft moan that fell from her lips. It didn't work. She was hot all over and Lena knew exactly what was happening.

Kara Zor-EL was masturbating.

Goosebumps rose up her arms, her mouth fell open in small gasps. Lena couldn't take it anymore. She ran her hands down her dress, hiking up the material and pulling her wet underwear aside. She bit her lip, eyes closed and her breath cursing the Kryptonian for doing this to her.

Without further ado, Lena entered herself with two fingers. Pleasure raced in her veins whilst she used her left hand to play with her clit. She slumped further, rocking harder. Her back arching, a guttural moan stole from her lips, Kara's name sighed to the now dark office. Pleasure washing over in white hot flashes.

Lena fell limp, slowly pulling out her digits and fixing her underwear.

Even though it was unexpected, Lena felt the stress leave her body and she felt so much better. So she just lay there, looking at the beige ceiling and thinking of the blue eyed girl that gave her such a rush. She wondered if Kara knew that Lena was affected when she was touching herself? Honestly, Kara probably didn't. It wasn't like Lena masturbated, being too embarrassed that Kara would feel what she was doing. Kara, on the other hand, had not trouble doing it, so every time that happened, Lena took advantage and got off as well.

Well, it was almost impossible not to.

Lena remembered there was one time, at a fundraising gala, when Kara started doing it and Lena had to grin and bear it. It was extremely awkward but she held herself with grace and no one was any the wiser. But in all honesty, Lena didn't mind one bit. Aside from the fact that she was using the opportunity to relieve her own stress, Lena was happy that Kara was taking care of herself. It was healthy and Lena couldn't fault her for it. She just wished she had better timing sometimes.

Once Lena caught her breath, she got up, tidied herself up and called it a night. She was half drunk and sexually sated, thus it was better night than she hoped for. Without even a glance back, Lena exited the LuthorCorp. Metropolis branch.

CatCo was in a frenzy. Lena Luthor was due to arrive in National City at lunch time and Kara was sitting in her windowless office, trying to work but finding herself too nervous to do so. Resigning herself to her fate, Kara exited her office and entered the hustle and bustle of the bull pen. Snapper was out with a team doing ground work, getting the public's opinion on the littlest Luthor.

From what Kara would inadvertently hear, the opinion wasn't good.

Honestly, didn't people know the whole nature versus nurture debate? Kara huffed in frustration. Banishing the thought, she made her way over to Winn, the resident tech guy and her best friend, and, like usual, he was playing some first person shooter game (and doing horribly at it).

Seeing her approach in the reflection of his screen, he paused and swivelled his chair around in his best Godfather impression. Kara bit back a chuckle, Winn was such a dork.

"Hey neighbour! Long-time no see." His charming smirk was disarming, making him all the more endearing.

"Hey Winn! Yeah, sorry about that. Snapper keeps breathing down my neck, barking at me about my run on sentences. Like seriously, I'm a cub reporter writing puff pieces! Chill."

"Well, at least you have stuff to do. For the first time in CatCo history, I, the IT guy, am not needed." "That makes both of us. With Snapper out for blood on the streets, I'm left to my own devices."

"I would not want to be the public right now." Winn nodded, getting up from his chair and straightening his cardigan.

"Where are you going?" Kara stared to follow him towards the elevators.

"Uh-huh, you mean 'we,'" he turned around, hands dancing in front of him. "On this rare occasion that we both have time off, we are going out for donuts and coffee."

At the mention of food, Kara grabbed Winn's arm and all but dragged him into the elevator. "I know the perfect place!"

Not ten minutes later found the duo in a cosy deep fried dessert shop next to the park. It wasn't anything fancy and could probably use a good clean, but in Kara's humble opinion, it made the best donuts in National City. Winn would second the opinion if his sugar covered face and puffed cheeks were anything to go by and in all honesty, Kara looked pretty much the same.

After swallowing his donut, Winn let out a content sigh, picked up his mocha and leaned further into the worn red leather booth seat whilst Kara started on her fifth donut. Winn and Kara had known each other for a few years now. When Kara started working at Catco., Winn was in the desk next to her. Proximity bred affection and now they were as tight as two peas in a pod.

When Kara came out as Supergirl to him, he was honoured to be the first one to know. So he did his best friend duty and made her suit, supporting her in any way he could. Ever since the fiasco with Kara's aunt, the DEO had offered him a job as one of their agents, he, however, refused. For one, working for the government, even if it was a secret organisation, did not pay as well as Cat Grant did. Secondly, whilst the DEO place was extremely high tech, Winn liked to live and being an agent would significantly shorten his life.

That wasn't to say that Winn didn't sometimes help Kara with missions when he was asked.

Kara let out a sign, wiping her mouth and smiling at Winn. Her stomach full of deep fried sugar and her hands holding a steaming mug of tea.

"So," Winn broke the comfortable silence, "how do you feel about Lena Luthor coming to National City?" He took a sip of his drink. The Luthor was the younger sister of Superman's nemesis after all.

The smile from Kara's face dropped, instead it became a thin line and her blue eyes turned steel.

"She's not her brother." Her voice sent shivers down Winn's spine. It was like a cloaked dagger, the threat was there but the attack wouldn't come unless coaxed. Winn didn't want to be stabbed.

He put his mug back on the table, putting his hands up in surrender. "I didn't mean anything bad! Honestly, I know what it's like to be judged because of family."

The warmth returned to Kara's eyes and the steel in her posture disappeared. But she didn't say anything so Winn broke the silence again.

"I, for one, am excited." Kara perked and gave him her full attention. "I mean, she's a certified genius and an inventor! Honestly, I would kill to work with her."

That drew a chuckle out of the Kryptonian.

"Don't worry Winn. You'll probably meet her because I plan on becoming her friend!" Of course Winn didn't know about the visions or their link. Kara never trusted anyone with that information, not even Alex knew.

Winn quirked an eyebrow.

"I mean, how great it would be for a Super and Luthor to work together!"

Winn smiled, "I can see it now!" He dramatically stretched his hands before him, "A Dynamic Duo: A Super and a Luthor!"

Kara laughed. Not because it was funny but because she was relieved. Relieved that her best friend actually liked and appreciated the littlest Luthor. Relieved that at least one other person besides Kara herself didn't judge Lena on her last name.

It didn't last long.

Fear spiked in every cell of her body, her hearing picked up a large boom near the airport. Kara looked at her watch, it was almost noon. She got up abruptly, cutting Winn off mid-sentence. She gave him the look and Winn gave her a nod. That was all she needed.

With no further ado, Supergirl was in the sky going to save Lena from a plane crash. Kara would have liked a better first meeting.

Lena hated flying, even if it was statistically the safest way of travelling. Her body just felt that it was so wrong to be thousands of feet in the air, in a metal canister that only remained in the air due to air pressure. That was why she was sitting in her private jet, in a seat next to the wings (because it was the most stable part of the plane and the least turbulent), buckled up and nursing a glass of scotch. Wine was too weak for an adventure like this.

The ice clinked against the sides of the chilled glass, giving away Lena's slightly shaking hands. Draining her glass, Lena forcibly put the tumbler back on the table next to her. She would have preferred to drive or even bloody walk to National City from Metropolis but time was of the essence.

To take her mind off the fact that she was thousands of meters in the air, she pulled out a thick stack of files from her brief case. She needed to find new employees and a receptionist. She had screened all the LuthorCorp employees at the National City branch over the week, anyone with a suspicious background or was a supporter for her brother was asked to leave politely. Harsher methods only being implemented when they refused to abide by her wishes.

She was halfway through reading a file for a secretary applicant: Miss Jessica Huang, when the plane shook violently. The scotch tumbler shattered against the other side of the plane as the vessel itself started to nose dive.

Fear was rooted so deep in Lena's lungs that not even air escaped them. The files fluttered around in zero gravity and her life was officially in slow motion. If it wasn't her death coming to great her, Lena would have been excited to experience the lack of gravity.

Slowly, the plane somehow rightened itself mid fall. The floating files landed on the floor, the glass of the tumbler rained down like deadly water droplets and Lena finally felt tears steal from her eyes. Warmth blossom in her chest, coaxing her death grip on her seat to loosen and cluing her in on what just happened.

The air left her lungs now she knew she was safe. Her life was now in the capable hands of National City's heroine.

As the plane gently touched the tarmac and the cockpit door opened to reveal her two pilots coming to check on her, muttering thousands of apologies, Lena only had eyes for the blonde haired woman that ripped off the plane door.

For a second time that day, Lena Luthor could not breathe.

Chapter Notes

Chapter 2

Hey Everyone!

Here is the second Chapter! (Sorry for the wait.)

All mistakes are my own :)

Comments and constructive criticism (plus plot ideas) are welcome!

Kara's fingers sunk into the metal door as she quickly x-rayed the plane's infrastructure to make sure she wasn't going to cause more structural damage. Finding it all clear, with a flick of her wrist, the door was clean off in a split second. The private plane's main engine, the one at the back of the plane, seemed to have combusted mid-flight, causing the plane to nose dive.

Kara walked into the plane to the sound of ambulances arriving, and then she proceeded to lose her breath.

Lena Luthor was right before her.

Albeit surrounded by two very frenzied pilots.

Were they speaking Bulgarian?

Shaking her head and straightening her back, Kara pushed feelings of security and calm towards Lena, letting the young woman know that Kara was finally here. She stepped forward. Her main priority was to get everyone off the plane safely and to the hospital. Kara, no matter what she wanted, needed to be a superhero first and a person later.

Laying her hands on both pilot's backs, she gently coaxed them out of their panicked states through firm but gentle touches and clear wording. Once they were assessed by Kara for any major injures, they were escorted out of the plane by the paramedics. Kara turned around and finally looked at the woman that had been on her mind, and in her mind, since she was a child.

Lena Luthor was tragically beautiful and Kara couldn't contain her small gasp.

Kara approached slowly, reminding herself that even though she knew the woman on a personal level, she didn't actually know the woman. And it was rude to stare. Kara cleared her throat and eventually kneeled in her short skirt, boots padding her knees as she unclasped the seatbelt from around Lena's waist. Kara did everything in her power to stop her fingers from trembling.

Doing a quick check for any injuries, and finding only severe bruising from the seatbelt, whiplash and minor wrist lacerations from the glass shards, Kara finally decided to properly interact.

"Miss. Luthor." Kara grinned. It was like a childhood dream coming true, or discovering unicorns existed.

She saw Lena work her jaw but no noise came out, only stuttered breathing that echoed a racing heart. Kara slowly brought her hands up, showing Lena what she was doing. Inching her hands closer to the CEO's shoulders, Kara spoke again.

"You're safe now." Kara smiled, earning a grimace in return which only made Kara smile harder. Somehow Lena was exactly how she imagined her to be and yet still completely different.

Kara rested her hands on the shoulder-padded shoulders, and softly pulled Lena into a loose embrace. Pushing a combination of happiness, awe and warmth through their link until Kara felt the new CEO relax. The adrenaline leaving a shocked body, letting Lena sink further into the embrace.

"Miss. Luthor, I've got you. Nothing is going to hurt you now." Lena placed her face in the crook of Kara's neck. The Kryptonian resting her cheek on dark raven locks. Inhaling the smell of split scotch, winterberry perfume and past anxiety.

Even in their awkward position, Kara felt complete. Like the very cells in her body stopped to bask in the glow that was Lena Luthor. Rao, Kara didn't want to move.

"Is it odd that I feel the safest right here in this death trap just because you're here?" The voice was still thick with emotions but it shook Kara to the very core. How the hell did someone's voice sound like melted milk chocolate? Even with her Irish accent slipping out due to stress?

"I don't think it's odd at all," Kara was very proud of herself for her voice not cracking, "I feel the safest I've ever been with you here. Which is ridiculous because I'm nearly indestructible."

They both let out wet chuckles. Which caught Kara a little off guard because she didn't realise how emotional she got. Kara slowly released the littlest Luthor, careful not to jar her fresh bruising.

Their eyes locked and Kara bit her lip to remind herself this was not a dream. Lena's eyes were even more mesmerising in real life and if Kara wasn't careful, she would do something stupid like stare longingly. Clearing her throat, Kara switched back into Supergirl mode.

"Miss. Luthor," Lena gave a small grin at the formality, "you have severe bruising across your waist from your seatbelt. You also have moderate whiplash from the plane's sudden movement when the engine blew."

Lena started rubbing at the sore muscles at the back of her neck and Kara couldn't help but notice her long fingers. Lena noticed the pooling blood on her forearm and did a double take.

"You also have minor lacerations from the falling glass shards. With pressure, they should stop bleeding in around 2-3 minutes." Kara had been around enough paramedics to understand basic medical procedure. But, she still wasn't a professional.

Without any instruction, Kara carefully took Lena out of the seat, supporting most of her weight, and led her out the plane were two young paramedics came up to them. Kara rattled off her assessment and then passed Lena off to the professionals.

But before she could fully let go, Lena grabbed her wrist in a surprisingly strong grip and Kara let herself be pulled closer. When Lena's mouth was almost touching her ear, and in a voice that made Kara internally melt, Lena whispered, "Thank you for saving my life."

Lena hated hospitals. This was a fact. As she lay there, in the empty hospital ward, staring at bland white walls, she couldn't help but relive the time when she went to visit Lex's victims. It was only a week after Lex's attempt to kill Clark and the city of Metropolis still smelt of burning smoke and death.

Death was a strange smell. There was the smell of death, the one were the corpse starts to rot and its flesh was devoured by maggots, but that's not the smell Lena remembered. This smell was not due to

the physical decay of bodies, for all the bodies had been recovered and sent to the morgue. This smell was strange as it wasn't even a smell but that was the best descriptor.

It was heavy and oppressive. Intruding. Seeping through her skin and settling in her bones, strangling her lungs. This was the smell of death that was unique to her, for in due part, this was the smell of death for the guilty.

When Lena entered that hospital ward, she didn't just see her brother's lunacy, she saw her failure as well.

If only she paid more attention to Lex.

As she walked the linoleum floors, looking through the windows of people she had never met, but people her brother, and by extension, herself, had drastically changed the lives of, Lena felt that oppressive death walk behind her. Was this going to be her companion for the rest of her life?

The Luthor's used to be a family renowned for their excessive wealth borne from a legacy of business prowess. But it only took one bad apple to rot the basket. Lex had gifted her a legacy that would forever taint her life due to the last name they shared.

As she lay there, on the clean white bed, Lena couldn't help but feel that the oppressive death had followed her into the room. It had never left her, but its presence did ebb and flow. In a way though, she was glad it shadowed her. It served as a motivator for her actions. In part, it was a reason that she took on the company. Maybe, if she truly tried hard enough, she could right her brother's wrongs and the death would leave her alone.

She would change her legacy to be one of hope. Or she would die trying.

Ha. She almost died today, an occurrence that she would definitely look into once she was out of this blasted building. She hated flying even more now. Not only did it nearly kill her, it made her late in getting to her new Headquarters for LuthorCorp.

But it also led her to officially meeting Kara.

Kara Zor-El was even more beautiful in real life. But, oh god, the circumstances they met under were far from ideal, however the dramatic meeting somehow suited them both perfectly. What better way for a Super and a Luthor to meet than in the midst of destruction?

Lena scoffed, tracing the bandage over her forearm, secretly hoping that the wounds would scar so she would have a memento of her first meeting with Kara. Flopping her arm back on the bed, she closed her eyes. Lena concentrated on the gentle hum at the back of her mind, wondering where the Super had flown off to.

She remembered grabbing Supergirl's arm and thanking her before being taken into the ambulance. 13 minutes later found herself at the hospital but with no sign of the caped heroine. If it wasn't for the random bursts of warmth that hugged her synapses, Lena would have been scared that she somehow put off the Kryptonian.

Which was still a fear that Lena felt lurking the recess of her mind.

As Lena concentrated on the emotions of Kara's that she could feel through their bond, Lena came to the conclusion that Supergirl was, once again, protecting her city. A notion that she confirmed when she found the remote to the television.

Lena watched as the red and blue flashed across the screen, dragging people out of a ferocious blaze that engulfed a moderate apartment block. Honestly, once LuhtorCorp. Got back on its feet, Lena

would be employing a works team to survey old buildings and help renovate. Fires like this were completely preventable. Settling further into the stiff pillow, mindful of her neck, Lena was ready to wait out her observation period of one night.

The doctors were concerned about the extensive bruising over her liver. The observation was to make sure that there wouldn't be any further complications that would detriment Lena. Privately, Lena thought that they just didn't want to risk being negligent with a Luthor, for Lena's pockets ran deep and her connections were a spider's web.

So Lena fell asleep to the low buzz of the television, the smell of death and the warmth of her closest friend's emotions.

Kara brushed the last of the soot from her hair. Adjusting the glasses on her nose and the flowers in her hands, she strode into the hospital. It was well after midnight. The corridors of the medical building home to ghosts and the occasional staff. Kara had never been inside a hospital. She normally dropped off the people she saved at the ER or by the front doors, never having stepped foot past the threshold.

The first thing she noticed was the smell. If she were to characterise it, Kara would describe it as a falsely kind person that was hiding a sinister, alternate personality. The chemicals were the mask that gave the air of nicety and professionalism. The alternate personality was the sinister thought of the bodies below in the morgue, of the lives lost in every single bed and the patients that were terminally ill.

Kara walked in further, approaching the main reception. The lady behind the counter gave a fake smile, her eyes giving away her irritation. Kara just smiled and readjusted her glasses. She was her on a mission, she would see it through. She was Supergirl after all.

"Hi!" The receptionist winced, causing Kara to smile sheepishly. "I'm sorry," Kara started again at a lower volume, "Hello, my name is Kara Danvers and I am her to see Lena Luthor. She came in earlier today. Well, yesterday actually if you want to be technical."

The receptionist, Shelly according to her nametag, just gave her a deadpanned look. Taking in a deep breath, Shelly shifted her hands onto her lap.

"Ma'am. It is 1:30 am. I don't know what planet you're from, but visiting hours, like the majority of other hospitals, are from 8:00am to 8:00pm." Shelly turned to type something into her computer while Kara quietly fumed.

"Furthermore," Shelly didn't even look up this time, "I would seriously take into consideration the company you keep if a Luthor is one of your friends."

Kara felt a distinct burning behind her eyes. She shook her head furiously, honestly, the bull headedness of the woman! If only Shelly knew who she was bloody talking to! All it would take for Shelly to suddenly disappear from the face of the earth was one very angry Kryptonian.

Kara was extremely angry.

However, she was the bigger person (alien), and with all the grace that Shelly wished she could possess, Kara strode out of the hospital and into a side alleyway. Gently placing the vase of flowers on the ground, Kara spun into her super suit.

A few minutes later found Kara Zor-El, with freshly mused 'I just crawled in through a window' hair, slowly opening the door to room 307-Lena Luthor. The coast was clear, the door opened without a sound but Kara just stood in the door frame, her feet halted unto the floor. The woman

who had known her since she was a child was sleeping and defenceless in a harsh hospital room.

Kara was again speechless. How does one even attempt to approach this situation? How do you introduce yourself for the first time, well second, to a person that already knows your biggest secrets, your deepest fears and the pits of your self-loathing?

Kara had no idea, and yet, with no further hesitancy except that borne of trying to be quiet, she entered the room. Her mind was ablaze with a torrent of emotions, ranging from the unbridled joy of meeting the damaged woman before her, to the darker undertones of unworthiness. What if Lena didn't like her once she got to actually know Kara?

She wore a happy persona for a reason.

Placing the flowers on the bedside table, Kara turned off the softly playing television. She noted that it was on the news channel. Lena must have been watching her help with the fire. A warmth grew in her chest

Kara took a seat in the bedside chair. Even though her first real impression of a hospital was subpar, there was something to say about the raging quiet it housed. The ragged breathing of patients in pain, woven with the unkempt, unsynchronised beating of erratic or lethargic hearts gave a backbone to the utter stillness of the late hour.

Kara once knew a life were this scene would have just been silent, save for the beep of heart monitors. There would be no undercurrent of this noise that now was the soundscape of her life. Kara tried to imagine a life without the ambiance. Finding it impossible to do so gave her a profound sadness. No matter how hard she tried to be human, Kara simply wasn't.

Was it odd to hunger after fragility? Was it wrong to want to get sick? Was it unusual to lust after pain?

Not the pain resultant of Kryptonite exposure or battle, but the pain of too hot coffee, of paper cuts and bitten lips. Of eye strain and itchy fabric. Kara mourned a loss of unexperienced experiences and Lena Luthor, the human that Kara was inexplicably linked to, mourned an over experience of the human condition.

Kara's silent musings to the quiet hospital were broken by the shuffling of linen. Looking over at the other occupant of the room, she was struck by the gaze of viridian green eyes. They watched each other, the silence was one of strange comfort, as Lena slowly sat up. The action was punctuated with the occasional wince of pulled muscles and bruised skin.

"I could literally feel you thinking." Lena started, a small smile teasing at her lips.

"I'm sorry." Kara looked down at her fumbling hands, "I honestly didn't mean to wake you."

Lena let out a huffed chuckle, "well, intentions and actions seldom line up, but I'm glad you did."

A pale hand crossed the short distance to Kara's hands, stopping the fumbling by capturing a hand with the interlocking of their fingers. Kara looked back at Lena, feeling warmth grow in her chest.

"This is absolutely surreal." Kara starts, Lena hums an affirmative and squeezed their fingers. "I've basically spent my whole life wondering about what our first meeting would be like. Never would I have guessed it would be through a falling plane."

"I kind of like the dramatic flair it lent us though." Lena jokes, pulling a quiet laugh from Kara. "But while the situation forced us to meet, I'm happy I finally got to meet you." Lena finished.

Kara let out a relieved breath. Lena had just inadvertently eased one of her greatest fears. Lena Luthor actually liked her. Feeling a happiness bubble up, Kara's face stretched into a bright smile that Lena mirrored, most likely feeling Kara's emotions.

"Why are you so happy?" Lena shuffled minutely closer, grunting lowly with effort.

"Well, Miss. Luthor, you make me happy." Kara teased and Lena blushed. _

Lena was roused from her slumber by the invasive feelings of melodrama permeating her dreams. Groggily opening her eyes, she was met with a sight she wasn't prepared for- Kara Zor-El was sitting by her beside, lost in her own thoughts.

Lena was stock still, using the Kryptonian's inattentiveness as an invitation to study her. Blonde hair, slightly ruffled, tumbled down broad shoulders, giving a rounded look to a muscular body. Expressive, light eyebrows were scrunched, eluding to the negative emotions Lena could sense. Full lips where pulled tight into a straight line, her jaw was protruding slightly.

Whatever Kara was thinking about was grave, spurring Lena to do something to help her blonde saviour.

Lena shuffled the beds sheets, exaggerating her movements to break Kara from her thoughts without intruding in on her emotions. What Lena did forget about was the bruising on her waist and the whiplash, however, she didn't let that deter her. Once Lena's eyes met the clear blue of Kara's, Lena doubled her efforts without breaking eye contact.

Finally getting into a sitting position, effectively making Kara focus on her instead of being stuck in her mind, Lena broke the silence.

"I could literally feel you thinking." Lena gave a small smile.

It was odd to actually see Kara whilst feeling what she was experiencing. It was different being miles apart, only knowing what Kara was going through via bursts of emotions or random flashes. It was one thing to indirectly influence a person through providing emotional support, it was an entirely different exercise to see ones influence.

The degree of influence that Lena had over Kara was both frightening and exhilarating to witness.

"I'm sorry." Kara mumbled, looking down at her fumbling hands. "I honestly didn't mean to wake you."

Lena smiled, not at all bothered by the blonde. If Lena was being candid, she would have confessed about being glad at being woken up. Instead, she replied with a short quip borne of being raised in a family of weaponised words and verbal battles.

Letting out a huffed chuckle, "well, intentions and actions seldom line up," She paused, not liking the self-depreciating note that slipped into her voice. Lena tacked on "but I'm glad you did." To divert attention away from her slight weakness. It didn't make it any less true however.

The blonde only looked at her hands more intently and Lena could help but feel a need to protect Kara. An absurd notion in all practicality, but a notion Lena acted on through the extension of her hand and the subsequent interlacing of their fingers. Kara's blue locked onto Lena's green and the CEO felt a warmth spark in the back of her mind.

"This is absolutely surreal."

Lena couldn't have agreed more, affirming Kara's statement with a hum and a squeeze of their interlocked fingers. It was surreal to feel the tender solidness of grasped fingers. It was surreal to look upon a face she had only seen through pixels. Most of all, it was surreal to finally meet the one person, alien or not, that had the potential to truly understand her. Lena's reverie was broken by Kara continued speech.

"I've basically spent my whole life wondering about what our first meeting would be like. Never would I have guessed it would be through a falling plane."

Amusement pulled at Lena's lips, "I kind of like the dramatic flair it lent us though." Lena joked. Luthor's were nothing if not dramatic, Lena mused. The little chuckle that stole from Kara's lips left Lena with a hunger to make the blonde smile.

"But while the situation forced us to meet, I'm happy I finally got to meet you."

The statement was sincere. Even though dramatic, the way circumstance threw them together didn't allow Lena to over think her actions. If they met in a controlled setting...Lena didn't even want to think about the expectations her mind would put on herself. The relieved breath that Lena heard led her to believe that she wasn't alone in her thoughts.

The blinding grin that stretched across Kara's face left Lena a little awestruck, nudging a smile out of her own lips which was boosted by the sudden bubbly happiness that rose in Lena's chest. Lena could feel the joy she just brought Kara and that left her a little breathless.

Lena shuffled a closer, her bruised muscles pulling, drawing a low grunt from her throat. Lena needed to get closer to Kara. Closer to that happiness that she could feel. The happiness that rivaled her own.

"Why are you so happy?"

Lena needed to know. She needed to know if Kara's happiness was resultant of their meeting like hers was.

"Well, Miss. Luthor, you make me happy." Kara teased and Lena blushed.

Spurred on by the light atmosphere, Lena tugged at their still joined hands, bringing Kara closer. "Lay next to me, Miss. Danvers?" Lena bit her lip for added effect.

Kara spluttered, adjusting her glasses whilst Lena made room on the small bed.

"B-But your bruising!" Lena just pulled Kara closer, knowing that the Kryptonian was letting herself be pulled.

"I'm no stranger to bruising." Lena quipped jokingly, thinking about her martial arts trainings. Her masters would never go easy, making her strive to beat them. Whilst it was a hard road, filled with bruising, taunt muscles and sometimes broken bones, it made Lena feel real. It was one of the only places in her life that her name didn't matter.

Kara finally sunk into the stiff hospital bed besides Lena. Her body heat thawing Lena's naturally colder figure and like a moth to a flame, Lena shifted closer. Wanting to keep the light mood, Lena mused an errant thought.

"Do you or Winn have more cardigans?"

It had the desired effect, an amused smile and yet another huffed chuckle greeted Lena. The littlest

Luthor could do nothing but silently swoon at the Kyrptonian next to her.

"Ha! That's a hard one." A crinkle appeared between Kara's eyebrows in thought, "Well, I definitely have more coloured ones."

"And you do wear them better." Lena supplied.

"You're biased."

"How so?" Lena quirked an eyebrow.

"Because we share a special bond." Kara turned to face her companion.

Lena sighed happily, relieved that someone finally solidified the bond between them through the spoken word.

"That we do."

With that, conversation lulled and Lena's eyes grew heavy. Sleep pulled her under, drowning her in a bubbles of content and an embrace of safety.

Kara stole away from Lena's hospital room an hour later. Whilst not wanting anything more than to just lay beside her companion, Kara's stomach had other ideas. That was how Kara found herself in a small, dimly lit café as the sole costumer to an audience of miss-matched furniture and the wafting smell of ground coffee and food.

She leaned back in the old, wooden chair, hands on her stomach and a smile on her face. All that remained of her carbohydrate dense food was a few crumbs that littered the tabletop. Kara had found the Ambrose Coffeehouse early into her career as Cat Grants assistant.

She was going home late one night and with being so tired on her feet, she decided that flying was too big a risk. On her walk home, Kara closed her eyes for what felt like a few seconds only to open them and realise she was navigating with her stomach as she found herself outside the quaint little coffeehouse. She entered the café, noticing the lack of costumers (most likely due to the late hour) and sat down at a marble inlayed table with ornate oriental chairs.

She looked at the menu, deciding to get an array of different pies. Closing the menu, Kara looked to find a waiter or someone to take her order. Strangely enough, there was no one around and none of her senses could pick up any signs of life.

Kara closed her eyes, hands messaging her eyelids and she gathered her wits and prepared herself to leave. Honestly, she was so tired.

When she opened her eyes, Kara almost recoiled. In front of her, on the table, was six different pies. All of them were warm, crusts all a golden brown and smelling delicious. Furthermore, they were exactly the pies Kara wanted to order.

How the hell had the pies gotten there?

Upon closer inspection, Kara noticed an unassuming card that was wedged under the closest plate.

Hopefully this helps keep you awake.

Stay as long as you like and don't be afraid to order more!

Just close your eyes after you've chosen what you want and we'll deliver it to you.

Enjoy,

The Ambrose Coffeehouse.

P.S. (The coffee is on the house).

Kara broke out her musings as she placed the exact coinage on the table and got up to leave. She had been to the coffeehouse multiple times since her first visit and now she knew the menu off by heart. And yet, she still never saw anyone in the establishment.

She shouted a "thank you" to the empty space and left into the dawn of National City. She still had a few hours before she needed to get ready for work. Jumping off the sidewalk, Kara took off into the star riddled sky that was slowly being set ablaze.

She only stopped by her apartment to retrieve an item before she was making her way out of the city. Sleep wouldn't come to her now, so Kara decided to do something she hadn't done in years.

Kara was only a few miles out the city when she happened upon the perfect place. She landed on slightly brown grass and faced an old, abandoned barn. The state of disrepair communicated the fact that the place was forgotten, reiterated by the dense forest on the perimeter of the small field.

There was something to be said about the solitude of nature. Nature was never truly quiet and only loud when provoked. Upon entry, spider webs that hung like drapes sparkled in the gold, early morning sunlight that pushed through small holes in the worn out wood. Kara looked around in awe, even with her powers, she never really got a chance to explore her surroundings. Her busy schedule never gave her such allowance, and yet, she had suddenly found the time straight after meeting Lena. Kara was happy.

The almost unnoticeable hum of content at the back of her mind spoke of her companion's slumber. Kara smiled to herself. Lena was resting and Kara had energy to expel.

Breathing in the dusty smell of dilapidation and work from times gone by, Kara took the bundle in her hands. Her fingers were shaking as she slowly unwrapped the brown paper and twine. J'onn had given this to her when she first joined the DEO. She was so happy to meet another alien that she would gush for hours on end about things she did back on Krypton. In return, J'onn would just listen, sometimes smile and rarely, very rarely, he would tell her about his life on Mars before the war.

The brown packaging revealed an intricately decorated pommel of a Scottish Claymore. Kara couldn't help but gasp at the detail, chastising herself for not opening it up sooner. Her old sword was lost in the destruction of Krypton. Kara never had the heart to buy a new weapon, so she never trained in her forms or techniques.

She remembered telling J'onn about her first sword fight with her good friend Val-Do. Kara and Val-Do were of similar ages and both from upstanding houses. They started taking sword lessons together from Aunt Astra and grew to be close. Funnily enough, Val-Do was a boy of few words, so most conversations where done through the form of fighting. Bruises and scratches, body positions and blocks, even the movement of the eyes and the pattern of breathing had their own language.

As the House of Do was charged with the defence of Krypton, fighting was an art taught from a young age. Val-Do's skill forced Kara to learn quickly, and they pushed each other to their limits until they surpassed them.

The partially unraveled claymore in Kara hands brought back those memories of sweat drenched, dusty red afternoons and morning pains of exerted muscles. Both were sensations that Kara could never feel on Earth.

Kara fully unwrapped the sword, holding it with marvel as she inspected the weapon. The scabbard matched the grip with its brown leather finish. The cross guard, locket and chape were all made of a material that looked like rose gold, but when Kara touched it, she found that she couldn't bend it.

It must have been an alien material.

The cross guard, which was bent towards the blade in true claymore style, bore etchings of ancient Kryptonian designs. The pommel was a material that looked like white gold but when Kara touched it, hummed with a frequency that resonated with her very soul. Furthermore, the pommel itself, which was round in shape, bore a House of El crest at the centre which was inlayed with a dark obsidian.

Kara could almost cry.

Drawing the 140 centimetre blade, Kara did cry. The blade was beautiful. The rain guard and the fuller was the same rose gold material. However, what caught Kara's attention was the inscription running the length of the fuller.

It was in Kryptonian, the language of her dead family. "In Rao's Light, We Stand Stronger Together"

The silver and gold blade shone in the cool morning light as Kara placed the scabbard on the floor. She felt warmth tighten around her ribs, the emotion wasn't intrusive by any means but it made Kara realise that she had woken Lena up.

Chuckling to herself, she wiped tears from her eyes and sent feelings of reassurance back to Lena. She wasn't sad, she was just sentimental. The happy little burst she got in return was Lena's understanding before the CEO's feelings withdrew to the undercurrent they were before.

Without further ado, Kara held the sword in front of her. The hummed in her hands, the metal so sharp it was resonating. With controlled movement, Kara fell into the very first form she ever learnt. She closed her eyes as she felt the cobwebs clear from her dusty memory. Her feet and hands were moving together, performing an intricate dance within the perimeters of a circle. The blade singing as it cut through heavy air.

Even though she was rusty, Kara felt that she had regained a little bit of home. _

Lena sat behind her new desk, in her new office, looking for a new assistant. There was no rest for the wicked. Yesterday's plane crash was a slight hiccup in her plans but she didn't let that deter her.

She woke up this morning due to a deep feeling of fond loss. It was second nature now, so without even thinking, Lena projected a feeling that spoke of a shared burden. Lena had no idea what Kara was doing for Lena had woken to a cold hospital bed (a fact that she was a little sad about), but whatever was ailing the blonde hero, Lena wanted to help.

Kara's emotional reassurance told Lena not to worry, so Lena backed off and let Kara handle herself (after she sent her understanding via a burst of happiness). As she was now up, Lena promptly got herself discharge from hospital, after a doctor check-up and an all clear, Lena made her way to the apartment she didn't get to see yesterday. All her belongings were in boxes and her suit case she sent with her boxes sat on her new bed. Lena was relieved for her future planning.

She got ready for work and that was how Lena found herself in her new office, sitting in her large

chair and her mouth hurting from smiling. Lena had been interviewing potential assistants, but they were in short supply. The surname "Luthor" kept most potential candidates away out of fear, spite or even fury.

Honestly, Lena didn't blame them.

That being said, Lena prayed that the next person that walked through those double doors at least spoke English. That was how Lena met Miss. Jessica Huang, her 14th interviewee.

Lena already knew she liked the girl due to her entrance. Miss. Huang's head was held high, she looked Lena in the eyes and she had a firm handshake. Professional and capable. Lena retook her seat, gesturing to the chair opposite her for Miss. Huang to sit at. Once both were settled, the interview begun.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss. Huang." Lena started, leaning back into her chair.

"The pleasure is mine, Miss. Luthor." Now, normally Lena hated when people referred to her as such, but the way Miss. Huang said it didn't hold any malice or taunt. Lena found that she didn't mind it.

Lena straightened the already straight papers in front of her. "Let's get started, shall we?" With an affirmative nod from Miss. Huang, Lena asked the first question.

"According to the documents in front of me," Lena gestured, "I see that you were previously employed at Lord Technology. Why did you leave?"

Lena was actually curious.

Miss. Huang looked at her hands, the very first sign of insecurity that she showed. Lena placed her hands palm up on the table. Her body language reflecting calm and safety.

"May I be candid, Miss. Luthor?" Miss. Huang started, looking Lena square in the eyes with a certain fire.

"Of course."

"I left Lord Tech. due to workplace harassment."

Lena was stunned, but she didn't show it. Miss. Huang continued.

"I used to be an assistant to the head of Design and Marketing, Mr. Winston Smith. The job included many hours alone with Mr. Smith as I have a degree in Marketing and Media. At first he was respectful but over the months he started making sexist comments. Then he started doing things like leaving lingering touches on my shoulder and waist."

Lena felt a burning hatred start in her gut.

"Eventually he grew bolder to the point where he groped my ass and tried to feel me up."

With a calm cool that juxtaposed the rage underneath her skin, Lena asked, "Did you notify HR?" Miss. Huang laughed. Honest to God laughed.

"You try complaining to HR when they see you as inferior because you're a young oriental woman. Not to mention that Mr. Smith was good friends with the Head of HR as well as a long-time employee."

Lena never understood how people could look upon anyone else as inferior due to their appearance. She planned to make Mr. Winston Smith and his friends rue the day they were born, but first, she needed to finish the interview.

"What about the police?"

"If I created a fuss, Mr. Smith had the power to ruin my career. Plus, there was no hard evidence of any of the happenings. I didn't want to stir up trouble, so I just took my belongings and left."

Lena understood were Miss. Huang was coming from. "Thank you, Miss. Huang, for being honest with me."

Lena received a nod, so she asked the next question. Not wanting to linger on pained memories but filing the information away for later. Deep pockets and spider-web connections and all.

"I did further research into your achievements, noting that the projects that you helped market were of great success. If I were to employ you, would you help in marketing our larger projects?"

"Yes." It was clean and simple.

"Are you fine with odd hours? For example, early morning starts and some late nights? We tend to work with international clientele. "

"Yes. I also speak multiple languages including major dialects of Chinese, Japanese, Russian and an understanding in Taiwanese." Miss. Huang affirmed with a nod.

Lena was extremely impressed. "You are aware of the reputation that my brother holds and the reputation that I want to create for this company?"

"I know the short comings of the previous CEO and I know you want to do everything in your power to lead LuthorCorp. into a bright, new direction."

Lena was satisfied, so with a grin, she stood up, prompting Miss. Huang to stand. Her waiting hand was greeted by a firm handshake.

"Welcome to the team, Miss. Huang. I expect you here at 7:30 am sharp tomorrow for a tour of the facility."

The smile that stretched Miss. Huang's face was almost blinding.

As she left for the door with a thank you, Lena stopped her with a "Miss. Huang."

The new secretary turned and looked at her employer.

"I want you to know that my office is a safe space. If anyone in this company, or even outside of it, is troubling you, you can come straight to me. I look after my own."

With that, Miss. Huang left and Lena poured herself a tumbler of water.

She heard the opening of the balcony door behind her, the slightly heavy hoot falls of leather boots and the swish of a cape.

"You know that door is not an entrance, right?" Lena joked. "Well Miss. Luthor, why would you leave it unlocked?"

Lena swiveled her chair to face Supergirl, feeling Kara's mirth and looking at her impish grin. Lena chuckled to herself and took a sip of her water.

"Touché."

Kara approached the CEO, kneeling in front of her. Lena looked down curiously. The Kryptonian's hands gently took one of Lena's feet, relieving it of its expensive heel. Dexterous fingers worked the balls of Lena's feet, pulling a soft moan from the back of Lena's throat.

Lena couldn't find it in herself to care that she made that sound. Kara's fingers were working wonders (and the blush on the blonde's cheeks wasn't bad either). Kara was on the second foot when spoke again.

"Care to tell me why I had the sudden urge to throw someone into space?" Kara looked up from Lena's feet and Lena couldn't help but notice how good Kara looked on her knees.

Pushing the thought away, she focused on the present conversation. There was a time and a place, which was not now.

"Because I need you to throw a man by the name of Winston Smith into the sun."

Chapter Notes

Chapter 3

Hello Everybody!

I'm back with another update for this odd little story. :)

Same deal as before, plot ideas and constructive criticisms are always greatly appreciated.

I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

(I've been procrastinating University work by writing this, thank the Lord that its only week three).

Kara's apartment had changed plenty throughout the years since she first purchased it. By no means was Kara rich, sure she was doing better now as cub reporter but she had worked since she was 14 and 8 months (by Earth's standards) to save. She also bought the apartment for a steal when the market burst.

On Krypton, she had never to want for anything. With her family's power and status, and Krypton's community based system, money was never an issue. Not like it was an issue for the Danvers' either, but suddenly taking on another child was no small task. America's individualist ideals didn't help either.

Thus, Kara took jobs because they socialised her, forced her to control her powers and helped with income in the family (not like the Danvers even let her pay for anything though, so Kara saved a lot of money). Kara's favourite childhood job, by far, was working with Mrs. Lee in her restaurant The Blue Lotus. She was a waiter, and when staff was short, she would chop the ingredients. The job paid well and, better yet, at the end of the day, Kara was able to take the leftover food from the kitchen. Mrs. Lee would always smile and say she was growing.

Eating the free food allowed for the Danvers to save money.

Now Kara stood in her paid off apartment, city lights and the apartment's lights reflecting off wooden floors and table tops. The television was on softly in the background, the voice of Mel and Sue's bantering with a contestant acted as a counter melody to the present conversation.

"I know how much stress both you and the company are under right now Lena, but you seriously have to put your health first."

Kara lightly reprimanded, cooking chopsticks and wok in hand. She shot a looked over her shoulder at the CEO seated at the kitchen island. Lena was still in business attire but her heels were off and her blouse was untucked, her blue coat by the door.

"I'm fine Kara. Seriously, I just got some bruising, that's all." Lena replied dismissively, her hands making not committal gestures.

"Extensive bruising!" Kara clarified, moving over to the saucepan containing duck and taking it off the heat. Duck was a delicate meat to cook right. "The plane crash was yesterday. Yesterday Lena!" Kara tossed the noodles, "I'm just happy your job isn't physically strenuous."

Lena huffed behind her, "'Isn't physically strenuous' my arse, you try doing paperwork all day. That stuff is physically draining."

Kara knew Lena tried to hide it, but Kara loved it when Lena's accent slipped out. Turning off the stove, Kara tossed the meat and the noodles together and took the wok to the table. Lena followed close behind, grabbing the red wine from the counter and something a little stronger for Kara. It was glowing purple.

Once they settled, plates full (Kara's significantly more so), drinks poured and eating utensils in hand (a fork for Lena and chopsticks for Kara), conversation changed topics. Kara knew it was a lost cause to try and get between Lena and work. Even Lex had failed with that in his youth.

"Did you find anything in regard to the plane crash yesterday?" Kara asked, food halfway to her mouth.

Lena swallowed her mouth full before responding. "Actually, yes. By the way, this is delicious." Kara perked up, "Thanks!"

"I didn't know you could cook." Lena continued, taking another bite.

"I learnt during one of my part time jobs."

"Mrs. Lee?" Lena asked, wine staining her lips rose madder.

"That's the one." Kara smiled, so Lena knew about The Blue Lotus.

"I liked that job, I would get random flashes of you accidentally catching food on fire and freaking out. It was very entertaining." They both chuckled. "Anyway, about the plane crash." Lena ended their divergence.

Kara's chopsticks paused mid bite, food momentarily forgotten. Lena continued.

"The empennage, which the tail of the air craft, malfunctioned mid-flight. More specifically, the main left-right directional rudder fractured."

"I thought something went wrong with the engine?" Kara interjected.

"You're right, I was getting to that." Lena took another bite of food, "as my plane had three powerplants, or engines, at least two of the engines would have had to malfunction severely for the plane to nose dive like it did."

"The probability of that is seriously low though." Kara refilled her plate.

"Exactly. But both the rear engine and the right wing engine happened to fail within moments of each other."

Lena finished off her wine glass, refilling it.

"That's why I have reason to believe that this wasn't some accident, but sabotage."

Kara placed her chopsticks on the table. Throughout the conversation, Kara could feel Lena's emotions slowly becoming more frenzied even when she looked perfectly poised. In an effort to provide emotional support, Kara took hold of Lena's slightly shaking hands, pulling a demure smile out of the littlest Luthor. Once Kara had Lena's full attention, she slowly released feelings of safety and warmth towards Lena, giving her ample time to reject the advance. Thankfully, Lena didn't.

Instead, Kara watched as tense shoulders relaxed and tight muscles loosened until Lena looked comfortable in her own skin again.

"Thank you." The words of appreciation were so soft, Kara was grateful for her super hearing least she missed it.

"You don't have to thank me Lena. I would do anything for you." Kara let determination colour her words, showing how serious she was.

She felt a timid warmth slowly spread from her chest.

"I hope you know that that statement goes both ways, Kara." _

The city was especially nosy today from what Lena could hear from her office. The media finally discovered that she was back at work, resulting in a slant of journalists, reporters and media opportunists swarming the street outside of LuthorCorp. Honestly, Lena was extremely glad that the building had a hidden back entrance that only her driver, the security detail and Lena herself knew about.

That being said, it was prudent for the CEO to release a statement to the public regarding yesterday's events and the future of the company. Which led to Lena sitting at her desk after just getting off the phone with one Cat Grant. Jess had informed her that the media mogul was on the line as soon as she entered her office.

Lena didn't even get to issue a proper greeting before the media Queen informed her that Catco. wanted an exclusive. Of course, Lena had agreed, but only on one condition, that Kara Danvers would be the interviewer. Surprisingly, Ms. Grant didn't ask for a reason for her interest in the reporter but did insist that another, more experienced reporter accompany Kara. Not really wanting to argue with the Cat Grant, Lena agreed. At least Kara would be there.

The interview was scheduled three hours from now, so Lena made use of her time by signing documents, approving designs and concepts and researching one Winston Smith.

Lena had told Jess that she looked after her own after all.

Mr Smith was an interesting individual. There was nothing remarkable about him. No awards under his belt, standard grades at Yale and a lack of social media presence. Thus, he was interesting in that he was uninteresting. Why would someone like Maxwell Lord hire someone like Winston Smith? From what Lena knew of Mr. Lord, he was a collector of fine individuals, often on the hunt for young brains with bright ideas. In fact, Lord Industries had one of the highest employee turnover rates compared to other major companies.

So why has was Mr. Smith, an individual that continues to perform subpar, been there for five years? Curiouser and curiouser.

Lena quickly changed screens as her office doors opened. Jess walked in without any fanfare and placed a rather large takeaway coffee on her desk. Lena was surprised, she didn't remember asking Jess to get it for her so Lena looked at her secretary in question.

Jess answered the non-verbal prompt, "The Catco. reporters are due here in an hour, I thought you could do with some caffeine before dealing with the press."

Lena was stunned. Someone actually thought about her and went out of their way for her. Sure, Jess was a paid employee, but Jess did this out of her own free will. The action brought a huge smile to Lena's face and happiness bubbled in her stomach.

"Jess, you are a life saver. Where would I be without you?" Lena took the coffee in hand. The warmth of the drink chasing away the natural cold of her fingers.

"You would be coffeeless." Jess deadpanned, face totally neutral, only to breakout into a grin at Lena's little chuckle.

As the woman walked out the door, Lena couldn't help but wonder why someone would ever want to hurt Jess. Sipping her coffee, which was the perfect temperature, Lena neatened her desk. She put away diagrams and blueprints of up and coming technology and hid all the research she had done into Lord Tech. and Mr. Smith on an encrypted USB.

Almost everything in the office was brand new. The room was all sharp lines and sleek materials, hardly cluttering the large space. Lena's back was to the large floor-to-ceiling windows which opened onto a balcony that overlooked the National City skyline.

Everything was based off power play in the office. Her tall backed chair gave the impression of a throne, the warm tone of her thick oak desk (the only thing she moved from Metropolis) was a symbol of stability. Even having the entrance to the office on her left made sure that her visitors had an extra second of intimidation before they would gaze upon her, proving their fears true.

Lena's coffee was half-way gone and she was back on her computer approving technology designs when she heard Jess's signature knock. Sure it had only been a day but Jess had a distinct knock composed of three even taps with a steady hand. Lena straightened her blazer, put her screen back onto her desktop and prepared to face whatever journalist decided to accompany Kara.

An automatic grin appeared on her face at the emergence of the blonde epitome of bubbliness. Lena felt her joy when Kara finally laid eyes on the CEO and they revelled in their shared happiness at each other. That was until the second journalist appeared through the door.

Clark Kent. Kal-El. Superman.

Instantly, Lena felt her smile become fake, almost predatory at the invasion of her space. Kara obviously felt the shift in emotion based on her slowly diming smile. Emotions aside, Lena was nothing if not a gracious host. So, she got up and out of her chair and held out her hand towards the journalists. She wasn't meant to know Kara anyway.

"I'm surprised to see you here Mr. Kent." Lena gave a firm handshake to the Kryptonian, "Last I saw of you, you were giving an extremely passionate testimony against my brother." Lena smirked, not missing a beat, "do you want anything to drink?" She gestured to the pitcher of water and the whisky distiller to her left.

"Well Miss. Luthor, I go where trouble is." Clark have a boyish grin that honestly subtly irked Lena.

"I see that there's some steel under that Kansas wheat." Lena quipped, effectively making Superman fidget with his glasses and putting him more on edge. Two could play at this game.

Lena then turned her attention to her favourite Kryptonian. Giving a red lipped smirk and sending a

feeling of playfulness, Lena threw a curt, "And you are?" in Kara's direction.

It must have taken Kara by surprise because her mouth hung open for a second, making her adjust her glasses in embarrassment and stutter out an introduction.

"K-Kara Danvers. CatCo. Worldwide Media. Cub reporter."

Lena could feel Kara's momentary awkwardness and she had to reign her amusement least Clark notice. Based on her peripheries however, Clark was busy blatantly scanning her office for threats. Honestly, no one knowing Clark Kent was Superman was ridiculous.

"Well Miss. Danvers, Mr. Kent, I am aware that you've come to my office looking for a story." Lena took her seat, prompting Kara to do so as well. Clark, however, stayed standing. Lena didn't very much care. Clark's attempts at power play where that of a child.

Kara opened her mouth, only to be cut off by Clark, "Why are you in National City Miss. Luthor? Was having a Luthor stronghold in Metropolis not enough?"

Lena could feel Kara's irritation and saw it in the way she glared at her cousin.

"Disregarding your obvious slant in questioning Mr. Kent," Lena paused, observing Clarks sudden awkwardness, "the main reason for moving here was to gain a fresh start."

"Fresh start?" Kara prompted, capturing Lena's attention once gain (not like she ever lost it). "Yes. A fresh start. I want to show people that I am not my brother. I am not Lex."

Lena felt Kara's comfort and she was grateful. Talking about what Lex had become was always a heavy topic for Lena. Kara's silent support meant the world to her.

"How do you plan to separate yourself from your family?" Disbelief heavily coloured Clark's tone. Prejudice was a scary thing, a filter on reality that drove people to undertake actions in the false belief that they were doing right. Lena understood Clarks mind frame, that however, didn't make it any less painful. That, coupled with Kara disdain at her cousin sat heavily on her chest. But still, Lena was a Luthor, so she soldiered on.

Despite the jab at her ability, he question gave Lena the perfect opening. With dramatic Luthor flare, Lena swirled in her chair to face the wall mounted television. She turned the device on revealing the company's future.

"Mr. Kent, Miss. Danvers, I present you the future of LuthorCorp."

Clark looked stunned, probably expecting her to flounder for an answer, clearly not expecting a PowerPoint ready. Kara looked proud and Lena felt like she was being hugged. Not matter how she tried, the grin on her face was not going anywhere. Lena continued.

"I am rebranding this company 'L-Corp'." The new logo rotated on the screen in a chrome silver. "With this change in name, I am also changing the direction of this company. No more with LuthorCorp. be a cooperation to be feared for dabbling in weapon creation and lunacy. L-Corp, under this new banner, will be a force for good. Major innovation will take place for sustainable energy and planet health."

Lena turned to face the journalists, the determination in her eyes was nothing to be trifled with. "You talk big Miss. Luthor." Clark stated, still looking at the screen with a furrowed brow.

"I'm just a woman that's trying to make a name for herself Mr. Kent. Can you understand that?"

Kara's small but awestruck "Yeah" made Lena melt a little internally. Kara's constant emotional barrage of pride and star struck wonder did not help either.

The interview carried on, brushing on the topic of the crash and inquiries about her health. Trivial matters that were nothing in comparison to the exclusive Lena just handed Cat Grant.

Clark walked beside Kara with purpose, albeit still in his clumsy manner resulting in a constant bumping into people on the busy street. Where Kara put on her clumsy act, Clark was actually clumsy. They were making their way to a diner for lunch, having just come from LuthorCorp. Clark was on the phone to Lois.

Wanting to him a little privacy, Kara tuned out their conversation and focused on the environment around her. Clear blue skies housed patched of cirrus clouds as a tell for a fast jet stream. Dogs of all sizes were being walked during the lunch hour, forcing Kara to snap a picture or two of adorable dogs, she couldn't resist Corgis. Birds chirped and car chugged on by and all Kara could think about was Lena Luthor.

Kara was proud of Lena holding her own against her cousin. Not that she didn't know that Lena could command a room like that, she was after all the youngest CEO of a fortune 500 company, but it was another thing to stand up to Clark Kent, the reporter that slandered her family name. That aside, it was odd acting like they didn't know each other. Thankfully Clark was more concerned in a 'Luthor's Hidden Agenda' than to take note of their knowing glances and how they played conversation off each other. That beings said, Kara was surprised, pleasantly so, at Lena's declaration of the rebranding of the company.

Clark only finished his telephone call as they entered the diner down on Primrose Lane. They settled into a worn green leather booth, relaxing into the cushions, Clark opened conversation.

"How have you been Kara? It's been far too long." He grinned.

Kara wanted to snark a 'because you never have time for me unless I'm an accessory to the act,' but she instead went with, "I've been good. Busy...I've been busy." Kara gave an awkward nod.

Clark smiled, oblivious. "Yeah, I bet!" A pause, "I'm so proud of you for taking up the mantle."

Kara gritted her teeth but still forced a smile. She hated how his praise made her want to preen. "It definitely has been a change. Well, that's an understatement."

"If I've ever heard one."

They both laughed, one more forced than the other, and the waitress, a young lady with an eager pen and pad, came to take down their orders. Not having looked at the menu yet, they just ordered a coffee for Clark and a mocha for Kara.

"So... how's Lois been? Sorry I haven't been down in a while."

In fact, the only time she saw Clark was when she went to Metropolis to visit. He only said 'Hi' when he was here on business.

"She's been well! Stressed, actually, Mr. White has given her an assignment that's dealing with the illicit drug increase in Metropolis."

"Knowing Lois, she's going above and beyond to make sure her information is accurate as well as probably trying to the police's job." Kara interjected with mirth. Hands sign-posting in front of her. She really liked Lois, mainly for her drive for journalism.

"Exactly! Thank God I'm always close by 'cause let me tell you, there's been some close calls."

Clark told her a story about how Lois ended up stumbling into a club owned by a major drug cartel that ended with her locked in a backroom surrounded by various poisonous snakes. The story would have sounded fake if not for the fact that it was totally a situation Lois would have experienced.

They ordered and the food arrived in record time. Burgers, chips, pizzas littered the small table with one small salad on the side to placate Lena when she would eventually ask if Kara ate anything healthy. It was halfway through Kara's second plate of chips that the topic of Lena Luthor was brought into conversation.

"Would do you think of Miss. Luthor?" Clark said around a bite of burger.

Kara froze, almost chocking with her mouth stuffed with half chewed potato. Swallowing painfully and sipping her drink, Kara armed herself with words and steeled her body with reason.

"What do you mean 'what do I think?'" Kara sat back, keeping full eye contact with the man of steel. Plate of chips laying discarded.

"Well, for instance, what does your reporter instincts tell you?" Clark sat forward.

"My instincts are telling me that Miss. Luthor was completely transparent with us in the interview."

Clark frowned but Kara continued, "She's just a person that's trying to do some good in the world. I can respect that."

A pause.

Then, "I have to disagree."

Kara sighed. She knew he was going to be like this. "Why? She told us that in the interview."

"Exactly. From my experience, Luthor's are masters of smoke and daggers. They'd say one thing and doing the opposite. Just looked at Lex! I was his best friend and I didn't know what was happening until that day when he attacked me." Clark stressed.

Kara clenched her fists and forced words out. "Clark, I understand where you're coming from..." "Thank you! I kne-"

"I'm not done talking."

Clark's mouth clicked shut. Kara stared at his shocked face for a beat.

"I believe that Miss. Luthor, from our one meeting today, is not a secret evil mastermind. You make a good point about how you knew Lex for years and still didn't see it coming but Clark, was it because he was asymptomatic or that you lost touch with your best friend due to your new girlfriend?"

Clark's face morphed to outrage.

"Hey, that's not a fair assumption!" Now Clark's hands were clenched. Kara seemed to have hit a

nerve.

"Indeed. Assumptions are seldom fair Mr. Kent." Clark visibly flinched. "So why are you assuming that Miss. Luthor is like her brother without any factual evidence? You've only met her once Clark."

"Because I refuse to let history repeat itself Kara." A muscle twitched in his jaw.

"Well, I'm here now and trust me when I tell you this Clark, I know a thing or two about consequences and ignoring problems. If history repeated itself throughout family lines, expect me to make a mind control device just like my father."

Kara stood up with defined purpose. "You, Clarky-boy fight for truth, justice and the American way, two of which you don't seem to be upholding presently."

"D-Don't you fight for the same?" Clark questioned, rising as well and trying to loom over his cousin.

Kara was undeterred. "Clarky." Kara tutted, "That's where you're wrong. I fight for the future." She promptly paid and left a flabbergasted Clark Kent in the Diner on Primrose lane.

It was late at night and Lena was halfway through a glass of red. She had Jess book her a viewing of the plane wreck on the weekend so she could go over the damage with a critical eye. The wrecked plane was salvaged and moved to a hanger LuthorCorp owned.

Now Lena sat on the floor of her office, shoes off, shirt untucked and strands of hair falling out of her stern bun. Tomorrow, National City would know of her plans for the family company. Lena told the media partially for dramatic effect, but mainly to pressure herself into focusing her attention on the remaining ceremony. Changing the name of a company as big and as old as LuthorCorp was an enormous task in and of itself. Furthermore, Lena was in the middle of an employee upheaval.

Times were changing and Lena couldn't have been happier.

She could be less tired though. Placing the now empty wine glass on the floor, Lena rubbed her sore neck and healing torso. She knew that she should put her health first, Kara made that very clear yesterday, but she still had so much to do in the two weeks before the ceremony. Lena was extremely stressed.

Stressed to the point where it manifested into a headache.

Groaning with the injustice of it, Lena rested her head against the white couch. Eyes screwed firmly shut in an attempt to block out the dim lighting of the office, only to open them again and to take out her eye contacts. The little relief it gave her did nothing to quell the steadily forming migraine.

She rolled onto her side, taking up a foetal position. She hadn't had one of these since she was a child. It seems that the stress of moving to a new city and taking a job that was well above the mantle of her previous one had finally got to her. The grey carpet soaked tears that escaped clenched eyes in a bid to hide its owner's weakness.

Lena failed to hear the footsteps on her balcony or the opening of the door, thus she startled when warm hands suddenly, but softly, picked her off the floor and held her against a firmly soft chest. Lena knew that body anywhere. Kara must have felt her pain.

Lena felt worse for inflicting pain on her companion.

She could feel Kara trying to sooth her in the back of her mind, but it was not enough. Lena buried her face into the nape of the Kryptonian's neck, finding small solace in the darkness and the smell of battle that followed Kara everywhere. She gripped the Maid of Might with all her strength, needing to relieve the pent-up energy in her body.

Kara held on tight, a hand working in soothing circles at the base of Lena's skull whilst the other took the woman's weight. Lena felt the shift as Kara began walking, Lena hated it and she let her displeasure be known through a bite to the other woman's neck. She never acted like this but there was something about Kara that let Lena act without a filter. That, and the pain clouded all judgment.

Lena felt the chuckle reverberate through Kara and she let a small smile stretch her lips. Carding fingers through raven locks and messaging a pale scalp, Kara spoke softly into Lena's ear.

"Lena, kitten, I know you hate flying and I'm sorry but I'm going to fly you to my apartment. It's the quickest and most discrete way to get there. I promise you will be safe."

Lena hated the idea of flying, but she understood the situation. Giving her affirmation as a burst of appreciation, Kara nodded in understanding and took off, slowly, into the clear night sky. They landed in Kara's apartment not 5 minutes later. Lena was dropped off onto the blonde's bed, stretching out a far a she could to relieve some stress from her tired body.

Her eyes were still closed but she could tell when Kara turned off all the lights, drenching the apartment in darkness. Next the curtains were drawn closed and a cold, damp washcloth was place on her forehead.

The dip of the bed gave away Kara's position. Lena instinctively turned towards her companion, seeking out comfort that Kara gave willingly.

"You're not allergic to ibuprofen are you Lena?" Kara asked, the medicine packaging crinkling.

"N-No." Lena hated how weak her voice sounded. As if Kara knew, Lena felt an influx of gladness enter her mind. She sat up, groaning with effort and head strain, and took the pills and tumbler of water from the reporter. Taking the pills and draining the cup, Lena lay back down. Kara shifted beside her, hesitating only for a second before she spoke again.

"Lena, I'm going to give you a head massage, okay?" It wasn't really a question. The steel behind the words came from a place of concern so Lena nodded an affirmative.

Gentle yet firm fingers applied even pressure to her temples and moved slowly along her head. They always came back to the temple though, the main source of Lena's agonising pain. The ibuprofen and the massaging eventually took the worst of the migraine away and Lena slipped into a deep slumber.

The pre-dawn air was brisk, or it must have been so if her visible breath was anything to go by. Kara had woken to the distant sound of sirens and the warmth of one Lena Luthor snuggled into her side. Now she was hovering in front of a bank that was in the process of being robbed with a yearning to go back to Lena.

Kara wanted nothing more than to return to the cacoon of warmth and to snuggle into the littlest Luthor. It was strange, they hadn't discussed the boundaries of their relationship, but Lena felt like an extension of herself. It was like her very being would always gravitate to the dark-haired woman and

honestly, Kara wouldn't have it any other way.

She landed with a dull thud and made her way to the police officer in charge. The man had a brow heavy with concertation and a moustache waxed into pointed curls. He looked remarkably put together for such an ungodly hour.

"Supergirl! I'm glad you could make it." He turned to face her. A nearby police car bathing them in red and blue light.

"I'm here to help. What's the situation?" Kara smiled to hide her tiredness.

"There's three assailants in the building. All staff have been evacuated and accounted for."

"Then why haven't you gone in yet?" Normally she wasn't needed for a situation like this, it sounded like the police could handle it.

"Well, that's the thing. One of the assailants was distinctly not human."

Ah, that explained it. Kara showed her understanding with a curt nod and walked away from the hustle and bustle. She talked into the comms unit in her ear.

"J'onn?"

"Supergirl. Don't worry, an armoured detainment vehicle is already en route to your location." "Thanks, J'onn."

"Just save the day Supergirl." Kara could hear the smile in his voice.

"Ha. I'll try, J'onn."

The comms crackled and Supergirl went to work. She scanned the building, locating the three criminals and quickly flying in. She grabbed the two humans first dropping them in a heap in front of the police before they even knew what happened. She made sure to dispose their guns to the nearest official.

Kara then went back for the alien. She made her way back to the vault room. The robbers were in the process of bagging the cash they stole and that's where she found the alien looking around in confusion. Kara chuckled, catching their attention.

"Don't worry, your friends are outside and in good hands."

The alien visibly flinched. They're blue skin of their exposed forearms shimmering in the dull lighting. Kara took note of the small crown of horns that adorned their head, poking through the black beanie pulled over their face. She ran through a catalogue of aliens that she knew of.

"You're from Rondo, aren't you?" Kara tried.

Somehow the Rondonite looked even more alarmed. Kara was right. The Rondonite reached for the firearm tucked into their belt.

"If you come with me peacefully, you won't suffer any unnecessary pain." Kara tired, seeing the falter in the alien's hands.

She dashed forward, grabbed the gun and retook her position. Noticing the hopeless situation, the Rondonite hung their head and let Supergirl escort them into the DEO van. Once the alien was safely

at the DEO, Kara sped off back to her apartment.

However, her stomach got the better of her (no surprise there) so Kara stopped at the 24-hour grocery store down the street from her apartment. She walked through the isles with a goal in mind adorned in full Supergirl regalia, not caring due to the early hour (the sun still hadn't risen). Picking up twelve boxes of pancake mixture and a gallon of milk, she approached counter.

The cashier looked up from their phone and double took, their phone falling onto the countertop as they started shaking in their boots. Kara shot them a crooked grin and placed her items on the counter. They took the items with shaking fingers and had a really hard time scanning the barcodes.

Kara chuckled. "Hey, don't worry, it's alright. I just want my pancakes." She tried to placate the poor person.

It seemed to work as the items were scanned with renewed vigour and Kara left after promptly paying in cash. She couldn't use a card because her name would come up on the computer and that would be a stupid way to reveal her identity. With the packet firmly in hand, Kara resumed her journey.

She snuck back into her dwelling through the open window. It was coming on 5:15 and Kara knew for a fact that Lena would be up in fifteen minutes. Her Luthor constitution wouldn't let her waste a day sleeping even after that horrible migraine yesterday, so Kara got started on breakfast. Sure, she could provide emotional support but food was second to sex in endorphin release and Kara was pretty sure she lived to make Lena happy. So food it was because she definitely couldn't provide Lena with sex...could she?

Kara shook the impure thought from her mind, her cheeks bright red.

At 5:30 sharp, Kara felt Lena's sudden ascension to wakefulness. Tossing the last pancake onto the stack, she felt Lena's initial bout of confusion before she realised where she was. The next emotion stole the breath right out of Kara lungs.

Home.

The blend of safety, elation and relaxation gave Kara pause. She could make Lena feel at home, something that was so rare to the CEO that the heroine felt honoured. With a silent vow and a blinding smile on her face, she greeted Lena with pure happiness. It was returned in kind.

Lena emerged from the room after she freshened up and Kara handed her a cup of freshly brewed coffee, steam risings from the porcelain cup. Guiding her companion to an available bar stool by her counter, Kara shoved a stack of pancakes in front of the surprised woman.

"You honestly can't expect me to eat all of that Kara!" Lena exclaimed in disbelief.

Kara laughed at the woman in front of her. "Just eat as much as you can, I cooked on a hungry stomach."

"That explains it." Lena teased and Kara flicked some stray batter at her. Lena shrieked and brought her hands to hide her face, nose scrunched and mirth bubbling out of her mouth.

Their shared happiness created a bubble of warmth around them, Kara's vision almost rose tinted with the thickness of the emotions they shared. In here they were just Kara and Lena. No capes or masks. Just two beings that understood each other to the base of their characters.

That was Kara's train of thought as she watched Lena wipe the batter off her hands. As she watched

how fetchingly strong fingers curled around metal cutlery to cut the first of the pancakes and as she watched as closed eyes and a happy smile greeted the sweet flavour. Lena was so different here.

Soft and unguarded.

Sleep mused hair and the puffiness of slumber up rounded Lena features. The lack of makeup allowed for her natural beauty to shine through. The slight variations in tone that made the subtle patchwork of Lena's skin told of growing up experiences. The small scar at her eyebrow spoke of childhood recklessness, slightly chapped lips revealed stress and the chipped deep red nail polish exposed the nervous tick of nail biting. Especially the thumbs.

And Lena looked damn good in Kara's comfy clothes. Adorned in a grey t-shirt and worn in grey sweat pants, Kara wanted to do nothing but stare...and maybe cuddle but time was of the essence.

The CEO made it through two buttermilk pancakes out of her stack of five before she gave up eating. She drank the last of the coffee, waiting for her Kryptonian to finish. As the last bit passed Kara lips, Lena broke the silence.

"Thank you for last night, Kara." Her voice was tentative, unused to the act of kindness and Kara heart broke just a little.

"I did what you would have done for me." Kara smiled wider, pancake swallowed. Kara could feel Lena's doubt, so the blonde sent her reassurance, seeing the weight lift off tense shoulders.

"I doubt I could fly you to your apartment, but I would definitely do what I can." Lena retorted through a grin.

They both chuckled.

"Any idea what triggered the migraine? You haven't had one in years." It was true. For all the change the woman before her had endured, Lena was made of especially strong stuff.

The CEO absentmindedly nodded, "Yeah...I think it was the stress of taking over LuthorCorp. That, in conjunction with my brother as well as my poor eating habits."

"I've told you a dozen times, and I've only known you for a few days, that food is extremely important!" Kara drove her point home with a wave of her index finger.

"Well then, I'm extremely lucky to have my own personal Supergirl looking after my needs."

Kara was sure the tone wasn't meant to be suggestive, but Lena's rough morning voice combined with the words 'personal' and 'needs' flung Kara mind into the gutter. The idea of providing stress relief to one Lena Luthor set her cheek aflame.

Kara cleared her throat and hoped to hide her flustering via a topic change.

"Hey!" That was a little loud.

Lena raised an eyebrow.

"W-What's this about a company name change?" Smooth Kara, what was with that voice crack?

Lena sat up straight and the air in the room changed. "Well, due to Lex's legacy being explicably chained to LuthorCorp. I thought it would be imperative to change the company's image, starting with the name."

Kara felt overwhelming affection. "Lena, I don't think that there's any words to describe how proud I am of you for doing this."

Lena beamed, "Well, luckily for us, we share an empathic bond." _

It was nearing mid-morning when Lena received a call from Cat Grant. She had taken a steadying breath or two, wondering what the media mogul wanted from her now. The CEO would avidly deny the small amount of fear that took residence in her veins as she picked up the receiver.

"This is Lena Luthor." She answered. Voice steady and strong.

"Lena," The use of her first name showed Miss. Grant's power. "You're exclusive comes out today."

"I'm well aware Cat." She actually forgot, spending the morning with Kara had thrown her off her game a little. "I have an inclination, however, that this is not what you called me about."

Cat hummed. "Indeed." A pause, "What are your intentions with Kara Danvers?"

That threw Lena for a loop. Intentions? "You sound like a concerned mother, Cat." Well, they did share a bed last night.

"In a capacity, yes." Lena was shocked. Cat Grant had emotions?

"Meaning?" Lena egged on.

"I have Kiera as a protégée of sorts and I don't want her caught up in any power games. That is all."

Lena was touched at Cat's concern but of course she didn't show it. That would be showing her hand and would don't ever want the media snooping into personal business.

"Do not worry Cat. I have no intention to harm or play games with Miss. Danvers. All I'm looking for is a friend." Lena really meant it.

"Well then Lena, you're in good hands." Cat let the words ring before speaking again. "Welcome to National City." There was an unspoken threat underlying the words.

The dial tone sounded and Lena put the phone back. Did Kara know that Cat Grant was protecting her this way, threatening CEOs to keep the reporter out of trouble? Or was that only for Lena?

Lena's musings were cut short as Jess walked into the office, Lena's requested files in one hand and a magazine in the other. A silent, simmering dread filled Lena system at the sight of the magazine. This one article would either help her solidify LuthorCorp. as a viable business partner in National City or doom it before it could achieve rebirth.

Lena just hoped that Kara could curb some of Clark's rumbling rants and prejudice.

Jess neatly stacked the reports in front of Lena, gently placing the magazine on top, tapping the cover three times before turning to leave. Lena took the magazine in her hands, looking at the glossy cover with trepidation.

'Exclusive Interview: CEO Lena Luthor and the Future of LuthorCorp.' was sprawled across the top in thick writing. The CEO called Jess before the secretary could exit the office. She turned on the spot, hands clasped in front of her and attentiveness colouring her features.

"Is it bad?" The insecurity rung clear in her voice. There's was no need to clarify the subject. Lena's mother would kill her if she found out she was being vulnerable. Let alone in the presence of an employee.

Jess just smiled and walked out the office.

Lena looked back at the issue, took a steadying breath and opened up to her two-page exclusive. She was greeted a candid photograph taken by James Olsen during Lex's trial. The photography was superb and showed a picture of power, even if the memories it dug up was not to Lena's liking.

The title was the same as on the cover but done in a stately, bold font and underneath was the by line.

Interviewed By Kara Danvers (CatCo.) and Clark Kent (Daily Planet). Written by Kara Danvers.

Seeing that it was Kara that wrote the interview sent relief into Lena's lungs, letting her breathe easy. Kara must have picked up on it as curiosity invaded the back of her mind. After sending Kara a burst of happiness to say that she was fine, Lena began to read.

And she didn't stop reading until the end. Dropping the magazine back onto her desk, her ears tinged pink and her teeth on full display, Lena couldn't have been happier. The article was exactly what she needed to start earning back the public's trust. Hell, Kara practically made her sound like an angel with the positive way she wrote about the company's new direction.

That coupled with a few statements from some of her employees and even a statement from Bruce Wayne, a business partner she worked with back when she was head of technology and design under Lex, created a sound piece. Bruce and Lena had gotten along well with their seriousness and drive to do good in the world. All in all, Kara wrote a solid article that would hopefully propel both their careers forward.

Lena could also see why Cat Grant had called her earlier. The way Kara wrote, even if it was unbiased and factual, gave an impression that the two knew each other well. That inkling would only be picked up if the reader knew Kara personally, which Cat obviously did, and even then, a person would have to have been astute at reading between the lines.

Still on her high, Lena called Jess into the office and told her to find the number for the nearest florist to CatCo. Not five minutes later, and with number in hand, Lena dialled up Florist and Furnishings with a large order that forced the shop to close for the rest of the day.

"And what do you want on the cards ma'am?" The florist, Florian, asked.

"On the one to Kara Danvers, I want: 'Congratulations on your first article. Signed LL' and for the one to Cat Grant, with the bunch of sunflowers, I want: 'My loyalty will remain to Kara Danvers."

"No signature on the last one?"

"No Florian, she'll know who it's from."

"Alright! Thank you for your cooperation, these flowers will be delivered by lunch time. Your bank receipt will be emailed to you in the next few minutes. Thank you, ma'am." With that, Florian hung up.

Lena put the phone back and swung on her chair to face the windows. National City never looked so beautiful.

Chapter Notes

Chapter 4

Hey Peeps!

Sorry I took so long to write this, uni decided it was time for a reality check.

That, plus typing with fake nails is not a joke (They're slowly driving me insane!) and my ribs hurt from taking one too many punches at boxing...well, enough about me. Just here to also remind you of the story rating, so there's that.

And THANK YOU for all the wonderful comments, kudos and hits I've gotten for this fic! Seriously, I read and reply to ever single one (so far) and it really makes my day.

The usual goes for this chapter, see any mistakes or have constructive criticisms, please comment them. Any plot ides are also welcome (this story has no plan).

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Friday found one Kara Danvers sitting naked in her apartment soaking up the mid-afternoon sun, stuffing her face with apple pie from The Ambrose Coffeehouse and watching Oprah give away a ridiculous number of cars. Snapper had given her the afternoon off without stating any real explanation besides "It's a slow day."

Not looking a gift horse in the mouth, Kara took the opportunity to do a Supergirl patrol. As Snapper had said, it was a slow day to the point that the most exciting thing that Kara did was catch a stray puppy and deposit it back into the arms of the little kid that was chasing it. With no work from the DEO or CatCo., Kara took the opportunity to relax and vegetate on the couch. Alex was still busy at the DEO training up some new recruits so she wouldn't be free for a while. Kara was in desperate need of a sisters' night, she missed Alex.

Kara placed the empty pie container on the coffee table next to her discarded glasses. Turning the television off, Oprah having just given away a holiday to Hawaii, Kara basked in the mid-afternoon quiet. It was peaceful in the apartment, all warm sunlight, cool breezes and the perfume of flowers. Lots and lots of flowers. The scent tickled a pleased grin as she thought of the day previous.

"Is this Kara Danvers' office?" A thick German voice stole Kara attention off her report about the present drought in National City and its new water restrictions.

She looked up and the first thing she noticed was the massive, stunning bouquet in his grasp (then his florist uniform and his charming smile). He shifted a little awkwardly under her curious stare.

Kara shook her head and stood up, "Yep! I'm Kara. What can I help you with?" Her confusion must have been evident in her voice and the way she eyed the flowers for he just answered with a knowing grin. Kara was confused further when the young man turned and looked out of the door, proceeding to loudly instruct his co-workers that were hidden behind the wall.

Kara's jaw dropped when six florists walked in, all with trolleys bursting with various arrangements of native and foreign flowering plants. Like a machine, the florists deposited their work on every available surface, even hanging hanging baskets on the empty nails where Kara failed to hang

pictures. Like a cyclone of creativity and nature, they were in and out with little hassle, leaving a gobsmacked Kara to process what just happened.

Her jaw clicked shut when the young man came up to her and handed her a small, white envelope and his business card. She looked at it and smiled at the man.

"Thank you, Florian," she looked over his shoulder, "and team!"

The florists waved off her thanks and without much further ado, they departed with the air of soldiers after a victorious battle. Kara inspected the unassuming envelope in her hands. Turning it over, she opened it without flourish and pulled out the ivory coloured card.

An involuntary gasp left her lips and she pulled the card to her chest, cradling it with tender fingers.

Lena.

That's how Kara found herself with an office overflowing with flowers. A state that didn't go unnoticed by the CatCo. employees, mainly Winn and James. That led to sly smirks and prodding on who Kara's 'secret admirer' was. Kara brushed off all their advances, even shooting glares at any of the other workers that shot her knowing glances.

Getting the flowers from her office to her apartment took both James' and Winn's cars and Kara's capable arms. They had to do three trips, resulting in a ridiculous amount of plants now in her living space. Honestly, Kara was happy that she didn't need the same amount of oxygen as a human otherwise sleeping in the apartment could have had effects on her health.

Kara stared at the ceiling. She hadn't talked to the littlest Luthor since the morning when Lena had stayed over, their schedules not having a chance to align. The physical distance brought up a problem Kara didn't realise she had- the lack of Lena's phone number.

As crazy as that sounded, neither of them held felt the urge to share contact information. What with their bond and Kara always finding herself in Lena's presence on a whim, the idea of cell phones seemed trivial. Kara was regretting her oversight now because she wanted to desperately thank Lena for her over the top gesture but the CEO was extremely busy today and Kara was extremely busy last night.

With a sigh, Kara rested her hands on her bare stomach. Kara didn't really see the point of clothed if there was no polite company to be found. She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, hands pressing further into pliant skin, tracing the creases that defined her abs. Maybe she'd take advantage of her solitude.

Rao, ever since Lena fell out of the sky Kara had felt a murmurous compulsion to provide pleasure. To herself or to Lena, she wasn't exactly sure. Kara knew it was her biology finding a suitable partner in the CEO but Lena was human. She wouldn't have that undercurrent of need towards Kara, it wasn't in Lena's genes. But seeing as the brunette was not in her presence, Kara took the opportunity to fill a need. She was a multi-cellular organism after all, asexual reproduction was not her forte and what Lena didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

Rao, how her body yearned to be coupled.

Groaning at her sudden spike in arousal, Kara's hands meandered over taunt skin. Shifting on the sofa, she slugged a leg over the backrest, opening her mounting heat to the cool breeze from the open window. She stretched her neck back, cords of muscle explored by tracing fingers. Fingertips dipping into the divot created by the closeness of her clavicles, pointing towards the valley between

her breasts.

She brushed over nipples, stealing a pant from quivering lungs. Kara grasped both with practiced pressure, one nipple for each hand, kneading the peaks into stiffened buds. Her dominate hand wandered down, digits parting a forest of dark blonde. Grabbing the curls in a gentle vice, she tugged upward. Hips jerking forward, Kara huffed at the pleasure that pooled in her core.

Oh Rao.

Abandoning her breasts, Kara bit down on her fist, eyes shut and teeth clenching. Her engorged clit was now pinched between slowly rotating fingers, forcing the pressure in her abdomen to mount. Hips humping, Kara couldn't hold it. She needed release now. Her teeth releasing her fist, she sat up for better leverage, her abs quivering with stiff pleasure.

Rubbing tight circles on the bundle of nerves, she entered her constricting tunnel with two fingers. A punishing place, in-out-in-out, brought her to the edge. Kara grunted with exertion, fingers curling to hit that one spot- "fuck, fuck, fuck, mhrm, oh Rao." And with a cry-

She came.

Kara flopped back onto the cushions, chest heaving and dazed. Fingers still sheathed and pelvis grinding slowly. The effects of an organism making any movement jerky. Kara's mind still captivated with forest green orbs and dark brown tresses.

Thank God Lena had a hidden bathroom in her office. "Jesus Kara."

Lena gazed at her reflection with half lidden eyes. Her prone form was supported against a marble counter, underwear discarded, skirt creased and hiked-up to her waist, blouse unbuttoned, and hair falling out of her bun. Lord, even her bra straps were at her elbows, the cups rested against her stomach presented her breasts on full display.

Kara was so lucky that the contractor from Japan had finished her meeting half an hour earlier than expected. Lena didn't even want to think about the awkward situation that would have arisen if Mrs. Sakurazaki didn't get a distressed call from her wife's, Mrs. Konoe's, body guard. Lena felt the tell- tale mounting pleasure as soon as the contractor walked out door. She shooed Jess, who was acting as translator, away with express orders to not be disturbed for the next hour.

Honestly, Kara couldn't have had worse (or better) timing. Kara's libido was fucking ravenous, forcing Lena to discard her heels at her desk to get to the bathroom faster. Ripping off underwear and unbuttoning the blouse (it was Burberry after all), Lena let her hands roam. With Kara at the complete forefront of her mind, Lena was a slave to the blonde's pleasure.

Her release was fast and hot. Fingers pumping, lips bitten and jaw tensed. Whilst the bathroom walls weren't thin, they weren't thick either but Lena didn't care. The idea of being heard added to the deviancy and Lena orgasmed with a stuttered moan.

Now Lena looked at herself. Adjusting her clothes and retrieving lost garments, she donned her armour. The only indicator of her previous activities were the heady smell of arousal and sex, and the satisfied smirk on her bitten plump cherry red lips. She strutted back into her office with the confidence of a woman freshly fucked (which she was, albeit by her own hand) and took her seat just as her next appointment came in.

Lena's Chief Financial Officer, Radley Burt, strode into the office with Jess hot on his heels. Her secretary shooting an apologetic look over his broad shoulders.

"I'm so sorry Miss. Luthor, I tried to tell him that you asked not to be disturbed!"

Lena had never seen Jess so worked up. Her cheeks a little red. Even Radley raised an eyebrow, eyes shifting between the two. Lena smiled at them both, gesturing for her CFO to sit, she turned to Jess.

"It's alright Jess, I forgot we had a meeting. Please make sure we're not disturbed. Thank you."

Jess nodded and took her leave. Lena turned to Mr. Burt, folding her arms on the table, noticing that she forgot to put her index finger ring back on. She had taken it off to make sure she wouldn't hurt herself. Mr. Burt smiled, dimples on full display.

"Lena." He said her name with old familiarity.

"Radley." She returned in kind. "Any news I should be worried about?"

He chuckled, shaking his head, gelled hair still firmly in place. "Nup." He popped the 'p,' "just a routine visit to tell you that LuthorCorp.'s stocks are steadily rising again."

"That's great news." Lena smiled, chuffed. She felt Kara respond with her own sunshine happiness. She really didn't want to think about Kara right now.

"It's awesome. The article that CatCo. published sure did help the company image. Getting praise from the Clark Kent has helped pull you out of the depths of villainy." He chuckled.

Lena wanted to tack in that Kara Danvers wrote the article but she didn't. She wasn't really supposed to know Kara, at least not with familiarity. She had known Burt for so long, since her high school days in Ireland (he was from a rival all-boys school), that he would immediately pick up the fondness in her tone and Lena couldn't risk it.

"Thankfully Mr. Kent and I hold no animosity," a lie, "or we would be having an extremely different meeting."

Radley nodded along. "Talking about the article, I see you've set the date for the rebranding?" "Ah, yes. Two weeks from now."

"Ya know, you could have told me too, right? I knew the idea was in the works, most of the planning done and paper work filled but still..." Radley trailed off.

"You know how I am, Burt." Lena huffed and Radley smiled fondly, "I didn't even set the date until it came out my mouth."

They both laughed. Their shared history lending truth to the statement. "Well, at least I don't have to face a raving board come Monday." He teased.

Lena groaned. She had forgotten the fortnightly board meeting. "Thanks for ruining my good mood, Rad."

"Well, what are old friends for?"

Friends. Lena hadn't ever really thought of the two of them as friends. Every time they saw each

other was for something business related. Even in school they became acquaintances for mutual benefit, net-working as mother would call it.

"How's the expenditure on innovation?"

"Good! With your crazy upheaval of all things Lex," he didn't catch Lena's small flinch, "we've seen an increase in side projects, which I'm sure you've noticed." Lena nodded, "And, interestingly, a decrease in expenditure. Honestly, I haven't seen stats like these since Lionel and it's only been your first week."

"Well, I have been hiring the cream of the crop. Honestly, I would wonder why Lex kept some of our ex-employees if I didn't know that they shared an agenda." Lena lamented.

Radley gave a demure smile, eyes downcast. "Yeah." He cleared his throat and sat up straighter. "Well, that's everything in a nutshell."

He got up to leave, rebuttoning his blazer, "And Lena, just remember that there are a few of us who have your back."

Lena smiled as the meeting wrapped up. She asked for Radley to present a full presentation on Monday's meeting. Being met with a pout but still getting her way, Lena watched as her CFO waved himself out the office.

Alex Danvers arrived at Kara's apartment bearing gifts of pizza and ice-cream. She looked tired, as happened to a person after training new recruits all day, but still radiant with her curled bob cut and easy smile. Placing the food on the kitchen counter, Alex deposited her leather jacket on the sofa, toeing off her heeled boots and drawing an excitable Kara into a firm hug.

"Alex! It's so good to see you!" Kara couldn't contain her smile

"We literally saw each other earlier today, when you came to see if you were needed." Alex deadpanned, moving to the fridge to grab a beer.

"I hardly call me catching a brief glance of your bob as you shot rubber bullets at flinching agents a catch up, sis." Kara flopped on her couch and Alex joined her.

"Well, that's why we are having an impromptu sister night." With that, both Kara and Alex grabbed the food and dug in. Alex making disgusted faces as Kara happily ate her Hawaiian.

"Pineapple on pizza is gross." Alex bit into her three-cheese and garlic pizza.

"Nah-ah, and I've eaten a lot of different foods. You know what's gross, peas on pizza." Kara took another bite.

"No-way, people do that?" Alex was both disgusted and awed.

"Yep." They chewed for a bit, "did you know that pineapple is the only natural source of Bromelain?"

"Seriously?" Alex reached for another slice, "the enzyme that breaks down proteins?"

Kara nodded furiously. "That's why people get that 'sandpapery' feeling after eating a pineapple. Sometimes even a bleeding tongue or gums."

"It's because the enzyme is breaking down your flesh. You eat the pineapple and the pineapple eats you." Alex paused, thinking, "yet another reason why it shouldn't be on pizza." She finished, looking chuffed.

"Ha! Well, luckily, I'm not human. I can eat as much pineapple as I want!" With that, Kara finished off her pizza.

Once the pizza was finished and the boxes by the bin, they dug in to their ice-cream tubs. Kara favoured the Hoky-poky whilst Alex was more of a triple-choc kind of girl. That didn't mean that they wouldn't steal spoonsful from each other's tubs, often engaging in spoon sword fights. Those frequently ended in one of their spoons on the floor, or couch, and the victor gloating their triumph. That didn't happen tonight however.

Instead, they sat side by side, Kara laughing at Doc's 'bald' head whilst Alex was unnaturally quiet. Of course, Kara noticed her sister's unusual behaviour but she wanted to give Alex time to think. Time to process whatever she needed to get off her chest. So, Kara waited till the end of the episode before placing hers and Alex's empty ice-cream tubs on the coffee table and chucking a pillow into her sister's lap.

The way that Alex grabbed the pillow with both of her hands, curling around the stuffed fabric, told Kara all she needed to know. Alex was undergoing a paradigm shift and she didn't know how to deal with it. Luckily Kara was there to help.

Whether it was her fighter's constitution or not, Alex would never reveal a 'weakness' unless Kara prodded. So, prodding was what Kara did

"Hey Alex," her sister looked at her, a subtle pout on her lips, "you know that I know when you bring ice-cream over, you want to talk about something." Kara started.

Alex gripped the pillow harder. "Y-yeah."

"And you should know that when I place a pillow in your lap, it's because I want to provide a safe space for you so you can talk to me about anything." Kara emphasised, watching Alex taking in a deep breath.

Alex nodded slowly, "There is some...ahhm, something." Kara shifted to face Alex properly. "M- More like someone..."

Kara had to almost physically contain her squeal. Whoever this person was, they had Alex a stuttering mess. A feat in onto itself.

Alex fell silent, lost in her own head again. Kara was having none of that. "Tell me about this someone, please." Kara's joy must have leaked to Lena because the amount of happy energy she felt at that moment was a little intoxicating. However, Kara would bet that her momentary joy was nothing compared to the huge smile on Alex's face.

"Well, they're amazing, Kara." Alex let go of the pillow. "Perfectly straight teeth, cute dimples, fast wit-"

"Extremely important." Kara interjected, grabbing her sister's hands in an excited squeeze. "And they work as a detective, so they totally get guns."

They both laughed. Eventually sobering from their mirth with content sighs.

"Do they have a name?" Kara asked, softened gaze taking in her sister's fidgeting fingers.

Alex fell silent, her stare going blank and making Kara worry. Had she asked the wrong thing? Maybe Alex withheld the information for a reason? Kara was about to take back her question when Alex took a deep breath and spoke.

"Sawyer. Her name is Maggie Sawyer."

Ah. That was why Alex was apprehensive, because silly social constructs enforced by the general public instilled a fear that was irrational in Kara's presence. Kara didn't want Alex to have any doubt of her acceptance. So, the Kryptonian grabbed her sister's hands in a firm grip and made sure she had eye contact before speaking.

"When do I get to give her the shovel talk?"

The question had the desired effect. Alex mouth fell open, gobsmacked. Then her shoulders grew proud, her grin back at full force as she pulled Kara into a tight hug. Mumbling murmurs at such a low volume that even Kara's sensitive ears couldn't pick it up. Alex eventually pulled back, giving Kara's shoulders a firm squeeze.

"How are you so okay with this?" Alex awed.

Kara heart broke, hating society for unnecessarily stressing her wonderful sister. "Alex...I'm an alien." Alex broke cracked a grin through her relieved tears. "And in all honesty, I don't understand why humans are so hung up on heterosexualism."

Alex wiped at her eyes. "What? What do you mean? Was it different on Krypton?"

Kara nodded. "In an egg shell-"

"Nut shell."

"Ah, sorry. In a nut shell, we were matched by a matrix based on intellectual capability and status. Biological sex was irrelevant." Kara waved it off.

"But if biological sex was not a factor, how did same-sex couples reproduce?" The question was purely scientific.

"Well Alex, when a woman and a woman love each other very much..." Kara earned a whack.

"I'm serious."

Kara grinned. "I'm just joking. Anyway, Kryptonians never reproduced naturally, too many variables that could result in an unideal child. A child that would not be up to par with Kryptonian society and therefore useless to the future of Krypton."

"That sounds like one of those dystopian novels you used to read." Alex quipped.

"That's why I used to read them. They reminded me of home." Melancholy was evident in Kara's voice but it was quickly soothed by Lena's support and Alex's hug. "Well. The matrix would create an child using the blood of the couple. The resulting embryo would be carried to term either by one of the couple or using a birthing pod if the couple was unable to carry a child. The only naturally produced child in generations was Kal-El."

"Imagine what that technology could do here on Earth. People who couldn't have children would finally be able to have one!" Alex grew excited. "And seriously, Kal-El? Is that why he's so dopy?"

They laughed in their shared vague distaste for the Man of Steel.

It was only then that Alex really looked at her surroundings. The thoughts of children and ethical implications did not stop her eyes getting bigger and bigger. Kara dreaded the next topic of conversation.

"Hey Kara?" "Hmm?"

"Is it just me or is there an absorbent number of flowers in here?" Alex turned to look at her sister, eyebrow raised.

Kara swallowed. "It's just you-?" She tried, Alex lifted a second eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"Alright, fine." Kara huffed.

"That was fast." Alex quipped.

"Shaddup." Kara pouted and Alex poked her in the ribs until she started to smile. "Well?" Alex drew out.

"They're from Lena Luthor."

Lena sat in her office, hands slightly ink stained as she finished the last of her paperwork for the evening. After Radley left, Lena had been swamped by paperwork that Jess smacked down on her desk. Apparently Mahou Industries, the company from Japan with Mrs. Sakurazaki, approved their contract within record time. Finding no fault in the paperwork.

Whilst this made Lena immensely pleased for she drafted the contract herself with her lawyers, it also meant that she was in for longer nights in the future. The idea of nuclear fusion cars was a project that she had been toying with for years and now, and after her forty-seventh prototype being a success, Mahou Industries agreed to start trial runs. If this was a success, Lena would be able to replace petrol and diesel run cars in the future. She could revolutionise transport.

Cracking her knuckles, Lena focused on the random feeling of impending doom that seeped through her system. The ice of fear infecting her veins and clogging her arteries. Was Kara in danger? Lena grabbed her television remote, flicking through all the news stations but not finding anything. She worried her bottom lip, brow crinkling as she tried to figure out what was wrong.

Unexpectedly, her vision swam and her gut dropped. Grunting, Lena jerked back into her seat, a slave to the impending vision. Her mind was transported to Kara's apartment. Alex was pacing the living room floor, a hand messing with her hair and the other gesturing madly as she talked.

"As in the Lena Luthor?"

Lena felt herself nod in confirmation. They were talking about her. How did she even come up in conversation? Lena was silently freaking out.

Alex charged on. "And you said this was just a 'thank you' for the article?" Alex stopped and looked at her. She felt herself play with her hair. Kara's glasses must be somewhere in the apartment.

"Y-yeah." Kara cleared her throat. "That's what the card said at least." She looked around the abode.

It was a different story ordering flowers over the phone compared to actually seeing the amount physically. Maybe she did go a little over the top, but this was for Kara. No expense was too much for her companion and damn, did the flowers look beautiful. Florists and Furnishings had just earned her loyalty.

"Has she ever had a normal friendship? Because all I see here is overcompensation." Alex looked around. "And some desperation."

Lena startled. The nerve! Sure, Alex wasn't entirely wrong. Most, if not all, her friendships were 'abnormal' in some capacity. Ranging from friendly business rivals and employees to an alien with an empathic connection, Lena was lacking on the 'normal' friendship front. God, when was the last time she even talked to somebody out of pure friendship? Kara didn't count.

"Rao Alex, I only met her this week! I hardly know a thing about her." Alex crossed her arms. "Maybe this is how CEOs thank people?"

Seriously, Kara?

"A-huh." Alex didn't buy it.

"Anyway...they're just flowers. Albeit, heaps of flowers. I thought it was sweet really."

"Well, your relationships are your own sis. Just remember that I'm always here to talk."

What an odd reassurance. Lena didn't have time to ponder.

"Ya-know." Kara started whilst Alex made to grab her jacket. "I expected you to go on a rant about her last name."

They held their breath.

Alex shrugged her jacket on and patted her pockets for her keys before turning around and facing her sister. Grabbing Kara by her shoulders, Alex sought after eye contact. Once she got it, she spoke.

"You know I'm a scientist."

Lena felt herself nod.

"So, you know that I know that it takes a mixture of both nature and nurture to shape a personality." They nodded again.

"Thus, I see nothing wrong in forging a relationship with Miss. Luthor. She is not her brother, like you are not your parents or like how Winn isn't his father and Lucy isn't her father. I know you admire her, after all you forced me to watch a few of her talks."

They chuckled as Alex pulled Kara into a hug. "Therefore, Kara, I trust your judgment in who you should and shouldn't interact with. If you trust Lena Luthor, I respect that."

"Thank you, Alex." Kara kissed the side of her head.

"Just let her know that I will break her fingers if she does endanger your life." It was a good-natured jab but Lena took it seriously. She knew how fiercely protective Alex was. Hell, Lena would even break her own fingers if she ever hurt Kara.

With that, the sisters parted and Lena let out a shaky breath. Her vision swam before it once again refocused back in her empty office. A maddened grin pulled at her lips. Alex Danvers, Kara's big sister, gave their relationship the green light. Sure, Alex didn't actually know the extent of it but Lena felt a weight lift off her chest all the same.

Surprise couldn't even begin to describe Lena's reaction to the eldest Danvers. She expected a much more heated exchange. After all, Kara meant the world to Alex and Lena was a direct threat to her sister's health. Well, at least according to family history she was.

For Alex to not define her by her last name caused a shift in the youngest Luthor. There were people out there, people she never interacted with, people that knew nothing of her besides her brother's crimes, that didn't see a psychopath in her waiting to snap. Maybe her dream wasn't so unreachable after all. Lena felt stronger than ever in her quest to right the wrongs of her name.

She stood, barefooted and in all her unkept glory, and made her way out onto the balcony. The buildings around her stood erect in quiet solace. All witnesses to her renewed faith. Blackened windows hid unseen worlds in the late hour with the pale moon shining through brick walls to darken lighten rooms. Soft light coaxing overworked employees to head home by its unyielding allure.

But not Lena.

The night was her kingdom, and she stood, a queen, in her darkened tower. She had something to prove and all the devils on earth would not stand in her way. Not even the death that hung over her like a shroud would deter her. Instead, she would wear it as a cloak, a reminder of choices. A reminder of insanity. A promise to the sane.

A cool wind blew, bringing with it the ruffle of thick fabric and the thump of solid boots. Kara. Sweet dear Kara had come to see her. Lena turned, back braced against the cold steel handrail as she took in her companion. Every time Lena saw her, she had to remind herself that it wasn't an illusion. That the woman in front of her wasn't some figment of her imagination that she conjured in her desperate isolation. That the being in front of her was made of muscle and bone with a scarred heart of gold. She could do this with Kara by her side.

"Lena." Her name an awed whisper stolen by the wind. Kara was probably overwhelmed by the depths of her emotions. Hell, even Lena was overwhelmed.

The Kryptonian took a step forward and brought the CEO into a warm embrace. Lena nuzzling into her neck and grabbing fistfuls of her crimson cape. The fabric heavy with duty and unearthly material alike.

"I take it you saw what happened?" Kara started. Voice soft but clear as Lena felt the vibrations against her cheek.

Lena nodded and a dam broke within her. All the brightest emotions she had ever felt were bursting forth and assaulting her senses. Kara gripped her tighter. Her own emotions combining in dance with Lena's. Acceptance was a wonderful thing.

Ever better was the gentle kiss Kara placed on the crown of her head. _

Saturday found Kara rushing, with a human emphasis, to an old hanger just off the main airport. She was running a little late to the viewing. The Rondonite that she picked up a few days ago was finally released back into the community. It was Kara's job to make sure he got safely to the little home the DEO provided

Every week, Kareev, the Rondonite, would be checked on by an agent to make sure he wasn't getting into trouble. It was part of a plan Kara and Lucy initiated when they noticed that most of the alien assailants they picked up were just desperate folk that were being taken advantage of.

Instead of locking them up for eternity, they would be detained until they learnt from their mistakes and then released back into the community under supervision from the DEO. Once they got back on their feet (or foot, or tentacles, etc.) the DEO would check in every now and then until the aliens were properly functioning in society.

The program was a huge success. Sure, there were the few that took advantage but they were dealt with accordingly. But that wasn't why Kara was late. It was custom on Rondo to provide food and drink to those that came to the house for the first time. A refusal from the visitor was perceived as a bad sign and a display of hostility.

So, without much of a choice, Kara politely, but quickly, ate a sandwich and had some tea before she sped off to meet Lena. That was where she found herself now. Adjusting her pastel red cardigan and repositioning her glasses, Kara made her way inside.

The wrecked private jet took up most of the small hanger. All the salvaged parts were placed according to their correct position on the dusty concrete floor. The sight caused a shiver to run up Kara's spine.

The metal carcass was a reminder of how close Lena came to death. If Kara was even a few seconds late...she didn't want to think about it. She walked further into hangar, looking for a certain CEO. She spotted dark hair made lighter by the concrete dust off the floor. It seemed, in the five minutes that Kara was late, Lena had apparently rolled around on the floor. Or at least it appeared that way.

Kara made her presence known through a small cough but Lena still bumped her head on the wing she was bent under.

"Motherfucker!" Kara held in her chuckle as Lena swore.

"Sorry, Lena. I didn't mean to startle." Kara smiled, amused as she walked forward.

"Hey Kara. Seems that I was a little engrossed." Lena stood, hand rubbing her head with a wry grin on her lips.

The sight of Lena in clothes that weren't her cooperate suits of armour did something to Kara's blood pressure. Sure, starched collars and shoulder pads suited the littlest Luthor remarkably well, but the sight of ripped black jeans, a loose grey shirt and a thrown on plaid shirt looked even better. Even when the black jeans seemed more white than black presently. Honestly, what was Lena doing before she got here?

"You don't say." Kara teased, pulling Lena into a brief hug. "Have you found anything?"

"I've only had a chance to look at the wing engine so far but there something that's not making any sense." Lena's brow was furrowed as she pointed to various parts of the powerplant.

"Most of the parts for this powerplant are made from thin tungsten-steel alloy. It was used only for the engines because, even though it's not the lightest, it has an incredibly high melting point."

Kara looked closer at ruined engine. Eyes widening at what she saw.

"Then why is the metal not fractured but melted? The engine couldn't have gotten to 3, 695K?"

"Hence my confusion." Lena nodded. They stood there silently, looking at the engine in contemplation. Lena then turned to her companion, "Can you rip a piece of the melted metal off? I have a suspicion I want to confirm."

Kara nodded. Grabbing the metal, she ripped off a piece about the size and width of two fingers. Lena pulled a zip lock bag and a sharpie out of her pocket. She deposited the metal in the bag and Lena labelled it and stashed it away.

They then made their way to the empennage. The same sight of warped and melted metal greeted them. They repeated the same procedure before turning their focus to the main left-right directional rudder. Or well, the lack there of.

Lena walked forward, fingers tracing the space the rudder occupied. She paid careful attention to the fractured pins that were used to keep the rudder in place. "Everything seems to be fine with the way this broke, but can you still pull out one of the pins for me?"

Kara nodded and did just that.

After they did two rounds of the plane, not finding anything else worth noting, the duo made their way out of the hangar and to Lena's sedan. The car itself was an old champagne coloured BMW complete with fluffy dice and all. Kara had seriously thought it belonged to someone else that was on site, but alas, Lena seemed to have the taste of an old man.

"I thought you had a Range Rover?" Kara asked, getting into the passenger seat. Taking in the red leather interior and polished wooden dashboard. This car was loved.

"Yeah, I do. I left him at home though. I felt like driving Annie here instead." Lena patted the steering wheel affectionately.

"Him? Annie? Lena, do you name your cars?" Kara laughed.

Lena swatted her shoulder playfully. "Hey! T-That's a completely normal thing to do! Heaps of people name their cars." She started loud but grew to a mumble, unsure of herself. A frown marring her features.

Kara gave her a cheeky smile and let Lena feel her teasing happiness. She knew it worked when a wry grin played at the CEO's lips. Without further ado, Lena started the ignition and they were off. Off to where, Kara didn't actually know but she found herself not really caring. Being in Lena's presence was enough for her.

A simple guitar riff started to play as Lena put the radio on. Kara laughed in recognition, looking at Lena to see her putting her aviators on. The introduction of the drumkit coaxing them to nod their heads in synchronisation.

Simultaneously, they started to sing the opening lines.

"I took a walk around the world to ease my troubled mind." Kara started.

"I left my body lying somewhere in the sands of time." Lena grinned, looking over at the blonde, fingers drumming away on the steering wheel.

"I watched the world float to the dark side of the moon." Kara rolled down her window. Wind whipping her hair as they made it onto the motorway.

"I feel there's nothing I can do. Yeah~" Lena's lips pouted as she moved to the music, eyes still on the road.

The song kept playing in the background as Kara spoke. "Seriously, Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down? This song is so old Lena!"

"I know it's seventeen years old, but I thought it would be ironic!" Lena retorted, changing lanes and taking the exit.

They both chuckled, joining in song as the chorus hit.

"If I go crazy then will you still call me Super-"

"GIRL!" Lena shouted over Kara. Kara laughed joyfully.

"If I'm alive and well, will you be there holding my hand?" Kara continued without missing a beat through her laughter. Lena reached over the middle console, grasping her fingers in a gentle grip and effectively stealing Kara's voice.

Luckily for her, Lena covered the last of the chorus.

"I'll keep you by my side with my su-per-hu-man mind." Lena squeezed her fingers and Kara couldn't help but hold the digits a little tighter.

"Kryptonite~." Lena finished, briefly glancing over at Kara.

The car ride went much the same way. Both sung to a variety of songs ranging from alternate punk (Alex's punk phase forced Kara to know the words to all the popular songs) to NYSNC, Kara holding Lena's hand the entire way. Fifteen minutes later found the companions pulling into a parking lot for an old diner. It wasn't exactly lunch yet but Kara could eat anytime of the day, and knowing Lena, she probably skipped out on breakfast to do work before the viewing.

The bell chimed as they entered the mostly empty establishment. It was just them and a few teenagers in a booth down the end. One with distracting red hair, another typing wearing a grey beanie that looked like a crown, the third sporting pastel much like herself and the last looking way too posh for the other three.

They picked a booth two units away from the teens, picking up their menus they gave a quick glance before deciding what to eat. A waiter, a young chap with an ancient iPod on his hip, poured them booth mugs of black coffee. Lena picked her up, cradling it in booth her hands as she soaked in it warmth. Kara, on the other hand, went straight for the milk and sugar.

Kara grinned at Lena's grimace when she put her fourth teaspoon in, taking delight out of annoying her companion. Lena sipped from the mug, humming in content and capturing Kara's sole attention for a second.

Rao, the sounds Lena made.

It was after they ordered, two burgers with beer battered fries for Kara and a cheese and onion toastie for Lena, when conversation started.

"So, were going to go back to LuthorCorp. to run some tests?" Kara asked, sipping the coffee. The warm liquid slipping down her throat.

"Yep," Lena popped the 'p', "I haven't set up my personal lab at my apartment yet, so work's labs will have to do." Lena leaned back into the lime green cushions.

"From the burning patterns on the metal, I don't think that metal was tungsten-steel. The colours were too different." Kara stated. The crinkle appearing between her eyes as she thought.

Lena leaned forward and gently smoothed it out with her thumb, the flesh warm from her mug. Kara felt her chest warm at the easy affection and Lena smiled, green eyes sparkling. Kara smiled in return, watching as sunlight turned the Luthor's hair chocolate.

"That's what I thought too." The CEO went back to her previous position and Kara immediately missed her warmth. "The metal's definitely been tampered with. Hopefully some experiments will let me determine what was done to it. That way we might just find a lead."

Kara hummed in agreement. "Do you know who's responsible for manufacturing those parts?" "Off the top of my head, no. But the information is in the LuthorCorp. data base."

"Great. I can look into that whilst you get your nerd on." Lena chuckled at the joke and Kara smiled smugly.

Both were brought out of their reverie by the welcome intrusion of hot food. Kara's mouth promptly salivating at the sight of golden buns and crispy fries. Their mugs were refiled before they were left alone again. The ambient noise filling in their food induced silence. The teenagers in the corner muttering amongst themselves about something that involved maple syrup. Kara didn't very much care, she had comfort food and a beautifully intelligent woman taking up her attention.

The way Lena ate food was indicative of her upbringing. Were the average person used their hands to eat, Lena would use a fork and knife. Strong fingers around metal utensils making quick, neat work of the toastie. Melted cheese creating spider webs as Lena took a bite.

Kara, however, ate with gusto, not ashamed of her eating habits in present company. Both burgers were gone in the time it took for Lena to eat her toastie, the fries having moved to the middle of the table as they both picked at it. Lena laughing as Kara grimaced at her messed cardigan. Stupid tomato sauce.

She took it off, further revealing the pale blue button down underneath. Short sleeves showing off defined arms. Kara didn't miss the way Lena's jaw slacked nor the sudden spike of heat running to her fingertips, but she ignored it in favour trying to cover her arms from the suddenly silent teens.

Lena, wonderful Lena, noticed her sudden discomfort and promptly took off her plaid over-shirt and handed it to her. Kara didn't refuse, she could feel Lena's need to comfort her and she was grateful. She slipped it on, glad that Lena bought a bigger size, which meant it fit her well. Even if she looked a little weird with her double collar, she felt infinitely more comfortable in her own skin.

Plus, the sight of a short-sleeved Lena was not something she would ever miss. The grey t-shirt revealed pale, soft arms. Kara knew that the strength of lean muscle hid there. After all, the CEO was a proficient swordswoman and Kara couldn't help but think of those visions where it was just Lena, her katana and scenery. Muscles straining as the young woman finished her forms.

Kara was broken out of her musings as Lena paid the bill, she didn't even notice the cheque arrive otherwise she would have tried to pay, and they left the diner behind. The drive to LuthorCorp. only took twenty minutes. Kara hardly got into cars, flying was a much faster mode of transportation, but she couldn't help but feel that she would rather ride with Lena than take to the skies. The sensation of open windows and blasting music, the feel of the engine and cheeky smiles; it was frankly intoxicating.

They parted in the lobby, Lena heading towards the basement and Kara to the top of the tower. LuthorCorp. was empty today (except for security), which was an uncommon occurrence. Lena confessed that she normally worked Saturday's as well, but with the plane viewing today, she closed the building. She had correctly assumed that she would need the day to work on her personal issues, such as who was trying to kill her.

Kara was more concerned that Lena worked Saturdays. Sure, she already knew this but it still came as a shock that someone would willing do paperwork on the weekend. The elevator dinged and Kara made her way to Lena's main computer. Logging in (Lena had given her the password in the lobby), she connected to the LuthorCorp. databases. The amount of information at her fingertips was astounding. The amount of trust Lena had in her was more so.

Kara was a reporter and her she was, with access to all of LuthorCorp. plans for the future. Of course, she wouldn't do anything but the amount of faith placed in her was heart-warming. She navigated her way to the transportation databases, finding the sub-category for aircrafts. Scrolling through, she eventually found the folder for the private jet Lena used.

"Huh, that's strange." Kara looked at the documents before her. Apparently, the plane Lena used was extremely new, the trip to National City being its maiden voyage. She looked further, looking for the manufacturers of the plane. She only found one which she quickly called up.

Kara sat in Lena's throne of a chair, looking over the spacious office with the main phone to her ear. Did Lena always feel this powerful when she sat here?

"Hello, this is Sam from Asche Aeroplanes, how can I help?" A gruff voice answered.

Kara put on her assistant voice, sitting up straighter in the chair. "Hi! This is the assistant of Miss. Luthor for LuthorCorp. I was wondering if you could tell me about the modified Hawker 800 you made about two months ago?"

There was silence, Kara made out the sound of a mouse clicking.

"Ah yep, here it is. Private Jet for L.L.Luthor. What d'ya want to know about it?"

"Can you tell me; did you manufacture the engines yourselves?" Kara asked.

Another pause, "Ah. No. We outsourced the engines."

"Ah, alright! Can you give me the manufacturer?" She was getting somewhere.

"It was an 'Addington Engines' in Dallas, Texas. Do you want the number and address?"

Kara replied with an affirmative, writing down the information on a sticky note. Chuffed, she finished the call, logged off and exited the office. The LuthorCorp. building felt strange in its silence, especially during the day. Kara more used to the quiet hum of night when she usually visited but to see no one in a usually bustling building was a little disconcerting.

It, however, did give Kara a chance to actually look at the building. The floors were carpeted a

charcoal grey with crème white walls. Occasionally, there would be a feature wall which was a brilliant green. There weren't any offices or desks on this floor, sans Jess's, but there were three different sized, glass conference rooms. Each contained a large oak oval table surrounded by plush, green cushioned chairs. One wall taken by a custom television and another hosting a beverage service. It was all very intimidating.

She eventually made her way down to the labs. Down here was very different to the rest of the building. No expense was wasted on looking lavish. Stark white walls, laminated floors and long corridors were what greeted her. Kara honed into Lena's heartbeat. The steady beating acting as a guide to find her companion.

She found her in a lab down the corridor and to the right. Kara stopped in the doorway, watching the CEO with interest. Lena looked in her element, with a lab coat on and shielded goggles protecting her eyes as she hunched over a Compact Vacuum Arc Melting System. The melting metal casting blinding white light on her face and creating the illusion of a halo.

Kara smirked to herself, if anyone was an angel, it was Lena.

The burning suddenly flashed a green-blue, the sudden change triggering Kara's reflexes. In a split second, Lena was protectively in her arms and against the back wall. One arm around the CEO's waist and the other holding Lena's head into her neck, hips pinning her to the surface. They stood like that, Kara heart racing with sudden adrenalin and Lena's breath huffing against her neck. Both their minds a haze of sudden protective emotions.

They eventually calmed, noticing that nothing happened. Nothing exploded or malfunctioned. Kara reluctantly withdrew herself from the soft body against her. Lena's hands lingered, gentle fingers combing through the hair at the back of her neck. The ministrations and Lena's calming emotions relaxed her tense muscles, drawing out a grateful smile.

"I know it was a false alarm, but it's nice to know someone would save a Luthor." Lena mused and Kara heart pained. The urge to prove her words wrong was strong.

"Lena," Kara eased her back into a hug, allowing her emotions to run rampant and drawing a startled breath from the Luthor, "as long as I'm around, I will do my best to stop harm from befalling you."

Lena hugged her tighter, feeling the solid form of her body before slowly drawing away and wiping at her eyes. Kara withdrew her emotions, giving the CEO some privacy. Feeling a change of mood was needed, Kara decided to share what she discovered.

"Lena," her head snapped up, eyes a little red, "I discovered something regarding the plane."

Kara could see the mask fall into place, Lena steeled herself before nodding at Kara to continue.

"Well, the manufacturing of the engines was outsourced to an Addington Engines in Dallas, Texas."

Lena brow furrowed, "Addington? They normally don't make my plane engines."

They both walked back to the experiment, Lena muttering to herself whilst Kara looked at the melted metal. Noticing something off.

"Hey Lena."

"Hmm?"

"There're two different coloured metals here." Kara pointed and Lena looked over.

"What colour was the flame?"

"A green-blue-" Kara responded, the answer dawning on them both.

"Copper!" They said simultaneously.

"And by the looks of it, definitely not properly alloyed, leaving weak points throughout the metal." Lena concluded.

"But isn't copper's melting point 1357.77K? And doesn't the normal plane engine get to around 1173.15K?" Kara asked.

"Yes, but the engines probably ran hotter if they were tampered with." Lena said.

"But why would Addington Engines want to sabotage you? They're not rivals in anything, are they?" Kara questioned, not connecting the dots.

"Rivals...Addington..." Lena muttered, stopping abruptly before turning to face Kara front on. "That's it!"

"Wha-"

"You remember Winston Smith?"

Kara still not seeing it, "Y-yeah? You wanted to chuck him into the sun? You know I'll still do it for you."

Lena forged on without regards to her words, pacing manically. "His mother was an only child to an Elizabeth and Joseph Addington. She changed her name when she married a John Smith, thus Winston Smith."

"But Addington is a common English surname?"

"True, but I researched him Kara!" Lena grabbed her arms, eyes determined. "His mother runs

Addington Engines in England! I didn't know they had an American branch."

"Alright, so his mother owns the company, but why would he want to sabotage you?" Kara asked,

trying to ground Lena.

"Well, he works for Max Lord," Kara jaw clenched, she didn't like that man, "maybe he's trying to prove his worth?"

"By killing you?" disbelief coloured Kara tone. Lena's fingers tried to dig into her skin.

"People do crazy things for a parent's love." Lena withdrew. The words hitting them both in the gut and leaving them slightly winded. Kara could only nod her understanding.

"So how do we go about proving this theory?" Kara changed the topic and felt Lena's immediate gratefulness.

"Well, the renaming ceremony is coming up." Lena started. Kara could almost see the gears turning in her head. "How about we turn it into a fundraiser? I know it's short notice but it will help company image and I can invite Mr. Smith without it seeming strange. He is from a wealthy family after all."

The idea was brilliant. "Only on one condition." Kara stated and Lena paused.

"Name it."

"Well actually two..."

"Kara."

"Alright. Well, I get to write an article to promote it," a dramatic pause, "and I have to be your plus one."

They laughed, Lena grabbing Kara's hand and walking out the lab. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Chapter End Notes

The song used in this chapter is "Kryptonite" by 3 Doors Down -- Basically my childhood.

I also seemed to have realised that I may have a thing for diners...must be because when I think of America, I think of fast food and diners...

All the science mumbojumbo is garbage. I did HL Bio and HL Chem in High School, and now I do music and animation, so science isn't my expertise. I also know next to nothing about planes. The melting points (besides tungsten-steel) are correct. I just used the mp for tungsten. A plane's combustion chamber in the engine gets to 900 degrees C.

Pineapples do break down flesh.

Chapter Notes

Chapter 5

Surprise attack! Have another chapter! :P

Well,I gunned this one out. It does get a little heavy though (not really).

The bolded italics are words spoken in Kryptonian. I actually know nothing of how to speak or write the language, so you'll have to deal with this instead.

Same dealio, please comment your thoughts, constructive criticisms, plot ideas (anything really) or even just say hi!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Lena stood stiffly as she awaited the arrival of her board members. Externally, she was the picture of calm and poise but internally she was a mess. She had made the decision for the rebranding date without consulting any of the board members and now she was about to inform them that she want to hold a charity event for the same day. Lena just knew they were going to be difficult. Not because they wouldn't agree with her, she had an inkling that they would, but because she disregarded them. They would chuck up a tantrum just because they could.

Jess was finishing setting up all the accompanying graphics for her meeting as Lena fiddled with the documents in front of her. They still had twenty minutes spare, which just left twenty minutes for Lena to overthink. Or at least it would have if a gentle knock at the open door didn't startle her (and Jess, who jumped slightly).

Lena looked up from her fiddling fingers to have her breath stolen at the sight of blonde hair and a charming smile. Honestly, Kara Zor-El should come with a warning. The Kryptonian sauntered in, a tray of takeaway cups from Noonan's in her hands. Lena's inner turmoil was silenced in her confusion.

"Kara? What brings you here?" She didn't mean it to sound so curt, but she hadn't used her voice in a while.

"Well," Kara gave a cup to Jess who gave her a small thank you and an awe-struck look, "I know this is your first proper board meeting since moving, so I thought you could use a little caffeine." Kara placed a cup in Lena's hands, reiterating her point.

"You're absolutely right." Lena smiled, taking a sip of the warm beverage. "Thanks, Kara." "Anything for you."

The words were soft but that didn't make it any less true. Kara took time out of her busy schedule just to help Lena's nerves. A task she could have done in the comfort of her office through their bond. But no. Kara stood in line, got coffee and made her way over to LuthorCorp. just to make Lena more comfortable. Lena smiled wistfully.

"And anything for you too, Kara." Her words low enough for only Kara to hear. Lena had to fight the urge to hug her. The walls were glass and Jess was in the room, there were eyes and ears

everywhere.

Lena pushed a stern serenity through their bond, showing her seriousness in the statement. Kara return the gesture in kind via the warmth blossoming in her chest. The exchange caused an emotional shift between the two, resulting in an empathic hug. It was the best that they could do in the present situation.

A throat clearing broke them out of their trance, causing Kara to take a step back and Lena take a too casual sip from her cup before she looked to Jess. Raising her eyebrow, she prompted Jess to talk.

Jess looked between the too quickly before clearing her throat again. "The media aids are all set up. Do you want me to set out all the folders?"

"Oh! Let me help!" Kara was quick to take a few folders out of Jess' hands, startling the poor woman with her enthusiasm.

They both distributed them to all the seats, working in tandem. Lena honesty didn't know how she got so lucky. Of all the organisms in the universe, she was paired with an embodiment of sunshine. Lena's smile stretched further as she took in Jess' ridged spine as Kara pulled her into a one-armed hug, hands waving as Kara talked about something or another.

A polite knock broke Lena's observation. Turning, she was greeted with the sight of one Radley Burt. They greeted each other with pleasant nods as the CFO made his way into the room, stack of papers in hand. He was barely able to put them down before his hand was engaging in a firm handshake with the blonde reporter.

Lena stifled a chuckle at his shocked yet awed expression coupled with Jess' visible relief at being left alone. Lena walked forward as Radley finally retrieved his hand, subtly shaking it out. Kara's enthusiasm sometimes got the best of her.

"Radley, Miss. Danvers was the one that interviewed me with Mr. Kent." Lena said, motioning towards the Kryptonian.

"Well, Miss. Danvers, it is you that I have to thank for LuthorCorp.'s present success." Burt smiled genuinely.

"I was just doing my job, Mr. Burt." Kara smiled back, shooting a beam at Lena. The CEO didn't miss the way Radley's eyebrow minutely twitched. Lena acted quickly.

"Actually, Miss. Danvers here is going to do an article to promote the rebranding at the end of the week." Kara nodded vigorously.

"Oh! How lovely." Burt expressed, "If it's anything like the article last time, we could retire early Miss. Luthor." He made his way to his seat, at her right hand, as Lena chuckled. "Will you be joining us for the meeting Miss. Danvers?"

Kara shook her head, "No. I need to get back to work soon. I only came to clarify a few things." The lie was easy as she took a sip of her coffee. Lena felt a little sad at her inevitable departure. This meeting would be ten time easier if her companion was there with her. Kara felt her distress, releasing a calm that soaked her to the bones, forcing Lena to supress a delighted shudder.

"Thank you for coming by, Miss. Danvers." The formality was strange on her tongue.

"It was no problem. Miss. Luthor. Have a good day everyone." Kara bid them farewell as she departed, almost knocking into a few of the arriving board members on the way out.

"So...Miss. Danvers, huh?" "Shut up, Radley."

Jess snickered in the corner.

Tuesday saw the publishment of Kara's CatCo. article. The media ate it up deliciously, giving free advertisement to the event and the blonde reporter couldn't keep the grin off her face. She loved it when she could help Lena. Even if it was with something like interviewing her.

That was a hoot. After Lena's board meeting wrapped up, she went back to LuthorCorp. with an actual, professional reason besides coffee (and Lena's nerves). That being said, there was nothing professional about the interview aside from Kara recording a few key questions. Most of it was spent with Lena debriefing the meeting and Kara helping were she could. Read: emotional support.

Apparently, Lena was convinced that one board member's, a Martha Morrison, sole reason in life was to make Lena's life hard. Even though the board was on board with the fundraising idea, Mrs. Morrison was exceptionally vocal in opposition with the whole rebranding in general. She had been a board member since the time of Lionel Luthor and was very patriotic to the Luthor name itself. Taking the name out of the company branding was blasphemous and of high insult to her.

She liked the fundraising idea though, even if she was sceptical about the time frame. A week was cutting it short, true.

Kara had asked Lena why she didn't just take her seat away. Lena told her that Mrs. Morrison never showed any interest in Lex's schemes. Instead, her faithfulness was almost exclusively tied to Lionel and it was common knowledge that Lionel wasn't a faithful husband. The idea was disgusting, and valid, and Lena was never more thankful to be adopted and not a bastard. The CEO had no grounds to remove Mrs. Morrison. The old lady even moved to National City for the company.

Lena only needed a majority vote to go ahead with her plan anyway, which she got by a landslide.

That left Kara with a problem though. 'Cause of her big mouth, she now found herself being plus one to the host of one of the biggest events in National City this year. That wasn't the problem though, the problem was the amount of media attention that would be on Lena, thus the amount of media that was going to be on her! What the hell was she going to wear?

Should she match Lena? How do they interact in company? Would she follow Lena around like a lost puppy or should she show some of her tenacity? Kara didn't want to hurt any potential donations or business partner with ill placed words.

Kara rung her fingers in knots, teeth worrying her lips and eyebrows scrunched.

What happens if she messes up so horribly that Lena would never want to associate with her ever again?

Kara very sudden, yet silent, freak out was interrupted of its escalation by the appearance of James' bald head and Winn's cheeky face at her office door. Quickly looking at the clock, she noticed it was almost lunch time and her friends were here to walk together to the pie place down the street. Where did all the time go? She must have freaked out longer than she thought.

She grabbed her purse, logged out of her computer and greeted her friends. They made idle chatter to

the elevators, not talking in the metal box, and then resuming conversation as they walked out the building. The sudden change in brightness put a bright smile on her face, squinting eyes on James' and it pulled a sneeze from Winn.

"Seriously, why does that even happen? Why do I always sneeze when I walk outside?" Winn rubbed at his nose.

James clapped him on the back, "Maybe you should get out of your nerd cave at home and go out more."

"How dare you!" Winn retracted his hands and made a scrunched-up face, "I distinctly remember you joining me for a full Lord of the Rings marathon the other day. Extended edition style."

Kara laughed at their antics. "Actually, Winn, there is a reason."

"You better not make a smart-arse comment." He deadpanned as the trio walked in a down the busy sidewalk.

"Well, it's a scientific explanation, so no it isn't?" Kara was a little unsure but she went ahead anyway, "The official name is the 'phototic sneeze reflex.' It's an autosomal dominate trait-"

"Great. So, it's heredity, more reason to hate my father."

James looked a little shocked at the offhand comment. Kara didn't want to dwell on it, so she continued. "it just a theory, due to insufficient testing and it leaving neuroscientists completely baffled, but anyway, it affects around 17-35% of people. The theory pertains to the stimulus of the medulla."

"Isn't the medulla responsible for involuntary movements such as breathing and your heart breathing?" Winn inserted, fingers scratching at his non-existent beard.

"Yep." Kara smiled, "that includes pupil dealation. So, when you enter sudden sunlight, the Medulla receives an abrupt signal to constrict your pupils. The sudden signal causes the involuntary effect of sneezing, something the Medulla also controls, as it reacts."

"So, what you're basically saying is that Winn's brain kinda freaks out and decides that sneezing is the best course of action?" James laughed, Winn grinned, finding humour in the question. Kara shook her head fondly.

"That's a much simpler way to put it." James shrugged his shoulders, laughing.

They walked in to the busy restaurant. James had the foresight to reserve a table for them, allowing them to surpass the line. What they found at their table, however, took Kara and Winn by surprise.

"Lucy!" Kara was the first to react, pulling the short woman up and into a firm embrace.

"K-Kara. It's g-good to see you b-but I, ah, I n-need my r-ribs!" She wheezed, squeezing the blonde back.

Kara let go, giving Lucy a chance to catch her breath before she was assaulted by an equally as enthusiastic Winn. Kara looked over at James, noticing his smug smile which turned into a playful grin when he caught her eyes.

They settled at the table, rattling off their orders to the poor waiter in quick succession. The poor boy almost dropped his notepad as he turned the page. But what could she say, Kara was both hungry

and excited to catch up with the youngest Lane. Thus, she didn't waste time once the ordering was finished.

"What brings you to the wondrous NC?" Kara's elbows were on the table, whole body leaning forward.

"Yeah! And why didn't you tell us you were here?" Winn was in much the same position.

Lucy laughed at their expressive faces. "Well, the same reason for both those questions. I was here on confidential military business."

"Should I expect General Lane at the DEO then?" Kara whispered while Winn nodded dramatically.

"Nah." Lucy waved them off, "we finished up earlier than expected, so I'm here for two days with free time."

Kara and Winn wooped, James leaned over and placed an affectionate kiss on Lucy's cheek. The two were in a good place now after having worked through their personal grievances. They were working on their communication skills and spent a lot of time together for people living in different cities. Lucy's military term was finishing this year. Her plans were still up in the air but whatever she chose to do, either stay in the military or not, the group of friends would be behind her one-hundred percent.

Kara knew how much difference a good and supportive foundation from friends and family could make. She had felt that difference through all her life, what with her web of support compared to Lena's lack of one. That was one reason she was so adamant on showing Lena she cared, the lack of love in Lena's life was a disgrace to Rao himself.

Kara looked at the motley group of friends laughing together at a joke James made (something about tea?). Everyone at this table had had a troubled past that they carried with them. Winn had his father's name, James had his father's memory and Lucy had her father's expectations. It wasn't looking very good for father figures.

It was amazing how they all found each other. How they went on with their lives bearing that weight. Kara was proud at how they all wore their family's mistakes not with shame but with a learned understanding and a drive to be better.

Lena would fit in so well, sitting at this table and having lunch with a group of friends that accepted her. Well, Kara couldn't really make that call, after all, she still didn't know how James, and now Lucy, would feel about Lena. Winn would be alright, more star struck than anything.

"Hey, Kara?" Lucy broke her out of her musings.

"Hmm?"

"You know the Rondonite you situated on Saturday?" Lucy start rummaging through her purse.

"Yeah? What about him?" Kara looked one curiously, a little confused at the topic.

"Nothing about him as such. I went to visit him earlier today," she pulled a package from her bag, "and he asked me to give you this." She handed it over.

Kara took it with gentle fingers. The package was small, fitting in the palm of her hand, and was wrapped in a material that didn't feel like it was from Earth. Kara unwrapped the material slowly, finger slightly trembling, to reveal a black box.

She had seen boxes like these before. They were common on Rondo and normally utilised for precious items. The box itself was seamless, with no lid or way to open it if you didn't know how. Luckily for Kara, she did.

She felt around the edges until she felt a slight dip in the seamless surface. Pressing down, she heard a small pop and the box opened itself to reveal a plush lining. What she saw inside stole her breath and brought tears to her eyes.

It was a bracelet. A beautiful, lustrous band of continuous metal that was etched, with the highest detail, in Old Kryptonian. The type of Kryptonian that was written in Holy Scripture, not common tongue that was spoken day to day.

Well.

Kryptonian wasn't even spoken at all, not anymore.

Kara got up abruptly, pocketing the gift and mumbling the excuse of a siren before she bolted. Her tongue felt thick, her throat closed and her mind in overdrive. She left her purse inside but she didn't want to retrieve it, one of the others will pick it up. With a quick glance and the fastest quick change she ever did, Kara was air-borne.

She didn't care where she went, she just knew that her heart threatened to fall out of her body with the heaviness encasing it. Even the wind rushing against her face, running its fingers through her hair, couldn't lift her spirits. The weight of the bracelet was heavy in her hands.

Kara closed her eyes, just feeling it all. She tried to remember the feel of her mother's kisses, of her father's warm hugs and the happy panting of Krypto. Rao, she tried to remember the blazing red sunsets as Rao closed his eye, the determined look on Val-Do's face as their sword clashed and the proud grin of Aunt Astra as she chucked a washing cloth at her after training.

She tried and tried and tried but no matter how hard she did, the edges of her memory were misty with age. Images that were once so clear were losing focus. Were Val-Do's eye grey or blue? Did her father talk with his hands when he was explaining star fairing or cooking? What did the moonlight flowers smell like on a humid night? What was the girl with the pretty hair in her first level class called?

Kara yelled her anger, she yelled her pain and she yelled her fragility into the endlessly blue sky of Earth. Only opening her eyes when she heard the forceful push of a sliding door opening. She wasn't surprised that she found herself just outside the balcony of LuthorCorp.

Lena stood on the tiled floor, her minimal makeup running down her cheeks as she shed Kara's tears with her. Kara didn't hesitate, landing a little too hard on the balcony, she fell into the CEO's waiting arms. She pulled the soft woman into a tight embrace, using her to support her frame as her emotions sapped away her energy. Her sobs were stolen by thin clothing as Lena carded fingers through her loose locks.

The chest under her head was heaving with ragged breaths, making Kara feel sorry about inflicting this pain on the CEO. She tried to retract her sadness, she tried think of puppies and food, anything to save Lena from any more pain.

"Stop trying to suppress your emotions, Kara. I want to feel them." Lena cooed softly causing Kara to nuzzle further.

She felt her centre of gravity shift and suddenly she was in Lena's arms in a bridal carry. Kara felt

Lena's muscles strain at her weight, so she floated a little bit, pulling a relieved sigh from blood red lips. Kara was a little heavier than the average person after all.

Lena took Kara inside, closing the door with her bare foot, before she sat on the couch and situated Kara onto her lap. The office was silent save for their small hiccups and the occasional whine as they both calmed down. Kara hadn't had an outburst like this in a long time. She thought she had gotten over it. How silly to believe that one could get over losing everyone and everything they loved.

At least Lena was still here.

If someone told Lena that she her Tuesday afternoon would be spent being slowly smooshed into her semi-comfortable white couch by a distraught Kryptonian, she would have probably believed it in all honestly. Yet still, Lena didn't want to be anywhere else in the world. Even though the sinew of her heart was melting and burning with grief, the feeling of Kara's heaving chest and soft blonde hair were chains that bound her muscles.

After all, misery loves company.

The heavy silence of the still office had long ago eaten their dwindling sobs. Now they sat, Kara still curled into Lena's chest, as the CEO contemplated asking what triggered the breakdown. She was midway through weighing the pros and cons of the conversation when Kara put her out of her indecision.

"It was a bracelet." The voice was slow and muffled, like if Kara's tongue was sluggish with a lack of energy.

"Bracelet?" Lena spoke softly, hands now drawing soothing lines down the Kryptonian's back.

"Yeah." Kara shifted so she was now straddling Lena's waist, prompting the Luthor to naturally place her hands on the blonde's hips. "I relocated an alien the day we went to inspect the plane."

Lena nodded her understanding.

"He was a Rondonite. A peaceful race with an inclination towards space fairing." "Space fairing? Like sea fairing?"

"Yeah." Kara played with the sleek, black box in her hand. "Anyway, due to their extensive travels, they tend to collect relics, treasures and trinkets from other cultures." Her voice got softer as she looked at the object in her hand.

"Alright." She placed her hands at Kara's nape, playing with the soft hairs there. "And?"

"W-Well, actually, its easier if I showed you."

Kara shifted again, her skirt hiking upward and revealing strong stocking clad thighs. Lena had the sudden want to touch the fabric. To feel its smoothness under the pads of her fingertips. Kara's deft fingers roamed around the box, taking only a moment to open it.

And Lena understood Kara's grief when she saw what was inside. "K-Kara? Is that a-" she started, breath stolen from her.

"Yeah. I thought they were all lost or destroyed in the war with Daxam."

"Same here. Why would a Rondonite have a bracelet of Krypton's Old Religion? Furthermore, one belonging to a High Priestess?" Lena's mind was working at a mile a minute.

"I-I don't know." Kara's voice was thick again. Lena stopped her thoughts, instead cupping the blondes face in her hands, effectivity making their gazes meet.

Kara's blue eyes swam with clouded memory, turning them dark with melancholy. Lena didn't fight it, she leant forward, gently nudging Kara closer. Both their eyes fluttered closed and with slightly chapped lips, she placed a gentle kiss on the Kryptonian's forehead.

Lena pulled back, looking at the woman on her lap with gentle affection. "What do you want to do?" "Kept it." Kara answered immediately, resolute, and Lena hummed in acknowledgement.

"Well, then we shall keep it." Lena smiled.

Kara closed the box and carefully got off the CEO, Lena following soon after. She was running through what little that she knew of Krypton's history. The first Kryptonian families were believed to be borne of Rao himself. Each of the families were gifted a bracelet, all unique, that were inscribed with holy scripture.

The bracelets were passed down from the head of the family to the next through the generations, a symbol of Rao's blessing but only to be worn in union.

"Are these bracelets why Kryptonian marriages use bracelets instead of rings?" Lena asked, watching as Kara neatened her outfit.

"Yes. You could only become head of the family if you were married, thus you could only wear the bracelet once you were married. A marriage made sure that familiar power was split to avoid corruption." A pause, "Of course, all marriages used bracelets as their symbol, but these bracelets," she waved the box, "they were special. They indicated the founding families."

"That makes sense." Lena bought a hand to her chin, thinking as she watched Kara shift around the space aimlessly. "Hey Kara, can we go to my apartment?"

The blonde looked a little startled at the sudden question. "Sure. What about work though?"

"I had Jess cancel the rest of my day." Lena did, as soon as she felt the misery cloud over her, she made Jess reschedule everything so she could have time to help Kara.

"You didn't have to do that." Kara started.

"Nah-ah, none of that." Lena shook her head. "You mean too much to me to leave you stranded." That statement gained the CEO a watery smile.

Kara ducked her head, hiding her blooming smile but Lena could feel it as a warmth seeping in her chest. She chuckled at the cheeky grin and clear eyes that greeted her when Kara looked up. She opened her arms, beckoning Lena forward. The CEO obliged, rapping her arms around the Kryptonian's neck as Kara lifted her up into a bridal carry.

"Up, up and away?"

Lena groaned, swatting affectionately at a buff shoulder. A few minutes later found them landing on

Lena's balcony. Lena hated flying, even more so after the crash, but flying with Kara was something else. Seeing the world from so high up without any aid from a machine or contraption helped Lena understand why people would dream of flying. Sure, she was only able to fly because of Kara, but instead of sitting in a seat or being strapped to a device, it felt like Kara and her were flying together. Like they were just hugging and they happened to be flying.

In short, she felt incredibly safe which left her to be awed at the view, and what a view. There was the skyline, of course, but Lena was more taken with waving blonde hair, a strong jaw and the way that clouds reflected in blue eyes. Thus, when they landed, Lena couldn't help but feel a little disheartened at how short the ride was.

"If I'm feeling this right, you actually enjoyed the flight Miss. Luthor?"

"Well, Miss. Zor-El, I had a great pilot." Lena teased back, opening the sliding door into the apartment. The superheroine following in close behind.

The afternoon light streamed in through large windows, illuminating scattered papers on the kitchen counter, a lonely black leather couch and a ton of boxes. The apartment was large but in studio style. The only actual rooms were the bedroom, the study/library, the two bathrooms and what will be a personal gym. Kara whistled behind her, the space was much larger than hers after all, as she took in the apartment.

Lena felt a little self-conscious. This was the first time some had been in her space aside from Lex, Lionel and Lillian. Hell, Lionel went into her room once, when she first arrived at the household. Lillian was a fan of randomly barging in to see what she was doing. Lex was the only one that was actually welcome into her space. Well, no more that is.

Now she had Kara Zor-El taking in an unfinished physical manifestation of her personality. Lena couldn't help but be a little apprehensive but the blonde drove those thoughts away with a squeeze to her shoulder, a smile and a feeling of acceptance.

"Did you bring me here to help you finish unpacking...or start for that matter." Kara pointedly looked around.

"Whilst that is a fantastic idea, no." Kara looked back at her, "I have something to show you instead." The nerves were back. How would Kara take this? The day had already been emotionally taxing for the both of them. Was it a bad time? Would it bring up unwanted memories?

"Lead the way?" The blonde gently prodded, pulling Lena out of her spiralling thoughts.

With a nod, they made their way further into the apartment and to the study. Kara let out a laugh at sight.

"Why aren't I surprised that this room is fully furbished. You're such a work-a-holic."

"Shut it you. I need to be able to work from home and I'm not a work-a-holic. It beats sleeping at the office anyway." Lena shot back.

"True, true." Kara tone was anything but convinced.

The study was homely, all warm but adequate lighting for reading. The main feature was the mahogany desk that was filled with stacks of documents and a desktop computer. The whole room was lined, from floor to ceiling, with bookshelves housing the colourful backs of an array of books ranging from computer coding (C and Python) to business and science related journals to story books and novels.

This was the only completed room in the apartment. Even her bedroom just had a bed (no frame), a lampshade and a mirror. She had just been so busy since she moved, there had been no time to unpack anything besides the bare essentials, like her office.

Lena walked to one of the many bookshelves, pulling out a small stack of leather bound journals. The journals were worn from being opened so many times over the years. Their spines were bent, the pages dogeared, and they held the smell of old books. A scent that Lena wish she could bottle.

She swallowed.

She turned to the Kryptonian, finding her perusing the shelves at the other end of the room. Her grip tightened on the leather, making them squeak and drawing Kara's attention. In a flash Kara was in front of her, gently placing her hands over Lena's trembling ones. When did her fingers begin to tremble?

"Lena...Lena what's wrong?" Worry painted her voice and Lena hated that she put it there.

"Nothing. Don't worry." She reassured.

"I don't beli-"

"These are yours." Lena shoved the journals, gently, into Kara hands. The blonde looked down, slightly startled.

There, she'd done it. The books she's been keeping since she was sixteen, dutifully writing them with Kara in mind, was finally in the Kryptonian's hands. Lena let out a breath. She started writing them because of Kara and now here she is, actually giving them to her. It was something she thought about but always brushed of as an impossibility. She was never going to actually meet Kara. But then the blonde had to prove her wrong by allowing her to cheat death.

So, here Lena was, watching a confused alien look between the books in her hands and up at her. Now Lena didn't know what would come next.

The leather of the books were worn smooth and soft over their heavy usage. Kara splayed her palm across the cover of the top book, feeling the indents and small cracks indicative of their age. These books were loved.

She looked back up at Lena. Kara could feel her nervousness in the back of her mind, making her wonder why the CEO was anxious. Was she scared at how Kara would react? Should Kara be scared at what was in these books? Kara hated not knowing.

So, to bring her out of the limbo, she cracked open the first book only to promptly slide to the floor. The air froze in her lungs, her legs were jelly and her eyes suddenly growing misty.

"L-Lena. I-Is this w-what I think it i-is?" Her voice was already thick and quivering as Kara looked up pleadingly.

Lena nodded slowly, joining Kara on the ground. Wrapping an arm around her waist in comfort. "When I realised my visions were real when I was sixteen, I vowed to you that I would document all I could learn."

"S-So, all these books..." Tears started to spill from her glassy eyes as she touched all the covers.

Eight journals. There were eight journals in total.

"Yes." Lena voice was as strong as it could be. She leant forward and Kara closed her eyes, feeling soft lips pressed against her temple. "They're all I learnt of Krypton and they're all for you."

Kara looked back at the slightly yellow page, tracing the slightly slanted penmanship showing off Lena's left handedness and younger age. Her writing although still extremely similar, had lost the slant and grown more cursive as Lena grew.

Journal 1

2009

A recount of Krypton as learnt from Kara Zor-El. Written by L.L.Luthor

They spent hours sitting there on the floor, going through each page of the book in excruciating detail. Kara could feel the proudness rolling of the Littlest Luthor at her forethought. Kara couldn't hold back her emotions, the pages left her raw, making her feel things with such definition that even Lena's breath got stolen.

There was everything in those pages, stories from Kara's childhood, diagrams of certain technology that Lena thought prudent to document and even a few sketches. Every time they came across one, Lena would bury her face into the crook of Kara's neck in embarrassment. Muttering about how she was a "CEO for a reason. Not an Art teacher."

Kara would just give a watery chuckle and reassure her that the drawings were "actually amazing and that the Art Industry is surely missing out on your talent". That wasn't just empty praise however, no, Lena's sketches were actually amazing. So great, in fact, that they brought back memories with such clarity that Kara could do nothing but share them with the CEO.

"That statue on the desk over there," Kara pointed to said item in a sketch of her bedroom, "I made that for my father in my sculpting class. It was meant to be a flame bird but one of the wings didn't come out right. I hated it for the imperfection but dad loved it anyway. He said it was the imperfections that made something perfect. I called him stupid." Kara chuckled.

She remembered the rough feel of his worked, rough hands as he ruffled her hair. Her face pulled into a sour expression as he chuckled deeply at her antics.

They flicked through a few more pages until Kara abruptly stopped at another drawing. Unlike the previous few, this one was water coloured and took up a double page space. She felt a tear drop off her chin, catching it before it could mess up the masterpiece.

"Lena," she paused, her words failing her causing her companion to rest her head on her shoulder. "That's Krypton." Kara croaked, her throat dry and wet simultaneously.

"Yeah, it's the view from your-" Lena started.

"Dining room." Kara finished. She used to spend hours looking out at that view when she had projects to finish for her studies. Her mother used to chide her for getting lost in thought.

"Pull your eyes back to Krypton, Kara!" She used to say and shake her head, on her lips would be an amused smile. Aunt Astra, who used to visit often, would click her tongue and speak on her behalf.

"Alura, leave the girl alone. Krypton was built because of dreamers." And they would all laugh as Kara got back to work.

And now those moments would happen no more. All she had left of them was represented in the interaction of colours on a yellowing page. Lena brought her hand up, placing it over Kara's and threading their finger's together. Kara let her move her hand over the image, using her fingers like puppets to trace the lines of the sketch.

"If I remember correctly." Lena started, using Kara's finger to point at a building, "That place used to make that delicious broth-jelly cube thing you liked."

Kara nodded. They were always the best in the cold season. The little cubes were warm enough to feel in your stomach after you ate them and Kara always loved the sensation. She told Lena as such.

The CEO moved her hand again, this time tracing a tall tower further in the distance. Kara was very familiar with that building, having spent a lot of time there visiting her mother. It was essentially Krypton's court rooms.

"That's the Justice Spire."

Kara lost all cognitive function as she whipped her head around to face a sheepish Luthor. "Lena. Did you just speak Kryptonian?"

"Y-yes?" Lena replied sheepishly, her neck turtling and her cheeks taking on a reddish hue.

"Why have you never told me that you could?" Kara asked incredulously. Shifting to face Lena, placing the book carefully on the floor. She wasn't angry, she couldn't be with the sheepishness that Lena was displaying. She looked like a child caught red handed eating sugar.

"Well," she paused as Kara looked pointedly at her, "I, I just, umm." "Lena, use your words, please."

Something snapped. "I was scared! Alright. I've only heard the language when I had visions, which wasn't often enough to properly pick up on the inflections of the language. So, I didn't want to talk in Kryptonian because I didn't want to butcher your native tongue." She finished, out of breath.

Lena looked at her hands, biting the inside of her cheek. Kara felt for her, so she reached out and placed both her hands on the CEO's shoulders, prompting Lena to look up and hold her gaze. What Kara saw there actually shocked her internally.

Fear.

And when she focused on Lena's emotions, she could feel it too. It was like a stalker that just stayed out of your peripherals, hiding when you searched for it. That's when Kara understood Lena's mind frame. It had been drilled into the youngest Luthor since childhood that she had to be right when she did something, or she would be punished. Lena was innately scared for saying or pronouncing a word wrong to the point of not trying unless she could guarantee perfection.

Kara grit her teeth and maintained eye contact. Her fingers running soothing circles into tense shoulders, releasing tension knots. Slowly, she moved forward, giving Lena enough time to break away if she wanted. When Kara didn't see alarm or anything against it, she went in or a hug, pulling Lena flush against her body. Or as flush as you could be sitting on the floor surrounded by beautiful, beautiful journals.

"Lena." She started, a hushed whisper into the brunette's ear. "I'm sorry I pushed."

Lena shuffled in Kara's embrace as she got ready to retort but Kara was having none of it. Lena needed to hear this.

"Wait. Let me speak first." She felt Lena still. Taking that as consent, Kara continued. "I'm sorry I pushed you. You are your own person and what you keep to yourself is your business. Thank you for showing me these journals." Kara felt her voice crack, "Thank you for bringing my family back to me, Lena." She placed a kiss to soft hair. "And I want you to know that I will never hurt you. You can be fallible and imperfect around me. I've known you basically my whole life, I know you so please, please don't hide from me Lena. I will never hold you against yourself, alright?"

Through her monologue, she felt her shoulder steadily get damper with Lena's tears. Kara carded fingers through the dark locks, silently marvelling at the softness and the scent of cherry blossoms, as she let Lena decompress. Kara was sincere in everything she said and she let Lena know that, letting her emotions softly waft through to Lena, not intruding but present should Lena want to understand her.

When Lena felt ready, she sat back, still in Kara's warm embrace but with enough distance for Kara to be able to look at her gorgeous face without going cross-eyed. She brought gentle thumbs up to Lena cheeks, cupping them with her palms as she wiped away a few errant tears. There was understanding and determination back in Lena's eyes and Kara couldn't help but stare into them, drowning into pools of green, blue and brown. She leant forward, placing her forehead against Lena's in an eskimo kiss and understanding passed between them. They would always have each other, through thick and thin.

"I think we've done enough crying for at least a year now." Lena stated, the crying leaving her voice a little raw.

They both laughed and it was like a breath of fresh air in the now stuffy study.

"I agree, I haven't been like this in ages." Kara digressed. It was true, she normally bottled up her emotions, preferring to let them out on junkyard cars and blocks of concrete (or the occasional rogue alien). But she felt lighter now. Cleansed. And she could tell that Lena felt the same.

"How about we get something to eat? I'm starved." Lena said, extracting herself from the blonde as she started to clean up.

"I've never heard sweeter words." Kara smiled, helping Lena stack the journals, stroking each one of the covers with a silent reverence. Lena couldn't possibly understand the magnitude of her selflessness.

Lena chuckled.

"You know, I can help improve your Kryptonian. I can be you teacher!" Kara went on. "I might just take you up on that." Lena smiled, the grin reaching her eyes.

It was Thursday, the day before the rebranding, and Lena was having a mini crisis. Jess was on the verge of pulling her hair out with Lena's inability to decide. They had been out of the office for almost an hour now and Lena couldn't make up her mind between the green or the black dress.

Normally she didn't really care what she wore, normally she'd have a stylist chose her outfit for the event, but this, this was a different story. Lena worried her thumb nail, eyes darting between the two dresses as Jess' arms began to start shaking with the effort of holding them up.

"Miss. Luthor. You would look stunning in either dress. So, please hurry up and pick one." The exasperated tone matched Jess' semi-annoyed face.

"Jess, this isn't just some event I can wear anything to! It's my first proper fundraiser as CEO and it is also the rebranding of the company. Not any dress would do, I need to make a statement." Lena reasoned. They were sound points, but they weren't the actual reason for her indecision.

"Miss. Luthor, with all due respect, but Miss. Danvers will like you in either dress. So please just pick one." Jess pretty much pleaded.

Lena knew she hired the woman for a reason, her uncanny ability to call Lena's bullshit was unparalleled (not including Kara but she had an unfair advantage). But still, Lena tried to preserve her dignity. "This has nothing to do with Miss. Danvers. I want to look good for the media."

She wasn't fooling anyone. Even the shop assistant raised his eyebrow in her direction. How was he even paying attention to their conversation? Most of his attention was on the bridezilla at the other side of the shop. The poor man was the bride's personal coat rack with the number of hangers hanging off his arms.

"Yeah, sure. Well," Jess chucked the green dress at her and Lena fumblingly caught it, "I think this one looks the best. Plus, you're host, so some colour wouldn't be a bad idea. It'll make you standout whilst bringing out your eyes."

Lena didn't overthink it further. She trusted Jess' opinion and purchased the outfit whilst amusedly watching Jess stretch out her arms. Honestly, that woman was a blessing for putting up with her.

With the dress in a suit bag, which was folded into a carry bag, the duo walked back to LuthorCorp. soon to be L-Corp. God, she was doing this. Her first goal was finally going to be achieved and Lena felt excitement race through her veins.

L-Corp.

Hopefully this would be a start to a bright future.

They entered the empty elevator. The mirrored walls projecting an infinite space with infinite copies of themselves. When Lena was a child, she used to get great joy of placing mirrors opposite each other and trying to see how many reflections of herself she could count. The habit was shunned out of her quickly by Lillian but there was still some childish wonder left over as Lena stood next to Jess.

"Hey Jess?"

"Yes, Miss. Luthor?"

"Is the guest list finalised?"

"Yes. There's a copy on your desk ready for your final revision." "What would I do without you, Jess?"

"You would still be in that shop, deciding on what dress to wear."

Lena looked at the assistant who tried to hide her smile. "Jess."

"Sorry Miss. Luthor. but it was too good of an opportunity to miss." Her secretary faced her and

winked.

Lena just groaned, walked out of the elevators and into her office after thanking Jess for her council. As she said, the guest list was on the desk, which was her first port of call after she laid the suit bag on her couch carefully.

The list was extensive. National City's wealthiest and most influential would be in attendance. Hell, there were even some out of town guests that Lena personally invited, such as one Bruce Wayne. As Lena scanned through the names, she made sure that specific people were in attendance. Her Japanese partners, Mrs. Sakurazaki and Mrs. Konoe, were invited and Jess told her they had flown in last night. Alex Danvers was on the list mainly because Kara insisted that Alex meet her and Lena, who wasn't opposed to the idea, thought a party seemed the least threatening of first meetings. Mr. Lord and Mr. Smith were also set to attend. Perfect.

And best of all, Kara Danvers was on the list as her plus one.

She traced the Times New Roman script with her index finger as she wondered what Kara was going to wear. Probably a dress, maybe sleeveless? God, it would be a crime to hide those arms but Lena knew that the Kryptonian sometimes got self-conscious about her appearance. It didn't fit her 'reporter, meek alter ego' but the juxtaposition of defined muscle with soft pastel did something to Lena's blood pressure.

Not seeing any problems with the list, she gave it to Jess to give to security. Lena sat back into her pseudo throne, over looking her office contently. Almost everything for the party was set, just a few catering issues that Jess was taking care of.

Apparently, the Chinese place that Kara liked had never catered for an event before, so there were some minor problems with catering but Lena had faith in Jess. She cracked her knuckles, grabbed her fountain pen and set to getting through the ever-looming amount of paper work. Her stomach still twisting in knots over tomorrow night, for a reason she didn't know (more like not trying to actively think about).

But for the first time in a while, she actually felt excited about something business related, even if the event was just an excuse to suss out Mr. Smith. Lena had to stop herself multiple times from drifting into daydreams about a certain blonde and her choice of clothing.

Chapter End Notes

Thanks for Reading this chapter!

Have a great day :)

P.S. Just out of curiosity (which hopefully doesn't kill the cat), if you want to, can you comment where you live?

E.g. I live in Brisbane, Australia.

I just wanna know you peeps better. :)

The link to the article about 'sun sneezing:' /2009/11/why-do-some- people-sneeze-when-they-look-at-the-sun/

Chapter Notes

Chapter 6

Hello Everybody~!

Holy Mother of God, the response to the last chapter blew me away. Thank you ALL so much for commenting, leaving kudos and reading this! It really means a lot to me.

It was awesome getting to know some of you folks. It's so interesting to know where my readers are living and it really helps put into perspective the size of the world. I seriously apologise for my butchered Spanish in some of my replies, I learnt it in school but I haven't kept it up. :(

I also would like to say that to all my readers who are affected by the horrible storms, earthquakes and floods wracking the globe, I am prying and donating for you. Please stay safe.

This chapter is a long one (10,000 words) so I hope you enjoy it.

Same things go for this chapter! Constructive criticism is appreciated, plot ideas are welcome and commenting in general (even to just say hi) makes my day brighter! I also reply to every single one. Haha... I need a life.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

"You're as mad as a hatter." Winn stated, watching Kara fret about her office a little too fast to be

human.

Kara stopped with an almost eerie stillness, turning her head slowly to watch the short man. Winn shuddered at the creepy motion. Kara's alieness that was showing through in her hyperawareness was putting him on edge.

"Winn, mercury doesn't affect me. You know that." Kara deadpanned in juxtaposition to her earlier movements. Winn raised his confused eyebrows (he couldn't lift one) but Kara ignored it. She took in a deep breath, running her hands down her clothes to neaten them. Adjusting her glasses, she turned to her friend.

Kara awoke this morning in a state of bliss. The sun was shining, the birds were singing and National City didn't need her help. All in all, it was a beautiful morning. That was until, as she was shovelling pancakes into her mouth, she realised that she didn't have anything to wear tonight.

In the busyness of yesterday, somehow the very important task of getting an outfit was overrun by a spike in crime rate. Thus, Supergirl was needed to help the police, leaving poor Kara bone tired in the early morning. Honestly, she didn't even change before falling asleep on her bed. It was no surprise that she found herself in a crude impersonation of a burrito via a red cape and a double thick comforter.

That was how she found herself zipping around her office, trying to get the most done before she met up with Alex and Lucy to go to the mall. She was almost done, just shooting her last draft to Snapper

before she picked up her satchel and brushed passed Winn. Time was of the essence after all.

Winn did his best to keep up, even his hyper extended steps failed to let him keep pace with the Kryptonian on a mission. That was until Kara stopped abruptly, causing him to collide with her back. Kara looked at him, exasperated, as he rubbed his collarbone and winced.

"Sorry Winn, but I have somewhere to be." It was true, Kara was on strict time.

"Seriously! But Kara, you promised we'd get lunch today." Winn whined, his shoulders dropping.

That gave Kara pause, thinking back through all their conversations during the past week "Ah shit," she said under breath. Winn was right, she promised that she'd get lunch with him today on Wednesday. It seemed like past Kara thought she'd have her shit together, but apparently not.

Thinking on her toes, Kara did the next best thing. "Hey Winn," The sulking man perked at his name. Did he still like her? "I'm really busy today," his shoulders deflated again and Kara couldn't take it, "so would you mind if we just got Kebabs and went to the mall to meet Alex and Lucy? I need to go clothes shopping."

It did the trick because in no time Winn was pushing her (she allowed him too) into an elevator with a happy buzz around his person. Kara smiled at her easily pleased friend, even as he chewed her ear off about the different materials that were in this season for bowties.

They found Alex and Lucy easily, Winn was still munching on his Kabab, only about halfway through, whilst Kara was busy trying to get rid of a sauce stain off her sweater. She huffed, she'd have to wash it properly when she got home. Alex and Lucy, having already eaten, decided to meet them at Tailcoats and Satin Lace, a formal attire shop that the two sisters often window shopped at. The cuts were always beautiful but the sisters never had any functions to justify buying an outfit for.

Now Kara had one and she was excited.

Lena was excited too. The bubbling feeling hadn't left Kara stomach all day, giving the CEO's nerves away. Kara smiled to herself, she felt a little silly for being nervous about going to a party with Lena of all people. But still, something about tonight was different. That, and it was a little comforting to know that Lena was nervous as well.

The shop was beautiful in a professional sense. It felt like everything had purpose, from the deep blue carpet that complimented the cream coloured walls to the different sized mannequins showcasing diverse styles of dresses and suits. The store even had an entire half wall dedicated to bowties, the type that you tied yourself, or the 'proper' type as Winn dubbed them. Actually, that was exactly where he went as soon as they entered the store.

Lucy and Alex, however, stayed by her side as they also took in the store; Lucy for the first time and Alex to see what was new. Lucy let out a low whistle.

"Well, this is definitely a serious function if we're shopping here." She observed, turning to the Danvers sister. Both of which nodded absentmindedly.

A barrel chested, middle aged man with a waxed moustache curled into delicate spirals approached them. A massive grin split across his face, one that was almost matched by Kara herself.

"Antonio!"

"Señorita Kara y Alex! ¡Bienvenido!" He exclaimed, pulling the two women into a fierce hug. They had been there so many times that the shop owner, Antonio, had become a good friend. Sure, they

never bought anything, but they always had a good time modelling some of his creations for him. In Kara's humble opinion, he was one of the best tailor's out there.

When Kara told him that, he blushed and waved her off. Stating that if 'you got to work your passion, anything you created would be of merit.' Kara had agreed wholeheartedly.

Both woman patted his back, kissed his cheek (one on each) and stepped back to watch as he introduced himself to Lucy. She handled herself well, slipping into a natural charm and giving a firm handshake with a cheek kiss. Winn, on the other hand, hovered behind looking a little intimidated with the affectionate, large man.

That didn't deter Antonio, oh no it did not. Instead, poor Winn was picked up into a crushing hug, his feet dangling, as he croaked out his name. Once released, he leant against a clothing rack packed with materials and forced a crooked grin. The others couldn't contain their laughter, receiving a playful glare from the slightly winded man.

Seriously, Kara felt so much better already and it was all due to her friend's and sister's antics. They walked further into the shop, engaging in small talk. Antonio's wife was expecting soon, so the large man was detailing the new nursey he set up with the help of his seven-year-old daughter, Maria. Of course, there was a sharing of pictures that caused a few good laughs. Kara's favourite was the one with Maria sitting on Antonio's shoulders, both covered head to toe in purple paint. Apparently, paint fights were not an uncommon occurance.

After they caught up, Antonio turned dramatically, clapping his hands together before he asked the million-dollar question. "Because you brought friends, I must ask, are we actually looking to purchase an outfit today?"

There was a gleam in his eye as he looked Kara up and down, taking mental measurements and coming up with ideas of what to try.

Kara smiled at the gentle man, "Yes." Antonio clapped his hands and let out a woop. Lucy and Alex chuckled and Winn grinned. "I have a fundraiser tonight and I'm lacking an outfit." Kara ended, sheepishly.

"Tonight!" Antonio squeaked. The sudden deadline bringing a restless energy about him. "We are wasting time chatting! Come, come!" Kara started pushing Kara into a curtained off area as the others went back into the shop to browse.

Kara handed her satchel off to Alex before she was pulled behind the partition. The Spanish man already armed with a tape measure and an assortment of pins in his mouth.

"Now." He started, talking around the pieces of metal, "first things first, what type of outfit are we looking for?"

Kara's neck turtled as she looked guiltily at the tailor. He just shook his head, chuckled and started taking her measurements. "Well, normally I would say you're impossible." He tutted and he asked her to raise her arms, "but thankfully I know what you look good in thanks to you modelling for me."

He turned Kara around, taking the measurements for her legs, calves and thighs.

"Are you going with anyone?" He asked, popping up from his crouched position, tape measure already working on her neck and shoulders.

"Y-yes." Kara blushed a little, this was the first time she was anyone's plus one. Better yet, she was

Lena's plus one.

"Ah! My little Kara, all grown up!" He chirped, avoiding Kara's attempt to swat his shoulder.

"It isn't like that! We're just good friends." Kara insisted but the burly man didn't respond, instead he continued with his work.

"Do you know what colours he's wearing?"

"She. She's wearing green, phthalo green." Kara only knew thanks to Jess. She found a little white card on her desk at CatCo. on Thursday afternoon that just said two things: 'Phthalo green, match her. -J.H.' Kara vowed to buy Jess a massive box of donuts (who didn't like donuts) to thank her. Honestly, that woman was a god send.

"Lo siento, she's wearing phthalo eh?" He closed his eyes, his hands still, as Kara watched him with interest. She was about to call his name but instead got a shock when he opened his eyes and jumped. "I've got it!"

"You've got what, Antonio?" Kara urged, stepping off the measurement platform.

"I know what I'll make! Do not worry. It will be magnificent." He started pacing back and forth, mumbling things about textures and materials.

Kara was a little lost. All she knew was that she was still outfitless, and the mumbling tailor could have been plotting world domination with the manic grin on his face. Every time she tried to ask a question he held up his hand to shush her.

Did Antonio make hats? Was he poisoned by mercury? Did people still use mercury in hat making?

Before Kara tried to voice her concern for his wellbeing, the pacing man stopped and placed both hands on Kara shoulders. "Silk, Bemberg silk, Rayon, Polyester or Acetate?" He gunned out, none of the words making sense to Kara.

"Um?"

Winn popped his head in. "Are we talking materials?" He looked gleeful.

Antonio nodded.

"Awesome! Alright Kara, I'd go with silk, it's costlier but breathes better and is comfier." He rattled off. Antonio nodded his agreement.

"Alright, silk it is." Kara agreed, still out of her depth.

Antonio wrote is down, "alright, lining colour?"

"What colour are we matching with?" Winn asked, fully walking into the room. "Phthalo green." Kara said.

"Ah, nice colour. We should line the inside that as well."

"I agree." Antonio stated, writing it down.

Kara looked between the two, having given up trying to understand and just resigning to Antonio's and Winn's wishes. It was to the point of Antonio not even including at Kara as he talked to Winn.

They spoke in hushed whispers that Kara could have picked up easily but she adverted her attention. They must have been whispering for a reason after all.

With a dramatic closing of his notepad, Antonio turned to Kara with a happy grin. "Well, I have everything I need. Do you trust me?"

"Without a doubt, I've seen your work."

He smiled full force, "then I urge you to leave so I can start my masterpiece. I'll it will be ready before the event." He started to shoo Kara out the room, Winn following close behind.

"Have we got a winning outfit?" Alex asked as she and Lucy came to join them.

Both Winn and Antonio grinned toothily. "Yep! It's going to be awesome!" Winn exclaimed.

"I agree with the little man." Antonio said.

"Hey! I'm average height!" Winn protested but no one paid him any mind.

"Do we pay now?" Alex turned to the Spanish man who shook his head furiously.

"This is my treat-" He started but Kara cut him off.

"Antonio-" but she was cut off by him.

"Don't 'Antonio' me! This is my thanks to you for modelling my work!"

"Well, if you insist." Alex said, she'd always take a bargain. Why pay more than needed after all?

"Which I do." He affirmed.

"Then we'll leave you to your work." Lucy finished, latching onto Kara's arm and pulling her out the store.

The group of friends existed Tailcoats and Satin Lace in high spirits. Kara had an outfit, one she didn't know anything about except silk and green (but she trusted the tailor), and she was going to a party with Lena. Kara just wondered what Lena was going to wear.

Oh Rao.

Lena was nervous, her fingers slightly trembling around the tea cup in her hands. The beverage had long gone cold, her mind was occupied with a torrent of thoughts. So many things were resting on the success of this evening.

Firstly, the confrontation with Mr. Smith. That in itself was putting her on edge. She needed to be smart about this. Mr. Smith didn't know that Kara and herself were onto him. Furthermore, they couldn't be one hundred percent sure it was him that sabotaged the plane. Sure, his mother owned the company and everything about him screamed shady but they had no hard evidence. They needed to tread carefully with the hope that he'd give himself away.

Secondly, this was her first proper function as CEO of LuthorCorp., the first step to redeeming the company and the first step towards her legacy. LuthorCorp. will usher in a new age of technology under the sail of L-Corp. with Lena as its captain. Everything was riding on this night and Lena will

do her damnedest not to fail.

At least she would have Kara by her side.

Oh God.

Kara.

Kara was bringing Alex.

She forgot about Alex. How the hell could she forget about the most important person in Kara's life?

Lena felt her nerves increase seven-fold, the tea cup shook so violently in her hands that she spilt cold Irish Breakfast on her skirt. She was a right mess. If only her mother could see her now. Lena could imagine the lecture she would receive about weakness and emotions and cold hard business. She didn't care for that, however, as she looked at the steadily darkening patch on her slate grey pencil skirt.

She got up with a sigh, placing the tea cup on her desk before she made her way over to the hidden bathroom. It was times like these that she thanked her foresight of having extra clothes at the office. She chose a new skirt and then spent the next ten minutes at the sink making sure the tea afflicted one wouldn't stain. When she was satisfied, she placed it near the coat rack.

She didn't feel like work today. Well, it was more like she had done everything this morning with the extra energy nerves gave her. The only thing she had left on her schedule was a late lunch with the Japanese investors. She couldn't put that off, it would be bad manners and they had flown in especially because of her fundraiser.

Resigned, Lena walked out of her office. Jess, clearly not expecting the sudden arrival of her boss, almost jumped to her feet. Her shocked expression earning a chuckle from Lena.

"Care to join me on a walk before the lunch, Jess?" Lena crossed her arms playfully, leaning against her secretary's desk.

Jess quickly looked at her computer, probably going through Lena's schedule, before grabbing her blazer off the back of her chair. She shrugged it on, put the computer off and made sure she had her wallet before smiling at her boss.

"Yep, all good to go." Jess smiled as they started to make their way over to the elevators. "Need some fresh air, Miss. Luthor?"

"You could say that. I've finished everything I needed, why stay in the office when the weather looks nice outside?" Lena raised an eyebrow as they settled into the carriage.

"True, true." Jess nodded, "we should walk to the park then. I hear there're new ducklings due to the warm weather."

"But it's almost winter? Isn't that out of season?" Lena questioned. Weren't baby animals mostly born in spring?

"I grew up on a farm, Miss. Luthor, you know it'll be a mild winter if the animals are still producing offspring. Nature always knows." A pause, "especially ants." Jess shuddered. There was a story there, Lena mused.

Lena mulled over the new information but one thing stuck out. "I didn't know you grew up on a

farm." She looked at Jess as her secretary shrugged. "Never came up in conversation until now, I guess."

They entered the park and Lena was right, the weather was nice. Beautiful, in fact. Due to the coming Autumn, the air had lost its humidity but retained the warmth. A zephyr waved the branches of the trees, making them shimmer with gradients of green. It seemed the warm weather was also affecting the trees for no traces of orange or yellow were to be seen (Lena was pretty sure they were deciduous).

And Jess was right. As they approached the lake near the centre of the park, they were greeted by the happy quacking of ducklings, drakes and ducks. They both smiled as they found an empty park bench to sit on, taking in the scene before them.

There were lots of people out taking advantage of the wonderful weather. Children who were too young to go to school were playing with their parents. Little legs running over dry, brown grass as they looked back to watch their caretakers run after them. Giggles colouring the wind.

She closed her eyes, taking in her surroundings.

Jess's clothes rustled whilst she shuffled, the crunch of the dead grass underfoot, the echoing quack of ducks, birds chirping and panting of dogs. The smell of fried food from the vendor nearby, the crispness of the wind coming in from a distant sea and the scent of pine.

Lena grinned, the warm sun felt delicious on her skin. She basked in it. Her job kept her indoors for long periods of time and the sudden teasing of outdoor freshness brought an unmistakable itch to her palms. The atmosphere at the park urged her to get her sword. To practice her forms. To relish in the control.

But Lena could imagine the scandal it would cause. The tabloids would have a field day.

Lena could imagine the public's terror at the information that a Luthor was proficient with a sword. All hell would break loose. She would be heralded as the next Lex (not that she already was by most). The idea that she had the actual training to kill could cause mass panic.

She scoffed to herself, opening her eyes and ignoring Jess' look. Checking her watch, she stood with a practiced grace. Jess got up hurriedly and Lena smiled at her friend's antics.

"We should head to the restaurant, early is on time after all." Lena said flippantly, starting to make her way there.

Jess followed closely behind. Lena noticed, via the tight appearance of her shoulders, that Jess had picked up on her shift in mood. Taking pity on her colleague, she plastered a charming smile and put a little bounce in her step. The reaction was immediate. Jess' shoulders dropped just the tiniest bit but her body language became open.

Lena silently congratulated herself on her subtle manipulation. Of course, such actions were part in parcel with her position, but she had to learn on the job. It wasn't like she was meant to be CEO. Lex was the one groomed by Lionel, not her. She was meant to become a lab junkie. She was meant to be the one creating the technology, finding the solutions and working with likeminded others.

She was not meant to be wearing starched armour, a painted mask and weaponizable shoes. She was not meant to be reading paper after paper of proposals and requests. Honestly, Lena mourned that almost future that tanked when Lex first laid eyes on Superman.

Kara must have felt her quickly plummeting mood, and by her nature, she tried to help. Lena felt a balm-like warmth running up her arms, making her think of when Kara would run her hand up and down her forearms when she was cold. Goosebumps prickled her skin but she ignored them in favour of her turning thoughts.

Lena smiled, her mind now wondering to all the little things that Kara did to help her out. It was so strange to her that people actually did things without expecting any favours. Generosity was definitely not a theme in the Luthor Household. Lena had learnt that everything was a transaction and Kara, like the force of nature she was, flung that teaching into space with such force that it left Lena stunned. Thus, sometimes Lena had trouble trying to comprehend the alien that she was so attached too.

Kara was alien to Lena, in the multiple meanings of the word.

She was drawn out of her musings as the duo arrived at the small restaurant, a quaint place called Rosenberg's Seafood House. It wasn't a typical location for a meeting with contractors but the charm of the place was undeniable. It was all 'hipster lighting' (Lena chuckled at Jess' description when she booked), exposed brick walls and quirky sea themed art. It also had great reviews from various critics and did not smell like fish, a definite bonus.

That, and Jess had told her that Mrs. Sakurazaki and Mrs. Konoe enjoyed eating seafood, so this place was an obvious choice.

They were fifteen minutes early so Lena took the reins and ordered a bottle of Pinot Noir and a few entrees with express orders to ensure that the food did not arrive before the guests. As she sat with Jess, going over various notes and ideas pertaining to the production of her engines, Lena felt a sudden outburst of giddy excitement dance in her stomach. Something must have made Kara extremely excited to abate the reporter's nerves.

Kara nerves had been sitting on her chest all day. That didn't so much as bother her as the fact that she didn't know why her companion was nervous. Lena, in true Luthor fashion, assumed it was because of her so she tried to keep her own nerves under wraps all day. So, it was a small relief to feel Kara's joy, maybe she was nervous about something else today that went well?

Lena shot her own joy back to her companion, Kara's happiness making her happy.

The sound of various footsteps and Jess clearing her throat alerted Lena to the arrival of her guests. She stood, devilish smile on display, as she greeted the couple, noticing the two bodyguards trailing behind.

Even Lena didn't have bodyguards...who exactly did she make a deal with?

Mrs. Konoe must have seen her fugitive glance at the security detail for she let out a polite giggle and held out her hand.

"Hello, Miss. Luthor." She smiled as Lena shook her hand, "It is a pleasure to finally meet you! My wife wouldn't stop talking about your contract and your company."

Lena fought down a blush. That was unexpected but she didn't let it show, instead returning polite conversation.

"The pleasure's all mine, Mrs. Konoe. I wondered who could make Mrs. Sakurazaki leave our meeting early." Lena teased. "And I'm glad your wife has taken such vested interest in our work. I look forward to our partnership."

Mrs. Sakurazaki grumbled as she shook Lena hand. They all sat at the table, Jess next to her as they were both opposite the Japanese couple. The bodyguards took up positions at the door.

Mrs. Sakurazaki and Mrs. Konoe were young, both in their thirties (so older than herself) and were starting to show laughing lines around their eyes. Mrs. Konoe wore dead straight bangs and had an air of grace around her that her wife lacked. Mrs. Sakurazaki, however, had a more intimidating presence out of the two, even with her strange hairstyle of a side ponytail and a side fringe. That being said, Lena felt oddly safe around the couple which was something that never happened to any of the people she had partnerships with.

They were just settling in when the food arrived and glasses of wine were poured.

"I hope you don't mind that I took the liberty of ordering entrees for us?" Lena asked, looking between the two.

Mrs. Sakurazaki smiled, said something to her wife in Japanese, and then turned to Lena. "That's fine! Thank you for ordering, everything looks great! I'm starved." She laughed.

"They do say that hunger is the best seasoning." Mrs. Konoe joked, looking fondly at her wife before speaking to Lena as they dished out food. "Thank you for inviting us to your fundraiser tonight. We honestly didn't expect an invitation, with us living in Japan and all."

Lena was quick to wave them off, "Nonsense, my first major contract as CEO is with Mrs. Sakurazaki's company. Me inviting you to the event was my thanks for giving me, a Luthor, a chance."

"Don't worry about your family name with us, Mrs. Luthor, we know the struggles of inheritance and surnames." Mrs. Sakurazaki quipped before saying a quick 'itadakimasu' and digging in with gusto. She wasn't lying, Lena mused, she really was hungry.

Her statement, however, hooked Lena's interest but her drilled in manners stilled her tongue. Filling her mouth with food was a better option (the reviews were correct; the food was amazing). Jess, however, didn't have the same upbringing.

"What do you mean?" Lena fought the urge to put her hand over Jess' mouth.

Mrs. Konoe put down her wine glass, lips stained pink, and smiled at her wife lovingly.

"It is a story, that's for sure." Mrs. Sakurazaki nodded in agreement, pushing her empty plate away.

"Yeah." Another sip of wine.

"You don't have to tell us." Lena implored, not wanting to be rude to her business partners.

"Nah, it's fine." Mrs. Sakurazaki waved it off. "Actually, let's order mains before we get into it, it's quiet long."

Lena chuckled, calling a waiter over. After the food was ordered and more wine was poured, Lena settle further into her chair, waiting for the story.

"Well, here goes." Mrs. Sakurazaki made a display of cracking her knuckles, to which Lena and Mrs. Konoe chuckled. Jess just looked a little irked. "Well, Kono-chan and I have known each other since childhood..."

And the story was long, spanning for almost the whole meal but Lena drank in every word with rapt

attention. In short, Mrs. Sakurazaki was from a family of bodyguards that served Mrs. Konoe's family for generations, spanning back to before the Edo period of Japan. They grew up together, Mrs. Sakurazaki as Mrs. Konoe's guard and protector. Mrs. Konoe herself was from an old line of royalty turned congressmen and politicians, showing the reason to have bodyguards for her old family wealth and status.

The two fell in love over time but the Head of the Konoe family forbid it, stating that Mrs. Sakurazaki was not worthy of his daughter. Mrs. Sakurazaki was banished but she didn't let that stop her. Instead, she hung up her sword and went into business.

Once she built an empire, with the help of a few friends, she returned to the Konoe Mansion as a successful business woman and asked for Mrs. Konoe's hand in marriage. The father eventually relented, only with the condition that they keep their maiden surnames. And now here they were, Mrs. Sakurazaki as head of Mahou Industries and Mrs. Konoe as a hot shot politician and new Head of the Konoe family.

Lena found a new appreciation for the couple in front of her. Jess looked a little gobsmacked, not fully believing the story, but Lena knew it to be true. It was shown in the way that the couple interacted and the raw pain shielded in their brown eyes during the retelling.

Lena looked on with a renewed hope for her future. If they could overcome adversity with hard work and dedication, she could do it as well.

Kara was stress eating sticky buns, her cheeks puffed out with semi-chewed food as Alex walked in holding a suit bag. Stuffing the last one into the already full mouth, she made grabby hands at the suit bag only to be whacked away by Alex.

"No, go wash your hands first, then you can have your outfit." She chided her little sister.

With a pout, Kara sped over and did as asked. With clean hands, she took the suit bag from her older sister with cautious fingers. It was then that Kara actually looked at what Alex was wearing. Kara smiled as Alex crossed her arms at the inspection.

"You look beautiful Alex."

And she really did. The oldest Danvers donned a stunning floor length red gown accented with delicate gold bangles and intricate drop earrings. Alex didn't wear dresses often but when she did... well Kara will have to beat people away from her darling sister tonight.

"Quiet you." Alex shot down, she never took compliments well, "I want to see what Antonio created."

Kara grinned as they both hurried to the bedroom. She laid the still bagged outfit on the bed as Alex sat down next to it. Kara took in a deep breath. What if she hated it? What of Lena hated it? What if Antonio was playing some sick joke and the bag was actually empty? Kara couldn't help but worry.

"Hurry up, Kara! For someone so fast, you take so long." Alex teased, breaking the Littlest Danvers out of her spiralling thoughts.

With a flourish (and nervous anticipation), she slowly unzipped the bag and pulled a groan out of Alex. Laughing, she revealed the outfit with great haste only to stop in her tracks at what she saw.

Alex gasped and Kara's mouth dropped.

A suit.

Antonio had created the most beautiful suit she had ever seen.

Kara held it up, inspecting it as Alex moved to stand next to her. She ran her free hand over the suit jacket, feeling the soft, charcoal grey silk under the pads of her fingers. Her hands wondered to the beautiful deep green hopsack waistcoat. Her fingers tracing all seven buttons as she took in the lightweight fabric. She traced the opening upward to the brilliant phthalo green bow tie and ivory shirt framed handsomely by the lapels of the suit jacket.

"Go try it on." Alex urged, excited.

Kara didn't need to be told twice. She raced to the bath room, peeling off her sweatpants and white t- shirt, chucking them to the floor. Unbuttoning the waistcoat revealed grey and phthalo button-on braces, making Kara gasp. Making this suit would have cost Antonio a small fortune.

She pulled on the white ivory button front shirt, noting that it was thick enough to not need an inside shirt. She quickly buttoned it up, noticing that the button placing considered her breasts; the buttons weren't straining anywhere. Maybe she'd get all her shirt made by Antonio.

Kara pulled up the slim fitting suit trousers. The cut of the fabric complimented her distinct carves and had a defined traveller's crease but it allowed her easy mobility. As she tucked in the shirt neatly, she noticed the two buttons inside the waistband of the pants, figuring that that was where the braces attached.

Kara had never put braces on in her life, so she called Alex in to help. "Alex!"

"Yeah?"

"Can you help me, please?"

Her older sister entered and took the braces from Kara, motioning for her to turn around. Alex attached the back brace to the brace button then pulled the other two sections over Kara's broad shoulders. Alex did the left and Kara did the right. Alex took a step back, inspecting the ensemble and adjusting the braces accordingly.

"I didn't know Antonio gave you braces."

"Ha. Neither did I." Kara was seriously awed, "I have to thank him somehow."

They grabbed the waistcoat, Kara shrugged it on and they both buttoned it up. The waistcoat sat skin tight, showing off the natural curves of her body and accentuating her waist. Kara popped her collar and Alex grabbed the undone bowtie.

They both looked at the strip of material, neither one having a clue how to put it on. They stared harder but the cloth told no tales.

"Google?"

"Yeah."

Quickly finding a picture guide, they tied it to the best of their ability. It was a fair attempt but no

matter how well they did it, one side always seemed just a little bit bigger. They eventually cut their losses and Alex left to find Kara a pair of shoes whilst Kara adorned the two-buttoned suit jacket.

She was giddy, so fucking giddy. She actually giggled to herself. Kara felt beautiful and powerful but above all, she felt sure in her skin. She strode out of the bathroom, coming face to face with a beaming Alex holding a pair of shoes she never saw before.

"I'm pretty sure I never bought those." Kara looked at the offending items.

"Well, it looks like Antonio went even further and provided sock and shoes." Alex shook the offending items in a mock imitation of a cheerleader.

"I could kiss that man." Kara seriously could.

"I'm not sure his wife would apricate that." Alex deadpanned, handing the items over.

Kara pulled the soft green socks on and then slipped on the black formal lace up shoes on. At the vanity, Alex helped Kara apply light make up to accentuate her eyes whilst Kara did her hair up into an intricate braided bun. With the final donning of glasses, they were ready to head off.

Alex took a step back, eyes a little misty, and took in her sister.

"Kara, why the hell have we never put you in a suit before?" The tone was joking, but Alex's voice was thick.

Kara brought her sister into a firm hug, careful to not hurt her or her outfit, and they just stood in the moment. They may have not been related by blood, but by Rao, their souls were sisters. Even if they had arguments and tantrums and fights, Alex always had Kara's back and Kara always had Alex's.

The quiet was interrupted by a sure knock at the door. Kara wasn't expecting anybody so she x- rayed the door while Alex reached for something on the inside of her thigh. She pulled out a Glock, Kara rolled her eyes, of course Alex couldn't go anywhere without her gun.

She made her way to the door, Alex took up a position at the blind wall. With a nod, Kara opened the door only to reveal a balding, slightly portly little man with a thick moustache and round spectacles. He wore a crisp black suit with a bright blue pocket square.

Of course, Kara had already seen him through the door, she had just decided to humour her sister. "Hello! How may I help you?" Kara asked, smile on full display.

Alex, seeing no threat, put her gun away and the man bowed to the two of them. Kara raised an eyebrow at the formal display and Alex looked confused.

The little man only spoke after he rose, "Miss. Danvers and Miss. Danvers?" The both nodded.

"Excellent! I see that you're both ready, we should be on our way." He turned to leave down the hall but Kara stopped him before he got too far.

"E-Excuse me! Sir!"

He spun around to face them, moustached curling as he smiled. "Yes?"

"Who are you and why are you here?" Alex shot out, her agent mask falling into place.

"Miss. Luthor did not tell you?" He raised his eyebrows, head tilting to the left, impervious to Alex's intensity.

Kara shook her head no.

"Ah, no matter." He clapped, perky, "Frankie at your service, ma'ams. I'm Miss. Luthor's personal driver and tonight she tasked me with taking you to the fundraiser."

Kara was all too happy to follow the golly man but Alex put a hand on her shoulder before she could.

"Do you have any ID?"

"Oh! Yes, I do." He pulled his wallet out, drawing a LuthorCorp. card out and handing it over.

Alex inspected it, turning it over multiple times before she handed it back. Satisfied, she made to follow, jerking Kara into motion. As they made their way outside the apartment block, they were greeted by a beautiful old Rolls Royce. It was all sleek black and stately lines. Frankie waddled with speed to the door, opening it for them and ushering them inside.

The inside had been modified to contain a divider for privacy and soft red neon lighting that reflect off the tanned brown leather and wood interior.

"Your friend doesn't do anything half arsed, does she?" Alex quipped, having found a bottle of brandy and a glass.

Kara laughed, "No, Lena definitely doesn't. She has the sweetest heart though." Kara lightly bumped her shoulder against Alex's, careful not to spill her drink.

"Well, a shop full of flowers, an invite to the hottest event in the great NC and a personal chauffer for the night, I'm in great suspense for what she does next." Alex teased, taking a sip from the glass. "And she even has my favourite brand of brandy, that's earned her brownie points."

"I'll tell her that she made the right choice." Kara smiled. Lena had, in fact, asked Kara what Alex liked to drink. She assumed it was party related but she expected the drink to be at a bar, not in the car. Lena really did like to please, it seemed.

Hmmm.

Kara shook her head before her thoughts could go anywhere, instead she focused on the passing streets outside. National City became a different place at night, and not in a bad way. Where it was a place for families, youth and overworked businesspeople during the day, it morphed into a different scene with late night cafés that spilled music, live performances in small pubs and rowdy, happy crowds of people enjoying the coolish night. At the turn of the sunset, fairy lights lit up winding sidewalk trees and wrapped around electricity poles, bathing the pathways and adjacent buildings in soft yellow light.

The city was beautiful and Kara was proud to be its protector.

The sisters eventually pulled up to the venue, the old sandstone National City town hall stood tall over bustling crowd beneath. The building was bathed in green lighting, the Luthor Family colour according to Lena. Frankie pulled up to the entrance, opening the door for them both before bidding them a good night and driving off.

Kara and Alex made their way over to the stocky woman manning the door, clipboard in hand and

earpiece around her neck. As they got closer, the sounds of a live chamber ensemble could be heard through the door, which acted as the tonic for the various chords of chatting guests. Kara straightened her suit jacket to look more presentable to the usher.

"Names, please." The stocky woman asked, looking the sisters up and down.

"Kara Danvers,"

"and Alex Danvers."

At the sound of Kara's name, the usher perked up, a gleam in her eyes. "Ah, Miss. Danvers," she clearly meant Kara, "I was told to inform you that your date would be waiting by the food table."

Kara froze, "D-date?" Oh Rao, Lena was not her date! They were just friends, she was a platonic plus one. That was a thing, wasn't it?

Alex looked at her amusedly.

"Thank you, we'll be on our way." Alex stated, grabbing a blushing, malfunctioning Kara by the shoulders and pushing her through the entrance and into the warm lighting.

The venue was stunning. Kara was right, it was a chamber music ensemble playing in the corner, filling the space with perfectly volumed, mellow music. The floor was tiled in red marble, giving the impression of lava with its natural swirls. Old, intricate chandlers hung from the tall ceiling, splashing warm light over the guests and sparkling with mesmerising beauty. Kara fought the urge to fly up and admire them.

All in attendance were dressed in stunning gowns, sharp suits, tall heels and squeaky new shoes. People, the gregarious beings they were, were huddled into circles, talking with like-minded others or striking up business deals and alliances.

Waiters and waitresses, in their black and white uniforms, weaved in between the ocean of bodies with practiced grace. Their platters of food an extension of their arms and pleasant smiles on their faces and they stopped to hand of food and drinks.

Alex called one over, grabbing two flutes of champagne and handing one over to Kara. Kara sipped the beverage, enjoying the bubbles and how smooth it was, as she scanned the room for the bar. Once spotted, she motioned to Alex and they both made their way over to where the host herself said she was waiting.

The pushed through the thick crowd (thick because there seemed to be correlation between rich people and alcohol...or just people and alcohol in general), slowly making their way through. Kara was doing her best to keep her strength in check whilst Alex utilised her elbows and paved a path like Moses. Kara just followed her and chuckled at her sister antics. Alex threw a victorious smirk over her shoulder in return.

They eventually made their way to the space between the people ordering and the people milling about, breathing a little easier. Kara looked around for bond companion, searching through the thicket of fabrics and painted smiles until...

Ah.

Kara's heart stuttered, her hands clenched and she could feel her pupils dilate. She inhaled deeply, the perfumed air igniting her lungs and kick staring her beating heart. Lena was a vision and Kara was a blind woman seeing for the first time.

Kara didn't even notice Alex going off to the bar, she was too busy tracing the backwards 'z' that the line of Lena's jaw, neck and collarbone created. The dress that the CEO adorned was beautiful. The sweetheart neckline and off the shoulder sleeves show cased ivory skin, the cut of the fabric showed off Lena's hourglass figure and diamonds around her neck and fingers spoke of her status without shouting it.

Kara felt her blood heat and mouth dry as Lena turned around to talk to another couple. The dress was backless.

Backless. Oh Rao.

Swordsmanship had defined Lena's shoulders and scapular in a subtle yet effective show of strength. The arch of her back showing of her perfect posture. All of it was a power play, Kara's mind understood that but her heart, oh Rao, her heart didn't listen to reason.

Lena must have felt her spike in emotion, the trail of goosebumps that Kara could see were the only indicator Kara got before Lena turned around and looked at her dead in the eyes. Kara swore she died.

Lena arrived at the venue a good two hours before it started to make sure that everything was going smoothly. There had been no destressed calls from any of her events crew, so she assumed everything was on track with the preparations. She was right.

The National City Town Hall was one of the oldest buildings in the city, the oldest being the pub down the road, and a perfect venue for tonight's fundraiser. She had booked the whole bottom floor for the event, the open plan of the building lending to its versatility. The bar was set up with an extravagate array of alcohols and drinks, the kitchens were working on the finger foods and main meals that would be served throughout the night and the chamber ensemble was practicing in the corner for tonight.

At the other end of the room, opposite the bar and next to the musicians, was a stage and podium. There Lena would be announcing the rebranding and revealing the new logo that sat under a tarp to the audience. Then the painting auction would open and all the proceeds would go towards the STEM Young Minds initiative, Lena's organisation of choice.

The bidding itself was a last-minute idea (Radley gave her the idea at the board meeting), and all her invited guest were notified of the change. As sad as it was, a few of the deaths her brother had caused in Metropolis were of affluent people that were last of their line. Lena had written to whomever was keeping their possession and asked if they would open their private galleries for a bidding. Quite a few said no, understandably, but enough people agreed when she reasoned that all the money would go to a worthy cause.

With the calibre of art on auction and the egos invited to the party, Lena was expecting a successful night. Lena looked over the room, excitement racing threw her system. This was all her work (and her staff...mainly Jess), this was the start of something great; Lena could feel it in her bones.

After making sure everything was going to run smoothly for tonight, Lena called up her driver, Frankie, to make sure that he had Kara's address. The old man just chuckled, probably nodding into the phone and forgetting that she couldn't see him, before he bid her farewell. Lena took that as an

affirmative.

Frankie had been a Luthor family driver since Lionel had been a teen. He had seen it all, Lionel's take-over of the company, his marriage to Lillian, the birth of Lex, the adoption of Lena, the death of Lionel, Lex's take-over of the company, Lex's descent into madness and now her take-over of the company. Honestly, Lena couldn't imagine not having Frankie in her life. The little old man, in his penguin suits and expensive cars, was a rock in Lena's life. She told him everything (she blamed it on the magic of cars) and he was probably the most trusted employee she ever had. Scratch that, Frankie was family.

Lena spent the rest of her time running through her short speech and fixing the accompanying visuals. Technology had a habit of not working at the most crucial of moments and Lena found irony in that statement. As she finished tweaking the feedback of the microphone, the first of her guest arrived.

Lena painted on a smile, took a deep breath and steeled her spine. Tonight, she was the gracious host that just happened to be a CEO of a Fortune 500 company, not the other way around. With a signal, chamber music filled the air and Lena approached the couple that entered, making sure her body language read 'approachable.'

As time went on, more and more guests arrived until the hall was teeming with people trying to impress each other. Lena kissed arse and flirted with old men with the initiative to milk them for their money later, and it seemed to be working. People had already put large sums of money in the collection box and the bidding hadn't even started yet. Lena could feel her head inflate but she kept it in check. What a travesty it would be if hubris proved her downfall at the start of her career.

After effectively getting out of conversation with a particularly touchy man, Lena made her way to the entrance. There was still no sign of Kara but she was not concerned. Kara's emotions seemed normal and Frankie would have called her if something had gone amiss.

She stepped into the night air, the coming Autumn breeze cooling off the warm night pleasantly, and caught the attention of the usher.

"Tracy?"

"Yes ma'am." The response was immediate and the usher's full attention was on her.

"Has a 'Kara Danvers' and 'Alex Danvers' arrived yet?" She just wanted to make sure she hadn't accidently missed Kara or her sister in the crowd.

Tracy flicked through the list on her clip broad, "No, they have not arrived yet. Is something the matter?"

"Oh no, no." Lena reassured, "Just...when they arrive, please tell Kara Danvers that I will be waiting at the bar for her."

"Rightio."

"Thanks Tracy." And Lena parted with a smile, retreating into the warm, yellow lighting and ambiance music.

Without any pressing issues, Lena scanned the room for the real reason for the fundraiser. Her five- inch heels giving a little height to her short figure, allowing her to just see over the top of a sea of gelled and 'windswept' hair. It didn't take long before she found them, both men in classic suits with bold red ties.

She wasn't going to approach them now, not without Kara by her side. It wasn't that she thought she couldn't handle herself, it was more that she would feel more comfortable in Lord's and Smith's slimy prescience with her own personal heroine by her side. That wasn't to say that Lena didn't make a note of their location and who they were talking to.

An advantage to hosting a party was knowing everyone invited and Max seemed to prove her right in her guess to the company he kept. He was talking to a very stern looking woman named Alice Frances. The woman had a history of evading company taxes and weaselling her way out of tight situations. Lena had only invited Ms. Frances for her deep pockets, not her personality. Sadly, money was the blood of her world and business was its language.

Lena slowly made her way over to the bar, gliding effortlessly through groups of people and talking to others who caught her attention. Eventually she bumped into Bruce Wayne, the man frowning (like usual) down at his flute of champagne.

"Not to your liking, Mr. Wayne?" Lena teased, drawing his attention and causing him to lift his heavy brow.

"Miss. Luthor, I was wondering when you would show." His voice gruffly smooth and deep.

"Well, I've been here all-night Mr. Wayne, luckily for you, you don't have to wonder any longer." Lena teased, pulling the man into a firm handshake. Bruce was not one for physical affection. "It has been too long."

"That it has. One day we were in Gotham building nano-drones in a lab and the next you're head of a company rivalling my own and hosting parties for the rich and famous." He quipped back, the smile was in his voice but not on his lips.

"I must say Bruce, those were the days. Though, admittedly, I do not miss Gotham." They both chuckled.

"Yeah, that city is not for everyone." Bruce husked, taking a sip of the champagne and grimacing.

Lena took the flute out of his hand, "Don't drink it if you don't like it Bruce. I made sure I stocked up on your favourite at the bar." Lena gestured to the area and bid the hero a lovely night. The crowd parting for the broody man.

Their relationship had always been pleasant. Lena had discovered Bruce and herself shared a grim humour and an unhealthy work ethic, making her one of the few people that Mr. Wayne had actually got along with. That wasn't to say he didn't fuss, but it was more for image than for anything she'd done. That, and they worked together for long hours, sometime days a time, in a lab looking to improve nanotechnology and build drones for the military. Their proximity breed friendly affection.

Bruce had heard about her prowess in engineering and approached her through a deal with LuthorCorp. Lex, seeing the business opportunity, agreed and for nine months Lena was a resident of Gotham City and partner to the Bruce Wayne. The overall venture had been a success, LuthorCorp. got money and had their name on another piece of technology, WayneTech. broke into the nontechnology market and Lena made a friend. It was winning all round.

Lena sighed, that seemed like a lifetime ago.

She finally made it to the bar, falling into mundane conversation with the people around her. It was the same thing over and over again. 'I'm sorry for your brother. You look beautiful. What are the plans for the future? I'm sorry for your loss. Your father was a great man. Your brother was a great

man before.., you know. What is your opinion on aliens? Lex would have been proud. Lex would not have been proud of this change. Are you making the right decision? Lex. Lex. Lex.'

Lena felt like she was slowly drowning in a shadow of a man that the sun would never see again. She also felt like she was drowning in the expectation of a man six-feet under. She was drowning in the false pleasantries, pretences and too perfect smiles. But Lena kept going. She had to. She had no choice. Gracious host first, CEO later.

Lena was about to walk away from a conversation she couldn't even remember when the hairs on her arms suddenly stood to attention. Excitement and awe raced through her veins, making her heart skip a beat. She turned around, hoping to see dazzling blue and when she did-

Lena froze.

Kara was there. Kara was there in a form fitting, three-piece suit. Kara was there in a form fitting, three-piece suit that matched her dress and Lena couldn't keep her eyes of her. Her tongue felt loose and her fingers itched to touch.

God, she was not prepared for this.

How could someone look so fucking sexy and sophisticated yet soft and earnest at the same time? Kara must be an alien.

Lena strutted forward, making sure that her shaken core was not visible to observers but she knew that Kara knew the effect she was having. It was all in the damned cheeky smirk on those perfectly plump lips.

Lena successfully reached the Kryptonian, still eying the blonde up and down, greatly appreciating the beautiful outfit and taking note of a slim waist, solid carves and strong stature. Lena could write essays on how Kara was born to wear this exact suit. Hell, Lena could just write essays about Kara herself. She practically did with her journals.

Lena smirked, noting Kara's blown pupils, knowing that hers were much the same. She held out a hand and Kara, without missing a beat, bowed and kissed the ring on her finger. Lena chuckled at their antics, matching Kara's smile as she stood up. Relief and shared wonder as base emotions between them.

"You are looking strikingly handsome tonight," Lena leaned in, "Miss. Zor-El."

Kara laughed, a blush on her cheeks and Lena felt some of her abashment, "And you, Miss. Luthor," Kara grabbed her hand and spun her around slowly, "are a gift from Rao himself."

"High praise, high praise indeed." Lena teased, pulling the reporter into a hug. She minutely shivered at Kara's warm hands on her exposed back. The skin to skin contact slightly reddening her ears.

"I only give praise where is it due." Kara replied, pulling out of the hug that they both didn't want to end.

Len laughed it off, a little giddy at the attention. She put both hands on Kara's shoulders, feeling the muscle hiding there and running her thumbs across the fabric of the suit jacket.

"Silk. An excellent choice for the weather." Lena mused out loud.

Kara looked a little sheepish. "It was more Winn's choice than mine. I didn't even know I was wearing a suit tonight until it arrived from the tailors."

"Well, Kara dear, I would like to thank whom ever made this fine outfit and then order a dozen more for you." Lena teased, hands running down Kara's lapels as the Kryptonian stroked the sleeves of her dress.

"Don't worry, I'm already working on a thank you." Kara smiled, eyes crinkling at the corners. "And I want nothing more than this nigh to last forever, so I can gaze at you in this beautiful garment."

Lena leant in further, breath husking over a reddening ear. Lean felt bold in their closeness and powerful in her position. "You don't just have to look..."

Kara cleared her throat and made to pull away, conscious of the crowd bustling around them and Lena's host status. Lena, however, was having none of it. Instead she held onto the fabric beneath her fingers tighter, effectively halting Kara in place. The blonde raised an eyebrow and Lena raised her own back.

"There is, however, one thing I would like to change on this." Lena started, hands moving to Kara's collar.

The Kryptonian visibly gulped and Lena chuckled lowly at the nerves and trepidation she felt.

"Y-Yeah? What's that." Kara's voice cracked and Lena held in her chuckle.

"Whoever tied this bowtie needs to be shot. May I?" Lena joked, gesturing to the offending article of clothing. The air around them changing from something into one of playfulness.

"Hey!" Kara did nothing to stop Lena from undoing the tie and retying it with efficiency. "Alex, google and I tried really hard to do it right. It looked like the picture." Kara huffed, mock glaring at Lena.

And as if she heard herself being summoned, Alex Danvers appeared at their side. Lena took a step back, trying to look as causal as possible while Kara just blushed, coughed awkwardly and grabbed two flutes of champagne, her glasses sliding down the bridge of her nose.

Alex looked between the pair and Lena could almost see the questions running rampart in her mind. Lena had never met Alex Danvers in person before but from what she knew through Kara, the eldest Danvers was both bark and bite when it came to her sister. Lena needed to shift the situation and quickly, least she makes a bad first impression.

With her most charming and most sincere smile on her face (after all, she had great respect for the eldest Danvers), Lena stuck out her hand for a handshake. Alex obliged, the strength behind the physical greeting telling Lena that Alex was sussing her out. Lena returned the powerplay in kind, bringing a smirk to Alex's face.

"Miss. Alex Danvers, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. Kara has told me a lot about you." Lena smiled, clasping her hands in front of her.

"Oh, has she really?" Alex looked to Kara, causing the reporter to step behind Lena for shelter. Lena laughed at the display, her heart aching just a little at the relationship between the siblings. It was times like these that she missed her brother.

She felt a soothing balm seep through her system and Lena had to fight the urge to thank Kara. Instead, she put back on her charms and focused on Alex. "Don't worry," Lena waved off, "It has been all good things. Mostly just anecdotes splashed throughout conversation." She reassured, lying through her teeth.

"I had no idea you two were so close." Alex remarked, pointedly looking at Kara over Lena's shoulder.

"It has only been two weeks but I would count Kara as one of my closest friends." Lena turned to smile at her companion, Kara smiled back before looking guiltily at Alex. Lena sent her feelings of reassurance, causing Kara to relax a little. "With that said," Lena turned back to Alex, "I hope you enjoyed the brandy, Miss. Danvers. Kara had said it was a favourite of yours."

Lena silently congratulated herself at the pleased grin on Alex's face. "Enough with the titles, I'm not an associate you have to kiss ass with. Just call me Alex."

The vulgar language pulled a startled laugh out of Lena, causing Kara to chuckle and Alex to look amused. "Although, you do have an excellent taste in brandy. I wouldn't mind the random brandy gift basket."

They all laughed, Kara slinging an arm over her sister's shoulders and kissing her temple affectionately. "Don't get ahead of yourself sis. Lena was my friend first."

Lena felt warm all over. She felt happy. "Well, Alex, I must remember to give you a bottle before you leave tonight."

Alex stuck out her tongue at her sister and then thanked Lena for her hospitality. Lena looked down at her watch, eyes widening a little at the time. She had spent longer than she realised talking with the Danvers sisters and needed to get onto the stage to properly start the evening.

"Will you excuse me please, I must go and start the formalities." Lena smiled.

Kara left Alex and pulled her into a comforting hug, hands pressing until their forms moulded perfectly together.

"Good luck, Lena. You're going to smash it." Kara husked into her ear, she placed a feather light kiss there. Giving a solid pat on the back as she pulled away.

With one last smile, Lena made her way to the stage, just slightly high off the unwavering support (and kiss) from a dashing heroine. Lena could do this. It was time to start her legacy.

Chapter End Notes

You made it to the end, yay!

So, as you've read, this is just the start of the fundraiser. The next chapter will deal with the events at the party (and probably contain a billion tropes).

I forgot to mention this previously but the characters of Setsuna Sakurazaki and Konoka Konoe are from the manga 'Mahou Sensei Negima!?' These two characters are responsible for my gay awakening and if you don't mind some fan service and questionable scenarios, go read it! Stay away from the anime though, that's shit.

The fun facts in this chapter:

- Originally Hat makers used to use mercury in the creation of hats. The exposure of mercury caused dementia in the Hatters, leading to the phrase: "As mad as a Hatter."

- Duck quakes do, in fact, echo.

- A male duck is called a Drake (I laugh at this because I'm going to see Drake soon and all I imagine is a singing, rapping duck).

I drew up what I imagined Kara's suit to look like here: https/ihavethewrongglass./art/Kara-Zor-El-Danvers-in-a-Suit-Quick- Sketch-706278893

It's just a quick sketch, so it isn't amazing or anything. That being said, I cannot, for the life of me, draw dresses. So there's that.

Thank you for reading!

Chapter Notes

Chapter 7

Yo yo, what up peeps??

Sorry it's been so long, Uni is heading towards the end of semester and I have group assignments galore.

Thank you for the great response last chapter! I seriously appreciate it! :)

Same thing goes for this chapter: any constructive criticisms, plot ideas or comments in general are extremely welcome! (I fucking love comments, it is ridiculous but I do reply to each and every one of them).

All mistakes are mine! (This is also a long chapter...9,000 words or so). Without further ado, here is part two of the party:

See the end of the chapter for more notes

It seemed that Lena's presence was watched by all in attendance, Kara noticed. Lena's movement towards the stage caught everyone's attention, urging the flocks of people to migrate for a better position. The volume of the hall dropped dramatically, loud chatter turning into quiet whispers, and from what Kara could make out amongst the cacophony of sound, most of it was about the dress Lena was wearing with only a side note of the Luthor business' future.

Kara would have been peeved at the focus, and sexualisation, of Lena's body in that dress but Kara was not a hypocrite. That being said, she wouldn't whisper about it to Alex (other reasons notwithstanding) and she had the decency to pay proper attention to the purpose of this function. The sisters took up a position near the middle of the large crowd, Alex watching the business sharks wearily whilst Kara bristled under some scrutinising stares.

Maybe their display of closeness wasn't such a smart idea.

That, coupled with the fact that Kara was the only woman in a suit made her the subject of a few whispers as well. She was brought out of an accidental (and very awkward) stare off with an old man several people over by Lena's sky rocketing nerves. The feeling was all molten lead in her stomach and stuttered fluttering in her chest.

Kara watched as Lena took to the stage. No one would ever be able to tell that the Littlest Luthor was nervous for she looked the exact opposite. Her smile was easy, her eyes bright, hands steady and steps measured and sure. The only evidence of her highly tense state was the frantic drum of her heart, the rapid pumping of the carotid artery in her neck and the swirling emotions that only Kara was privy to.

Kara brought forth a slow, lazy tranquillity borne from her thoughts of the time she'd spent with Lena. The moments they stole by talking in the office, to that one morning when Lena stayed over. Kara took all that content peacefulness and let it seep slowly and steadily into Lena.

She would never tire of the awe she felt as she watched the direct result of their bond. Kara tuned everything out sans the slowing beating of the CEO's heart. As Lena stood behind the podium,

speech fully memorised and presentation clicker in hand, she made eye contact with Kara, sending the smallest of smiles that only she would see yet still, coupled with the intense thankfulness that accompanied it, the gesture was something that Kara would forever cherish.

With a structured gracefulness, Lena started speaking.

"I firstly would like to thank you all for coming today." Lena's voice was steady and evenly paced. Few in the audience murmured their 'welcomes' and 'thank yous' but most waited to the CEO to continue.

"LuthorCorp. started as a small company. Logan Luthor, Peter Alistair and Katrina Davis, a business man, an engineer and a programmer, opened up shop in a dilapidated warehouse on the outskirts of Down Town Metropolis. Back then, it was called 'Luthor Co.' and worked as a small business to help the people of rural Kansas via the development of fertilizers, pesticides and agricultural products. With the great success of the L-X-Pesticide, the company gained enough revenue to diversify.

The diverse branching of the company allowed Luthor Co. to have a positive influence on the Kansas community. They eventually became the leading business in agriculture and farming needs. With the string of many successful inventions and business deals, 'Luthor Co.' became 'LuthorCorp.' under the guidance of my grandfather, Lucas Luthor, and branched into biotechnology, communications, electronics and pharmaceuticals. LuthorCorp. only became associated with weapon technology during my brother's, Lex Luthor's, time as CEO.

Everyone here knows the damage my brother, and by extension, this company has caused to countless lives. His descent into madness propelled LuthorCorp. onto a path of destruction and damage which is still felt today. That is why, as the new CEO of this ever-changing company, it has been decided that LuthorCorp. will fly under a new banner."

Lena paused. Walking over to the tarp. Elegant fingers curled around the stiff material with reassurance and she pulled it off with a flourish, revealing the new logo.

"LuthorCorp. is no more. From today onwards, it will be called L-Corp., a company invested in the benefit of the people. I know my brother's deeds will not be forgotten, nor forgiven, but hopefully under this new title, L-Corp. will break free of my brother's hold and be seen as a force for good. It has been decided that L-Corp will close its weapon labs and focus its efforts on more pressing issues such as sustainable energy and medical technology."

Lena beamed at the crowd and Kara was extremely proud. Lena had done it, she had taken her future into her own hands and was starting to mould it into her own legacy. A legacy that Kara would help her with for as long as Lena wanted her.

The crowd was alive with chatter and applause. Excitement and wonder hung thick over their heads as people talked with enthusiasm to their peers. Kara could feel Lena's surprised with the warm reception and she chuckled to herself. Anyone would be mad not to feel empowered and awed at the CEO. Furthermore, they would have to be mental to not agree with Lena's actions.

Kara made her way slowly through the crowd, mindful of drinks and expensive clothing as she watched the CEO exit the stage. The youngest Luthor was surrounded by various people all shooting questions left, right and centre. The poor thing hadn't even made it fully off the stage (one heeled foot was still on the bottom stair) before the assault and yet she answered all queries and questions with confidence and perfect manners.

Kara walked faster, wanting to offer her verbal congratulations. Just as she was just about to break

into the small circle and whisk Lena away, one Maxwell Lord decided to cut in with a burning question of his own.

"Surely LuthorCorp.-"

"L-Corp." Kara spoke up before Lena could, cementing herself in the conversation and joining the group, standing close to the youngest Luthor. Lord looked taken aback for a split second before he smiled that charming, slimy grin and continued.

"Sorry," He paused, looking between them both, "but surely L-Corp. will be losing out on major venue by withdrawing from the weapons market?"

Lena smiled a nonchalant grin, Kara was a witness to a silent battle raged between rival CEOs, "Not everything is about war, Mr. Lord."

"War is one of the main driving forces of innovation and technology." Lord shot back, his right leg shifting slightly as he put a hand in his pocket. His posture closing minutely, telling Kara that he was a little defensive.

Lena crossed her arms, "Mr. Lord, whilst that is true of the past and present, L-Corp. is a company focused on the future. I will not allow my company to supply the weapons used to oppress and hurt others. If we keep on supplying tools used for tyranny, how can we ever hope to achieve of a peaceful future?" She jutted her chin out, Kara's eyes tracing the strong lines of the powerful woman, thank Rao she was not in Lena's stare.

The light colour of Lena's irises allowed Kara to notice the slight dilation of the CEO's pupils. The change was too small for anyone who wasn't paying attention to notice but Kara definite was. The involuntary action gave context to Lena's inner emotions. Lena was pissed but was too prim and proper to show it.

The dress, the posture and dominance radiating off Lena was a little bit of a turn on for Kara's genetics. Trying to abate the suddenly warming blood in her veins, Kara looked to Lord with a right glare in her eyes.

"We'll see how that goes for you, Miss. Luthor." Lord quipped, his left eyebrow twitching slightly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I would like to go and get a good spot before the bidding starts." He didn't even wait for a response before he started walking away. The crowd around them dispersed after a few 'congratulations' and 'well dones.'

Kara huffed, leaning into Lena's ear. "I hate entitled people." Kara hushed, her looks could literary kill and she was trying her fucking hardest to not explode the arse Lord's head.

Lena turned into her, so close that her nose brushed Kara's cheek as she whispered. "Kara, dear, I'm entitled too."

"Well, at least you're cognisant of your stature." Kara smiled, they're faces were so close that Lena's eyes had merged into one. She took a step back, adjusting her tie a little and jerking her head in Lord's direction, "He, on the other hand, is taking it for granted. Which is strange because he wasn't born wealthy."

"It's called "New Money Entitlement Syndrome," ask Gatsby about it, I heard it got him into a spot of trouble." Lena deadpanned, looking Kara straight in the eyes.

"Hardy har, very funny, Lena." Kara chuckled, adjusting her glasses. "N.M.E.S. does have a nice ring to it though."

"Well, thank you, thank you." Lena took an exaggerated bow in good humour before standing up straight again. She looked around with sudden awareness of the other people in the room. Kara felt her inner joy laced with a little bit of insecurity at her silly action.

Kara stepped closer, so as not to be heard, "Don't worry. Most, if not all, people are focused on the starting of the bidding. I think the only one who actually saw you was Alex, who has both her eyebrows raised and a tumbler of brandy in her hand. She's also making her way towards us." Lena looked over Kara's shoulder. The one eyebrow she raised told Kara that she was right.

Right on cue, Alex joins the two of them, causing Kara to take a step back to a more neutral position. "What did I miss?" The older Danvers looked between the too, taking a measures sip of her drink.

"Nothing much." Lena supplied, her actions a little unnatural. Alex, being a DEO agent, picked up on it immediately and looked expectantly at her sister.

Kara grinned. "Nah, seriously Alex. I was cracking a joke about The Great Gatsby." Kara felt Lena's confusion at the back of her mind but she met it with her reassurance.

Alex groaned, "Oh my god," she turned to Lena, who was doing her best to keep her attention on Alex and not firing off questioning looks at Kara. "I'm so sorry that you have to put up with this, Lena."

Lena laughed, genuinely and Kara couldn't help but grin at her companion. Lena was stunning when she laughed. Not that she wasn't always stunning.

"Hey! That is uncalled for." Kara gently slapped Alex's arm, drawing further chuckles out of both Alex and Lena.

"I do find her quiet charming actually, Alex." Lena prodded, having a little fun.

"Urgh," Alex took another sip, "you two are made for each other."

Kara spoke quickly to hide her encroaching blush, "Do you want to hear another joke?"

Lena raised her eyebrows in interest. "Sure?"

Alex rolled her eyes as Kara made a show of cracking her knuckles. "Alright, here we go. What was the last thing that went through Gatsby's mind before he died?"

Alex threw back the rest of her drink.

"A jumble of melancholic thoughts about how he took the blame for the murder his married lover did and how she still left him for her husband- who was a downright dick but realistically, they both were but I'm digressing- because of his money?" Lena looked on, completely nonchalant about the words she just spoke.

Alex let out a low whistle. "Well, shit just got real. I guess you paid attention in English class."

Kara, herself, felt her mouth open a little, gobsmacked. "Ahem, well...it's a joke so..."

"Just get on with it, Kara. The joke's ruined anyway." Alex shrugged, patting her sister on her back knowingly. It was one of Kara's favourite jokes after all. Lena smiled, knowing that she threw Kara off her game.

"Right! Right." Kara shifted, "Well, the last thing to go through Gatsby's mind was a bullet."

Lena actually laughed at that and Kara looked at her a little worried. Alex just grabbed another flute of champagne from a passing waiter.

The bidding was going well from what Lena could tell. The beautiful artworks on display allowed her to reach her charity goal in an hour, so whatever was donated now was just a bonus she could use for different charities. That being said, less than half her attention was actually on the bidding taking place. The drone of the announcer and random shouts of the bidders were just a soundtrack to what really caught the majority of Lena's attention.

Kara.

Kara in that damned suit with the biggest fucking smile on her face as she sipped human alcohol whilst laughing with her sister. Everything in that image was what Lena had wanted for years. That easy happiness between two people that knew each other so well that whole conversations could be held in a glance. She used to have that with Lex.

When Lena was seven, she attended her first proper event as a Luthor- the annual Luthor Christmas Ball. The previous three years had been spent on expensive tutors teaching her how to be a lady. Everything from how to sit and stand to getting rid of her slight lisp due to her underbite. It was either get rid of the lisp or Lillian paying a lot of money for jaw surgery. Lena really liked the way her face was, so she tried her hardest to keep it that way. If that meant gruelling sessions with a speech pathologist with a heavy hand and full days of lessons that Lena thought were actually forms of cruel and unusual punishment, then so be it. This was her family; all of this came from a place of love.

Right?

They had to love her. They were just looking out for her wellbeing, right?

Lena fondly remembered being announced as she walked down the main staircase in the Luthor mansion, arm-in-arm with Lex. People in beautiful outfits clapped as she was announced, for the first time, publicly as a Luthor. Lionel's grin made his eyes squint and Lillian's glare was a little less cold.

A massive Christmas tree stood witness to the party around it, a tower of fir, silver trim and delicate ornaments. Ice sculptures stood sentinel intermittently with the suits of armour. Little Lena's eyes grew at the display of grandeur surrounding her. All this wasn't here yesterday and Lena's mind was abundant with thoughts of logistics.

When they finally reached the floor, everyone was so big compared to her that she couldn't see anything but her immediate vicinity. Lex, ever the gallant knight, didn't leave her side the whole party. Telling jokes and pulling faces behind people's back to keep her entertained. It was then that Lena really felt accepted into the family. Lex loved her, he really did.

Only he didn't anymore.

Lex loved her once, Lena knew that in her bones. When they used to star gaze on the hill, sharing stories of poor Greek legends and the soap opera that was the Gods, Lena used to wish with all the might in her little body that Lex, by some miracle, was actually her brother by blood. Every shooting star she saw carried that one wish until she was too old to wish on stars. Then...then she went out of her way to make people forget that she was adopted. She went toe to toe with Lex in everything. She needed people to believe that there was no way that they weren't related by blood because they were

so similar.

Now, the very idea made Lena sick.

That man was not her brother.

She was only a Luthor by name and even that was too much.

Lena looked around her party. The glorious colour around her muted to duller tones, the chatter of guest mixed into turbulent noise and the air in her lungs felt thick. Lena clenched her jaw. A tell-tale ache started in the base of her skull as the backs of her eyes throbbed and her lungs felt heavy.

That smell, the horrid smell that was not a smell, seeped into her very pores. She could feel the fucking heavy weight of that vile Death cloaking her in its shroud. Taunting her, mocking her failures. Lena screwed her eyes shut. She knew it didn't do anything, the Death was a manifestation of her guilt. Lena understood that, but it didn't make it any less real.

Lean startled out of her memories by the warm, strong hand on her bare back. The shock of sensation snapped her out of her trance. Colours regained their lustre, sounds their layered beauty and the air was suddenly lighter.

Looking over her shoulder, she found the startling blue of Kara's eyes looking at her questioningly. Lena turned to fully face her companion, feeling that same hand slowly trace down the bend of her spine to eventually rest on her hip. Lena forced herself to repress the shudder the slow movement caused as she moved a little closer to Kara.

"I need some air." Lena whispered, looking around the crowd, noticing that Alex had disappeared again.

Without another word, Kara lead her via the hand on her hip to a door just behind the stage. No one was meant to go through there but honestly, Lena couldn't care less. She opened the door as the Kryptonian made sure that no one noticed their departure. Deeming the coast as clear, Kara closed the door behind her only to stop in her tracks to look around.

They had found themselves in a beautifully small patio that was overgrowing with flora. Solar- powered fairy lights revealed a range of plants with their warm glow. The paved, brick floor was uneven due to stubborn moss and ferns pushing their way through. Water dripped evenly somewhere nearby, playing metronome to Kara's calm breaths and Lena's calming ones.

The one downside to the location was that it was outside and the hour was growing late. A chill must have swept through during the function, making Lena's backless dress a poor choice of armour for the cold assault. She brought her arms up in a poor attempt to regain some warmth, running her hands up and down to create friction.

Lena's efforts were interrupted by the smooth silk of Kara's suit jacket sliding over her shoulders. The item a little too large for her smaller shoulders, but definitely comfortable and warm. Lena pulled it around herself, forgoing putting her hands through the selves in favour holding the jacket's lapels closed.

The warmth increased ten-fold when strong yet tender arms snaked themselves around her waist, pulling Lena into the Kryptonian's front. Lena leant into the woman behind her, enjoying the closeness between them as Kara placed a lingering kiss to her forehead.

"Are you feeling any better." Kara hushed into the soft locks behind her ear.

Lena smiled, turning her head into Kara's until they were cheek to cheek. It was so strange. By nature, Lena was not a person to show affection through contact. Well, at least she assumed so. Lena didn't have many people she was close enough with to state that with any sort of accuracy but everything with Kara was a little different. Being able to see, interact and affect Kara was such a novel experience to the Littlest Luthor. Being in the presence of someone that understood her, finally, was like drinking water after being stuck in the desert. It was both instant relief and completely addicting.

Lena didn't mind being an addict if Kara was her drug.

"I feel much better now. Thank you for the suit jacket." Lena placed a kiss on a soft cheek, feeling Kara lean into it.

"It's no trouble, Miss. Luthor. After all, it is my job to help those in need."

The quip pulled a laugh out of Lena, eradicating her low mood and urging her to turn until she was actually facing Kara. They wore matching grins, Kara's full of teeth and Lena's all squinty eyed. "Well, Miss. Zor-El, I must be a very lucky woman."

Kara laughed, her cheeks taking a rosy tint as Lena felt joy bubble low in her stomach. Kara leant into Lena's space, a cheeky glint in her eyes as she pulled Lena closer. Intertwining their fingers, Kara asked a question in a serious tone but Lena could feel a little insecurity.

"May I have this dance?" Kara's face was a mask of playful seriousness.

"But there isn't any music, Kara?" Lena inquired. The patio was silent of anything musical in nature.

"Ah, well out here there isn't," Kara grinned, "but you forget, Miss. Luthor, that I seem to have exceptional hearing and that lovely chamber orchestra is playing one of my favourites."

Lena chuckled, "Ah yes, indeed that little fact had slipped my mind." Lena played along. "And what may the piece be?"

"Danse Macabre, Op. 40." Kara answered promptly.

"By Camille Saint-Saëns? I wouldn't have picked a song about Death to be your favourite." Lena mused, familiar with that piece. It was a beautiful piece of music, but Lena preferred Saint-Saëns' 'The Swan' and 'The Aquarium' to it.

"I like how it personifies Death with clever musical notation." Kara pulled Lena into a classic dancing position, placing her hand on the CEO's waist as Lena put hers on Kara's shoulder.

"It is quite an interesting piece, I agree." Lena got ready in their new position. She could feel her muscles waiting to move into practiced steps. "Where are we in the music?"

"The sixth stroke of midnight."

"We start after the Diablo en Musica, when the flute solo comes in?"

"Uh-ha." Kara agreed.

Lena watched the concentration on Kara's face as she listened to the piece in the adjacent room. It was only moments before they were off into a fast waltz.

Out there, in the cool night air with Kara's jacket imitating a cape and waltzing to unheard music, at

least for her, Lena didn't want to be anywhere else in the world. Kara was a great partner, leading but no overbearing, allowing Lena for some creative freedom. Kara did well to keep them in time with the changing tempos of the piece effortlessly, Lena following as best she could with the piece playing along in her head.

Lena spun out, laughing as she twirled, her heels hitting the bricks with measured steps as Kara pulled her back in closer. They were chest to chest now, dancing in circles as the climax grew. Lena closed her eyes as they spun faster and faster until the oddest sensation took place in Lena's gut.

Weightlessness.

The lack of ground under her feet forced Lena's eyes open. She stared at the beautiful woman in front of her, gobsmacked. Kara had floated them both off the ground, growing higher and higher with every bar of the piece that past. The breath stopped in Lena's lungs. Not because of her hatred for flying, for she felt safe in Kara's arms, but for the sight of the raw emotion on the Kryptonian's face as their figures were surrounded by a starlit sky.

Still they danced, Lena now completely at Kara's mercy but not minding one bit. They're motions grew hurried still until, abruptly, it all stopped. They stood, motionless, in a sea of pin-pricked ink black.

"Did the rooster crow?" Lena asked, placing her forehead against Kara's in a eskimo kiss. "Yeah." Kara sighed, her voice stolen by the night air.

They picked up into a slower sway, suiting the sombre change in the music, as they gently floated back down to Earth. Their feet landing on the ground as the last two string plucks were played. Kara stepped away, bowing handsomely as Lena curtsied in return.

Both of their hair was a little windswept as they made their way back inside. Lena returning Kara's suit jacket to her and receiving a kiss to the cheek in thanks. They made sure that no lipstick was anywhere it shouldn't be before they returned to the fundraiser.

They melded seamlessly into the crowd, the bidding was drawing to a close soon and Lena needed to make sure that the kitchens were almost done preparing dinner. Lena told Kara as much as she directed the Kryptonian towards the finger foods floating around. She had dropped Kara off with the poor waiter serving the potstickers and left towards the kitchens. She was almost there when she was stopped by a slime ball of a man just feet aaway from her desired destination.

Winston Smith stood before her in all his sleazy glory.

The ill-fitting black suit, black shirt and black-tie combo did nought to hide his protruding beer belly. The circular, thin framed glasses perched at the end of Mr. Smith's nose made his face look rounder, a fact which was accentuated by the greased back nature of his hair. Lena repressed a shudder as she smiled charmingly at him. A gesture he returned, showing off his perfect teeth as his beady eyes roamed over her figure.

"Miss. Luthor, I've been trying to gain audience with you all evening." For a slimy, little man, he had a ridiculously smooth voice.

Lena raised an eyebrow at his opener, "Ah, Mr. Smith, I'm sorry, I've been busy making sure that the function was running smoothly."

"And what a beautiful event it is. Lionel would have been proud."

"You knew my father?" Lena's interest was quipped. There was a possibility that Mr. Smith did have a working relationship with her father. LuthorCorp. did work with Lord Tech. in the past during the beginning of Maxwell's career. It was around the fourth year that Lord Tech. started in which LuthorCorp. broke ties with them over a contract dispute. Since then, the two companies had been rivals.

"Yes. Lionel and I worked side by side along with Addington Engines to revolutionise small plane models years ago."

"Addington Engines? Isn't that your mother's company?" Lena prodded.

"Ah, and here I was thinking that you didn't care about us small fish." Mr. Smith chuckled, stepping a little closer. Lena fought down the urge to step back, she was getting somewhere and she couldn't risk it.

"Well, Mr. Smith, it pays to know the people around you." Lena smiled back, the gesture not reaching her eyes. "And Addington Engines is hardly a small company. Your mother has a monopoly on aeroplane engine design and manufacturing in Europe."

Mr. Smith nodded, "Well, mother likes to be depended on." He chuckled, forcing Lena to laugh along at the odd comment.

It was apparently the wrong thing to do as Mr. Smith grew a little too forward. He shuffled closer still, the black of his irises taking a hungry gleam that made Lena's stomach revolt. His twitching hands slowly started towards her waist and Lena grew ridged. She didn't want to say or do anything, not because she was helpless but because if she reacted, then any further interaction with the man would be off the table. Lena steeled herself for his incoming touch, wishing she was anywhere else but here.

Kara felt that something was wrong only minutes after Lena walked away. She was already three potstickers in, the poor waiter looking at her with wide eyes as she pushed them in her mouth one after the other, when she felt a jolt of thick disdain creep across her skin. She paused mid chew, her brow furrowed as she zeroed in on Lena's heartbeat.

The erratic beating jolted her into action, prompting her to swallow, grab another potsticker and fast walk through the crowded room. Kara used Lena's heartbeat as a tracker, slipping between groups and couples, not caring if she appeared rude. The only thing on her mind was Lena.

Lena, Lena, Lena, Lena, Lena.

And what she saw ignited a fire in her chest, hell, it was a raging bloody inferno feeding into the primal need to protect her companion. Winston fucking Smith was standing entirely too close to the CEO and Lena, for her part, was showing all the signs of being uncomfortable. She was ringing her hands, her neck and shoulder muscles were taunt into stiff bundles, her jaw clenched and she was even leaning the slightest bit away.

But Lena was too fucking nice and the limp fish of a man was taking advantage.

Kara needed to step in, and step in she did. Smoothly, like oil gliding over glass, she approached. Her eyes darting over the scene, taking in all Smith's points of weakness. His feet were too wide apart, probably as a display of power but it left him unbalanced. The hand slowly extending to Lena's waist left his whole right side open to attack and Kara would have given anything to crush

the bones in the fucker's body.

Kara walked up to them, letting Lena know she was here through the sheer protectiveness and rage boiling in her blood and through the trail of her fingers against the Luthor's back. Kara felt Lena instantly relax into her hand as she came to stand beside her. Kara played her own power move, encircling Lena's waist into a side hug as she took Smith's encroaching hand into a handshake.

Kara felt Lena's instant relief at her interruption as Kara looked at the lack of smile on Smith's face.

"Lena! I was wondering where you had run off too." Kara looked at her companion, the relief evident in Lena's eyes stoking the burning fire in her lungs. "Hello!" Kara said with faux cheer, turning to the confused man. "I'm Kara Danvers with CatCo. Worldwide Media. I would just like to ask you a few questions, Mr. Smith."

That brought the bastards smile back.

"Sure, Miss. Danvers." He purred, shifting all his attention to Kara, making her more revolted. "Fire away."

"Why is it that you are working at Lord Tech. when you should be learning the ropes of the company that you are going to inherit?" Kara shot. She couldn't hurt him physically, at least not as Kara Danvers, but sometimes attacking someone's pride dealt a more devastating blow.

Smith's face fell into a mask of nothingness. "Isn't CatCo. a media company known for fashion and trends?"

Kara smirked. "Well, we do have a very successful fashion newsletter and are extremely current on all hot topics, but Mr. Smith, do you not read the paper?" The man scowled and Kara had to hide her laughter, feeling Lena's back muscles clench in her attempt to hide her own. "CatCo.'s main concern is unbiased news and, Mr. Smith, we happen to find ourselves at National City's hottest party this year."

At that Lena did chuckle a little, causing Smith's frown to deepen.

"Answer the question, Mr. Smith. Miss. Danvers here is just doing her job." Lena urged, pulling Smith's attention back on her. Both Lena and Kara knew it was a lie, Kara wasn't here on business.

"Well," Smith cleared his throat, eyeing the two women in front of him, "Every Addington heir has to work for three years at another company before they can work at the company itself. It's a tradition that's run through the family for generations. Helps build character or something." He waved off.

"But, then why have you been at Lord Tech. for five years, Mr. Smith? Shouldn't you be back in London learning from your mother?" Kara asked, head titling and innocence in her voice.

Smith adjusted his collar. Kara noticed the faster beat of his heart and the increase in his body temperature.

"W-Well," his voice cracked, "I have some unfinished business here in National City and Mr. Lord, a good friend of mine, has allowed me a position in his company for as long as I need."

Now that was interesting. "Unfinished business? Care to elaborate?" Kara raised both her eyebrows, Lena mirroring her with just one, as she fell into actual reporter mode.

The man shifted on his feet, his eyes moving to the top left as he itched his nose before speaking.

"Do you hear that? I think they're about to serve dinner, I promised Miss. Frances that I would sit next to her. It was nice chatting."

Kara had never seen a dickward move so fast.

Kara let go of Lena, allowing her some space to breathe as she pulled a glass of water off a passing waiter. She handed it to the CEO, watching as Lena drank it without pause. Kara took the empty glass from her hands, placing it on a nearby table as she watched Lena crack her knuckles and calm down a little.

It was only a few moments before Lena spoke. "Thank you for saving me there."

Kara shook her head, "No need for thanks Lena, you would have done the same for me. That...and it took almost all my will power not to snap his fucking hand off."

Lena gave a little smile at the profanity. "My knight in shining armour." Lena droned, the grin playing at her lips stealing all of Kara's attention. The CEO moved closer, slipping her hands under Kara's jacket and sliding her arms against the silk of the waistcoat until she encircled the blushing Kryptonian.

Kara watched Lena ducked her head down, abashed at Kara's staring, and freeing some of the loose hair behind her ear. With tentative fingers, Kara reached out, brushing the strands out of the way and tucking it behind the CEO's steadily reddening ears.

Lena cleared her throat, stepping away from Kara's fingers and looking around at the crowd. Kara pulled her hands back, coming back to herself as she placed them into her pockets casually, missing Lena's closeness but understanding the situation they were in.

"Well,weknowMr.SleazyMc Slimeballislyingaboutsomething."Karastarted,movingonfrom the moment casually as she spotted Alex making her way towards them.

"Oh yeah?" Lena looked her in the eyes.

They were so green at the moment and poor Kara couldn't stop looking. It was fascinating. Kara had noticed that over time, Lena's eyes would change colour gradually. Sometimes they were more of a hazel, the green only on the outer edges of the iris. Other times they were a sparkling emerald, like now. There were even times when her eyes appeared a striking blue, but most commonly, Lena's eyes were a mixture of all three. It was almost as if the ever-changing eye colours were a metaphor for the complex person that the Littlest Luthor was.

Kara cleared her throat, "Yeah. His heart and eye movements gave him away."

"True. I noticed his shifting, eye movements and he itched his nose. There's something he doesn't want us to know." Lena sighed. "That, and dinner will only be served in ten minutes or so. Honestly, you would think he'd be better at lying if he had something to hide."

Alex finally reached them, surprisingly without any alcohol in hand but she did have a scowl on her face. Kara hugged her sister hello and Lena shot Alex a smile. One which was actually returned, which was a good sign if Kara had ever seen one, but the oldest Danvers' face returned to the annoyed looked.

"What's wrong, Alex." Lena was the first to ask.

Alex scoffed, "Nothing much. Just bloody Lord thinking his charms would work on me."

Now Kara groaned. "Same thing just happened to us."

"Yeah, Lord's little bud, Winston Smith tried his charms on me." Lena said, shuddering a little. Alex walked forward, placing a hand on Lena's shoulder and rubbing soothingly. Kara admired the moment of solidarity, another rare occurrence for Alex with people she just met.

"What is it with entitled business men and their need to be creepers?"

"Honestly, Kara, if I knew I would write a bestselling novel or something. God knows that I have to put up with it often enough." Lena deadpanned.

Both sisters laughed as Lena smiled. Alex stepped back, clutching her stomach and mood infinitely better. "Well, I heard that dinner is being served soon, are we sitting together or do you need to do hostess stuff or something?" Alex asked.

"Well, I was on the way to the kitchens to check up on them, so I should still go do that. Why don't you two go grab a table and please save me a seat." Lena smiled one last smile before she took off with a 'see you soon' thrown over her beautiful shoulder. Kara grinned back before she was dragged by the arm to an empty table.

They sat down, the multiple eating utensils giving Kara the impression of a The Princess Diaries movie and making her feel a bit like Mia before she knew how to use them. Why the hell do you need so many forks? They were metal, for Rao's sake, they could be reused for the next course.

Kara turned to Alex in a bid to ask her sister the meaning of this excessiveness when she stopped in her tracks. Alex was staring at her with the same expression she wore when doing puzzles. It was a mixture of confusion, shear brainpower and contemplation. For Kara, however, it couldn't mean anything good.

Kara fiddled with the napkin on her plate, starting to fold it into a swan to give her hands something to do whilst she waited for Alex to ask what she wanted. Kara's nerves only grew more as the seconds passed, to make matters worse, she had an inkling as to what had Alex puzzled.

Kara was about to tear the poor birds head off with her twitching fingers when Alex put her out of her misery.

"You two seem awfully close." Alex probed. Kara's hands stilled, "W-Who?"

Alex gave her an unimpressed look. "Seriously? Who do you think dumbass? You and Lena." She good naturedly chastised.

Kara moved her fiddling hands to her lap. "You could say that." Alex raised an eyebrow. "W-Well," Kara swallowed, trying to think of an excuse that wasn't the truth, "I'm Lena's only real friend here. We've spent a lot of time together in the last two weeks, so she feels comfortable around me?"

"Are you asking me or telling me?" Alex said, a sly grin playing on her lips at her sisters' clear discomfort.

"T-Telling you? I mean, I'm telling you." Kara accented it with a firm nod. "We're just really close friends. Like best friends...BFFs!"

Alex shot her an incredulous look, "BFFs huh?" A pause, "Well, good for you Kara. I like her. I'm telling Winn that you replaced him though." Alex smiled, turning to grab the bottle of red from the

centre of the table.

Kara was speechless as Alex poured them both a glass of Merlot. Kara was on her second sip, contemplating Alex's angle and questioning (she had come to the conclusion that Lena and her needed to tone down the open displays of affection in public) when the CEO pulled out the seat next to her.

"Dinner is being served now. I hope you like roast duck or chicken." Lena smiled. Kara couldn't help but smile back. Lena knew that Kara ate everything but she had probed the younger Danvers for Alex's favourite food earlier in the week. Most people assumed it was a steak or something hearty, but in reality, Alex was extremely fond of a good roast duck.

There was a story behind that, Kara mused. Back when Jeremiah Danvers was still around and before Kara crash landed on earth, the Danvers family used to go camping near a lake a little bit out of Midvale. The next-door family, the Appleton's, would join them on the camping trip more often than not, adding Mr. and Mrs. Appleton and their son, Jonathan to the Danvers crew.

All six of them would camp out by the lake for three days, doing an array of different activities like jet skiing, swimming, catching fire flies and duck hunting when it was in season. Alex never went hunting, not seeing the point in waiting for hours to kill an animal when you could buy it from a store already dead. That didn't mean, however, that she had a problem eating duck. Especially, Mrs. Appleton's roast duck.

That duck could probably change lives.

The Danvers, being a poorer family to the Appleton's, never got to eat duck as it was extremely expensive to buy in Midvale. Therefore, Alex associated fond memories with the meal because she always ate it when she was happy.

Of course, when Kara was adopted, the camping trips with the Appleton family stopped due to Jeremiah's paranoia. Eventually, the Appleton's moved out of Midvale and to Russia for better schooling opportunities for Jonathan, totally decimating any future opportunity for a camping trip and any chance of Alex eating that roast duck again. In fact, not being able to eat that roast duck was a primary reason why Alex hated Kara in her first years living with the family.

Presently, Alex smiled at Lena over Kara, excitement in her eyes at the meal options. Lena relaxed a little, knowing that she made the right choice in asking Kara. Honestly, Kara found it cute that Lena was trying so hard to please Alex. It meant a lot to her that her companion was willing to foster a good relationship with her sister. Family was everything to Kara and Lena trying so hard made her swoon a little. Hell, it made her swoon a lot.

She tried to cover the happiness she felt by sipping from her glass, but she knew Lena caught it if the slight smirk shot her way was anything to go by. Kara chuckled, placing her glass back on the table and allowing a waiter to place the napkin on her lap. They did that for everyone at the table before serving dinner.

Alex got the duck (she would later deny the little jig she did in her seat) whilst both Kara and Lena got the chicken. Kara dug in with gusto, suddenly realising how hungry she was, whilst the other two ate at a politer pace, aware of public decency.

The night continued on pleasantly. After dinner was done and dessert was eaten, much of the crowd departed happy and tired. Kara was a little giddy off Lena's happiness; the night had gone swimmingly. They raised millions above the predicted amount, allowing Lena to donate to multiple charities instead of just the one. Alex was tipsy. The merlot, apparently, was the tipping point for the

eldest Danvers. A tipsy Alex was not a fun Alex, at least not in a traditional sense. Strangely enough, Alex got into existential philosophy when inebriated, an opportunity which Lena jumped at.

And that was where the trio found themselves in the cool night air. Lena in Kara's jacket, Alex prattling on about the differences between existentialism and nihilism and Kara completely content with life as they all waited for Frankie to come around with the car. Once the kind driver reached them, they all piled in one after the other, Lena in the middle, and were off zipping down the quiet streets.

"I used to live my life by Camus' quote: 'Should I kill myself or have a cup of coffee?'" Lena stated, reminiscing about college.

"What type of quote is that?" Kara retorted, aghast at the nonsensical comparison.

"Not in a literal sense, Kar. Geeze." Alex groaned. "What Camus meant was that every bloody day we have the ability to make choices that could have a great effect or pretty much no affect at all."

"Exactly!" Lena agreed, "I liked the idea that I had freedom to do anything I wanted with my life. That there was no different in my choice to have a cup of coffee in the morning or a cup of bleach."

"Lena." Kara warned. "Those are very different choices."

"But if she was an existentialist," Alex jumped in, "There would be no difference between the two." "Yeah. Don't forget that Camus was an absurdist, not an existentialist, Alex-"

"Sorry."

"or a nihilist. That school of philosophy states that there is no origin in life, therefore there is no meaning or purpose. With this framework, it would make absolutely no difference whether I would get a cup of coffee or throw myself off a balcony. I could do either or neither but altogether, the choice I would make would be of no cosmic consequence and thus utterly meaningless." Lena rambled. Kara growing a little worried at the train of conversation.

"That being said, I think my favourite quote of his is: 'In the midst of Winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer." Alex replied, sighing at the quote.

"I remember! That was on a poster on your wall!" Kara jumped in, excited that she could contribute finally.

"I wouldn't have picked you to favour one of his more romantic quotes, Alex." Lena looked at the Danvers sister with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't you raise that eyebrow at me, Little Luthor. That quote helped me get through some tough times."

They grew silent, Alex staring out the window as they turned into her street, but Lena, well Kara could feel the muddled emotions twisting in her gut. It was in reaction to the nickname Alex had given her, 'Little Luthor,' Kara knew tha-

Alex turned dramatically towards Lena, pulling the CEO into an awkward hug that caught her off guard. "I didn't mean anything by the name. You are the Littlest Luthor and I'm pretty proud of the alliteration. I call Kara 'Little Danvers' sometimes when I'm annoying her so it's nothing special."

With that, Alex let go, opened the car door (which was stationary), closed it behind her and made her

way to her apartment. Both Kara and Lena were a little stunned at the hasty retreat, watching the building as the car pulled away from the curb.

The partition came down, revealing a smiling Frankie. "Where are we off to, Miss. Luthor?"

Lena shook her head out of her stupor, looking at Kara as if she had the answers. Kara shrugged her shoulders, she honestly didn't mind, but one thing was for sure, Kara didn't want to part from Lena's side.

Kara watched as Lena mock glared at her indecisiveness, a gesture she returned because they were both indecisive, before the CEO turned to her driver and asked to take them to her apartment. As the divider went up, the duo settled back into their seats, albeit much closer than before.

They stumbled into the clean apartment, Lena's shoes in her hand and Kara's arm around her waist. Her mind was a little floaty but Lena was cognizant enough to be coherent and poised but most importantly of all, she felt peaceful. Her event was a major success, Alex liked her enough to debate philosophy with her and Kara was her beautiful, amazing self.

Her beautiful, amazing self in that gorgeous charcoal and green suit with that delightful waistcoat that showed off her figure. Lena swallowed her sudden salivation, extracting herself from Kara's half embrace and swaggering to the kitchen and pulling two different bottles down from her shelf. One contained a fluorescent pink Oxvirian Rum (obviously for Kara) and the other was some Midori.

"Don't you think we drank enough today?" Kara asked, walking into the kitchen and sitting at one of the bar stools.

Lena poured some of the beverages in two separate glasses. Handing the pink one to Kara, she replied. "You can't even get drunk on the human stuff-"

"But you can." Kara interrupted.

"Well, I just want to have one proper drink with you, that's all." Lena said. She was honest. Sure, she had consumed more than an average amount of alcohol at the party (Lena blamed nerves), but in Lena's mind it was paramount that Kara would have at least one proper drink with her tonight.

"Fine." Kara gave in much easier than Lena expected. "But only one drink." Kara held up a finger to emphasise the point.

Lena rolled her eyes, "That's all I asked for, Kara."

"Well, then. If we're only having on drink, I would like to propose a toast." "Oh?"

"Yes," Kara loosened her tie, undoing the top button on her shirt.

Like a hawk, Lena took in the newly exposed skin. There was something so inherently sexy about clothes. It was beguiling, Lena mused, the way that clothes hid things from sight, allowing imagination to play part in appreciating another's form.

God, Lena was a little past tipsy it seemed. "Lena?" Kara's voice snapped her out of it.

"Y-Yeah?" Lena shook her head, running her sweating palms over the fabric of her dress to dry them.

"I've called you five times now, what's up?"

"Nothing, nothing." Lena waved off unconvincingly. Kara looked at her unbelievingly before letting the CEO have it.

"Well, as I said before. I would like to propose a toast."

They both raised their glasses up, looking at each other across the kitchen island. "To a wonderful night,"

"To a wonderful night," Lena repeated.

"Fantastic company,"

"Fantastic company,"

"A successful event,"

"A success event,"

"And to L-Corp."

"And to L-Corp."

They both took a mouthful of their colourful drinks as a comfortable silence fell over the two. It had been a long day and Lena could feel it weighing her very bones but honestly, she didn't care that she was sleep deprived and running on alcohol and coffee. She was standing in her kitchen with the most beautiful being she had ever seen that just so happened to share her emotions.

Life was looking up.

They eventually got ready for bed. True to her word, they did only have one drink (and then several glasses of water) before they called it a night. Kara borrowed Lena's old flannel pyjama pants and white tank top and had gone to the bathroom to change, whilst Lena opted for some sweats and an old college t-shirt. Even though the apartment was a little cold, Kara ran like a bloody space heater and Lena hated overheating.

Lena's contacts were successfully out and she was sitting under the covers with a book on her lap, The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch, and her large spectacles partially sliding down her nose. She could hear Kara brushing her teeth with the new spare tooth brush Lena had in the adjacent bathroom. She had read a good five pages before Kara was done getting ready for bed. Lena was broken out of her escapism by the sound of the bathroom door opening and she headed straight into another escapist fantasy.

Holy shit, Kara was ripped.

Lena knew that! She had felt the muscles under the cardigans and the super suit but to actually see the wonderfully neat bundles of sinew blanked Lena's brain a little. The sternocleidormastoid muscles literally made a perfect V shape, pointing into two beautifully prominent collar bones. Lena was a sucker for collar bones.

The tank top also did a lovely job of showing off Kara's defines biceps, triceps – heck, even her

forearms were well defined.

Lena slid a little further into the bed, closing her book and watching has Kara got under the covers too, the glasses still on Kara's face. Once Kara was settled, she turned to Lena, striking blue eyes watching her from behind useless lenses.

"Every time I see you with glasses, it makes me wonder." Kara mused, her voice low and relaxed.

Lena was confused as she laid down facing Kara, "Wonder about what?"

Kara looked at her a few moments before answering, "Why you don't wear them out in public."

Lena scoffed, "Seriously? These?" She pointed at the offending item. "I don't look good in glasses." Lena grumbled, making to take them off but Kara's hands stopped her before she could.

"None sense. Anyone who told you that is clinically insane and needs to go get help."

"My mother told me that, but really, you're not wrong...about the insane part." Lena closed her eyes as Kara fiddled with her frames. Running tentative fingers over the black metal, careful to avoid marking the lenses. "She said that having imperfect vision was a weakness. Luthor's do not show weakness."

"Well, she's wrong because the woman I see, laying before me, is anything but weak. Hell, you lived through a plane crash, proceeded to go to work the next day, are on a mission to find the person that sabotaged you, took over a Fortune 500 company, are living with the stigma of your brother and your father, you just hosted your first major function as CEO in which you changed the company's fucking name and it was successful. Fuck Lena, you are bloody brilliant and wearing contacts or glasses would not change that fact."

Lena could only watch as Kara grew passionate in her ranting. Her brow furrowed, tongue licking lips in between words as Lena felt her hands want to start waving. Lena's heart stuttered that the boisterous pride running around her chest and she couldn't, her face scrunching; eternally grateful to the person in front of her. Kara smiled back, taking off Lena glasses, folding them and leaning over to place them on the night stand.

"Let's not forget about you, Miss. Superheroine with a proper job as a reporter for one of the leading media companies in the US of A. An alien rights activist that works with a secret government cooperation that helps catch criminals and rehabilitate disadvantaged aliens. Hell Kara, you were an assistant to the Cat fucking Grant for two years before she promoted you, herself, into your own office. I don't that has happened to anyone, ever."

Now it was Lena's turn to burst with pride. "Not to mention all you have achieved as your caped alter ego. Crime rate is at an all-time low, you were a key factor to the alien amnesty act and you give hope and safety to so so many people- with or without your glasses."

Now Lena reached over, taking Kara glasses by the temples and slowly sliding it off the heroine's face. Placing a soft kiss to her forehead, Lena folded the glasses and put them on the nightstand. When she turned back around, Kara surprised her with a quick kiss of her own to Lena's forehead.

"I'm so happy we found each other." Kara whispered, placing a warm arm over Lena's waist as the CEO shuffled in further.

Lena, being the shorter one of the two, buried her face in the nape of Kara's neck. "Me too, I honestly don't know where I'd be if it wasn't for you." Lena contently sighed. In a louder voice, she spoke. "Apartment: Lights Off."

With that, the apartment descended into darkness and Lena nuzzled in further.

"Holy shit, that's so cool."

Lena chuckled, wondering how in the world she was lucky enough to know this dope.

Chapter End Notes

Congrats, you made it to the end! Well, done haha... Thanks so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!

I don't have much to say here, so let me ask you a question: What is your favourite classical music piece?

If classical music ain't your thing, then recommend me a song to listen to (or you could do both.) :D

I, myself, have way too many, but 'Danse Macabre' by Camille Saint-Saens is a long time fav. That, and his Aquarium is beautiful. I am a clarinet player, however, and one of my favourites to play is "The Carnival of Venice' by Jean Jean. That piece has won me many a competition haha.

Chapter 8

Chapter Notes ;)

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Kara groaned, body stretching across the length of the bed as she pushed her muscles into a lazy wakefulness. Well, at least she tried too. The movement was hindered by a very soft, very pliant body clinging to her back. A nose nuzzling into the nape of her neck pulling a soft giggle from her lips. Kara smiled sleepily into the peaceful apartment, absolutely content with her life.

Rao, Kara loved mornings.

Weak sunlight filtered through the drawn curtains, revealing an overcast day. Hopefully they would get some rain later, but Kara wasn't betting on it. The clouds were too high up after all and the drought didn't seem to be showing any weakness.

Lena's heavy blanket was kicked to around their waists during the night. Kara's body heat making the item a tad useless. That being said, throughout the night, Lena's body temperature would have drop 1 -2 degrees on average, leading the CEO to seek out warmth subconsciously. At least, that's what Kara reasoned as one of Lena's legs was curled around hers, the shorter woman's pale skin contrasting against her tan hide. Kara's tank top had ridden up during the night, resultant of her obvious shifting, the material would be showing off her defined abdominals if it wasn't for the beautiful, pale hand obstructing the view.

She sucked in a breath, watching Lena's hand sink along with her stomach, pale fingers curling with the movement, drawing goosebumps over Kara's skin and shooting shudders up her spine. Holy hell. Kara's mind kicked into over drive, her heartrate spiking and her blood suddenly rushing.

There was nothing sexual about the way Lena was holding her, but Kara's body didn't care. Lena was impossibly close, and all Kara could think about was getting even closer. She leaned further back, pressing herself against Lena's front in an effort to gain as much physical contact as possible. The CEO behind her shifted to accommodate the new pressure, their legs tangling further and Lena's hand rubbing her undulating abdominals with soft, absent minded strokes.

Kara's eyelids fluttered closed, a groan stole from the back of her throat. Her mind flashed images of Lena in that dress, the muscles of her back working in tandem has she played the crowd. Lena with that smile as they danced under starlight to a piece only Kara could hear. Lena, with her sharp jaw lifted defiantly as she explained L-Corp.'s mission to a crowd more concerned about fashion than future.

Lena. Lena. Lena. Lena.

Kara shifted her hips, a heat settling low in her abdomen, fingers tangling with the hand on her stomach and her other hand reaching behind her to pull Lena closer. Rao, she wanted to be closer. Her blood was liquid fire in need of quenching, her breath was frost in need of warmth and her skin yearned to be discovered by unfamiliarly familiar hands.

"Kara." The voice was soft. A hushed whisper to Kara's growingly frantic movements, and yet, like an alarm it woke Kara from her daze.

With the speed of a bullet and the gentleness of a lazing cat, Kara shot out of the CEO's embrace and onto the cool wooden floors. Her chest heaved as she stood flat against the wall, as far away from the bed as she could be without being in another room. All her senses homed in on the sole occupant of the bed, watching to see what would happen next.

The figure shifted, and Kara held her breath. Her body was angry at the lack of fulfillment, but Kara's mind was stronger than her urges. Lena shifted again, an elegant arm reaching out for Kara's pillow, pulling it into her body as she huddled into it with a sigh. Kara released her breath, thanking Rao that Lena was still asleep and not privy to Kara's moment of weakness.

With light steps, Kara padded her way into the bare kitchen, looking for something to occupy her time or to take her mind off the persistent heat in her pants. Obviously, it was the latter, so Kara tried her darndest to ignore her need. She couldn't believe what she had almost done.

She had almost taken advantage of her friend, her bloody companion, because she couldn't keep it in her pants. Sure, Kara wasn't going to actually use Lena like that, but the CEO's presence was an aphrodisiac and Kara was a very willing victim.

Rao.

Still, even if she wasn't in her right mind, Kara felt dirty for what she almost did. She hated that sometimes her actions controlled her thoughts. She hated how sometimes her body and her mind were two separate entities battling for control. Kara sometimes hated how alien she was, especially when her Kryptonian morality conflicted with her Earthly teachings. Why couldn't she spend time in her friend's presence without the need to take it a step further? To take it a step too far?

This wouldn't have been a problem on Krypton. She would have been matched and that would have been the end of it. But no, instead she had to suffer here on Earth, tied to the most stunning woman she had ever seen.

Rao, Kara was all about consent and yet, here she was, nearly pacing a hole in the floor considering her almost misdemeanour. Kara could see only one way for this to go forward. She would have to confess. Come clean. If she didn't, the guilt would build, and Kara didn't do well keeping secrets from people who knew her; Winn, Alex and even James could attest to that.

But how the hell do you tell someone that the very thought of them turns you on? Or that you've masturbated whilst thinking about them...or the very sight of their hand on your stomach nearly sent you into a lustful haze?

Kara sighed harshly into the still apartment. Opening drawers with a little more force than necessary as she started on making breakfast with fervour. The embarrassed blush on her cheeks rivalling that of the flame on the gas stovetop. She worked in tandem, governing over three separate pans and the toaster like a benevolent ruler who was very liberal in the usage of butter.

Cooking was calming. Kara found it as such ever since working for Mrs. Lee at her restaurant. When Mrs. Lee used to cook, which was not often because the restaurant was usually too busy, it looked like she was performing a well-rehearsed dance. Measurements were done by hand or eye, each movement of the long chopsticks served a purpose. And somehow, no matter what mishap occurred, the food was always delicious. Mrs. Lee taught Kara that cooking was an artform, to use the mistakes as an advantage to create something unique, and Kara took the words to heart.

Sometimes she would stay late at the restaurant making the same dish over and over until the motions became second nature. Obviously, Mrs. Lee never let her cook during opening hours, but the woman was the epitome of patience when Kara asked to learn. So many hours were spent in the humid heat of that kitchen, the aromas of various dishes infusing her hair as her brow crinkled in concentration.

The tutelage paid off, especially in Kara's later life. Cooking was much more cost effective than takeout after all, especially on a cub reporter's salary. It also had the added bonus of portion control and the lack of startled faces at the amount she ate. The second nature of the task allowed Kara's mind to drift, which was normally a useful skill when she was milling over work but today, at this moment, the skill was anything but.

In a matter of minutes, the space was filled with the smell of cooking eggs, toast, mushrooms, spinach and smoked salmon. And Kara, well, she couldn't appreciate any of it because the horrible lead feeling in her gut just grew heavier with every thought circling her synapses. With less than sturdy hands she filled multiple plates with the various condiments.

With that done and after cleaning the pans and utensils with super speed, she pulled a few oranges from Lena's fruit bowl and found a large dish. Kara halved them with perfect positioning of her knife before holding the two halves above the dish and squeezing. The sticky juice ran over her clean fingers, dripping into the dish as pulp pushed through the spaces in-between. She was halfway through squeezing the second last one, mind muddled and mulling, when the sudden intrusion of a cool, wet hand at the back of her neck startled her.

In a spilt second, half an orange imbedded itself into the opposite wall and Kara's assailant was pushed into the kitchen island, wedged between Kara's body and the granite.

"Motherfucker." A thick Irish accent cut the silent apartment air.

And Kara, all tensed muscles, clenched teeth and seized breath, startled when she noticed her attacker's greeny-blue eyes and wild dark hair. With wide eyes, Kara released her hold on the counter, subconsciously noting the finger shaped indents, as she made to take a step back. Only, she was stopped by the same cool, wet hands of one Lena Luthor as she grabbed Kara's shoulders.

Kara halted all movement as she just stared that the beautiful woman pressed into her. "That was a stupid idea, Lena." Kara chastised quietly, "I could have seriously hurt you." Her powers were extremely volatile when reactionary.

"Nonsense," Lena chuckled airily, nose scrunching, "you, my dear, could never hurt me." She accented her point by dropping her head onto Kara's shoulder, pulling the blonde into an embrace. "That, and you were so lost in thought that I couldn't pass up the opportunity to scare you."

"Yeah, and look were that got you." Kara shot back returning the hug. The feel of the CEO pulling her concurrently relaxing her and making her anxious. It was a state of hyperawareness that Kara didn't really enjoy.

"Pressed into the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, surrounded by a delicious smelling breakfast? I like where I am, thank you very much." Lena retorted, the Irish lilt slowly disappearing with every word.

Kara ducked her head, embarrassed. She could literally feel the heat on her cheeks, but the proximity of Lena's body and her wonderful presence reminded Kara of the reason why she wasn't still in bed. In a jerky motion, she detangled herself from the soft woman and took a step back. Distance, distance was good. Distance granted her the ability to think semi-rationally.

But with the movement, she could feel Lena's happiness start to plummet. And even if she couldn't feel what Lena was feeling, Kara could see it in the way the CEO scrunched her brow and minutely curled into herself. The scars of childhood still held fast onto her friend, the talons of her upbringing crippling her character. Kara acted on instinct, so she changed the topic.

"Me? Beautiful? Hardly. Have you ever looked into a mirror, Miss. Luthor? If I was you, I'd honestly have a mirror on me always." Kara pinched Lena's cheek playfully. Alex used to do it to her when they were kids. It honestly annoyed the hell out of Kara, but Alex got some weird power trip from the action; but now, Kara understood it.

Lena laughed, swatting the offending hand away, her mood improving again. "I would gain quite the reputation. Imagine the nick-names I'd get."

"Maybe you'd be the new Narcissus?" Kara poked fun, grabbing a few steaming plates and setting the table. Lena started to pour the fresh orange juice into two tumblers, adding ice cubes to chill them.

"And die by falling into a pond in a bid to touch my own reflection? Not the way I want to go, to be honest." They both sat down and started filling their plates.

Kara grinned, "Well, even the Gods would have found you so beautiful that they would have wept at the loss of such beauty." Kara bit into a juicy mushroom, "It'd be pretty awesome to have a flower named after you though. Even better, because you love flowers."

"Kara, I'd rather have a flower named after me when I'm alive and because of my achievements, not because of my looks." Lena quipped through a furious blush.

"Whilst this is true, it is my honour bound duty to inform you that your beauty is on par with your wits. And Miss. Luthor, I don't know if you know this, but you are kind of a genius." Kara grinned as she sipped her juice, watching the red intensify on Lena cheeks smugly.

"Thanks Kara." Lena's voice was small, laced with insecurity as she ducked her head down and fiddled with the cutlery.

Kara cursed the Luthor name under breath before replying. "Well, I'm happy to just state the facts."

They both chuckled, eventually dropping conversation in favour of the delicious meal. The settled silence surrounding them was only broken by Lena's compliments on Kara's cooking, forcing the journalist to fiddle as she grinned almost painfully. Other than that, the sound of chirping birds, the steady rhythm of Lena's heart and the slowly waking city acted as a soundtrack to the sunlight coloured scene.

Kara was shoving the last of her scramble eggs into her mouth when Lena cleared her throat, pulling Kara out of permeating thoughts and focusing on Lena's half lidden eyes. Kara swallowed the last of her mouthful, leaning back into her chair as she watched Lena finish her juice. Lena placed the condensing glass back onto the coaster before clearing her throat again.

"Kara?" Lena started, a little unsure.

"Hmm?" Kara placed her hands into her lap, starting to twiddle her thumbs.

"This morning," Lena continued, sitting up straighter and causing Kara to gulp, "I believe something happened that we need to talk about."

"Talk about?" Kara squeaked, then proceeded to clear her throat violently.

Lena just nodded with an amused smirk.

"L-Lena...Um...Well, you see..." Kara started stuttering, looking anywhere but at the CEO. She didn't expect Lena to broach the topic first. How did she even know? "Rao, why is this so hard?" Kara muttered under her breath but apparently loud enough for the CEO to hear.

"Kara." Lena waited until the blonde met her eyes, "I do not and will not think any less of you. I'm honestly surprised it's taken us so long."

"Long?" Kara stomach was throwing a riot, her fingers tingled, and her muscle felt tense. Normally Kara didn't mind confrontation, but this was different. Everything with Lena was different.

Like a salve, Kara felt a calming presence start at the back of her mind and seep itself into her blood stream. The cool calm worked at her knotted muscles, releasing tension and renewing her earlier resolve. With a firm nod, Kara rose from her seat, holding out a hand to Lena, to which the CEO intertwined their fingers, and led her to the leather couch surround by still packed boxes.

In fact, the apartment was still overrun by unopened boxes. The last few days had been too busy to get any real unpacking done but the essentials were all there. Kara noted that the space looked more lived in compared to the last time she was here on a fly by and the idea of Lena's permanence brought her a sense of calm. Even if this conversation didn't go well, Lena wasn't going anywhere.

Once they both settled down, Lena's legs stretched across Kara's lap and an arm swung over the back of the couch, Kara started with clear determination. Damning the consequences.

Lena awoke that morning to the feel of one warm Kryptonian pressed into her front, the touch of a hand tugging her head closer and the sensation of rippling muscles under her palm. To top it all off, the awareness of slowly grinding hips pressed against hers and the thick lust hazing her brain left Lena very disorientated and extremely turned on.

On autopilot, Lena leaned in minutely, stretching herself against the beautiful Kryptonian in her arms. Her heart was beating a mile a minute, and yet Lena felt extremely calm. Almost as if this was a long time coming, an inevitability in the braided path of Kara's and Lena's lives.

God, Kara was grinding on her and Lena felt like her spirit was ascending into 7th heaven.

The Kryptonian pulled her hair harder and Lena moved forward like the biblical blind man following another's lead. There were no thoughts on her mind, only sensations. The touch of Kara's rippling muscles, the sound of her stuttered gasps, the smell of crisp morning air, the taste of morning breath and the sight of beautiful golden tresses fanning over the plump pillows.

Lena wanted more.

She wanted to consume those gasps, to taste plump lips, bite corded strength and slowly ravish the powerful being in her bed. Her hunger grew until, unbidden from her lips, fell the name that shattered the haze.

"Kara." She whispered. Voice low and unobtrusive.

And yet, with both startling speed and gentleness, the warmth between her arms disappeared. Lena kept her eyes closed, the sharp movements finally kicking in her mental activity only to be faced by the sheer wall of Kara's emotions. Kara was panicking, the sticky feeling clasping her heart told Lena so, and the only possible explanation for the feeling (that Lena's could think of) was the fact of

what almost happened.

Kara's emotions ranged from self-loathing to arousal, all laced with a little fear. All Lena could think to do was to lay in bed, pretending to be asleep as she curled around Kara's pillow. Kara herself was too preoccupied to pay attention to her heart or her breathing, so Lena assumed she would be safe.

She had rationalised that if she were to either get up and talk to Kara now, or even make her wakefulness known through their bond, Kara would react on her negative emotions instead of rationally. That would not be a good thing. Not for Lena, Kara or even National City. Being emotionally unstable was never a good thing, but it was even worse when god-like powers were involved.

So, Lena stayed there until she heard Kara slowly walk away and into the kitchen. Lena waited until she heard the obnoxiously loud noise of pots and pans to which only after did she get out of bed. Kara needed time to figure her emotions out and Lena needed time come to terms with what just happened.

With light feet, the CEO made her way into the en suite, closing the door gently behind her. With a soft thud, Lena leant against the solid wood, running a slightly shaking hand through her loose hair. Hair that, moments before, Kara was tugging on in need. Lena swallowed.

The game was up.

Lena couldn't put it off any longer. She wasn't a prude by any means but how do you go up to someone you technically only met just a couple of weeks ago and tell them that you can only get off when they masturbate? Furthermore, how the fuck do you tell someone that you can almost feel when they touch themselves?

Lena harshly sighed and started a simplified version of her morning routine, skipping her shower and choosing to remain in her pyjamas. It would not bode well to let the Kryptonian stew too long, if the feeling of Kara's fleeting resolve was anything to go by. In record time, Lena was out the bathroom and softly making her way into the kitchen to face what would either make or break their companionship.

The scene that greeted her made Lena stop in her tracks. Weak sunlight spilled from the open curtained windows, painting the kitchen in soft hues against the backdrop of the overcast sky. Kara was surrounded by plates overfilled with different breakfast foods. The aromas drifting over making Lena's mouth salivate in a hunger different from this morning. The blonde was busy squeezing oranges, totally oblivious to anything happening around her.

Observing the scene, Lena saw an opportunity and she took it.

With light feet and wet hands from the bathroom sink, she tip-toed her way over the wooden floors. A slightly manic grin split her lips as she inched closer. How often do you get to boast that you could sneak up on Supergirl?

With her left palm outstretched, she made contact with Kara's heated skin. The reaction was immediate. The heroine seized, muscles suddenly bunching. In a blur, a half orange was launched into the opposite wall and Lena found herself pressed into the counter, the edge digging a little painfully into her lower back.

"Motherfucker." Lena said, startled more than hurt. Her accent slipping in with the adrenalin.

But God, the sight of Kara with tensed arms locking her in place and a determined look in her eye

did things to Lena's body. The minute pain was totally worth it. She looked into the stormy blue eyesas recognition sparked in the heroine in front of her. As Kara shifted back, making to pull away, Lena's hands shot forward and grabbed the blonde's shoulders. The action made Lena realise the gravity of the situation they were in.

After this morning, nothing in their relationship would be the same, and that both scared and excited her.

"That was a stupid idea, Lena." Kara chastised quietly, "I could have seriously hurt you."

Lena internally chuckled at the very thought. Lena knew it in her bones that Kara was incapable of willingly hurting her. She didn't know how or why, but Lena knew it was the truth and she told her as such.

"Nonsense," Lena chuckled airily, nose scrunching, "you, my dear, could never hurt me." Lena dropped her head onto Kara's shoulder and pulled the blonde into an embrace. When Kara wasn't tense, her body was so soft, and Lena loved it. "That, and you were so lost in thought that I couldn't pass up the opportunity to scare you."

"Yeah, and look were that got you." Kara jabbed, sinking into the embrace and returning Lena's affections by encircling her in a cosy embrace.

"Pressed into the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, surrounded by a delicious smelling breakfast? I like where I am, thank you very much." Lena poked fun. It was true though, she wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

But maybe it was too much, because not a minute later Kara was detaching herself from Lena and taking a step back. A cold rift opening between them as Kara's brows scrunched.

Was she too forward? Had she said to much? Bloody hell, Lena knew that Kara's emotions were running rampant and she should have taken that into account before opening her big fucking mouth. Kara need her support, not her godforsaken teasing.

Her thoughts were alleviated a moment later by Kara's teasing voice and abased smile. "Me? Beautiful? Hardly. Have you ever looked into a mirror, Miss. Luthor? If I was you, I'd honestly have a mirror on me always." Kara pinched Lena's cheek playfully.

The mood was suddenly lighter again as Lena swatted away the Kryptonian's intruding fingers. No one had pinched her cheeks before and now Lena understood why children hated it.

"I would gain quite the reputation. Imagine the nick-names I'd get." Lena laughed, going along in the random direction of conversation. It was safer to do so than to let Lena tease Kara.

"Maybe you'd be the new Narcissus?"

Conversation carried on as they set the table. Kara adamant that Lena was exceedingly beautiful, but Lena didn't really believe it. She wasn't beautiful, she really wasn't. She could name at least ten different things she would improve every time she looked into the mirror. Kara, on the other hand, looked like she had been carved out of marble.

The banter kept going, Lena bowing to Kara's obstinance, knowing that there was no convincing the Kryptonian from her opinion. So, they ate, the food delicious (a fact that Lena made sure Kara knew), and bantered until the banter dwindled and the apartment was filled with the sounds of consumption. Somehow, Lena had just managed to finish her plate as Kara's finished her third, the last of the scrambled eggs being shoved into the blonde's waiting mouth.

Lena made sure that Kara had swallowed before trying to catch her attention. It was now or never. The blonde was calm, Lena could feel it, and they were fed, thus Kara would be the most rational. So, the youngest Luthor finished the last of her orange juice, placed the tumbler back on its coaster before clearing her throat again.

"Kara?" Lena started, her voice wavering a little from lack of use. Lena cursed it mentally, she didn't want to come out unsure.

"Hmm?" Kara placed her hands into her lap, sitting up a little straighter. The sunlight from the window behind her reflecting off Kara's blonde hair, creating the image of a halo that did nothing to help Lena at all. Darn beautiful aliens.

"This morning," Lena continued, sitting up straighter in a bid to stop her staring, to bring her back to present conversation, "I believe something happened that we need to talk about." God, they were going to have this conversation.

"Talk about?" Kara squeaked, and Lena fought down the amused smirk but ultimately failed. Kara was adorable when caught off guard

"L-Lena...Um...Well, you see..." Kara started stuttering, eyes darting everywhere that wasn't her. "Rao, why is this so hard?" Lena caught the muttered musing.

"Kara." Lena spoke again, waiting for Kara to look at her. Kara's nervousness was slowing infecting her, playing at the tips of her fingers and forcing her to clasp her palms together. "I do not and will not think any less of you. I'm honestly surprised it's taken us so long."

"Long?"

Kara was just getting more anxious, something Lena really wanted to avoid, so she focused her mind to remain calm. When Lena found the emotion she was looking for, she slowly and unobtrusively fed it to Kara via their bond.

It worked. Lena watched as tense shoulders sagged a little and the crinkle between Kara's brows smoothened. Kara nodded to herself, then stood from her seat with steady legs and out stretched her hand towards Lena. Lena, taking the invite, grabbed Kara's warm palm and intertwined their fingers. She wanted to Kara to know that this conversation wasn't going to drive them apart. Well, at least Lena hoped it wasn't because she wasn't very fond of the idea of leaving.

They moved to the couch, Kara sitting down first, giving Lena the opportunity to sprawl herself over the Kryptonian. Lena wasn't going to act any different around Kara. This was just another facet of their relationship that they would need to get used too.

With a deep breath, Kara's chest inflating with false courage, she started. "Things worked a little differently on Krypton."

Lena shifted a little closer, she hadn't expected the conversation to start like this. Kara must have felt some of her confusion, for the blonde just gave her a charming smile and chuckled before continuing.

"Well, I don't know how much you know but on Krypton we didn't get to choose...ah...romantic partners." The sudden shift in language gave further insight to Kara's nerves, pulling a rueful smile out of the CEO. People always reverted back to comfort when faced with adversity.

"The matrix chose them for you, right?" Lena said, a little unsure of her word choice.

Her uncertainty was relieved via a chaste kiss to her forehead and the feeling of an excited happiness bubbling in her stomach.

"Rao, I love it when you speak my language."

Lena chuckled, placing her own, softer kiss to Kara's cheek. "I know, but let's not get... uh...side-

tracked. You were about to explain something to me."

Kara blushed before resuming. "Well, how much do you know about the matrix?"

"The basics. That is matches you on compatibility using an algorithm."

"Yeah. That's pretty much it, but at the age of 21 we would get our match and then by 22 we would

be married." Kara said as if reciting a textbook.

"Okay. But what does that have to do with the situation this morning?" Lena had to ask, still a little

confused.

"You were awake?" Kara's blush was furious enough to spread to Lena.

"Y-Yeah. But I pretended to sleep to allow you time to think." Lena said, standing by her decision. It was the most logical plan to an illogical situation she could come up with on the spot. Come hell or high water, Lena stood by it, but that didn't mean she wasn't a little nervous for Kara's reaction.

They went quiet. Kara processing the new information and Lena twiddling her thumbs anxiously.

"H-How do you feel about...uh...what happened this morning?" Kara was doing her best not to look at her. Her nerves showing via her fidgeting fingers. They made quite the pair, all fiddling fingers and stuttering bilingual conversation.

"W-Well. I also have something I need to tell you." Lena said, sucking in a deep breath. She shifted her legs off the Kryptonian to sit properly besides Kara, shoulder to shoulder. "You know how our bond is empathic? How we feel each other's heightened emotions?"

"Yeah?" Kara turned to look at her, their knees knocking together. Blue eyes serious.

God, now it was now or never. Tensing her jaw, steeling herself and channelling her inner CEO, Lena spoke.

"I know and feel every time you touch yourself." There. She had said it.

Oh God.

"W-What!?" Kara's mouth fell open, not really believing what Lena had just said. "D-Did you just say...?"

"Yeah." Lena shifted, the blush fading slightly from her cheeks, making Kara wonder how she could remain calm at a time like this. Kara herself was mortified. "Every time you...masturbate, well, it affects me too. 'Cause, having an orgasm is a really intense feeling and well, our bond allows me to experience them as well...?"

With every word, Lena's voice grew a little more unsure and Kara's mind raced a little faster. Rao, Kara needed to move. She couldn't process this while static, she had too much nervous energy racing through her system and Lena didn't have any throw-pillows. Who didn't have throw- pillows!?

In a flash, she was out of the seat and pacing the length of the apartment at above human speed. Movement's tinged with a slight blur as her thoughts became erratic.

Lena knew and felt when she touched herself, and even if it was involuntary, it felt a little intrusive. Still, Kara couldn't blame the CEO for something out of her control. But Rao, every time Kara needed stress relief, which was above average compared to the basic human, then Lena knew? Of course, she knew! Lena just fucking said she knew! How could she have been so stupid? They felt it when either of them was so much as sad, why would being turned on be any different?

But that bode the question, why had she never felt Lena?

Kara stopped near the kitchen counter, eyebrows raised as she asked frankly. "Do you never masturbate?" Fuck Earthly customs of speech, Kara was going to be blunt.

The CEO chuckled, an awkward grin on her face. "When you do the do, I...uh...I take advantage and get off as well. It's kinda hard not to, actually."

Kara started pacing again. Rao, her head felt like it might over heat.

"So, we get ourselves off simultaneously? That's why I've never felt you...? Rao, this is the most awkward conversation I've had in my life." Kara lamented, pulling at the ends of her hair.

"Tell me about it." Lena deadpanned, both chuckling at the absurdity of the topic.

Kara walked into the kitchen and started rummaging through the shelves for some alcohol. She need something, anything really to split her focus. She eventually found the whiskey that Lena liked and the Oxvirian Rum from last night. She poured them both a healthy serving before sitting back down on the couch, passing Lena her tumbler.

She took a sobering sip, the heavy alcohol running down Kara's throat smoothly. This was a danger of the drink. It tasted like cirikizu berries (a sweetly tangy berry that resembled a raspberry in appearance) and only affected you about ten minutes after consumption. Thus, first timers who drank it didn't normally realise how much they were drinking until suddenly they were dancing on the table top with they're shoes hanging around their neck.

Kara took another sip, twirling the tumbler with her fingers in contemplation.

"You were telling me about Krypton before I blindsided you." Lena spoke, cutting the thick silence like she didn't just drop a figurative bomb on Kara. She looked over, apparently the present conversation was affecting Lena more than she let on. Her tumbler was already empty, and Kara could feel Lena's bashfulness like a muggy cloud at the back of her mind. Whatever attempt Lena was making to curb her emotions, the whiskey was doing a fine job ruining it.

In a blink, Kara grabbed the whisky bottle off the kitchen counter and was back on the couch, Lena's tumbler back to about two fingers without so much as a drop spilled. Lena chuckled, taking another sip. Kara took the chance to continue her earlier topic.

"Well, presently, I'm twenty-four years old, two years after I'm supposed to be married on Krypton." A look of sudden understanding dawned on Lena's face. "How long did Krypton have the matrix?"

"A couple of thousand years? I think. Right after the Daxam-Kryptonian war."

"That means your biology had a long enough time evolve to become dependent on the matrix." Lena's scientific mind started whirring, she leant forward and put her glass on the coffee table before grasping Kara's free hand.

Kara grasped her hand back, even with the awkward tension between them, the feel of Lena's skin against her own settled her. "Yeah, but because Krypton is no more," Kara swallowed tightly, pausing only to continue as Lena squeezed her fingers, "my body has decided to form its own type of matrix."

"Your body wants a partner to reproduce with." Lena said it so matter of factly that it threw Kara for a loop. She took another sip, the alcohol starting to kick in now.

"That's the closet term in English, so yeah, even if reproduction works a little differently but Kryptonian's are sexual beings by nature. By my age I should have had at least one child to carry on my line if I was still living there. My body looked for someone on par with my knowledge and status that would make a worthy partner."

"You found someone?" Lena picked up on the past tense as she raised her glass again, bringing it up to her lips.

Kara inhaled deeply, "Yeah... I found you."

Lena choked. Painfully swallowing her too large mouthful of alcohol before she started dry cough whilst concurrently talk. "M-Me?" Lena croaked, hitting her chest whilst Kara moved to place a soothing palm to rub up and down on her back. "You deem me worthy?"

Instinctively, Kara leant forward and placed a soft kiss to Lena's temple, resting her head against dark locks and waiting for Lena to recover, waiting for Lena's torrent of emotions to settle a little. "Why is that a question? You are more than worthy! Rao, I would even say you're out of my range."

Lena chuckled, "It's 'league,' not 'range,' and hardly. How the fuck would I even compare to a superheroine and protector of all good folk? I'm just a lady with a company and a family worthy of a soap opera television series."

Lena leaned into her and Kara was relieved at the way the conversation was going. It felt liberating to get all this off her chest and having Lena understand. Hell, having someone understand at all was remarkable. So, it was downright astounding to find someone that actually was amicable to the idea.

"When I say 'status' I don't necessarily mean social standing. Honestly, the idea doesn't translate well into English" Lena pulled her head back, seeking eye contact and Kara obliged, holding the steady gaze of slightly dilated pupils surrounded by green tinged blue.

"Oh?"

"Yeah," Kara placed her tumbler on the coffee table before bringing it up, "while that still plays a hand in it, a match is also dependent on character." She placed her palm on Lena's chest, above her heart, letting out a small laugh at the feel of it hiccupping. "And Rao be damned if you are not worthy, Lena."

Lena didn't verbally respond, instead with a small thunk, she placed her forehead against Kara's and smiled. Not a coy smile or a CEO smile, but that one smile that crunched up her nose and squinted her eyes, and with it, Kara felt an effervescent giddiness bubble at the corner of her lips and tingle its

way up her forearms.

"Does this mean you like me?" Lena teased.

Kara groaned, gently whacking Lena's shoulder and causing them to both burst out laughing.

"In all seriousness," Kara started after the giggle fit, "are you fine with the knowledge that I have a biological compulsion to-"

"Breed with me? Yeah, if nothing else, it's a huge boost for my ego." The CEO quirked an eyebrow, grinning.

"Lena."

"Alright, fine." Lena got up and grabbed the two empty glasses, making her way over to the kitchen sink. "If you're not against the idea, would you like to become girlfriends? God, I hate how juvenile that word sounds...but I can hardly say 'lovers' because that has a whole different social connotation." She waved the tumblers around, illustrating her words.

Kara was gobsmacked, which wasn't something new around the Littlest Luthor, if she was honest. But Lena honest to Rao asked her if they wanted to date. This morning had definitely been a trip. "You like me?"

"God Kara, are you daft? Of course, I do. Otherwise I wouldn't offer." She started washing, "You know, for two people that can literally feel each other's emotions, we're quite thick." Lena placed the now clean tumblers back in the cupboard.

With a burst of speed, Kara found herself in the kitchen, promptly engulfing the shorter woman into a firm embrace. The CEO chuckled into the nape of her neck, returning the embrace with equal might and sending shivers down Kara's spine. "Is that a yes?" The Irish lilt was back.

Kara littered Lena's forehead with small kisses, causing the woman in her arms to giggle. "Now who's daft, of course it's a bloody yes." Kara was grinning so wide her face would have hurt if she could actually feel pain.

The sheer amount of joy between the two was almost euphoric, intoxicating, Kara's heart was bursting at the news and hers wasn't the only one. Lena, wonderful, beautiful, Lena wanted her back and the CEO's heart was beating just as erratically. The thumping a soundtrack to their shared moment that Kara's heart was doing its best to recreate.

She pulled Lena impossibly closer, the woman's hands tracing the arch of her back through the tank top. The action sparking liquid fire that seeped into Kara's muscles, giving her hands a mind of their own. Her fingers clawed at the soft material shielding Lena's back, the need to feel skin a matter of great urgency. Lena placed soft kisses to the underside of her jaw, moving down the column of her neck and up again, pulling a rumbling grown out from the Kryptonian's lips.

The joy between them shifted and morphed into a different type of happiness. One more carnal in nature and more demanding for action.

With sudden urgency, Kara bared her neck to the CEO, her hands abandoning the tank top and instead sinking into inky black tresses, holding Lena's head against her skin. Rao, Kara had dreamt about this. She had wanted this for so long and now Lena was actually here, doing this with her.

With startling strength, Lena pushed Kara against the kitchen counter, trapping her body between the CEO's and biting at her nape. Pearly white teeth ineffectively attempting to mark the cords of muscle

that made Kara's neck.

"Lena." The name fell with reverence from her lips. The sensations shooting heat down her body and to her crotch.

Lena pulled back, a trail of saliva hanging between the two only to be cut by the darting out of her beautiful tongue.

"Rao, I really want to kiss you." Kara huffed, her breath short and mind filled with the notion that if she didn't kiss Lena, she might actually die.

Lena's eyes, whose pupils had blown so much that the green was just a rim on the outside, darted to look at Kara's lips. There was no verbal affirmation, no negative emotions, only the thick feeling of want permeated the air. In synchronisation, they both leaned forward, eyes closing, and breaths held. At the velvet feeling of kiss swollen lips against her own, Kara preened.

Their lips danced slowly, searchingly, until they learnt the steps of the partnered dance, spurring them on faster. Kara grew addicted ridiculously fast. She wanted more. She wanted closer. Lena's hands settled at her waist, pulling her in, feeling Kara's want at the back of her mind and responding. Kara returned in kind, her hands pulling at Lena's hair, kissing her harder.

Lena moaned, her mouth opening to reveal an insistent tongue asking for entrance. Kara granted it with a pleased gasp. Their tongues met, interlocking in a duel of mutual benefit. How had it taken so long for Kara to do this?

Acting on sudden boldness, she took one of Lena's plump lips between her teeth, biting and pulling it with hunger. Lena groaned, a rumble starting at the back of her throat in pleasure as her hands wandered down to the front of Kara's tank top. Kara released the lip only to pull Lena back in again for more. Lena tilted her head to the right, their noses brushing as they surfaced for air with breathy chuckles as she leaned back to create some space.

Kara chased plump lips but was stopped by a finger against her own, both of them heaving from a lack of oxygen. Instead, she observed the vision before her. Lena's mouth hung open, moving minutely with every inhalation and exhalation, a gorgeous chest heaving with every expansion of the CEO's lungs. Lips deliciously plump and kiss swollen, raven hair falling is mused curtains framing sharp cheek bones and a strong jaw.

It was beyond reason how someone could be so fucking sexy yet adorable. As ridiculous as it sounded, a war was waging between the urge to fuck the Goddess in front of her, or to take the soft woman and cuddle the hell out of her.

Thankfully, Lena made the decision for her.

Lena whispered, "As much as I want to do unspeakable things to your body," she placed a chaste kiss against the blonde's lips, "trust me, I do, but this is the first relationship either of us have been in-"

Kara nodded, breath slowly calming.

"-and, well, I want the full experience." Lena finished, waiting for Kara's response.

Kara milled the idea over, wondering what the full experience entailed. Did Lena mean Earth or Krypton as a reference point, because they both entailed very different experiences. Earth was all about 'wooing' a love interest with the hopes that it would one-day end in marriage whilst Krypton worked with the idea of testing a partner's character before the inevitable marriage. Lena probably

meant Earth customs, to be honest.

"I'm guessing that means you want to take this slow?"

"Yeah, slow." Lena reaffirmed, bring them into an eskimo kiss, both breathing at the same time. "I-If you don't mind."

Kara untangled her hands from Lena's hair to cup her cheeks, "Of course, we can take it slow. I want every opportunity to romance you."

"I look forward to it."

"But, can I still kiss you?" It was a major concern. "Obviously."

With that, Lena pulled her in.

Chapter End Notes

Hey Peeps!

I bloody finally uploded (at 1:00am here, but what even is sleep)! I hope you enjoyed it, 'twas definitely fun to write!

Same thing goes for this chapter. Constructive criticism is appreciated, plot ideas are welcome and comments are loved and responded to! Haha.

Thanks so much for reading this!!

Article on sleep temperatures: http//blog/body-temperature-and- sleep-how-to-maintain-best-temperature-for-sleep

Just for some fun (and I'm just curious), what time did you start reading this chapter? Have a good day!

Chapter Notes

Chapter 9

Hey Everybody!!

I'm so sorry it took me this long to finish writing this chapter, hahah ':).

Thank you so much for the response I've gotten for this story so far! It's truly been astounding! Like, seriously, more than 100 bookmarks for 8 chapters (9 now)? You peeps are fucking fabulous.

Same thing goes as previous chapters! Any constructive criticisms are welcome, commenting in general makes me feel amazing (and I reply to every single one) and I always like to hear you're reactions. :)

Without further ado, onwards!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

The day had been easy in its monotony. Monday's usually were for Lena, well, at least it should have been easy if she could just freakin' focus. Normally it was just working through masses of paperwork in pre-emption for the coming week. However, no matter what she did, be it drinking absorbent amounts of tea, popping into meetings unannounced or even working on her pet projects, she couldn't focus! Not even the blazing sun filtering through the large window's behind her could annoy her out of her daydreams (and the back of Lena's neck had gone a slight pink, to her further annoyance).

She dropped the files back on her desk with a huff, fingers massaging her temples. It was well past lunch now; the normal work day was almost over and still the stack of paper on her desk mocked her in all its impenetrable glory. Maybe this was why both Lionel and Lillian were adamant on not being happy; it made one very unproductive.

Lena scoffed, leaning back into her pseudo throne, the leather creaking quietly under her shifting weight. That was a lie, sure happy CEOs were in short supply, it came part in parcel with the job, but it wasn't impossible. Surely there would be at least one? If not, then Lena would work for that title.

Still, that didn't fix her current predicament.

Lena picked up her cold cup of green tea, taking a sip and grimacing through the swallow, the bitter taste forcing her to flick her tongue against the front of her teeth. Toeing off her shoes, Lena got up and made her way over to her water jug. She mulled over the most urgent files she needed to get done today and groaned at the late night ahead of her.

The afternoon sunlight refracted through the falling water from the jug, creating a small rainbow against the wall as the water settled into the glass. Lena watched it splash colour over her white walls, bringing colour to her almost monochrome office. She brought the cup to her lips and drunk in a bid to get the taste in her mouth. She normally didn't drink green tea, but Jess had given it to her this morning stating that her mother, Mrs. Huang, had brought a surplus over from China with her.

Lena didn't know that Mrs. Huang was here visiting, so, like any good person, she had given Jess both today and tomorrow off to spend with her mother. Of course, her secretary protested feverously, but Lena was having none of it. Family was important. No, wait. Good family was important.

So that left Lena, alone in her office, doing the work that Jess would have done as well as the work she ought to be doing, but no. No. Instead, every time she tried to knuckle down, all she could think about was soft blonde hair, kissable plump lips and easy affection. Even after the weekend they had, Lena couldn't get enough of the Kara.

They had spent most of that Saturday afternoon in their pyjamas, music blasting on Kara's phone as they started properly unpacking Lena's boxes. Well, at least they tried too. Lena smiled, recalling the amount of time they spent decidedly not unpacking. God, it was criminal how good Kara was kissing.

Kara eventually made to leave, her tux neatly folded in one hand, as she sported one of Lena's old college jerseys and a pair of tights (a sight that Lena definitely did appreciate). They said goodbye for entirely too long before Kara actually needed to go, the blonde departed with mused hair and Lena watched her go, the prominent hickey on her collarbone deliciously ached.

Presently, Lena rubbed at the small bruise under her collared shirt, liking the fact it was there and loving the fact that it was Kara who put it there. She placed her glass back on the tray, tightened her ponytail and made her way back to her desk. She needed to work, after all, there was no rest for the wicked.

Yesterday, Lena didn't even get to see Kara. National City decided it was a good time to have a criminal crisis. Supergirl was kept busy all day with all manner of situations ranging from bank robberies to an escaped lion running around the city. Lena had laughed when she saw the news that evening. Apparently, Supergirl, in all her sunshine glory, seemed to have befriended the wild cat, getting it to follow her willingly back to the zoo.

Lena had taken Kara's busyness as an opportunity to catch up on her own work; thus, leading her to going into work on a Sunday. After all, Lena had taken Saturday off and she really needed to write the contracts for all the micro deals she made at the fundraiser. Sunday was productive. Monday still wasn't.

To make matters worse, Kara had been stressed all day. Which was unacceptable because all it made Lena want to do was to go over to CatCo. and kiss the blonde reporter senseless. Which only made her more frustrated because that was an absurd idea. Imagine the news.

Lena chuckled.

So, Lena had settled on trying to calm Kara down through their bond whilst wondering what was happening over at the media company. Kara was never this stressed over anything CatCo. related, besides her first year being Cat Grants' assistant and that one-time Snapper almost fired her for bad spelling. In Kara's defence, English was not her first language but that wasn't common knowledge.

Lena picked up her personalised pen, a gift from Radley when she took over the company, and tried to get some work done. Most documents were just a matter of signing off various enquiries or setting dates for testing different products. There were a few business offers, none of notable importance. That was until she came across a particularly thick file with the Wayne Industries Logo.

Bruce hadn't mentioned anything about any business deal offerings. Sure, the man liked to keep to himself, but he normally called her for business proposals. Therefore, the occurrence of the file was odd.

Lena didn't get very long to ponder nor debate calling Bruce when the doors to her office burst open in a flourish. In walked not one, but two blondes, one all poised purpose and the other all sheepish uncertainty. Lena's eyebrows shot up as she stood in greeting.

It was always a surprise to see Cat Grant.

Especially when it was the first time the powerful woman was in her office. The sight of Kara behind Mrs. Grant told Lena that this wasn't a social call. Lena plastered on a smile as she greeted the media queen, who just huffed and rolled her eyes in response before sitting in the visitor's chair without invite. Lena could feel Kara's sympathy in the back of her mind, making the CEO's smile relax into something more genuine as she looked over at the young reporter.

She looked back at the shark in a power suit, "Miss. Grant." Lena nodded at the imposing woman, then turned to an adorable, cardigan clad Kara. "Hello, Miss. Danvers. Please, take a seat." She gestured to the unoccupied chair next to Miss. Grant.

God, less than 72 hours ago those wonderful, cherry chapstick covered lips were tracing sinful tracks across her heated skin. The difference between 'work Kara' and the Kara she knew in private was astounding and yet, they were both so similar that it gave her a little rush.

Lena smirked as she watched a subtle blush flush Kara's cheeks. The reporter fiddled with her glasses and adjusted her clothing before taking a seat, glancing at Lena with a shyly heated gaze. A gaze Lena would have happily returned if she wasn't being watched.

Once both her guests were properly settled and seated (Kara's hand a permanent resident on her glasses), Lena sat down and put all the documents on her desk in a drawer. It was only after she threaded her fingers on the desk that she gave her visitors her undivided attention.

"What do I owe the pleasure, Miss. Grant?" Her voice was even, tone professional as she watched the media tycoon.

Miss. Grant gave nothing away. With a dragging gaze, the older woman just looked Lena up and down, a slight smirk gracing her lips at the sight of Lena's fully buttoned shirt. Lena quirked an eyebrow, waiting her answer. That, and she also felt oddly exposed under the woman's gaze. Miss. Grant knew something, that much was obvious, and Lena hated not knowing. If it was the scientist or the Luthor in her, well, that remained to be seen.

She was about to prompt again before Miss. Grant finally spoke. "I know you're... relatively new to the game, but you've been in the spotlight long enough to know the rules, Miss. Luthor."

The statement caught Lena off guard. Confusion was rampant in her mind, prompting Kara to rise out of her seat and place a brown envelope on her desk. Lena must have been too taken with the reporter to notice that she was holding something.

"What's this?" Lena gestured to the offending item.

"Open it, Miss. Luthor, and see for yourself." Miss. Grant leaned back into the chair. Kara, on the other hand, leant forward with a furrowed brow. At the back of her mind, Lena could feel a persistent worry bloom. Kara must have been trying her best to conceal the feeling, but she had ultimately failed.

With trepidation unnoticed to all but Kara, Lena picked up the envelope and revealed its contents. She muted her gasp to the best of her startled ability. Enclosed were six photos of phone camera quality; each depicting a similar thing.

Them.

They were pictures of Kara and herself at the L-Corp. fundraiser. That wasn't the interesting part, everyone knew they were going to be there (it was public knowledge). No, the interesting part about these photos was the way both Lena and Kara were positioned. In all the photos, they were touching each other in one way or the other. A hand around the waist here, a gentle brush of fingers against a forearm there, Kara kissing her hand like a dork in greeting, and God, Lena was blushing.

She cursed people and their urge to document everything.

With steady hands, Lena placed the photos back on the desk, not giving the CEO before her a reaction. Instead, with a levelled gaze, Lena patiently waited for Miss. Grant to start talking. She didn't have to wait long.

"These poor excuses for photographs were placed on my desk this morning from an anonymous source. I don't know what they expected me to do, CatCo. doesn't dabble in petty gossip, we leave that to the unqualified tabloids and keyboard happy bloggers, whilst we focus on real news instead. That being said, Keira here thought it prudent to notify you of this occurrence."

"Personally?" Lena quirked an eyebrow. She knew that Cat Grant was a busy woman after all. "Flowers, Miss. Luthor."

"Ah. Well, thank you Miss. Grant." Lena felt Kara's confusion, but she brushed it off in favour of dealing with this situation.

"These images were run this morning." Miss. Grant offered. "My PR team didn't notify me...how strange."

Kara chimed in, "Most likely because I had Winn run a screen and take down any websites showcasing the images."

Miss. Grant continued, "That being said, enough people had already seen it to start chatter. Now, I don't very much care for your personal business, Miss. Luthor, but when one of my reporters ends up as 'news' and not just in a by-line, it's my duty to make sure nothing reflects negatively on my reporters without warrant."

Lena heard the threat in the words, even if the tone was nothing but polite. Without further ado, Miss. Grant stood up, fixed her skirt, grabbed her purse, put on her sunglasses and made her way to the door. Kara scrambled to get out of her chair, her cardigan bunching awkwardly around her arms due to her fidgeting throughout the chat.

"Keira," Kara halted all movement, "I expect you back at CatCo. in thirty minutes. Don't be late." With that, Miss. Grant strode out the office, leaving both woman looking at an empty doorway.

In a flurry of movement, the door was closed, and Lena found herself surrounded by warmth. Instinctively, she leant into the embrace, encircling the blonde and pulling her flush against her front. Lena grabbed the cardigan in fistfuls, drawing back minutely to place a lingering kiss at Kara's jaw.

The gesture was returned with a kiss from soft lips behind her ear. "I'm sorry for all of this."

Lena chuckled, "Sorry? What on Earth are you sorry for?" She nipped playfully at Kara's ear. She could feel the blonde's giggle against her chest, Lena's breathing slightly labouring with their intimacy and shared emotions.

"Well," Kara bumped their noses, making them both smile, "I'm sorry for the position I've placed you in."

Lena could feel the sincerity in the words and honestly, it angered her. Was Kara so used to being perceived as a nuisance by others that she thought everything inconvenience her fault? Or did her heroine complex extend this far into her personal life?

"Hey," Lena withdrew, waiting for Kara to make eye contact, "none of that." Before Kara could retort, Lena leant forward and captured the reporter's lips with her own.

Kara sighed through her nose, both of their eyes closing simultaneously as Lena deepened it. She threaded long fingers in Kara's hair, swallowing a moan from the blonde. She wanted nothing more than to push Kara against the wall and slowly ravish her, but time was of the essence.

Lena disengaged with a pop, pushing against Kara's sternum to halt the blonde from chasing her lips. The whine that followed painted a massive grin on the CEO's face, stroking her ego. Blown blue eyes were opened in confusion, questions swimming within them.

"As much as I want nothing more than to push you against that wall and possess all your senses, we only have fifteen minutes left to discuss our plan of action for the media."

A moment later, Lena's back was pushed against the solid wood door, Kara's arms were pillars planted either side of her head. Obscene sounds permeated the air. The crumpling of clothes as Lena grabbed Kara's collar was first. Then, the hot and heavy panting as Kara opened buttons one by one and bit down her neck, Finally, the downright carnal moans Kara growled as Lena tugged at her lip made the CEO pull the blonde impossibly closer.

"K-Kara?" Lena panted, Kara's hands pulling her shirt out of her pencil skirt. The blonde hummed her reply. "God...haa...Kara, darling, we...God that feels so good." Lena dropped her head against the door as Kara kissed her way to the underside of her jaw. "W-We need t-to make a plan."

With that, Lena switched their positions, slamming Kara against the door and pinning her at the waist. They really needed to figure something out before Kara needed to get back to Catco.

"How," Kara tried to catch her breath, "are you," pant, "able to still rationally think?" Kara lay back against the door as Lena withdrew and made her way to the water jug near her desk. Unknown to Kara, Lena was having just as much trouble forming rational thought, hence the need for water and physical distance.

Lena laughed, pouring two glasses, "Well, it is a hallmark of the Luthor name." Lena smirked, watching the alien start to straighten her clothes. Lena found that she quite enjoyed her lipstick shade on Kara's lips. She knocked back her glass, pouring herself another as Kara made her way over and grabbed her own glass.

"Well, now that we have," Kara looked at her watch, "six minutes before I need to be back, any ideas?"

Lena placed the glass back on the tray, turning to face Kara. "Please don't take this the wrong way," Kara put her glass down and looked at her with clear attention, "But I think we should keep our relationship under wraps for now."

There was a beat of silence, Lena's heart in her throat.

Then Kara smiled. Her charming grin bringing out her dimples, her glasses sliding a little down her nose. "I was actually going to suggest the same thing."

Lena let out a relieved breath, reaching forward and adjusting Kara's eyewear. "What did I do to deserve you?"

Kara caught her hand before it could retreat, placing a gentle kiss at her knuckles and smiling against her fingers. "You, my dear, deserve so much more than me, I'm just happy you've decided to give this sorry excuse for an alien a chance." Kara grinned, her tone playful and Lena's heart melted just a little bit more at the easy affection.

She cleared her throat, if things continued like this, well Miss. Grant would be very displeased. "Do you have any ideas for damage control or should I take care of it?"

Kara released her hand. "I found out early this morning, perks of working at a media company, and I had Winn take down as many articles as possible right off the bat. That's why it hasn't become a full- blown scandal."

"So, in this case, a lack of news was good news?" It was being handled, hopefully it would all be forgotten by the end of the week.

Kara nodded. "There is one thing though..." Kara trailed off, fiddling with her hair. "Oh?"

"Winn asked for a favour in exchange for helping us." Kara fiddled more aggressively, and Lena smiled, interest quipped.

"And what is this 'favour' he asked for?" Lena quirked an eyebrow, folding her arms.

Kara stopped torturing her poor hair in lieu of steeling her posture. An action which Lena mimicked. "He wanted to meet you."

Lena did a double take. Was that all? "Is that it?" She couldn't keep the surprise from her voice. "Winn just wants to meet me?"

"Yep." Kara perked up, "Why?"

"It's just- you looked really nervous to ask?"

Kara smiled cheekily, "Well, it's a big thing. Winn is probably my closest friend, second to Alex, but she's my sister. That, and well, he's annoyed that I get to 'have all the fun' as he put it. I don't even know what he means."

A grin stretched across Lena's face. Kara thought her worthy of meeting her friends. Kara liked her enough to let her meld into another facet of her life. That made the Littlest Luthor beam.

Obviously, Lena knew it was going to happen sooner or later, but it was one thing have an abstract idea of it and another to be explicitly asked. Lena assumed she would meet the 'super friends' during some tragic event in true Luthor fashion. Thus, Kara asking her so normally was a very big deal.

"Is Winn more of a steak or spaghetti kind of guy?" _

A smog of bitumen coated asphalt actualised as Kara pommelled her aggressor into the once pristine road. Abrovian's were an aggressive species that normally kept to themselves. This one, however, decided to it wanted to join society with asocial tendencies, if holding a public execution could be

classified as just 'asocial.'

Kara's fist jackhammered at the exoskeleton plate covering the Abrovian's chest in a bid to make her opponent submit. Her knuckles did little damaged to the natural armour, which wasn't surprising given how much trouble it was to even get the angered alien on their back. Yet, that didn't deter her. With gritted teeth, Kara lifted her other fist and made to punch at least one of their three eyes.

Fortune was not on her side, because with a mighty heave, the Abrovian flung Kara off themselves and into the nearest car, the metal whining as it enveloped the Kryptonian. She groaned with frustration. Why wouldn't the fucker just keel over!? Was it too much to ask?

Not a second later, Kara was up and on steady feet. Her eyes keenly tracked the Abrovian's movements, watching for an opening like Alex taught her. Kara's opponent was not traditionally frightening. There was no manic look in their eyes or rippling muscles waiting to rip her apart. Instead, the true horror of this race started with their driven nature and ended with their lack of remorse. This, coupled with an Abrovian's aggressive tendencies did not bode well for anyone or anything that the Abrovian sought.

For example: an attempted mass execution.

The creature itself was all lanky limbs and sinew in constant movement. Kara's enhanced eyesight allowed her to keep up with it, but a human had no chance. She did her best to keep eye contact with at least one of its three beady, round eyes. A feat that wouldn't have been for hard if it wasn't for the extremely unnerving feeling Kara got when she looked too long.

The superheroine started to slowly pace to the left, years of sword training allowing her to remain perfectly centred in the movement. The Abrovian shifted just slightly in a bid to face her. That's what it did wrong.

In the split second the creature too to lift its foot, Kara dashed forward, grabbing the limb and shot into the air. A hollowed sound erupted form the alien's chest in surprise, the resonation of its tone sparked a feeling of helpless loneliness deep in Kara's stomach. She gritted her teeth and fought the feeling down. She would deal with that later.

They journeyed up into a boundless sky. Kara's grip tightening on her manic cargo. Maybe she could use her opponent's biology against themselves?

Soon enough they breached the Stratosphere, but Kara only picked up speed, her eyes glaring ahead and her breathing calm. Her captee, on the other hand, seem to realise what the Kryptonian was doing. The noise increased ten-fold, the alien desperately trying to get out of an impossible situation by floundering. Kara just gripped tighter and spoke into the communications unit in her ear.

"Alex, I need you to deploy an outer-atmospheric pod for pick up." "Roger, I'll get on it. Just be saf-"

Kara moved faster, the sound of air rushing past was deafening but still that hollow sound made a nest in her very bones. Soon enough, they penetrated the mesosphere. The temperature started to rapidly decrease from a comfortable -10 degrees Celsius at its start. Kara knew it was going to get to around -87 degrees Celsius but hopefully her plan would have worked before then.

Slowly, she started to decrease her speed. All the hairs on her body standing to attention as she climbed still. She could feel it working, the Abrovian in her hand had suddenly gone calm. Kara looked down, and watched with detached interest as frost started to make its home on her skin. Her

captee was almost covered in it.

Abrovian's thrived in the hot and humid. Their home planet, Verizia, closely orbited a small, blue sun. The surface temperature of the planet was so hot, it was almost uninhabitable. Abrovian's, however, had evolved to withstand the horrid temperature but that left them a glaring weakness.

Cold.

By default, the biological system of an Abrovian closely resembled that of a reptile. Thus, the aliens themselves could not produce body heat. Kara could kick herself for taking so long to think of this.

She drew to a halt. The body had grown limp in her hand.

Kara waited, breath held, eyes staring into her captee's, watching the panic slowly seep out with sudden drowsiness. There Supergirl floated, the threat finally neutralised. She couldn't help but wonder what would happen if she just let go. If she just opened her fingers? Lost her grip?

Kara banished the thought.

She couldn't feel the muscles in her fingers anyway, the cold locking them into an eternal grasp. Her feet were just as useless, toes fixed in a state of mock rigor mortis. She was slowly becoming a prisoner in her own body. It wasn't too long now before she wouldn't be able to move at all. So, Kara finally broke eye contact and instead took in the view.

It was an overcast day below, the clouds pregnant with rain. The weather had been teasing since Saturday but still it remained uncannily hot. Not that it was hot up here. Heat sounded delicious. Kara looked up. Above was a canvas of black that someone decided to poke holes through. Stars emitted light and planets shown with borrowed brightness.

She smiled, the muscles in her face straining but she finally got there. Kara thought about Lex as she looked up. This was the same sky he would look up at when he used to tell Lena stories in their youth. Those stories about the stars and how the ancient Greeks believed them to be fallen heroes immortalised. Lena, in all her beautiful childish wonder, would absorb every word Lex told her. Her mouth would be slightly agape in wonder as her eyes reflected the night sky. Lex, on his part, wouldn't even look at the sky. Instead, his sole focus would be on his little sister, delighted in giving her some joy after a trying day.

Thinking about Lena, Kara could feel a deep seeded worry racking at her brain, but it was like a far- off knocking. Kara knew she ought to get up to answer the door, she was too sluggish however. So, instead, she just lay there, the drone of static filling the room as she listened to the knocking grow more urgent. More hurried. More frantic. Just... more.

Her eyes started to droop and her lungs started to burn. The need to breathe threatening to become overwhelming. Her lungs scorched with righteous fury at her denial.

What was taking Alex so long?

As if summoned by sheer thought, a strong grip encased her arm and pulled her into a toasty warmth. The change was a sudden shock to her system. The contrasting temperature burned. A violent tremor forced a gasp and knocked Kara out cold. Blackness a welcome reprieve from the vast endlessness of earlier.

Kara rose into a groggy, partial wakefulness. Everything around her was muted yet astoundingly intense. The oxymoron of her situation prompted the reflex to massage her pounding head. However, she ceased all motion at the sudden awareness of her previously unnoticed muscles shouting in

protest. A displeased grown pulled from chapped lips.

The latent pain, the pounding head, the lethargy and even the oddness of her senses meant only one thing: a solar flare.

Kara drew a shaky breath, gritting her teeth. Her brain felt too large for her skull or her skull felt too small for her brain, either or, Kara didn't really care. All that Kara knew was that everything hurt with startling intensity and Holy Rao, wasn't it enough that she was temporarily useless?

Tears swelled behind shut eyes. She wanted to let out a choked sob but even that hurt. Her chest was tender, the feeling of bandages was unwelcome against her sensitive skin. With a herculin effort, Kara slowly blinked into reality. Her pupils constricted at the warm glow of the sun bed above her. The feeling of utter powerlessness settled in the sinew of her body as she just lay there, staring into the lamp.

She couldn't even do that. Her eyes protested, and she was forced to look away, the image of the lights burned temporarily into her retinas. Kara's head rolled to the side, her cheek pressed against the mediocre pillow as she watched the infirmary entrance.

She had always found it odd the walls of the DEO were glass. Did no one value privacy? She could understand other rooms being transparent, but the infirmary made no sense. That was unless all the agents were extremely comfortable either being in less clothes, naked or showing their worst to their colleges.

Kara tried to inhale deeply to regulate her uneven breathing, but it was to no prevail. All she achieved was a keening whine and the ignition of an angry blaze engulfing her chest. The heart rate monitor next to her suddenly spiked. Pain. All there was, was horrid, horrid pain. Something was wrong and all Kara wanted to do was scream.

She was stuck on a carousel of agony, anguish rife in her very core and no one was around to help her. The beeping of the heart rate monitor grew faster, she could feel her pulse fluttering in her neck and her heart threaten to break her ribs. Her breathing spiked. All she could achieve was short, sharp breaths. They were too shallow for adequate oxygen intake.

Kara felt like she was suffocating. Her vision started to swim and even though she was lying down, her balance was thrown off kilter. All that she could focus on was the steadily spreading ache sitting heavily on her chest, forcing her to miss the flurry of movement at her bedside.

Her mind flew into a right panic. Her attempts to curl in on herself halting by the shaking unresponsiveness of her muscles. Kara's mind was trapped in her own body. She gulped at the saliva build up in her mouth.

She knew she needed to calm down but without her powers, it was almost impossible to do so. When everything became too much, Kara would listen in to Alex's heartbeat. More recently, she'd search for Lena's as well. That wasn't an option now. So, with a desperate brand of focus, Kara honed her mind to concentrate to the one person she could communicate with over any distance.

Lena Luthor.

There. At the back of her mind, almost nagging in its persistence for attention, lay a liquid softness. Kara could imagine the unnamed emotions appearing like a vicious, golden liquid running down the steps of the corrupt temple of her mind. The panicked blackness dared not interfere with the wafting calm. The lethargic way the emotion spilled forth from their bond slowly alleviated Kara's base panicking. Lena's calm was like a balm to an aching burn. It wasn't a fix, but it allowed Kara some

reprieve.

She wasn't alone.

The quietening of her mind allowed the Kryptonian to notice more of her surroundings, namely, the steady pressure at her back and the soothing voice at her ear. Warmth. Rao, she was so cold and like a moth, Kara sought out any comfort offered to her. With Lena helping her mind and the steady breathing at her back, Kara was able to anchor herself in the present.

Her surroundings grew into a groggy focus. It was still muffled but definitely more discernible, enough so that Kara could understand the words being cooed to her.

"-you're so strong, Kara. I know you'll get through this." It was Alex. Alex had come to help, and Kara felt relief flood her system. A sensation that was mimicked by Lena, the cooling sensation dripping through her bloodstream. "Kara, if you can hear me, can you please open your eyes?"

Kara did just that. Her eye lids fluttered open with less effort than she expected. She felt more in control.

"Good job, sis. I'm so proud of you." Alex kissed the side of her head, soft lips pressing down sweat drenched hair. Alex didn't care, she just started to trace random patterns on the back of Kara's hand. All the lights in the room were off, including the sun bed, much to Kara's relief. The room still wasn't dark. The lights outside the room spilled inside but it was still better than the harsh lights of before.

"Now, Kara, can you do one more thing for me?" Alex hushed, her arms moving to gently encircle Kara's waist, pulling them flush together. Kara jerked a nod, her muscles starting to cooperate. "Can you feel me breathing?"

Kara could. Alex's exaggerated breaths minutely moving Kara back and forth in a lulling motion. She hummed in agreement.

"Good," Alex paused, then gently grabbed Kara's wrist and placed the Kryptonian's fingers against Alex's jugular. Kara calmed further, the heartbeat steady and strong beneath her fingers. It brought comfort borne from familiarity.

"I want you to try and mimic my breathing. Inhale, 1,2,3, exhale, 1,2,3. Got it?"

Kara hummed again. Alex waited a moment, expelling any air before starting the exercise. They lay like that, in the cool, dimly lit infirmary, taking in measured breaths for as long as Kara needed. Lena helped too, her presence soothing at the back of Kara's mind, showing reassurance without any suffocation.

Gradually, Kara's senses rightened themselves. Her breathing was regular, her eyes adjusted, ears keen and her mouth mimicking the fucking Sahara Desert. She was torn between alleviating her discomfort or staying nestled in the protective cacoon that was Big Sister Alex. Kara's need to cuddle won out, so the sisters just stayed like that, Alex shielding her from any ill.

Kara felt warmth run down her body, making a home in her chest and she knew that Lena was giving the closest thing to a hug she could achieve. Kara returned the gesture to the best of her ability.

Lena released a discrete, shaky breath. After Kara had left for CatCo., Lena was called into an

emergency meeting with the head of R and D, Dr. Stephine Atherton, and Radley. Apparently, a new drug L-Corp. was testing had run into a resonance isomer problem. The drug, which was made to assist in blood clotting in people with Haemophilia, worked in small dosages like a charm. Once it was made in mass production, however, well, that's when the problems started.

They were in the middle of an in-depth discussion to find a way to stop the creation of harmful free radicals, when Lena started to feel a deep bone chill settle in her fingers. She waved it off as bad circulation. She was going to get her period soon anyway, so she rationalised it as being more susceptible to the cold.

It was only when her fingers had become stiff did she realise something was wrong. "I'm sorry, Mr. Burt, can you turn on the television?" Lena interrupted.

Without even batting an eye, Radley grabbed the remote and turned it on. Dr. Atherton, on the other hand, shot Lena a confused look before all of them placed their attention on the news channel. An ashen faced news anchor was doing a live coverage of a recent alien attack down at the harbour square. The channel quickly cut to some shaky footage of the one and only Supergirl grabbing a ghastly looking alien and shooting straight up.

Lena clenched her jaw, all her muscles stiff and sluggish. "I think Supergirl here gave us a possible solution to our problem." Lena started, pulling her employees' attention back on her. "I believe cooling the reaction down would yield a lower percentage of resonance isomers."

"I think that might actually work." Dr. Atherton agreed, hand on her chin as she thought.

Radley looked between them, "Well, if that's the solution we're going with for now, I'll get my team to crunch the numbers." He smiled charmingly.

Lena stiffly smiled at both of them, hoping her dismissal would be conveyed. They took it as their cue to leave, to which Lena was thankful. Once the door was closed, she locked it via a button on her desk. Thank God they left when they did, because within a split second, Lena was hit with a wall of dense, aching loneliness. But it felt different than any emotion she had felt from Kara before.

Lena knew Kara's more common emotions and, as horrible as it sounds, loneliness was a huge one, especially in Kara's earlier years on Earth. This emotion, however, felt more sinister. Like a friend that was a little too intrusive and wanted nothing more than to monopolise all your attention.

It was almost as if something was making Kara feel this way and Lena was having none of that. Kara had been through enough. Come hell or high water, Lena wouldn't let Kara suffer further.

So, with iron determination, Lena closed her eyes, leant back into her chair and placed her sole focus on girlfriend's mental distress. Lena reached into the back of her mind, the place where Kara's feelings often inhabited, and let the blonde's emotions wash over her.

She gasped, the intensity of everything pulling forth unwanted tears. Whatever Kara was facing seemed to have an odd physic ability but that didn't matter right now. There was nothing Lena could do about Kara's opponent, but she could help steel Kara's mind. The only way Lena could do that, however, was to somehow take this horrid, resonating loneliness away from Kara. The emotion was too intense to combat but stealing it might just work.

Instinctively, she imagined herself in a black endless void. Lena had never attempted to do something like this before, honestly, she didn't even know if it was going to work. The autonomy of Kara's emotions and actions was something Lena never wanted to impeach, but this was desperate times

after all. Kara needed her.

That's when something strange happened. The sensation of being pulled underwater overtook her body and Lena fell forward, smacking her head against her desk. She didn't feel it, however, as her very consciousness was pulled into the recesses of her mind.

Everything was a dark, pitch black; an inky void. Until it wasn't.

Like melting wax, the darkness melted away, exposing Lena to her vast surroundings. She was awestruck. Everything was solid around her, yet it wasn't. She turned around on the spot, taking in her new environment.

Lena was surrounded by a bustling city composed of tall spires and purposeful people. Well, that's what Lena could make out. Everything was impressions. The people had no faces, but Lena still felt like she could distinguish between them. The buildings proved frustrating to look at. Everything was in startling clarity her periphery vision, but as soon as Lena tried to focus on an individual structure, it would suddenly blur and become unclear.

The whole scene was bathed in an orange-redish light. She looked up at the endless sky above and gasped. Rao, in all his eternal glory, watch sentinel to the scene below. An odd sensation wash through Lena. She felt nostalgic, but it was odd in the sense that seeing the red sun gave her comfort, even though she had never seen it in person. She chalked it up to experiencing Kara's life on Krypton through her visions, thus Kara's memories had become her own in some capacity.

What she saw next made her eyes widen. Next to Rao, but much smaller was Earth's own yellow sun, Sol. Lena looked around again, noticing things she didn't before. From what she could distinguish, the buildings were of Kryptonian design. All tall spires of white reaching to the heavens above. However, now Lena noticed more 'earth' looking designs as well.

And the people around her made a little more sense too. Some were wearing the geometric stiffness of high Kryptonian culture, whilst others donned plain human streetwear. Of course, Kara's mind would present itself as a culmination of her two homes. It made Lena wonder what her own... headspace? No. Mindscape. It made Lena wonder what her own mindscape would look like.

She shook her head. She didn't have time for this, she needed to figure out how to help Kara.

Lena took a fortifying breath and made a game plan. She found herself standing on polished white stone stairs leading to a beautifully ornate, airy building. The structure was whispy in appearance, both there and not there. Honestly, the indecisiveness of her surroundings would eventually drive Lena mad if she wasn't subconsciously planning how to run a million different tests.

With reinforced determination, Lena steadily made her way up the stairs. The stone beneath her feet was blurry until she placed her foot on it; only then did it come into clarity as if it was brought into focus. Lena run up the stairs, coming to a halt at the open entrance.

The inside of the building was bathed in beautiful hues of green, blue, red, gold and purple, leading Lena to believe there was stain glass windows above. As she paced inside, an unsettled feeling started in her gut, giving the youngest Luthor pause.

She was in the right place.

Lena continued walking, pacing the length of the building. With each step the feeling grew, so Lena used it as a form of homing beacon. As she reached the far wall, she noticed a door shrouded in

shadow. With a firm grasp, Lena pushed the now solid door open and dropped to her knees at what she saw inside.

Names.

Hundreds and hundreds of names.

All etched into forever extending walls, all in different handwriting and all in Kryptonian. No light reached here. Instead a pervasive coldness descended like a shroud over Lena's shoulders. She gulped. The loneliness within this hall was so thick it was almost physical.

Clenching her fist, Lena rose and continued to walk. One foot in front of the other, she made her way to a glowing light in the distance. The names grew denser and denser, the words becoming messier as she drew nearer. Lena tried to stifle the tears that feel down her now ruddy cheeks. Who was she to walk amongst the names of the dead?

Eventually, Lena reached the end of the hall. The source of the glow was a solidary candle illuminating the sea of darkness. Behind it, etched deeply with a desperate hand was the likeness of Krypton itself. A dead planet.

Lena walked up, not caring about the tears dripping off her chin. She placed a shaky palm against the cool stone. Sadness, isolation and loneliness the only emotions filling her being. With a thud, she rested her head against the cool, damp stone.

"Kara, please be safe."

With that, she turned around and blew the candle out.

Chapter End Notes

Ayyy!

So, some feels for my poor baby Kara. :( But don't worry, Alex and Lena got her. Talking about Lena, did the bond just evolve?? dun Dun DUNNNN!!

The mesosphere is the coldest part of the atmosphere.

Thank you so much for reading and commenting!

A friend of mine on tumblr has urged me to share my tumblr name. You can find me on tumblr as: ihavethewrongglass. Come and say hi! I like making friends :)

Have an awesome day/ night! See ya next time. :D

Chapter Notes

Chapter 10

Hello everybody!

I'm so sorry for the long wait between updates, I was in my home town of Durban on holiday visiting my extended family. My sister got recently engaged and we brought her fiance over to officially meet the family. It was soo goood.

Anyway, in apology, I've written a ridiculously long chapter for you. Yes, it's 20K words and yes I wrote this on my phone, that's just how I roll. (I didn't have much internet over there).

The same goes as previous chapters. Constructive criticisms are welcome, any comments and quires are loved and adored (I reply to them all) and kudos are bloody awesome.

I link all random facts at the end of the chapter. So, if anything catches your interest, they'll be links.

There will also be mistakes, proof reading was a bitch and I'm bound to have missed something.

For the first time, I have a few triggers for this chapter.

These include: Unintentional suicidal thoughts (Kind of) and talk of body image issues. If any of these triggers you, proceed with caution.

P.S. I don't drink so please hold onto your suspension of belief as I fumble my way through.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Kara groaned into wakefulness. The sun bed above her was back on but the orange-yellow glow didn't affect her as much as before. Her powers were still blown, the latent muscle pain told her as much, but she definitely felt more comfortable in her skin. That, in no small part, was because of both Alex and Lena.

Thinking of her older sister, Alex had to leave a few hours prior to resume her DEO duties (after all, she was still an agent at work). That left one semi-bored Kryptonian all by her lonesome. That was never a good combination because it always resulted in one of two things, sometimes both.

1. Karawouldattempttodosomethingoutofhercapabilitieswhichoftenresultedinsomesort of incident. Or-

2. ItgaveKaratimetothink.

With a lack of glitter (or as Alex dubbed it, 'Satan's Sand' after a partially explosive incident) around, Kara naturally started to do the second thing. Well, at least she tried, but it was oddly...silent in the back of her mind.

And that made Kara a little worried.

Lena was never this quiet. Sure, her mind would mute sometimes when her subconscious took over during slumber, but even then, there would be random moments of clarity as Lena reacted to her dreams. This, on the other hand, was almost like Lena's river of emotions had trickled to a stream.

Normally, in a situation like this, Kara would use her hearing and search for Lena's heartbeat. You know, just to make sure she was alright. She didn't have such a luxury now and that did nothing for Kara's psyche.

With creaking bones and heavy breaths, Kara supressed her winces as she pulled herself up into a sitting position. The painkillers were yet to kick in and she knew she was in no state to get out of bed, let alone move. But something was seriously wrong, and she didn't want to go through anymore mental torment.

Alex had told her that when she picked Kara up from the mesosphere, her body was almost brittle from the cold. The oldest Danvers explained that Kara had actually solar flared when she was up in the atmosphere, leaving her significantly more vulnerable to the environment than usual. That also meant that the impact to which Kara was brought on board the atmospheric-pod had jarred her so badly that it riddled her ice-prone body with hairline fractures. Most of the fractures were centred around her sternum and ribs, which explained the horribly inflamed pain in her chest. The same pain that drove Kara into a panic attack a few hours previous.

With another deep breath, Kara made it onto unsteady feet. She picked up her charging phone from the bedside table, zipped up her tracksuit jacket and limped out of the infirmary. Looks like there was an upside to glass walls, it made sneaking out easier for Kara. Albeit, it also made it easier for her to get spotted.

So, with the grace of a baby gazelle but the keenness of a hawk, Kara steadily snuck out the building. There was a service exit near the bathrooms that made the feat a hell of a lot easier. Sure, it technically was blocked and off limits, but J'onn didn't know that she had made a sizable hole in the barricade by accident a few months prior. Honestly, wasn't it a fire hazard to only have one escape from a building, regardless if it was a secret organisation?

As Kara eventually made it into open air, she brushed the dust off her shoulders and pulled up her phone. Crawling through smashed concrete was a real pain in the arse when every thing hurt. Grumbling, she picked flakes of concrete from her hair and put the phone to her ear, listening to the dial tone. It only took a second before the call was answered.

"Hey Kara Banana! Wassup?" A muffled voice answered, mouth probably stuffed with food.

"Winn, I need your help." Kara responded. There was no time for pleasantries. She was in pain and worried, a bad combination only compounded with her need to make sure that Lena was okay.

An audible gulp sound across the line. Kara had guessed right, he was eating. "Alright, where are you? What do you need?"

Rao, it was time like these that Kara was extremely grateful for having a friend like Winn. "Do you remember where the DEO City branch is?"

"Yeah."

"Good. I've solar flared and I need a ride."

"I'm already in the car," an ignition sounded, the car backfiring slightly, "I'll be there in ten." "Pick me up on Constance street, I don't want to be seen." Kara clarified, hand cupped over her

mouth and phone.

"Ooo- now you definitely need to fill me in later." Excitement laced his voice, causing Kara to grin slightly.

"Oh, and Winn." Kara said before he could hang up. "Hmm?"

"Drive safe."

"Rightio!"

And the phone went dead. Kara put the phone back in her jacket pocket, puffing her cheeks as she exhaled. She closed her eyes, cutting off the evening light around her and focusing on the faux black of the back of her eyelids. Focusing, she tried to reach Lena, only to growl as she was again met with muted emotions. It was like a river that was iced over. The current still flowed underneath but the surface was completely still. Kara, with mounting frustration, had nothing to break the ice with.

She inhaled deeply, hissing at the pain of her expanding chest. Kara opened her eyes, her hands fisting within her pockets, as her mind started to calculate. Lena was definitely responsive after her fight with the Abrovian. Kara clearly remembered Lena's special brand of reassurance and warmth running through her veins during her panic attack. The littlest Luthor was also present after that, when Kara was just cuddling with Alex.

Thus, something must have happened when Kara fell asleep. Which gave, Kara checked her phone, a window of about three hours. Rao, anything could have happened to her! She was useless. So. Fucking. Useless. What was the point of her if she couldn't even protect her mate?

Kara was pulled from her thoughts when the roar of a rattling car drove down the street. The tires skidded a little as it stopped in front of her. Without prompting, Kara opened the passenger door and got in.

Instantly, she was engulfed with the smell of stale food and the sight of questionable stains. "Well, you look like shit."

The remark shocked her, pulling a startled laugh from her chest. Which was an action she instantly regretted as her chest gave an unwelcome twinge. She looked over at her partner in crime. Winn was bundled in sweat pants and an old university shirt with a backwards snapback. Kara raised an eyebrow at the ensemble.

"Says you." She shot back. "Touché. Now, where to?"

Kara looked forward at the road as Winn pulled back onto the street. "White Ivory Tower, on Oldfield Road."

"The really nice apartments? Why are you going there?" Winn looked over, both eyebrows raised.

"I don't have time for explanations, just go!" They had wasted enough time already.

Winn didn't have to be told twice. With a lead foot, they tore down the asphalt. Kara's hands were permanent fixtures on the dash and roof handle as she tried to stay stable. She loved Winn, he was

like a little brother to her but holy fuck, he drove like a bat out of hell. It really made Kara contemplate her very apparent mortality.

With a screech, they pulled up into the visitor's parking lot. Before Winn could even shut the engine off, Kara was already out the car and several meters away. She walked into the lobby with an air of authority. The security man smiled at her in recognition, she had been over enough times as Kara Danvers that the main staff knew her by face.

Winn caught up to her, panting from the run over, as she waited for the elevator. Once It arrived, they both entered, and Kara hit the button for the Penthouse. She noticed Winn look over at her from her peripheries, but he didn't say anything.

As the metal cage rose, Kara grew more agitated. She started playing with the zip of her jacket and by the time the ride ended, she was biting her hair, grinding her teeth and knotting the drawstring of her track pants. Winn, for his part, still said nothing. He kept his head forward, watching his best friend nervously fidget in the reflection of the shiny metal doors. Winn probably noticed that Kara was like an agitated bear and he didn't want to poke her with a stick. Even a solar flared Kryptonian was still a Kryptonian.

Once the elevator dinged open, Kara dashed forward towards the only door on the floor. Lena liked her privacy and honestly, it was probably the safest option with a surname like hers. Kara banged on the bright orange door.

Kara had thought the colour was ghastly when she first came over. She even told Lena as such, but Lena had a strange affinity for colour. Something about how the colour orange was actually named after the fruit, making it odd. Kara didn't really remember, she was too taken with Lena in her glasses waving a book around as she defended her colour décor choices.

Kara banged against the door harder, the pain in her bones flared but she didn't fucking care. Winn, for his part, stood behind her awkwardly with wide eyes. He hadn't seen Kara like this before and it was a jarring juxtaposition to her normally sunny personality.

With a growl, Kara leant her head against the solid wooden door, fists still pummelling. "Lena!" Winn gasped, a hand to his mouth, Kara stopped beating up the door. "You're fucking worrying me! If you don't open the door, then I'm coming in!"

There was no response.

Kara's mind threatened to spiral further. All her thoughts were solely dependent on Lena. Where was she? What happened? Who dared hurt her? How would she make Lena's antagonist pay?

Kara shook her head, stemming the thoughts and storing them for later. Kara didn't need this now, what she needed was to focus. Her main priority was to find the Luthor girl, everything else could wait.

With surprisingly steady hands, she pressed a hidden button in the door's frame. To the right, a state- of-the-art biometric scanner silently revealed itself from the wall.

Winn's jaw dropped. "Kara, that's a biometric scanner!" His hands instinctively reached towards it.

Kara just shot an "I know" over her shoulder has she placed her hand over the hand print before he could reach it. Winn took a step back, awkwardly pulling his hands into his pockets. A few agonising seconds passed before the scanner turned green and the door unlocked. Without further ado, Kara strode into the dark apartment like predator. Her muscles were rippling with tension,

placing further stress on her fractures but Kara brushed the pain off. "Apartment: Lights on!" Kara stressed into the thick, quiet air.

The main lights glowed to life, revealing a completely empty main living area. It didn't deter the blonde.

"That's so cool." Winn marvelled, walking into the apartment. His head shifted from side to side as he took in every detail. "Why is there a small hole in the wall?" He pointed to the wall near the dining table.

Kara ignored him in favour of searching the apartment. She ran from room to room, turning all the lights on and even checking the bathrooms. Empty. Every room was fucking empty. She let out an anguished roar at the lack of fruition. Where the fuck was Lena?

Kara hated being powerless. Rao. Here she was, running like a headless chicken in search for her girlfriend. Having to physically seek for her companion using trial and error was wearing on her already worn nerves. Every minute that Lena was not in her arms was a minute that Lena was in possible danger and Kara, ever the protector, couldn't live with that.

How did humans survive with the inability to check in on their loved ones at will?

Winn frantically ran into the room, eyes wild in search for danger. If it wasn't for the situation, Kara would have laughed at the sight of him with a candle stick in his hands. Noticing a lack of attackers, he lowered his raised weapon of choice and approached the shaking Kryptonian.

Without preamble, he dropped the solid sliver on the floor with a thud and brought Kara's slightly taller frame into his arms. Kara clutched onto the front of his shirt, her jaw squared and her mind whirring. Winn silently rubbed soothing circles on her back, the continuous pattern providing something to focus on for Kara thoughts. She felt tears well in her eyes, but they didn't fall. She was failing in her duty to Lena and she couldn't deal with it.

"Hey Kara," Winn started, his voice soft and comforting, even if he did smell like Italian takeaway, "now that I know we're looking for Lena Luthor, have you tried calling her? Aren't you two good friends?"

Kara fisted his sweat shirt, shaking her head. "I don't have her number. E-Everytime we met up, we always forget to exchange numbers."

Winn just nodded, his stubbly cheeks brushing against Kara's hair. "Well then, we have to work from first principles. We're are the places that Miss. Luthor hang's out when she's not at home?"

Kara chuckled wetly, worry clogging her throat. "Lena doesn't 'hang out' Winn. She's a fucking workaholic through and through." Kara paused.

"Bingo! We should check L-Corp. then."

Kara gasped, kissed him on the cheek hard and bolted from the room. Winn just shook his head and ran after her. He only stopped to make sure the door was properly closed behind him before he joined the blonde whirlwind in the elevator.

Winn pulled out of the parking lot with a screech, tires squealing as he joined the flow of twilight traffic. The very first stars twinkled as they chased the sun away; the night inhabitants of Nation City coming to life. Kara took none of it in, instead her thousand-mile gaze glared at the road as if it personally wronged her. In record time, Winn pulled up to the L-Corp. skyscraper. They both ran

inside, the relatively empty building granting them a quick passage through security.

They eventually made it to an empty elevator, Kara repeatedly smashed the button for Lena's office level as soon as they were inside. Lena had a general 'no-working after six' policy for all her employees, hence the empty state of the building on a Monday night, which worked in their favour. Kara wished that Lena would follow her own rule, but all her protests were normally shot down by "I'm the CEO, Kara. Thus, I'm the employer, not the employee, I don't have to follow my own rules."

Once the doors opened, they both ran to the CEO's office door, only to be refused entry by the stubborn lock. Why was Lena's office locked? It was never locked. Kara had no time for this shit. Huffing, she took a few steps back and with a righteous fury, she charged with her left shoulder first at the door to the chorus of Winn's protests.

That was a fucking stupid idea.

A sickening crack resounded, and Winn winched, a hand over his mouth. It took a moment, Kara was a little stunned and brimming with adrenalin, before the pain exploded up her left arm.

"OH FUCK!" Kara grabbed her useless arm, bringing into recovery position slowly. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fucking HELL!"

Without prompting, Winn pulled off his shirt, revealing his surprisingly hairy chest and the beginnings of a pot belly. He fashioned a makeshift sling and together, they slowly slid Kara's arm in. Any and all movement made Kara curse like a sailor. So much so, that she had started to use the colourful words in different languages.

Winn left Kara to try and walk off the pain (more for her ego than anything really) as he studied the door. Kara must have run at it with great force because there was a massive crack in the wood extending from the firm lock to the top of the door. All it would take would be a well-placed kick. He could do that.

He felt like the next Karate Kid when he placed all his effort into a side kick that hit true. With a mighty crack, the wood fractured, and the door opened. His glory was short lived. Winn froze. There, on the ground, limbs akimbo, was the mighty Lena Luthor, one of his role models, unconscious with her cheek resting in a pool of drying blood.

Lena woke up with a jolt, her hazy eyes taking in the familiar scene. Four white, stark walls, a slightly buzzing, soft television and the assortment of medical machines were all that inhabited the room. She was back in hospital and honestly, Lena wasn't even surprised. She had a knack for getting injured but that still didn't change the fact that she hated hospitals.

Lena shivered slightly, the thin white sheet tucked under her armpits wasn't doing anything to fight the cool, clinical temperature. Normally, Lena would have burrowed into the stiff bed and pulled the sheet up to her chin, but she felt uncharacteristically lethargic. So, she just stared at the back of the room, the late hour leaving her to relative silence. Well, as silent as a hospital could get.

The sound of heart monitors broke the weighty quiet, but it did nothing to cut the stillness. Not even the rasping of breath or the occasional cough could piece the cloak of night. There was a certain gravity to being in a hospital in the early hours. It made Lena wonder how many people had passed away in this very building.

It was the gravity of being alive in a place permeated with death. Sure, she wasn't the only one living, but the isolation of her room and the dark of night licking at her vision gave her the impression that she was. That train of thought gave way to a feeling she was very familiar with.

She felt it prickle at the back of her neck, its weight watching from in the corner of the room. Breathing became just the slightest bit harder, but Lena was expecting that. That feeling of death had returned, taking advantage of her vulnerability, and was pressing against her chest, clogging the air with its lack of stench.

Lena looked away, not giving it the time of night.

The sole window to her left was a main source of light for the room, which wasn't saying much. It showed the relatively empty parking lot and the silent street just behind it. The hour was late after all. A fact that was reinforced by the deep purple of the sky, scarcely littered with stars. There must have been a slight breeze, for the trees waved at her in the distance. The sight made her yearn for some fresh air.

With a held breath, Lena fought to sit up, the useless sheet pooling at her waist. She felt slightly dizzy, but she chalked that up to the rush of blood to her head from her sudden movement. Black spots littered the edges of her vision, but Lena didn't care. With trembling fingers and clammy palms, Lena pulled herself off the bed. Her bare feet padded on the cool linoleum flooring, a chill running up her toes.

With a deep breath, Lena slowly stood. Her knees slightly buckled, forcing her to grab the bed least she falls. But that didn't stop Lena. Using the wall for support, she dragged the visitor chair from her bedside to the window. Placing the uncomfortable chair in front of the windowpane, Lena opened the window with a grunt of effort.

It was all worth it. Once the breeze blew softly in, Lena felt a hundred times better. She felt more herself, more alert, as she took in deep breaths of the cool night air. She fell into the chair (just as uncomfortable as it looked) and suddenly the hospital didn't feel as oppressive as it did before. That lingering death stayed back as Lena looked out at the world below. It was just her and the silent night.

The moon was almost new, just a sliver left in an imitation of a thin grin. It was low in the sky, taking on a warm yellow from the pollution layer in the atmosphere. It kind of made it look like cheese.

Lena smiled, remembering when Lex and her had watched a silly stop motion animation movie when she was a child. The protagonists, a man and his dog, travelled to the moon and found out it was cheese. The idea was so ridiculous but utterly charming. She remembered that they both laughed hysterically at the antics the protagonists got up to.

How far they had come from the innocence of childhood. It was almost like looking into an alternate dimension filled with stolen happiness and sneaking joy. The only reassurance that Lena had of its reality was the scars of childhood that she carried.

Most were from sneaking around with Lex, building things with Lex or trying to impress Lex. Honestly, it was almost full circle that he was the one to give her the biggest emotional scar as well. Lex wasn't one for being out done, after all.

Throughout it all was a beautiful blonde that Lena was oblivious to until her mid-teens. Lena didn't know any better, she had grown up feeling Kara's emotions at the back of her mind. It was her normal and thank God she never told anyone about it.

Lena could imagine that it probably would have been the last straw it took for Lillian to snap. It would bring immense shame on the Luthor name to have a 'special' child, especially one that was adopted. Lena scoffed, if only Lillian would have predicted her darling boy's future. If only Lena saw what was happening.

Lena looked down at the hands in her lap. Those were dark days. She remembered being in a quaint pub in England when the breaking news hit. She was two glasses of whiskey deep when a breaking news report cut through the football game, drawing large protests from the inebriated crowd.

Then it was utter silence.

A shaky phone video recording from a high-rise building detailed the fall of the Luthor name. Superman with his suit ripped, cape bellowing, and stance sagging stood off against the one and only Lex Luthor. Lex, her dear brother, stood tall in a metal armoured suit, grin cocky and manic rampant in his eyes.

Lena remembered that she froze in shock. Her mind and her body were two separate things, her eyes watched the television, but her brain was not computing. All she knew was a few things in that moment.

This was the end of her anonymity.

This was the murder of her family name.

This was the death of her brother.

This was the killing of the world as Lena knew it.

The time during Lex's trial was taxing for everyone. A whole city mourned the loss of lives and infrastructure. It is widely known that people do horrible things due to grief and Lena was an easy target. As soon as the trial was over, Lillian boarded a plane and left, Lena didn't even know where to (nor did she care) but that meant that Lena was the last Luthor left standing. The one to take the pain of a city.

She remembered walking into her dark, dark apartment after a long day with the lawyers. People would be loudly protesting at the entrance of LuthorCorp., shouting slander and vile things that would seep into her skin and borrow into her chest. There were even times when people would try to attack her. Rocks were often thrown in a bid to stone her and her mail became death threats infected with poison laced envelopes. Hell, even the very clothes off her back would sometimes be ripped off with the angry hands of newly childless parents. She would have very well been dead if not for her security detail.

Throughout it all, Lena felt like she deserved it.

Lena remembered her weakest night. Exhausted, she had kicked off her shoes and headed straight to the kitchen for the strongest drink she could find. She pulled a clear, skull shaped bottle of green liquid from the top shelf, the seal was still firmly in place. Lex had bought it for her on a business trip to France (Lena wondered if it really was a business trip after all) and she never had the courage to actually try it. She had heard stories about this particular drink and they seldom ended well.

Well, her life was already hell.

She found a clean glass, a cube of sugar and a little strainer. With a flex of her wrist, Lena cracked the bottle open. She was instantly hit with the potent vapours of Antitoxin Absinthe. The skull design of the bottle suddenly didn't seem so stupid. She could literally feel her nostrils burning and well, this

was exactly what she wanted.

With a steady hand, she placed the sugar cube on the strainer over the cup and water over it slowly until it dissolved. She knew it should be about 4 parts water to 1 part absinthe, so Lena just eyeballed it. The 89.9% Absinthe became a lighter, lime green as it diluted but the smell still remained.

With now nervous fingers, Lena picked up the cup and chucked it back. Surprisingly, the taste was quite pleasant until it wasn't. Its betrayal burned down her throat and Lena gagged a little, the alcohol biting at the soft flesh of her mouth. Still, it wasn't that bad, she forced herself to believe.

So, she poured another using the same process.

She chucked that back too. Lena could feel herself getting drunker by the minute but still she didn't stop. Instead, with her handicapped brain, she made the decision to just drink it neat. Her now third shot was an assault on her senses, the fourth was a numbing of logic and the fifth made her put down the glass.

Lena was odd in that when she got drunk, like properly drunk, she started to clean. It was almost as if her muddled brain tried to right itself by neatening its surroundings. So, with eerily precise movements, Lena rolled up her sleeves and started to wipe down the already clean kitchen counter. Her movements were only stopped by the winking of the fairy green skull staring at her. A green like Lex's suit.

With weak constitution, Lena poured another shot. Promptly after knocking it back, she went back to cleaning. She washed the strainer and the cup and moved to put them away. Her breath was scented with anise, wormwood and fennel but overpowered with concentrated alcohol. Her sense of smell had long gone, and she was only upright through sheer will power.

As Lena was putting the strainer away in the cutlery drawer, the silver gleamed in the kitchen lights. One item in particular gleamed the brightest. A just sharpened carving knife rested prettily, drawing all of Lena's attention.

With tentative fingers, Lena drew the knife out the drawer. She always had an affinity with blades, which was a partial reason for her training. It was something about their slick nature, the speed they could be wielded and the versatility of their shape that made Lena extremely found of them.

A fondness that was misplaced with her intoxicated brain.

Foolishly, Lena drew the blade across her finger. She dropped the knife on the counter in surprise, muddled brain not connect the pain to the action. The slight sting was quickly numbed by the alcohol in her veins, leaving her to marvel at the perfect pearl of crimson swelling atop her pale finger. The cut was not long, but it was deep and in an inconvenient spot.

With pin point curiosity, Lena watched as the tension broke, and her blood slowly spilled down her hand. Thin tendrils branched off into the lines in her skin whilst the main drop continued to her palm, pooling in the hollow there. Oddly sad at the lack of movement, Lena tilted her palm, letting gravity move the red liquid. It split in two and ran past her wrist and down her forearm.

The contrasting colours were beautiful. Lena wanted more.

She picked up the knife, regarded the blade, and then placed hit just below her wrist. The cool blade against her heated flesh raised goose-bumps down her arms. Her tongue hung out, feeling oddly thick and her mouth started to pool saliva. The image of the blade pressed to her flesh was suddenly

sickening. Lena promptly dropped the knife in favour of running to her bathroom to hurl.

Kara, sweet Kara must have felt her numbed pain. A soothing balm seeped from the back of her mind, so present it was almost as tangible as reassuring whispers in her ear. That night, Lena fell asleep on the bathroom floor after emptying her stomach, not wanting to part from the cool porcelain.

She was pulled from her reminiscing by the screech of tires cutting the cooling air. Being pulled back into the present made her aware of the thundering joy and relief assaulting her senses. Lena gasped, the force of Kara's emotions all-consuming but not oppressing. Thing was, Lena didn't know why Kara would be so relieved or happy. Was something happening?

With a wide grin, (Kara was contagious), Lena watched as a sleek, black SUV pulled to a halt in the car park, taking up two parking spaces. Before the car could even properly stop, the passenger side door sprung open and the embodiment of haste hopped out.

It was Kara. Sweet, beautiful Kara.

Lena's heart thundered in her chest. How was someone still so gorgeous in sweats, an old t-shirt and a light coat? Lena didn't care, she was just happy to be able to take in such a sight. As Lena watched, Kara jogged the length of the car park, one arm swinging back and forth and the other... was that a cast? What the fuck happened?

The locking of the car drew attention to the second person. Lena would recognise that corporate haircut anywhere. Alex Danvers promptly ran after her sister, both of them towards the hospital entrance. Once they had exited Lena's limited view, the youngest Luthor sunk back into her chair, grin growing.

Kara must have felt her waking up, hence the overwhelming feeling of relief and joy, and that's why she came. That still posed the question, why bring Alex and drive? Flying was much faster and Kara loved to take to the skies.

Lena would have settled in her confusion (with her ability to ponder greatly on the smallest things), if Kara's excitement didn't increase in proportion to her closeness (or Lena assumed so). She was proven right when her vision had almost gone fucking rose coloured when she heard fast footsteps approaching. Without further ado, the steps stopped abruptly at the doorway, only for one pair to dashed into the room and towards her. In a matter of seconds, Lena's vision was swallowed in a sea of blonde and her breath left her with the enclosure of a one-armed hug. The second pair of footsteps entered the room, albeit at a much more slow and steady pace.

Kara shifted her hold, pressing her lips against Lena forehead and placing a soft kiss. An action that Lena sank into, not realising the amount of tension her held in her body. Between them, their emotions ran rampart, a crashing, violent sea of relief and affection with a hint of anger borne of fear. Lena wouldn't have had it any other way.

With one last kiss, this time to the space between her eyebrows, Kara drew back to look properly at her. Lena used the opportunity to return the favour. Kara looked tired and harassed. Worry was a look Kara seldom wore, but when she did, well, it often left her haggard and weary. Kara's top knot had long become a messy tangle of blonde (Lena didn't even want to think about the knots). Her shirt was backwards, the tag tickling at the blonde's chin, but apparently Kara didn't care. It wasn't long before all Lena's attention was placed on the green cast partially hidden by the light, checke red blue overcoat.

"What the bloody fuck happened?" Even Lena heard her accent this time.

Kara looked sheepish, but Alex let out a bark of laughter before quieting, remembering she was in a hospital. Lena looked over her shoulder, an eyebrow raised and a natural smirk on her lips. Alex was also in sweats, but she wore a properly worn grey knitted sweater.

"It's a story." The agent quipped, shooting her sister a look as she walked up to the two.

Kara stepped back and Lena had half a mind to follow her, physical contact felt overly necessary, but she fought the urge. It was worth it, because in a rare show of compassion (well, at least to someone relatively new in Alex's life) the agent pulled Lena into a hug. Sure, it was awkwardly positioned, so was Kara's, because Alex was standing and Lena was sitting, but Lena's heart fucking melted.

She had made a better impression on Alex then she realised.

With a squeeze, not to hard mind you, Alex withdrew to arm's length, hands on Lena's shoulders and looked the CEO in the eye. "I'm glad you're alright, Little Luthor. Just... try not to scare us like that again. Kara went bloody berserk."

They both looked at the blonde in sync. Kara, for her part, was pointedly looking out the window, hands playing with her glasses as she did her best to ignore the two. A feat which she failed. Her urges won out and she looked at them, an embarrassed smile gracing her wary features.

"What? Lena wasn't answering her phone." The Kryptonian explained.

An explanation that didn't make much sense to Lena because they didn't even have each other's numbers, but she went along with it.

"I could have been busy?" Lena said, trying to give some credibility to the lie.

"Well, I called heaps and I texted and it was like, six thirty and I know you don't have meetings after six 'cause of your rule, so I got really worried and well, I didn't have a car to get to you so I called Winn an-"

It was an amazing thing to witness. Kara only rambled when she felt like she had something to prove, which wasn't often around Lena. So, the CEO just watched the blonde motor away with clear amusement and fondness. Alex, on the other hand, quickly put a stop to it with a curt "Kara."

Kara's jaw audibly clicked shut and Lena chuckled lightly. Alex smiled down at her before walking to Kara and slinging an arm over her shoulder. Alex placed a cheeky kiss on Kara's cheek, making the blonde scrunch up her face.

Alex proceeded to ruffle already unkept hair. "Anyway, blondie here-" "Hey!"

"-said that you're not a fan of hospitals and between you and me," Alex gestured between them, "I don't like 'em either. So, I spoke to the on-call doctor and was able to get you released early."

"Yep! The only thing we have to look out for any unusual symptoms for a minor concussion." Kara tacked on.

Lena did a double take. "So, let me get this straight, you're here to pick me up-" Both sisters nodded.

"and I have a minor concussion?"

They nodded again. Lena, on her part, lifted her hand to feel at her head. Sure enough, there was a dressed wound just off her left temple. Apparently, the drugs in her system were keeping her from feeling it. Still, she winced in phantom pain.

It explained the spotting of her vision (it wasn't anything too serious) and how she felt a little off balance. Surprisingly, Lena had never had a concussion before. Even with her intensive training under different masters, the worst Lena had gotten was deep bruising and a few gashes during spars. This was a first and she couldn't really remember how she got it.

All Lena remembered was deep seeded loneliness and worry for Kara. "If you're all good, can we go?" Alex asked, eyebrow raised.

Lena nodded with a smile. She really did hate hospitals, but they were a necessary evil. They had taken care of her, after all.

Still a little off balance, Lena got up from the chair. Kara circled an arm around Lena's waist for support. The blondie's broken arm made the scene mildly comedic. It did pull a little chuckle out of Alex, after all.

The eldest Danvers shook her head good-naturedly. She grabbed Lena's belongings, which was just her work blazer (She was still wearing her work clothes), phone and her wallet, and preceded to the door. Lena and Kara followed behind, stumbling every few steps with Lena being slightly off kilter and Kara being powerless.

Kara must have solar flared in order to have a broken arm, Lena mused. It was the only plausible explanation. An explanation she couldn't fact check in the presence of one Alex Danvers. After all, Lena wasn't meant to know Kara was Supergirl, let alone a Kryptonian.

Like that, they made their way through the hospital; death left in the cold, now vacant room.

Alex drove them to Kara's apartment at both Kara's and Lena's request. Just as well, for it was closer to the hospital and closer to Alex's apartment. The duo said their goodbyes to Alex in the parking lot, the eldest Danvers giving Kara express instructions to take care of Lena.

Kara mind lit with amazed affection from Lena. Her mind lit up like that every time Lena received unexpected care. Kara knew that Lena was seldom shown any compassion, so Kara smiled largely as Lena revelled. Lena needed to know that people cared, Kara would make sure of it.

With a last wave to Alex, the two of them turned and made their way inside. They reached the apartment without much preamble, just a few stumbles here and there. They only let go of each other once they entered the apartment.

Kara made her way around the dwelling, turning both the lights and the heater on. Apparently, National City finally got the memo that it was Autumn. Lena, for her part, flopped down on the couch with a groan, making Kara chuckle at her antics. Kara put the television on and then went into her bedroom to find them both some comfy clothes.

Kara perused her options. There were mostly sweat pants, pyjamas and various t-shirts he had collected over the years. She pulled out whatever looked clean with minimal annoyance at only having one hand.

It was horrible. Kara didn't know how people lived, to be honest. Their bodies were so frail! A slightly too strong force at an odd angle could create irreparable damage. Not to mention the agony. Kara new pain was just the firing of synapses in the brain, but the knowledge was of little comfort before Kara was introduced to painkillers.

Sadly, they didn't really help with emotional destress.

When Winn kicked open the door and froze, Kara knew something was actually wrong. Any lack of quip from Winn was always a bad sign. The flaring pain shooting up her arm was pushed into the back of her mind in favour of running into the office. She pushed Winn aside and froze as well.

Lena. Sweet, beautiful Lena was lying unconscious on her office floor.

The grey carpet beneath her head was mattered with the dried brown of her blood. Kara ran forward, dropping to her knees beside the prone body. Her action broke Winn out of his stupor, prompting him to whip out his phone and dial the ambulance.

Holding back tears, they were counterproductive in the situation, Kara picked up Lena's head with great effort. Everything hurt. Her bones protested the action fervently but there was no greater calling for Kara than to protect Lena in this moment. So, being as gentle as possible, Kara picked up the CEO's head and placed it slowly on her lap.

Kara hissed at the sight of a nasty gash just shy of Lena's left temple. It had long crusted over with dried blood, alleviating Kara's fears of bleeding out. Kara surveyed the scene around her. The CEO's chair was pushed back and the desk was skew. Somehow, Lena must have fallen out of her chair and smacked her head against the edge of her desk with considerable force. That was the only plausible explanation that Kara could fathom.

Winn finished the call, put his phone away and took position kneeling next to Kara.

"The ambulance should be here in five minutes, so we just have to hold tight." He told her in a soothing voice, looking down at the fallen Luthor.

Kara nodded her understanding, her mind more preoccupied with sending whatever soothing emotions she could muster to Lena. Kara wanted her to be comfortable, for Lena too know that she wasn't alone. Kara had finally found her, and the blonde was sorry if she caused her companion any stress with her worry. Even if the worry was well found, evidentially.

Kara caressed Lena's cheek, gently rubbing off some flaked blood with purposeful strokes. Lena's skin was paler than usual, the veins underneath showing like spiderwebs through the white. She threaded her hands through silky black, the hairs curling around her trembling fingers. She was careful not to disturb the wound itself, scared of causing more harm than good.

Her hand moved down, trailing down her face to the pillar of her neck. With two fingers, Kara felt for a pulse. Even without powers, the strong, steady beating beneath her pads brought irreplaceable calm to the Kryptonian. Lena's heartbeat was one of her favourite sounds and now, it was quickly becoming her favourite sensation.

Winn looked on with a worried brow, his hands clenched on his knees. Both of them looked up at the sound of determined footsteps approaching the entrance. Three paramedics strode in, their white uniforms welcome in the blood smelling office. Winn rose to his feet, going to talk to the new arrivals. Kara just looked back down to the woman in her arm.

"Kara?" Lena called, leaning against the doorframe and watching her with concern.

Kara shook her head out of her reverie. Lena was fine, she was safe in Kara's apartment and not in any danger. She dropped the clothes on her bed in lieu of walking up to Lena. They stood impossibly close, basking in the presence of each other but not touching.

Lena looked so much better than before. She had regained colour, the veins beneath her skin was hidden again. Full cheeks that were without any blood were rosy in the now warm apartment. Lena's eyes were an enticing hazel green, the brown in them more evident, and Kara had to get closer.

So, she did.

With a shuffled step, they now stood chest to chest, their breathing in sync but Kara still studied the woman before her. Raven locks fell in unkept waves over shoulders, errant strands started a rebellion against gravity. Eyelashes fluttered with each blink and a pink tongue wet slightly chapped lips.

Kara smiled, finally leaning forward and pulling Lena into a one-armed embrace. The CEO nuzzled into her neck and Kara could feel a smile against her clavicle. With her good hand, Kara lightly scratched at the fine hair at the base of Lena's head, a shiver ran down the CEO's spine and Kara chuckled.

Lena responded with a nip at her collar bone and Kara just kissed her temple, enjoying the easy affection, even if the bandage at the Luthor's head got in the way. Eventually, Kara stepped back. Lena chased her warmth, but Kara denied it with a gentle shake of her head.

They exchanged warm, easy yet tired smiles. It had been a long Monday and nothing was more sort after than a nice bath and an inviting bed. No words passed between them, instead, Kara started towards the bathroom door with their pyjamas in hand whilst Lena followed behind with sure steps. Kara could feel a content happiness tethering them together.

It was odd. They hadn't discussed anything of what happened. Kara hadn't even asked why Lena was unconscious in her own office and she wasn't going to. At least not right now. There was a time and a place and this was neither. So, with aching bones, bruised muscles and underlining protective instincts, Kara led her hurt companion into the bathroom.

Kara's bathroom definitely wasn't as nice as Lena's, but it had everything for basic living. Sure, it didn't have a shower, but it did have a bathtub which was just as good. Better, in fact, for what Kara had in mind. She placed the bundle of clothes on the counter by the sink, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She didn't pay it any mind, even if the slightly frail look of her posture spoke volumes about her state, Kara instead busied herself with preparing a bath.

With the water running and the tub filling, Kara turned her attention to the other occupant of the room: Lena. She leaned against the porcelain, taking in the sight of the beautiful woman staring at herself in the mirror. Lena's hands were gently tugging the bandages in slight disbelief. It was like she was surprised at the dressed wound.

Kara wondered if Lena had slight amnesia.

It was a common side effect of concussions after all, but the memories usually came back to the victims over time. But, sometimes they didn't come back at all. Lena must have felt her slight worry for she turned around questioningly, left eyebrow raised and arms now playing support against the countertop.

Kara gave a small, devilish smile. She still found it hard to believe that the Lena Luthor shared her affection, even when she could literally feel Lena's emotions. With shy confidence, Kara approached Lena and settled her tired hands on full hips, the curves fitting perfectly into the palms of her hands.

Lena let go of the counter and brought her hands to caress Kara's nape, all the while releasing a fragrant concoction of calm, understanding and silent curiosity.

Kara's smile grew, her pearly teeth biting her bottom lip. The feel of Lena's very much present and up-front emotions brought her boundless joy. It was in stark contrast to earlier that evening and Kara did nothing to hide her emotions. She was scared earlier, Kara was Kryptonian enough to admit that, but that didn't mean that she wouldn't show Lena how relieved she was.

Kara watched Lena's pupils expand at the onslaught. She watched how Lena's jaw slacked slightly at thick relief seeping into her heart and how her eyebrows lowered at the hint of lust mixed affection sparking at her nerves. Kara leaned forward slowly, giving adequate time for Lena to react in any way she desired. Kara didn't have to wait long.

Lena's breath hitched, and her head moved slightly to the right, deliciously flexing the muscles in her neck. Taking it as permission and with no urgency, Kara trailed her lips up the exposed column of flesh, kissing sporadically at the quivering pulse she found there. Her hands moved up gradually, reverently, bunching the cooperate shirt beneath her fingers and exposing pale flesh to the warm yellow lighting of the bathroom.

Lena wasn't still either. At the contact of Kara's soft mouth on her neck, Lena moved one hand from Kara's nape down to the dip of her waist, strong fingers messaging the pliant flesh found there. The other went up and slid into thick locks of blonde, scratching pleasurably at Kara's scalp and pulling her closer. An action which Kara showed her enjoyment via a huff next to Lena's ear as she nibbled at the sensitive spot just behind it.

The sound of the faucet running and their reflections in the mirror were the only witnesses to their intimacy. They the only spectators to the rumbling hum as they finally shared a kiss. Kara couldn't keep the smile off her lips, making it hard to properly ravish the woman heaving against her. But they didn't mind.

There was a tidal of happiness racing through their veins and neither party cared that their smiles caused them to knock teeth. They eventually gave up kissing, choosing to instead rest their foreheads together and gaze at each other with hooded eyes and matching grins. Kara brought up her good hand, cupping the sharp jaw of the soft woman against her. Lena leaned into the palm and Kara fought the urge to pinch the soft cheek in her hand. Instead, she just traced the corner of Lena's smile and dimple with her thumb.

"You worried me." Kara finally spoke, brushing her nose against Lena's with easy affection.

Lena placed a chaste kiss against her smile. "For that, I'm sorry." The sincerity of the words was boosted by Lena's emotions, causing Kara to close her eyes briefly at the density of them. Kara shook her head, their foreheads rubbing and noses brushing, but they didn't part. "It wasn't your fault, Kitten."

Lena kissed her again, almost in a bid for physical affirmation. Kara willingly obliged, her mind rampant with simmering warmth shared between them. It was almost as if their emotions had become an amalgamation of organised chaos, their affection warring yet joining. When the feeling became too much (to the point of Kara almost seeing colours behind her eyelids), they parted slowly. Their breathing heavy and their lips aching to be reconnected.

Kara grabbed the hem of Lena's shirt, eyes watching the CEO for any protest. She pushed feelings of askance and assuredness through to Lena, which the CEO reciprocated via a bubbling glow and slight nervousness floating in Kara's stomach. With shaking fingers, Kara started.

Kara knew they were taking it slow. What she was doing wasn't going to be for pleasure but instead as service to the woman who had been through everything with her. Kara vowed to be on her best behaviour, Lena deserved that.

"The bathtub is almost full," Kara looked over her shoulder to make sure, her fingers playing with a shirt button, "so how about I help you out of these clothes?" She flashed a cheeky grin at the apparent blush on Lena's cheeks.

She stepped away and turned the faucet off. With measure pacing on trembling legs, Kara returned to the woman leaning against the counter. Lena was a vision and was a prophet struck in wonder and worship. She eventually resumes her previous place, the warmth between their bodies feeling like home.

With a nod from Lena, Kara placed a gentle kiss on her cheek and undid the buttons with uncooperative fingers. The shirt parted down the middle, exposing a sliver of the body underneath. Kara gulped, contemplating the chances that she would survive this encounter.

As she pulled the shirt off Lena's body, her own body protested the movement. With the attention she was pouring onto Lena, Kara had forgotten about her unfortunate circumstance. Drugs only went so far and her bones ached at the movements, her muscles whined from the exertion. Kara winced in reaction, yet she still pulled the shirt in her hands.

Lena must have noticed, for she leaned in close and placed a kiss of Kara's brow. With soothing sympathy and sure hands, she grabbed the shirt from her and tossed it aside with abandon. Kara watched it land in a pile near the toilet, a heap of dried blood and white.

"Kara, you're hurt-"

"It's nothing." Kara cut Lena off, replacing her attention back on her. Sure, her bones hurt like a bitch and she felt like she needed to sleep for an eternity but Kara knew the pain today would be a distant memory when her powers came back. Lena, on the other hand, had a concussion that wouldn't just go away. She actually needed to heal to get better, thus Kara needed to take care of her no matter the cost to her 'human' health. That, and the sight of Lena in just a bra and pants was doing unspeakable things to her.

"No, it's not nothing." Lena's voice hardened, the softness of before vanishing like smoke. Apparently, the CEO wasn't taking any of it and Kara didn't understand why. Didn't Lena know

that her health was always paramount to her own? Human's were fragile by nature. Honestly, if it wasn't for their intellect, natural selection would have killed them off years ago.

Lena continued. "Kara," her name was said with such gravity that Kara couldn't help but look away. A weird shame settled on her shoulders. Her wallowing was cut short, however, by a firm grip on

her chin turning her head back to Lena. It was only once their eyes locked did Lena continue. "I need you to understand something for me."

Kara nodded.

Lena's hand dropped.

"Good." She leant forward and kissed Kara's cheeks, the softness returning to her features and the weight lifting from Kara's shoulders. "The events of today were extremely taxing for both of us." Kara nodded again at the truth. "And we both ended up injured. From the looks of it, you probably have multiple fractures throughout your body and I have a concussion and a bloody shirt."

"How did you know?" Kara asked in reference to herself, she hadn't told Lena anything yet after all.

The CEO just enveloped her into a hug, a Cheshire grin on her lips as she dropped her chin on Kara's shoulder. The warm content feeling seeped back into Kara's muscles as she relaxed against the bare skin of Lena's torso, silently cursing her own shirt from getting in the way. Lena placed a kiss on her ear and Kara melted a little.

"It's the way you carry yourself." Lena moved down, trialling her nose across Kara's rosy cheek to kiss her jaw. Kara closed her eyes at the soft press of warm flesh. "It's laboured shortness of your breath." Lena kissed the top of her nose and with the softest, sweetest voice, she spoke.

"And you have a fucking broken arm."

Kara burst out laughing, caught off guard that the jarring vulgarity that was so essentially Lena. Lena joined in the laughter, peppering chaste kisses all over Kara's face. Without further conversation, Kara felt warm hands tug at her shirt only for it to be discarded a moment later. The cast was only a minor inconvenience for Lena's dexterous fingers.

Kara was doing her best not to look at Lena, she didn't want to make the other woman uncomfortable. However, as soon as her own shirt came off, Kara felt a sudden flush warm her skin and she couldn't help but notice Lena's wondering eyes. Kara knew she wasn't bad looking by any means. In fact, apparently her body was the 'epitome of modern Western beauty standards' (according to Alex). Still, she was extremely flattered that Lena was checking her out.

And if Lena could do it, well then Kara assumed she could too.

Were Kara was all bundled muscle and raw power, Lena was soft curves and hidden strength. The pale expanse of Lena's skin was only broken by the black of her unpadded bra and her haigh-waisted pants. Full breasts were hugged by plain cloth, nipples stiff against the fabric. This wasn't meant to be sexy, it was Lena's work attire after all, but Kara couldn't help but imagine cupping the soft mounds in the palms of her hands. The phantom weight of each breast making her fingers tingle with the urge to touch.

But they were taking this slow, so Kara kept her hands to herself.

Still, she felt impossibly hot under the collar and Kara knew it wasn't just her that was affected. She looked up, tearing her eyes away from her earlier fixation only to be met by another: the look on Lena's face. There was pure, green fire there. Her eyes ablaze with restrained want.

Lena's gaze was heavy as it raked over her exposed skin. Kara could almost feel it trace the bundles of neatly packed muscle that made up her body. Honestly, if Kara knew that this would be the situation later in the day, she would have worn something better than her lounging bra. Lena didn't seem to mind though, if the way she licked her lips told Kara anything.

Lena gulped audibly as Kara reached out slowly, only moving faster with a nod from Lena. Kara placed her palm on the dip of Lena's back. The warmth on the CEO's skin heating up Kara's slightly cool hand. She slid her hand up until she found the clasp. There was nothing sexual about how Kara fumbled trying to take off Lena's bra with one hand. Matter of fact, Lena let out a little giggle at Kara's embarrassed flush. It only made Kara blush harder.

Finally, the clasp unhooked, and Kara shared a triumphant laugh with Lena, exhilaration coated thick on both their tongues. It proved to be a mistake as Kara was greeted with the sight of a loose bra starting to fall off a well-endowed chest. Her face snapped up, eyes landing back on Lena's face as

she pretended she didn't see anything. She wasn't fast enough, for she was just greeted with a knowing smirk.

"Liked what you saw, Miss. Danvers?"

Lena's voice was downright sinful. Still, Kara tried to play it cool, even if they both could feel her nerves.

"It would be blasphemous to lie, Miss. Luthor." She returned surprisingly smoothly.

They shared happy smiles. This time Lena moved forward and with the distinct advantage of having two hands, Kara felt her bra loosen. With shy smiles and no words, they grasped each other's bras with purposeful hands and pulled.

The undergarments slipped off easily, Lena's more so than Kara's (the cast got in the way this time) and fell to the floor in a heap. Kara's fingers twitched, and her pupils dilated so fast she could feel them do it. Fuck not looking.

Lena was so fucking beautiful, Kara didn't even have words. Her muscles flexed and strained with restraint and her tongue became thick with the need to taste. Still, Kara practiced patience.

They kept eye contact, almost as if it was a competition to see who would break first. Lena's pupils were completely blown too, the greens almost haunted black with want. Yet, Lena stood still, jaw tight and nostrils flared.

That was until the spell was broken by the gentle rise of Lena's arms.

Steady fingers hovered just above Kara's heated skin, the hairs on her body standing to attention in a bid to connect their bodies. Kara held her breath with anticipation, watching the way Lena's fingers pianoed in the space between them. And like magnets, skin met skin.

A shock rippled across her body, pulling a gasp from them both by the sudden excitement coursing through their veins. Kara watched as Lena's fingers lingered on the plains of her stomach, her muscles jumping at the foreign yet familiar contact. This was the start of so many of her fantasies and honestly, Kara was having a really hard time keeping it in her pants.

"Is this alright?" Lena hushed, the air settling around them in plumes of steam from the cooling bath.

Kara responded without words, she instead leaned forward, forcing Lena's palm to touch her stomach with full contact. They both let out stuttering breaths at the action, an unspoken reassurance that it was alright for Lena to touch, to feel the hidden solidness of her power. Kara backed up her permission with a low level of urgency through their bond, sparking Lena into action.

The CEO's fingers were feather light, choosing to map out instead of possess. Kara would have lied if she said she wasn't trying to hold in laughter. Apparently, her powerless body thought tickleishness was a sought-after asset, but Lena's fingers were trailing sparks and Kara wanted more. Honestly, if it wasn't for the view, she wouldn't have succeeded in holding her bubbling mirth. Lena must have felt it, however, for her smile widened every time Kara fought giggles.

Oh Rao, what a view it was.

Lena's skin was like solidified moonlight, a lovely paleness that had a slight transparency. It was odd how the beautifully hash angles of Lena's features contrasted with the soft slopes of her feminine form. The juxtaposition urging anyone who had the fortune to gaze upon it, to touch. And Rao, did Kara want to touch. She wanted to map out how the hollow of Lena's collarbones pointed towards

the valley between her breasts. Kara wanted to trace the branching rivers of her just visible veins. She wanted to place her palm over the thundering heart she wished she could hear.

She did none of that.

Like a trained dog, Kara heeled. Her wants and desires were overpowered by her promise to Lena. Nothing would happen tonight unless Lena took the first step, Kara would make sure of that.

"May I?" The silence was broken by the sudden gravelly tone of Lena's voice. A shock raced down Kara's spine, Lena's fingers resting at her solar plexus, twitching with curiosity.

"Yes." Kara's voice, thick and honeyed, fell from her lips, surprising them both with its clarity.

Lena gave a devilish smile, leaning forward and placing a soft kiss to Kara temple. Kara closed her eyes, her body freezing at the contact. It was like the physical closeness of Lena's body pushed hers into overdrive. All her senses were pinpointed on the woman before her, the very molecules of her being vibrating with the CEO's proximity. But Lena, like the tease she was, leaned back again with a sigh.

Kara opened her eyes with a mock glare, laughter on her lips and affection in her heart. Lena's hand fell from her skin and instead entangled with cords of Kara's sweatpants, the strings trapping fingers in loops. Lena bit her lip and shifted even closer.

Kara moaned filthily.

The movement had made Lena's exposed breasts brush past her own, the tips of her nipples tracing random patterns at the CEO's movements and painting fire across Kara's skin. Lena bit back a moan herself, but Kara wanted nothing more than to coax it out of her. To rip off clothes and fuck the woman she'd wanted since forever. With her lips by Kara's ear and fingers tugging on her pants, Lena whispered.

"The water's getting cold, Kara. Let me help you out of these so we can get in." Another firm tug on the cords. Kara's hips jerked forward at the implication.

"Only if you let me help you out of yours." Kara hushed back, placing a kiss behind Lena's ear.

There was a pause, as if Lena was contemplating it. "Turnabout is fair play after all." She eventually said, voice a little higher.

Without further preamble, Kara felt slender fingers hook around the waistband of both her pants and her underwear, the foreign digits sending a tsunami of goose bumps across her skin. Kara moved her own hand, trailing it down from the bottom of Lena's rib cage to grab her companion's slacks. They both held their breath, eyes locked on each other's in solidarity. And with a fortifying nod, they both pulled downwards.

Kara was speechless (so was Lena but Kara was too taken to notice). Lena was the epitome of renaissance beauty, a perfect hourglass figure. The woman's strong neck and cutting collar bones lead to weighty, full breasts. They were too heavy to be perky and Kara wondered how Lena didn't have a sore back half the time. Still, the dusty pink of the peaks short-circuited Kara's brain. So, like a Neanderthal, all she could do was stare and admire.

And admire she did.

The healthy fullness of Lena's stomach gave way to wide hips. Those hips topped cushioned thighs, which flowed into athletic calves and Egyptian feet. In fact, Kara suddenly had the inexplicable urge

to find a huge chunk of marble and start carving.

But like a sudden crack in stone, Lena's beauty was only marred by her stature.

The confidence from earlier had evaporated into thin air, leaving a shy, meek girl in place of the once smouldering woman. Kara didn't understand. She didn't understand why Lena hugged her midriff to hide her stomach. She didn't understand why Lena brought an arm up to restrain her breasts. It made no sense. It was almost as if Lena was ashamed of her body, which was ridiculous.

Still, it made Kara mad.

That amount of damage needed to make one ashamed of themselves was huge. Often, it was a culmination of societal pressures (at least according to Simmons and Blyth) that led to a decreased self-worth. Kara, however, had an inkling that it wasn't just general human society that forced its opinion. Kara would bet it had something to do about a certain maternal figure in Lena's life.

Sure, Kara read the scientific journals and heard the stats, but she still couldn't comprehend why there was so much emphasis placed on the body. On Krypton, body image was vastly different. A person's body was a tapestry documenting the history of the person. All their battles, victories and even failures were on their skin, an intimate record of personal history. Thus, the revealing of one's skin to anyone outside of childhood was seen as a highly romantic gesture. A gesture normally performed between spouses during intimacy. It was never something to be ashamed of.

There would be none of that 'intimacy' here, but that didn't mean that Kara couldn't try to show Lena how beautiful she was. Be it thought actions or words, this had now become Kara's mission. Lena was beautiful, inside and out and the CEO needed to realise that. Had to realise that.

So, Kara slowed her heart, breathed in calming breaths and moved with sombre purpose. With steady yet gentle fingers, she encased Lena's hands with her own. The sudden spike of trepidation that clenched her heart urged Kara to move even slower. As she did so, she poured a calmness through their bond, hoping to relax Lena into a sense of safety. Eventually, as Kara stood there, watching Lena look anywhere but at her, she saw the CEO's shoulders fall and her posture relax.

Without any strength or resistance, Kara was able to pry Lena's hands away, revealing the Luthor's body in all its poised glory. The air was thick with implication, as if any movement would break the precarious balance between them.

So, Kara, with bumbling breath and a lower than expected voice, broke the tension between them.

"There's something about humans that I don't understand." Kara starts, trying to figure out how she wants to word her query. She feels curiosity spark behind her ears and she notices that Lena looks more alert. More intrigued.

With a little tug on Lena's wrists, Kara guides them towards the warm bath, the water stagnate and reflecting the white ceiling above. She lets go of her captive and grabs the edge of the porcelain, the rising steam warming her fingers. Lena copies the action, an eyebrow raised in question and her body angled away.

Once Kara stepped into the tub, bones protesting with the odd angles, and slid down into the water with a pained groan, she sighed as the warmth worked magic on her aching muscles. Warm water was a fucking miracle worker.

"What I don't understand," she sighed again as Lena mirrored her actions on the other side of the tub, the water lapping at Kara's shoulders, "is the obsession with the Cultural Ideal Hypothesis."

Now both eyebrows were raised, and Kara huffed a laugh, shoulders creating little waves in the water.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that curiosity killed the cat?" Lena quipped, no emotions displayed but Kara could feel her discomfort. She stopped laughing.

"Yeah, but satisfaction brought it back." Kara retorted smugly. "Touché"

"You see, I don't understand the huge social pressure to look one way in order to be perceived as beautiful. At least in Western cultures, women must be skinny even though we naturally put on weight after puberty. Men have to become broad and larger to be thought of as handsome. I could understand if it was to do with health, but it isn't. It's to do with aesthetics."

"You seemed to have it figured out, Kara." Lena tried to dismiss as she sunk into the water, their legs rubbing at the shift in position. "So, I don't know why you're asking me." Lena bubbles into the water, eyes downcast.

Kara gave a melancholic smile, her brows heavy as she observed her companion. It was jarring to see Lena, who prided herself on her work and intelligence, be brought down by something as stupid as appearance.

"I'm asking because that stupid notion is affecting one of the people I hold most dear." Kara soothed. "That's ridiculous, Alex has nothing to worry about." Lena chuckled, but Kara was not amused. "You know that's not who I'm talking about."

Lena shifted again. Water sloshed over the side of the tub as she brought her arms to cover her chest and bent her legs to hide behind. At the back of her mind, Kara could feel the tension Lena was experiencing. The force of her self-loathing smelt like rotting wood, dank and horribly musky, burning at her nostrils and Kara wanted nothing more than to open a proverbial window. The only way to do that was to make Lena understand.

Kara knew that Argo City wasn't built in a day, true progress always took time, and Kara was willing to help Lena. They were a team now after all, both companions with an uncanny bond that bound them through some of their toughest times. This was nothing compared to that.

Yet, it was also everything compared to that. "I've always battled with my weight."

Kara would have missed it if she wasn't watching Lena through her contemplation. The extent of Lena's emotional trauma showed in the feelings they shared. The admittance felt like a wound. It was like lifting a bandage only to find maggots eating at the flesh, the wound festering and spreading.

A keening whine and laboured breathing were the only predecessors to Lena's sudden break down.

Kara splashed forward, the sound of spilling water echoing in the tiled room, as she pulled Lena into her arms, folded legs and all. Despair cut at her tongue and shame felt like an elephant on her chest, but Kara didn't care, Lena needed her reassurance, needed her support, so she would darn well provide it.

How long had Lena been feeling like this?

Lena wrapped her arms tightly around Kara, her hands forming a knot at Kara's mid back. Kara bit back a groan at the sudden pressure on her bones. Honestly, being human sucked but she didn't tell Lena that. Instead, she did her best to suppress the feelings of pain (pain was mental after all) and focused on her girlfriend.

Lena had buried her face in Kara's neck, her nose cold and her eyes creating small rivers. Kara didn't care, she just pulled the fragile woman closer. A hand threading through the thick black mane and fingers working tight circles at the base of Lena's skull.

Rao, Kara really hated how Lena pent up her emotions. Sure, they shared the bond, but that didn't mean Kara could feel everything Lena felt -that probably would have driven them both mad eventually- but more so that Kara felt the more intense emotions. Hence, how she missed this horrible, tar black pain hidden under Lena's skin.

Not to say that this wasn't an extreme emotion. Instead, this feeling must have built over time, day by day, until it was just there and Lena being Lena, shoved it down for its imperfection. It became her new normal, an acceptance, and therefore Kara would have missed it in lieu of Lena's other troubles and joys.

Kara placed a lingering kiss against soft hair, her nose tickled by errant strands. Kara's hands had long moved on from circles to massaging Lena's neck and shoulders, working the tension out as best she could with her lacking strength. It seemed to be working. With each press, Lena seemed to sag further, muscles melting until eventually her legs fell below her, and Kara was greeted with the sensation of Lena's front flush with her own.

Kara bit back a moan, thinking it would be inappropriate with the air heavy between them. Lena, on the other hand, had no such reservations. Pure gravel rumbled in the CEO's throat, pleased at the knot Kara just released and the sensation of their skin sliding against one another's. Kara chuckled and placed another kiss on slightly damp hair. As Lena placed her hands of Kara's shoulders in a bid to return the favour, Kara subtlety reached for the soap and lather, careful not to get her cast wet.

Successfully lathering the soap, Kara caught Lena's attention with a clearing of her throat. The CEO stopped mid massage, wonderous fingers ceasing all motion and Lena leant back with a raised eyebrow. Kara couldn't help it but place a chaste kiss against her stunning mouth, quickly pulling away before it went further.

Lena's eyes were blood shot from the earlier tears and her breath was heavy with a mixture of arousal and sorrow. Kara placed a kiss at her strong brow. The sight of a sad Lena was enough to inflict a wound on her heart and stoke the fires of her protective drive.

"On Krypton," Kara started, watching Lena's eyes widen slightly, "a mated pair would often perform a ritual in homage to each other's life." Lena's fingers started moving again, working at the pulled muscles that made up Kara's neck. "I know we aren't mated and we're taking things slow," Lena chuckled at that, Kara smiled, "but...I would like to perform a variation of the ritual on you."

It took a minute for Lena to comprehend the Kryptonian, so much so Kara was about to repeat it in English. Lena surprised her, however, with doleful eyes and a completely open expression.

"I would like the." The words were low, and Lena stumbled, unfamiliar with the sentence construction.

"Na-ha, it's 'I would like that,' you're both agree and expressing a want. The construction is a little

different." Kara gently corrected, pride settling in her chest.

"I would like that." Lena repeated almost perfectly. Kara beamed at the woman in her arms, Lena returned the smile in kind.

Lena didn't allow herself time to feel bad about her fumbled Kryptonian. Instead, she followed Kara's instruction and turned around, laying her back against the full front of Kara's perfect body. She felt all the lovely details of Kara's defined form.

God, Kara was every person's wet dream. Her rounded face was perched on a strong, oxen neck. Stunning collar bones stood prominently in a prelude to wondrously perky breasts. Lena wanted to drag her tongue across the astoundingly straight line that ran all the way down from Kara's breasts to her navel, only accented by the hills of her rock-hard abs. Hips bones stood out from her skin, the start line to deliciously muscles legs. A thin line of hair trailed down from Kara's navel, eventually pooling into a thick forest of curls between her legs. Lena wanted to thread her fingers through the blonde curls, curious to see if they were as soft as Kara's thick head of hair. Lena hypothesised that it would be softer, based on looks, but she was a scientist and she needed to conduct an experiment.

With serval trails. In all conditions. Fuck.

However, she kept her hands to herself, choosing to instead grip the edges of the tub to rein herself in. She noticed a soapy lather in Kara's working hand, the other was hanging off the side of the bathtub in lieu of not getting it wet. This was ridiculous. Kara was in severe pain and here Lena was, laying against her like she didn't have a care in the world. Still, Lena could feel Kara's need to provide comfort to her and Lena couldn't deny her that.

She was so stupid. Why the hell would she let herself break down like that? Now she got Kara worried and protective, and over what? A few mean words that were thrown her way over the years. Words that she allowed, for some fucked reason, to penetrate her defences and turn into infected wounds.

Her body would only tone so far. She could never lose the stomach fat and she hated how it would sit at the top of her pants, making her shirts cling to her. She hated how gravity had affect her breasts, the weight of them dragging them down towards her stomach if she wasn't wearing a bra.

Lena hated it all.

The asymmetry of her areolas, the awkward love handles that made buying pants hard, the way her thighs rubbed together as she walked. She hated it, hated it, hated it. But Kara should never know that. Her pathetic wallowing will be hers and hers alo-

Lena's mind blanked and her eyes fluttered shut. Kara shifted in such a way that her pubic hair brushed against the small of her back. Soft, definitely soft. That wasn't the end of it though. Gentle teeth nipped at her ear lobe, dragging and stretching the flesh before releasing. Lena fought valiantly against the urge to writhe against the body behind her, all previous thoughts forgotten.

"Don't worry, I'll explain everything I'm doing. Just stop me if I make you uncomfortable at any given time." Kara husked into her ear, lips brushing her earlobe.

All Lena could do was nod her consent, eyes heavy lidded and mouth in a perpetual gasp.

"Firstly, I'm going to lather you with soap."

As soon as the words were out, Lena felt the soapy roughness of the lather against her skin. Kara nuzzled her shoulder and Lena closed her eyes, getting lost in the sensations. Kara took her time, placing ample soap on every available surface, coaxing any dirt out of her pores.

When the blonde reached her stomach, Lena felt herself freeze. Her muscle stiffened, and she was torn from her relaxed state. Lena fought down the slight nausea she felt when Kara's hand had to rise to go over her fucking stomach. She gritted her teeth, fighting the burning behind her eyes as Kara traced the horrible bulges of her love handles. How Kara wasn't disgusted at her body, Lena didn't understand. How could someone be attracted to her? Especially if some had a body like Kara's.

Kara let the lather go and Lena watched it float to the surface. Kara's arm encircled her waist, pulling their bodies closer and Lena closed her eyes, her shame bubbling at the surface. Lena felt the hardened plaster of Kara's cast at her chin, steel fingers grabbing her jaw and gently turning her head to face the blonde.

Lena opened her eyes at the action only to be met with sorrowful yet understanding blues. Kara looked tragic in the soft lighting, with steam damp hair and a thousand-yard stare. The blonde leant into her, capturing Lena's lips with her own. Lena could help but melt into the feel. Kara's lips should be illegal. They should be classified as a drug for their addictive nature and their ability to ruin lives.

Kara pulled back after a moment, but not far. They shared the same air, Kara's breath warm against her face and Lena felt as if her heart might break the cage of her ribs. Still, she could do nothing but watch Kara's plump lips as she spoke softly.

"Name something you love about yourself."

Lena's eyes widened at the statement. It was said with such care that Lena felt herself actually thinking. God, it was hard. Why was it so hard? She could name a million things she loathed, but to name one thing she liked? Heck, loved?

Kara squeezed at her waist, grabbing her attention. "How about I help you? I'll name one thing as I wash the soap off each part of your body. Is that alright?"

Lena fought down an urge to bolt. She wasn't used to this type of attention. "S-Sure."

"Okay." Kara placed a kiss at her jaw. Her arm slithered from her waist and instead started to wash at Lena's hands. The movement making Kara's body shift over her back, Lena fought the distraction. "I find the worked look of your hands and your long fingers extremely attractive. It speaks of your hardworking and capable nature. It labels you as an inventor."

Kara moved up, her hand now washing at Lena's forearms. "Your forearms are a marvel. Solid with years of swordplay and fighting. Fun fact, did you know a woman's forearms taper towards their wrists because it make it easier to hold a baby? Men, on the other hand, have just straight forearms."

Lena chuckled. Trust Kara to be a wealth of random knowledge (Lena did know that though).

The hand now rinsed her shoulders, the bath water cloudy with soap suds. "Your broad shoulders make you incredibly comfortable to hug and allows you to carry blazers and dresses really well." Lena felt Kara place a cheek kiss there. "And, honestly, I think these freckles are completely charming." She punctuated it with another peck and Lena chuckled again.

"Your neck, Rao, it's a daily struggle to rein myself in every time I see it. Honestly, most of the time I want nothing more than to bite at the cords and to suckle at the hollow of your throat."

Now that made Lena groan. The mental image stoking at her libido. Next was her chest and Kara froze for a second. "Is it alright if I..." "Yes."

"Good." Kara huffed, and Lena felt her elation. Lena's head fell back as Kara started washing the soap off, paying extra attention to her stiffening peaks. There was nothing to be done about the moan that fell from her lips. She had never been sensitive there before, normally Lena felt nothing, but Kara's hands were an entirely different story. It was like lightening raced across her skin, landing right in between her legs. "Now these, well, these are fucking fantastic."

This time Lena outright laughed.

"My only question though is how the hell you don't always have a sore back?"

Lena lifted her head, placing a kiss on Kara's cheek. "Oh, I do. I've just learnt to live with it." "Well, just tell me if you need a massage. I'll happily give you one."

They shared smiles at that. Lena's smile fell away, however, as Kara travelled down. Lena felt her ears burn as Kara washed her stomach. She could feel the fat move with the motions but that didn't stop Kara.

"Now, I have to honest here." Kara started, and Lena's heart sunk. This was it. This was the deal breaker. "I find this incredibly attractive."

"What?" The word flew from her mouth in shock. Kara couldn't honestly mean that.

"It's true. Rao Lena, your curves make you look so incredibly soft, but I know you could kill a man if you pleased. That hidden power is an honest turn on."

"But I'm fat." Lena tried to reason, not accepting the words.

"That's were your wrong, Kitten." Kara kissed the back of her head and ran her hands over Lena's belly. "There's a difference between being fat, being healthy and having a six-pack. You, dear, are healthy and in proportion to your body."

"No matter how hard I try, I just can't seem to lose it though!" Lena tired to turn around but Kara stopped her with a pained grunt. Shit, Lena forgot about Kara's bones, but before she could apologise, she was cut off.

"I'm sure you're familiar with genetics, Miss. Luthor." Kara got through, the pain still evident in her tone even as she tried to mask it. "If you don't have the genes for it, it would be incredibly hard to loss anymore weight. Not everyone can be the a ridiculously thin model, different body types exist. Are you familiar with Ferron's study on body image?"

Lena nodded. She had an interest in psychology, so psych journals often featured in her late-night readings.

"Then you know that media plays a huge role on how we perceive ourselves. You're perfectly healthy Lena, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Especially the stupid media, and that's ironic

coming from me."

Lena chuckled. "You work in news though." "Yep, that's true." Kara chuckled.

They eventually finished their bath, the water turning freezing and chasing them out. Lena helped Kara to dry herself with a towel. The blondes body on the cusp of giving out and it was the least Lena could do in thanks for what Kara had done for hear.

Her issues weren't settled, that would take a while, but Lena felt more self-confident than she had for as long as she could remember. Honestly, Kara was a heroine even without her powers.

They changed into warm pyjamas, the air chilly in the falling Autumn, even with the heater on. Lena tucked Kara in before she put the lights off and joined her in bed, cuddling up to the Kryptonian to steal some warmth. Kara made a lovely space heater after all.

The taxing day caught up to them in record time, knocking them both into a deep slumber after Kara kissed her goodnight. Lena drifted off with a smile on her lips, content with the alien in her arms and the warmth around her.

Lena woke into groggy wakefulness with the brightness of the room. Kara never closed her blinds and Lena understood that the sun was a comfort to her, but still. Her brain was hammering, and Lena felt like there was a pressure in her head and a slight rigging in her ears. The doctor told her to expect these symptoms, so Lena wasn't worried. They were annoying though.

The inconvenience was bettered by the sight Lena was privy to. Kara was still asleep beside her. The Kryptonian's mouth was open in a cute snore, her hair was a bloody mess of blonde and her limbs akimbo.

Huh, so this is how a 'human' Kara slept. Lena smiled at the rare sight.

She placed a quick kiss to Kara's brow and rolled out of bed carefully. Lena was the type of person that couldn't go back to sleep once they woke up. So, she would be productive and start on breakfast for them both.

First things first, however. She grabbed her phone off the night stand and called Jess. It was past seven, so her secretary would be up. Lena was right, for the phone was answered on the first ring. She walked into the living room as to not disturb her host.

"Morning, Miss. Luthor."

"Good morning, Jess." She paced up and down absentmindedly.

"I've already rescheduled all meetings today for later in the week. Please, stay at home and rest."

Lena was stunned. Honestly, she was going to ask Jess to just push her meetings back to the afternoon but apparently the woman had gone a step further.

"Whilst I'm grateful Jess, please ask me next time. People normally get fired for stuff like this." Lena said. It was true, messing with her schedule without her permission was a transgression, even if well intentioned.

Jess' voice was still strong, the statement not affecting her at all, apparently. "With all due respect, Miss. Luthor, your health is of the upmost importance and I would gladly risk my job to make sure you take ample rest."

Now Lena's jaw dropped. Jess was an amazing woman indeed and Lena was grateful for her.

"Thank you, Jess."

"Anytime, Miss. Luthor. Good day."

The phone went dead and Lena looked at the mobile with raised eyebrows. Jess hung up on her. Was this what it was like to have friends?

With a fond smile, she just shook her head and place the phone on the kitchen counter. With the least noise possible, Lena ruffled through Kara's drawers and shelves, tip toeing around the kitchen and stock taking ingredients she had on hand. She pulled out eggs, mushrooms, cheese, bread, some tomatoes and onions.

She put the bread in the toaster and got started on the eggs. Whisking a few together with a dash of water, she let it sit to the side. She placed a pan on the stove, cutting onions and tomatoes straight onto it, she let them fry out and she cleaned the mushrooms. Once clean, she chopped them up and chucked them in the pan to with a quick stir.

Pouring the eggs in, she made sure it covered the whole pan before grating some cheese in. She scrambled it all with some pepper and salt with a little chilli for a kick. The toast popped, she put more on. She didn't know if Kara would she have her large appetite without her powers. She'd rather be safe than sorry.

Once the eggs were done, she repeated the process for a second batch. Cooking in Kara's kitchen was a pleasure, even if the oven was under functioning at the best of times.

She was halfway through cooking the eggs when she felt strong arms encircle her waist and a soft body press against her back. Lena yelped, almost flipping the pan in her hands. Apparently, they both had a knack for sneaking up on the other when cooking. One day it would end badly, but today was not that day. Lena finished the eggs quickly as Kara placed feather light kisses up her neck. The action bringing back memories of her words from last night. God, Kara was too good to her.

She put the stove off before she turned in Kara's arms, greeting her properly with a languid kiss. "Good morning." She said against Kara's lips and the blonde smiled, pearly whites on display.

"Good morning to you too." Kara gave her another quick peck before pulling back fully. "You didn't have to make breakfast, Lena."

As she said it, Lena could feel the appreciation rolling off her in waves. "I wanted to. Normally you're the one cooking, so I thought it was about time. That, and I woke up first."

"Well, thank you. It smells delicious." Kara beamed, grabbing plates and tumblers from the cupboards. Lena walked over, taking the objects from the blonde's hands and setting the table. Kara looked on questioningly and Lena just smiled back.

"You're in pain, Kara. The painkiller's have worn off and even I can feel it."

Kara ran a hand through her hair nervously before making her way to the table and sitting down. Lena watched on, noticing the careful way Kara stepped and how her body was stiff as to not jar her

bones. Thank God this was just temporary because if Kara was human, recovery would be long for injuries of that extent.

Lena brought the food over and grabbed the breakfast juice from the fridge. She hummed happily. She had woken up feeling lighter, like she was a little more comfortable in her skin. Like she would suddenly invincible. She had also woken up next to Kara in a bundle of warmth, which launched her into a good mood.

The apartment was bathed in golden light, the sun rising late due to the Autumn month. Its weaker rays gave everything a soft edge and as Lena looked at Kara, who was looking out the window, she stopped in her tracks. The way the light reflected off Kara's hair gave the impression of molten gold running rivers down the Kryptonian's back. There was a small smile on her girlfriend's lips and Lena could feel her solid happiness at the back of her mind. The earlier pain had ebbed away to a trickle.

There was something in this scene that gave Lena a sense of contentment. Like, everything in her life was well and good at this exact moment in time and Lena felt a thick, blissful warmth seep into her very bones. It was like an internal hug and Lena grinned madly.

With a shake of her head, she resumed her walking to the table. Once she poured some juice for them both, she sat down and they began to eat. The eggs were good, if Lena did say so herself. Kara agreed with more enthusiasm than warranted, but Lena found it sweet. She had only taken a few bites, however, before a knock on the door gave her pause.

Kara stopped eating too, and with a furrowed brow, squinted at the door as if to look though it. It didn't last long before she realised her powers were still, in fact, blown and she dropped her head in defeat.

"Kara, go get your glasses and put your hair up." Lena said through a chuckle at Kara's antics. She got up to answer as another series of knocks sounded. She pulled open the door and was surprised at the visitor.

"Alex? Good morning." Lena smiled as she stepped aside, inviting the agent in. She really did like Alex.

"Morning Little Luthor. How are ya feeling?" She asked as she entered Kara's apartment. "Feeling better, thanks."

"Alex!" Kara let out an excited yelp as she ran out the room, glasses on and hair up. Only to shout in pain at the sudden movement. Lena reflexively curled into herself at the pain which assaulted her senses, but she fought through it. Alex was in the room, after all. So, Lena just closed and locked the door whilst pretending that her bones didn't feel like they were on fire.

Alex tutted as she dashed forward, holding her little sister up gingerly. "Geeze Kar, take it easy. You saw me yesterday." Alex scolded affectionately.

"I always get excited when I see you." Kara mumbled. Eyes darting to Lena quickly to make sure she was alright.

Lena just gave her a thumbs-up in response as she made her way to the kitchen. The pain was easing already as Lena fought Kara's emotions down.

"You caught us in the middle of breakfast, Alex. Come join us." Lena said as she grabbed an extra plate and glass.

"Thanks." Alex agreed, settling Kara down onto her seat, then taking one of her own.

Alex took the plate from Lena's hands, pilling eggs on top of a slice of toast as Lena poured her a glass of juice.

"Did you make this?" Alex asked Lena as she took a bite. Lena nodded in response.

"It's really good."

Lena smiled. "Thanks Alex."

They all ate in relative silence, the only sounds were that of eating and Kara humming some unknown tune that sounded like a variation of Greensleeves. Surprisingly, Kara was the first to finish, only having two platefuls before she announced that she was full.

Apparently, Kara lost her endless appetite during a solar flare. Well, more like it was severely reduced, which was good to know and made scientific sense. She didn't burn the same number of calories without her powers.

It was only once they Lena started washing the dishes, with Alex helping and Kara sitting on the couch (Alex ordered her to), did the oldest Danvers speak.

"I came over just to check up on you two and deliver Kara her painkillers." Alex pulled a brown paper packet from her jacket pocket. "So, any recent developments?"

At the innocent question, Lena could help but think back to last night. The way Kara's lips brushed against her as she whispered praise of Lena's body. The way steeled fingers caressed her exposed skin, tracing incomprehensible patterns over the surface as Lena fought her desires. The feel on Kara's stiff nipples against her back and the wonderful impressions of her abs.

"Guys?" Alex looked between them with a raised eyebrow, looking a little creeped out that the sudden silence and lack of movement.

Lena broke out of her stupor, fighting down a blush and intently washing the plate in her hands. "Oh, sorry Alex. Um, yeah, this morning actually. It feels like there's a constant pressure on my head," Lena gestured towards her temporal lobes, fling water accidentally, "and there's a high- pitched ringing in my ears. Other than that though, my dizziness has passed."

Alex nodded along. "That's all normal for a concussion, there's really nothing to do besides wait it out. If it does become worse though, go back to the hospital. Do remember what happened though?"

"No, nothing yet. I remember sitting at my desk and the next thing was I woke up in hospital." Lena wasn't going to tell her about the overwhelming feeling of loneliness and power that Lena was help Kara fight. Honestly, Lena doesn't remember much of it herself. There were odd flashes. Like, a temple? That didn't make any sense. All in all, Lena remembered wanting to help but anything after that was blank. "Noted though. Thanks Alex."

With that, they both turned to the unusually quiet blonde on the couch.

Lena's eyes widened at the sight. Oh, that's way.

Kara was beet red and frozen. Apparently, Lena's dirty thoughts had a startling effect on the poor Kryptonian. Honestly, Lena would have felt sorrier if the sight wasn't so darn enticing. Alex, on the

other hand, looked between the two of them again questioningly. Lena just shrugged with fake confusion at Kara's display.

"Kara?" Alex called, and it worked. Kara's head snapped to them, her face still bright red but all her features surprisingly composed. Lena was pretty impressed. "How are you feeling?" Alex asked with an odd tone.

The Littlest Danvers cleared her throat and adjusted her glasses, making them skew on the bridge of her nose. "L-Like I've been hit by a train but, like, a small one? Does that make sense?"

"Kinda. Anyway, Doc. Hamilton prescribed you the same meds you took yesterday. Just take them when the pain gets too much and only two per a dose, alright?"

"Yes, ma'am." Kara shot a cheeky smile.

"I'll just leave them here then." Alex dropped the bag unceremoniously on the counter. "Well, thanks for the breakfast Lena."

"No problem.".

Alex, on her part, pointedly look away. "I have to go down to the police station. So, I'll see you two later." With that, she opened the door. As it was closing

"You're going already, Alex?" Kara asked, a pout forming, however, Alex ducked her head back in. "And Kara?"

Kara looked up.

"I fully expect a sister's night soon. I believe there's something you need to tell me."

The door shut behind her, leaving two stunned women in a silent apartment.

"Do you think..." Kara started, wide eyes looking at Lena.

"Yep." Lena looked back with the same expression.

"Aw man. This isn't going to be fun. I know you wanted to keep this on the down low for now..." "Don't worry Kara, it was bound to come out sooner or later. At least Alex can keep a secret." "True, true." Kara agreed. "Hey, can you pass me my meds and some water please?"

Lena obliged, filling a tumbler with chilled water and handing Kara the pill packet. Kara took two, as instructed, and downed the whole glass, letting out a please sigh when she was done.

"Hopefully these should kick in soon." Kara commented.

"I really don't know how you were coping without them. From what I felt earlier, I would probably be a crying mess in my bed with that much pain." Lena stated in awe. Kara's pain threshold must have been ridiculously high.

"Well, now that were both off today, what do you want to do?" Lena asked, taking a set next to the Kryptonian, careful not to move the cushions too much.

"Well, I heard one of the sharks died at the aquarium yesterday and they're gonna do a shark

dissection at 11. Wanna go?"

"That sounds interesting actually. I haven't been to one in ages. Alright, sure." Lena got up to retrieve her phone, "Let me just call Frankie, neither of us are allowed to operate heavy machinery at the moment."

"Awesome. I've always wanted to go to one, but I've been busy." Kara said, slowly getting up off the couch and pulling her glasses off. "Thanks for indulging me, Lena."

"Nonsense. I'm in the same boat. I like attending dissections, but I've been ridiculously busy lately." "That's an understatement." Kara quipped, and Lena laughed.

An hour later saw them pulling up to the National City Aquarium and Sanctuary (NCAS for short). They got out with a 'thank you' to Frankie. They had asked if he wanted to attend but apparently, he didn't have the stomach for it.

The NACS wasn't very large, but it did host an impressive array of large predatory sea life including sharks, dolphins, stingrays and even a killer whale.

If there was one part of childhood Lena did, it was the emphasis that was placed on practical learning. Not the times when Lillian would berate her for losing a mark in an exam, but the times when they would go out as a family to various educational institutions on a 'learning trip.' Places like the observatory, the zoo and aquarium and various science expos. It was the few times Lex and Lena were allowed to be children and allowed their insatiable curiosity to burst forth without need to read books.

So, walking through the purposely dark halls brought forth images of Lionel teaching Lena and Lex about the importance of coral in the creation of clouds, or how starfish could demolish whole reefs. Sure, this wasn't metropolis, but nostalgia fell thick on her senses at the familiarly generic tanks all aquariums held.

They approached the front desk housing a lanky, fresh out of school teen with an awkward haircut. He was busy tapping away on his phone, completely absorbed in whatever he was scrolling down. There probably wasn't much to do during midday on a Tuesday.

The poor guy, Steve, judging from his name tag, jumped when Kara greeted him with an all too cheery 'Hi!' He quickly recovered, tucking his phone away and giving them a retail smile.

"Hello, how may I help?"

"We're here for the shark dissection at 11. Do we need to purchase tickets?"

Steve nodded along, typing away at the computer to his left. "Alright, sure. You do need to buy tickets, but they're only ten dollars a pop."

Even before Lena could reach for her wallet, Kara was placing twenty dollars in the teen's hands. Lena huffed, and Kara gave her a cheeky grin. Steve handed over the tickets.

"Here ya go. Alright, so the dissection takes place in the open-air amphitheatre down that hall," he pointed to his left, "and on the second left. There's a staircase there, just go up that and the door is open to it. Have fun!"

They both thanked him and made their way there, following the instructions.

"You didn't have to pay, Kara." Lena said, taking one of Kara's swinging hands with her own.

"I didn't have to, but I wanted to. After all, this was my idea to come here and I wanted to treat you."

Lena blushed at that, watching as their hands swung between them. "I-Is this a date, then?" She looked up hopefully.

Kara stopped, pulling Lena into her with a gentle tug. She wrapped her good hand around her waist and brought their bodies close. The dark acted a shroud around their shoulders, making Lena feel like they were rebellious teenagers skipping class.

"It is if you want to be." Kara husked, their faces close.

In lieu of an answer, Lena leant up and pressed an easy kiss against waiting lips. She could feel Kara grin against her skin, making it impossible not to mirror it. "I would love it to be."

They separated, hands still joined, and continued their journey. The amphitheatre wasn't large by any means, probably having a max capacity of 25 people. This meant that you could get close and personal with the dissection, a fact both Lena and Kara looked forward to.

On top of that, the place was completely empty, which surprised them both, but it was quarter 11, plenty of time for more people to pitch up. So, with matching, excited grins, they took front and centre seats. What was the point if you didn't get involved.

As the clock struck 11, they were still the only ones there. That was, at least until the doors to their right opened with a bang. Two people shuffled out with a heavy body bag between them.

"That must be the shark." Lena quipped. The bag was small, less than 2 meters in length.

"Must be." Kara agreed, watching the men hall the bag on top of the stainless-steel dissection table.

Their assumption was proven correct when, with unnecessary flourish, one man unzipped the bag, and another hefted the dead shark onto the table. The animal itself wasn't very big but no less menacing.

The men with the bag left and another, older man in a white lab coat came out. He was busy putting his gloves on, a tool bag tucked under one arm and a clip board under the other, as he muttered to himself. When he looked up, he appeared almost startled at the two ladies in the crowd. Lena just grinned and Kara gave a little wave.

"Visitors! Yay!" The man rejoiced, dropping the bag and clipboard on the table and making his way over. He shook each of their hands and introduced himself. "Hello! My name's Dr. Andrew Koekemoer but everyone calls me Andy."

"Hello!" Kara shook his hand eagerly, "I'm Kara and this," she gestured to Lena, "is Lena."

"I'm so happy someone actually pitched up! Dissections don't pull in as much of a crowd as they used to." The little man exclaimed over his shoulder as he walked back to the table. "Now, because you're the only other people here, how would you like to help me in the dissection?"

They both looked at each other in elation. Kara had a megawatt smile gracing her features and Lena found herself mirroring it without prompt. They both got up, discarding their jackets dispite the chilly weather (Lena didn't want to get shark guts on Kara's clothes).

Andy laughed at their enthusiasm, quipping that 'even kids weren't as excited as them.' Kara blushed in embarrassment, Lena just lifted her chin up, owning the odd praise.

"Forgive me Andy, I haven't cut up a body in a while." Lena shot back. "Lena!" Kara chastised.

"What? It's true Kara! I think the last time I did a dissection this size was for my biology high school thesis."

Kara looked shocked for a second before giving a wry grin. "I don't even want to know." Kara groaned, playfully cocking Lena's arm.

Andy chuckled at the antics as he placed everything they needed on the table top. He clapped his hands to gain their attention. They snapped out of conversation and both walked over to stand by him.

"Alright! So, have you girls dissected a shark before?" He asked, looking between them both. More so pointedly at Lena due to her earlier comment.

She watched as Kara shook her head. Lena hadn't dissected a shark before, but she still remembered a few things from school about their basic anatomy. Honestly, she was surprised she retained the information for all this time (she hadn't used it since).

"I did marine biology as an extra unit in school, so I think I remember some basic shark anatomy." Lena said, letting her sentence drag on questioningly.

"Yeah, and I'm from Midvale, so I used to visit the aquarium there often." Kara tacked on.

"Excellent!" Andy clapped his hands again. "Well, if you have any queries, that's what I'm here for." He gave them both a happy smile.

God, this man must really enjoy his job.

"Okay, let's start. Here we have a spiny dogfish." He gestured to the whole shark. "It's a common shark found worldwide in temperate and subarctic waters of the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. They have also been found in the Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea. This one here," he slapped a hand down on the shark, sending a resounding slap throughout the empty amphitheatre, and make both Lena and Kara jump, "is a female of 121 cm."

"She was of sexual maturity then. Did she have any pups?" Lena asked, leaning over the shark.

"She birthed three healthy sharks in her lifetime. Only one remains here, the other two were sent over to New York."

"May I touch it?" Kara asked, hand poised over the skin.

Andy turned to her, gesturing to the shark. "Sure! I was just about to ask you to, actually. Rub you hand down it's body from head to tail first, then rub it in the other direction and tell me what you feel."

Kara did just that, exclaiming at what she found. "It so smooth head to tail but the other way is so rough!" She looked at Lena with expectancy.

The Luthor obliged and ran her hand down the body. Kara's statement was true, the rough texture

was surprising. It was like running a hand over sandpaper.

"Shark skin is made of a matrix of tiny, hard, tooth-like structures called dermal denticles. Unlike fish, these scales don't grow larger with the shark, instead the shark just grows more of them."

"I'm guessing the tiny groves they create in conjunction with the backwards direction decrease water friction." Kara asked, adjusting her glasses. Eyes clear in interest.

"Yep." Andy popped the 'p.' "Good pick up." He then pointed to a light-coloured horizontal stripe on the shark's skin. "This is called the lateral line. It made up of a series of tiny pores with are connected to sensors. They're extremely sensitive to water movement and pressure changes."

They nodded along. What they weren't expecting, however, was for Andy to suddenly brandish a knife. Lena felt her body react and all her muscles tense and her left foot slid back into a fighting pose. Kara was much the same.

It was false alarm. The man was just ridiculously enthusiastic.

With the knife still held up like he was re-enacting Macbeth, he announced, "Now, we're going to examine the digestive system." He placed the blade against the skin as Lena and Kara relaxed, shooting each other exasperated looks. "I'm going to make a mid-ventral incision just behind the cloacal opening and I'll cut all the way to the pectoral girdle."

He did just that, peeling the skin back beautifully. There was something to say about how amazing bodies were. Everything was so neatly done and placed, and Kara looked over at her at Lena's sudden excitement. So what if she got a weird rush at watching skin being pulled back?

Lena spoke up, partly to shake off Kara's odd, amused look and mostly because she wanted to show off a little. "Because a shark only has a skeleton made of cartilage, and not a traditional ribcage as such, it would die if it became beach because the weight of its own organs would crush it."

"Correct!" Andy smiled. "Just look at the size of these organs! Here we have the liver," he pointed at the ridiculously large organ, "which is the largest organ. It has two main lobes and a third much short lobe," he pulled the liver out to show them, Kara took a step back as Lena leant forward, "which contains the gall bladder."

"I read somewhere that the liver helps with the shark's buoyancy." Kara stated from behind them, a grimace on her face. Lena chuckled at the slight disgust she could feel rolling off the blonde. Someone was squeamish.

This time Lena answered. "It does help to a limited extent. It contains oils which stores the shark's energy. The oils have a specific low gravity help with buoyancy."

Andy looked impressed. "Do you want my job?" Lena laughed. "No thanks, I'm busy enough." Kara chuckled in the background.

The dissection carried on much the same. Andy would take out various organs, explaining their functions and Lena or Kara would add in whatever they knew. Kara, poor Kara, almost bolted when the Andy cut open the stomach without warning. The shark had been dead for a while and the poor thing still had a full stomach of partially digested fish.

Honestly, even Lena gaged a little. Andy, however, didn't seem fazed at all as he ran his gloved

hands through, collecting the gastric juices to show them.

It eventually ended, taking longer than they both expected, but it was so worth it. Lena hadn't felt like this in a long while. Being a CEO of a company often left her with little free time, everything she read and did was towards the company. So, it was refreshing to learn about something so left field from everything else she was studying. It also gave her a few ideas for future L-Corp. inventions.

Kara looked a little less green once they left the amphitheatre.

"For once I'm thanking Rao I don't have my powers. Could you imagine that with my sense of smell." Kara held her nose, "Nup, fuck, I feel ill thinking about it."

Lena could help it, Kara was just too darn cute. So, with complete disregard to their surroundings and with a boldness borne of dark corridors and silent fish, Lena pushed Kara up against the nearest wall. All Kara got out was a huff before Lena slowly ravaged her.

Kara was caught completely by surprise, Lena could feel it running through her synapsis. She just pressed further, careful of Kara bones. She just kissed harder, slipping a tongue in to greet Kara's. Lena just wanted to be as physically close as possible with the woman of her dreams.

Lena knew this was just a by-the-way thing that turned into their first official date, but she didn't care. Kara knew her too well. There was nothing sexier than knowledge and Kara really hit the nail on the head with this one. They both learnt heaps and Lena was grateful for having Kara in her life.

She eventually pulled away, not because she wanted too but because her stupid human body needed air every two minutes. She didn't go far though, for Kara's laboured breathing hit her cheeks and Lena didn't think she would survive if she wasn't touch Kara in some way. They both smelt faintly of dead fish, but that didn't perturb them.

Kara was the first to speak, quiet for only Lena to hear. "Let me take you out for lunch."

Lena smiled, kissing the blonde again, noses bumping. Both their grins made the action a little awkward, but they both laughed it off. Any kiss with Kara was astounding.

"I would like nothing more." Lena hushed. Chapter End Notes

Thank you for reading this ridiculously long chapter! I ended it here but don't worry, the date will continue next chapter (I just have to figure it out first). :D

Have a great day! Thanks for reading!

Simmons and Blyth (1985): Satisfaction with Body Image for Early Adolescent

Females: The Impact of Pubertal Timing Within Different School Environments.

Link to Journal: https/deepblue.lib./bitstream/handle/2027.42/45266/10964_2005_Article_BF02090319.pdf? sequence=1isAllowed=y

Ferron (1997): Body Image in Adolescents.

Link to Website: http//IB%20Psych/IBcontent/Studies/Ferron.htm

Yes, the full saying is: "Curiosity killed the cat , but satisfaction brought it back."

Here's a few more if you're interested: /nico-lang/2013/09/31- famous-quotations-youve-been-getting-wrong/

If you want to do a shark dissection, all information came from here: /staff/victoria-brown/files/2011/08/Shark-Dissection-Guide.pdf

Chapter 11

Chapter Notes

First Date :D

See the end of the chapter for more notes "Where are we going for lunch?"

Kara was brought out of her reverie by the curious lint of Lena's voice. She was still thinking about the smell of dead shark that clung to her sweater. Shuddering (it was an awesome experience but Rao, it smelled), she looked over at Lena.

They were in the back of the car, Frankie driving through the lack of midday traffic with clear purpose. Kara had told him the address before getting in and after making sure Lena was out of ear shot. She wanted it as a surprise, even if they were a low chance of Lena knowing the place. The old man just gave her a thumbs up, waited for her to get in and then closed the door behind her.

"You'll see." Kara teased.

Lena huffed, cheeks puffing out adorably as she looked back out the window. Kara stifled a chuckled and fought the urge to pinch her, knowing Lena wouldn't appreciate it. Sometimes, no, pretty much all the time, Kara wondered how she got so lucky as to be bonded to Lena Luthor. The woman next to her was remarkable in every aspect of the word and Kara had never felt so lucky.

Kara would just exist in this happy happenstance with content satisfaction. On the other hand, it was probably something they should look into, if there was an explanation that is.

"You know." Kara started, biting back a smile. Lena looked over, attention back on her. "When I was on Krypton, I used to paint what I thought you looked like."

Lena looked taken aback, coy smile dropping in place of a frown. Kara gave a sheepish smile; the topic was kind of out on left field. A beat passed before Kara felt a cool hand encase her own. Steady, reassuring fingers threaded with hers and Lena shook their hands slightly.

"Did I live up to expectations?" Lena voice was jokingly soft. Her eyebrow was raised, and her chin dropped forward, leaving her expression open but expectant.

Kara just pulled the pale hand in hers up to her lips, kissing each digit with a wide grin. "Oh, my dear, you surpassed any and all that I had."

It was true. Whatever Kara made in her childhood was a crud imitation to the rawness of Lena's character. Lena was so much more than all the artistic abstraction of Kara's younger years. Lena's character stronger than the materials Kara had woven in a tapestry. Richer than the stories she inscribed as she drew vague figures based on Lena's emotions.

Back then, Lena was little more than an intangibility she could empathically communicate with. Now...well, now Kara could touch as well.

Lena pulled her hand from the Kryptonian's grasp in favour of grabbing the back of Kara's head.

For once, it was Lena's own strength that moved her into a solid kiss. The rest of the car ride was spent like this: muted breaths, sweet nothings, grazing teeth and pliant flesh. Poor Frankie discreetly put up the partition, affording his employer as much privacy as possible.

Sure, it cut out the sight, but thank God he had the radio to cut out the sound.

The car eventually smoothed to a stop and Kara, with great sadness, pulled away from Lena. "We're here." Kara place a kiss to Lena's nose.

"Where?" Lena returned the gesture.

"Why don't you come out and see, Miss. Luthor?"

With that, Kara opened her own door and stumbled out. She had been pressed up against it by a very eager body after all. Lena was quick to follow and they both took a second to adjust to the sudden brightness. Lena sneezed.

Frankie didn't wait before driving off, tires whining and door shutting with the motion.

"The Ambrose Coffeehouse?" Lena read the name out loud, hand shielding her eyes from the sun as she squinted.

"Yep! This place has great food and it's never busy!" Kara quipped, grabbing Lena's hand and making her way inside. "And I think the owner likes me?"

Like always, the coffeehouse was dead. All it's mismatched chairs were neatly tucking into equally mismatched tables and all were missing any customers. It made Kara a little sad that this gem of a coffeehouse had so little recognition, but they must have been doing well enough to remain open. That, or they owned the building.

One thing was for sure, Rao, this place always smelt divine.

Liking her lips, Kara picked up a couple of menus from the front desk, walking behind Lena as the Luthor took in her surroundings. Kara watched her walk through the coffeehouse with unsure steps, looking left and right at all the emptiness. She could feel Lena's confusion as she took in everything. Lena even went as far as dragging a finger over a tabletop to check its cleanliness, Kara had to stifle a giggle.

After a quick scan of the empty area, Lena looked back at her. "Are you sure this place is open?"

It was an honest question. The place did look closed after all, and Kara would have questioned it too if she didn't know any better.

"This place is always open. Don't worry." Kara reassured. It did nothing to relieve the confusion she left at the front of her brain. Still, Lena took her word as gospel and choose a table next to the large windows at the shop's front.

Sunlight slipped through the glass, bathing them both in meek warmth. They sat opposite each other and Kara gave Lena her menu. They opened them simultaneously, Lena holding hers up to reading, unintentionally hiding her face, whilst Kara left her's on the tabletop.

It didn't take long for Kara to know what she wanted. There was a really good sounding pulled lamb Turkish bread sandwich that was calling her name. So with order in mind, she closed her menu without flourish.

Lena looked over her menu. "You already know what you want?" Lena asked, eyes sparkling in the sunlight and an eyebrow cocked.

Kara gave a cheeky grin. "Uh-huh, the lamb Turkish bread sandwich sounds really good." "That's all you're getting?" Lena placed her menu down, hands flat on the table.

Kara reached over and took them both in her hands, squeezing with force. If there was one good thing to come out of solar flaring, it was being able to touch others without any fear of maiming of killing them.

"Ha, yeah. Maybe eating was one of my superpowers." Kara joked, making them both chuckle in the quiet restaurant. "What are you getting?"

"Well, the tofu sal-"

With surprising speed, Kara leant over and placed a hand over Lena's mouth.

"Oh hell no, you are going to get real food for once." Kara stated passionately, only to whip her hand away in disgust. "Did you just lick my hand? That's fucking gross, Lena."

"Oh yeah? Well, you don't seem to mind when my spit's in your mouth." Lena gave a devilish smirk.

"Oh fucking hell, don't say that." Kara shook her head, wiping her hand on Lena's sleeve as she laughed.

"And I'm pretty sure you would mind my spit in your pus-"

Kara whacked her shoulder, face bright red and ears burning. "Rao above, Lena! Please keep it PG, we're in public!"

"Oh yeah," Lena pointed looked around, "to what audience? Unless they're ghosts, I can say whatever I want." She looked entirely too smug about it.

Kara placed her burning face in her palms, her voice muffled as she spoke. "Can we just order? Please? Before I die of embarrassment?"

With another deep chuckle, Lena relaxed back into her chair and closed her menu. "Alright, sure, if you can find a waiter." She gestured to their lack of company.

"Oh, right. This place doesn't have waiters." "Oh?"

"Yeah! All you have to do is know what you want, close your eyes and bam! It's there in front of you." Kara explained with grand gestures. All previous embarrassment gone with the idea of food, even if its affects lingered with her red ears.

She could feel Lena's scepticism. "Seriously? Like magic?" "When have you known me to lie to you?"

"True." Lena sat forward in contemplation, elbows on the table and eyes narrowed. "Alright, fine. Just close my eyes and wish?"

Kara nodded vigorously.

Kara watched Lena shoot her an incredulous glare before complying. Kara just watched her for a moment. She watched how the sun brought out the brown in her hair, giving it a honeyed look. She watched the severe shadow Lena's underbite cut and how it almost gave the appearance that her face was floating. She watched Lena's brow furrow.

"Kara, I can feel you starting." She opened her eyes and stole a little of Kara's breath, "as sweet as that is, I'm hungry and I feel slightly ridiculous."

Kara closed her eyes promptly and in no time, the smell of delectable meat filled her nostrils. She opened her eyes to the sound of Lena's awed gasp. In front of them sat two beautifully presented meals. The sandwich Kara wanted and-

"I thought you wanted tofu?" Kara's eyebrows shot up in surprise, taking in the plate that was definitely not a tofu salad. She looked up at Lena, only to be met with a gobsmacked expression as she looked between the food in front of her and the blonde accompanying her.

"H-How did that happen? How did they know I wanted pizza instead of salad?" Lena looked up slightly panicked, second hand rampant curiosity sparking in Kara's fingers. "Kara, I have so many questions!"

Kara laughed at the excitable woman in front of her. Rao, wonder was a look Lena wore well (Kara was hard pressed to find a look that didn't suit Lena in all honesty). The Luthor woman's mouth was open, head whipping back and forth around the room as if to catch a glimpse of their illusive host. Kara knew she wouldn't find anything, but she let her continue- she looked absolutely adorable, after all.

"No, seriously, what just happened?" The Luthor reiterated, focusing back on her companion.

Kara laughed, grabbing one half of the sandwich as she answered. "To be honest, I really don't know." With that, she took a massive bite and left Lena gaping at her.

"You mean to tell me that you've never questioned how this place works?" Lena picked up her cutlery, stabbing the pizza with the fork and cutting smoothly. "Sometimes, I wonder why I like you." She stuffed a piece into her mouth.

Kara swallowed painfully, she took too large a bite, but the sandwich was really good. "Oh, yeah?" She cleared her throat, a tease dancing on her lips. "Well, sometimes I wonder why I'm dating a woman who uses cutlery to eat pizza."

Lena cut another piece with exaggerated movements. Kara chuckled as she took another, much smaller, bite. The limitations of being human, she mused.

"So, you seriously don't know?" Lena asked, finishing off a slice and starting another. "Yeah, not for lack of trying though."

It was true. Kara had tried to figure out how the place worked after she first happened upon it. Her snooping was to no prevail, however. The only thing she discovered was the odd smell of ozone that lingered every time something appeared on the table.

The topic was eventually dropped in favour for whatever caught their fancy. Kara couldn't keep the smile off her lips. Whenever Lena was passionate about something, her hands would dance and her eyes would sparkle and Kara, well, Kara couldn't anything but watch and nod dumbly. That was,

unless she wasn't laughing.

"No, seriously Kara! Stop laughing!" Lena said through her own mirth. Her laugher held behind her hand.

They had switched plates throughout the meal, so now Kara had the pizza whilst Lena tucked into the other half of the sandwich. It was almost natural, which made sense because both of them had grown up with siblings. Alex always wanted to eat whatever Kara was eating, which often led to a lot of fork fighting until eventually Eliza would just pick up their plates and swap them. After that, well, it became a habit (with anything besides potstickers). Kara wanted a stronger bond with her new family and Alex... well, Alex probably just wanted Kara's food to be honest.

"So, you mean to tell me that during your last year of college, a plump of ducklings decided that you were their new mother and they followed you around?"

Rao, Kara needed to breathe but the mental image was too funny. All she could imagine was a disgruntled, teenage Lena with glasses and a stack of books walking with a tail of fluffy yellow ducklings quaking along happily.

"Yes. That's exactly what I said! You're familiar with Konrad! You know how ducks are, they imprint on whatever moves." Lena shot her a side glance, taking a bite with more force than necessary.

Kara stifled her chuckles, lifting the second last piece of pizza. "Well, they're lucky they imprinted on you. I bet you would make a good mother."

The comment was off hand. Kara didn't even notice the way Lena paused, sandwich momentarily forgotten. The blonde just continued eating, finishing off the last slice with horrifying ease. By the time she leant back, putting her stomach in satisfaction, Lena had resumed her previous actions, finishing off the sandwich.

Kara smiled charmingly as Lena continued her story. "Yeah, they were bloody lucky it wasn't anywhere near finals week. Thankfully I stayed in a single room that year on the ground floor."

"No one questioned the strange sounds of quacking coming from your room?" Kara raised both eyebrows.

"Well, back then no one questioned a Luthor." Lena smiled in rumination, fondness taking over her features.

"What?" Kara wanted to know the cause of the sudden yearning in her chest, one often associated with reminiscing.

"Nothing really. I just remembered an old friend of mine, Louis, and how he found out I had ducklings. It wasn't 'cause of the quacking, mind you," Lena said before Kara could interject. "Apparently one of the ducklings got a little lost on the way home and Louis happened to walk past my room. He was greeted by the sight of a little yellow ball of fluff trying to burrow under the door." Lena chuckled whilst Kara let out a full-hearted laugh.

Who would have thought that Lena Luthor, a woman who couldn't keep a cactus alive, was able to look after 6 ducklings until they reached adulthood?

They eventually left the coffeehouse a whole hour later, having ordered second drinks after the meal and after Lena lost her mind at the way everything vanished from the table. Kara paid again, much to the playful chagrin of one CEO.

They forwent calling Frankie, choosing instead to walk the streets of the bustling city. The only down side to the idea was that they couldn't touch in anyway that would be perceived as 'romantic.' That, and well, Kara's bones had started to flare. The pain medication must have started to wear off.

Kara pulled the bottle from her pocket and took two pills dry. Lena balked at the display, smacking her arm with a small smile. Kara shot her a cheeky grin.

"Make sure you don't burn a hole in your throat." Lena deadpanned.

"Don't worry, Lena." Kara smiled back, adjusting the glasses on her face. "I'm mobile."

They were in a random cul-de-sac when Lena spotted the little studio. It wasn't a particularly large building, but it wasn't small either. The outer walls were a maroon and all the windows had an off- white trimming, giving it an olden feel. That wasn't what drew Lena's attention however. No. It was the sign in the window that stopped her in her tracks and made her pull on Kara's arm, cutting the blonde off mid speech about asbestos and its harmful nature.

Lena looked over her shoulder, cocking her head towards the studio.

"How would you feel about doing an art class with me?"

"Right now?" Kara looked between the building and her date, glee dancing in her eyes.

Lena nodded, watching as Kara honest to God jumped up and down. Lena felt her bloody rushing in anticipation.

"I'll take that as a yes, then." Lena smiled, making her way towards the building. Kara followed behind, reminding Lena of one of the ducklings from so long ago (Kara's hair was the right colour after all).

The wide windows afforded the studio wonderful natural light, casting long shadows on the floor from the neatly placed tables, chairs and easels. The whole space was conducive to learning. One wall was lined with colour wheels, mixing charts and the like. Another housed printouts of famous pieces and throughout it all, actual paintings were hung. They were probably done by the art teachers themselves (and they were beautiful).

Their perusal of the space was cut short by the clearing of a throat to their right. Coming out of a simple wooden door, presumably the supply closet, was a cherubic man with rectangle spectacles and a waxed moustache. He walked over towards them, hands opened greeting and a large smile squishing his features.

"Welcome to The Painted Parrot! I'm Steven, the owner and main teacher here. Are you here for the 'Wine and Painting' session in fifteen minutes?" Steven's moustache danced when he talked, and Lena was hard pressed to keep her composure. She could feel Kara internally laughing at the sight, so Lena shot her a look of warning. It was countered with a charmed smile.

Lena answered before Kara could, it was her idea after all. "If there is space in the next class, then yes. Kara, my...friend here," Kara gave a little wave, "and I would like to join." Lena smiled winningly.

Steven shook both their hands with gusto, excited at the prospect of new students,

"Well, normally you would have to book online for the class but you're in luck today. We've hit a surprising lull in costumers in the last two weeks, so there's plenty of space in the next class." He

gestured to the empty studio. "Just choose an easel and I'll bring you out some canvases and paints."

They did just that. Kara dashed over to two easels sitting in the second row, just to the right of centre. Lena followed, revelling in the happiness that Kara was exhuming through their bond. Lena knew that art, especially painting, was dear to Kara. She knew that Kara used to use it as a coping mechanism in the early days with the Danvers. She knew that painting helped Kara learn fine motor control in regards to her powers. What Lena didn't know, and just discovered, was that painting had gone from a chore that Kar a was good at to something that Kara now genuinely enjoyed.

It was written in the way Kara's eyes sparkled as she adjusted her easel for her height. It was in the way Kara's fingers knew what they were doing as she adjusted Lena's easel, taking the canvases from Steven and mounting them. Lastly, it was in the way Lena felt Kara's unbridged glee and eagerness for the upcoming lesson.

Lena mentally patted herself on the back. This was a good idea.

They were in the midst of picking which juice they wanted to drink, Kara wasn't allowed alcohol with her painkillers and Lena didn't want to drink with a concussion, when the main door opened to reveal two more people. They all exchanged pleasant smiles as the newcomers were set up with paint, canvas and wine.

Apparently, that was the all the participants for the class present, because as soon as everyone was settled, Steven approached the easel out front. There was a painting hidden against his chest and Lena could almost feel Kara vibrating beside her.

"Alright everyone, welcome to the 'Wine and Painting' session. As you can see, it's a nice and cosy class today. Now, before we get started, does everyone have paint, brushes and a drink?"

His question was met with a series of affirmatives from the group, Kara was the only one to verbally reply with an eager 'yep!' Lena looked over to her fondly, catching Kara adjusting her glasses and looking down with red cheeks.

"Excellent."

Without further ado, he revealed the painting they were going to try and replicate today. Lena groaned, her artistic skill beyond technical drawings was dismal. Kara laughed and patted her on the back.

"Don't worry, Lena. If you need help, I'm always here." Kara wiggled her eyebrows and stuck out her tongue.

Lena just smacked her shoulder with a laugh. Kara feigned pain but the way she bit her lip gave her away. Lena turned to her blank canvas with a smile, waiting for Steven to start instruction, her brush posed over her selection of pigments.

The painting class was good fun. As predicted, Lena had a hell of a time trying to make the paint work for her. Honestly, how the fuck did Kara make it look so effortless? It was like her paintbrush always held the perfect amount of paint. On the other hand, Lena's poor easel was going to be a different colour by the end of the session with the amount of paint she dropped on it.

After every step Steven finished on his own painting, he would go and start pacing and inspecting the class' works so far. It made Lena incredibly nervous. God, her mother would have killed her for showing this man anything but a perfect painting. Luthor's didn't have imperfections. Lena took in a deep breath. Well, her mother wasn't here and to hell with that woman anyway.

"You're doing amazingly well for a first time painter, Ma'am." Steven spoke behind her, starling Lena a little and causing her to drop her brush. Kara caught it before it hit the floor, but she did end up with a hand full of cobalt blue paint. The bristles had landed in her palm with the hand sticking out between her middle and ring finger.

Lena took the brush apologetically, but it didn't phase the blonde. Instead, Kara just used the paint on her hand to add to her painting, making it even better than previous. Steven even commented on her use of textures.

Not fucking fair. If Lena attempted that, there would probably be a hole through her canvas.

Steven moved on after singing Kara's praises and Lena couldn't help but agree. Kara was easily the best out of the class and Steven knew that. Kara knew that too, if her smug smile said anything.

God, Lena wanted to kiss that smile of her smug face.

The lesson carried on, Lena whispering expletives under her breath as her colours muddied into an off-putting green. Kara just leaned over, made sure no one was looking, and deposited a peck to her cheek. It happened every time Lena grew frustrated at her lack of skill. Suffice to say, Lena felt much better every time Kara leant over.

By the end of the lesson, her painting turned out better than expected and Kara's, well Kara's wouldn't look out of place in a gallery. That was something that didn't skip Steve's attention, for as soon as they finished, he approached the duo with a laugh.

"If I knew I had an accomplished artist here tonight, I would have chosen something harder to give you."

Kara adjusted her glasses. "I'm hardly an artist, Steven. It's just a hobby."

"Hobby or not, that's some fine work." He gestured to the painting in Kara's hand. "If you ever want to, I'll let you take a class, fully paid and all."

They continued chatting as Lena pulled out her phone sneakily. Making sure none of them noticed, she pulled up the studio's website and paid for their lesson. Steven's watch dinged, and he looked down, reading the message that came up. He gave both of them a smile and bid them a nice night shortly after. So, with two vastly different paintings and happy smiles, they both exited the studio and walked into the early evening.

As they slid into Frankie's car, the door closing behind them, Kara captured Lena's face in her hands and kissed her, hard.

"Do you have any idea how are it is not to kiss you when you have that annoyed frown on your face?" Kara said in all seriousness. "You're irresistibly cute when things don't go your way."

Lena pouted, she wasn't cute, she was a Luthor. Kara chuckled, bit Lena's protruding lip and pull the CEO in again. Lena obliged willingly, smiling so wide it made the kiss nothing more that the press of lips.

Poor, old Frankie cleared his throat to get their attention, his eyes stead fast on the road. They were still parked off to the side after all. The couple detached with sheepish smiles and floaty giggles as they straightened their attire.

"Sorry Frankie."

"No problem, Miss. Luthor. Where to next?"

Now that was the question. Today had been amazing so far. From the dissection, to the coffeehouse that still blew her mind, to the painting lesson... honestly, Lena couldn't remember when she had so much fun. That's it, there was only one way to properly finish off their day. So, with set shoulders and a devilish smile, Lena turned to her girlfriend.

"Let me take you out to dinner."

"I thought I was taking you out on this date?" Kara replied, leaning in close again.

Lena leaned a little back, mindful that the partition was down and of Frankie's comfort. "Last time I checked, there were two people in this relationship. You already took me out to lunch, it's my turn to feed you."

Kara smiled, sitting back into the leather seat. "You're lucky I'm not my usual self or a statement like that should make you scared." She teased, affirmation stated in her words and by the appreciation through their bond.

Lena rattled off an address to her driver and the man started to drive, the partition up even before she could request it. The afforded privacy was well used, as shown by the state of their hair as they tumbled out the car when Frankie opened the door. The poor man was bright red and Lena made a note to come up with a way of soundproofing the carriage (and maybe give Frankie a raise).

They made each other presentable. They combed their hands through their hair, flattening fly-aways and neatening each other's clothes. Once done, Kara turned and took in where they were. Her eyebrows shot up, a hand adjusting her glasses.

"I think we're seriously underdressed to go here. They probably won't let us in."

Lena smiled, took Kara's hand and led her into the restaurant, her chin held high. Kara's statement had rung true. They were stopped by the usher with a haughty look and a slight sneer. That was until the usher realised who Lena was. Well, then they had no problems. With widen eyes, the usher suddenly changed their tune, all beaming smiles and sparkling politeness.

Lena waved it off, instead requesting a table for two. A request that was promptly obliged. As the waiter led them up a set of glass stairs, his face a little scrunched (Lena realised they probably smelt of fish still), Kara shot her an impressed look and a discrete thumbs-up. Lena just chuckled, walking a bit faster and listening to Kara as she tried to catch up.

Heavy double doors opened into a beautiful roof top area that overlooked the plaza below. The restaurant wasn't tall, but the buildings around it were small enough that the roof top had a beautiful view of the city around it.

Underfoot, Astroturf crunched as they walked on it. The floor layout was modern and conducive to socialising. At the centre of the floor was a modern looking square bar, all rosewood and aluminium, manned by a very attractive bartender in a tux.

Kara and Lena took in everything. The area was scattered with comfy looking couches encircling unlit braziers, giving the space a relaxed feel. Along the roof's edge, which was barricaded with glass, were candlelit tables of various sizes.

Their waiter led them over to a table for two, apologising for the scene at the entrance and notifying them that any dessert of their choosing was on the house. Lena thanked the man, dismissing him once they got their menus.

"Isn't this view stunning." The silence was cut by Kara's awed tone.

Lena put down her menu and looked out. Kara wasn't wrong. Sure, the city was too bright for there to be any real star cover, but the moon shone brightly despite the loss of its companions. Lena smiled, looking over at Kara's awed face.

"This view is nothing in comparison to what you're used to." Lena teased, picking up the mocktail menu.

Kara shook her head. "Sure, when your floating so high that only the stars are above, and the clouds are below, well, that's a view I'll never tire of. But, there's something to be said about this." Kara gestured to the plaza below. "All this life here. So many stories of people we have never met or will ever met. I think that's the most beautiful view."

Lena smiled at Kara wistfully, grabbing her hand across the table and giving it a little squeeze. "I agree. It's also amazing the impact we can have on others without even meeting them." Lena turned a little sullen at the sentiment, thinking back to Lex and how he hurt others. People's lives destroyed by a man they never met.

No. Not tonight. She was here with Kara and they were about to have a lovely meal. There was no room for sadness.

Kara must have felt it, or even read it on her face. For as soon as she banished the thought, a comforting warmth spread down her neck and grew in her chest. Kara squeezed her hand back and Lena gave a her a thankful smile. What would she do without Kara?

Probably be dead, in all honesty.

Their waiter came back eventually, their hands long detached and under the table. Lena ordered their drinks, something fruity for herself while Kara was a big kid and got a lime milkshake. The waiter shot her a look but didn't say anything as he left to fulfil their drink requests.

"You know, I'll be surprised if there isn't a story in the tabloids tomorrow. 'Luthor heiress, smelling of fish, paint in her hair and sitting at a five-star restaurant in jeans, does lunacy run in the family?'."

Kara laughed at the dramatic display, shaking her head as she sipped from a glass of water. "That's a horribly long title. If I was working at a tabloid, I would have gone with something along the lines of 'Lena Luthor: Fish, Paint and a Lime Milkshake' or some shit."

"Well, thank God you work at Catco., because that was an equally bad title." Lena shot, watching as their waiters put down their respective drinks.

Kara took mock offence, puffing out her cheeks as she sipped from her straw. It didn't last long before her eyes widened, and she was shoving the milkshake in Lena's face.

"Rao, Lena! You have to try this." Kara waved the offending drink in her hand, the liquid threatening to spill unless Lena took it from her.

The CEO took it quickly, taking a sip...which turned into another. At the third, Kara whined and Lena couldn't help but hand the drink back to her. Bloody pout and it's godlike abilities.

Lena's fruity mocktail afterwards left something to be desired, but she was still content. Kara must be rubbing off on her. Her poor, sophisticated tastes were turning into that of a child's. They eventually ordered meals and this time Lena ordered a lime milkshake as well. Kara just shot her a smirk and Lena stuck out her tongue.

The food was delicious. Lena had gotten the salmon and Kara got the seafood carbonara, her eyes lighting up at the portion size. For a five-star restaurant, they definitely fed their costumers well. So, between bites of food and sips of milkshake, the couple chatted about anything and everything. They talked about how the tests of Lena's fusion cars were going in Japan to how Miss. Grant shut Snapper down in the bullpen three days ago.

Work, whilst prominent in their conversation, wasn't the only thing that was discussed. It was refreshing for Lena to have someone to talk to that understood, at least in part, all the ideas she had running through her head. When she had to simplify things, which she often had to do for investors, the essence of her ideas was often lost. So, when Kara matched her stroke for stroke on her musings, she was often pleasantly surprised. That, and she was reminded that the woman in front of her was borne in the stars above.

"The idea of a negative mass is so fascinating." Lena said, hands waving in front of her. They had somehow gotten onto the topic of physics, comparing Earth's theories to that of Krypton's.

Kara slyly moved her drink out of harms way. "You mean as in the opposite of a positive mass?" Lena nodded. "Yeah. You know how inertia acts on a physical form?"

Kara nodded, "It was Newton that discovered that here, right?"

"In a sense. Galileo discovered it first but didn't understand it. Newton extrapolated the idea. Anyway, I digress. So, in inertia, a positive mass goes in the direction in which force is applied to it. A negative mass, on the other hand, would do the opposite." Lena took another sip of her milkshake,

fork stabbing her salmon a little too hard in excitement.

"But, if a negative mass was a real thing, how would that work with common physics?" Kara asked, sitting forward.

Lena swallowed, "It would work fine, actually. You would just have to make sure to put a negative mass in the equation instead of a positive mass. It seems to work with everything, including Einstein's theory of general relativity. Even if a negative mass is a physical impossibility."

"But then..." Kara talked around a mouthful of food. "Kara, please, swallow first."

Kara made a show of swallowing, "Yes, Miss. Luthor." She purred, and Lena could do nothing to stop the spike of arousal in her gut. "Anyway, what I wanted to say is: contrary to my initial belief, I did a few mental calculations, negative mass would still obey gravity because it would still be attracted to a normal positive mass. For example, the Earth."

"Correct." Lena finished off her food, leaning back into the chair with her milkshake. Her eyes smouldering and impressed by Kara's scientific prowess. "Now, the problem occurs when a negative mass hits the Earth."

There was a beat of silence.

"Rao!" Kara sat up, eyes lit in excitement, "because a negative mass accelerates in the opposite direction of a force, that means if it hits the Earth, it wouldn't rebound but instead accelerate further into the ground."

"And the harder the ground pushes back-"

"The faster the acceleration! Rao Lena, if you dropped a negative mass, it could go through the Earth!"

"Oh, there's more." Lena finished her drink, enjoying the way Kara's eyes watched her in anticipation. God, being smart was such a turn on. "If you had a planet made of negative mass and a planet of equal magnitude made of positive mass, the negative mass would be attracted to the positive mass. However, the positive mass is actually repelled by the negative mass."

"So, they would just chase each other without end?" Kara sat back, letting out an awed breath. "And they would just get faster and faster until just under the speed of light."

"You know, if I could, I would kiss you right now." The statement was out of the blue and caught Lena off guard.

Both of Kara's elbows were on the table, her shoulders were hunched, and her full attention was focused on the CEO. Lena grinned. Apparently, she wasn't the only one turned on by smarts. She could feel Kara's attraction racing across her skin like a lover's caress and she revelled in it. Lena sat forward, mimicking the reporter's position and getting as close as she dared. They didn't need a scandal on their hands after all.

"Kara, dear, I fully return that sentiment." Lena made her voice intentionally lower, enjoying the way Kara's pupils blew.

In a move entirely too risky for the amount of people around, Lena toed off a sensible shoe and dragged her foot languidly up Kara's leg. The effect was immediate. The blonde's jaw clenched, the napkin in her hands shred and her fingers tried to burrow into the wood of the table.

Kara was entirely too fun to tease, even if the blonde's jeans made it less sensual then intended. The moment was broken completely by the sudden appearance of their waiter. Lena discretely brought her leg back down and slipped on her shoe whilst Kara fought through her violent blush.

"Are you ready for dessert?" The waiter inquired, the dessert menus already being placed on the table.

Lena spoke as Kara tried to compose herself. "Yes, thank you. The meal was lovely, please give my compliments to the chef."

The waiter smiled and nodded as he took their discarded plates and tumblers, placing a new napkin in front of Kara. Kara gave him a sheepish smile as she handed over her napkin turned confetti. Lena had to stifle a laugh, which Kara met with a glare.

Once the waiter left to give them time to look at their menu's, Kara leant forward into whispering distance. "If they never let me in this restaurant again, I'm blaming it on you."

Lena smiled back. "You can't blame me for anything, you're way too attractive for your own good."

She said it so matter-of-factly that it took Kara a second to comprehend. A huge smile stretched across her face.

"Well, Miss. Luthor, it takes one to know one."

Lena was mid chuckled when Kara looked around the whole area before darting forward and depositing a kiss on surprised lips. She leant back with a smug smile whilst Lena could do nothing but swoon.

It was nearing midnight when they finally left the restaurant. The night air was cool, forcing the duo to huddle slightly for warmth as they waited for Frankie to arrive. The plaza they had observed from above all evening was still buzzing with activity. People from all walks of life were strolling around or sitting at various night-time cafés. Music spilled from open shop fronts, painting the sidewalks with rich sounds. Lights shone in brilliant glory, working to entice passer-by's into coming inside. With a strain of her none super-hearing ears, Kara could make out the steady rhythm of the bachata amongst the noise.

An idea sparked in her mind and she grabbed Lena's hand, leading her towards the music (Frankie was still a ways off). Lena didn't protest, in fact, she walked faster until their shoulders were brushing, and their hands were hidden from prying eyes.

They moved in silence, Kara leading with her ears, trying to pinpoint the source of the sound whilst Lena looked around, taking in the atmosphere. It was beautiful down here. The plaza was filled with a myriad of different types of cuisine, attracting a whole host of people from different backgrounds. Languages either melded or clashed, but they all created the background noise that gave life to this place. Delicious smells bellowed from shops and restaurants, and if they hadn't just eaten, Kara would have made full use of her wallet.

Still, this was all in auxiliary to her main purpose. She scanned around the buildings. The music was much louder now, the bet steady and healing, calling to her sore bones. She slowed their walk, finally coming to a stop outside what appeared to be a small dance hall.

"I didn't know places like this still existed." Lena mused, letting go of Kara's hand and she took a step forward, eyes inspecting.

Kara followed, coming to stand by her side and wrapping an arm around Lena's waist. "I'm happy it does."

With no further words, Kara walked inside the establishment, holding the door open for Lena to follow. She smiled as she watched Lena hurry along. For someone so graceful, running was not Lena's forte.

As they walked inside, Kara was overcome with a memory of her childhood. The way everyone on the dance floor moved in synchronisation was hypnotic. The music weaved between the pairs, wrapping around each dancer until they became one living, breathing organism. Kara couldn't help but be reminded of the festivals the Arts Guild used to throw on Krypton.

Everyone would come from far and wide to Argo City to join in the celebration. Different races would travel great distances, some even as far as Z'oirrpt, to partake in the great feasts and dances the guild hosted. Kara always found the festival much more exciting than any other. It was one of the few times when her father would let her run off with friends as he and her mother would dine with dignitaries throughout the week.

But, without fail, there was always one thing young Kara most looked forward too. Her father would always make sure he had one day free to spend with her. They would be out all day, from Rao's awakening to his slumber. They would gorge themselves on treats, buy ridiculous things and play games against each other. Kara had an inkling that her father let her win most of the time. Of course, that was something her father vehemently denied, much to her chagrin.

That wasn't the best part, however.

That part came when Rao's eye finally closed. It was as if the whole city came alive, it's heart

beating out a steady, slow rhythm. The colourful lights hung between buildings would burst into life, painting the streets in a kaleidoscope of colours and pumping bravery into the veins of each participant with it bold hues. Everyone who was able would flood onto the streets and partner up, grabbing the closest partner they could find. Without fail, Zor-El would bend down and ask for her hand in a dance.

Kara never said no.

She would grab his hand, stand on his feet, and they would sway to the rhythm of the city.

It was memories like these that made Kara question how everything went so wrong.

She didn't get to ruminate long before a gentle hand on her shoulder startled her. They way Lena put an arm possessively around her waist calmed her. The whisper in her ear proved to excite her.

"Can I have this dance?"

Kara replied with a nod. Her voice was stuck in her throat, but her hands were steady and sure. With purposeful movements, she slotted her right arm under Lena's left, bring her hand to rest under Lena's right scapular. The position brought their bodies close, their free hands intertwining as they stood almost nose to nose.

"Do you know how to dance?" Kara inquired, lips brushing against Lena's cheek as she leant forward.

Lena took advantage a placed a kiss to the back of her jaw. "No."

Kara hummed, feeling the noise resonate between their blended bodies. "That's fine, just follow my lead."

They stood, tangled in each other. Kara's eyes were closed in focus, waiting for the beat to reset whilst Lena made it impossibly hard to concentrate with the brushing of her lips against the reporter's cheek. With a hushed "3,4" Kara inhaled deeply, cueing Lena, and they started to move to the right.

Kara made sure that their hips were connected, swaying them fluidly in companion to Lena's, grinding ever so slightly. Lena was doing remarkably well, catching on fast to the easy movements of the sensual dance. As they moved, each time four steps and a tap, Kara grew bolder. At the start of the next four beat count, she released her grip and eased Lena into a spin, catching her in time and starting the next four steps without stutter.

Lena gave her a charmed smile, excited at the move she just performed, and Kara couldn't help but pull her just that bit closer. With a quick look around, Kara kissed Lena's forehead and let her pride and affection run rampant through their bond. Lena giggled, dropping her head against Kara's shoulder as they danced. Kara couldn't keep the smile off her face, their bodies working in tandem.

They danced on. Lena only stepped on Kara's toes once when she twisted Lena until Kara was behind her. Kara laughed it off, placed a kiss against the side of Lena's head, and ground her hips as they stepped to the side. Sex was the last thing on Kara mind. She was more in awe of how well Lena's body moved dancing to the steady beat.

Eventually, as the song wound down, they released their hold on each other. Sweat beaded at their brows (a novel experience for Kara) and tender smiles adorned their faces. The sudden distance saddened Kara, but the night was coming to an end and Frankie was waiting for them.

They made it outside. The abrupt cool was in great juxtaposition to the heat of the dance hall, their

faces flushing further in an attempt to keep warm. Lena pulled them side by side, a gesture friends often did, and threaded her arm through the crook of Kara's elbow.

"You're the best damn space heater I've ever had." Lena ground out, her teeth chattering.

"I'm glad to be of service." Kara responded in her Supergirl voice. Even without powers, she still ran hotter than most.

Lena laughed, slapped her shoulder, and pulled them towards the waiting car. Frankie opened the door for them, his breath emulating smoke as it drifted past his red nose. Thankfully the carriage was heated, the leather warm against their clothes, as Kara rubbed her now free hands together.

The ride back to Kara's apartment was silent. Each one of them ruminating about all the events of today, cataloguing their memories and reaffirming them so they would never fade. It was too soon that the car pulled to a halt, Kara's apartment complex looming over like a waiting parent.

Frankie opened the door and Kara slipped out, hands tucked as deep as possible into her jeans. The night had to end after all. She gave Lena a happy smile and then started towards the building alone.

The thud of a closing door and the hurried step of shoes against pavement halted Kara in her tracks. She turned around and watched as Lena ran to her side. Her smile grew as the shorter woman tucked an arm around her waist and looked at her with joyous eyes.

"Let me walk you home?"

"I would like nothing better."

Lena sighed as she opened the door to her apartment, ordering her lights to come on. Today was absolutely amazing, rom-com worthy even. They had done so much and, honestly, Lena couldn't remember having a better day in her life. It far surpassed any shenanigans she got up to with Lex during her childhood. She felt free and floaty and God, Lena could die happy right now.

She wasn't the only one feeling this way. Kara's blissful happiness pounded against her heart, the yellow viscosity sticking to her insides and filling her with warmth. The emotion was so strong that it almost felt like Lena was flying.

She owed that to Kara.

Lena locked the door behind her happily sighing like a love struck fool. She padded into the apartment, her steps filled with a little dance, and flicked the kettle on. She hummed the tune to the bachata, the smile never leaving her lips as she flittered around her apartment. In true first date fashion, Lena had walked Kara to her door and kissed her. Sure, the kiss grew much heavier than custom. Okay, so Lena ended up pushing Kara against her door and copped a nice feel under her shirt, but what's a woman to do when presented with Kara Zor-El?

Lena couldn't be blamed.

They had parted with blinding smiles and lost breath. Kara slipped into her apartment and Lena made her way to Frankie, each communicating to one another with strong emotions.

Once the kettle boiled, Lena rifled through her drawers and found the tea she wanted, humming still and swaying her hips to the imagined beat. They way that Kara's hands caressed her body, firm gestures guiding her through uncharted waters, brought heat to Lena's cheeks. It felt more like sex on the dance floor than any normal dancing.

Lena brewed a strong cup of Irish Breakfast, the heady taste a sure way to dull her arousal. As she turned away from the kettle, mug in hand, Lena noticed a voicemail on her answering machine. The red of the flashing light was a beacon in the dim lighting. Sipping from her beverage (and slightly scalding her tongue), she walked towards the home phone and hit play.

The unmistakable rasp of Bruce Wayne played though the tinny speaker. "Call me back, Lena. I have important news."

The message cut off with a beep, leaving Lena in a state of confusion. Bruce never called. He was more the type to randomly come knocking by the office (he was extra like that) when he was in National City. If this news warranted a phone call...well, Lena dreaded to her it.

She placed her steaming mug back on the counter and called Bruce back. They line rung three times before being picked up by Bruce's butler, Alfred. Lena worked through a polite, yet slightly impatient conversation with the old man before she was handed to her intended audience.

She didn't even get a word out before he started speaking. "It's your mother."

Dread descended like a cloud. Her eyes created a figure in the corner of the room and her chest felt tight. "W-What?" Lena cursed her stutter. Fuck, that oppressive feeling was back. The death of thousands sat on her shoulders, all because of the meant of that horrible woman. Couldn't she just have this day with the tarnish of the Luthor name? Was it too much too ask?

"I've gotten news that your mother is in London."

Lena brain worked a mile a minute. "What does that mean, Bruce?"

"There's been chatter. Apparently, she struck a deal with the Addington head."

"Fuck."

Bruce hummed an affirmative. "The people who have been carrying the news are less than savoury. I would watch your back, Lena."

With that, the phone cut off with a beep. Lena looked down at the plastic in her hand, her tea forgotten on the counter. What the fuck did that mean? Why was her mother working with Mrs. Addington?

Chapter End Notes

Thanks for reading this ball of fluff!

As per normal, constructive criticism is appreciated, comments are loved (and responded to) and kudos are awesome.

Things mentioned in this chapter:

A collection of Ducklings not in water is called a 'plump,' if they're in water, they're called a 'raft.'

Konrad Lorenz was an Austrian zoologist that wrote that discovered imprinting. In short, a duck will imprint on the first thing that they see move. Normally that's the mother duck, but sometimes, unfortunately, it would be a insentient object like a bouncing ball. Generally, those ducklings die because whatever they imprinted on cannot protect them. You can read the journal here: http/www.psychology./attachment/courses/620/pdf_files/lorenz.pdf

The plural of Cul-de-sac is Culs-de-sac and that confuses me to no end.

Negative Mass is part of Theoretical Physics. It's very interesting and you should go look up stuff about it. It makes great late night reading material.

The Bachata originated in the Dominican Republic. It's pretty popular here in Aus (my sister does it). Here's a video of the basics: https//watch? v=xJcm4zt3CZs

Thanks again for reading! Have great night!! :D

Also, 100,000 words y'all!!

Over 500 comments???!!!

Almost a 1000 kudos and 143 bookmarks, holy shit guys. Thank you so much!

Chapter Notes

Chapter 12

Hahaha, who is chapter length consistency? I don't believe we met. :P

Here's the next chapter!

I'm pretty sure you all know the drill now! Happy reading. ;P

Oh, trigger warning: GORE and BLOOD, DEATH.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Kara's powers returned as the sun rose over the National City skyline, as evidenced by the smashed alarm clock littering her bedside table. She got up with a groan, relishing in the feel of painless bones and lubricated muscles. The day was bright, the morning early and Kara was in a sunny mood.

She hummed to herself as she got ready for the day, zipping around the room with abandon. She eventually slowed down to make breakfast. Her pressed shirt hung open off her shoulders- buttons bordering her exposed abdomen- and her cardigan was strewn over the back of a dining room chair. She scrambled eggs enough to feed an army and ate them directly from the pan as they readied.

Eliza would have chastised her for the lack of etiquette, but Kara didn't care. It was just her, alone, in a sunlit apartment after all. She kind of wished Lena was here, smiling at the thought. They would have had breakfast together and talked about their coming days, discussed whatever they fancied and maybe even kissed each other goodbye.

Kara let out a content sigh.

From the state of Lena's emotions, Kara gathered that she was still sleeping. Lena's dreams were a dull undercurrent at the back of Kara's mind, spiking randomly but soothing off just as fast. Kara looked at her watch. It was later than normal for Lena to be sleeping, the CEO was normally up at the crack of dawn, but nothing felt wrong, so Kara just left it. With all her powers back, Kara felt sure that if Lena came to harm, she would know.

After a hot chocolate that even made Kara cringe a little with its decadence, she headed off to work. In no time at all, Kara was fixing her glasses, patting down her windswept hair and breezing into the CatCo. lobby with an eager grin. She made her way through the busy work place, giving everyone the usual 'hellos,' even making small talk with Brad from Sports in the elevator. Brad was incredibly dry and Kara had never been happier for the elevator to open.

The bull pen was like it always was- a cacophony of noise, nerves and deadlines- and at the centre of it all was the main woman herself, Cat Grant. Kara took it in. Miss. Grant looked like a monarch overwatching her subjects as they scrambled to appease her.

That wasn't a far-off analogy, for all intents and purposes.

It was almost like the media mogul sensed Kara. The elevator doors closed behind her with a 'ding' and suddenly Miss. Grant locked eye contact with such intensity that Kara took a minute step back. An odd sense of trepidation scratched at the back of her neck.

With a walk like murder and a gaze like steel, Miss. Grant silently walked into her office and Kara followed the nonverbal order. Honestly, Kara didn't know what happened. Had she done something wrong? To make matters worse, she couldn't even get a read on the older woman. Something had pissed Miss. Grant off, and for some reason, Kara was going to have to deal with.

With quiet resignation, her good mood all but vanished, Kara walked into the office and closed the door behind her. Miss. Grant had a cup of mm's in her hand as she lounged on the couch.

That wasn't a good sign. The media queen only ate those when she was stressed or when she was about to give life changing advice. Something about the scene, however, had Kara lean more towards the former than the latter.

Without invite, Kara took a seat opposite her boss. She made sure her back was straight and shoulders were squared, but kept her hands folded in her lap in an attempt to be as neutral as possible. The air around them was tense and Kara almost had to bite her tongue least she break it. Miss. Grant, on the other hand, was staring just over Kara's left shoulder, her jaw working on a mouthful of chocolate and her eyes clouded with contemplation. It was only once the chocolate was swallowed, did the silence break.

"Kara, how is your mental health?"

The question was so out of the blue that Kara was thrown a little bit, but she recovered quickly. Adjusting her glasses and nodding demurely, she replied.

"Sound, Miss. Grant." Well, that was if you didn't count the trauma of losing your entire culture and people...well, besides that Kara felt like she was doing pretty good. Oddly enough, she hadn't had any melancholy when she thought about her home planet as of late, which was a little odd but not unwelcome.

Miss. Grant just narrowed her eyes with apparent disbelief, but her words said otherwise. "Good, because I have a lead for you and I don't want you to mess this up."

At that, Kara perked up. Miss. Grant stood from the settee and walked towards her desk. She picked up a thin folder that rested amongst her paperwork and handed it over to Kara.

"I got a call this morning from the NCPD." Miss. Grant started, leaning against her desk and crossing her arms. "They wanted a reporter to break the news on a series of crimes that have been happening around the city."

"Crimes?" Kara shifted in her seat, sitting on the edge as she adjusted her glasses.

"Yes, crimes. From what little they told me, the scenes are, well...ghastly in nature and they wanted someone who could write about the topic without causing controversy."

"But, why give this story to me? Why not someone with more experience, like Phillips? And why CatCo.?" Kara asked. They were legitimate questions. Kara didn't have any experience with crime stories and if Miss. Grant herself was giving her this story, and not Snapper, then it must be something big.

"The NCPD owed me a favour." The CEO said flippantly, standing up and walking back around her desk. "That, and I think it's about time you start learning how to be an investigative journalist, Miss. Danvers. Clearly, you know how to write with what you did with the Lena Luthor article."

With that, Miss. Grant sat down, donned her glasses and started writing. Kara smiled at the much sought-after praise, a rare commodity with her mentor, and took it as her cue to leave. So, with the

folder securely in hand, she started to make her way out. Only to be halted before she could fully exit.

"Oh, and Kara," Kara paused and turned to face her boss, "I expect a summary of findings by tomorrow noon. Don't be late."

And like that, she was dismissed. Kara grabbed her satchel from her desk and started stuffing anything she might need while out at the crime scene. Alex had bought the bag for her when she was promoted, stating that every good journalist needed somewhere to store their stuff while on the go. Kara smiled at the memory as she made her way to the elevators. She finally had a proper chance to use it and Rao, she would be lying if she said she wasn't just the tiniest bit excited. This would be her first major run at investigative journalism. Hell, she even brushed Winn off with a "Hi! Gotta go!" as he tried to catch her attention.

It was only once Kara was out on the pathway that she opened the folder. The sun was back in full force today, bathing her for in its warmth and glaring across the pavement. Kara relished in the feeling as she read, the warmth welcomed by her cells.

Kara's eyebrows shot up. There were only a few lines of text, barely anything really, on the page. She opened it intending to find the address for the scene, but she found something much more interesting. The main detective on the case was one Maggie Sawyer. And, if Kara wasn't mistaking, this was the woman that Alex was taken with. What a way to meet your sister's crush, huh?

After committing the address to memory, she carefully put the folder in her satchel and whisked away. The crime scene was a few streets away from L-Corp., which wasn't so far away from CatCo. itself. Maybe if she got this wrapped up quickly, she could go see Lena. Kara had felt the CEO wake up when she was in the elevator. Lena's emotions had jumped unexpectedly and Kara had jolted a little when talking to Brad. Luckily enough, the man was so self-absorbed he didn't even notice her slight blunder.

Kara couldn't keep the smile off her face.

Rao, the way Lena had left her last night, all breathless and bothered. Fuck, it did not do her body any favours. She felt like a Kryptonian on her wedding night, unbelievably horny and in need of their mate and normally Kara would relish in the feeling. Instead, it was absolute torture trying to keep her hands away from herself. She even contemplated chaining herself to the bed (the thought kind of turned her on more though, much to her surprise) in a bid to stop herself. All her erogenous zones ached in need of companionship, but Kara couldn't do that to Lena.

Now that she knew that Lena could feel it, well, Kara put masturbation on the backburner for the time being. Even if she felt like she would internally combust. Lena's comfort was paramount. So, instead, Kara took the drowsy version of her painkillers and let slumber consumer her, her hands securely under her pillow.

Kara landed swiftly a few houses away from the crime scene, checking if the coast was clear. Something was wrong. She could already smell it, feel it in her bones. Iron was thick in the air, even from this distance, and Kara's stomach turned at what she was about to witness. Fuck, even Miss. Grant warned her, and that was not something to take lightly.

The air felt heavy as she walked, spotting the harsh red tape from down the street. Everything was quiet, almost as if everyone had gotten a memo to avoid this place. Or maybe even humans could feel the death lingering like moisture on the pavement, wafting in the sunshine.

Kara shook it off.

With hardened shoulders and fake pep in her walk, she entered reporter mode. Her only consolations were the presence of Lena's curiosity and he reassurance that she would have faced worse as Supergirl.

Inhaling deeply, Kara pulled a spare note pad from her satchel and tucked a pen behind her ear. With false cheer, she greeted the closest uniformed police officer, only chocking slightly on the pungent scent of blood. Without prompt, she stated her job, showed her press badge and was let under the tape without the exchanging any words.

Kara walked through the door and fought a gag. Rao, what the hell happened in this building?

The location itself was nothing extraordinary; nondescript and average in every way. It was a basic three-storey apartment complex. The carpets looked like they hadn't been changed in years, there was some signs of mould on the ceiling and paint was chipping off the walls. Plaster lay in piles like a depressing version of snow, and Kara swore she say a rat run past (she didn't really want to confirm it).

She walked in further, the floor boards underneath creaking at her sudden weight. She could have floated a little to reduce noise, but Kara wanted to be heard. It wouldn't bode well to scare the officers hanging around the building, everyone seemed tense and a little jumpy after all.

She turned to the old staircase on her right, hearing the gait of a person making their way towards her. A short woman in an oversized police jacket descended the staircase with sure steps, approaching Kara with equal parts caution and curiosity. A hand on her waist pulled her jacket back, revealing her gun in silent warning. Kara gave the woman a calming smile, showing off her press badge and wiggling her glasses. The woman instantly relaxed, rightened her jacket and smiled despite herself.

"You must be the reporter Patterson wanted." The woman stated, walking up to Kara and jutting her hand out for a handshake.

Kara reciprocated, watching her strength but giving enough in order to not appear weak. "Yep. That's me. Kara Danvers at your disposable."

At the sound of her name, Kara heard the shorter woman's breath stutter a little. Her hand involuntary flexed and Kara raised an eyebrow.

"I'm Detective Maggie Sawyer." Ah, that explained it, "and I am the leading authority on this crime scene."

Kara nodded, a smirk pulling at her lips. So, this was the woman that Alex was enamoured with. Kara observed her subtly. A strong heart, set shoulders and a large presence. Kara could see why Alex was smitten, this woman could hold her own without being overpowering.

"Thank you for allowing me on your scene, detective." Kara returned politely, shifting in place.

Detective Sawyer gave a wry chuckle. "Don't thank me, you haven't even seen the scene yet. If it were up to me, the less people that saw this, the better."

"If I may ask," Kara started, waiting for Detective Sawyer to nod, "why do you need a journalist on the scene? Don't you normally give us the information and we publish an article?"

"Yeah, normally." she paused, subconsciously playing with her badge. "This case is a little different...it's, ah, it's better if I just show you."

The detective offered nothing else, she just cocked her head towards the staircase, gesturing for Kara to follow. They ascended slowly, the wood felt hollow under Kara's feet. Honestly, she wouldn't have been surprised if there was a termite infestation rampant in the building. So, mildly afraid that she would fall through the floor, Kara alleviated some of her weight by floating a little. She was much denser than an average human after all.

They walked down a narrow hallway which was somehow drabber than the reception below. All the doors, of which there were eight, were closed and silent like onlookers at a wake. Still, Detective Sawyer led them forward, her steps uniform and sure even in the less than ideal environment. They halted in front of last door to the left, which was slightly ajar. Kara could hear the movements of police personal working within and she envied their ability to breathe so easily. She was having a hell of a time not gagging on every breath. The smell was so much worse here. It smelt like a refrigerator full of meat had gone off- pungent and gripping to the fabric of her cardigan.

She would probably have to burn her clothes after today.

Detective Sawyer turned to face her, eyes sympathetic and mouth drawn in anticipation for what Kara was about to see.

"This is your last chance to leave, Miss. Danvers." She warned, placing her hand against the dark wood of the door.

"I have a job to do, detective." Kara said, adjusting the strap of her satchel. "That, and you've intrigued me."

"Very well." She reached into the pocket of her jacket, removing two small, white cards. She handed them over to Kara. "The first card is the contact information of a psychologist not too far from here. They're good at what they do, and I urge you to seek their help if you are affected by what you see. The second card," she pointed to it, "is my contact information, if you discover anything linking to this case, please contact me using that."

Kara nodded, absorbing the information and tucking the cards away safely.

Without further words, they entered the room. As soon as Kara stepped past the threshold, she stepped back out, a hand covering her mouth and her eyes watering at the sight. This was so much worse than any Supergirl mission she had ever been on thus far.

Reading her body language, Detective Sawyer conjured a bucket from seemingly nowhere and handed it to Kara. She felt her mouth become thick with saliva. Acid burned up her throat and Kara couldn't hold it back. She threw up her breakfast into the bucket, her stomach revolting in passion as a calming hand ran up and down her back.

The detective stood next to her, providing support as best she could whilst Lena sparked to attention at the back of her mind. The worry was first, as it usually was at reactions this severe, which was closely followed by the tingling of her skin as Lena wrapped warm calmness around her limbs. The reassurance of her companion helped Kara regulate her breathing. She handed the bucket back to the detective and wiped her mouth with a handkerchief she had in her pocket.

With strength afforded through their bond, Kara rightened herself and walked through the door. She faced the scene head on with gritted teeth, trying to not let it affect her. Detective Sawyer just watched her with a slightly slackened jaw, a little perturbed by Kara's eerie calmness.

In front of her, hung like a common pig in a slaughterhouse, was morbid sight of a body. Or, at least what remained of one.

Flayed. The body was fucking completely flayed. The skin removed with such care that there was no scarring on the carcass. Muscles hung from bone, gravity clawing at the sinew without its skin.

The thing that had done this knew what they were doing, which made it so much worse.

The flesh was suspended by the arms from the ceiling, slowly circling via ropes tied to the ceiling fan. The position couldn't be described as anything but that of a crud imitation of biblical nature. The floor below was caked in the brown of dried blood, the splatters following the rotational path of the body.

Kara walked in further. She pulled the pen from her ear and forcibly breathed through her mouth, iron coating her tongue. Kara fought the urge to spit. This person was already disrespected enough without her spitting on their grave.

From what she observed, the body was of a young man. Probably a little older than 26 from the state of the sagittal fissure in his skull. The way that each muscle group, now dried from the long exposure to air, reflected the light had Kara almost gaging again. From the state of each parcel of flesh, taking into account some decay, Kara concluded that the man was not fond of working out.

Detective Sawyer walked up next to her with a low hum, taking in the foul sight in front of them.

"We found him this morning. The neighbours complained about a smell coming from this apartment, so we sent officers to have a look."

"Do you know how long he's been here?" Kara turned to the short woman, finding small relief from the nightmare inducing scene.

"We'll know for sure in an hour or so, but my guess is about a week and a half. He's already started rotting."

As if to prove a point, there was a wet pop. They turned their heads to look at the cadaver, watching with sick attention as one of the shoulders dislocated from the weight of the body itself. The head lolled forward stiffly, the jaw open and something falling from its mouth.

Detective Sawyer moved forward, putting on a glove and picking up the object. Kara took the moment to turn around and close her eyes. Her breathing felt heavy, like someone was pushing against her chest, and involuntary shivers raced up and down her spine.

She needed to calm down. To descale.

So, she delved deep into her own mind, looking for the one person that was always there. She found Lena in a ball of cautionary warmth. At Kara's approval, her companion poured as much stability through their bond as viable. Kara could feel it sparking in her neurons, trickling behind her ears and running down her limbs like water.

It was only then that Kara noticed that Lena had been doing this the whole time. The CEO had been helping her dampen some of the emotions she was feeling, helping her cope with the reality around her. Kara was eternally grateful. She was sure that, if it wasn't for Lena, she would have broken down spectacularly.

Kara sent her thanks via her own brand of compassion. It wasn't much, but she would make it up to the CEO when she saw her next. Taking in a deep breath, feeling much better, Kara turned back around and got to questioning.

The office was quiet. The mid-morning sun streamed with a vengeance through the large windows, not a cloud in sight. Lena sighed. She had thrown herself into work since she stepped into the office. She could afford no breaks, fuck having a concussion. Lena knew that even if she took a second off, her mind would race with the information she received last night.

There was plenty of work to do, as shown by the files upon files of documents that were strewn across her desk. Her hand had long developed a cramped between the twenty-fourth and thirtieth document, but she didn't care. Her company was flourishing but it was still early days. L-Corp. needed to assert itself in the technology field. It needed to become synonymous with quality and innovation. Lena couldn't afford more time off.

She wrote her signature on the paper before her, or at least she tried to. She tried again before frustrated throwing the dry pen across the room. Maybe a self-inking pen would be her next invention.

Jess, like her own personal fairy godmother (god-secretary?), walked into the room carrying Lena's third coffee for the day. Lena didn't very much like coffee, but she was running on little sleep and jittered nerves. She took it reverently, brushing off Jess' disapproving glare, and took a sip from the hot liquid. She let the black coffee coat her tongue before allowing it seep down her throat.

As she put the mug down, Jess cleared her throat, clearly wanting her attention. Lena raised an eyebrow.

"I know coffee helps block adenosine and promotes norepinephrine and dopamine, but you're already three quarters way through your daily limit and it's only 11 am, Miss. Luthor."

"I don't have a limit, Jess." Lena shot back, taking a sip to prove her point. "Well, you do now. You are only allowed one more, use it wisely."

With that, Jess turned on her heel and exited the office with Lena gobsmacked behind her. Was it just her, or was Jess becoming sassier? Honesty, either Lena was entirely too soft, or Jess was bloody lucky. Either way, Lena knew, deep down, that Jess was just looking after her.

She put her mug down with a grimace. Maybe she should slow down a little with the caffeine, least her blood turn to coffee. Lena shuddered at the thought. Black tea was of preference, but she needed fast acting caffeine for today.

With a huff, Lena pushed away from her desk, careful not to jostle it and spill her beverage. She turned around in her chair, facing the view outside. She had woken up late to work, hence her present state. Hell, she even wore miss-matched socks by accident today. Thank God her slacks covered her ankles, she couldn't deal with a scandal right now.

She inhaled deeply, counted to three, and released.

Lena wore a power suit today, tie and all, because she needed the extra armour it afforded her. The placebo of power sat within the starched collar and shoulder pads, and Lena relished in it. She had gone to bed fragile last night. Of course her mother would ruin such a good day, that woman never let her have nice things, and Lena had been fitful all night. She only actually feel asleep in the early hours of the morning, exhaustion finally taking her under its wing.

She stood up, her dress shoes shining in sunlight pools on the floor as she stepped onto the balcony. A gentle breeze played with her strict ponytail, running its fingers through her straightened hair and

ruffling at the fabric of her blazer.

Earlier today, maybe when she was half an hour into her work, she was overcome with a feeling of eerie trepidation. She was working silently at her desk when unease settled on the hairs of her skin like a shroud. The feeling was slightly muted, assuring Lena that it was not her own emotions she was feeling, but Kara's.

Which made it both worse and better.

Lena knew, objectively, that Kara could take care of herself. Kara was a big girl and damn near indestructible at that...but that was physically. Kara's mind was always another story. The traumatic scarring of her childhood left breaches in Kara's defences. Breaches that could and would be exploited if Lena wasn't there to man the turrets.

That's what Lena feared right now. So, as she turned the television on to see what Supergirl shenanigan Kara was up to now, Lena did her best to subtly reassure her girlfriend. Her curiosity couldn't help but slip through when Lena discovered nothing on the television.

What was Kara up to?

Nothing alien related, apparently, so Lena returned to work as Kara's emotions settled back into the dripping current at the back of Lena's mind. Everything was fine until Lena suddenly found herself frozen in shock. She could feel it coming. The way it tugged at her nails and jammed her lungs.

Lena braced for a vision, making sure she was well away from any sharp objects. She only had time to grip her armrests before she went under.

The first thing she noticed was the smell. It was horrible, putrid and reminiscent of rotten meat, and she felt Kara hold her nose. Her vision was black, and her tongue felt thick and obtrusive. Her stomach rolled, and Lena felt horrible, which worsened at the sudden visual of vomit.

Lena felt innate worry for her companion. Kara seldom got sick, but maybe because she was still powerless her immune system changed as well? Lena didn't contemplate long, instead focusing on pouring as much calmness through to Kara to help settle her. It was the best she could do without actually being there.

Then Lena noticed the sensation of a hand running up and down her back soothingly. Her first thought was of Alex, but that idea was quickly dashed. The hand felt different, smaller. Kara looked at the mystery person to hand the bucket back and Lena was more confused.

Short.

The woman was short and definitely not Alex in any measure. That, and this woman appeared to be a cop, as shown by the dangling badge around her neck. That meant Kara was working. But that bode the question as to what made Kara react so violently?

Lena's question was answered shortly. God, she wished it hadn't been.

She felt herself straighten as Kara rightened herself. Her shoulders squared and her back straightened with false confidence. As Kara walked through the drab door, Lena saw it in all its morbid glory.

Fuck. Holy shit.

At the sight of lidless eyes, Lena recoiled, yanking herself from the vision with such force that her office chair rolled back a little. She fought the urge to hurl, the image persistence of vision doing her

no favours, the image was stuck behind her eyelids. Soulless eyes watched from inky black depths, forcing Lena to open them. She rung her hands, her palms sweating, as she tried to regulate her breathing.

Lena had seen a cadaver before. Hell, she saw enough when she went to the morgue after Lex's rampage. She remembered crying for days afterward, the stiff faces of children and adults haunting her with such hounding that her mind conjured a figure of death to follow her around. A reminder of guilt and debt in which she had to repay to the last of her days.

This was nothing like that.

Whoever, no, whatever did that was calculating and patient. It could skin a full-grown man without disrupting the bundling of muscles underneath. It had the strength to tie up dead weight. Carrying a sleeping person was hard enough, let alone a body.

Lena shook her head. She didn't have time to dwell on this. Kara was stuck there doing her job (since when did Kara become a forensic journalist?) and God, this was going to affect her. Lena pulled herself back to her desk, snatching up her pen and continued signing off paperwork with gritted teeth. Her mind, however, was busy reassuring Kara, helping her face her circumstances.

Time eventually passed, Lena ended up helping Kara descale with reassurance from the blonde. She provided support, comforting Kara with her presence as Kara fought to right her breathing. The reporter had battled with isolation ever since her fall to Earth and Lena took it upon herself to be Kara's one constant. To be the person Kara could count on in any way she pleased.

If that meant helping Kara with the trauma of seeing a skinned man, so be it.

That was another reason Lena was drinking an excessive amount of coffee. Between Kara, paperwork and her mother, Lena felt like she needed the extra boost. That's how she found herself with her third mug within two hours cooling on her desk as she watched the world around her from her balcony.

Lena let the breeze help settle her nerves, even if it did mess up her hair a little. The scene around her as now familiar, giving her some peace of mind and allowing her to think. Lena turned around to face her office, leaning against the railing and looking inwards.

The paperwork was almost all done, which was a feat in and of itself. Normally, she would be happy at the sight. Today, however, it just meant she had more time to herself, which was deeply undesirable. She didn't want time to think about a mother that all but abandoned her. She didn't want to know why the reason for so many of her mental issues was now hitting it up with the mother of the man that tried to kill her.

All Lena knew was that it meant nothing good.

Was Lillian working with Mrs. Addington? Did she have something to do with Mr. Smith's attempt on her life?

Nah, Lillian was many things but a killer she was not. She was a doctor by profession, saving lives was her job. Sure, Lillian was disbarred for unethical treatments under Lex's reign, but murder?

Well, Lena didn't actually know what her mother was capable of. That thought scared her more then expected.

She slid down the wall, her pants and blazer bunching up awkwardly, but Lena didn't very much care. She just closed her eyes and dropped her head against the wall behind her. She was feeling a

little overwhelmed. Everything around was happening so fast and Lena needed time to understand what exactly was happening.

She felt herself fall deeper into the calm blackness, letting the dark of her eye lids become the static of bouncing light and finding comfort at the images it produced. The longer she watched, the further she went. Loosing herself in her mind wasn't something she allowed herself to do but maybe just this once wouldn't hurt.

The sensation felt oddly familiar, like she had done this before.

Her brow furrowed, nose scrunching as she concentrated. She chased the feeling, going deeper and deeper until she could feel pin and needles run up her arms.

She went further still.

There was something nagging her. A sensation, an experience, taunting her from further within and Lena chased it. She ran like a desert wanderer towards an oasis, with desperation and need. It felt like her mind was pulling, stretching like a rubber band, and warping the sensations around her.

Without warning, it snapped.

And Lena fell. She fell and fell until she didn't, and when she rose she realised what had happened. She remembered. Colours burst around her as the scenery bled into focus. Colour, vivid and alive, moved around her, giving birth to her form.

Lena was back in the strange city of Kara's mind, but everything appeared a little different.

The people in Kryptonian dress seemed blurrier than last time. Were once Lena couldn't distinguish faces, she now couldn't distinguish items of clothing. All she saw were patches of colours and the general idea of movement, which was in stark contrast compared to the people in Earth clothes.

Human clothing had retained its definition, even if the faces still remained blurred. The buildings around Lena looked more human too, the tall spires of before were fewer in between and their startling white had turned eggish. In their place stood the imposing forms of skyscrapers reaching towards the heavens, like nutgrass in a once thriving flower bed.

Something wasn't right.

The reddish light that once lit Kara's mind was duller, muted. The wispy ground didn't drift like a calm stand storm nor did the windows shine with red brilliance of before. Lena, confused, look for an answer. It was only when she looked up did she find one.

Rao, were once gargantuan but comforting had shrunk drastically. Lena stared at the God, the light not hurting her eyes here, and found herself lost. Abandonment tore at her chest and Lena didn't understand why.

The feeling grew ten-fold when Lena saw Sol breach the horizon. The sun was large, larger than before and closer, and Lena choked on a cry. What was happening? How had so much changed? How did this affect Kara?

In her despair, Lena ran. The cobbled pavement beneath her feet turning solid every time she stepped. She let her instincts guide her in this land of impressions, the wisps of the buildings and people merging as she sped past. She ran and never found herself short of breath. She ran and never ached. She ran until she didn't need to anymore.

The temple.

Lena found herself were she started last time and sighed in relief. She needed to check something, hoping to God that she was wrong.

As she lifted her foot to walked up the incorporeal stairs, she was yanked back. She tumbled through her mind, floating and falling simultaneously until her eyes burst open into the harsh sunlight. She was back, she remembered, and a panicked body her tightly in a strong embrace.

"Thank Rao, Lena." The words were said with such relief, ghosting over her ear as Kara held her impossibly closer.

Lena inhaled deeply, the smell of ozone and wind welcoming her in the nape of Kara's neck. She clung to the cape at the heroine's back, rooting herself in the physical plane, and only then she realised that she was shaking.

"Y-You got your powers b-back." Lena's voice came out soft and broken, startling the young CEO.

Kara hushed her, running sure hands down Lena's back and placing a kiss behind her ear. Lena quietened, her breathing evening out slowly as she regained function of her body. They stayed like that, Lena sitting on Kara's lap as the Kryptonian cradled her against her sturdy frame. How far had Lena gone to not even realise Kara moving her?

They only stirred when a few pigeons decided to pay Supergirl a visit, sitting on the railings and chatting to each other. Kara laughed at her avian friends' antics, watching as the pigeons chased each other around the balcony, the birds strangely at ease with the blonde. Kara's chuckles bobbled Lena's head up and down, making the littlest Luthor smile involuntarily at the mirth sitting beneath her. She couldn't help but place a kiss at Kara's jaw as she made bird noises back at her new friends.

Kara looked down at the woman in her arms, dropping a kiss into soft hair.

"Did you know that Kryptonian's evolved from flying life forms?" Kara said, loosening her hold and letting Lena lean back.

"What? Like birds?" Lena asked absentmindedly, playing with the small hairs at the back of Kara's neck.

She hummed. "In a sense." A pause, "We didn't have birds on Krypton." Kara leant back against the wall, shooting Lena a coy smile. "We called them Rivvera, and the best way I could describe them would be like mini dragons."

Lena lifted an eyebrow, amusement playing on her lips. "So, you're telling me that your early ancestors were dragons?"

"Yep." Kara laughed, and Lena smiled, her breathing finally evening out at the normality around her.

"Humanity owes it evolutionary start to fish." Lena shimmied off Kara's lap, pulling her body to rest next to Kara's. She bumped their arms together, dropping her head on a strong shoulder as Kara intertwined their fingers. "Have you heard of the Mammalian Diving Response?"

Kara shook her head.

"Well, it says that human's get a general sense of calm when they're in the water because of the remnants of our fish instincts in our old brain. That's way, generally, people feel at ease when bathing or showering."

"If that idea could be adapted to my species, it would make sense as well in respect to flying." Kara turned their hands over, playing absentmindedly with Lena's fingers. "Sure, Kryptonian's couldn't fly on Krypton, but we tended to build our cities in mountainous areas. Height always gave us a sense of peace." Kara said, her voice wasn't sad like it usually was when she reminisced. With a breath, Kara finally asked what she wanted to. "If it's not over stepping, can you tell me what was happen earlier?" Her voice was gentle, her presence calm and emotions smooth.

Lena gave her a wry smile, formulating a way to explain something she had trouble understanding herself. She pulled her knees to her chest, the action causing Kara to shift and wrap a protective arm around her shoulders.

"Well, a few things have happened actually." Lena started.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Um..." Lena took a breath, "well, I got a call from Mr. Wayne last night."

"Bruce? What did he want." Kara shifted again, her body now facing Lena, forcing her to sit up.

"Well, it wasn't so much what he wanted, but more what he said. He, uh, he informed me that my mother has apparently struck a deal with Mrs. Addington."

Kara took a moment before speaking. "You mean to say that Lillian Luthor is now working with the mother of the man that tried to kill you?"

Lena nodded slowly. "Fuck."

"My thoughts exactly. It's like she knows the perfect moment to pick to ruin something I like. Couldn't she just stay incognito? My life was so much easier without her in it." Lena lamented, dropping her face into her hands.

Kara just placed a kiss at the back of her head. "That's not all, is it?"

Lena brought her head back up. "No." Lena relaxed again, uncurling her legs and watching them straighten in front of her, shoes shining and pants riding up to reveal one pink sock and one blue. Kara chuckled at the sight.

Lena shared a short smile before barging into the next topic. "Alright. This...thing, is a little harder to explain."

"I'm all ears."

"Good, because I'm going to try but you have to stay with me because this is going to sound crazy." Lena looked directly at Kara, receiving a nod and the feeling of reassurance. "Well, here goes. So, first off, I remembered what happened to me before my concussion."

"That's great news!" Kara interrupted, kissing her cheek. "I'm so proud."

Lena blushed at the praise, laughing a little awkwardly. "Yeah, it's good, I think." She pulled some hair over her shoulder, playing with the strands. "Anyway, back to my explanation-"

"Right, sorry."

Lena just gave her a look and Kara gave her a sheepish smile.

"As I was saying, I've remembered the reason I fell and hit my head on my desk. You remember when you were fighting the alien that was wreaking havoc on the harbour?"

Kara nodded.

"Well, during that time, the alien did something. It made some type of noise at the perfect frequency to simulate the emotion of isolation."

"Yeah, I remember that. It's a defence mechanism for the Abrovian race, a last resort of sorts. It generally incapacitates their attackers using their own mind. If I recall right, it didn't affect me all that much?"

"It didn't because I think I did something." Lena said, her voice turning grave as she avoided eye contact with her bond mate. "When you were fighting, I was watching on the television and I wanted nothing more than to help you. When that alien released that noise, well, I felt it to my core. It cut through me with such precision that I knew it would have been a thousand time worse for you. So, I closed my eyes and tried to reach you. A-And, I did."

"Wha-"

"I breached your mind Kara!" Lena burst, shaking slightly at the slight she performed against the blonde. She didn't realise she was holding such resentment until it burst forth, taking them both by surprise. Lena couldn't do anything about it. "I trespassed into your very being without welcome and now I fear I did something I shouldn't have."

"Lena, you're not making any sense."

"I know! I know." Lena got to her feet quickly, leaving Kara on the floor to watch. "And I swear I did it by accident, I promise." Lena started to pace. "The only way I can really describe it was as if I went further than our bond and somehow walked into the inner workings of your mind." Lena gestured structurally, at a loss for proper descriptors. She could feel Kara's confusion mounting, driving her to pace faster and think harder.

"So, you could hear my thoughts? Like J'onn does with others?" Kara tried again, standing up slowly.

"No. I called it a 'mindscape,' it's like a city in your mind were your essence lives." Lena tried. "It was a place stuck between the solid and the incorporeal, both in focus and unfocused."

"A land of contradictions?"

"In a sense," Lena calmed a little, "you know, like when you have a dream and you try to recall it when you wake up. You grip for details even when you saw clarity when you dreamt it. Your recollection is always blurry."

"I think I get it." Kara paused, walking up to Lena and grabbing her fidgeting hands. "So, what you're saying is that there is a place in my mind that you visited?"

"Yeah. But this place is made of your experiences, I think. It's like the core of your being." "Can you describe it?" Kara picked up one of Lena's hands, placing a kiss to each knuckle.

Lena nodded. "It was beautiful Kara." She started, shuffling forward until they were toe to toe. "A metropolitan city that was a blend between Krypton and Earth."

Lena could feel Kara freeze at the mention of home, but there was none of the melancholy. Lena's gut dropped a little, but she forged on, holding Kara's hands more securely.

"The first time I was there, the buildings represented the tall spires of Krypton, all white and reaching towards Rao. However, there were Earth influences blended into the architecture- neon signs, materials, rooftop gardens. The people reflected this as well. Some wore traditional Kryptonian dress for their guild's, but others were adorned in suits and dresses, hoodies and shorts.

And up above, God Kara, Rao looked down, large and magnificent and bathing everything in his red light. Next to him was Sol, significantly smaller but present."

Lena let go of the blonde's hands, instead choosing to cup her cheeks and pull her head forward into a forehead kiss. Lena could feel the crinkle under her lips, she wanted nothing more then to smoothen it. She eventually leant back, watching Kara's face as she ran hands through golden hair.

"The more I talk, the more I realise that the place I visited was your identity. It was a living representation of your character and your past." Lena paused, realising that Kara hadn't talked in a long while, which was uncharacteristic for the blonde. "Kara? Kara, please talk to me."

It was only then that Kara actually looked at her with sorrowful eyes, tears on their cusp but not falling. Lena didn't fight instinct, she just leant forward and kissed each ripe tear away. Only when she drew back did Kara speak.

"Lena." Kara's voice was so fucking broken that Lena nearly collapsed at the sound of it. "I-I don't know what's wrong, but I feel like my memory is f-failing me." Her voice cracked at the end, thick and heavy. "K-Krypton, it's...it's disappearing, and I can feel it slipping away."

Lena pulled Kara into her arms, the blonde shaking as Lena tried to soothe her.

"I-I'm having trouble recalling my home, Lena." Only then did Kara finally break down, falling to her knees and taking Lena with her. "Why? Why is this happening to me? I trying to recall and I'm finding it harder than I should. Rao, have I not lost enough?" Lena's collar absorbed Kara's grief and the CEO reigned in her own emotions, letting Kara feel but ready to step in when asked.

Suddenly, Kara stopped. Her breath held and body still. If Lena's collar wasn't wet, she would have believed that the outburst was her imagination. And then, in the most subdued voice Lena had ever heard, Kara spoke.

"My grief, it's gone."

Lena looked down at the woman in her arms, her gut dropping further.

"These tears... it's like I'm mourning the idea of a place but not my actual experience." Kara sat back, shaky hands wiping at bloodshot eyes. "What the hell. It's like someone took my memories and removed my emotions from them. I thought I was just having a good few days, not getting sad at anything that reminded me of Krypton but...fuck...I didn't realise I was forgetting."

Lena gulped. This just assured her fears and now she needed to tell Kara. She didn't care if the blonde bit her head off, or worse, left her, but it was the right thing to do and the more she let it fester, the worse the infection would get. So, with shaky breath and false bravado, Lena struck a nail in her coffin.

"I think I know what happened to you." Guilt rampant through her being, weighing down her blood. The reaction was instant. Kara moved too fast for Lena to comprehend. At one moment, the blonde

was in her arms, in the next, she was a few feet away with posture so ridged that she gave a rock a run for its money.

"Lena, what do you mean?" The words were low, more of a rumble than actual vernacular.

"When I was in your mindscape, I, uh, visited a temple. In it was a hall etched with the names of your people." Lena gulped, taking a step forward and wincing when Kara took a step back. "At the end of the hall was a lone, lit candle."

Kara looked her dead in the eye, her head slowly shaking from side to side. Lena realised that she understood were this was going. The next words proved her right. "Lena don't tell me..."

"I blew it out."

It was like a brick wall fell on her. Kara's disappointment, rage and anguish so solid that breath refused to enter her lungs. All Lena could do was watch as Kara shook. Shook with such intensity that the tiles under her feet shifted with the vibrations. Shook with such power that the air turned static. Shook with such control that nothing broke around her.

Even at a breaking point, Kara was oh so careful.

Suddenly, like a tap being closed, the emotions were lifted off Lena's shoulders, evaporating into the heavy air. Even now, even when Lena took the base of Kara's character, the blonde still held the depth of her emotions back for Lena's sake.

Kara would never cause her harm.

Not even when Lena took everything from her.

There were no words in the English lexicon that could convey Lena's sorrow. No amount of grovelling could fix this and yet there would be no measure Lena would not go to help Kara right this horrible wrong. So, in a bid to try, Lena let her own emotions run rampant. She let the sickness of her guilt infest the air, she let the black sludge of her distress slither through and she let the drive of her willingness burst forth. Where words failed, emotions filled in.

"I am sorry." Lena spoke. Voice solid, timbre low and tone even.

Kara gave her a singular nod. "I know." She croaked, "I am not angry at you, I'm angry at the situation. You acted in my best interest and if I was in the same situation, I would have done the same."

It was then that Lena realised how distinctly alien Kara was.

Thanks to Miss. Grant's assignment, Kara essentially had the rest of the day off, which worked in her favour. She felt despondent, lost. It was like her identity was cut in half, and in a sense, it was. They had returned to Lena's apartment at Kara's wish. Lena was in the lounge, having taken the rest of her work home with her, and Kara could hear the guilty beating of her heart.

She could feel the Lena's regret and the sound pained Kara even more.

She had meant what she said on the balcony. Lena wasn't at fault, even if she was the cause of

Kara's current pain. Her mate didn't know what she was doing. She didn't have the same warnings Kara had since childhood.

Never interfere with the minds of others.

Kara understood that, she told Lena as such but still, the CEO had taken it upon herself to give Kara space. Kara didn't protest. That's how they found themselves in separate rooms, Lena typing away on her laptop and Kara sitting on the floor of the study, surrounded by the journals.

If they didn't figure out how to fix Kara, these leather-bound books would hold the last of her history, the history of her people. The legacy of her home detailed on some dead wood wrapped in treated skin. Kara bit back a sob. This was not the time to cry, she had no time to waste.

Lena must have read her mind because without a single word, the CEO gave her a plethora of empty journals and a pack of new pens as soon as they landed at the apartment. Once making sure Kara was situated, placing a soft kiss to her brow, Lena left with a pained smile and glassy eyes.

Since then, Kara had filled two journals front to back with everything she could remember. It was her duty to scribe; to immortalise a world long gone in a language now dead. From memories slow burning, she lovingly drew skylines and environments, buildings and structures, blueprints and technologies. Everything. Everything. Everything.

She drew the faces of her parents, scared that they would fade. She sketched the likeness of Jor-El and Lara holding a baby Kal-El. She illustrated her friends, their features harder to recall but she pushed though. She needed to do this. She needed to remember.

It was only when the pack of pens ran out did Kara stop. Her hands ink stained with the blood of her recollections and finger's worn with the rusting nature of her Kryptonian. Her eyes felt dry, her tears absorbed by the grain of the pages, the ink drinking her sorrow.

She sat back, taking it all in.

Seventeen journals. That was all she could manage. Seventeen journals to hold a lost world.

With a heavy sigh, Kara threw away the empty pens and placed the new journals on the bookshelf. Lena had left space in case Kara ever wanted to expand on her work. Kara chuckled humourlessly. Lena probably didn't think the space would be used like this.

With heavy steps, Kara grabbed her cape off the floor. She was still in her uniform, not wanting to have wastes time changing. Even when the fabric had started to grow uncomfortable with her position on the floor, she just unclipped her cape and continued.

She walked out of the study feeling more settled with her new predicament. She now had a fail safe in place in case she couldn't get better. She hoped to Rao that it would never come to that.

As Kara walked into the living room, she was greeted by the white noise of background television and soft sounds of Lena sleeping. Kara looked to the clock, unsurprised by the late hour. She draped her cape over the back of a chair, making her way over to the woman that was her mate.

With gentle hands, she lifted Lena off the couch, careful of her neck, and carried her to the bedroom. Lena had changed into pyjamas sometime during the night, making it easy for Kara to tuck her into bed. She pulled the blankets up to Lena's chin, smiling at how she snuggled into the softness. Placing a kiss to now open hair, Kara walked away.

She showered quickly. She sighed as she changed into comfy clothes, glad to be out of the restrictive

spandex, and brushed her teeth. She plugged in both their phones, setting the appropriate alarms and slid into bed.

Lena rolled over, seeking out the familiarity of Kara's warmth. Even in her dreams, Lena would seek out comfort and Kara would always welcome her. She just pulled the smaller woman closer as Lena fisted the fabric of her shirt, fingers tight with the fear of detachment. Kara just placed an arm over Lena's waist and pulled her head into her shoulder.

With that, Kara let exhaustion overcome her.

Morning came with a vengeance. Gone were the clear skies of yesterday, replaced with the heavy draping of clouds and the anger of rain. Their alarms blared them into wakefulness and Kara never hated a sound more. Lena nuzzled further into Kara's body, her arms having drifted to pull Kara into a full body hug during the night.

Kara felt the moment Lena realised their position. In retaliation, she hugged the human tighter, stopping Lena before she could pull away. The CEO grumbled, apologies thick on her tongue but Kara was having none of it. She said as much.

"If I so much as hear another apologetic tone from you, Miss. Luthor..." She let the threat hang in the air.

Lena mumbled into her neck. "I can't lose you, Kara."

"And you won't. I will do everything in my power to make sure that doesn't happen." Kara stated.

Kara felt the pressure of lips against her shoulder, the sound of sleep heavy mumbles whispering by her ear. "What did I ever do to deserve you."

Kara, without thought, moved back until she could see the perfect face of her girlfriend. Cupping her strong jaw, Kara led them into a kiss. She pulled away a moment later, bring their foreheads together into an eskimo kiss.

"I could ask the same question."

With that, their second alarm went off and they both got up with a groan. Lena headed to the bathroom whilst Kara made her way to the kitchen. In the time it took for Lena to get ready, Kara had cooked up a storm. Toast, smoked salmon, spinach and mushroom, fluffy eggs and even a fruit platter filled the kitchen island. Lena groaned at the sight, walking over and filling a plate without prompt.

Kara laughed, kissing her cheek as she walked past and into the bathroom. Lena was still eating when Kara was done grooming. She was back in her Supergirl regalia, sans cape, as she piled two plates up high. Her appetite was ferocious this morning, having forgotten to eat both lunch and dinner the day previous, much to Lena's disgusted amusement. It was only between the third and fourth plate did Kara deem herself energised enough to hold conversation, which Lena took as her cue to start.

"I know this isn't the best time to ask, with us eating and all, but where the hell were you yesterday morning?" The CEO asked, her facial expression not matching the starchiness of her blazer, red lips pulled into a sneer.

Kara put down her toast half eaten, brushing off the crumbs on her hands. The images that she tried

so hard to forget flashed across her mind. She shuddered involuntarily. Lifeless eyes floated into vision, the smell of rotting flesh clogging her nostrils.

"You saw that, huh?" Kara chocked out. The food not sitting in her stomach right. Lena nodded, sipping from her cup of tea. "Yeah. I assume you were on a story?"

"Yes. Miss. Grant gave me the story herself yesterday. She said something about starting my journey into investigative journalism."

"That's one hell of a start." Lena drained her cup. Standing up, she started to tidy the table, prompting Kara to finish her food. She might have lost her appetite but she new she needed to eat.

"You can say that again." Kara said around a mouthful of mushroom. She swallowed at Lena's look. "The police are stumped as to who is the killer but apparently there's been a series of murders around the city."

"We haven't heard anything about it."

"Yeah. It's all been very hush hush. Public panic is more often a detriment than an advantage." Kara stood up, taking her empty plates over to the sink, helping Lena wash up quickly.

"Then why are they bringing a journalist on board?" Lena asked, drying the plates. "Well, I'm not writing a story on it just yet. According to Detective Sawyer-"

"Was that the short woman?"

Kara laughed. "Yeah, that's her. Get this, Alex has a crush on her." She whispered. Lena dropped the dishcloth onto the counter. "No way. What a small world."

Kara nodded. "I agree. What a way to meet your sister's fancy." She stacked the plates up and put them back in the cupboard. "Anyway, she said that sometimes the police force would contract journalists to get a fresh pair of eyes on cases they're finding hard to crack. Apparently, our ability to 'connect dots' comes in handy."

Lena leant against the counter, looking at the woman in her kitchen with fondness. Kara felt a blush spread across her face. She had a particular weakness for Lena in her cooperate clothes. Something about the power she exuded turned Kara on a little. Just a little.

"Well, did you draw any lines?" Kara watched as Lena's lips formed the words, entranced by their dance.

She shook her head and willed herself to respond. "No. I'm not meant to actually be telling you any of this, according to the NDA's I've signed, but the only thing that is linking the murders are a card with a symbol on it."

"Like a calling card?" "Exactly."

With a quick look at the time, Lena's eyes widened. "Damn, I have to get to work. Frankie is too polite to tell me that he's been waiting for fifteen minutes." Lena fast walked to the door, grabbing her bag off the floor and toeing on her killer heels. "I trust it that you can she yourself out, Miss. Zor- El?"

Kara sped over to her, grabbing the beautiful woman by the waist and placing a light kiss on blushing lips. "Mmmm, am I you're dirty little secret, Miss. Luthor?"

Lena kiss her back, careful not to smudge her colour. "I've been found out, it seems." Lena grinned, green eyes meeting blue. The smile slowly dropped, however. "Kara, all joking aside, I never meant any harm to you."

Kara drew the Luthor into a hug, making sure Lena was able to affirm her presence. "I know." Kara breathed in deeply, inhaling the fruity scent of Lena's shampoo. Pulling back, Kara beamed. "We'll work it out, together. Have a good day, Lena."

"You too, Kara."

Kara flew to the DEO. Before she had gone to see Lena and after she finished up at the crime scene, the DEO needed her for an alien drug bust. The whole event only took a few minutes and was wholly uneventful (well, not as much for the criminals), but that did mean she left her satchel and notes in a DEO locker. She needed those if she was to meet her deadline in a few hours.

The secret organisation was at its usual busyness. Uniformed personal walked around with purpose. Kara could hear people training in various practice rooms, wincing when the heard the sound of someone accidently breaking their arm. Rao, people were so fragile.

She changed into the standard DEO blacks, grabbing her things from the locker and making her way to an unused meeting rooms. This place was as good as any to work at. She was never as productive in the silence of her apartment, instead favouring the sound of people around her.

She may have cheated a little and used her superspeed to type up her notes. The coroner's report had come in sometime yesterday. Along with it, Detective Sawyer had emailed her the reports for the previous incidents as well.

Kara read through them, sickening further at each one.

The first death was a child's. Rao. Did this sick fuck have no limits? The kid still had his skin, but his teeth were missing.

The second death was a teenager's. The body was found run through with a pole in a strip club. The arm was missing.

The third death was a man's. He was found in his swimming pool asphyxiated and missing his legs and torso.

The fourth was a woman's. All that was left of her was her legs and an arm. This death made the fifth. This time the murderer stole the man's skin.

Kara typed it up as fast as she could, not wanting to linger on something so ghastly. Making sure she saved the document and printing it out, she shoved her laptop and the paper into her bag. She didn't want to look at it any longer than necessary. Even her bag felt heavy with the weight of the information on that document.

She was just clasping the bag closed when there was a knock at the door, Kara turned around in greeting. She already knew who it was by the pattern of their heart, but Earthly customs and all.

"Is this a bad time?" Alex asked, her body half in and half out the door.

Kara smiled at her sister, ushering her in. "No, not at all. I just finished some work for CatCo."

Alex smiled back, walking into the room. Kara stood up and gave her sister a hug, each giving a kiss on the other's cheek in greeting. Alex took the seat opposite as Kara sat down.

"How are you holding up?"

Kara rubbed the back of her neck, thinking back to yesterday. She gave her sister a small, wry smile. "I'm alright. Drained, but alright." Of course that was a lie on the whole. But as of this moment, Kara was feeling the best she had in the last 42 hours. Rao, so much had happened in such a short time. There was one thing...Kara laughed.

"What's with the laugh?" Alex lifted an eyebrow.

"You wouldn't believe who I ran into yesterday." Kara sat forward, leaning both her elbows on the table.

Alex mirrored her posture, brow furrowed in thought. "Who?"

"I had the pleasure of meeting a particular detective. I don't know if you know her. Kinda short," Kara gestured a vague height, "wears a too-big police jacket, and is very good at her job."

Alex's jaw dropped. "No...you didn't..."

"Oh yeah, I did." Kara replied smugly. "And I approve. Mind you, I met her on work, but I can see why you like her."

Kara wished she could have bottled up the Alex's blushing, beaming smile. The utter joy on her sister's face was a rare sight and Kara was so happy for her sister, even if this was just a crush right now. Alex being happy and makes Kara happy.

Alex tried to wave her off. "Pfft, stop you." Her voice was a few pitches too high as she avoided eye contact. She eventually calmed a little, folding her arms across her chest and shooting a smirk at the little Danvers. "On the subject of...crushes," Alex shifted, "is there something you want to tell me about...or someone?"

Now it was Kara turn to shift around awkwardly. Oh, would you look at that, she needed to cut her finger nails.

"Ah, I see how it is." Alex unfolded her arms, placing her hands palm up on the table between them. Kara obliged begrudgingly, placing her hands on top of her sister's. Alex took the opportunity to link their hands together, squeezing their fingers together a little. "Kara, I love you and I will never push you to say anything to me, but I'm always here."

With that, Alex made to get up, but was stopped as Kara forced her back down with her grip. Alex took her seat with a chuckle, the cushion creaking a little with the weight. "Is there something you want to tell me about? Something in relation to a certain CEO?" Alex teased.

Kara's face flamed. She felt slightly mortified at the very real conversation that was about to happen. Alex smile morphed into a easy-going grin, her eyes tracking all of Kara's movements. Kara finally cracked under the imagined pressure.

"Lena and I are dating!" Kara slapped her hands over her mouth, her face beet red. Rao, she practically shouted that.

Alex laughed, getting up and wrapping her still sitting sister in a warm hug. "Congratulations, little sis. I'm proud of you." She placed a kiss into Kara's curls.

Kara stood up and properly returned the hug. It felt amazing telling someone. Apparently, all the sneaking had been affecting her without her realising it.

"I'm sorry it took so long for me to come out." Alex snorted, Kara hit her shoulder. "Pun not intended. We wanted to keep the relationship under wraps because-"

"I understand, Kara." Alex cut her off, ruffling her hair. Kara pouted as she tried to pat it down. "You're both high profile people, Lena being a Luthor and you being...wait, does Lena know you're Supergirl?"

Kara turtled sheepishly. "Um...yeah? She figured it out?" It was close enough.

"You don't sound very sure."

"No, no." Kara cleared her throat, waving her sister off. "She's a genius and she figured it out."

"...Right. Anyway, protocol is protocol, she'll have to come in to sign some NDAs and all that jazz." Alex said, hugging her sister once more. "Thanks for telling me Kara. For what it's worth, I like Lena."

Kara's smile made her face hurt, her heart felt like it was about to burst out of ribcage. Lena's own happiness burst to life at the back of her mind, sparking goosebumps down her arms.

"That, and we can be gay messes together."

They both laughed. Rao, Kara missed this. She missed laughing and goofing around with her sister. Ever since they reached adulthood, they were always busy with this and that. Even now, Alex was at work and Kara was expected at CatCo. in a few hours. They eventually settled, both wearing matching grins and holding their hurting stomachs.

"Lena, you and I should have dinner sometime this week, if you're free?" Kara asked.

"Of course, I'll keep you updated." Alex sighed, laughter making her look younger. "Well, I have to get back to work. I'll see you soon?"

"Most definitely."

Alex left with a wave and Kara watched as she walked down to the main floor. Honestly, what was the purpose of glass walls?

As Alex eventually moved out of view, one J'onn J'onzz moved into view. Kara watched as he walked up to the meeting room, his lips pulling into a small smile. Kara gave him a cheeky grin and he leant his hulky frame against the open doorway.

"I believe congratulations are in order." His tone was light with amusement. He opened up his arms and Kara sped into them. Giving J'onn hugs was amazing for the simple fact that she could actually squeeze.

"Thanks, J'onn." They broke apart, all smiles.

"Just remember, NDA's will need to be signed. Preferably sooner rather than later, Miss. Danvers." The idea of Lena and J'onn in the same spot gave Kara pause. There was an opportunity here she

needed to explore. Why didn't she think of it before?

"J'onn?" The man perked to attention. "Can I ask you a huge favour, just between us?"

Chapter End Notes

Damn son, you just read 11K. Good job.

So, this chapter was more plot oriented because I've been overdosing y'all on fluff for too long. :P

Stuff mentioned in the chapter:

For more on skull sutures: https//skull-sutures-when-do-they-close/

The benefits of coffee: https//nutrition/top-13-evidence-based- health-benefits-of-coffee

The journal on the Mammalian Diving Response (Panneton, 2013): https/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3768097/

Also on the Diving response (but easier to understand): https//mammalian-dive-response/

Thank you so much for reading and have a great day!

P.S. Does anyone actually care about the links I provide? Just wondering if I should keep giving them, (I like to make sure I fact check).

EDIT

P.P.S. Alright, I just got this amazing comment! As you've just read, the skeleton's age is determined by the skull suture, which I've just been made aware, is probably the most inaccurate way to determine age (it can give a span of 50 years which is not helpful at all). So, I thought I'd share this amazing comment from Bob_Lobster (who's a fourth year Anthropolgy major):

"Before I get into filling your head with science, I want to say that I am thoroughly enjoying the story so far. As a fourth year anthropology major, however, when I read "Probably a little older than 26 from the state of the sagittal fissure in his skull." I may have died a little (and not in a good way), so I'm gonna give everyone a lesson on the methods of aging a skeleton. _

Despite what you see in shows like Bones (whose science should be labelled a crime against humanity), a trained forensic anthropologist may be able to give you, at best, about a ten year span of age the body Might Be. This is done through a series of methods, cranial suture closure is one of. Suture closure is, however, by far the least reliable method and even using all ten benchmarks on the human skull, the best you could probably say is that the person was "between 25 and 50", or some equally distant points. You might be able to give a twenty year range with just the sutures, but it's difficult. With just a glance at the saggital suture, at best Kara could say that "he was an adult...probably".

To really get a better age range, you would want to look at pubic symphysis, the morphology of the auricular surface and probably the morphology of the sternal end of the rib. If you have all these things, you can probably narrow it down to a ten year range. These three tests are far more accurate than cranial suture closure since sutures close at a different rate for different people (although similarly enough to be somewhat useful). As such, suture closure only tends to be used if either none of the other options are available, or you want to use it to further narrow the age down. Ideally, you would use all methods available to get the best possible estimate.

This is for adults, of course, children are super easy to age, because dentition is extremely regular. Under about thirteen can be often aged within a few months because of the consistency of dental development and eruption. After that it gets harder, and becomes a lot more difficult after the third molar (wisdom teeth) come in between about 17 and 21.

Cranial suture methods can be found here: /2013/09/10/quick- tips-how-to-estimate-the-chronological-age-of-a-human-skeleton-cranial-suture-closure- method/

It's a basic breakdown, but the map of benchmarks is very similar to what we use in class. You notice, for example, in the chart that a score of "2" gives a mean age of 30.5 with an SD of 9.6. That means the age is between 20.9 and 40.1 years.

In the sake of interest, the Suchey-Brookes method of Pubic Symphysis can be found here: /2014/01/12/quick-tips-how-to-estimate-the-chronological- age-of-a-human-skeleton-pubic-symphyseal-surface-method/

As you can see, the SD is a lot lower (at least at younger ages, the older you get the harder you are to age by any method).

Auricular Surface is here: https/www3./~stephens/aursurface.html "

Chapter Notes

Chapter 13

Hey hey!

Look! A wild chapter appeared! ;P

Thanks for all the great feedback last chapter, I really appreciate it! All the comments spurred me to write this chapter at a faster rate than normal haha.

This is a little bit of a filler chapter, but it does contain some important information that sets up next chapter. :)

Happy reading!

P.S. The end of chapter facts are here to stay! Woop woop!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

It was six days later, on a Wednesday afternoon, and Lena was signing off on a midweek report when her doors burst open with a bang. She jumped in her seat, her pen rolled off her desk and her spine snapped to attention. Barging into her office, striding with tangible wrath, was one Winston Smith.

As soon as he came within three feet of her desk, Lena stood up with as much presence as she could muster. Her mask hardened, her surprise was shoved aside, and she gave him a cold stare. Lena was not going to let this man walk into her office and try to belittle her. She owned the floor he stepped on, the very air in this room, and she could kick him out at whim. She watched the slight startle in his eyes as his fury was met with calculation and not fear. He wasn't expecting that, and Lena relished it.

"Mr. Smith, I don't believe we had an appointment." Calm and collected, Lena crossed her arms.

A frazzled Jess ran into the room nay two seconds later, a frown pulling at her brow. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could do so, Lena held up a hand to shush her. With a fake smile, Lena spoke to her secretary, ignoring the insolent man before her.

"Don't worry, Jess. I have some time to spare for Mr. Smith here." Lena could see the way Jess was reacting to the situation. There was a pain in her eyes that spoke of slight trauma and it made Lena's stomach twist uncomfortably. She didn't want her friend anywhere near this man. She made a mental note to give Jess the rest of the day off.

Still, Lena shot her a look that subtly said to leave the door open and call security if necessary. Jess left with a nod and a slight tremor, following the instructions perfectly.

Mr. Smith walked closer, slower this time. "Drop the act, bitch."

"Excuse me?" Lena was taken aback. Business men normally had more tact than to outright curse. What had happened to warrant this reaction?

"Don't act all surprised. You know what you did." Spittle flew in the space between them, just missing Lena's desk.

The CEO grimaced internally. "Matter of fact, I seem to be in the dark as to what you're talking about. Care to enlighten me?" She pulled her chair and sat down. Normally, sitting down would be seen as a submissive act but Lena made sure it wasn't. It was written in her lifted jaw and relaxed but ready position. Lena was showing Mr. Smith that he wasn't worth her time and that his ire was nothing to her.

He got the memo. His face started to blotch an angry red and purple, his too-tight tie looking more like a noose than a symbol of status. His little hands fisted at his sides and his teeth audibly ground, reminding Lena of a small, angry troll.

With cold anger, Mr. Smith spoke through his teeth. "Where is Mr. Lord?"

Lena raised an eyebrow, sitting forward in her chair. "Maxwell? Why would I know where he is?"

"I said drop the act!" The little man roared.

Lena placed her elbows on the table calmly, folding her hands together. She glared daggers, leaving them both in thick silence and letting him stew.

It was only when he was about to shout again did she cut him off. "I will say this again, Mr. Smith. Why would I know where Mr. Lord is? The last I saw of him was at my gala almost two weeks ago."

"Lies. He left to come here for a meeting with you on Tuesday last week." Mr. Smith stated, pacing up and down the floor. Lena tracked him closely. She didn't want to give him an opening lest he try something funny.

"We never penned down a meeting and that would have been impossible anyway. I wasn't at work last Tuesday." Lena tried to reason.

Mr. Smith stopped. "If not, then who called from your office phone, and I know it was your office because I traced it, using you're voice to set up a meeting if it wasn't you? Huh? Try to explain that, Miss. Luthor." He spat out her name and Lena sat back quickly to avoid the spray.

Lena finally dropped her mask. Gone was the fake smile and in its place was something bordering on sinister. Mr. Smith visibly shrunk at the sudden shift, but his ego bounced him right back. He tried to match her but failed miserably.

She gave a threatening smile, her voice low and foreboding. "If you're insinuating that I had something to do with Mr. Lord's supposed disappearance, then I strongly suggest you gather all the facts before confronting me, Mr. Smith." She paused, enjoying the way his lip twitched. "I have nothing to do with Mr. Lord. Have a good day."

The dismissal was firm and left no question. However, apparently the weasel of a man didn't value his life for he continued to speak.

"If I find out that you're lying to me, so help me God, I'll-"

"I would think twice before threatening me, Mr. Smith. Lord Tech. already has enough enemies, you need not make more." Lena shut him down.

He still didn't get the message. Instead, he grew angrier. With stomps impressively loud for his stature, Mr. Smith strode towards her with a fist raised. Lena stood up abruptly. Her reflexes took over. Her feet planted into the ground and her hands balled into fists. In an instant she was in a fighting stance and her body readied itself for pain.

A pain that never came.

One moment, Mr. Smith's fist was flying toward her and Lena's arm raised to block him, and suddenly, in the next moment, the man was writhing on the floor, cradling his hand and wrist. Lena didn't even have to look to know that it was broken. The whining and whimpering told her enough.

Lena took a step back in shock, her mind racing as she tried to figure out what had happened. Only then did she notice the tell-tale red of a swishing cape next to her. Supergirl, eyes slightly aglow and jaw so tight that the muscles in her neck were jumping, stood towering over her would-be attacker.

At the very sight of the blonde, Lena felt herself relax. Her breathing settled, and her muscles uncoiled as she stood up straight. She gave Kara a quick squeeze to her hand in gratitude before making her way around the writhing body and summoning Jess. In no time, the L-Corp. security team was in her office and dragging a sobbing Mr. Smith away.

Once the last body passed the threshold, and she had convinced Jess that she was fine and had given her the day off, Lena closed the door with a relieved sigh. She turned around and leant against the wood with a thump.

"Is it so hard to ask for one week without some drama?" Lena grumbled, messaging her temples.

"Are you alright, Lena?" Kara's voice was soft. Lena could feel her concern brushing at the edges of her consciousness. The CEO just sent her reassurance back with a waned smile. Sure, she was a little shaken, but it was nothing she couldn't handle. Kara's relief licked at the back of her eyes, placing a small, genuine smile on her lips.

Soft footsteps resounded in the now quiet office. Lena didn't even resist when her wrists were encased in a softly strong grip as Kara led her to the white couch. The leather depressed underneath them as they sat, the dip making them fall a little into each other. Kara took full advantage and slung an arm around Lena's shoulders, pulling her into a forehead kiss.

Lena hummed her satisfaction, leaning into the light pressure and tucking herself into Kara's warm body. She always smelt of ozone and iron in her supersuit and, strangely enough, Lena found comfort in the smell. It also probably helped that Kara's perfume tended to linger.

"I missed you these last few days." As Lena said it, she shifted her head until she could properly look at her companion.

Kara was beautiful. Her eyes had returned to their clear blue and the muscles in her neck had regained their smoothness. Lena didn't fight it, she just leant in a placed a kiss against Kara's jugular, feeling her heart jump against her lips. She smiled at the reaction, Kara's breath suddenly rushing against her ear as her strong hands grabbed Lena shoulders and pushed her down.

With a startled gasp, Lena was flat on her back and Kara, beautiful Kara, hovered over her like a woman possessed. Without words, they met in the middle, a feral hunger ignited in Lena's abdomen and set fire to her blood. Her long fingers carded through golden locks, securing Kara's face against hers, aiding her capture of supple lips.

They didn't care for Lena's smudged lipstick or that they were at work. Lena had missed this, and from what Lena could feel, Kara had too. Their passion was rougher than normal, and Lena found that she didn't mind. The small sounds Kara made drove her mind into a frenzy. Lena's hands grew rougher, pulling at the roots of Kara's hair and imprisoning her in Lena's embrace.

They spent long moments caught up in each other. The couch underneath them creaked at the

shifting of their weight and slapped the wall softly with every shift. Eventually, the kisses turned from sloppy and hungry to lighter pecks and small nips framed by joyous smiles. They drew apart with pleased sighs, haggard breaths connecting the space in between.

"Rao, I missed you." Kara cooed, dropping a kiss to Lena's nose, causing the CEO to giggle.

"I know, baby. I could feel it." Lena pulled a hand to place against Kara's beating chest. "And I missed you too, dear."

Kara fell to the side with a huff, her hair spilling over the white couch and causing Lena to turn to her side to face her. "I know, I could feel it."

They both let out breathy chuckles.

Lena reached out, tucking errant curls behind Kara's pink ear. "How was working with Clark?"

Kara whined. "Can we just make out some more?"

Lena smiled and kissed her again before drawing back, enjoying the way Kara chased her lips. "As much as I want to, and believe me I really do, the office is not the best place to do this."

"I could fly us to your apartment...or mine?" Kara tried but Lena shot her down with just a look. "I've missed enough days of work already." Lena sighed.

"Same here. I hope I still have a job."

Last Thursday, the day after the whole mindscape mess, Supergirl was summoned to Metropolis to help Superman detain a band of rogue aliens. Normally jobs like this took only one day, two days tops. This job, however, ended up stealing Kara for a whole five days, much to Lena's dismay.

Kara just had time to drop her notes on Miss. Grant's desk, fly over and kiss Lena goodbye, inform her that both Alex and J'onn know of their relationship and that Alex was expecting a dinner before flying off to save Clark's arse. Lena just sat there, internally freaking out from the sudden news and departure of one of her main support structures.

Honestly, villains always chose the worst time to interfere. They had so much to do here in National City, but Kara couldn't not go and help her cousin. To make matter worse, Lena had to stay behind because she had no place trying to help Supergirl and Superman detain aliens (and L-Corp. needed her). Obviously, Lena was there emotionally for Kara, but it still hurt watching her girlfriend get pummelled by a giant on national television.

Thank God they had a bond or Lena really would have lost it.

In the days Kara was off being a superheroine, Lena had done the usual. She went to work, fiddled in the lab at odd hours, ate sad meals by herself and tried to keep her mind from wondering how a dinner with both Alex and Kara would go once the blonde got back.

Lena knew Alex liked her. The eldest Danvers had said as much herself, but that did nothing to get rid of the inherent fear of meeting your significant other's family properly for the first time. She could hold her own against all sorts of business rivals, but family?

Well, that remained to be seen.

Lena sat up from the couch, rolling off it and onto her legs. Kara chuckled behind her, siting up and

adjusting her skirt.

"Thanks for helping me with Mr. Smith." Lena said, walking back to her desk. No rest for the wicked and all that. "Although, you didn't have to break his hand."

Kara got up too, making her way over leisurely. Lena could feel Kara's anger spark in her chest at the mention of the foul name, but as Lena watched, Kara gave no sign of her feelings. Lena was oddly proud at Kara's composure, maybe she was rubbing off on the blonde just a little.

Kara hummed. "I didn't. He broke his own hand against my face." She supplied, leaning against Lena's desk as the CEO sat down.

Lean raised an eyebrow. "Technicality."

"I'm serious!" Kara gestured widely, pouting a little. "He was going to hit you, I just stepped in the way."

Lena sent her a smile. It was nice having someone to look out for her. Lena was so used to protecting herself physically that she found herself at a loss as to the lack of pain from the confrontation. Her body expected a punch but didn't get one, so she felt kind of cheated in a way.

What an unusual feeling.

"Well, I'm happy you did, Kara. Black eyes aren't always the best for business."

They shared a chuckle. Lena looked for her pen, shuffling papers around her desk before spotting it on the floor. She made to go get it but was ultimately beaten by a red and blue blur. In no time there was a pen in her hand and a kiss on her lips.

Kara pulled back cheekily. "There you go, beautiful."

Lena blushed, ducking her head at the compliment. "Anyway, what did that pathetic excuse for a human want?"

Lena perked up instantly. This, she could deal with this. She looked dramatically over to Kara, her eyebrows pulled low and eyes intense. Kara, seeing her expression, instantly mirrored her. The atmosphere changing from light-hearted to serious in an instant.

"He accused me of having something to do with Lord's disappearance."

"Disappearance? Lord's vanished?" Kara's confusion fell on Lena's shoulders, compounding with her own.

"If Winston's to be believed, then yes, as of last Tuesday."

Kara's shoulders slumped, her eyes darting around the room as she thought. "Why would Smith wait eight days before confronting you?" Kara looked over, her eyes piercing.

Lena looked away. "I don't know."

"Why would he even blame you? We haven't seen Lord since the Gala."

"I asked him that, actually." Lena got up and made her way over to her beverage table. She needed a stiff drink to deal with this.

"Yeah?"

Lena hummed affirmative. "He said that apparently I called Mr. Lord on Tuesday to set up a meeting for that day. Mr. Smith said that Lord never returned from the meeting."

"But that's impossible, we were out on our date that day."

"I know!" Lena poured her whiskey aggressively, the tray rattling as she placed the decanter down harshly. She took a mouthful before responding. "But he said that the phone call came from my office and it was my voice on the line. He apparently traced the call."

Kara walked over. Lena half expected for Kara to try and take away her drink, but the blonde surprised her by instead pouring herself one. Lena raised an eyebrow as she watched Kara knock a finger back. She chuckled at Kara's hissing grimace but was slightly impressed as the blonde poured another.

Kara turned around, grabbed Lena's free hand and threaded their fingers together. "Well, fuck. This isn't at all good."

"I'll toast to that." Lena knocked their tumbler's together in a sarcastic toast before draining her glass. Kara just took a sip of her own and poured Lena another. "I think someone is trying to set me up. The thing is, I don't know who or how."

"Should we notify the police?" Kara asked over the rim of her tumbler. Lena shook her head. "No. I want to see how this plays out first."

Kara walked purposefully up to Snapper's desk. She would show no weakness, even when she knew she was in deep shit. When she arrived at work, she was greeted with sad glances from her co- workers. A bad omen if there ever was one.

She eventually made it to Snapper's des. She stood in front of it. It was now or never, she cleared her throat to gain his attention. The grumpy man looked up above his glasses. His hair was a mess, there was a Danish stain on his shirt and he smelt of stale coffee. Same old, same old.

"Finally decided to show up, ponytail? You're a week late."

"I'm so sorry Snapper." Kara started to grovel. She put her best 'puppy dog' look on, but the old man must have been heartless because he didn't even spare her a glance. Kara sighed as she stood up straight. Time for plan B. She opened up her satchel and pulled out a fairly thick binder. Without preamble, she dropped it on the desk with significance.

Before Snapper could comment on her uncouth behaviour, Kara smacked her hand on top the folder and assumed a power pose. It was something she learnt from Alex which was reinforced by Lena. Appear bigger, fill up space and then your audience has no choice but to pay attention.

"Here," she pianoed her fingers on the binder, "is a full report on the fight between the Supers and the rogue aliens over the last five days in Metropolis."

Snapper opened his mouth, but Kara continued talking.

"There is a complete recount from both Supergirl and Superman, interviews with civilian witnesses, including one Lois Lane, and even a few statements from the rogue alien themselves."

Snapper jaw clicked shut. He actually looked impressed and Kara fought the urge to dance. With a hyperbolic grumble, Snapper rolled his eyes and picked up the binder, flipping through the contents and skimming a few lines.

There was a moment of silence as Kara watched nervously.

Snapper placed the work back on his desk, placed his glasses down and rubbed his eyes before speaking. Each action killed Kara a little on the inside. "Fine. I'll run it. You're lucky, Ponytail."

Kara gave him a megawatt smile, turning around to exit. She stopped when she heard Snapper sigh.

"Just, next time at least inform me if you're perusing a story. You made me waste time looking for a replacement. As punishment, you're on puff pieces for the next two weeks."

Kara gulped, nodded, and hastily exited the office. She sat down at her desk with a huff. That was too close a call for her liking and Kara had the feeling that she wouldn't be so lucky next time. She needed to treat her human job better.

She didn't get very much time to sort herself out before she was interrupted by Winn and James. Winn shoved a coffee into her hands whilst James chucked her a burrito. Kara caught it with ease as she looked at them both with confusion. Not to get her wrong, she loved free food as much as the next Earth bound Kryptonian, but she didn't understand why there was suddenly a meal in her hands.

Winn gave her a cheeky smile as James answered her unasked question. "The last time we saw you, you looked hangry as you walked out the bull pen. You didn't even say 'hi' to Winn."

"Which cut, you know." He sulked, failing to hide his smile.

"Guys, that was ages ago." Kara said, putting the coffee on her desk and ripping into her burrito.

"Oh, we know, but you're always hungry-" James started.

"-So, we were like 'why not?' We haven't eaten together in ages anyway." Winn finished, and like that they both stole chairs from unoccupied desks and crowded around Kara's own.

Kara gave them both beaming smiles. It was true, she hadn't had time to catch up with these two in ages. They had all been busy as of late, so it was nice to take a moment and enjoy it together. The two boys produced their own burritos from Winn's satchel, each eating with a little more grace than Kara (which wasn't an uncommon occurrence).

Eventually conversation started to flow once they had all gotten a little food in their stomachs. They chatted about journalism life. James showed them a few photos he had taken at the local rescue shelter and Kara's heart melted at the cute faces of sleepy puppies. Lena joined in on her happiness, reinforcing the simmering warmth in her abdomen.

The make out session earlier had affected her more than she thought.

Conversation eventually turned to the events that happened in Metropolis. Of course, they talked in hushed whispers (they were surrounded by reporters after all) but no one paid them any mind. Winn, like the little saint he was, produced another burrito for Kara to munch on as she got on with the story.

"I got a call from Clark on Thursday saying that he needed urgent help with an alien problem. So, like the good older cousin I am,"

Winn snickered, and James smiled around his mouthful of food.

"I dropped everything and went to help. But trust Clark to leave out the fact that we weren't just dealing with one incident, but multiple gangs of aliens at war with each other. I radioed in J'onn whilst there and asked for some back up. Kal-El didn't do it earlier because he doesn't exactly like the DEO, but I chewed him out about it. How could he not ask for help when so many lives were at stake? Honestly." Kara tutted, taking another bite of her burrito.

"Anyway, the whole spark of the conflict was over territory." Kara spoke around the food. "Preforians and Donovanians had never gotten along- not on their home planets and, as you see, not here either. The thing is, they had both been peaceful with each other for years. They knew each other's territories and they stayed out of each other's way."

"What sparked the conflict? Money?" Winn asked, wiping his hands with a napkin.

"We thought it was that initially, but what had actually happened was that the Donovanians had actually started to change their religious beliefs."

"What do you mean?" This time James spoke up, leaning forward in intrigue.

Kara sat back and took a sip of her coffee. "Both Atten, the Preforian's planet, and Desos, the Donovanian's planet, share the same solar system. They're neighbours. Eons ago, a group of Preforian's rebelled against the judicial system of Atten and as punishment, were banished to Desos. That's how the Donovanian's race started."

"So, they're the same species?"

"They once were." Kara nodded, "Now they have evolved enough to become a different species. Anyway, due to their shared origin, they both believed in the same religion. It was the only thing they agreed on, actually." Kara finished her food, balling up the foil and chucking it in the bin. "Now, because the Donovanians have been on Earth much longer than the Preforians, they've started to assimilate Earthly religions into their own."

"Let me guess, the Preforians think that's a bastardisation of their religion." Winn piped in.

"Yep." Kara popped the 'p'.

"I can see why it took you so long to get the situation under control."

"Yeah, it wasn't easy. All we really did was just turned down the heat a little. Most of the leaders are in Metropolis Police custody. The more violent ones were moved to the DEO this morning."

"Shit. We don't need a religious war." Winn said, getting to stand up.

"You got that right." James agreed, getting up too.

They had spent enough time gasbagging and Kara really needed to start on the puff pieces stacked on her desk. They all hugged goodbye and Kara promised to spend a little more time with them in the future (she felt a little bad for ignoring them). They both left with full stomachs and happy smiles as Kara turned to assess her punishment.

She picked up the least scary looking folder and opened it without preamble. With a sign, she started her computer and got to researching. Rao, it was going to be a long day.

Kara's prediction rang true. Almost everyone had gone home by now. The bullpen was empty, Miss.

Grant's office was vacant and the only other living souls in the building were the janitors. Snapper wasn't lying. Today had been a punishment. Every piece she was on had been mind numbingly boring that Kara had a hard time paying attention to any of them. The only fun one she got was a little piece about the rescue shelter two blocks over (it was the same one James had taken pictures for).

On top of that, the police department and the DEO were handling the daily crime just fine without her, which left Kara to twiddle her thumbs as she tried to type up a piece on the benefits of a Vygotsky learning environment for a preschool compared to that of Piaget. Drowsiness sat on the edges of her vision, making the world muted around her.

Kara fought it off with coffee lollies and the random headshake, but as she placed her face into her hands in contemplation...

Kara jolted upright as she almost fell off her seat. Her heart hammered at the almost fall and she steadied herself against her desk. Letting out a sigh, Kara tightened her ponytail and got back to it. She opened a notebook to her right, the pen in her hand scrolling out lines of cursive as she jotted her ideas down. The flow of the ink so smooth that it created a sort of lulling motion, beckoning Kara's head lower.

Gradually, her whole body hunched until her head rested against the desk and she watched her hand write with half lidded eyes. Like a switch, she lost focus, the pen fell from her hand and her eyes dropped closed. It took no time for her breathing to even out.

Lena was so beautiful. Kara couldn't help but say it over and over again as she traced the eyebrows of the woman under her. Their bed was so soft, Kara could have sworn it was made form cotton candy. Most would say 'soft as clouds', but Kara had the pleasure of actually touching them; they weren't very pleasant.

Her short attention was brought back by the shifting underneath her. Lena's hands had materialised on her back. Strong fingers traced each line and divot of Kara's musculature and Kara preened under the reverence. The sensations sparked a raw passion in her stomach, it jolted all her limbs to action and her mind grew hazy.

Everything in her wanted one thing: Lena.

With no warning, Kara unleashed all her coiled sexual prowess. She wanted to claim, praise, serve, possess and surrender all at once and Rao, Kara tried to get all those emotions across with every movement of her being. She kissed Lena's delicious neck with worship, prayers of Rao all but silent on her lips. Her hands were pilgrims wandering the naked expanse for Lena's form, more concerned with mapping then pillaging. Her legs were jailors, tangling and trapping her desire within the gilded cage of her strength.

Rao, Lena was so, so fragile yet so strong.

Kara tailed her tongue down the cord of Lena's extended neck, feeling those beautifully long fingers ringing her hair and pushing her lower. Kara was nothing if not a willing servant, so, like a dog on a leash, she followed.

As she slipped further under the blue blanket, she could feel her heart race almost as if it was trying to touch the skin against her own. Kara hummed, hearing a disembodied moan from somewhere above as she travelled lower and lower. The journey only stopped when she felt coarse hairs tickle the bottom of her chin.

Rao, the arousal was all around her. She breathed in deeply, enjoying the heaviness in her lungs before she decided to dip in lower.

"Kara?"

Kara shot up. The pen in her hand went through her table and her chair clattered into an adjacent desk, knocking off personal artefacts in a short rain of mortification.

A sex dream.

A fucking sex dream.

Kara had a fucking sex dream, in her office, at her desk. To make matters worse, the starring role of her dream was nay two feet away with a raised eyebrow and a hand on her hip. Rao, Lena looked sexy in worn business attire. Kara couldn't help but roam her eyes over the woman in front of her without shame. The way that the after hours light shone down gave Lena a softer quality. Kara's sleep addled brain likened Lena's form to that of an angel.

The comparison made Kara sad.

Lena would have to be dead to be an angel and the very idea of Lena not being here weighed down her heart. What would the world be like without Lena Luthor? Kara started to sniffle.

She was so caught up in her thoughts that Kara completely missed Lena toeing off her shoes, placing her files on Kara's desk and walking towards her slowly. Kara didn't even notice the saddened confusion that trickled into her subconscious. All Kara did notice was the sudden solidness of Lena's arms engulfing her in a tight hug as Kara's head slotted into the nape of Lena's neck.

Kara hugged back tighter, gripping Lena's blazer with gentle force as she inhaled the CEO's perfume.

"What happened Kara?" Lena cooed into blonde hair, patting Kara back in a steady rhythm to settle her.

Kara's voice cracked as she went to answer, realising only then that she was crying silently. She didn't care. "Y-You're so b-beautiful, Lena." Kara blubbered, feeling Lena's hands stop all motion as her body went a little ridged under Kara's fingertips. "P-Please don't die."

Lena gently grabbed Kara by the shoulders, pushing her back enough so that they could look at each other easily. Lena's eyes were soft and confused, more blue then green today, and her mouth was ajar. Kara almost whimpered at the sight.

"I'm not dying, Kara." Lena spoke softly but with strong conviction. Kara had no choice but to agree with her, but Lena must have seen the hesitation in her posture. Lena, with a kind smile, held one of Kara's hands and brought it up to her chest. Kara breathing fastened as Lena pressed her hand over her heart, spraying Kara's fingers so she could feel the muscle beating underneath. "See Kara, not dying."

Kara gave a relieved laughed, swiping at her eyes with her free hand. Lena chuckled with her, leaning forward and kissing Kara softly. Lena leant back minutely, breath still hot against Kara's lips as she asked, "what brought this on?"

Kara wasted no time answering. "You look like an angel and I thought of how you could only be an angel if you died! Lena, you're so beautiful is ridiculous and the idea of you dead-"

Kara's ramble was swallowed by Lena's scarlet mouth, the method proved true in shutting her up. Her eyes closed and all function in her body was suddenly geared towards bringing Lena closer. With strength and speed, Kara grabbed the woman around her waist and pulled her into her lap. Lena let out a startled yelp at the new position, but Kara quickly stole her attention again.

She nibbled at full lips until she started to wander. She dragged teeth across smooth skin, biting lightly whenever she fancied, enjoy the way Lena's breath turned harsh every time she did so. Kara dragged her nose over Lena's chin, shifting her head to find the Luthor's pulse. The beating was strong and excited under her lips, calling her to try and capture it in her mouth. Kara wasn't one to disobey, so without preamble, Kara started to suck and bite and want.

Her hands started to roam, pulling Lena's shirt out of her skirt. Her hands made her way underneath and onto warm flesh. The moan that fell from above her reeled Kara's mind back to the dream she had not even twenty minutes ago. That's when she realised what she was doing. Kara recoiled as if burnt. She was so close to chucking caution to the wind and taking Lena right here at her desk, in her workplace. Lena deserved more then that.

And Lena didn't say she wanted to go further yet.

That's when Kara felt the tremble in the body above her and shame sunk like a stone in her gut. She looked up, finding Lena looking down at her with clouded, worried eyes. Kara lamented her actions, she put that worry there and Lena didn't need that.

"I'm sorry." Kara knew the words would never convey the extent of her feelings, so she tried to show Lena through her bond. The response she got was not one she was expecting.

Lena chuckled, framing her face with slightly trembling hands. "Don't worry, Darling. I was going to stop you if you didn't." Lena placed a kiss on her cheek and Kara felt her face warm.

The realisation that she had a sex dream about the woman in her lap made her a little shy. Lena lifted an eyebrow, a smirk appearing on lipstick smudged lips. Kara ducked her head but was stopped by strong hands. Kara looked back up pleadingly.

"Are you drunk, by any chance?"

Her eyes widened, "What? No!"

Lena giggled.

"Why would you ask that?"

"Well, let me see," the corners of Lena's eyes crinkled "when I found you, you were asleep at your desk and, fuck, you were horny."

"Rao, Lena-"

"I'm assuming you had a sex dream or something-"

"Yeah, it was about you." Kara said, she slapped a hand over her mouth, shocked that she said as such.

Lena paused, a fierce blush blazing up to her ears. She cleared her throat and ran a hand through black tresses. "Well," she coughed, "that's very flattering."

"I'm so sor-"

"Don't apologies, Kara. You did nothing wrong." Lena laughed a little awkwardly. Kara could feel Lena's slight discomfort and she tried to combat it with her own thankfulness. It seemed to work, because Lena's shoulders dropped as she relaxed further into Kara's lap. "It's completely natural after all." Lena waved a hand between them. "Anyway, so there's that. Then, when you saw me you suddenly burst into tears and I felt a sense of loss pouring off you. The only reason you gave was because you said, and I quote, that '[I'm] so beautiful...[and I] looked like an angel."

Kara nodded vigorously. It was true. In fact, the sentiment was intensified by their present positions. The way that Lena was looking down in her, Rao. Kara felt her throat become thick.

"Then, the next thing you know we're making out like teenagers and we're back to horny again." Lena laughed. "That's some drunk emotional level whiplash right there." Lena said factually. "But, I know you aren't drunk or even tipsy because you said so and I don't smell or taste anything. So, that only leaves one thing."

"What's that?"

"When was the last time you slept, Kara?"

Kara had to actually think, which wasn't a good sign. The last few days had been a blur with little time to rest. When was the last time she slept?

"Oh! I know! It was, like, three days ago."

"Shit, Kara. No wonder why your emotions are all over the place. Being tired is almost the same as being drunk." Lena tutted.

She shifted off Kara's lap. The blonde immediately missed the pressure and warmth, but she fought the urge to speed Lena back. Instead, she just watched, dazed, as Lena wiped off her lipstick and straightened her clothes. She followed suit, plucking a few tissues out of the tissue box and cleaning her own face. Once they were both made proper, Lena led them out of the building after calling Frankie to meet them outside.

As they stood in the cold night time air, they talked about Kara's mission with Clark and the happenings in Metropolis. Kara's drowsiness abated a little with the stimulating conversation as Lena talked about some of her pet projects. Kara was surprised to find that a trip to Japan might be in their near future with Mahou Industries almost finishing trials of Lena's Nuclear Cars.

With a sudden gust of wind, Kara saw Lena shiver and she took the opportunity to shuffle closer until their sides were pressed. Lena, perhaps emboldened by the silent, late night, hooked her arm with Kara's, huddling like a penguin as they waited. Kara couldn't help the smile pulling at her lips. She did a quick check around and, finding the coast clear, enveloped Lena into a proper hug.

"You know, I promised Alex that we'd have a dinner sometime." Kara spoke, letting the night air carry her soft words.

Lena smacked her arm. "Yeah." She pulled back. "Thanks for that, by the way." She grumbled into Kara's neck. "You were just like 'Hey! I told Alex and J'onn about our relationship. Alex expects dinner with us. Alright, good. Later! I have to go to Metropolis to help Clark.' And then you were gone in a flash and a ghost of a kiss to my cheek."

Kara couldn't help but laugh. It was true, that's exactly what happened and maybe she could have handled it better. Hindsight was 20/20 after all (even though Kara's vision was well beyond that). Her laugh proved infectious, for she felt Lena's body rumble with giggles and her joy tumble down

her veins.

It wasn't too long later that Frankie pulled up and they got into the toasty car. This proved fatal to Kara's ability to stay awake for the lulling motion of the vehicle rocked her into sleep within minutes. She was just so darn comfortable. Lena made a delightful pillow and the way her hands carded through Kara's hair...well, the blonde didn't stand a chance.

They arrived at Lena's apartment all too soon for Kara's liking. She pouted all the way up to the apartment, her expression only turning from sullen to happy once she was in cosy pyjamas and sipping a mug of tea. They were both sitting in bed, their legs under the blanket, with mugs of tea in their hands. Lena had a book resting in her lap ("Adventures of a Young Naturalist by David Attenborough" Lena replied when Kara asked), and her glasses on the tip of her nose as she avidly read.

Kara waited for that magical time when Lena finished a chapter and didn't yet start the next before speaking. Kara hated it when people interrupted her midsentence, so she would provide Lena this courtesy.

"I had an idea."

Lena looked up as she took a sip of tea. The steam fogged up her glasses, making her squint and Kara smile.

"Pray tell?"

"Well, you know this whole mindscape stuff?" Kara tried, placing her own tea on her bedside table. Lena placed her bookmark in her book, before putting her tea and book on her bedside table. Kara could feel Lena sudden apprehension, but Kara shot her a smile of reassurance. "Well, I talked to J'onn. I didn't explain any of the mindscape stuff, but I said that we were having some 'mental issues-'"

"Kara, that makes us sound like we need a psychologist."

"No, no. He said we needed to go to a professional if we were having mental problems, but then I clarified that it was more Martian in nature. That quipped his interest, so he agreed to meet with both of us to help sought out our, ah... little problem."

Lena picked up her mug again, sculling the contents and sighing when it finished too soon. "H-How, er, how are your memories."

Lena's voice was thick and ashamed. So, Kara being Kara, scooted across the bed, took Lena's glasses off, pulled her under the blankets and spooned her. With a kiss to the back of CEO's neck, Kara ordered the lights off before answering.

"Fading."

"Yes...yes, thank you Mrs. Sakurazaki. Alright, yes...sure. Thank you again. Goodbye...bye... bye." Lena finally hung up the phone.

She got up from her desk and strode out of her office. Apparently, one of the Japanese scientists had a few ideas in regards to enhancing production of the Lena's cars. They had sent over blueprints and figures and Lena had a cursory look over them. Everything seemed in order and, if this worked in practice, it would save them a fortune on manufacturing costs.

Most of car production was automated in today's industry. This increased efficiency as well as reduced human error however, most machines were only able to perform one, specialised function. Normally this would be fine, but Lena didn't want to settle for just fine. This would be her first huge project as L-Corp.'s head, so she needed it to be sustainable and available to the lay person.

After all, the main mission was to reduce the carbon footprint

On the way down to the labs, however, Lena was intercepted by one Alex Danvers who had just walked into the building. Lena's heart jumped into her throat and her palms involuntarily grew sweaty with nervousness. She wasn't prepared in the slightest for this confrontation and, by the look on Alex's face, the agent knew it too.

Still, Lena put on her best smile and showed the eldest Danvers into the nearest vacant room. It was best not to have this encounter in public otherwise PR would have her head. Lena was surprised, however, when Alex pulled her into a solid hug as soon as the doors closed. She found herself returning the action without hesitation, her gut settling a little with the familiarity.

With a little squeeze, Alex finally drew back, and Lena found herself missing the pressure. She cursed her touched starved self in the seconds of silence before Alex spoke.

"So, Kara told me that apparently your friendship has turned into something more?" Alex questioned. Her stance was opened, more playful than anything and it pulled Lena into a sense of security.

Lena found herself nodding. "Yes, it has." She internally congratulated herself at her strong voice. It seemed important to prove to Alex that she was worthy, even when that notion made no sense for the agent had seen her beaten down before.

"So, then you know it is my sisterly duty to provide you with a warning."

Lena gulped as she folder her arms.

"I'll get right into it." Like the flip of a switch, Alex's whole demeanour shifted. Her smile grew predatory, her eyes hardened, and her muscles became very present. Without moving, Alex had somehow been able to give the impression that she was at least twice her size.

In any case, Lena matched her to her own ability. Her mask fell back in place. Her spine stiffened, her eyes focused solely on Alex and her stance exuded power. She didn't miss the slightly impressed glimmer in eldest Danvers' eye. Still, it didn't deter the agent.

"Kara is a very emotionally vulnerable person. I'm sure you're aware she puts on a front for the benefit of everyone else," Lena nodded, "so I ask you to be careful with her. That is to say, she is an adult in charge of all her faculties. By entering in a relationship with her, you are not only gaining access to her emotional short comings, you will also have more affect over them as well."

Alex took a step closer. Lena stood her ground. If only the agent knew the extent of hich Lena could control Kara's emotions.

"She doesn't let people in easily. The fact that she is so comfortable around you is a testament to your character and your relationship. Thus, I am not worried but, on the off chance that you do end up hurting her...well, I work at a secret government organisation."

Lena nodded her understanding. Alex took another half a step closer. "Now, you also know of Kara's alter ego?"

"Yes."

"She has entrusted you with that knowledge in good faith. A betrayal of that trust will put you into hot water with me."

"I understand."

"Kara is also my little sister, and us Danvers sisters are very close."

Lena understood the insinuation. "That means you're a package deal." She supplied.

Alex laughed, and like that, the tension was broken. "Exactly. I hope you don't mind. If you do, well, you'd just have to deal with it."

Lena didn't stop herself. She just reached out and pulled Alex into a hug. The agent ran her hands up and down Lena's back. "I don't mind at all." Lena spoke, her voice turning into a mumble. "It'll be nice having an older sibling again."

At that, the hug turned fierce and Alex placed a kiss to the side of her head. Lena leant into it, soaking up the easy affection.

"Then I'll be the best darn sibling you can possibly get." Alex promised, her voice a little thicker than before. Lena didn't comment, knowing that Alex showing vulnerability was a big thing.

"I don't doubt it."

They eventually made it out the room and back into the foyer. The space wasn't busy per se, but it wasn't quiet. People rushed around, files in hands, Lab coats over pressed shirts and all with the smell of perfume and stale coffee.

They were near the entrance when Lena had an idea. She stopped Alex via a hand to the arm, grabbing softly at a steely bicep. Alex turned around in question and Lena just gestured for her to follow. They walked down a wide hall just off the main area.

"Are you busy at the moment?" Lena asked. "Not really. The city's quiet today." "Would you like to join me in the lab?"

Alex's face lit up with glee. Lena knew that feeling all too well. Sure, there was power in being the CEO, but she dearly missed spending hours upon hours solving problems and working with her fingers. Apparently, Alex was experiencing a similar thing.

"Are you serious?"

Lena nodded with a smile. "Yeah. I could use an extra pair of hands and you're trained in lab work."

"Shouldn't you use one of your scientists?"

It was a good question, but Lena had a simple answer. "And miss out on bonding time? I think not."

Alex walked a little faster and linked their arms. Her smile beaming and showing off her pearly whites.

Ah, that's where Kara got it from.

It was in the midst of tweaking a robotic arm that Lena was hit with a second idea. "Does the DEO know anything about the disappearance of Maxwell Lord."

That got Alex's attention. Her face had a few smudges of grease, which was matched by the lab coat she was wearing. She placed her Allen key down before huffing and answering.

"First of all, all information is classified because, one: you're not an agent, and two: you haven't signed an NDA."

Lena deflated a little.

"But I trust you, so I'll tell just this once. No, we have no information on the disappearance of Lord. Matter of fact, I didn't know he was missing." The sentiment ran true with the questioning in Alex's voice. "The DEO focuses on alien related incidents. Everything else is handled by the police. I can ask them for you?"

Lena waved her off. "No, no, don't worry. I don't know if it's true or not anyway." "How did you hear this?"

Lena took in a breath. "Well, yesterday morning I had a very irate Mr. Winston Smith-" "Slimeball from the fundraiser."

Lena snorted, covering her mouth and looking a little mortified. Alex looked shocked before doubling over in amusement.

Lena tried to cover it up by continuing to talk. "Anyway, he barged into my office and blamed me for kidnapping Mr. Lord."

All amusement fell from Alex's face. "That's a big allegation to make."

"Yeah. An impossible one too because I wasn't even in the office when I, apparently, called Mr. Lord over for a meeting."

"How does Smith know it was you?"

"He traced the call and heard my voice on the phone."

"That doesn't make any sense." Alex huffed, picking up a soldering iron and fixing a little of the circuitry on the robot. "If you weren't in the office, then how could you make the call?"

Lena started to spray liquid silicone on its joints. "I know, but I can't do anything about it until something else comes up. At the moment it's all hearsay."

"Not if we can get the phone call from Mr. Smith." "Or if we find Lord."

"I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you, Alex."

A few hours later they were able to get the arm working rudimentary. It was able to grab, rotate and flip objects up to half a tonne thanks to a unique ball and socket joint Alex had helped Lena create. Their fun was cut short, however, when Alex was called into work and Lena realised she spent more time down there then anticipated. Work was calling her upstairs and she bemoaned the task.

So, with a hug and the formulation of vague dinner plans for the near future, the two woman parted ways in opposite directions.

Chapter End Notes

You made it to the end of the chapter! Things mentioned in chapter:

Vygotsky vs Piaget: Both of these men are behavioral psychologists that focused on how children developed throughout childhood.

Piaget's (1936) theory of cognitive development explains how a child constructs a mental model of the world. He disagreed with the idea that intelligence was a fixed trait, and regarded cognitive development as a process which occurs due to biological maturation and interaction with the environment (McLeod, 2015).

Lev Vygotsky views interaction with peers as an effective way of developing skills and strategies. He suggests that teachers use cooperative learning exercises where less competent children develop with help from more skillful peers - within the zone of proximal development (McLeod, 2012).

Thus, Piaget favoured the independent learner. High school is very Piaget were kids study by themselves to get an education. Vygotsky said learning was social. You needed someone smarter than you to teach you.

Vygotsky: https//Zone-of-Proximal-Development.html Piaget: https//piaget.html

Tiredness vs Drunkenness: https/www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/8269657/Being-tired-behind-the-wheel-as- bad-as-being-drunk.html

Thank you for reading!

Have an awesome day! :D

P.S. If anyone is interested, I painted Kara with short hair: https/ihavethewrongglass./art/Kara-Danvers-Short-Hair-732697221

or

https/ihavethewrongglass./post/171261002753/redkrypto-seabiscuits-us- and-foleypdx-you

Chapter Notes

Chapter 14

Hey hey hey!

Here's a new chapter, I hope you enjoy! :D (It's pretty plot heavy tbh).

As per normal, constructive criticism is welcome, comments are loved and responded to, kudos are rejoiced and that fact that you're actually reading this astounds me. Hahaha. :D

Now go forth and read! It's 12k!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Kara placed a hand on the small of Lena's back, stroking her skin through the leather jacket she wore. It was Saturday and they walked into the DEO together side by side. Lena had come in to sign the NDAs and J'onn had agreed to help them with their problem.

Kara swallowed.

She didn't like to think about it, it hurt too much, but it was her reality and she needed to face it. As much as she didn't like to wallow, it was all Kara had done for the better part of the week (well, at least when she wasn't with Lena). She was hopeful that everything would work out and her memories would come back, but there was always that nagging thought running through the chasm of her mind.

What if her memories were gone for good?

Sure, she wrote the journals and told Lena stories of red soil and violet skies, but it wasn't the same. It was impossible to capture the nuance of her culture, to comprehend the weight of air or the feel of the breeze running through the mountains. It was impossible to explain the pride she felt in the stiff collars of her robes or the exhilaration of fighting and besting Val-Do in a sword fight. She couldn't describe the joy she felt in spending her days at her various friend's houses, because I Kryptonian child was raised by the community as well as the family. El Mayara.

The fact that she was losing this, losing an integral part of herself that served as a basis of her character, well, it tore at her.

She was broken out of her wallowing by Lena's sudden excitement. Kara felt the muscles jump underneath her palm and a smile grew unbidden from her lips. For all the Luthor knew of the DEO, she had never actually been there, and Kara was happy to witness her first experience.

It wasn't every day that you got to walk into a super-secret government organisation after all (well, Kara did but that as beside the point). Honestly, it was odd to experience the DEO through the eyes of a new comer. Refreshing, actually.

They walked further in, Lena taking in everything she could. As expected, most, if not all, of the on- base agents stopped what they were doing and stared. The sister of the world most notorious alien hater had just walked onto the base of an alien run section of government.

Kara fought the growl wanting to rumble in her chest, her hand pressing into Lena's back protectively.

Lena looked over her shoulder, gave Kara a small smile and resumed walking with purpose. The superheroine followed suit, proud that her girlfriend showed no signs of discomfort. Lena had always prided herself on her composure in the face of adversity, her ability to formulate and calculate in a crisis. Kara knew that. She knew that this was Lena's reality, her every day. Still, it didn't mean that she liked it.

They made their way through security, Lena having to go through the general check-up and obtaining a visitor's pass for the day, before being allowed onto the main floor of the DEO. As they entered, Kara swerved around Lena lest she topple her over, for the Luthor stopped midstride, gobsmacked.

It was true, the agency was pretty impressive for human standards. Walls lined with screens displaying information, serious people milling about doing serious things, and, at the centre of it all, was J'onn J'onzz in all his muscly glory. Lena only spent a moment taking it all in, Kara could feel her delight racing through her blood, before the CEO composed herself and walked towards the director with purpose.

Kara followed behind, a smile on her face as Lena stuck out a hand in greeting. J'onn chuckled as he took it, pulling Lena into a surprise hug and stopping the DEO agents for a second time. Lena went stock still, not really sure how to react to the sudden affection before she stiffly returned the gesture.

Kara felt pride at the action. The Lena from just a few weeks ago would have not reciprocated and instead would have torn the man down verbally. This was a huge step and Kara loved Lena's growth. The CEO deserved all the affection, and Kara was going to make sure she got it.

J'onn gave Kara a hug too before getting down to business. He led them to an empty meeting room, a thick folder in hand, and let them enter before closing the door behind him. He waited for them to be seated before taking the chair opposite, the files falling on the table heavily.

Kara kicked back, leaning her chair on two legs and putting her feet up on the table. J'onn shot her a disapproving look but Kara negated it by sticking out her tongue. J'onn just shook his head good- naturedly, pulling out various documents and pacing them all in front of Lena.

"Miss. Luthor, I would like to first thank you for coming in today." J'onn started, drawing both of their attention. "In front of you are various documents- NDAs if you will- designed to protect both the secrecy of this organisation and Miss. Danvers' identity. You have a week to sign these documents and to discuss any changes you deem necessary. If it is not complete by the deadline, well, I afraid to say that we have a way of making people disappear, Miss. Luthor."

Kara dropped her feet off the table, frown in place as she glared.

"J'onn." Kara gritted out. She stopped abruptly at the soothing hand on her arm. Turning, she took in the sight of a calm Lena as she read through the first of the paperwork.

"It's alright, Kara. Director J'onzz here is just doing his job." She flipped a page, eyes moving side to side as she read.

The man in question shifted in his slightly too small seat, nodding along with Lena's statement. "It's true, I give everyone this spiel." Kara sat back, resuming her earlier position but not taking her eyes off the Green Martian. J'onn just shrugged at her before turning his attention back to her companion.

"Take your time looking this over, Miss. Luthor. The only thing is that you cannot have your lawyer look at it. If you wish to get legal advice, we have a DEO lawyer that could be of service to you."

J'onn slid a business card across the table and Lena took it with nimble fingers. She read the information before putting it in her purse safely. She gathered the documents together and put them back in the folder J'onn provided. "Thank you, Director J'onzz. Expect to hear from me before the week is out."

"I'm looking forward to it." He paused, inhaling before pointedly looking at Kara. "I believe you wanted me to help you with something, Miss. Danvers?"

Kara sat back forward with renewed vigour, clapping her hands with nervous energy. It didn't help that Lena grew suddenly nervous too. The feeling was like pins-and-needles running up her arms, and it compounded with her own. All the frowning from earlier had completely vanished. Instead, the Kryptonian grew serious as she sat properly and squared her shoulders. J'onn mirrored her, giving his full attention as she spoke.

Kara on her part, decided to jump straight into it. "No one knows about this, not even Alex, but Lena and I share an empathic bond."

J'onn made a surprised noise, clearly caught off guard as his brow furrowed. "Since when? For how long?"

"I don't remember not having it." Lena spoke up, her voice soft but present. "I've always been able to feel what Kara felt, when the emotions were strong enough that is."

"Yep, and vice versa." Kara added, walking her fingers over and grabbing Lena's hand. Lena nodded, squeezing her hand and prompting Kara to interlace their fingers.

"You've had this bond even when you were on Krypton, Miss. Danvers?" J'onn asked. Placing his elbows on the table, his chin resting on his fists. His eyes darted between them, intense, like they were a puzzle he needed to solve. In a way, they were.

Kara nodded, thinking back to her childhood when she would try and make Lena's days a little better. She distinctly remembered laying on her bed, watching the bright night sky through her window and helping Lena numb the pain of being scolded by her mother. She had fallen asleep crying that night, her little face nuzzled into her pillow and her blonde locks in disarray, but at least her companion was a little happier. That was all that mattered.

J'onn got up and started to pace, his hands rubbing at his non-existent beard in thought. "Is that all this bond is?"

"No." Kara saw Lena's head turn towards her as the CEO answered, green eyes locking with her profile. "Sometimes when something really intense happens, it's like we can see what's happening through the other person's eyes."

"Yeah, we've dubbed them visions." Kara said, watching J'onn's now still form. "It's like our consciousness is zapped from our own body and joins the other's. We experience whatever their going through and then, snap, we're suddenly back in our own body."

Lena nodded along, placing a kiss to Kara's knuckles. Kara smiled at the warmth of soft lips against her skin.

"I-Is," J'onzz voice uncharacteristically broke. Kara frowned. "Is this all?"

Lena didn't seem to notice the stutter. Instead, her posture closed, and her hands left Kara's to instead worry at her jacket. "No." The word was foreboding. Heavy and it was like J'onn was hit with the solidness of it as his body jolted. He turned towards them with wide eyes, hands now dropped and his jaw tight.

Before Lena or Kara could elaborate, J'onn spoke for them. "Are you able to breach each other's subconscious?"

Silence descended like a wet blanket, heavy and uncomfortable.

"You know what this is?" "You've heard of this?"

They spoke simultaneously, Kara's blood roaring in her ears with the combination of Lena's hope and trepidation and her own relief and foreboding. J'onn knew something about this, but everything about his posture seemed wrong.

He look weary, defeated even. The sight didn't sit well with either of them, prompting them both to rise slowly from their seats. Lena stood still, her calves firmly against the edge of the chair. Kara, however, moved around the table until she was right next to J'onn.

The man seemed catatonic. Still. Looking at the space where they had previously occupied but stuck in his own head. Like a corpse after rigor mortis had set in. Kara stood in his direct line of sight, subconsciously blocking Lena from his view, as she tried to gain his attention. She said his name with calmness she didn't feel. She waved her hands, but nothing happened.

Not even a blink.

With a silent prayer to Rao and a clenching of her jaw- -she smacked him across the face.

That definitely did the trick. Instantly, the large man stumbled back, rubbing his cheek and cursing, Lena shouted her name incredulously and Kara massaged her now stinging hand. It was odd to hit something that actually resisted.

"Did you just smack me!?" J'onn said, hunched over and rubbing his face.

Kara gave a sheepish shrug. "Well, you weren't responding, and it was giving me the creeps."

"So you slapped me!?" J'onn stood up again, the hint of tears in his eyes and for that, Kara felt bad. "I was just thinking!"

They were in a situation though, and the more time they spent rehashing everything was more time wasted. She didn't regret the decision.

"It was the most efficient." Kara stated. "Now, we have a problem that only you can help with, J'onn." She soldiered on.

The director stood up straight, neatening his clothes and giving them a curt nod. Kara could still see the pain in his eyes. Maybe she slapped him a little harder than intended.

"Lay it on me."

Lena walked up to them, linking her arm with Kara's and detailing the situation with no emotion.

Kara rubbed the CEO's knuckled in silent support, feeling Lena's shame as she recounted her folly. No matter how much Kara tried to negate Lena's actions, the Luthor still felt mortified and remorseful about the happening.

Kara watched J'onn as he listened, taking in all his micro expressions and trying to decipher his thoughts. There was pain, worry, determination and weirdly enough, a sort of nostalgic longing underpinning it all. When Lena finished retelling the events, silence welcomed them back.

J'onn started to pace again and Lena, poor Lena, was slightly trembling next to her. The CEO's fingers had her arm in a white-knuckled grip and it would have hurt if Kara didn't have her powers. So, Kara, like a good girlfriend, gently pried Lena's fingers off her arm. Instead, she linked their hands and led Lena back to her chair. Kara took the seat next to her, shuffling as close as the furniture allowed.

Normally she would have sat Lena on her lap and hugged her, but that was hardly appropriate in the presence of company in a room of glass walls. Lena had an image to maintain and Kara understood the power that came with a mask. Who was she to undermine that power?

(Even if J'onn could probably read Lena's thoughts, so it didn't make much difference.)

Instead, Kara bridged the minute gap between them through their connection. Lena was scared and, honestly, Kara was as well. This was their one shot at hopefully righting this, but now, right at this very moment, Kara was more concerned for her best friend.

J'onn eventually stopped pacing and turned towards them. He tried to hide his laboured breathing, a futile task around Kara, as he spoke.

"Alright, I think I can help."

It was instantaneous. It was like Kara's vision turned gold. Relief flooded everything as she shot up and embraced the broad man.

"Thank you so much, J'onn." Kara exulted into his black fatigues, inhaling the smell of Old Spice.

J'onn smiled as he looked at the blonde head against her chest, patting Kara's back assuredly. He turned his gaze over at Lena, staring her dead in the eye.

"I just hope this works."

The DEO, while amazing in the technology department, was severely lacking in anything towards the notion of design. It was concrete upon concrete and damp air and...was that another glass wall? What was the fucking point of a glass wall in a government agency? Wasn't privacy paramount? Why have a wall at all?

Lena followed J'onn through the bustling government agency, Kara tagging along just behind. The Martian was being oddly cryptic about where they were heading but Kara and Lena didn't have a choice but to follow. All Lena knew was that it was somewhere far down below. She could feel Kara's mirrored confusion, which didn't calm her mounting nerves.

For the amount of time that Lena knew him (all of an hour and a half), J'onn was a pleasant man that gave the air of a father figure. What Lena did know was that his behaviour was very odd during their discussion. The way his speech fluctuated, his stutters and, hell, his random catatonic state were not part in parcel with a man of his stature.

Her nerves mounted further.

Either he realised something big or he was planning to murder them. Lena sincerely hoped it was the former.

They walked silently towards a discrete elevator tucked into an out of the way corner corridor. It was unassuming and small. Discarded and a little forgotten.

"Huh, I didn't know this was here." Kara mused. "This place has more secrets then I thought."

Lena looked at her incredulously. Kara, who had been working with these people for some time now, happened to miss an elevator on the main floor? The blonde was here practically every day of the week, surely, she would have known this place like the back of her hand?

The elevator dinged open and all three made their way inside the squishy space. J'onn, seemingly from nowhere, produced a key card and activated the sensor. The carriage jolted and, if anyone asked, Lena definitely did not yelp. Sure, she knew that she was the safest she could ever be, being literally pressed into Supergirl and Martian Manhunter, but reactions had no rhyme or reason. Lena was human after all.

Kara giggled, rubbing a soothing hand down Lena's spine, and J'onn just looked bemused. The light mood lasted all the ride down, only to dissipate into the humid air as they jolted to a stop. The doors

opened without fan fair, revealing a scene Lena did not expect.

They entered what Lena quickly realised was J'onn's living space. A sentiment clearly shared with Kara.

"You live here, J'onn?" Kara zipped out, zooming around the large area and taking in all the personal artefacts and memorabilia.

Lena just shook her head good-naturedly as she stepped out behind the man in question. Kara and personal space were more acquaintances than friends- they knew of each other, but interactions were often seldom and short.

J'onn cleared his throat and Kara skidded to a stop sheepishly, gently putting down the pyjamas that she found on the bed. To her credit, they were covered in little cartoon space ships and were entirely too adorable. J'onn walked forward, grabbing the pyjamas, folding them and setting them in a draw neatly before responding.

"Yes, this is my home." He nodded.

Lena took in the space. It was large, easily as big as the main floor of the DEO, but indefinitely more personable. The walls were all exposed rock and the entire space was in an open floor plan, allowing Lena to see it all from where she was standing.

The bedroom hosted a king-sized bed and a 'walk-in closet' dug out of the natural wall. Rustic lighting illuminated the long dining room table, large enough to sit eight comfortably. The warm lighting spread across impressive bookshelves, all completely full, which divided the space from the bedroom.

The kitchen was all clean lines and well-worn appliances- the wooden counter being the main centrepiece of the space. In addition to the basic areas of the floor, there was a fully kitted workout zone, complete with weights and a punching bag, and a rumpus room which boasted an impressive television and a comfy sofa.

All in all, it was not what Lena expected of the stern man, but it was undeniably all him.

"Please, come on in." J'onn smiled over to Lena, gesturing for her to enter properly. She took off her shoes by the elevator doors, not wanting to track in dirt, and walked in, folder still in her hands. Kara zoomed next to her, her shoes also off now and sitting neatly next to Lena's. She gave the CEO a small smile and Lena tutted affectionately.

They both walked over to their host. Kara's awe was bubbling at the back of her mind, and Lena understood it wholeheartedly. It was amazing to find a place like this underneath all the seriousness of the organization above. They were in almost complete contrast with certain areas of overlap. That also posed the question, did anyone above know what was down below?

"Please, come join me on the sofa."

Lena was pulled from her musing as Kara excitedly gripped her arm and pulled her towards the couch. They both flopped down, Lena all graceful movement compared to Kara's re-enactment of a sack of flour. J'onn wandered into the kitchen, pulling out three tumblers and filling them with chilled water. He brought it over, placing them on wooden coasters on the coffee table in front of them, before falling onto the sofa with familiarity.

"So, Director," Lena started, sitting forward, placing her folder down and claiming a tumbler, "not that I don't enjoy seeing your living space, but what was the point of bringing us down here?"

J'onn chuckled as Lena took a sip. "It's not that I don't trust the secrecy of the DEO, but what I'm about to tell you, and what we're about to attempt takes time."

"So, you didn't want anyone barging in on us?" Kara supplied.

"Basically." J'onn nodded, reaching for his own glass. "The think we are about to attempt takes the utmost care and avoiding distractions is prudent."

"Why not just use a room in the DEO?"

J'onn gave her a smile. "It's important for you to feel at ease for this to work, Miss. Luthor. I thought that that could be best achieved here." Lena nodded along, finding the reasoning sound. "If you don't mind, and if you're comfortable, Miss. Luthor, I want you to let me into your mind."

Lena stopped. Her heart jumped into her throat and her muscles clenched. All were minute reactions, but they all spoke volumes of her sudden unease. It was one thing to have Kara waltzing all around her head, but to have someone who was practically a stranger? God. Her mind was her most prised possession. It's what allowed her to survive through her childhood and teenage years. Her mind made her worthy. It made her valuable and needed. It's what was going to get out of her brother's shadow. Hell, if Lena lost her mind, she would have nothing. She would be nothing.

On the other hand, this was their only option for gaining back Kara's memories.

Lena felt a hand encase her own, fingers slightly trembling but oh so warm. She looked up and into Kara's blue eyes. There was sadness there, yes, it hadn't ever left since Kara realised her predicament, but on top of that was resignation. That's what hurt Lena the most.

"It's alright if you can't do this, Lena. I understand. I'll just learn to liv-."

Lena slapped a hand over Kara's moving mouth. "Don't you fucking dare finish that sentence." Her voice was strong, but thick with all the emotions clogging it. It wasn't just her own. Kara, like the wonderful being she is, was doing her best to mute her own feelings, but Lena was too adept at

uncovering them. She wanted to feel Kara's pain, for Kara's pain was her own.

Lena felt the odd sensation of wet warmth against the palm of her hand, realising too late what just happened. She snatched her hand back, disgusted, and furiously wiped it against Kara's button-up shirt.

"I can't believe you've done this." Lena groaned, accent slipping out. Trust Kara to act as such now of all times.

"I saw an opportunity and I took it. I had to get you back." Kara giggled, but Lena could feel the pain behind it. The blonde was trying to distract her, and Lena was having none of it. "And, if I remember clearly, you shouldn't be so grossed out because you definitely enjoy my saliva in your-"

"J'onn, I'll do it!"

With that, everyone shut up. Lena heaved a breath, Kara deflated a little, her smile gone now, and J'onn looked between the two whilst doing his best impersonation of a tomato. Lena cleared her throat, tightened her ponytail and squared her shoulders. "I'll do it, but on one condition."

"Sure. Name it." J'onn responded instantly, draining his glass shortly after.

"You said you have something to tell us?" Lena inquired, J'onn nodded. "I'd like to hear everything you know, dangers and side effects, anything really, before I let you into my mind." Lena breathed out more calmly. She could do this. It was like any business deal, only this time she was paying for information with her own mind.

Fuck.

"Wise decision." J'onn stood up slowly, grabbing the empty glasses and putting them in the sink. "From what you told me, and just to be clear, I'm not one-hundred percent on this, there have been beings with a bond like yours before."

They both instantly perked up. Lena could do nothing to stop the tiny spark of hope in her chest. If this all happened before, then there must be some solution to their problem. J'onn walked over to one of the bookshelves, scanning the spines of the bound tombs, before pulling a thin one off the shelf.

He dusted it quickly before coming back and sitting down closer. They both huddled over, eager to learn something hopefully useful. J'onn brushed away a little more dust with broad swipes of his large hands, and it was then that Lena noticed that the book shone. It didn't glow or emit light, it instead reflected the overhead lights, giving the tome a sparkle reminiscent of veins across the cover.

"What's the cover made of?" Lena couldn't keep her questioning down, which made J'onn huff in amusement.

"It's a blend of fabrics detailed with chromium thread interlaced." He traced a vein with a wane smile.

"Chrome?"

"Yeah. It's a common metal on Mars, but it has the advantage of being rust adverse and has a high melting point."

"So, the book won't deteriorate over time?" Kara asked, her own finger running down the spine of the book.

"Exactly," A pause, "anyway, I brought this book out because I hope it can help me explain my theory to you."

Lena sat up straighter, her brain firing and ready to learn. With gravitas, J'onn hooked his thumb over the cover and revealed blue-tinged pages. All the words were bold red and in a language Lena couldn't comprehend. Each glyph was ridged and uniform, holding serious weight yet flowing like poetry as it scrolled up and down the page.

"This book," J'onn's voice a deep rumble, "was one of the few I was able to take with me from Mars when I fled."

Lena's breath caught, and Kara's melancholy rose like a wave. Without prompt, both of them brought a hand up and rubbed at J'onn's shoulders in lacking sympathy (at least on Lena's part). Kara knew what it felt like to lose a home and Lena, well, she technically knew the feeling too. Whilst they didn't know what J'onn was going through per se, they could emulate it better than most.

J'onn himself seemed to apricate the effort, for he left the book open in his lap and grabbed both their hands with gentle fingers. When he spoke, his voice was thick with emotions that weren't there before.

"T-This," his voice cracked unexpectedly, forcing J'onn to clear his throat, "this book was my daughters' f-favourite bed time story. They made me read it every few days."

Lena squeezed harder, J'onn's arm like a rock under her fingers, but she was at a loss of how to best comfort the man.

"Mars had a culture of detailing our history into stories that everyone could read. It was important to pass on knowledge to keep our culture rich and a-alive." His voice grew stronger with each word, determination setting in his shoulders. "This book details the story of two individuals joined together by an empathic bond."

"Like ours?" Kara asked earnestly, bending over the book, her eyes scanning the foreign language.

This was the first time they had ever been in contact with something that had anything to do with their bond. Lena grew excited, subconsciously shuffling closer for a better look (even if it didn't make much of a difference. It wasn't like she could read it anyway).

"Yes. From what you told me, this story could be based on two individuals with a link like your own."

"That means we aren't the only ones!" Kara exclaimed, wonder roaring in Lena's ears.

J'onn cut the mood instantly. "Yes and no."

"What do you mean?" Lena asked, quieter.

"Basically, according to this," he pointed to the book, "a bond like yours doesn't happen often. There's only one pair birth every couple of hundred years and following a tragedy."

Kara sat back with a huff. "So, you're telling us that we're the only ones with a bond like this and it's because my planet fucking exploded in front of my eyes?"

Lena reached over and grasped Kara's hand, feeling the tense muscles coil under her palm. She tried to sooth her girlfriend, pumping calm and mellowness through their bond and breathing in a steady rhythm. Kara latched onto the regularity, her breaths matched her for every inhale and exhale,

settling down considerably.

J'onn looked at them a little awkwardly and Lena felt sorry for the man. He was just trying to help them after all.

"That's not all." J'onn exhaled, continuing. "Individuals who have this type of bond, well, one of them has always been from a species with telepathic abilities."

That threw them both for a loop. Lena stilled in contemplation and Kara turned into a statue, her eyes wide and looking at Lena. As far as she knew, Kryptonian's didn't have any abilities like... Lena felt her gut drop.

No.

No, no, no. It wasn't possible. They had to be the anomaly in this whole thing. Maybe the tragedy Kara faced was so great that the bond didn't care about that one detail. Maybe Kara had another superpower that she hadn't discovered yet. That, that had to be it!

"Miss. Luthor-" "Lena-"

"It's not possible." She got up in a flurry of movement, hands wringing frantically at the hem of her shirt, crinkling the fabric beyond repair. "It's. Just. Not. Possible." Lena grit out. She would know, wouldn't she?

J'onn spoke up. "Mars is in close proximity to Earth. For eons, Martians have travelled to Earth, concealed themselves in human society and lived out their lives."

"No."

"Lena, please, just listen." Kara pleaded, staying in her spot on the couch knowing that Lena needed the space.

"It's possible that somewhere down the line, one of your ancestors could have- eh- consummated with a Martian." J'onn soldiered on.

"But I don't have any abilities! I can't shapeshift! Or fly! Hell, I don't even have telepathy. All I have is my bond with Kara, which is empathic. To my knowledge, I'm 100% human." Lena waved around, counting her points on her left hand.

"All that means is that the cross breeding would have happened so far down the line that none of the Martian traits are expressing themselves." This time it was Kara who spoke up. Lena stopped in her tracks, giving her companion her full, manic attention.

J'onn agreed. "The only way to be sure would be to do a blood test."

"I've had blood tests done before though. I'm pretty sure it would have been a huge scandal if a

Luthor turned out to be anything but human." Lena stressed.

Kara replied. "Well, Martian's are shapeshifters-"

"That means our genes also shift to a different species to mask itself."

Lena flopped back down on the couch. Kara scooted over, wrapping up the Littlest Luthor in a warm embrace as Lena rubbed at her face. Lena's voice was muffled as she spoke through her

fingers.

"So, we've established why the bond was created." Lena sat up properly. She pushed everything down, she could have an identity crisis later. They had come here for one purpose, and they had yet to fulfil it.

J'onn caught on, nodding his head. He stood up, gesturing to the couch. "If you will, Miss. Luthor, I would like you to lay down and get comfortable."

Lena extracted herself from her girlfriend's grasp. Kara stood up and moved next to J'onn as the CEO laid down. She didn't even take up two thirds of the couch, but Lena didn't care for her short stature as she folded her hands over her stomach.

"Good." J'onn moved to sit on the floor by her head. Lena shuffled a little bit away from the suddenly too close man. "You're going to attempt to bring me into Kara's mindscape."

Lena swallowed. She looked over to her girlfriend, taking in the worried expression and heavy eyes. "Are you alright with that, Kara?"

The blonde nodded but Lena didn't budge until she was given verbal confirmation. "Yeah."

"Okay." Nodding her head, Lena watched has J'onn reached out with both hands, placing his index fingers at each of her temples.

"Miss. Luthor, can you please open your mind to me?" J'onn asked in a soft voice. God, he was awfully close.

"You couldn't read her mind this whole time?" Kara asked from somewhere towards the foot of the coach.

"No." J'onn answered. "It's much like yours actually." He looked to his left, presumably at the Kryptonian (J'onn was taking up her whole field of vision). "There's a barrier that I cannot pass. However, the difference is that Miss. Luthor here can actually control that."

"How do I do it?"

J'onn turned his attention back onto her. "Close your eyes."

Lena did just that.

"Breathe in deeply and hold it."

She felt her chest rise as her lungs inflated. She held her breath, waiting for further instruction.

"Now, I want you to imagine the room your in."

Lena's brow scrunched as she recalled the living space. She replicated everything, from the colour of the couch to the low hanging lights.

"You got it?" She nodded.

"Good. Now, imagine me in that space you just created."

Lena clenched her jaw in effort as she recreated a likeness of J'onn. She was able to fabricate everything, from the cut of his hair to the tightness of his belt. Hell, even the twinkle in his eye was present, but Lena didn't even have time to congratulate herself before she felt a steady trickle running from her temples and into her mind.

"Well done, Miss. Luthor."

Objectively, Lena knew it was J'onn speaking. It was the same timbre of his voice, the same cadence, but it sounded hollower. It was as if his voice lacked substance.

"Why do you sound different?" Lena asked, but she wasn't even sure if her mouth moved. "Because were conversing in your head, Miss. Luthor."

Lena felt her heart leap into her throat, the sound thundering around the room she had recreated. "I did it?"

J'onn hummed in agreement, the puppet before her sparking to life. "You did." He smiled warmly. "We can finally help Kara?" Lena asked in earnest, moving forward towards the avatar of J'onn.

His face grew serious once again. Lena had a sneaking suspicion that the man just looked serious all the time. "In a second, Miss. Luthor. But first, I have a little warning that you must hear before we proceed."

Lena nodded, her mood dampening. It didn't last long, for in response the world around them grew brighter as if a sun rose from some unseen horizon.

Kara.

It must have been Kara trying to make her happy. It was strange to see such a physical manifestation of their bond. To see how directly the blonde influenced her, and vice versa. J'onn looked around in awe, a smile back on his lips as he brought his hands up and basked. Lena wanted to do the same, but they were on a tight enough schedule as it was.

"J'onn."

"Right." He brought is hands back down. "All telepathic races have this one rule in common: Do not mess with another's mind if it is avoidable."

"Besides the ethical implications of doing so, why?" Lena asked. "Because in doing so, we also lose a bit of ourselves."

Lena heart dropped. "You mean, in blowing out that candle I could have also done something to myself?"

"Essentially yes, but you're very lucky because what you did is easily fixed."

Lena could suddenly breathe easier, her chest lightening and a weight falling off her shoulders.

"From what you told me, you just blew out a candle." Lena nodded. "So, basically what you did was just close off Kara's memories from her consciousness. You just need to relight the candle. You

never destroyed anything or erased anything, thus nothing of you was lost." Lena sighed in relief. "Now, if you said you took a hammer and broke down the walls. That would be irreversible damage and the only way to fix it would be having to give up something in return."

Lena nodded solemnly, thanking God she didn't do anything quite so rash.

"If you wouldn't mind, Miss. Luthor, could you take us to Kara's mindscape? I'll teach you how to relight the candle there once I've assessed the situation myself."

Lena took J'onn's hand in her own, making sure her grip was strong, before turning around and facing the sudden inky blackness of her own mind. With a tug, she pulled the large man with her as they both walked into the gloom.

Without notice, the sudden sensation of falling overtook their bodies. Weightlessness sat in Lena's stomach, but she had grown accustom to the sensation now. J'onn not so much, for he went ridged behind her and Lena hid her amusement with a small smile.

The fall lasted forever yet ended in a second. Solidness was suddenly underneath they're feet, their landing acting as the focal point to which the mindscape came into actualisation around them. Lena didn't take any time to look around, not wanting to see any more changes than last time. Not wanting to see the impact of her tampering. Instead, she soldiered on without preamble, J'onn jumping in to action at her sudden haste. The floor solidified with every step she took, trusting her gut to lead her to the temple.

As much as she didn't want to look around, it was almost impossible to not notice the much more yellow glow of the sunlight, or the Earth litter on the floor, or the sound of cars. Fuck, when had there been cars here?

Lena just gritted her teeth, squinted her eyes and moved faster, not caring for J'onn's now running footfalls. They made it to their destination in record time, but Lena didn't even look up. Guilt festered when she walked up glass stairs, the marble now all gone. Sadness ate at her as they ran across the clinically lit entrance hall, the missing the stain glass windows leaving everything in white. Anger bit at her bones as she heaved the solid metal door open, entering the sea of night that was the hall.

It was only there that she stopped and only because she couldn't close the door without J'onn being in the room. It didn't take long for the Martian to catch up, slipping in beside her with slightly heavy breath. He didn't even have to time stand still before Lena closed the door and took his arm, all but dragging him further into the looming darkness.

It was pitch black, but Lena didn't very much care. She was on a mission and hell be it if lack of eye sight hindered her. J'onn, realising his position, just followed Lena's command, just slightly apprehensive as to where they were going. On and on they walked with great haste, Lena's sure furiousness and J'onn's following uncertainty making for interesting footfalls.

It wasn't too long before they reached the end of the hall. Lena stopped just in front of the end wall, J'onn almost toppling over her at their sudden cease. She let go of the Martian's hand in lieu of feeling around the dark space, searching for the candle. Her fingers brushed wax after some fumbling, her hands grabbing the base.

"The candle's here." Lena said, grabbing the Director's hand and placing it on the object.

"Good." He took a moment, inspecting it with touch alone before he stood up tall and turned to Lena to his best approximation.

"What do I do?" Lena asked earnestly, stepping a little closer and folding her arms across her chest.

J'onn hummed as he thought, his large hand stroking at his lack of beard. "I want you to try something."

"Anything."

"Hold your hands out in front of you, like you're holding a ball."

Lena did as instructed, making the approximation of a football ball in front of her. Her forearms tense and her head lowered in concentration.

"Now, I want you to focus on the life running through you're veins." "You mean my blood?" Lena looked up to where she though J'onn was. "No, feel past that."

Lena frowned, her nose scrunching in concentration.

"Feel you're blood rushing, moving-"

Lena nodded.

"Good. Now go beyond that."

Lena hunched over, her energy being diverted into the task. Her blood was roaring in her ears, her heart thundered against her chest, but it wasn't enough. She gritted her teeth, pushed harder and with more purpose. Her focus was single and pinpointed. Her tongue grew thick in her mouth and saliva pooled between her teeth. She snarled.

There!

It felt like energy, raw and naked and so, so alive. It ran interlaced in her blood, it sparked in her capillaries and lazed in her veins. It raced in her alveoli, arched in her muscles and defused through her very cells. Lena had never felt anything like this before.

It was like she could speak to her body. Not in the way that the brain moves a muscle, but instead it was like she could feel every part of her being. It was amazing but ultimately terrifying.

"Miss. Luthor, please stay with me."

Lena reeled herself back from falling too far. It was so easy to get lost in this power. Lena knew all about power. How it could seduce and hypnotise even the best of people. Luthor's and power were old friends, after all.

Lena nodded when she felt that she had a control over herself.

"Good. Now, I want you feel that life and push it towards your hands. You don't need too much, just a little to make this work."

Lena fell under again, the whispers in her ears pulling her lower. She gathered that latent energy and pushed it out, but it wasn't going in the direction she wanted it to go. Lena pushed harder, but nothing changed. It ran away, like a farmer herding untrained sheep. She took in a deep breath and thought.

In order for energy to move from point A to point B, it needed a conductor, a path, if you will. Right now, Lena's whole body was a conductor and the energy had no direction, no guidance. She needed to figure out a way of creating a path for her energy to flow to where she needed it.

So, with an idea in mind, Lena focused on the power latent in her bones. It seemed slower, but heavy and easier to manage than the fast flow of her veins. She used the trail that each connecting bone made, coaxing the power from one to the other, moving from the humerus, to the radius and ulna, past the carpals and metacarpals and into the phalanges. She felt it spark between the webs of her fingers, branching through each digit in a depiction of Jacob's ladder.

"Excellent, Miss. Luthor." J'onn cleared his throat, wonder laced his voice as he spoke. "Now, this energy at your finger tips is the bases of creation and destruction in this mindscape, in this world."

Lena opened her eyes, still unable to see anything but the sheer darkness shrouding them. That was until a spark jumped from her fingers, casting violet light with sudden shock. The contrast made her jump a little and J'onn chuckled.

"What do I do with this?" She ask incredulously, holding her hands away from her body with caution.

Lena heard J'onn walk closer, his heavy footsteps echoing in the cavernous hall before them. She was sure he was doing that on purpose for her benefit.

"Move you're hands over to the candle, placing the wick in between your palms." Lena did so. "Now, imagine that that life, that power licking at your fingertips, is now a flame."

Her brow furrowed. Her jaw clenched and the vein in her forehead grew thicker. She visualised it in front of her, imagining the way flames would waft and waver in the stagnate air. It was like magic. One second energy jumped between her fingers and the next there was a orange flame resting in her palm. Its presence was warm, but not burning.

"Brilliant, Miss. Luthor!" J'onn exclaimed beside her, clapping his hands with joy.

Lena let out a bursting laughed, overjoyed by her ability. Without prompt, she lit the wick and the candle roared to life. The air in the hall lightened, the sandstone walls revealed themselves, and with it, all the names of Kara's past shadowed into reality.

J'onn let out a low whistle, a reassuring palm flopping down on Lena's shoulder and squeezing in congratulations. Without though, Lena brushed it off and instead pulled the large man into a forceful hug. He just chuckled, rapping his arms around her and spinning them around on spot.

It was silent in J'onn's home as Kara sat, twiddling her thumbs. Both Lena and J'onn hand been under for some time now and the blonde was growing more nervous by the second. It was odd to think they were running around her mind at this very moment, doing Rao knows what, and she didn't feel a thing.

So, she sat sentinel and thoughtful, her mind picking apart all J'onn had said. Fuck.

Lena was most likely more than human, she had to be for any of this to make sense. Rao. Kara stood up, pulling loose her ponytail and running her fingers through her hair. It was uncommon for mixed species children to occur between most alien species. Hell, even Krypton hadn't mastered it with the Matrix.

Generally, genetics in different species would be too different to be compatible. Interspecies couples that could bear children would produce infertile offspring, thus ending the family line. The only type of species that this didn't affect were shapeshifters.

Kara pulled off her glasses, massaging her eyes. The only species that Kara knew of that had both telepathy and shapeshifting were Martians. Honestly, it was the only thing that made sense. Kara knew that she was completely Kryptonian. She could trace her line all the way back to the pre- industrialisation of Krypton, when Kryptonian's were only known by a singular name.

Erok, son of Tomnu, grandson of Rugad, great-grandson of Feln, started the House of El, calling himself Erok-El. Kal-El had got it wrong, 'El' never meant 'El Mayara,' it meant 'Of the Stars.'

It was a powerful name that spoke of the greatness of House El. It spoke of how Hyr-El disowned his own warlord family and started the present-day House of El. It spoke of Power, Innovation and the need to reach ever higher.

El Mayara was just an unspoken rule that all Kryptonian's lived by.

Kara dropped her glasses on the sofa, shooting a look over at her company before walking into the kitchen. All this thought of Krypton brought up another question. J'onn had said that these bonds were forged through tragedy. The thing was, they've had this bond since birth, and Krypton was very much alive and thriving then. Hell, it would still be all well and good for another twelve years!

Kara poured herself a glass of water, sculling it and then refilling it. All this thinking was making her head hurt but there were no two ways about it. They were finally confronting this head on and Lena was certainly giving it her all.

It was an odd sensation, having Lena run around her mind. It wasn't noticeable unless Kara was paying attention. In a sense, it felt like Lena was closer to her, somehow. More present and taking up more of Kara's consciousness. That being said, all Lena's emotions were monotone in feeling, like a metal that was suddenly dull when it was normally lustrous. It was different to sleep and thank Rao it was nothing like unconsciousness.

Still, it made Kara a little uncomfortable 'cause it gave nothing away.

The Super meandered over to the couch, still nursing her drink, and plucked the book off the coffee table. Kara took a sip and flicked it open. Her eyes widened as she marvelled at the illustrations, even if she couldn't understand the words. She should make J'onn teach her some time.

Each picture, upon closer inspection, was created using wafter thin metals and wires. So thin it moved like paper and, honestly, Kara was stunned. She knew Martians prided themselves on metal work, but this? This was a whole new level. It really was a culture's history bound in a children's book.

Kara flicked through the pages, inspecting scenes of landscapes and lovers, an epic tale full of vibrant colour. A smile grew unbidden on her lips as she watched the protagonists get married on a lake of ice in an underground cavern, their foreheads against each other's as they said their promises. She traced delicate fingers over the figures, wishing that she could feel the cool seep into her fingers.

Kara blinked and looked back at the picture, but something had changed. The figures suddenly grew likeness, they became familiar. Kara gasped when she realised what was happening. It was like a dam broke, for she was suddenly flooded with memories which were long gone.

She flopped back into the couch, letting the cushions consume her, as she cupped her face and cried.

It was there, it was all fucking there. Lena had done it! Kara exalted, jumping up and quickly caching the book before it fell. She placed on the coffee table and turned towards her companion expectantly.

Kara frowned.

Both Lena and J'onn were still out cold, their bodies eerily still. She approached with cautioned steps, worry settling low in her gut. Why wasn't Lena getting up? Why was J'onn still under? They had done it. Kara had her memories back and they should be back by now so they all could celebrate together.

She knelt down next to J'onn, scanning them with her x-ray vision. Kara sighed. Everything was in fine working condition, they were both healthy for a human and a Martian respectively (even if J'onn's second mouth kind of irked her). So, what was the problem?

Kara leant back on her hunches. She brought her hands up without thought, and cupped Lena's relaxed face between her palms.

"Hey Lena, you better come back to me soon or I'll kill you."

Like magic, Lena's eyes snapped opened and a wide grin burst on her lips, teeth bared for the world to see and her nose adorably scrunched.

"Is that the thanks I get? Bloody hell, what does a woman have to do to get a kiss around here?" Lena shot back, laughter full in her voice.

Kara shook her head laughing and relieved. Without being told twice, she pulled Lena forward and crashed their lips together. Happiness swelled between them, coating the tips of their tongues and racing pleasure down their spines. The kiss turned slightly salty, and it was only then that Kara realised that she had begun to cry.

Lena pulled back at the sound of J'onn clearing his throat.

"I'm still connected to your mind, Miss. Luthor." The man had gone a deep shade of purple and Kara would have felt bad for him if she wasn't floating on cloud nine right now.

Kara assumed Lena realised him from his torture, for it wasn't even a second before Kara found herself on the Luthor's lap and cradled in strong arms. J'onn gave them a smile before he stood and left to give them some privacy. Kara took full advantage of it, nuzzling into Lena's neck and inhaling her perfume.

Lena ran a hand through her wild hair, strong enough for Kara to derive some comfort from the gesture. The CEO's other hand was busy wiping tears off Kara's face as they fell, but in no way was there an attempt to make the blonde stop crying. Even if there was, Kara wouldn't have heeded it.

She knew she was safe here, in a cacoon created by the one person that's forever been her companion. The one person that understood all aspects of her, understood the monumental gravity of this happening. Kara looked up, eyes red rimmed and nose slightly running, and was greeted by sadly joyous eyes and a crooked grin. She couldn't help it. She surged forward and caught those lips with her own.

They didn't know how long they spent comforting each other before they felt well enough to face the world again. All they knew was that they eventually disentangled their limbs and straightened their clothes. They bid J'onn a good day (the man couldn't look them in the eye and avoided any contact) and took the elevator up to the main level of the DEO.

They left with high spirits and matching grins, making sure they were apart in public but their minds were running and spinning in a jubilant dance. They couldn't keep their hands off each other once they got into Frankie's car a few blocks away (Kara didn't trust herself to fly). And Kara, well Kara would fervently deny sucking a hickie on Lena's pale clavicle, even if the evidence stood out without shame. Lena fondly showed it off as they rushed up the stairs to Kara's apartment (the elevator was out of order) with thundering steeps and entirely too much laughter.

Once they passed the threshold, Kara slammed the door closed and picked the Luthor up off her feet. Kara could feel Lena swoon and she puffed her chest in pride. Their breaths were ragged and yearning, Kara with excitement and Lena from actual breathlessness.

That didn't stop them.

It didn't stop Kara from dropping Lena on the bed, the Luthor bouncing on the mattress and laughing. It didn't stop Lena fisting Kara's shirt and pulling her down ontop of her. It didn't stop Kara from plant two firm arms on either side of Lena's head as the CEO captured Kara's waist with her legs.

What did stop them, however, was when they caught their breaths.

Both their eyes were wide, pupils blown and mouths ajar. Lena looked taken, and beautiful, and tousled, and wanting, and needy. But as much as Kara saw all that, she also so the inkling of worry in green irises. She felt the slight doubt of self-confidence nag her at the back of her mind.

"Are we going to..." Kara trailed off, words soft and reassuring. The last thing she wanted was to push Lena and then regret the whole experience.

She watched Lena underneath her, looking at how her eyes darted between both of her own as Lena thought. The worry eventually left at Kara's reassurance. The doubt receded at Kara's acceptance.

So, with slow but defined movements, Lena shook her head 'no.'

Kara smiled down at the woman below her, coaxing a smile right back. Even if sex was a no right now, it didn't mean they should stop making out. Lena was apparently on the same vein, for she growled out a "come here" before grabbed the nape of Kara's neck pulling her down.

Kara was all too happy to oblige.

She descended soft, resting the majority of her weight on top of Lena, listen to the CEO exhale and feeling her grin against her lips. Pale hands dragged through blonde hair, pulling off the ponytail and carding fingers through its layers. The hairs fell through without resistance, curtaining around them in a river of gold.

Kara lifted a little, drinking in the beauty so close as she shifted her weight onto her elbows, freeing her hands to cup Lena's cheeks. Kara squished them and Lena laughed, her stomach making Kara bob up and down.

Kara captured Lena's mouth again, wanting to eat the joy falling unbidden from full lips. Lena let her, welcoming the warmth with a wet tongue and the opening of teeth. With sudden twist, Kara let Lena turn her over, the CEO straddling her waist and leaning back down. Kara hummed at the feeling, her hands sliding under the Luthor's jacket and taking the garment off.

It fell into a heap on the floor but neither of them cared. Instead, Lena detached from Kara's mouth and stated trailing kisses down her jaw, fingers moving to unbutton the blonde's collar. Kara threw her head back as she felt teeth nip at her collar bone, a hand fisted the blanket underneath them whilst

the other dragged up Lena's back, pushing her further.

Lena growled, and Kara felt a rush of heat settle all around her body, groaning at the sensation. With a yank to dark hair, Kara pulled the Luthor back. Not wasting time, she ripped open the front of her shirt, the buttons popped and scattering on the wooden floor.

Lena's pupils dilated further, her nostrils flared, and Kara was smacked with a sudden want.

"Do it Lena, mark me." Kara growled out, her body heaving in pre-emptive exertion. Lena descended with bared teeth and hooked fingers and Kara took it all. Nails raked down the hills of her abs, bruises never actualised at the centre of her sternum. No matter how much Lena tried, a mark never showed up but that didn't deter her. Hell, Kara would even say it spurred her on.

They writhed together, limbs tangling and hands possessing skin, legs brushing chests heaving. Lena's hands wandered with a mind of their own, pulling and yanking at the torn remain of Kara's shirt to the point were Kara just ripped it off. Lena moaned at the display of strength and Kara laughed at the reaction.

The blankets rumpled, and the sheets freed themselves from the corners, entangling them further. Kara toppled Lena over, pinning her hands to the bed and using her nose to trace a line down her neck, enjoying the symphony of their racing hearts. Kara kissed whenever she felt like it, deriving joy from the undulating body below her. All her advances were stopped, however, by the barricade of a cotton shirt.

Kara looked up, watching Lena's throat bob and her muscles work, getting lost in the sight. She released pale wrist, trailing her hands down strong arms, across clavicles and over breasts, falling to the hem of Lena's shirt. She stopped there, forbidden but wanting.

"Lena?" Kara waited until she had her proper attention.

"Yes, Kara?"

She played with the material in her hands. "Can I take off your shirt?"

Silence. Kara was greeted with silence, but it didn't worry her. Kara could tell that Lena was think by the way her eyelashes moved as she looked up at the ceiling. So, she waited like a zealot mid prayer, waiting for an answer from their God. It was worth it, for the answer came sure and clear and Kara was all too eager to please.

Still, she took her time. She peeled the fabric back, placing a kiss to the tummy she revealed, her smile all but imprinting into the skin. Lena felt tense underneath her and Kara knew she was anxious. Worried.

So, Kara lift her head up and was greeted by clear, arousal blown eyes and a tense jaw. She knew what she had to do.

"This is as far as I'll go."

Instant relief, like a balm to a burn. Kara smiled, her reward pathway lit with all the endorphins running around her brain. Lena pulled her up by her cheeks, depositing her lips on Kara's in a open, honest offering.

She drew back and Kara, for the life of her, couldn't form a solid thought.

"Thank you." The words were quite and true. Heavy but sacred and Kara wish she could cup them

with her palm and keep them in her pocket.

Instead, she just shook her head and kissed her best friend again.

A few hours later saw Kara startle awake to the sound of her 'Kara Danvers' phone. Lena had fallen asleep and Kara didn't blame her. They had eventually settled down into cuddling, Kara sharing stories of the memories she regained, doing her best to describe every facet of them. Subconsciously, she was still afraid she would lose them. It was must have been exhausting doing what Lena did today, but Kara was eternally grateful.

When her companion had fallen asleep, Kara had taken to the sky to do a few run of the mill Supergirl duties before retiring back to her bed and cuddling with her sleeping girlfriend. She must have fall asleep as well somewhere along the way. A sleep which was so rudely cut short but the incessant buzzing of her cell phone.

She grabbed it carefully and made her way out the room, wanting to give Lena as much peace as possible. She looked at the caller ID, eyebrows raising as she quickly hit the answer button.

"Detective Sawyer? To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"No pleasure, I'm afraid." Detective Sawyer's voice was all business. Kara stood up straighter, a hand resting on her naked hip. She should probably put a shirt on.

"What the problem?"

"I'm on the cusp of making a break in the case and I think a pair of fresh eyes could do the trick."

"I understand." Kara nodded, her attention splitting to the sight of Lena emerging from the bedroom. Kara shot her a sheepish smile, but Lena waved it off. Instead, the CEO walked forward and wrapped Kara in a hug from behind, her chin resting on the blonde's bare shoulder. Kara leant back into it, enjoying the closeness of their bodies. "When do you need me by?" She looked at the clock on the kitchen wall; it was only three pm. How was it so early?

"As soon as possible." "Alright."

With that, the line went dead. She put the cell phone in her pocket, twisting around in Lena's arms until they were face to face.

"Sorry for waking you."

"With a view like this, well I didn't much mind. That, and it wasn't so much as you but instead the absence of you." Lena said, sighing.

"What?"

"It's fucking freezing in here and you're a bloody space heater, Kara. I got cold. Bonus because you look sexy when you're serious and shirtless."

Kara startled into laughter, blushing, and Lena was short to join her. Kara hugged Lena back, gathering up the short woman in her arms and squeezing slightly. Lena wheezed jokingly, which turned into scrambling laughter as Kara blew raspberries into her neck.

"Oh my God, oh my God! S-Stop, Kara!"

The blonde didn't relent, enjoying the squirming happiness bundled in her arms.

They eventually settled, mostly due to the fact that Lena needed to breathe, and that Kara was needed at the police station. They parted with chaste kisses (fearing anything more would lead to something else) and farewells, Lena helping Kara into a shirt and jacket and Kara turning up the thermostat for Lena.

Kara's grumbling was only reserved for walking down the stairwell, lamenting the fact that she needed to work when her cuddly and happy girlfriend was prancing alone in her apartment upstairs. Whatever Detective Sawyer needed, Kara promised herself that she would get it done fast.

That was wishful thinking.

It was just her luck that Kara forgot any forms of ID and her press pass in her other trench coat. Cue spending a minimum of fifteen minutes trying to convince the front desk guy that she was needed by to help on a case. She was only saved from the infuriating cycle of circular questioning when the good detective herself emerged from behind the 'staff only' door.

The short woman just raised an eyebrow.

"I forgot my press pass." Kara supplied. Detective Sawyer nodded.

The detective turned to the front desk guy. "Jonathan, make a note that Kara Danvers of CatCo. is working as a civilian consultant for case number 143. She is allowed pass when I'm here. Miss. Danvers, if you will." She held the door open and Kara walked through with a small thank you.

The precinct was small, as it was just a local station, and quiet. Most officers were out patrolling in the peak school traffic conditions and Kara didn't envy them. There were secluded rooms off to one side, desks in clusters of four spread around the main floor and even a cell taking up most of the back wall. It was functional and compact and everything a police station needed to be.

Kara followed the detective over to a desk covered with neatly stacked papers. She pulled up an unoccupied roller chair from another desk and they both sat down at the desk, Miss. Sawyer pulling out a stack of folders with a multitude of tabs sticking out of them.

"So," she placed a hand on top of the files, "this is all the evidence that we've accumulated on the serial killer." Kara took it in with a little trepidation. "The email I sent you just had the cursory info. In here is all the details of location, crime scenes, dates and time and anything else we may have found at the scenes."

"Alright, so what do you need me for?" Kara asked, taking a folder off the top and flipping it open. She balked at the graphic images of the child victim, quickly closing the file and taking in the detective's grim look.

"I know it's not easy to look at these-" "That's an understatement."

"But it needs to be done to prevent anymore horror." She supplied, taking a folder for herself. "Now, the reason I called you here was because of this." She pulled out a folded map and laid it across the desk.

Kara looked at all the red spots denoting what she assumed to be the locations of the crimes. The

thing was, they didn't make any sense. There was no 'line' or 'symbol' being dawn out, like seen in all the crime shows Kara watched. Instead, it was just a random scattering of blots on a page, with no rhyme or reason.

"I don't see anything." Kara looked to the other woman. Sawyer hummed. "Exactly."

"What?"

"There's seems to be no pattern to the locations of the killings. Which isn't strange because we know the culprit must be an old hand at this with the way they killed Larry Newscott. They covered their tracks."

"Larry Newscott? The flayed man?"

"Yep, the flayed man. Anyway, after you left I had my team do a UV screening of the place to check for any signs of blood around the apartment we may have missed."

"Did you find anything."

"No. The only blood was what you saw. And the apartment was neat and tidy with no signs of any struggle, just the normal 'man living by himself' funk."

"So, that means Mr. Newscott wasn't killed in his home. He must have been flayed, moved and then hung after death. That, or he knew the killer."

"Precisely." Sawyer clicked a finger gun in emphasis. "Which made me think, what did all these people have in common? Why were they chosen." She swivelled to the desktop computer, pulling up files on each other victims, passport photos or school IDs used as pictures. "So, I went through their past records and such, looking for anything shady when something jumped out at me."

She moved out the way, allowing Kara to look at the screen properly. It was another map, but this time it depicted various suburbs around National City with the ones of interest coloured in blue.

Superimposed on top was the crime scenes, all fitting perfectly within the blue areas. Kara hoped to Rao that the killings weren't for the reasons she thought, for she knew those suburbs well all too well.

"What is this?" Kara asked, looking towards the detective, her gut twisting in knots.

The detective gestured to the screen. "The highlighted suburbs," she started pointing to the various ones, "Fresco, Lawnder Gardens, Rowland, Hayes' Hill and Aberforth are all-"

"Alien-friendly suburbs." Kara finished. "Oh...R-God."

"Yeah." The detective agreed, looking slightly surprised but all together miserable. "The thing is, all the victims are human."

Kara got up. She needed to do something, anything, while she thought. The detective chucked her a white board marker and Kara made towards the nearest whiteboard.

"Can you give me all the names?" Kara shot over her shoulder, already writing down Larry's. "Sure thing." Sawyer stood up and moved closer. "Augustus García."

Kara wrote it down in a separate column.

"Veer Shah," pause, new column, "Hung Phan and Abigail Lancaster."

"Alright," Kara moved back to the first column but starting a new row. "Can I have ages please?"

"Newscott: 26, García: 7, Shah: 19, Phan: 32 and Lancaster: 34."

"Place of death and how they died?" Kara shallowed. Hand shaking a little as she started another row.

"Newscott: Apartment in Rowland, strangled."

"Really?" Kara looked to the detective. "He was flayed after?" She nodded. "Thank...God?"

The detective gave her a wane smile before carrying on with business. "García: Parkland in Lawnder Gardens. Knife to throat. Shah: Strip club in Hayes' Hill. Overdose and then run through with a stripper's pole. Phan: His home in Fresco, asphyxiated in his swimming pool. Lancaster: Carpark in Aberforth. Run over then mounted onto the hood of a car."

Kara took a step back, inspecting the table, tilting her head from side to side. She gritted her teeth in frustration, not finding anything. The whiteboard marker creaked in her hand.

"I don't see anything."

"Yeah, me neither." Sawyer scratched her chin. "maybe we're looking at this wrong?"

"I think so." Kara turned away, walking back towards the files. She picked up one, Abigail's, and flicked it open. Quickly scanning the pages (a little too fast to be human), she smacked it down and whipped her head towards Sawyer.

"What? Did you find something?"

"I think so! Just give me a sec." Kara picked up Veer's folder, quickly flicking through the pages and then discarding it in a similar fashion. She picked up Phan's next and did the same thing with Larry's. Without a word, Kara strutted to the white board and wrote under the respective columns.

It was only once she stepped back did she reveal her thinking. "I think the correlation between them is where they work...well, worked."

The detective took a step closer, inspecting the whiteboard. "Explain, please?"

"Well, you're lucky because recently I did an article on the alien population and the work force. Now, during the research phase, I compiled a list of companies that recently employed alien workers." Kara spoke, tapping the marker against the shiny surface. "Each one of these workplaces was on that list."

"So, you're telling me that our killer is choosing one victim from each company that employs aliens?"

Kara nodded.

"But then, what about the seven-year-old? Obviously, he didn't go to work."

Kara deflated a little, hands falling to her sides as she stalked back to the folders. She picked up García's and flicked through, angry at the set back. There had to be something here. As sick as it was, this killer had murdered these people for a reason, no matter how twisted. Kara threw the file down and angrily fiddled with her glasses.

The detective picked up all the flies and neatened them before placing them away. Once having done so, she turned to Kara and gave her a half-hearted smile.

Placing a warm hand on the blonde's shoulder, she squeezed reassuringly. "Don't worry, we'll catch 'em. You gave me a lead..."

"I did?"

"Yeah you did. So what only one didn't fit it? It's better than anything I had so far." Kara gave her a smile, fiddling with her glasses again.

"So, I'll let you go and I will get to work doing more research into these companies and hopefully find how the child fits in." Sawyer nodded, releasing Kara and sitting down at her desk. "Actually, can you give me that list you compiled? It might prove useful."

"Sure thing." Kara agreed, walking backwards towards the door. "I'll email it to you when I get home."

"Sweet, thanks." Sawyer smiled, waving. "Thanks for coming in, Miss. Danvers." "I'm glad to be of service, Detective."

With that, Kara turned on her heel and departed.

Chapter End Notes

Woop woop!

Now that was a ride hahah.

I don't know if I'm a hundred percent happy with this chapter, but it's the best version of it so far. :)

We finally have a reason for the bond! Kara got her memories back! They made out! The Killer Case continues!

There aren't really any facts in this chapter, but I did get the history of House EL off here: http/dc./wiki/House_of_El

Mars has a lot of Chromium. It also has underground ice.

Yep, that's pretty much it for these notes. As always,

Thanks for reading and have a great day!!

Chapter Notes

Chapter 15

Heyo everyone!!

Sorry this took a while! I've been busy with uni (all my assessment decided to be due on the same week) and the Commonwealth Games! I have a few friends competing, which is pretty darn cool. :D (It also makes me wonder what the hell I'm doing with my life). :P

Please enjoy the new chapter! As always, constructive criticism is awesome, plot ideas are welcome and I fucking love comments! I reply to each and every one of 'em. :D

Happy reading!!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Lena walked out the conference room irritated and peckish. Board meetings were necessary for the well-being of her company, but that didn't mean she liked them. Over the weeks, the members had seemed to mellow out. They didn't oppose her ideas outright anymore on nothing but principle, nor did they scowl every time she walked into the room. However, it didn't mean Lena got along all fine and dandy.

It had been a tough meeting. L-Corp.'s profits had stagnated in the last few weeks, something Lena was aware of thanks to Radley. She knew it was due in part to the lack of inventions recently, but most of this stagnation was due to the drop of the Luthor name in the daily gossip column.

Lena Luthor had become yesterday's news.

Lena wasn't anything like her brother. She didn't showboat. She wasn't found in compromising positions or flirting with married women. She didn't cut corners on ethics. Hell, she didn't murder a bunch of people in a xenophobic rage against one of the most famous men in the world. She chuckled dryly, opening the doors to her office.

Lena Luthor was, frankly, quite boring and for that she was thankful.

She sat down with a huff, turning on the news channel for background noise as she set up her desk for a few hours of paper work. She straightened her pens, laid out her stamp and ink pad, and chucked a piece of spearmint gum into her mouth (she hated the smell of coffee breath).

She pressed a button, turning back to her files and opening up the first one. It was only halfway through that Lena realised no one had answered her call. Frowning, she put down the file and pressed the button again with more purpose. Waiting a few minutes welded the same result, a lack of answer. Lena's frown grew.

She was about to get up when the office doors burst open to reveal a very frazzled Jess. Lena was taken aback. Normally her secretary was as well put together as the CEO herself Jess took pride in her appearance- something about looking the part of being powerful woman's secretary (whatever that meant) but today Jess' hair was imitating a bird's nest.

"I'm so sorry Miss. Luthor! I got in late."

Lena quirked her brow, settling back into her seat. Jess had never been late before. Normally the woman was a least half an hour earlier than Lena, organising the CEO's day and sorting her files. It was...odd but Lena didn't think anything of it. With the amount Jess worked, she was entitled to a lay-in here and there (as long as it didn't become a habit), so Lena waved it off. Jess was human, after all.

"That's quite alright, Jess." Lena smiled, picking up a pen off the desk. "I was just wondering if you got the phone call sheet I asked you for?"

Jess nodded, zipping out the office and then striding back in with a sheet in her hands. She placed it down on the desk and stepped back with a smile.

"Thanks, Jess."

Jess nodded her head and turned to walk out with a "no problem, Miss. Luthor" thrown over her shoulder.

Lena chuckled before shouting out. "You can call me Lena."

It was an ongoing joke between them. No matter how hard Lena had tried, Jess always wanted to keep the barrier of professionalism even when their relationship went a little beyond that. Honestly, Lena counted the woman as her friend and she believed Jess did too. So, it threw her for a loop when Jess turned around stoically, no smile, and replied with an "of course, Lena" before shutting the door behind her.

Honest to God, Lena had just stared at the doors for at least a minute afterwards, unsure if that had actually happened. She eventually shrugged it off, getting back down to business. No rest for the wicked, after all.

Lena worked through lunch, her stomach crying but her mind too focused to notice. She half expected a visit from her favourite Super and deflated a little when she realised Kara was on a mission. She deflated a little further when she didn't even get surprise takeaway from a chastising Jess. In fact, Jess hadn't been in her office the whole day sans that morning. Normally her secretary would pop in unannounced to check on her.

Lena sat back, moving the completed paperwork to the edge of her desk. Placing her pen down, she cracked her knuckles and watched her office door open for her 3 o'clock meeting. She got up with a plastered smile, hands on the desk and her body at full height.

For once she was actually taller than her guest. "You shouldn't crack you're knuckles."

The woman was young, late twenties, and walked with purpose and pride. Dressed in cooperate cuts and tall heels, the lawyer took Lena's outstretched hand and gave a firm shake. Lena offered water with a gesture and the woman just shook her head, placing her files down and getting comfortable in her seat.

"Well, Miss. Lane, you should know that there is no real proof saying that cracking your knuckles is bad." Lena quipped, pulling out her own folder from a drawer in her desk. "It's an old wives' tale."

Miss. Lane just hummed, smiling. "Well, I wasn't concerned about your health as so much for the fact that I hate the sound."

The quip was fast and Lena chuckled, instantly liking the woman.

"Well, now I know better for next time." Lena smiled, pulling out her own copy of the documents from her desk drawer. Miss. Lane took her cue and placed various forms, all penned in red ink, on the table top. "Shall we get down to business?"

"Of course, Miss. Luthor."

With that, they spent the next few hours rehashing the DEO NDA's, going through all the fine print and Lena asking for clarification where needed. She may have been well versed in law, but that was only to a certain degree. It never hurt to get a second opinion.

Lena only wanted a few changes made, mostly in regard to the involvement of her company and its relationship with the DEO. Lena wanted to maintain boundaries. As it stood, signing the NDA didn't just guarantee her silence on Kara's identity, it also allowed the organisation access to all her files including everything L-Corp. had. That simply wouldn't do. Sure, she had nothing to hide, but that didn't mean that she wasn't subject to sabotage from a third party and Lena would really appricate sorting out problems herself than being parented. That and giving the government privy to any of her blueprints was just an all round bad idea.

With another firm handshake, the lawyer and CEO parted ways professionally. Lena knew that Miss. Lane and Kara were good friends, from working at the DEO together and during their stint at CatCo.

And by God, the woman was attractive.

Lena now understood Kara's little crush on Miss. Lane when they first met; honestly, it was hard not to. She was charismatic and charming but serious when she needed to be, and Lena respected the hell out of that.

Was she ever jealous of Kara's infatuation? No. No, she wasn't. In fact, it was almost impossible to be jealous of any of Kara's fancies for Lena felt the attraction too. Hell, Lena and Kara hadn't even met when Kara liked Lucy and now the blonde only had eyes for Lena. (Which was something that gave Lena a thrill every time she thought of it).

She cleared her throat, putting the files away and pulling over the call sheet Jess had given to her in the morning. Lena gave it a quick scan. She wanted to see if Mr. Smith was telling the truth about the call from her office on the day of Mr. Lord's disappearance. Lena honestly didn't expect to find anything, believing the man to be pulling a hoax and sprouting the old Luthor rhetoric.

So, it gave Lena pause when typed there, unassumingly, was the very call Mr. Smith had talked about. It shouldn't have been possible. Lena was out that whole day with Kara. Not once had they stopped by the office and for anyone to get to her office without her being there would have been a mission. They would have to get through security.

Lena threw the page down, rubbing at her temples in thought.

She cursed the lack of video cameras in her office and the fact that she hadn't got around to recording telephone calls on all in-building company phones. She had just been so busy with everything that was going on that L-Corp had taken a bit of a back burner.

She felt so stupid. What idiot would leave themselves exposed like this? Lena knew people were after her and would try and sully her name further. Fuck, she was practically a sitting duck with its breast on full display with how unprepared she was for this.

It even took her so long to get the bloody call sheet!

Lena stood up with fury and aggressively took off her blazer. Throwing it to the couch, she stepped out of her heels and marched onto the balcony. It wasn't very late and her employees should be packing up and readying themselves for the journey home by now. Only the few that were on time sensitive jobs would choose to stay behind, and even then, Lena was notified beforehand. She was all about work-life balance for her employees after all, Kara called it hypocritical.

The padding of boots on tile sounded behind her but Lena didn't turn around. She waited for strong arms to wrapped around her waist, sighing into the kiss at her neck and falling back into the sturdy body behind her.

"What's the matter, Lena?"

Lena felt Kara soft worry. It wasn't intrusive, not in the slightest, but it was persistent and concerned and Lena loved the fact that someone cared about her so deeply.

With a wry smile, she answered. "A part of Mr. Smith's story checks out." "What?"

Lena nodded, turning around in the embrace and hugging the Kryptonian back in greeting. "Yeah, I finally got the call sheet this morning and I only checked it now. Apparently, there was a call from my office on that day."

"So, Mr. Smith isn't crazy?"

Lena chuckled. "Now, I didn't say that."

Kara laughed too, breaking the hug and holding Lena by the shoulders. They fell into silence, just drinking each other in as the sunlight reflected off the buildings around them. The sun was a that perfect angle where it set the world ablaze with mock fire. The clouds were heavy and fairy floss pink, making the world seem more cheerful than it actually was. Well, at least for Lena.

Still, they both stood a body width apart and contemplated what would happen next. Lena could fell Kara's fear for the events to come, no matter how hard the blonde tried to hide it. The emotion sat heavy at the centre of her sternum, present and cancerous.

"What's going to happen now?" Kara spoke softly, taking a step closer and holding Lena's face in her palms.

Lena just closed her eyes in lieu of an answer. She didn't know. A man was missing. A man that was one of her main business rivals. A man that all of National City knows. And she? Well, she was probably the main suspect. It was a miracle the police hadn't come knocking already.

That was, if the police knew.

"What? What did you just realise?" Kara must have felt her curiosity.

"It's just, if there is this connection between me and Maxwell's disappearance, why haven't the police come to question me?"

Kara's brow furrowed, her lips pulled into a line and her fingers wondered into Lena's hair subconsciously.

"Well, normally I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth," Kara started, looking Lena dead in the eye, "but even I have to admit that is strange."

"Exactly. Normally the police would jump at the chance to incarcerate another Luthor." "Lena-"

"No. You know it's true." She held up a finger to Kara's lips. The blonde just kissed the digit cheekily. "So, the only reason I can justify their non-presence would be that they don't know." Lena withdrew completely, folding her arms across her chest and starting to pace. "But then that would mean Mr. Smith didn't report the disappearance?"

"But he was so distraught...it wouldn't make any sense." Kara interjected, leaning against the railing. "Then again, he also did practically wait a week before confronting us out of the blue."

"Nothing about his behaviour is making sense." Lena stopped, gesticulating wildly. "First his company tries to kill me," Lena held up a finger, "he sexually assaults his subordinates," a second finger goes up, "he's all chummy with Lord," another finger, "he's seems to be staying on at Lord Tech. even though he should be going back to his family company, and now he accuses me of either kidnaping Lord or killing him but he waits a week to do it."

"Why wait so long? I know Smith said that Lord sometimes goes on business trips randomly, but a whole week without contact is a long time." Kara says, looking off into the distance as she thinks. "What are we missing?"

And it was back to silence. Twilight was steadily upon them now and the air was pregnant with precipitation. On the breeze rode the smell of coming rain and the clouds had descended lower. Lena looked up, taking it all in and making the decision to head inside lest she get caught in the storm. Kara followed her lead, closing the glass door behind her and hanging her cloak on Lena's office chair.

Lena sat on her throne, pulling out some spare paper and scribbling everything down. It didn't help. It was like she was missing the last piece of a puzzle. Theories and ideas jumped out at her, but she needed that last piece of information to solidify anything.

Lena stabbed into the paper, poking a hole and growling in frustration. It had been a long day and fuck was she hungry. Kara gently took the pen from her hand and rolled the chair away from the desk. Lena just let it happen, her limbs lead as she sagged into the seat. Kara chuckled dryly as she knelt down.

"You don't have to, Kara." Lena spoke, not really wanting the blonde to stop.

"I know. But I like doing this for you." Kara took a bare foot into her hands, working at the balls of Lena's feet as the CEO tried to bite back a moan. She had worn punishing heels today, wanting to look better for her board meeting and the meeting with Miss. Lane. For all the influence it afforded her, it did take a toll on her poor feet.

"Bloody hell Kara, I could just kiss you." Lena groaned, stretching out her calves as the Kryptonian worked her Achille's tendon.

Kara hummed amusedly. "Well, why don't ya?"

Lena grinned, grateful for the lighter mood and she grabbed Kara's face and pulled her up and closer. With swift movements, Lena grappled her legs around Kara's hips to keep her in place, an arm around the blonde's back bent her down and a hand at Kara's jaw kept her still. Kara eyebrows shot up at the position and her mouth hung open. Lena, ever being the opportunist, filled it was a hot tongue and sealed it with plump lips.

Kara moaned, and Lena felt her ears blaze. Breath huffed against her face and Lena pulled her girlfriend down even harder.

Kara walked up the steps of the small house, the wood creaking underfoot and her pocket heavy with its contents. It was her turn to do the rounds of the DEO's alien resocialisation cases, other agents having done the previous weeks. This was the last house on her list and she needed to get it done before she could go home.

The door opened before she could knock, and Kara was greeted by the familiar face of the Rondonite.

"I've been expecting you, Supergirl." "I'm sorry for the late hour."

"Do not worry, it is to be expected of a hero." With that, he let her in. Kara ducked her head in slight embarrassment. She had meant to get here earlier, but Lena had kept her with her sweet words and wicked tongue.

Kara blushed.

She walked into the kitchen. The last time Kara was here, she was just dropping the alien off and having a quick meal. The place was bare, just housing the basics to function on a day to day basis back then. Where she stood now, however, was vastly different.

There were rugs on the floor, new curtains were hung, and a number of different jars littered the kitchen counter tops, housing various spices and ingredients. Kara let out a low whistle, proud at how well Kareev had done so far.

"I hear you got a job at the local vet?" Kara asked, turning around to face the blue skinned alien.

He smiled as he walked in, putting the kettle on to boil and heating a few pots on the stove. "Yes," He nodded with a slight hiss to the word, "I help with surgery as an assistant to the vet."

Kara smiled, taking a seat at the table and pulling her cape into her lap. "That's great to hear, Kareev!"

The man let out a trill in joy, walking over and plopping down opposite Kara. The horns on his head glistened slightly in the warm lighting. He looked healthier, more assured and strong compared to when she first saw him during the bank robbery.

"So, you know I have the standard questions I have to ask?" Kara started. There was protocol to get out of the way first.

"Yep."

"Good. Now, don't lie because I'll know if you do."

He shrunk a little further into his seat, but Kara didn't pay it any mind. She waited for him to acknowledge the statement before starting.

"Alright, first: have you had any contact with the group from the bank robbery?" Kareev replied with a simple "no." Kara nodded, smiling.

"Good. Well, you've already answered the second question about having a job. So, onto the third. Is the living situation sufficient for your day to day life?"

"Yes, it is. I enjoy the neighbourhood, and this house has everything I need." The kettle finished boiling, prompting the blue man to stand and started making them two mugs of tea.

Kara followed the movement with her eyes, shifting slightly to properly face him. "That's good to hear." She smiled. "It is a lovely neighbourhood."

"You come to Lawnder Gardens often?"

"Well, not really to be honest." Kara placed her arms on the table as Kareev placed both mugs down and took his seat. "I'm mostly over here to check in with DEO cases or if there's a problem. So, if you think about it, it's probably good I'm not here often." Kara took a mug between her hands, watching the steam rise from the white porcelain.

"Well, I'm glad you've come over. It's brings me pleasure to entertain National City's caped heroine, even if this was just a routine check-up." He took a sip, not caring that it was scalding hot. "Now, I believe you have one last question for me?"

Kara nodded. "Yep. So, have you developed any relationships with other people?" Socialisation was an important factor in rehabilitating people, after all.

Kareev gave her a beaming grin, his heart beating just that tiny bit stronger. "Yes, yes I have." The happy trill was back and Kara hid her smile behind her mug. It was odd to be around someone so openly alien. It was nice. "I've made friends with some people at the local garden!"

It was a big achievement, especially for an alien like Kareev. Kara was lucky with the fact that she looked human, but life was a little more challenging for the Rondonite. His blue skin and horns cut him an imposing figure, often keeping people away. Thus, the fact that he was able to make friends was a huge plus. He'd been struggling with loneliness for weeks now.

"Oooh! Tell me about them." Kara grinned, part taking in his joy. Lena made herself known with a tired, lazy happiness that dripped down her throat.

Kareev jumped at the chance, his tea forgotten as his hands waved in the space between them. Apparently, he had made three new friends, all owning the garden plots around his. They'd become friends when a vermin outbreak in the garden forced them to band together to save their plots. They fought back in the invaders with teamwork and quick thinking, forging a strong bond along the way. Now they all get dinner once a week at each other's houses.

The better part of an hour was spent chatting about Kareev's progress into a happier life away from crime. They ended up having dinner together, Kara not being able to say no to the prospect of Rondonite cuisine (Kareev was able to source some ingredients from an alien market on the weekend). Rao, it was satisfying eating something that originated in another galaxy. It brought back memories of her childhood at her parent's side. They would travel to other planets and enjoy lavish feasts of native food and drink. Kara would eat herself silly and complain of a stomach ache, only to repeat the process the next day. The pain was worth it.

Thinking about her home brought her mind back to the weight sitting in her pocket, a Fauxfern eye bursting in her mouth as she chewed. She had come today with a secondary purpose. Honestly, she should have come sooner but it was better late than never. So, she waited for the end of their meal to bring it up, humming in delight as she cut a sliver of tongue.

Once she had helped with the dishes, washing and drying them as Kareev wiped down the counter tops and dining room table, she pulled the object out and palmed it. With everything neat and clean, they sat back down with a second cup of tea and Kara brought her hand up, placing it on the table between them.

Kareev gave pause, looking between Kara and the item a few times before gently picking it up and holding it so it caught the lights around them.

"I was wondering when you would bring this up." The Rondonite mused, flipping the bracelet in his long fingers.

"You knew I had it on me?"

"Of course, I could see the question burning in your eyes all night. That, and well, your suit is pretty tight and the bracelet shaped indent in your pocket gave you away." Kareev threw Kara a smile, holding the bracelet in his open palm and offering it back.

Kara took it with gentle fingers, feeling the engravings catching at her skin as she ran her digits over the detailed work. "May I ask you questions?"

"By all means, fire away." Kareev took another sip of tea.

Kara waited for him to place his mug down before starting. "How did a Kryptonian Old Family marriage bracelet come into your possession?" She stopped all movement, the object still in her hands as she took in the man before her with full attention.

Kareev looked her dead in the eye, his expression open and his body calm with her scrutiny. "I'm sure you know that Rondonites, historically, are star-farers and treasure collectors?"

"Yes, I know that. The thing is, all original marriage bracelets were destroyed in the Krypton-Daxam war-"

"That's what most people thought." Kareev interrupted. Kara's jaw snapped shut audibly. "My great grandfather was a star-farer of some renown. He travelled to a great many places in his lifetime and collected many rare and beautiful artefacts from different cultures. Amongst his possessions was that bracelet." Kareev pointed to it.

"So your grandfather had this when Krypton was still around? Why didn't he give it back?" Kara's jaw started to clench.

"I never said he was a good man. He was more obsessed with his collections then wanting to do good for others." Kareev said flippantly. "When he passed, my father inherited his possessions."

"And he didn't give it back either."

"True. I'm afraid they were both cut from the same cloth. I, however, was more of a scholar than a treasure hunter. I spent my time learning about other worlds and travelling to further my knowledge. When my father passed, I inherited everything and that's when I started returning items to their original homes."

"But why come to Earth? Rondo, as far as I know, is still thriving." Kara drained her mug, placing it down gently.

"It is, but I feel like I don't belong there anymore. I have spent so long traveling in space that nowhere feels like home to me anymore." Kareev gestured to himself, "I wear this skin because I

was born with it. It doesn't mean I identify with it anymore." He drained his own tea. "As for why I came to Earth? Well, I was actually on my way to Krypton to give the bracelet back when the tragedy happened."

Kara sat back in her seat, running a hand through her hair and huffing a laboured breath. She remained quiet, however, waiting for Kareev to continue. Continue he did.

"So, I travelled around space, planet to planet, dwindling down my grandfather's treasures until all I had left was the bracelet. By then, I had heard rumours that apparently two Kryptonian's survived and had made their home on Earth. Seeing it as a sign, I made my way over."

Kara couldn't help the thickness sitting in her throat or the tears welling in her eyes. The bracelet was clenched tightly in her slightly shaking fists, her breathing rapid but all her attention still on the Rondonite before her. Giving her the space she needed, Kareev continued his monologue. His face grew softer as he talked, adverting his eyes as the heroine broke down in front of him.

"It took me a while to reach here." He chuckled dryly, looking longingly at his empty cup. "But I eventually did. However, it was my first time in a planet this...well, backward. I had trouble assimilating and eventually ran with the wrong crowd...or the right one because it led me to you."

Kara took in a shaky breath, doing her best to keep it together. It was unbecoming for someone of her stature to fall apart like this. But this man had travelled across space to find her and give her something she never knew she needed. There was such kindness here that Kara was having a hard time comprehending.

Honestly, she would have been sobbing on the floor if it wasn't for Lena soothing her through their bond. The CEO was so present in her mind that Kara almost felt fingers run up and down her back in even strokes.

"W-Why," Kara cleared her throat, "Why did you come to me and not my cousin?"

Kareev looked back at her and for the first time Kara noticed the weight resting behind his eyes.

"Because you are the head of your house, Kara Zor-El." He stood up with gravitas. "I know Kryptonian culture. I studied it along with the others, so I understand the importance and history of that bracelet in your hands." He pointed at the object. "It would have been blasphemous to give it to someone lesser."

"Thank you, for this." Kara stood up too, albeit a little shakily. She had already stayed too long here and now she had the answers she wanted, Kara felt it was time to leave.

Kareev sensed this. He walked forward and offered a steady smile, not commenting on Kara's red rimmed eyes or her slightly heavy breathing. Instead, he just grabbed Kara's elbow, she did the same, and they bid each other farewell traditionally. The leathery texture of his skin slid past her fingertips, their palms lingering together briefly before Kara dropped her hand and turned to walk away.

The walked to the door in heavy silence, the house feeling smaller than it actually was, and Kara wanted nothing more than to return home and sleep. The night had other plans, however, for when she opened the door and turned for a final goodbye, Kareev asked a favour from her.

"Miss. Zor-El?" Kara hummed.

"I forgot to mention this earlier, but the vet that I work at has been having a problem."

Kara's brow furrowed. Problem? Did they need more supplies? Donations? "What problem?"

Kareev shuffled awkwardly from foot to foot. Kara closed the door, sealing off the outside world again as she gave him her full attention.

"Well...the vet I work for, Mr. Gracía,-"

Kara's stomach dropped.

"-well, his son went missing a while back." Kareev took in a breath. "They found the kid dead in a park a couple a weeks ago. The thing is, I get that he's grieving, but he's thrown himself into work and I fear he's gonna do something stupid. Pain makes human's do stupid things."

Kara nodded, her eyes wide and her mind running a mile a minute. Mr. Gracía hired aliens and now his son was a victim on the serial killer case. Fuck. The kid fitted into her hypothesis now. Apparently, the family of a person working at an alien inclusive place wasn't safe either.

Kara turned swiftly, yanking open the door and startling her host. She looked over her shoulder with determination.

"Thank you, Kareev. I'll talk to your boss, but first there's something I must do."

With that, she ran onto the road and launched into the sky. She had to get to the police station.

Lena tore a chunk of her croissant and threw it in her mouth, chewing with more force than necessary. She had been up well late into the night musing and fretting over the fact that she was being framed for a 'kidnapping' without actually being framed. Was it a scare tactic? A ruse? Was Lord playing mind games? The possibilities were endless.

All the worrying had left her bone tired come morning for she hadn't slept a wink, her mind too busy with business and her livelihood. So, now Lena walked out of the elevator and onto the main floor, for once not looking forward to checking out the labs and instead internally weeping for her bed. Throwing the paper bag away and swallowing, Lena squared her shoulders and walked with purpose as she scanned her surroundings.

She came to a halt, however, when she noticed something amiss. Being ever the inquirer, Lena changed trajectory and walked towards the main security desk near the entrance. The man behind it stood up with sudden alertness at her presence, dusting off the remnants of his own breakfast from his suit with a sheepish smile.

Lena waved it off, not caring for his messy eating habits but more concerned with the fact that she didn't actually know the man.

"Miss. Luthor! What brings you down here so early?"

He was the perfect embodiment of a security guard- strong but polite. He fit the job description well. His arms bulged with muscle and a heavy brow sat above his piercing eyes. To top it off, he was completely bald. The skin shined every time he moved his head and Lena believed he must have oiled it.

"I don't mean to be rude, but who are you?" Lena cut, curt in her exhaustion.

At her less than jovial tone, the man grew serious. He squared up and stuck out a beefy hand. "Arty Carter, at your service."

Lena took the hand and gave it firm shake with a sceptical eyebrow raised.

"Forgive me, Mr. Carter, but I don't remember hiring you."

He gave Lena a small smile and a shrug of his shoulders. "I don't blame ya, 'cause ya didn't hire me."

"What?" Lena took a slight step back.

"Xavier hired me."

"Why would Xavier hire you?" Lena crossed her arms, eyes narrowing.

Mr. Carter rubbed the back of his head, his eyes downcast. Lena felt a little bad for him, but she took the hiring of her employees very seriously. Everyone went through extensive background checks before even being considered. So, the fact that Xavier took it upon himself to allow another person onto his team without her consent or even knowledge made Lena mad. She needed to give that man a stern talking to.

Mr. Carter spoke up, his voice a little softer, more solemn. "Well, apparently he had a family emergency and had to take a few days off. We used to work together at his last job, so he asked me to come in and fill up his position."

"Shouldn't he have just asked someone else on the security detail?" Lena asked, mouth pulled.

"I said that myself but he insisted that I do it. He takes your safety very seriously, Miss. Luthor, and he didn't trust anyone else with the job."

Lena nodded. True, she had given Xavier the power to hire people for his own team, but they had an unspoken agreement that Lena would have a say in who she employed. That, and the fact that Xavier just upped and left without so much as an email kind of hurt. It must have been something bad because it was unlike the man to just disappear.

Lena said her farewells to her new employee, making a mental note to get Jess to give her his file. She needed to do a background check of the man before the day was out. Lena trusted Xavier's judgement, but something wasn't sitting right. The feeling nagged her all the way down to the labs until Kara pulled her thoughts to something else.

Lena spent longer down in the labs then originally intended. What had meant to be a routine check- up turned into the Luthor adorning a lab coat and a pair of goggles as she worked with her team to create a new type of biodegradable rubber and plastic. The project was in the early stages. Most reactions were trial and error, all data collection to be reviewed at a later time, but by God did Lena miss doing this.

Even though she had grown used to running the company now, learning the ins and outs of working to people's needs, it always felt like home and childhood every time she worked in a lab. There was freedom in these clean walls and sterilised desks, as odd as that sounded. Excitement was always around the corner with each experiment and serendipity was always splendid.

Paperwork lacked all of that.

So what if Lena accidentally stayed in the bowls of L-Corp. well past lunch? She had completed everything urgent and all her meetings were done (even if those meetings were done over the phone whilst she had her arms elbows deep in a new mixture). She had managed her CEO duties and got to have some constructive time out. Maybe she would even take the rest of the day off.

Well, that wasn't a bad idea, actually.

She shed her lab coat, peeled off her gloves and rubbed at the goggle marks around her eyes. With a quick goodbye to her staff, she strode out the labs with a bright smile. Mr. Carter shot her an apprehensive look as she crossed the foyer, but she just smiled. Pulling out her phone, Lena shot off a quick email to Jess, asking her to send Mr. Carter's file.

The day was cool but bright. The early winter sun wasn't very strong, but it still warmed her without being stifling. Pleasant, the day was pleasant in its normality. People bustled around her, returning to work after their lunch hours or mother's walking in active wear with perambulators being pushed before them.

Humans were fascinating. None were alike, not truly. All had different lives and experiences, worries and hopes, educations. It was odd to think that now she wasn't truly one of them. It made her feel uncomfortable in her skin. More of an outsider then she already was.

Lena didn't really believe in fate. Being a scientist, she thought of life as a series of opportunities or choices that a person either made or didn't. Each of those choices had a compounding effect, leading an individual on their life's path.

She couldn't even imagine what her life you have been like if she wasn't adopted by the Luthor's. It was unfathomable. She could have been anything or anyone really. Would she have used her smarts to become a CEO or a scientist? Or if she ended up growing on a farm or somewhere remote, would she have bothered with formal education over helping her parents? Hell, if Lillian was nice to her, would Lena have ever pushed herself as hard as she did for an ounce of affection?

She sighed. There were a million different possibilities, and if multi-verse theory was correct, there would be a version of her somewhere living all those different lives. Maybe there would be a version of her that was one hundred percent human.

Lena stopped in front of a quaint café, the smell of coffee and baked goods welcoming her and urging her inside. Her stomach, understanding the language of food a little too well, growled in response, forcing Lena to go in. The door chimed as she opened it, but the noise was lost to the hustle and bustle.

The place was surprisingly busy. Most of the tables were full of young people chatting and laughing and Lena couldn't keep the small smile off her lips. She missed that time in her life. The care free days of being a university student whose biggest problem was studying for exams and hoping that their friends liked them. Life was so easy back then, even if it seemed like it wasn't.

Now she was facing down murder attempts, death threats, mind walking, a proper relationship and the woes of being a CEO with a sullied last name. Still, if given the opportunity, Lena wouldn't give any of it up. She had power now. Power to make a difference, even if it came at a cost to herself.

The floor was slightly sticky, clinging to the soles of her shoes and she clicked across the hard wood. She took a seat at a two-seater table, pulling the menu off the holder and perusing through the options. There was a long list of exotic coffees and teas, a whole page for kombucha and a separate menu for treats. Lena's eyes grew wide, her mouth salivating.

Most didn't know this, but Lena Luthor was a downright sweet tooth.

But, she also kept herself on a tight leash. Lena ate salads and drank green smoothies not because she wanted to, but because she was conscious of her body. Sweets and junk would do nothing for her. Hell, the only time she actually eats grease is with Kara. By herself, Lena knew she would immediately feel guilty after eating, so she just didn't. With a sigh, Lena put down the sweets menu and ordered herself a Café Cubano when the waiter arrived. There was enough sugar in the drink by itself to hopeful curb her cravings.

Once the waiter had left, Lena pulled out her phone as it buzzed. Jess had sent her the requested file and Lena wasted no time pulling it up. Mr. Carter's credentials were solid. As he had said, Mr. Carter and Xavier used to work together for a bodyguard agency a few years ago. Since then, the bald man took up jobs as security for various celebrities and venues.

Lena put the phone down on the table, lazily looking around the café. There was a rowdy group of young adults a few tables over. The group was large, seven, and crowded around a small table. They were all huddled over an ancient looking tome, scowls on their faces as one exclaimed something about ancient Sumerian. There was also a surprising number of red heads, three, and the tallest one seemed to be in a silent battle with a brunette and blonde pair. Lena narrowed her eyes. The brunette seemed oddly...feline?

Lena was jolted out of her intense analysis when the coffee was placed on the table. "One coffee for the beautiful CEO with gorgeous green eyes?"

Lena looked up with a massive smile. "Kara!"

This was so unexpected! The superheroine had been busy all day either fighting or working at CatCo. So, for Kara to appear out of the blue like this was a real joy. Honestly, Lena had to contain her giddiness lest it affects both of them. Still, it didn't stop her from pulling her girlfriend into a proper hug.

Kara was all too happy to return the gesture, her arms were like padded steel rods as the squished the Littlest Luthor. That did pull a laugh from red lips, even if it was more of a huff then anything. Once they detangled, Kara took a seat by her side.

"I thought you were busy today?" Lean asked, taking a sip of her drink and humming in content. Damn was it good.

"Same goes for you, Miss. Luthor." Kara teased, stealing the mug out of Lena's hands. Lena just pouted playfully as the blonde took sip.

"Damn, this is good!"

"I'll get you one."

Only once another coffee was on its way and Lena had settled back into her chair, did she properly take in her companion. Kara felt happy. Exhausted, but happy. She looked cute in her opened, deep blue sweater and her white button up shirt. Her hair had a few fly aways, but the bun held firm.

"Well, to answer your earlier question," Kara started, leaning in to whisper, "I may have used my powers to get through my work faster."

Lena slapped Kara on the arm. "Kara!"

"What? I got these gifts, might as well use 'em." She smiled cheekily, subtly flexing.

God, what Lena wouldn't give to just kiss that stupid smile off her stupid, pretty face. Alas, they were in a very crowded restaurant and the group from earlier were shooting glancing in their direction. Lena moved out of Kara's space as she placed her mug back on its saucer. Kara's slight disappointment tasted bitter on her tongue, but there wasn't anything she could really do about it. They were public figures, after all.

"So, you have the rest of the day off?" Lena sked, trying to move on but failing to look her girlfriend in the eye.

"Yeah." The response was quiet, a stark contrast to earlier and Lena deflated a little.

"Well, that's good." She took a breath, sitting up and turning to the blonde. With determination, she took Kara's hand in her own under the table. She laced their fingers together and gave a meek smile. "I took a half day as well."

Kara smiled, looking down at their hands through the table.

"Hey Kara?" Lena tried again, softer. Kara looked up, blue eyes met green. "Are you alright?"

It took a moment and Lena watched as a hundred thoughts raced behind blue eyes. Kara emotions swelled, and Lena was almost taken along with the current, but she held fast and true. Lena needed to be a rock right now; her best friend needed her.

"No. I don't think I am." Kara's brow scrunched, the crinkle out in full force.

How could Lena have missed this? Was she really so self-absorbed that she didn't know when her girlfriend was hurting? Fuck. How long had Kara felt like this? Was it something she could help with? Was it...was it because of her.

"Stop that." Kara cut through, pulling Lena out of her thoughts.

"What?" Lena retorted strongly, her voice rougher then she expected.

"Thinking negatively. I can feel you spiralling-"

"How can I be so blind Kara!" Lena whisper-shouted.

Kara just gave her a sad smile. "You didn't miss anything. I haven't been feeling like this for long, so don't worry."

Lena relaxed a little at that, but her mind was still going a mile a minute. "What happened?" "A lot, but I don't think this is the place to talk about it."

As if to prove her point, the waiter arrived and delivered her coffee with a fake smile. Kara shot a real one back but Lena stopped him before he could leave.

"Actually, can I have these as take away, please." She smiled as best she could, but the waiter still huffed and took both their mugs.

Lena felt sorry for him, she knew that working in service was hard, but she had more urgent matters on hand. She turned back to Kara grimly, squeezing the hand still in hers with as much warmth as she could muster.

"After we get our coffee, would you like to go on a date with me?"

Kara sat up suddenly, looking a little shocked but the smile on her face was genuine and happier. Lena melted.

"Lena, as much as I would love that, I don't think I'm in the right mind to fully enjoy it." Kara said, her voice getting softer and softer.

Lena shook her head good naturedly. "Don't worry, darling." Lena shuffled a little closer. Fuck, the onlookers. "It'll just be us. I only want to help."

Kara smile grew broad and full. Lena could feel warmth spreading in her chest and she already knew Kara's answer.

"Alright. Take me on a date, Miss. Luthor." "It's my pleasure, Miss. Danvers."

Lena landed on her balcony with wobblily legs in juxtaposition to Kara's sure landing. They had chosen to fly to Lena's apartment because it was faster than any mode of transportation. Her gut was in a right riot, but Lena did her best to walk over to the door and open it. Kara chuckled behind her, placing a supporting arm on the small of her back and following her inside once the door was open.

Lena didn't waste any time. She placed the coffee on the table and turned on her heel. She draped herself on Kara's capable body and brought the taller woman down into a kiss. Kara returned it eagerly, pulling the smaller woman flush against herself with needy hands. They broke apart with sated smiles and heat between them.

Lena pulled away with a peck to Kara's nose. "Go grab your sword, Kara." "My sword?"

"Yep. And then meet me at my car."

"Which one?"

"Annie, of course."

Kara rolled her eyes and laughed. "As you wish."

Lena just swatted her as she made her way to her bedroom. The shutting of her balcony door told Lena that Kara had left. She promptly shed her work clothes and pulled on something comfier- a pair of gym shorts, two sports bras and a baggy t-shirt. Pulling out a duffle from her cupboard, she packed a few towels, two bottles of water and finally her sword. Making sure she had everything, Lena zipped it up, grabbed her car keys and made her way down.

Kara was already waiting dressed in converse, sweats and a baggy t-shirt as well, leaning against the boot of the car as she inspected her nails. Lena stopped in her tracks, drinking it all in. God, did Kara know how attractive she was? Was she aware that every time Lena saw her, she had a mini panic attack and couldn't properly function? Just the way that the clothes hung off her athletic frame did things to Lena's heart. Honestly, her days were numbered because every time Lena saw Kara, well, the attraction just got worse.

"Hey, slow poke!" Kara hollered, noticing her and jogging up over. She pulled the bag off Lena's shoulder. "Where are you taking us?"

"You don't need to take my bag." Lena made to grab it. "And, well, you'll see. It's kind of hard to explain."

Kara just waved her off, super speeding to the car and waiting for Lena to pop the boot. Lena sighed dramatically, pressing the button and making her way over. She flopped into the driver's seat and turned the key without flourish. The engine roared to life as Kara got in next to her, the car vibrating with power beneath the hood. They buckled up and Lena pealed out the parking space, pulling out her aviators from the cubby hole and tossing Kara a pack of red frogs.

In a matter of minutes, they were tearing up the streets of National City. Lena weaved through traffic with an ease that scared Kara, if the way that the blonde gripped the seat was any indication. Still, it didn't stop the Kryptonian from popping lollies one after the other. Lena smiled, laughing at the odd mixing of fear and chipmunk cheeks Kara gave her as she revved the engine and drove with a lead foot. The bag of lollies fell into Kara's lap with a quick turn. Lena took the opportunity to drag her hand up a bare thigh before grabbing one, making Kara jump slightly at the sudden contact.

They neared their destination after a good forty-five-minute drive. The landscape was completely different out here. It wasn't the usual desert that surrounded most of National City but instead fields of thick, lush grass and happy hills. A further thirty-minute drive would yield dense forest, but Lena didn't want to go that far. Instead, she took a right on the dirt road they had been following since they left the city. If she remembered correctly, and she hoped to God that she did, the destination would be a few more kilometres forward.

"So where are we going?" Kara angled, shifting in her seat impatiently.

"It's a little further." Lena hushed, taking a hand off the steering wheel and blindly petting Kara's shoulder...or at least that was her intention. Sadly, she gravely missed the mark and instead ended up awkwardly fondling Kara's (quite delightful) breasts. As if she touched a hot stove, Lena jerked her hand away and practically moulded it back onto the steering wheel with a white knuckled grip.

Dead silence.

Lena was mortified. She prayed for the skies to suddenly strike her with a lightning bolt or a cardiac arrest to cease her heart. Fuck, anything really so she wouldn't have to deal with what she had just done. To make it worse, Kara's bloody amusement bubbling at the base of her throat did not help the reddening of Lena's face.

It didn't take long for the silence to be broken.

"You know, if you wanna feel my breasts, Lena, you'd just have to ask." "Oh my fucking God."

They pulled up into an open field of green grass and flowering trees. The sun casting long shadows and giving the gently rolling hills more depth.

"Lena, this place is beautiful." Kara said, getting out the car and inhaling a deep breath. She looked over at her girlfriend who clearly avoiding her eyes. Kara smirked devilishly, shutting the door with force and speeding around the car. In a matter of seconds, Lena had no choice but to look Kara in the eyes as the blonde pinned her to Annie.

"Kara what are you-"

"Bear with me, kitten." Kara purred into a red ear, biting at the lobe and smiling against the soft skin.

Lena gulped, nodding and Kara felt sudden excitement shoot through her. Lena was enjoying this, and Kara would be lying is she said it didn't stroke her ego. Once the Kryptonian was sure that the Luthor was compliant, Kara dragged her nose across the warmth of Lena's cheek until she bumped against her counterpart.

"Tell me when you want to stop." Kara rumbled, the words formulating deep in her throat and filling the small space between them.

Lena's pupils blew as a pink tongue darted out to wet slightly chapped lips. "I will. The same goes for you."

"Good." And with gusto, Kara surged forward and took Lena's mouth with her own. Want rang despondent in her chest and Kara couldn't tell if it was Lena's or hers (and in all honesty, she didn't really care). Still, the ache made her press further, sandwiching Lena between the metal of the car and the rigidity of her body. With wondering hands, Kara opened Lena's clenched fists, pulling the CEO's hands towards her body.

Rao, Kara had played what happened in the car off as a joke, but the sudden, unexpectant simulation was the last drop in an already too full bucket. It was spilling everywhere, drenching everything in reach and soaking all Kara's thoughts in heavy saturation.

Lena did things to her that even Kara was too much of a prude to say.

That didn't mean she couldn't show it, though. Pleasure raced in her veins like ice, Lena's skin goose bumping as Kara carded her fingers in the strict, black ponytail. With a yank, their mouths detached with a pop as Lena bared her throat to the hunger of a sex crazed Kryptonian.

Bloody hell, Lena's neck by itself was a work of art and Kara had to physically steady herself with a hand against the car at the thought of the rest of the woman's body. Kara closed her eyes, loving the way Lena heaved beneath her, that glorious chest pressing into her own.

Dragging teeth down a prominent cord of muscle, Kara bit at the beauty spot that stood proud centre of Lena's neck. Lena's body rolled, and long fingers racked down her back in sudden haste and with a final nip, Kara pulled back. But before the Luthor could whine, as Lena was about to do, Kara grabbed hold of the CEO's hands and slipped them under her baggy t-shirt.

Even when Kara knew it was coming, her stomach still jumped at the light touch of eager fingers tracing the defined nature of her abs. Kara didn't give time for Lena to pause, instead she pushed the hands up higher, forcing long fingers to curl against the underside of her sports bra.

Kara rolled her hips in reflex, seeking delicious friction and grinding into the fulness of Lena's hips. "Fuck, Kara-" Lena gasped, her heart beating so loud that Kara was almost deaf to everything else. "Finish what you started in the car." Kara growled out, pushing again at stalling fingers.

Lena nodded against the blonde's shoulder, Kara feeling the Luthor's muscles coiling beneath her. With fierceness borne from their shared arousal, Lena raked her fingers up and pulled a ragged moan from the base of Kara's lungs.

Kara's mouth hung open with quick breaths and her fingers sunk into the metal of poor Annie. The

sound was lost to the noise of Lena cooing affirmations in her ear and sure hands traced the swells of Kara's chest. The blonde arched forward, her legs slotting between Lena's own and reverent lips mouthing prayers in ancient tongues.

"Fuck Kara, that feels amazing." Lena gasped as she traced a steadily stiffing peak through the material Kara's pleasure becoming her own. The spark that shot down Kara's spine was answered by the increased of heat at the back of her mind.

"Rao, harder Le-" a gasp, the Luthor not waiting for instruction as she hiked the material up under the shirt.

Lena enveloped her with warm hands, squeezing the softness under her fingers and circling the buds with coordinated thumbs. Kara's body coiled, and like a spring, snapped at a particular jerk of Lena's nail against a sensitive bud. In a flash, the sound of shattering glass startled them apart. Kara's protective instincts catapulting them a few meters and cradling Lena against her chest.

They stood still, Kara's body a protective blanket draped over Lena's prone form, and their breaths were run haggard at the arousal and adrenalin. Kara looked over her shoulder at the car, Lena's face still cradled with the utmost care in the nape of her neck, and her eyes grew wide at the sight.

The driver's side window was completely shattered. Broken glass cut jiggered teeth in the window frame and glass shards littered the inside of the car.

Well, fuck.

Kara felt shame sink in the of her gut and worry lace her senses. She had grown careless in her need, exerting so much force that she had punch through the bloody window and now, now she held the woman of her affections in her arms as if to protect? Protect from what? Lena didn't need any protection from anything except herself.

As if summoned, the woman stirred in her arms, placing a light kiss to her neck and extracting herself from Kara's cage. Kara let her, her arms falling limp and failure weightily resting on her shoulders. She could have seriously hurt Lena. That could have easily been a bone, a limb...a head.

This was just another worry on her every growing list. She had sought Lena out because she needed a distraction. Her life had gotten so busy and she was craving any sense of normality she could find. Alex was busy at the DEO, Winn and James had work and Kara didn't want to worry J'onn anymore then she normally did. Lena though? She could always go to Lena (provided she wasn't in a meeting).

But now, well Kara feared she had ruined that too and all because of her stupid alien libido. And now, all Kara could do was watch as Lena walked towards her car with steady steps and an analytical mind.

"You really did a number on my car, huh?" Lena turned around amused and with a smirk.

Kara deflated a little, revealed but fearful. There was no hostility or fear in Lena's voice, and as far as she could tell, Lena didn't feel anything of the sort either. Good. That was a good thing. Or it just mean that Lena's self-preservation instinct was completely shot.

She took slow steps forward giving Lena time to change her mind. To do anything besides stand as if this was some huge joke but Lena, well Lena didn't nothing of the sort. Instead, the woman took Kara's face in her hands, stroked ruddy cheeks and helped heal a wounded pride with support and contentment. It was only then that Kara could force herself to speak.

"I could have hurt you."

Lena tutted. "But you didn't, Kara."

The blonde pushed the hands off her face, taking two steps back angrily. Her ire wasn't at Lena but directed towards herself. Directed at her short comings. "Yeah, this time! What about next time? What happens when I rip off your arm because I pulled just a little too hard? Or I puncture one of your lungs by crushing your rib cage because I'm so heavy? Or- or"

"Hush now, Kara." Lena walked forward, all tender and welcoming and Kara, against her better judgment, let the woman closer. "You're talking in hypotheticals."

"That could become reality! Lena, I'm dangerous and overpowered." Kara looked down at her shoes, the grass underneath hugging the soles. "What if I hurt you?"

Kara let Lena pull her into a hug, arm's encircling the blonde's waist as Lena rested her head on Kara's shoulder. "You won't." Lena mumbled, and Kara shivered. The harsh pronunciation of Kryptonian brushing air against her ear. "I don't think you can ever hurt me."

"How do you know that?" Kara asked, eyes drooping closed as she brought her arms up to return the hug.

"Because I know you Kara." Lena answered simply, as if the statement had all the answers.

Kara grumbled. "That's not an answer."

Lena stroked her strong back, pressing further into the firm body. "Do you trust me?"

Kara pulled back, making sure Lena could see her eyes and throwing her trust through their bond. "Of course."

"Then trust me on this."

With that, Lena pecked her cheek and pulled away. Kara stood there confused but surprisingly feeling better. If Lena could trust her, well the least she could do was honour that with trusting herself as well. Lena deserved that much. And, to ease her own mind, Kara would work on her reactions. She didn't know how yet, but she would think of a way. Kara was broken from her musings with a shout from Lena.

"Kara! Pick up your fucking sword! It's so bloody heavy!"

Kara startled into a laugh, her worry shoved down deep at the sight of Lena straining herself trying to pull the weapon from the trunk, the blade clearly winning. She jogged over, rightening her bra and chuckling as Lena huffed. She grabbed the handled and picked the sword up with ease, kissing the grumblings of "not fair" off Lena's lips with a cheeky smile.

Lena picked up her own sword and grabbed Kara's hand, squeezing the palm with silent reassurance.

What the hell did Kara do to deserve such a woman?

Chapter End Notes

Chapter End Notes

Woop! You just read 10K, great job mate!

Yay, swords! The second date will continue in the next chapter. Where the fuck is Lord?

Kareev made a reappearance and so did the bracelet from chapter 5.

There wasn't many facts in this chapter :( but:

Article on Cracking Knuckles: https/.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/is- cracking-your-knuckles-bad-for-you-20141024-11b4sx.html

and yes, a perambulator is the full word for pram. Thanks for reading and have a great day!

P.S. Does anyone else crack their knuckles?? I know that heaps of musicians do (but I might be bias because I study music).

Chapter Notes

Chapter 16

Yo yo!

Sorry this so long peeps, I got busy with uni haha. It's near the end of semester, so all the assignments are becoming due, so my workload is slightly ridiculous. On a fun note though, I got to do some life drawing fro my 2D animation class- full nude model and all. It was really great and I recommend it to anyone, even if you can't draw (I can't draw haha).

Oh , Feliz Cinco dear Mayo! Anyway, onwards!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Winter fell lightly around them. The pleasant chill settled on her shoulders as they both walked on the crisp grass of the open field. The tiredness of the day had been washed away with Kara's advances, leaving Lena with a restless energy that she needed to burn. The sword in her hand was the perfect option for doing so, and if Lena felt right, Kara needed this as much as she did.

The ambience of nature providing atmosphere to their silent progression. Lena's heels digging into the firm Earth as she pivoted on heel, startling Kara to a stop with the suddenness. Lena smirked as she dropped the duffle with a thud, the grass crunching with tiny screams.

Placing her sword down gently, Lena squatted and opened the bag. Kara circled around, coming to join her as Lena pulled out the two mats she had packed.

"Red and blue?" Kara smiled, grabbing one and spreading it out as Lena did the same. "What can I say, I have an unhealthy obsession with a certain caped heroine." "Should I be jealous?" Kara pulled out the water bottles.

"Very." Lena laughed, grabbing the bottles from the blonde and placing them to the side. "She's absolutely stunning with that perfectly curled hair and chiselled musculature. Honestly, just thinking about her gets me a little turned on."

The blonde's face lit aflame and Lena laughed at Kara's sudden silence, sudden excitement flaring up again at the back of her mind. Lena paid it no heed, however, as she placed her sword down and positioned herself to stand in the middle of her mat. Kara mirrored the position on her own, her heated gaze unwavering as she watched the CEO.

Lena smiled as she closed her eyes, silently enjoying the attention as she breathed deeply. With slow movement, she raised her arms up from her sides and started to windmill them in various sized circles, taking care to make sure they were level and even. It had been too long since she last trained, the whining of her arms telling her as such as the exercise continued.

After a while, she stopped and started to rotate in the opposite direction, feeling her muscles protest as her shoulders and biceps started to burn. Kara followed along diligently, not complaining that the

exercise was doing nothing for her but instead letting Lena get back in tune with her body.

Lena slowly relaxed her arms, bringing them down to her side as she opened her eyes. The Luthor looked over to her companion, smiling when she caught the gaze of baby blues. Without instruction, she widened her feet to a horse-riding stance, bringing her left foot forward. Kara followed along perfectly, her feet solid in their hold and her body unwavering.

With an inhale, Lena brought her right fist up until it rested just below her chin. Her left fist came up too but stopped further away from the body as the CEO took up a classic fighting stance. Once Lena was sure Kara got her stance right, she commenced basic front leg raises to stretch her hamstrings.

She kicked to chest height and worked her way up to head height once the muscles warmed. Kara watched a few times before she decided to join in. She followed Lena's lead to the best of her ability, but it wasn't long before Lena had to stop to help.

Kara, for all the fighting she did on a daily basis, was not a very technical fighter. She relied on brute strength and will, which was an observation Lena had made when she watched Supergirl fight. That type of fighting was all well and good until Kara lost her powers or got tired or faced an opponent stronger than her. Kara needed to learn how to use momentum, movement and her body to her advantage and the only way to do that was to train in fighting as if it was an art form.

That was Lena's reasoning as she glided around Kara, instructing the blonde to keep going as she observed. Kara's Kryptonian sword training was evident in her movements. Her body was precise and accurate, but Lena could see the rust of disuse puling at the blonde's muscles and pulling at her stance. Lena knew this was meant to be a simple warm up, but who would she be if she didn't correct something she saw that was wrong?

"Kara, stop for a sec." Lena asked, placing a hand on her girlfriend's shoulder. Kara did as asked, standing up straight and looking at her girlfriend curiously.

"Am I doing something wrong?"

"Not wrong, per se..." Lena trailed. "Can you show me how you normally do a front kick?" Lena asked, taking a step back to give Kara space.

Kara nodded before assuming her fighting stance. With quick movement, but still slow enough for Lena to see, she kicked and Lena instantly saw the problem. Tapping the blonde on the shoulder to gain her attention, Lena took up position next to Kara and performed a basic front kick.

"When kicking, should roll your hips. That's where you generate power from instead of trying to use brute strength."

Kara nodded, putting into action Lena's direction. Lena tutted as Kara still performed it wrong as she over compensated and ended up performing an odd round house that would have wrecked her knee if she was human. Stepping up behind her, Lena placed her hands on Kara's hips, asking the blonde to kick again but slowly.

Lena felt the thick, dense muscle under her fingers work as she guided the movement, resisting the urge to let her hands wander. They did it a few times, Lena acting as guide, until the Luthor deemed the Kryptonian able to perform a safe front kick.

"Oh, and also don't forget to curl your toes back. You want to make contact with the balls of your feet and not your toes unless you want to break them."

"Noted."

"Good." Lena smiled, giving in and placing a peck to Kara's cheek. "Now, onto the next one- a side kick."

Kara perked up at that. "Oh! I actually know how to do this one! Alex likes to use it."

Lena didn't even have time to get a word in before Kara had performed a perfect side kick. Her foot was parallel to the floor, her body perfectly angled and her core centred. Lena smiled, proud, as she clapped.

"Alright, how about a jumping spinning hook kick?"

"What the fuck even is that?" Kara said incredulously, causing Lena to laugh.

In lieu of an answer, Lena got into position, making sure Kara was out of range (it would be unfortunate to break a foot on her beautiful face). With a wink, Lena jumped up, turning in the air as her left leg flew up into a spinning hook. She landed back down a little hard, chastising herself internally for bad form. So, she was surprised when she was met with happy applause.

"You have to show me how to do that!" Kara exclaimed, striding forward and grabbing Lena's shoulders.

"Well, you'll have to work your way up to it." Lena teased, pulling a huff out of the heroine. "But we can start with a hook kick."

Kara smiled and pulled the CEO into a hug, nuzzling into her hair. Lena pushed her off with a smile, poking the blonde in the side as she walked back over to her mat. Lena waited for Kara to do the same.

"Alright. First things first, you're going to stand side on to your opponent." They both shuffled into position. "Next you're going to bring your foot up as if to side kick. Get your knee nice and high." Lena watched as Kara did as asked. The blonde leant back a little, prompting Lena to approach and straighten the posture. "Keep your body straight, or you'll be off balance."

Once Kara got that far, Lena continued. "Now, from here, you're going to pivot on the ball your grounded foot, bring your heel forward. After that, you're going to extend your leg out, kick across leading with your heel and all while pivoting your back foot 180 degrees."

At Kara's worried look, Lena performed the kick slowly, showing Kara what she meant as she talked through it. Once Kara was sure enough, she gave it an attempt, and both were pleased with the results.

By the fifteenth run through, Kara was performing a hook kick to fightable standard. A huge grin split both their faces. Lena because she was happy to teach Kara something new, and Kara because she enjoyed making Lena happy (and learning to kick was a nice bonus).

The evening wore on much the same, Lena teaching Kara different types of kicking in both the traditional and streamlined ways. So what if she took the opportunity to run her hands over Kara's body every time the blonde made a mistake? She was only mostly human.

That, and Lena was pretty sure Kara started making mistakes on purpose.

Once twilight painted the sky with its star dipped brush, they decided to relax on the mats. The weather had cooled further with the lowering of the sun. A fact that didn't bother Lena all that much until they had both stopped moving. The heat of a workout lingered in her muscles, wafting in waves off her warm skin as they sat and took in their surroundings.

The evening was beautifully calm. The earlier silence of the day had descended into an orchestra of crickets and nocturnal animals, the cooler air amplifying their rustlings. Lena sighed, watching as her breath imitated that of a dragon's as she leant over and picked up her sword. She got up off the ground, her muscles already becoming stiff, and drew her blade, watching the metal glint in the dying light.

"I don't think it's wise to have a sword out in such bad lighting." Kara mused from her position on the floor.

Lena could feel Kara's concern tickle her fingers, but she brushed it off with a shrug. "I'm not going to do anything, per se. I was just wondering if my blade was still sharp, or if it needed tending to."

Kara shuffled to her feet, groaning in mock strain.

"Shush you." Lena chastised, causing Kara to laugh. "Not all of us can be as gifted." "Oh, I beg to differ, Miss. Luthor."

Lena turned, looking at her companion with a raised eyebrow. "Oh?"

Kara hummed, walking up to her and wrapping her arms around Lena's stomach from behind as the Luthor sheathed her sword. It was involuntary the way her spine shuddered, and her stomach clenched. She could feel herself want to curl inwards, to cover and hide, but Lena fought it.

She fought the urge with the stain of her jaw, the tightening of her grip and the way she leaned back into the solid body behind her. Kara's hands stayed still, her body didn't sway at all with the sudden weight, and for that Lena was grateful. With another sigh, Lena dropped her head back, resting it against a strong shoulder as she took in the ever-shifting sky.

"Do you want me-" Lena almost jumped out of her skin with the sudden emergence of Kara's voice right by her ear. "Oh shit, sorry Lena. I didn't mean to startle." Kara lent back, her mouth at a more reasonable distance.

"It's alright, just wasn't expecting it is all."

Kara nodded, dropping her head forward as Lena happily placed a kiss to her hair. "What was it?"

"I was just wondering if you wanted me to teach you some basic Kryptonian sword fighting techniques?"

Lena raised an eyebrow, her eagerness rampant everywhere sans her expression. "Oh? And what happened to poor light and sharp objects, Miss. Zor-El?"

"Ha ha, very funny. I can feel your desire-" a pause. A blush. "Fuck, that didn't come out right."

"Uh huh." Lena nodded seriously, mirth dancing in green eyes at Kara's flagrant embarrassment.

The juxtaposition between Kara's two personalities was an odd thing to get used to. Lena was lucky in that she was there through the formation of both, but sometimes the way Kara reacted to situations threw her off. One moment Kara would be all boldness and urge, like before with the whole car incident, and then suddenly she would be saying things like 'golly' and would blush like a sinner in church.

It was like Kara toed a line between her, well, alien-ness, and her human persona. Her defence mechanism had slowly merged into the core of her being, melding well but incompletely and creating

a personality that was almost a foil in and to itself. Honestly, Lena found it fascinating and it often left her wondering if that's what also happened to her.

Lena knew she wore armour. In fact, she was proud of how well she wore it. It was a skin forged in the fire of persecution and atonement, hammered in the forge of corporate survival and bound with her will and strength. Lena was even prouder when she threw it away in Kara's presence. It meant that, that second skin had not burrowed too deep to stifle her character. It meant she still had control over herself and it meant she could still adapt and change.

That was why she found herself grabbing her car keys from the bag and turning on the lights. "Won't that drain your battery?"

"Nah." Lena waved off, "I've tampered with it in college." Lena shrugged in lieu of an answer. "Now," she turned back to her companion, "I believe I have some learning to do, oh wise master."

Kara flicked Lena's arm and she went to get her sword. The herculean blade lifted effortlessly in Kara's capable hands, but Lena had a hard time keeping her eyes from drifting to Kara's arms. What took the cake however, was the gleam of longing in blue eyes and she drew the sword; the feeling of emptiness intensifying in Lena's gut.

Even in the dull light, Lena could tell that she sword was beautiful. Kara, probably feeling her awe, gave her a pulled smile as she showed off her weapon, angling it so it caught the light perfectly.

"J'onn made it for me." Kara said, her free hand tracing along the flat of the blade, her fingers running over the ridges of inscription.

"It's a stunning blade." Lena replied, walking up to her companion. What she saw made her smile falter and her breath catch just a little.

"In Rao's Light, We Stand Stronger Together."

"Yeah, J'onn," Kara cleared her thick throat, "he has a way with words."

"And metal work." Lena joked with seriousness. The claymore was some of the most beautiful craftsmanship Lena had ever seen.

Kara chuckled, turning her head and depositing a kiss to Lena's hair. "Now," Kara started, changing the topic with little tack, "draw your sword and stand next to me."

And like that, the master became the student. The Kryptonian style of fighting- Avr'rakwn- was completely different to any of Lena's teachings. It was all fluid where Lena was regimented. It worked from the floor, attacking the legs and body with priority compared to the head. Lena, however, found strange comfort in her failings.

Her tripped footwork would make Kara laugh, the furrow of her brow smoothing. Her akimbo arms reminisced that of a chicken, causing Kara to croon and joke. Her awkward body posture would bring Kara closer, the heat between them simmering but gentle. It was like each of Lena's shortcomings allowed Kara to relax, to focus on something that was leisure- something that didn't matter to anyone but them.

It was strange how Lena found comfort in her failings. It was even stranger that she enjoyed making them.

What wasn't strange, however, was the way Kara's eyes shown with the fabric of the stars above.

Kara made sure everything was in the boot before she shut it, the car bobbing with the sudden force. They had spent hours out here laughing, talking and teaching and honestly, Kara hadn't felt this relaxed in weeks. She felt at peace in her body again, in tune with it needs and centred in her focus. She had forgotten how calming Avr'rakwn could be when out of battle, and Kara found herself wishing she could feel the strain of her muscles or heaviness in her breath. No matter how she wished, she was still denied.

Lena, on the other hand, was not. The CEO seemed to be tired enough for both of them, to the degree when even Kara's own mind felt a bit sluggish.

"Kara, I can't feel my legs." Lena dramatically wailed, laying face down in the trampled grass. "Good!" Kara laughed, jogging over to the hapless woman.

"No, not good." Lena grumbled, whining as she turned onto her back. "We still have a date to continue."

Kara gave pause as she crouched, her brows risen. "Date? We're on a date?" She asked, mock shock in her voice.

A wild arm smacked her shoulder, acting more like a limp fish than a limb. "Fuck you."

"I wouldn't mind." Kara snaked an arm under Lena's armpit, the other wrapping around her legs as she lifted the Luthor into a bridal carry.

She earned another smack.

They walked in silence, Kara enjoying the solidness of Lena's form against her as she steadily made her way over to the car. Once they reached Annie, however, both double took as they assessed the situation. They had managed to forget one minor problem with Lena's vehicle.

The window was still smashed.

Glass, in all shapes and sizes, coated the driver's seat and Lena groaned at the sight, Kara's mind flaring up with Lena's annoyance. Kara, on the other hand, saw an opportunity she didn't want to miss.

Going a little faster than human (and causing Lena to yelp), she deposited the disgruntled Luthor on the glass free passenger seat. With a superspeed burst, Kara rounded the car, opened the driver's door and sat behind the wheel. Grinning manically, she pulled the keys from her pocket (Lena giving them to her was a rookie error) and sparked the ignition.

Kara had never seen Lena move so fast- her seat belt was buckled in a split second and her hands on the dash.

"Tell me you know how to drive?" Lena tried, a shaky, worried half grin on her face. Kara knew it was mostly for show, Lena's emotions gave her away. So, it was with no remorse that Kara switch gear, released the handbrake and slammed the accelerator.

It may have taken them forty-five minutes to get here, but Kara reached the city in a matter of twenty and as a bonus, Lena seemed to have become religious along the way. Slowing down to speeds more suitable to city driving, Kara joined a main highway leading to the inner city.

"Alright my little nun, where too?"

"Remind me to never let you drive me again."

"I don't think I shall, I quite enjoyed putting the pedal to the metal and all that jazz." Kara waved an errant hand.

"Hands on the steering-wheel now, Miss. Zor-El or so help me God-"

"You know, if you don't tell me a destination soon, I'm just gonna take you to the Ambrose Coffeehouse." Kara cut off, returning her hand to it's rightful place.

"No, we ate there last time." Lena huffed, her eyes piercing through the window in thought. "Oh! I know, take a left at the next turn."

"Got it." Kara nodded, speeding up just a little and taking the turn fast, laughing at Lena's shout.

They ended up at their destination smoothly, the ride considerably slower after Lena chewed her out about road safety and "not everyone is impenetrable Kara!" The Kryptonian pulled into an available parking space, shutting the car off and appearing at the Luthor's side before Lena could even unbuckle herself.

Lena got out the car on unsteady legs, her hand darting out to the use Annie for support as she regained her centre of gravity.

"You know, I think you shaved a few years off my life."

"Oh no, we can't have that, Miss. Luthor. What would the world do without your brilliance?"

Kara earned another whack, or at least Lena tired. With a wide smile, she grabbed the offending hand before it made contact and swiftly turned it around. With a quick scan, she took in her surroundings before placing a kiss at each of Lena's knuckles.

"I swear, these hands will be the death of me."

Lena did a quick scan of her own before she drew Kara's head back up and towards her own- a smile on both their lips.

The restaurant Lena had led them to was not what Kara expected. Lena was normally one for Mechlin stars and three course meals, so imagine Kara's surprised as she walked up not one, or two but four flights of metal staircases housed within walls with questionable stains. Honestly, Kara was about to ask if her companion had led them to the wrong place, but as Kara opened her mouth to speak, her jaw metaphorically dropped to the floor.

It was an open air, garden restaurant hidden in the concrete jungle of National City. The place was small, a little cramped but altogether charming. People chatted at rustic looking wooden tables as waiters weaved between them with ease. Above, fairy lights hung in an intricate canopy, rooting themselves to the various plants surrounding the parameter. Lena grabbed Kara's hand, pulling the awestruck woman along to an empty table.

As soon as they sat down, a waitress came over and placed down two menus as she rattled off the chef specials for the day. Kara should have been listened, instead she found herself enamoured with the scene before her.

Lena positively glowed under the string lights. Her cheeks still a little rosy from exertion, her baggy t-shirt doing nothing to hide the curves of her body or the fluorescent nature of her bra. As the waitress left, Lena turned to her and smirked, catching the blonde in her ogling. Kara couldn't find it

in herself to be embarrassed. No, instead she leant a little forward as she shared a sweet smile with the woman of her affections.

Lena bumped their legs under the table, dragging a foot up and down Kara's calf as the Luthor opened a menu. Kara followed suit, doing her best not to react to Lena's increasingly bold actions. With great skill, she focused on the menu in front of her only to come to the realisation that the menu was in Vietnamese.

"Lena, I have no idea what I'm reading." Kara flopped the menu down on the table. Kara heaps of languages, but Vietnamese just wasn't one.

"Well, good thing I do." Lena laughed, placing down her menu. "You do want me to order for both of us?"

Kara sat back into her chair, sagging into the back rest. "Sure. Just know that I'm hungry, I haven't eaten since lunch."

Lena chuckled. "Well, you're doing one better than me."

Before Kara could chastise her best friend for her eating habits, the waitress returned with a notepad and pen. Kara was back to awestruck as she watched Lena rattle off an impressive food order in a language that seemed at home on her tongue. The waitress just nodded along, her eyebrows rising higher and higher the more she wrote. Better yet, the waitress gave them an incredulous look as she dramatically turned over a page on her notepad.

After the last dish was penned down, she put the pad back in her pocket and asked Lena something that made the CEO laugh and shake her head 'no.' With an exclamation of surprise and a practised smile, the waitress left. Kara leaned back in, stealing Lena's attention again.

"What did she ask you?"

"She wanted to know if we were waiting for more people." Lena chuckled. "Little does she know she has a hungry Kryptonian wanting food."

From there they fell into a light conversation about the last few days. Kara had been busy on both fronts as Supergirl and a journalist. She told Lena about the link between Kareev and the Gracía kid and how the murder cases were bearing down on her mind. Lena told her about the new developments in their rubber experiments and the unusual nature of Jess and the appearance of her knew security guard.

That gave Kara pause. For as long as Kara knew Jess, which was as long as Lena knew the woman, the secretary never acted anything like the way Lena described. So, Kara made a mental note to drop by L-Corp. and suss out the situation for herself.

"Do you want me to make sure she's alright? Maybe she'll open up to me because I'm not her boss?" Kara asked, fidgeting with her fingers.

"No, I don't think it'll do any good. I'll just see how everything goes for the next few days before I broach the subject. Maybe she's just going though something?"

The food arrived in plenty and Kara had to actively swallow her drool. There was everything from phở and bánh xèo to gỏi cuốn and bún chả and Rao did it smell amazing. The table was filled with dishes and Kara had never seen such a beautiful sight. Honestly, she'd never been more eager to eat things with vegetables in it.

Lena thanked the waitress before digging in to some gỏi cuốn. Kara didn't waste time. Picking up a soup spoon, she dipped in her phở and took the first mouthful.

She practically moaned, Lena dropped her chopsticks and the next table over ceased conversation. Kara cared for none of that, instead she swallowed and went for another mouthful, etiquette be damned. Apparently, Lena didn't share the same attitude for not a second later the littlest Luthor was clearing her throat, shooting the blonde daggers and trying to get Kara's attention through their bond.

Kara, on her part, knew all of this was happening (she was a superheroine after all), but that didn't mean she complied. Nope, instead Kara took an evermore dramatic bite, munching on a piece of chicken and chewing on the noodles gracelessly. To make matters worse, she looked Lena dead in the eye as she did so. Lena, like the business tycoon she was, held the stare with cold steel, daring Kara to do it again.

Kara did.

Instead of the smack she was expecting (Lena seemed really fond of those), Lena did the total opposite. She picked up her bitten gỏi cuốn and took a massive bite, her cheeks imitating a chipmunk as she chewed. Kara grinned madly, Lena's playfulness melding with her own joy as Kara resumed her meal. Dinner continued as such, Kara making ridiculous sounds as she devoured the food before her and Lena trying to imitate her to the best of her ability. In doing so, the food was finished fast. Kara actually felt full and Lena was groaning with her head in her hands. Apparently, she had eaten too much.

They left the restaurant with happy smiles, their compliments to the chef and a gobsmacked waitress. Without instruction, Kara picked up Lena and bounded down the stairs. The Luthor clutched on for dear life, looking a little green as they finally came to a stop next to the car.

Kara laid Lena down in the backseat, pulling a glare and a pout from her girlfriend as a post feast slumber pulled the Luthor under. After making sure Lena was comfortable and wasn't going to throw up, Kara took to the wheel again, albeit slower. As Kara pulled out onto the quiet street, she had an idea.

Taking a right instead of a left, she joined back on the highway, the wind whistling through the broken window as late-night travellers zoomed by. Kara had missed driving. She hadn't done it in forever (not since she moved to National City, really) because there was no point her owning a car. She could walk or fly everywhere but back in Midvale? Well, Kara was known around town for her revving engine and sharp turns.

That being said, she was always careful.

Taking the next exit, she drove through sleepy neighbourhoods until they eventually came to a stop. Parking Annie, Kara moved to rouse the woman in the backseat. Not wanting to startle, Kara seeped awareness through their bond in hopes of fishing Lena to the surface. The Luthor's emotions where thick and lazy, heavy, so much so that Kara had trouble trying to even create a ripple. So, with a sly smile, she made her way into the back seat as well.

Holding in her laughter (and not at all worried Lena would feel her), Kara put her finger in her mouth, coated it in saliva and promptly stuck it in Lena's ear.

The reaction was instantaneous.

Lena bolted upright, righteous fury burning in green flames and teeth bared in a snarl. In no happy terms the littlest Luthor rubbed at her ear trying to get rid of the wet, and all Kara could do was

laugh. Her stomach almost hurt as if rolled with mirth. Rao, the face Lena was making was priceless- reminiscent to that of a petulant child and Kara couldn't help but wonder if Lena looked like this in her childhood.

With a forceful shove (and some quick manoeuvring on Kara's part), Lena pushed against Kara's chest, causing the blonde to fall back and out the door (which she opened on the way down). Kara landed on her back with a solid thud, the dust of the parking area clouding up around her. Like a beautiful gremlin, Lena popped her head out through the open door, her brows heavy set and her ear red from friction.

"That's what you get. Lay in the dirt, you pig." Lena growled, ire seeping into her words but Kara could feel her underlying playfulness. Sometimes Kara wondered what their relationship would seem like to a third party, especially at times like this.

"Yes, I am your humble pig, your willing servant." With enough drama to put Shakespeare to shame, Kara rolled over into a koutou, her head solid against the dirt.

"You dramatic arse, get up before someone sees you." Lena shuffled out the car, her limbs still laden with sleep.

Kara bounced up with the agility of a cat, landing softly on flat feet and she wiped the dirt off herself. Grabbing Lena's hand, she pulled the stiff body behind her and towards the building they parked outside of, ignoring Lena's questions as to where they were.

The structure was a simple red brick four storey building with an A-frame roof and white boarded windows. Kara had stumbled across it during one of her night time patrols. It was hard to miss during the late hour, much like now.

Bright lights flooded out of closed windows, throwing luminescence onto the dirt car park. The main double doors where held open via small, twin lion statues- their paws pushing against the doors as their snarling faces greeted any newcomer.

Kara could feel Lena's lethargic curiosity settle behind her eyes, almost letting her experience the place for the first time. They walked up sturdy stone stairs in synchronisation, their feet falling in an even tempo. When they got to the top, Kara let her companion lead the way. She wanted Lena to get the full experience.

It was not disappointing.

Lena stood stock still, her mouth fell open and Kara's mind went quiet. Like a falling piano, the blonde was hit with potent wonder and awe as Lena walked further in. The warm lights bathed her form, lighting the brown in her hair as the CEO moved her head side to side in hopes to take in everything at once.

Kara bit back her smile, following behind her companion slowly. Lena turned on the spot, hands coming to rest behind her head in disbelief. Kara eventually made it to her, her smile all but restrained now as Lena's emotions fused with her own.

"How the hell did you find a library like this?"

Kara shrugged, laughing as she took a quick look around. Lena just shook her head fondly, walking away and towards one of the towering shelves.

The place was still as beautiful as the last time she saw it. Every wall housed shelves upon shelves of books. Everything from needlework and children's books to essay's in mechanics and spatial

relativity, and all were beautifully arranged in a spectrum of dazzling, bound, colourful glory.

Books had fast become one of Kara's favourite things when she landed on Earth. When everything was too loud and brazen, she would whole up in her room with a novel. Sure she didn't completely understand all the words and sometimes she'd unintentionally see through the book, but the stories still served to calm her. As a bonus, they also helped her understand human culture.

The building may have been four storeys, but each level was more of in internal balcony than and actual floor. Ornate staircases linked each level and movable ladders leaned on oaken shelves. One of the more dazzling features of the building was fountain near the back. Its marble white form spewed a gentle gurgle of water, the sound peacefully relaxing.

Lena eventually returned from her perusal noticeably more awake. The CEO's mind was a hum of excitement nestled behind Kara's ears (which had steadily grown the longer Lena walked around), causing the blonde to chuckle at the sight of two books already in the Luthor's hands.

"I see you found something-"

"Kara, they have a copy of Einstein's Zurich Notebook on his Lecture of Relativity, in a 1st German translation!" She held up a worn, leather bound book. "This documents his great transition from his 'rudimentary' work of 1905/1912 when he was grappling with accommodating gravitation into his special theory of relativity and into when he made the connection between gravity and non- Euclidean geometry in 1913!"

"Lena," Kara interrupted, grabbing Lena's jumping shoulders, "Lena, you're rambling, Kitten."

"But Kara, I've been looking for a physical copy of this in forever." Lena stressed, holding the books to her chest. "If you had to opportunity to look over Einstein's shoulder for a period of time, this would be when you'd do it."

"Maybe you could teach me a thing or two," Kara smiled, "I still struggle with Earth mathematics and physics. It's be good to understand were the thinking came from."

Lena impossibly lit up further, her green eyes sparkling with the idea of sharing knowledge. Before Kara could kiss the dopey grin off her girlfriend's face, the sound of formal shoes resounded behind them. Lena looked over her shoulder, suddenly freezing, her expression failing and her heart rate spiking. Fear shot threw Kara's gut, turning her stomach and stilling her breath.

Kara's smile fell into something more calming, her expression becoming open and her eyes warm. Lena didn't need to be scared and Kara tried to convey that through her body language. She thought calming thoughts, seeping reassurance steadily into the woman who had subconsciously stepped further into her arms. Kara turned around to face the source of Lena's fear.

Elias Anderson was a man of imposing figure. His long cloaks, intricately carved cane and polish shoes spoke of his status whilst his strong, broad shoulders made him appear large. That wasn't what scared Lena though (and in all honesty, it took Kara a while to get used to it herself). What created such a vesical reaction in the business woman was, in fact, Mr. Anderson's head.

A deer skull. His head was a deer skull (or at least closely resembled that) with horns and all.

"Ah, I see you found something to your liking. That is quite excellent." He rumbled, his jaw moving minimally but his voice was strong and deep.

"Hello Mr. Anderson!" Kara chirped, more to relax Lena further than anything. "Sorry I haven't

been here in ages."

"I'm sure you've been busy." He reassured, pacing a little closer to the pair and only stopping when Lena froze further. It appeared as if he was smiling, which would have been impossible due to lack of muscles, but he suddenly appeared more welcoming then earlier.

Kara felt Lena start to calm behind her. She heard the rustle of Lena's shirt as her shoulders drooped and the creaking of the books as her hold loosened a little. Lena was still wary, Kara could feel her alertness lacing her veins, but she was noticeably less high strung then before.

Sensing the change himself, Mr. Anderson turned more towards Lena. "I'm sorry for my rude behaviour, I don't get too many visitors. My name is Elias Anderson and I own this library." He bowed slightly.

Lena bowed too, following suit. "Lena Luthor." Her tone was a little deeper than normal as she stood up straight. "You have a beautiful library."

"Thank you. It's my pride and joy." He gestured to the room. "Please feel free to grab as many books as you want. Just call my name when you want to check them out."

With a nod, he left them to their own devices, exiting through a side door hidden between the stacks of books. Lena didn't waste time in turning Kara around, the worry in her eyes all but gone.

"What is he?" Lena whispered, her eyes darting around the room.

Kara smiled, placed a kiss to her brow and then stood back. "Firstly, that's rude to ask. Secondly, he's an Osseus from Neer, a planet several galaxies over. I, myself, haven't been there but I've heard it's quite beautiful." Kara patted Lena's shoulders. "Now, go find anymore books you want, I know you finished your novel a few days ago."

Lena didn't have to be told twice. She pushed the books into Kara's arms, darting off and up the stairs to look for more treasures, every now and then shoot curious looks towards the door. Kara, on her part, walked around the bottom floor. Mr. Anderson was a collector of literature and had been so for eons. Neerians lived for thousands of years, making them a great source of knowledge for other species. It also helped that, despite their appearance, the Osseus were mostly peaceful scholars, often acting as council for interplanetary affairs.

"Mr. Anderson." Kara spoke, looking around for the man. Despite her super senses, the Neerian had the ability to sneak up on her.

"Yes?" Kara almost jumped out of her skin as he practically melted out of the shadows. "Geeze Louise." Kara held her free hand to her chest. "Give a girl some warning." "I'm sorry." He sounded anything but. "What did you need me for?"

"I wanted to know if you had anything on empathic bonds in telepathic species?"

A moment passed, Mr. Anderson's hollow gaze looking off into the distance. "Actually, I think I may have something." He turned, motioning for Kara to follow.

They padded across the marble floor, coming to a stop in front of a shelf housing gold covered books. Mr. Anderson gestured to the tomes, "I don't have much on the subject of empathic bonds or telepathic abilities, even less on the relationship between the two. I do, however, have some old Martian, Vorgolian and Lazurali scrolls that could be of some use. Would you like to look at them?"

"Please."

With a nod, Mr. Anderson bent down and pulled open a draw at the bottom of the bookshelf. Dust burst into the air, tickling Kara's nose and making her sneeze. With gentle hands, the librarian pulled out four scrolls, the rolled materials frail but strong looking and all were in faded colours of pastel.

"Now, these are all in their original languages. Do you know any Martian, Vorgolian or Lazurali?" "No Martian or Vorgolian and only broken Lazurali." Kara deflated a little.

Standing up straight with the scrolls in his arms, Mr. Anderson looked down at her. "I can translate them into either English or Kryptonian, if you would like that?"

She perked up instantly, "It wouldn't be too much trouble?"

"Not at all. You'll just have to pick them up at the end of the week." "That's no problem at all."

With that, Mr. Anderson left with the scrolls in his arms and a bounce in his step. Lena trudged down the steps, the thick novel in her arms already cracked open and serval pages in. On autopilot, she walked over to Kara, almost bumping into the Kryptonian's solid form.

"I'm guessing you want that one?"

Lena nodded without tearing her eyes away.

A few minutes later Kara was back in the driver's seat, Lena next to her with her spoils on her lap. This time Kara did drive them back to Lena's apartment. They fell into bed, both exhausted from a long day and slightly dreading the early alarm set for tomorrow.

Lena woke to blaring sound of both Kara's and her ringtones, the force of their vibrating making them dance around their beside tables. With a groan, Lena's unwrapped herself from the waking Kryptonian's arms, annoyed that she had to shift from her cacoon of warmth. Kara rolled over to grab her phone as well, her eyes squinting at the harsh light it cast into the dark room.

With her phone firmly in grasp, Lena squinted down at it, bolting up straight with sudden alertness. With no words, she strode out of bed, answering the call as she started to pace the living room. Her head felt like it was full of cotton, her ears muffled and her heart frantic. The monotone voice on the line droned on, listing things Lena couldn't care less about before getting to the crux of the matter. And when it did, Lena wished it didn't.

The phone fell from her hand, bouncing on the plush rug as Lena fell to her knees in shock.

It wasn't true. It couldn't have been possible.

Memories bombarded her, the floor welcoming her slackening body as she sagged in rampant grief. It wasn't long before another body joined her on the floor, strong limbs pulling her into the safety of Kara's nape. Lena couldn't help it as tears flowed from her eyes, as her nose became stuffy and as her body racked with sobs. It felt wrong to mourn. She wasn't prepared and the feeling of shame for her sadness hit her in the chest. He may have been a murderer, a megalomaniac with bloodied hands, but Lex is her brother.

Was her brother.

God.

Lena burrowed further, Kara's arms tightening as she kept her own tears at bay. Lex had been her world when she was younger. Everything Lena did was in reflection to him. He liked mathematics so she liked mathematics, he liked electronics so she did as well. Sure, they eventually grew apart, but they remained close. They were siblings.

And Lena apparently never gave up hope that her brother would come back to her, no matter how much she convinced herself that she did.

So, it cut and it tore and it wrecked devastation on her soul that her brother was officially dead (even if the brother she knew and cared for died long ago) from something as common place as a heart attack. High cholesterol and blocked arteries had done him in.

Lena let out a dry, wet chuckle.

Kara carded fingers through her hair and Lena latched onto the steady rhythm, looking for something to ground her. Even through her grief, Lena was grateful that Kara didn't try to soothe her or shush her. No, instead Kara joined her and was present if Lena needed her to step in.

Lena fisted the fabric of Kara's pyjamas, the flannel bunching around her fingers as she trembled with despair. She couldn't help but remember her brother's curly black hair and how it bounced as he chased her around the garden. She couldn't help but remember the awe she felt as he showed her constellations and told her stories of fallen heroes. She couldn't help but remember the feel of his solid body between her arms as she clung to his frame, hoping to God that they wouldn't crash the motorbike they had made together.

With each moment, each memory that played like an old film at the back of her eyelids, Lena cried further until her sobs turned silent and her tears dried. What was even worse, however, was the deep shame she felt for mourning the death of a killer.

Kara, ever the heroine, chose that moment to step in. There, at the back of her mind, Lena felt Kara make herself known. The blonde didn't try to make her happy. She didn't try to lift her mood. No. Kara knew how much Lena's grief meant to her. Instead Kara made sure that Lena knew she wasn't alone. That she knew it was alright to mourn, to miss, to be angry and spiteful and hateful and fucking enraged at the injustice of the world.

For that, Lena would be forever grateful. But right now? Now, when the sun lit the sky on fire and the city started to wake to a beautiful day? Lena just wanted to hit something, she wanted to destroy something; to let go of this horrid storm that had started inside her. And Kara, sweet, ever patient Kara, felt the black hole of her mind and just held her tighter.

She didn't let go as Lena started to writhe. She kept her grip as Lena flew into curses and insults in all the tongues she knew, her accent thick and vicious. And Kara only traced patterns upon her back as Lena roared with her uselessness.

Lena wasn't a saviour. Lena wasn't a hero. She wasn't a guardian or a redeemer or a preserver or a good Samaritan.

The fact was that Lena had failed. She had failed to see her brother fall. She had failed to save hundreds of lives and now...now she failed yet again to help her own family, no matter how fucked up it was.

So, Lena's rage burned. It scorched despite the heaviness starting to press on her chest. It seared

regardless of the stench blocking her already clogged nose. It only grew hotter when the view of a pink and red sky was blocked by the shroud of death that followed her.

Yet, despite it all, Lena was putty in Kara's hands as the blonde picked her up gently, cradling Lena into her strong chest as her heat drummed against the Luthor's ears. All Lena did was watch, limp, exhaustion starting to settle deep in her bones.

There was no protest as Kara opened the balcony doors, Lena's personal death moving to the side. There was not a word as they flew up and landed on the building's roof. No sound as Lena found herself sitting on the edge, her legs dangling over the pavement far below as Kara held her with an arm around her shoulder. Even her fear of heights, which had quelled significantly since meeting Kara, didn't dare antagonise her further.

Instead, glassy eyed and cry swollen, they both sat and watched the world below come to life.

Chapter End Notes

Well, Lex is dead and Lena and Kara are grieving.

Also, the resturant they went is a real place but in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). I think it's called the "Secret Garden." Mostly locals know about it and you have to find it. It's hidden in a run down building four storeys up but so worth it. I went there on holiday a few years back (it was a Vietnam/ Cambodia trip) and I highly recommend everyone to go there. Both countries are beautiful and so full of culture.

Facts in this chap:

1. Sound refraction at night vs day: So the day is generally hotter than the night due to the sun. The speed of sound is greater in hot air than cold air because the air molecules are moving faster, thus the sound vibrations are transmitted faster.

Thus, if sound travels from hot air to cold air or vice versa, it will refract, which is most noticeable of a cold night after a hot day.

On a hot day, the air near the ground is hot so the sound waves bend upward and into the cooler air above. It is the opposite on a cold night with the sound bending towards the Earth. This allows people to hear more at night.

Article: http/www.schoolphysics.co.uk/age11- 14/Sound/text/Refraction_of_sound/index.html

2. All the kicks for the first part of the date come from TaeKwonDo. I use to do it (I got to shodan before I quit and moved to boxing). If you want to know how to do the kicks and/or what they look like, here are the links:

Front Kick: https/youtu.be/NXGT2ozKwJc -- He does different types (and I miss being able to do these :'))

Spinning Jumping Hook Kick: https/youtu.be/NkLbn0kQezE -- I used one of these to knock out an opponent once.'

Hook Kick: https/youtu.be/Db098oKgzpk

3. KouTou is a deep bow where you rest your head on the floor. It's Chinese in origin and use for people with great honour.

That's it for facts!

Now, the character Elias Anderson is not mine. He belongs to the manga 'Maho Tsukai no Yome' (The Ancient Magus' Bride). It really good and I recommend it. I'm pretty sure there's an anime out as well, but I haven't seen it.

Anyway, thank you so much for reading! Have a great day!!

Chapter Notes

Chapter 17

Hey!

Sorry it's been such a long time! Uni got a little hectic but it's all good now. :D

I had a bit of trouble writing this chapter because, well, holy hell is it hard writing...that. ;)

Please remember this story is marked as EXPLICIT. ;) ;) ;)

This has been a long time coming (cough cough).

I also didn't proofread hahahaha...

Without further ado, here's the new chapter!

Trigger warning: Attempted Body Mutilation (kinda??)

P.S. Hale, if you're reading this, never look me in the eyes. Thanks, bye.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

"Yeah, Alex...I know, it came outta right, I mean, left field." Kara dragged a hand through her hair, eyes watching Lena as she stared listlessly at the ceiling. They had adjourned from the roof hours prior, Kara had settled the littlest Luthor on the couch and Lena hadn't moved since. Since then, Kara had been on the phone on and off, taking days off work from CatCo., calling J'onn, talking to Jess and now explaining to Alex.

Kara nodded. "Yeah, we're going to the morgue soon." She sighed, taking a tumbler out the cupboard and filling it up with water. "Yeah, the one near St. Augustine's." Kara took a long drink, placing the tumbler down with a clink. Once Alex hung up, Kara started pulling out pots and pans, turning on stoves and pulling ingredients from the fridge and pantry.

She was working on autopilot, her hands and body moving on their own accord whilst her mind was hung up on the woman on her couch. Well, more like the solid, black grieving that Lena was experiencing. Kara's limbs felt heavy with its phantom weight, making her muscles feel hollow with an odd yearning. She could help but think it would be one hundred times worse for Lena.

But it wasn't like Kara didn't know loss.

In no time, Kara was carrying two plates of mushroom omelettes and toast back to the couch. Food had always made her feel marginally better, a fact that Alex exploited often when they were children and Kara was still raw and festering.

That, and eating released the most endorphins second to sex (and crying took a lot of energy).

Placing the plates down carefully, Kara turned to her companion, hands swaying at her side as she looked down. Almost as if summoned, Lena's stare moved from the blank ceiling, gliding until it rested on blue eyes, head lolling to follow.

"Hey, Lena." Kara started, voice soft but strong. Lena needed surety now, not confusion or uncertainty. "I made us some food, it's important that you eat."

With a nod, the CEO sat up slowly, shuffling on spot and taking the plate offered with slightly shaky hands. Kara grabbed her own, the couch dipping as she sat down beside Lena. They ate in silence, arms brushing occasionally as they chewed and swallowed. Like usual, Kara finished eating much faster than her counterpart and Lena, well, Lena could only eat half before she started to sniffle.

Swiftly, Kara took the plate off her lap, depositing them both on the coffee table before scooping the crying woman into her arms. Lena felt smaller, her body shaking with the force of her sobs as Kara cradled her face into the nape of her neck. Kara's eyes fluttered closed, her breath stolen by the force of the grey tar dripping down the back of her mind and seeping into her thoughts.

She shook it off, forcing herself to focus on the woman in her arms and not to fall down the all too familiar rabbit hole. She carded fingers through inky black hair, the rhythm helping Lena focus on something that wasn't her spiralling thoughts. They both sunk into the couch, Kara pulling Lena on top of her as they laid down. The collar of her shirt was steadily becoming soaked with Lena's tears, but each sob became lesser, the time between longer, until eventually all that was left was Lena's steady breathing and Kara running fingers through her hair.

"Do you think you can go to the morgue today?" Kara croaked, her voice stale from disuse.

Lena shifted, long fingers gripping at the fabric of Kara's shirt. "We have to, don't we." It wasn't a question.

Kara nodded, tilting down and pressing a kiss to soft hair. Lena used it as a trigger, all too soon she was pushing herself off the Kryptonian and standing on slightly wobblily legs. Kara looked up at her, taking in the messy hair haloed by pooling, dreary, rain weighted light, and the tremble of her dry lips due to her quivering jaw.

What Kara wouldn't give to take this all away.

But as Kara watched, she noticed how Lena's spine straightened, how her jaw set and how her lips pulled into a strong, displeased line. The mask of indifference fell into place and Kara could feel Lena try to shove her emotions in a box; the angry, blistering reds and gaping blacks muting into warmer oranges and greys. With a final square of her shoulders, Lena grabbed both their plates, disposed of the food and placed them in the sink.

Kara sat up, watching over the backrest as Lena strutted into the bedroom, the door finally obscuring the blonde's vision. She slowly got up, making her way into the kitchen and cleaning up the remains of their meal before following her girlfriend into the bedroom. What she saw there gave the heroine pause.

Lena stood eerily still, her sleep pants low on her hips and her shirt wound around her arms before her as she stared, unblinkingly, out the large windows and at the crying heavens. If it wasn't for her racing heart, Kara would have feared that Lena had somehow died standing. She couldn't even hear the breath expel from her companion's lungs, making her realise that Lena was, in fact, holding her breath.

Kara didn't know if it was because the relationship between higher blood pressure and a higher pain threshold, or if this was a subconscious, innate coping mechanism of Lena's. What Kara did know, however, was that the attempt was futile either way. So, it was without hesitation that Kara crossed the space between them, tugged the tangled shirt off Lena's arms and pulled the topless woman into her embrace.

Lena stiffened- straight as a board- before melting into the familiar mould of Kara's body. To her credit, Lena didn't start crying again. That, however, didn't stop Kara from running her hands down

the expanse of Lena's bareback, cooing lowly in the Luthor's ears and chuckling softly when Lena flinched as she traced over ticklish areas.

"Do you think you can manage to change yourself?"

Lena took a step back, looking Kara dead in the eyes as she shook her head 'no.' Kara understood all too well. In a flash, the blonde ransacked Lena's wardrobe, looking for clothes both comfortable and presentable (lest they get caught by paparazzi). She pulled the collared shirt over Lena's shoulders, swatting Lena's hand out the way as she buttoned up the front. Without prompt, she picked the woman up, deposited her on the bed, stripped off her pyjama pants and pulled on a pair of black jeans- all before Lena could voice a word of protest.

Kara took a step back, admiring her handy work. In short, Lena looked tragically beautiful. A fact that only became clearer when the woman pulled her hair into a severe ponytail, fixed her shirt sleeves and stood up. Kara couldn't help it, she deposited a quick peck to pulled lips, feeling a small smile blossom before she darted off to get changed herself.

Not a minute later, they were both exiting Lena's home, car keys jingling in Kara hand as they made their way to the elevator. The doors opened with a ding, beckoning them forwards into its waiting jaw filled with lounge music. Lena hit the basement level button, the elevator jumping slightly beneath them as it closed and started its decent.

"Can I drive there?" Lena asked, voice thick but strong.

Kara looked over, eyebrows raised as she held up the keys. Lena made to grab it, but the blonde's hold held fast. Lena raised an eyebrow back, tugging again but getting nowhere.

"Are you sure?" Kara looked between their warring hands and Lena's intense eye.

The Luthor sighed. "Yeah." A pause. "I feel like I need to be in control of something in my life."

Now, Kara understood that completely. Without ceremony, she let the keys go. Lena's hand fell to her side as the elevator opened to the cold basement carpark. They made their way over to the Range Rover; poor Annie was still out of commission with her busted window. Settling into their respective seats, Lena kicked the car into reverse and backed out the parking space. Surprisingly, there was no one, paparazzi or journalists alike, waiting for them outside. So, in no time at all, they were out on the open streets of National City, the Range Rover purring beneath their feet and the radio nattering on softly between them.

That was until the hourly news report interrupted the smooth jams. "-and in breaking news, early this morning, the notorious Lex Luth-"

On instinct, Kara jabbed the radio off, silencing the news caster but not missing the way Lena's knuckles whitened or how the leather steering wheel creaked beneath tensing fingers. Kara just sighed and slowly brought a hand up, running her warm fingers over Lena's right hand. The reaction was immediate. Lena's shoulders dropped, her frame slackened and a weathered look settled across her features. That didn't stop Kara from gently prying the hand under hers from the steering wheel.

Lena relented, allowing Kara to interlace their digits, a small smile pulling at the corners of her lips as the blonde deposited a light kiss against her knuckles. Their entrance to the morgue was not as smooth as their exit from Lena's building. For one, at least a dozen reporters loitered around the building entrance like sharks, undeterred at the rain drenching their heavy coats and dripping off their hats. Kara swore lightly under her breath, doing her best to glare at the unwanted attention without actually shooting lasers. Lena, for her part, took a deep breath in, mask falling back into place.

They had made it not two steps before one of the journalist spotted them and it was only a split second before the herd followed him like slightly deranged sheep. As a reporter herself, Kara knew the importance of being the first to break a story, but did these people have no humanity? Was it necessary to hound a grieving woman as she visited her dead brother?

Rao, Kara hoped she'd never become like that- so desperate that morals were more of a guideline then a rule.

With an annoyed grunt, Kara stepped just ahead of Lena, doing her best to shield the woman with her slightly bigger frame. Lena understood the act, but she didn't play along. Instead, she lifted her chin and walked with purpose, every bit a fortune 500 CEO and nothing like a grieving sibling.

They were almost there, the entrance in sight but taunting them over the shoulders of the blood hounds. Well, that was until the ungodly noise of a reviving engine and squealing wheels broke through the torrid of questioning. Everyone instinctively flinched, someone dropped their camera and Kara covered her all too sensitive ears.

In front of them, a matte black motorcycle skidded to a halt, the rubber tires so hot the rain evaporated upon impact. Kara saw the opportunity for what it was. With a steady hand, she grabbed Lena's shoulders and pushed them towards the entrance. They made it to safety in no time, the confusion working to their advantage delightfully.

Once Lena regained herself, smoothing non-existent flyaways and neatening the lack of wrinkles in her clothes, she shot Kara a raised eyebrow, her confusion a welcomed emotion in Kara's system. Without a word, Kara chuckled and pointed over Lena's shoulder. On cue, Alex Danvers, complete in rain beaded motorcycle jacket and heavy boots, strutted into the foyer with a smug smirk.

"Sorry I took so long. Traffic was a bitch." Silence.

Then Lena honest to Rao laughed incredulously. Alex chuckled along, running a hand through her hair before pulling the young CEO into a firm embrace. Kara watched as Lena threaded her arms underneath Alex's open jacket, not caring for the water soaking into her own coat, and smiled. It warmed her heart seeing her two favourite people getting along so well, a fact that was reassured by Lena's own answering happiness wrapping around Kara's chest.

They eventually made it to the main area, both Danvers sisters walking beside Lena with an arm each around her waist. The mortician, Mr. Alanis, greeted them with a warm smile and kind eyes. He ran them through the basics: different processes, funeral homes, whether they wanted burial or cremation and the like. Throughout the whole speech, neither Kara or Alex let go of Lena. Sure, the woman may appear strong on the outside, but Kara knew that this was all really taking a toil on her (and she didn't need to be bonded to see that).

It was in the way Lena held her head. Each explanation cementing the reality that her brother was dead.

They finally made it to the viewing room upon Lena's request. Alex shot Kara a look, but the blonde gave her sister's arm a squeeze. Lena knew what she was doing. So, they followed the undertaker further into the bowels of the building, the temperature dropping steadily with each step. They made their way into a large, cold room lined with in-the-wall drawers. With a nod, Mr. Alanis walked over to the one named L. Luthor and pulled it open.

There he was, in all his deathly pale glory.

He was clean, almost as if he had been freshly bathed. Kara would have believed him to be asleep if it wasn't for the very dead everything about him. No breathing or heartbeat, no fidgeting or the sound of skin moving. Lex, a man Kara looked up to in her youth turned mass murder had finally got his bitter end. Yet, Kara felt nothing but empty.

Lena was a thousand times worse.

Kara was pretty sure both Alex and she were holding most of the Luthor's weight (not that they minded). Lena's emptiness in Kara's chest had become a chasm, threatening to engulf everything around it. She felt aching dryness behind her eyes and her teeth pained with the need to wail Lena's misery. But Kara did none of that, instead she adjusted her glasses and followed Lena's lead.

Alex was the first to speak up. "Has the autopsy been done?"

Mr. Alanis nodded, walking over to a large cabinet and rifling through the draws. He eventually pulled out the appropriate files, handing them over to Alex.

"Yes. Cause of death was a heart attack. He had clogged arteries, almost 90%. It was inevitable."

Lena took the files from Alex, flicking through the black and white confirmation of her brother's death. Without a word, she handed the paper back to the mortician. Breaking out of the Danvers sister's hold, she stepped towards the body. Kara stood in place, grabbing Alex's shoulder to make sure she did the same.

"Can I have a minute alone with him?" Lena voice was hard, sitting at the back of her throat unnaturally.

Kara watched the man fidget under her girlfriend's steely gaze. "Y-yes. I'll just be in the next room over." He pointed to a nondescript door behind him. "Come get me if you need anything."

With a slightly too tight smile, he left, the door clicking shut behind him. That's all it took for Lena's mask to fall. Kara was almost bowled over by the sudden onslaught of Lena's wrath. The woman herself took another short step forward until her thighs pressed against the metal benchtop, Kara could almost feel the cool sensation on her own.

It happened in a slit second. Lena lashed out, smacking Lex across the face, his head lolling to the side. Alex dashed forward to intervene and Kara, well Kara sunk to her knees, legs giving out under her as her vision swam and her stomach dropped. She was powerless against the oncoming vision as she watched her companion throw a fist out, breaking from Alex's grasp.

The first thing Kara noticed was the boiling in her blood. Next was the anger lacing her muscles. Then the curses flying out of her, no Lena's, mouth. Lastly was the sight of Lex, face inches away as Lena cussed him to hell and back.

"Go ndéana an diabhal dréimire de chnámh do dhroma ag piocadh úll i ngairdín Ifrinn!"

Spittle flew from a vaper tongue, landing on Lex's sown shut mouth as if adding more insult to injury. Kara could feel her shoulders protest at Lena's jerky movements, Alex doing her best to hold them back. Apparently, Alex wasn't much a match compared to a woman scorned, for Lena pulled an arm free and wrapped it around Lex's thick neck. Kara could feel herself want nothing more than to squeeze.

"Kara!" She could hear Alex behind her, voice grunting in effort. "What the fuck are you doing on the floor!? Get over here and help me!"

Lena's vision didn't move, her eyes were focused on the bastardisation of her childhood hero before her. Kara could do nothing but watch, taking previse joy at the brutalising of a dead man's corpse.

Lena leaned in closer, her forehead almost touching her brother's.

"I will not mourn you." Her voice deathly low. "I will not grieve." Her body stilled, Alex loosening slightly from the lack of resistance. "You will not have a funeral. You will burn, and I will bury your ashes with the weeds."

With that, Lena withdrew her arm from Alex's grip, straight up, neatened her clothing and took a step back. Alex looked at her before her gaze drifted to the side. Kara realised she must be looking at her body. Lena didn't turn around, instead she spoke again.

"May you never walk in Rao's light. Your body shall be in darkness forever."

With that, Kara's mind reeled, her vision blackened but not before Lena turned. She caught a glimpse of herself laying on the floor, eyes glassy, breathing hyper but everything else eerily still.

The three of them had adjourned to a local diner a few streets away from the morgue. When they had exited the building, both Lena and Kara were surprised at the lack of journalist. Alex just looked at them smugly and stated that they had been 'taken care of,' whatever the hell that meant (Lena was too frightened to ask). That's how they found themselves at the small, slightly run-down establishment.

Too bad Lena didn't feel hungry in the slightest. Rather, she was much more preoccupied berating herself for her stupid actions.

That, and well, she scared herself a little. Who the fuck tries to mutilate a corpse?

So she sat, silent and stewing in detestable thoughts as Kara, who sat across from her, ordered food for the table and Alex, who was next to Lena, kept shooting her little sister worried glances. Lena grabbed the napkin in front of her, the fibres crumpling under her slightly shaky hands, as her thoughts continued to spiral.

What if this was her trigger? What if this was the first signs of madness? She may not be a Luthor by blood, but hell, she grew up one. Was insanity a learnt behaviour? A factor of circumstance? Would she one day plot and plan to kill the one person that had been there for her through thick and thin?

Lena looked up, green eyes piercing as they took in Kara. The blonde was busy in conversation with her sister.

No. Lena knew she would be worse. She had access to Kara mind, for heaven's sake! She could slowly strip the heroine of every thought and memory, dismantling her character until all that was left was rage and confusion. God, Lena had so much power she wondered how Kara could trust her so.

Or maybe she'd go the opposite direction? Maybe she'd idolise her companion to the extent of ownership? Destroy or maim anyone that got close to Kara that wasn't her? Keep the Kryptonian in a gilded cage as a pet?

Lena felt sick.

"I, uh, I need to go to the bathroom." She stood, Alex pulling her legs in as Lena shimmed past.

"I'll come with-"

"No, Kara." Lena almost snapped, her hands trembling now. A deep breath in. "I'm quite alright by myself, thank you."

Fuck, she could feel Kara's confusion panged pain. It coated the top of her tongue, making her feel sicker.

Once the blonde flopped back onto her seat, dejected, Lena made her way to the bathroom. She rushed in, heels clacking on tiles as she locked the door behind her. Almost instantly she was bent over a porcelain bowl, throwing up her meagre breakfast and then dry heaving her would be lunch. Sweat dripped off her forehead and her head ached with running thoughts.

It was after the fourth or fifth heave that Lena pulled herself together. She pushed herself up, hands white knuckled and neck aching as she started to stand. Lena was better then this. She was better then rampant thoughts based of hypotheticals. She had proved herself over and over to others. She stood up to adversity, to bullies, and business men.

Fuck, Lena was going to start standing up to herself.

She pulled out her phone from her jeans pocket, straightening her shirt as she dialled Jess. It was a few rings (normally Jess picked up after first) before her assistant answered, voice surprised.

"Lena?"

It still jarred her a little when Jess used her first name.

"Yes, Jess, hi. Cancel my leave for the next two weeks. I'm coming into work tomorrow." "Understood. Is that all?"

"Yes."

The phone hung up without a goodbye. Lena looked down at the device, brows furrowed but thinking nothing of the short conversation. Pocketing the phone, she cleaned herself up at the sink before making her way back.

Jess didn't even ask how she was.

The food had arrived in the time she was gone. Alex was gesturing widely, confusion written all over her face as she whisper-shouted her concerns at a preoccupied Kara. Kara herself wasn't eating. Instead she was looking between the bathroom door and her sister, not speaking but her face pained.

Only now Lena recognised the frustrated fear drilling at the back of her mind, nerves racing up and down her skin. Lena walked closer, Kara's head snapping to her and her eyes drilling holes with her concern. As Lena walked up further, Alex still gesticulating wildly, she heard a bit of the conversation.

"...seriously Kara, I'm worried about you. You completely shut down there. Your eyes were glazed over and everything! What's happening? Kara? Kara? Kara, look at m-"

Lena cleared her throat, Alex stopping abruptly and turning to face her with a plastered smile. Lena gave one back, feeling a little more reassured in her skin. It was strange to have someone come out of their way to help Lena. Alex didn't have to be here, but still, her she was, clearly worried about her little sister and providing support to Lena.

It was strange to have actual friends.

Lena slid into the booth beside Kara this time, Alex pulled a face at the betrayal. Instantly, Lena sought out her girlfriend's hand, the warm skin under her palm grounding the Luthor in the present. Kara was here. Kara cared about her and Lena cared about Kara. She wasn't going crazy, she's just dealing with trauma. It was normal. It was healthy.

Lena kept repeating that to herself as they started eating. Kara had waited for her and Lena was honestly touched. She even ordered a side salad, which Lena attacked first. Her appetite was sudden, eating anything within reach. Kara laughed as she took a bite of a too big burger, the sauce sticking to the edges of her lips.

Lena couldn't help it. She leaned over and kissed it right off.

"Ew, guys. Really? Right in front of my salad?" Alex huffed, leaning away and into the booth with a pout. Kara winked.

"Should we really be doing that? What about paparazzies?" Kara looked back at Lena. "Fuck 'em. I don't give a damn anymore."

Lena had never received a brighter smile. She couldn't help but feel much better. With Alex, J'onn, Jess and Kara around her, Lena had no chance of turning to the dark side. Of that, she was sure. And if she did, she would have a hard time keeping secrets from someone who could literally feel her emotions.

A few hours and rounds of food later, they had moved from the diner back to Kara's apartment. Alex had busted out the beer and Lena couldn't say no, even if she hated the stuff. Kara raised an eyebrow at the action, but Lena shrugged it off, taking a gulp and instantly regretting it.

Time passed quickly. Between the sibling rivalries and random thrown pillows, Lena never felt more at home. They had dinner, just roast chicken and mash, settling on the couch afterward. Lena had nestled into the crook of Kara's arm, beer long gone warm on the coffee table as she listened to Alex tell stories about stupid DEO missions.

But eventually that passed too. Alex unfortunately had an early start she needed to prepare for, so she called it a night and hugged the two women goodbye, spending extra long on Lena.

"Don't worry, I'm not driving home. I'll leave the bike here and catch a ride."

The door solidly clicked shut behind her, her voice echoing in the hallway as she called 'Maggie.' Lena laughed, shaking her head as Kara smiled at her. Lena wasn't drunk in the slightest, having stopped not even half way through the bottle. It was with little remorse that she poured the beer down the sink and threw the glass bottles (Alex's three to her one, Kara didn't drink) in the recycling.

It was a quick clean up before she decided to retire, Kara having already gone to get ready for bed. The bedroom was a welcome sight. The bedside lamps casting a yellow glow over the sheets made them look more inviting. Lena couldn't resist. With lethargic movements, she sunk into the soft yet firm mattress, eyes falling closed automatically as she nestled on her stomach. There was something about cool sheets against her warm skin that made Lena feel safe, made her feel at home. That, coupled with the fact that the bed smelled like Kara, made the effect twofold. But before she could drift off, the sound of the bathroom door opening and the soft padding of feet roused her.

She could feel Kara's awed wonder lightly running down the back of her neck. Lena met it with

confusion, wondering what sparked such emotion. Her question was answered by the feel of solid fingers running up her back and onto her shoulders, massaging her tense muscles and rendering her boneless beneath skilled hands. Lena only melted further when Kara placed a fleeting kiss to the exposed juncture of her neck, blonde hair tickling her cheeks and pulling a smile from the once sleepy woman.

"Amazing." Kara hushed, lips trailing up towards a cheek, a hand brushing Lena's slowly unravelling ponytail.

Lena pulled her head up, leaning into the affection she so craved. "What's amazing?" Kara chuckled. "You."

With that, Lena turned over, ponytail falling in her face and shirt twisting around her body awkwardly. Kara didn't give her a chance to retort.

"It amazes me that I, Kara Zor-EL Danvers, I'm able to have the most beautiful woman I've ever seen share a bed with me."

Lena smiled, her sudden affection heady as it mingled with Kara's. "That is a sentiment that I return tenfold, dear."

This time it was Lena who initiated it. She wrapped an arm around Kara's shoulders, pulling the blonde down on top of her as their lips met. They couldn't keep the smiles off their faces, turning the kiss into more a meeting of teeth, but they didn't care. Instead, Lena threaded a hand into tumbling blonde locks, pulling at the roots and indicating to Kara what she wanted.

Ever the people's servant, Kara obliged, barring her throat to the onslaught that was Lena's lips, teeth and tongue. Lena could feel Kara's arousal start to build, igniting her own blood with the need to please.

This time, Lena wouldn't shy away.

Kara's body rolled on top of her, pelvis pressing into her hip as Lena bit at the cord of Kara's strong neck. The action pulled a hushed moan from the blonde, the sound getting lost to Lena's hair as the Kryptonian placed a hard kiss to the top of her head. That sound sparked something in Lena. Her fingers started to ache with a need to touch.

So, she let them.

She untangled her hands from Kara's hair, letting the Kryptonian regain movement of her head, in favour of fisting at the back of Kara's pyjama shirt. The fabric was thin under her fingertips, the heat of the skin easily felt through the material. Kara took advantage of her freedom, nuzzling her head down and guiding Lena back into a welcomed kiss. The smiles were gone this time, replaced by furrowed brows and pouty lips.

Lena's hands fisted further, yanking at the material covering Kara's body like it personally offended her. Right now, it was. It was keeping a literal goddess from Lena and that just wouldn't do.

Kara's shifted from her lips to trace her jawline, Lena's breath was ragged with a sudden need for oxygen. Kara benefited from the heaving woman beneath her, for with every inhale, Lena pushed her ample chest into Kara's. A fact Kara showed her appreciation for with a hitch in breath every time it happened.

Lena was about to comment on it when the blonde bit a sensitive spot just below her ear, causing Lena's body to jolt and the fabric in her hands to rip with the yank.

They stopped all movement, both shocked at what just happened before dissolving into laughter. Kara hoisted herself up further, moving from resting on her elbows to resting on her hands, affording Lena a view she would sooner die then forget.

The lampshade light casted long shadows over Kara's form, throwing her features into sharp relief and igniting her hair into a mane of gold. Their mirth subsided as they took in each other. Lena swore that she could feel her affection for the woman above her grow, if that was at all possible. Which it was, because Kara made her own emotions very clear.

It was that strange feeling Lena had been noticing Kara would randomly feel. It was a mixture of fondness, and contentment, and pleasure, and want, and home, and a billion other things that Lena couldn't list or name. But no matter what, this strange feeling was always directed at her.

Involuntary tears prickled at the corners of her eyes but before they could get too far, Kara leant down and kissed them away. Nuzzling their noses together and then pulling back. Before she could go too far, Lena thread her hands together behind Kara's neck, telling the Kryptonian that she didn't want her to move. The blonde understood, holding her odd push up position with envious ease as a small smile pulled at her mouth.

"Do you want to continue this, Lena?" Kara's voice was low, tone gravely with want. "Because if we do, well... I think you know where this is going."

Lena looked into Kara's eyes, laying everything bare as she responded.

"Yes."

Kara feel back into it, her hands everywhere at once, touching and grabbing as if she couldn't get enough. Lena was none the better. Her hands returned to the ripped shirt, grabbing the fabric and pulling it apart further. Kara chuckled into her neck, lifting her hands and ripping the garment off with ease. Lena felt her arousal turn from damp with the casual display of strength into a fucking flood with the amount of skin suddenly exposed.

She groaned, pushing her hands at Kara's shoulders and intertwining their legs. The blonde let them be flipped over, her bare back hitting the soft mattress as Lena got to work. The Luthor didn't waste time trailing her lips down each collar bone, lapping at the hollow of her throat before descending across a proud sternum.

Kara had forgone a bra, leaving perky breasts open to the cool night air. Lena took advantage, kissing her way up a soft mound until her lips where tickled with a beaded nipple. With a Cheshire grin and a quick look up, Lena watched Kara's face as she engulfed the peak in the hot, wet heat of her mouth. Kara's hips bucked into Lena's stomach, the Luthor watching as blonde eyebrows furrowed and hands darted to grab the bedsheets.

Lena grinned, accidently grazing the bud with her teeth. A sudden shock raced down her spine as Kara whimpered.

"Fuck Lena, nnnggh, d-don't stop." That's exactly what Lena did.

She lifted her head up, replacing her mouth with a hand as she watched Kara's face. "So sensitive, Miss. Zor-El."

Kara glared, her face completely red as she brought a hand to the back of Lena's head, nudging her down. Lena obliged, kissing her way to the other breast but not before dragging her teeth under each mound. The buck that resulted was enough to wind the CEO, but that didn't stop her. Instead she took the neglected nipple between her teeth, lavishing it with quick, short strokes of her tongue.

Kara's hand fisted into her hair, grabbing at the roots almost painfully but Lena didn't let up. She just engulfed the blonde further, pulling in as much of the breast as she could and creating a vacuum with her mouth. Kara shouted nonsense above her, legs sliding underneath Lena and falling open.

As if she was waiting for that, Lena let go with a 'pop,' saliva connecting her mouth to the abused yet perfect skin. Without preamble, Lena brushed her hands down Kara's jumping stomach, abs defining themselves as Kara tensed. It was mesmerising feeling such power under her fingers, Lena couldn't get enough.

Pushing herself upward, she took Kara's openly panting mouth with her own, taking the bottom lip between her teeth and pulling. Kara followed, body flexing into a crunch as Lena clawed at the ridges of Kara's defined muscles.

Letting the lip go, Lena watched it spring back to an open jaw. Kara pushed forward, hands leaving the bedspread and instead trailing down Lena's back, settling on her clothed arse.

"How much do you want me?" Lena couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth. Kara's answering squeeze muted her further.

"So bloody much, Kitten." Kara groaned, attacking her neck with bites that would probably mark.

Lena's hands shifted lower, fingers toying at the drawstring of Kara's sweatpants. The heat grew hotter between them, Lena not know where Kara's emotional turmoil ended and where's her begun. It was like a haze had descended over them, their bodies working as one. All that made sense to Lena was the heroine chanting "Take 'em off. Take 'em off" into her neck.

Who was Lena to say 'no?'

She slipped long fingers below the elastic waistband, pulling the soft material down. Lena watched as, inch by inch, flawless skin was revealed. She shuffled along with the garment, Kara staying stock still beneath her as she watched with eyes so blown they were hardly blue. Lena mused, hers were probably identical.

Kara floated the smallest bit off the bed, Lena giggling at the chivalry as she finally took the pants off. She flung them off the bed, not caring were they landed as she leant back on her haunches. Kara was a sight to behold. Lena couldn't remember a time when the blonde looked less composed, and honestly, it was a complete turn on. That, and the fact that she was almost naked and waiting definitely helped.

Lena took advantage of her position near Kara's feet. She picked up the athletic legs, spreading them open and nestling in between. She started slow, running her hands up and down gently from toes to thighs, avoiding the area Kara wanted her most. This continued until she could literally feel the blonde's frustration aching at her jaw. Only then did she started trailing kisses up one leg and down the other.

A kiss to a martial calf, lips grazing over a quivering thigh, a lap at the junction of thigh to pelvis, a nip below the navel, and repeat. Over and over until Kara couldn't take it. Her hips bucked into nothing with every spark of contact, her hands grabbing the headboard in restraint.

"Lena! If you don-"

Kara didn't get to finish. Lena tugged down her underwear without warning, the cloth getting stuck at her knees.

Lena breathed in deeply, the smell sweet. "God, Kara. You're beautiful."

Lena had only spoken the truth. Before her was a trembling Kryptonian, wanting and waiting for her to take care of the slick between her legs. Only now Lena noticed how wet the garment was in her grasp.

The blonde curls of Kara's pubic hair glistened heavily with arousal, the clear desire a little more viscous than a human's. Lena couldn't help but move closer. Kara accommodated, moving her legs apart and ripping her underwear clean down the middle.

Kara was a little different to a human woman. The most noticeable thing was that her clit was more of a rod then a nub, regrowing a few centimetres longer under the attention. Growing more excited.

Lena stopped herself from going any further. "Kara, I want to taste you."

She was met with a buck, Kara's sex waving in front of her face like a prize. Lena stayed still, this time initiating eye contact.

"Kara, I need verbal consent, dear."

The blonde whined, pressing her legs either side of Lena's face, framing her cheeks. The Luthor just waited, not budging no matter how much she wanted to. Kara's need burned through her blood, blazing as a hungry ache low in her abdomen.

Finally, Kara spoke.

"Please, Lena. Rao, please just do whatever you want. I need to be close to you."

Kara felt like she was burning alive. All her muscles simultaneously coiled and relaxed as Lena looked up at her from between her legs. Rao, what wouldn't she give to hold that devastatingly beautiful face, but Kara couldn't risk it. Not with her power so immense and her hold tentative at best.

That's why she was hesitating. So many things could go wrong in so many ways. One wrong squeeze of her thighs and Lena's head would be a burst open watermelon. She lived in a world of calculations and consequences and now, she was here.

Rao, it was everything she wanted. For the first time in years, Kara's body started to feel like it was functioning properly again. She knew it was her genes finally finding relief at coupling with a mate, but Kara's emotional state was more complex. It was as if something was changing between them. Lena felt more solid in her mind, more present in her veins.

Fuck it, Kara craved more.

The image of Lena looking at her with that predatory gleam in her eyes was twisting Kara's stomach in knots. She bucked her hips, feeling her wetness start to drip but she didn't care.

Lena asked again, and all Kara could do was whine. The eye contact was almost too much. It made her feel seen and Kara didn't know how to deal with that while being so exposed. So, instead Kara brought her thighs to gently press against Lena's head, the now messy ponytail scratching at her skin.

Still Lena didn't move.

In a last-ditch effort, Kara let her arousal run rampant. She felt it consume the space between them, the air growing heavy with anticipation. And then finally, Kara broke.

"Please, Lena. Rao, please just do whatever you want. I need to be close to you."

Lena darted forward, and the headboard splintered in Kara's hands. Kara's eyes slipped closed, her

head lolling forward as she became lost in the sensation of Lena's probing tongue licking up her slit. "More."

Kara bucked but Lena grabbed her hips. She tired to still herself, to be a good girl for her girlfriend, but it was fucking hard when Lena made it her mission to tease. Lena pushed further, opening her mouth wide and sucking. Kara wanted to scream, the suction feeling so good and right. She could already feel her abdomen start to clench but she fought it off. She wanted this to last.

Lena let go, humming as she wiped her slick face against a thigh. "You're so wet for me, thank you."

Kara's body rolled with the appreciation. Lena chuckled, hot breath ghosting over Kara's exposed clit and making the blonde moan. Lena shifted then, bringing her hands to Kara's sex and spreading it open with her long fingers. The blonde couldn't look away. She couldn't help but watch Lena's hungry look as she attacked her prize.

Lena wasn't playing anymore. A hot tongue licked broad strokes on Kara's engorged clit, making her legs twitch involuntarily and her breath heave with raging pleasure.

"Fuck Lena. Harder. Please. Harder." She bit out into the warm room, her whole body tense.

Lena sucked the rod into her mouth as Kara shouted to Rao himself. She felt fingers run tight circles around her entrance, her hips bucking with abandon as she used Lena's face to get off. To grind. The pressure was almost bursting. Kara knew she wouldn't last. With a flurry of movement, she hoisted Lena up, kissing her properly as the Luthor replaced her tongue with her hands.

Lena pulled back, four fingers flicking and pressing her clit heavily. Stroking. Kara bit into the still clothed shoulder in front of her, needing somewhere to channel, well, everything.

"You're doing so well, Kara." Lena fisted a hand in her hair, pulling Kara firmer against her. "You're so good, Darling. You feel so good."

The pressure swelled, Kara rocked faster as Lena tried to keep up. Tighter. Tighter. Tighter. Tighter. Until, like a spring snapping, Kara broke.

She tore her head away from Lena's shoulder, hands following suit to grip the headboard as her body quivered and trembled with the force of her orgasm. Lena's hands still worked, guiding her through the onslaught of pleasure as Kara's mind failed to function.

It took a while for the Kryptonian to recover, Lena coaxing and whispering sweet nothings in her ear as Kara's breathing finally regulated. She felt loose, bones made more of jelly then calcium phosphate and collagen. Her head was buoyant, Lena's sticky hands holding her up as her mind was

saturated with bliss.

"How are you feeling?" Lena whispered, biting at her earlobe playfully. She was high off Kara's orgasm, having felt the climax herself.

"Like I've ascended the mortal plane."

"Na-ah." Lena pulled Kara into a tamer kiss, causing the blonde to moan at the sweet taste of her cum. "Not so fast Casanova, you have to help me ascend as well."

Just like that, Lena found herself flipped and pressed into the bed, mouth occupied, and hands pinned to the pillows. It was like a spark, the very idea of making Lena feel good had given Kara sudden energy. She ravished the CEO, their noses knocking as Kara turned her head this way and that, finding any and all angles to assault Lena's mouth.

Dragging down, she bit at Lena's sticky jaw on the way to mouthing at that lovingly corded neck, paying particular attention to that one beauty spot that sat dead centre. Lena moaned filthy, wrists straining against Kara's hands, causing her to push her down further.

Kara nudged the collar of Lena's shirt more open, suckling at each new fragment of skin exposed, reddening in both excitement and attention. She wanted to go further. Taking the button that was rubbing against her chin into her mouth. She bit clean through the thread, revealing the top of Lena's breasts and a hint of the lacy bra she'd seen that morning.

Kara repeated the action twice more until three buttons sat on her tongue. She spat them out, indenting the wall with three small holes she couldn't care less about. Especially when Lena laid exposed beneath her.

Without further ado, Kara let go of Lena's wrist, growling when the Luthor tried to move them. Using a little superspeed, Kara unhooked Lena's bra straps and then unclasped her bra. Pulling of the garment without taking off Lena's shirt, Kara threw it over her shoulder. Free from their cage, Lena's breast sagged a little, spreading out with gravity.

Kara found the sight mesmerising. Her own chest was too small to really be affected by gravity, so it was with fascination that she gently cupped Lena's mounds. They were impossibly soft as Kara traced Lena's imperfect areolas, the wrinkled skin smoothing out on its own accord. Kara watched as nipples stiffened to attention. They weren't very big, but by Rao did Kara want to suck them.

So, she did.

She bent down, engulfing the puckering skin with a sinful tongue as her fingers traced the barely visible veins under Lena's translucent skin. Kara felt hands jump to the back of her head, fingers getting caught in her hair and pushing her face further into the soft pillow. They both moaned, their pleasure shared as Kara grazed with her teeth.

With a tug to her hair, Kara let herself be pulled into a wet kiss, moaning when Kara's bare chest met Lena's own. It wasn't long before Kara found herself back with her obsession, lavishing attention to the neglected breast. Only after nuzzling to her heart content (having pushed Lena's breasts together and burying her face much to Lena's amusement), she placed a kiss to the thundering heart below her.

Pulling back just the slightest, she watched Lena's face as her hands played with the last buttons of Lena's shirt. Lena met her head on, Kara feeling no discomfort from her companion and taking Lena's lack of comment as a green light. With deft fingers, she ripped each button off for continuity

sake. Lena laughed, rolling her eyes and Kara could help but try to eat the sound.

Rao, she would never tire from the feel of Lena's lips on her own.

The Luthor shrugged off the useless shirt, quickly pulling the Kryptonian on top of her.

"Holy fuck." "Bloody hell."

They both exclaimed, giggling at their shared wonder. The action brought forth hitched breathes as Lena's saliva slick chest slipped against her own. With a pleased grin and a quick nip to Lena's pleasure tense jaw, Kara slid down.

Kara could feel Lena start to tense the lower she got, but Kara trusted the CEO to tell her to stop if it got too much. Not hearing any protest, but still monitoring their link closely, Kara placed a light kiss to Lena's navel.

Rao, Lena body was so impossibly soft in the best ways. Kara could spend hours just marvelling but she wouldn't tease the woman like that. Still, that didn't stop her from nuzzling at the gentle swell of Lena's tummy.

"Rao, Lena. I could rest here for days." Kara underlined the statement with a nuzzle.

Lena tensed, the muscles underneath clenching as Kara traced reverent hands all over.

Lena pushed at the blonde's forehead, trying to direct her further down. "God, Kara. Hurry up." "As you wish."

She could smell it now, the thick musk of Lena's arousal thick in the air. Like a woman possessed, Kara pawed at the button of Lena's jeans, the CEO assisting her. With haste, Kara hooked her fingers around the waist of both the pants and Lena's underwear, pulling both down and clean off in one movement.

No preamble, Kara went straight in. She hoisted Lena's legs over her shoulders, spreading the woman deliciously as she ran a hand through the bush of dark, course hair before her. The reaction was immediate, Lena's hips bucked, seeking out the pressure she so craved.

Kara's jaw hung open, the musky scent of Lena's sex coating her tongue. Fuck, she ached to taste, her tongue already hanging out. With sure fingers, Kara ran a hand through Lena's slick. The Luthor was positively soaked and Kara had never felt prouder.

Through her exploration, much to Lena's whimpered delight, Kara found that bundle of nerves she was looking for. Lena's legs jumped with shock, Kara took it as her cue to dive in.

"Fuck. Oh my God. Yes. Kara. Yes."

Kara's mouth worked tirelessly, jaw perpetually open as a talented tongue abused Lena's clit. She hummed at the verbal affirmation, feeling her own core clench at the words. The vibration's pulled a buck out of Lena. Kara hummed again, smiling.

She brought too fingers up to Lena's entrance, gliding through the soaked labium with ease. She coated her fingers with the wetness, enjoying the squelching sounds of the movements. Lena showed her appreciation by hooking her legs around Kara's head, heels digging into the blonde's scapula.

She traced around the entrance, fascinated at the way Lena's inner muscles clenched at nothing every time she got close to entering.

Having enough, Lena roughly grabbed at Kara's head, pulling her impossibly closer.

"Damnit Kara! Fuck me! Please, just f-fuck-"

Kara double timed her tongue, the muscle positively vibrating as she entered Lena with two fingers. "Yes! YES! Hnnnggh - That's it!"

Kara hummed, and Lena threw her head back, hands leaving Kara's hair and instead gripping the mangled bedsheets. The blonde started slowly, sinking until she was two knuckles in before pulling out just as slowly.

Lena groaned above her. Kara hummed again, making the Luthor tense. It was strange feeling an almost double sensation. Lena's pleasure was so present in Kara's mind that she felt her own core tighten in response.

Honestly, that just spurred her on.

She moved her fingers faster and faster. In. Out. In. Out. Over and over, thrusting through steadily clenching inner walls while fighting off her own pleasure. Lena hips bucked uncontrollably grinding harder and harder as Kara's tongue grew more relentless.

Kara felt the beginning of Lena's walls fluttering before the Luthor was pushing her away. It all happened so fast, one minute Kara was attacking the ridges on Lena's front wall and the next she was watching as Lena's thighs quivered and Kara's chest and face got steadily soaked.

Holy fuck.

Kara didn't expect that. She definitely didn't expect to see Lena's hips rutting into open air as she squirted her release. It was only a few seconds before Lena was lying back down on the soaked covers, body still randomly racking with shocks.

Kara also didn't expect that the fact that she, herself, came to getting Lena off.

She was only pulled out of her reverie by the sound of Lena's shaky voice.

"I'm s-so sorry. I didn't expect to d-"

Kara silenced her with her mouth, Lena moaning at the taste of herself and the wetness on Kara's skin.

"You have nothing to apologise for. That was fucking hot."

Lena nodded, more preoccupied trying to get Kara's mouth back on her. They spent some time making out, both too sensitive to go again so soon. But eventually they decided to go take a shower and change the sheets. As much as they wanted to sleep then and there, it was starting to get sticky.

Showering was almost impossible, however, especially when they were too preoccupied trying to take each other against the wall without slipping. Their newfound closeness was some thing they want to explore.

Thoroughly.

Chapter End Notes

I'm going to hell, aren't I?

Things mentioned in Chapter:

Higher blood pressure VS Higher Pain Threshold:

Basically, higher blood pressure is thought to increase a person's physical pain threshold.

Journal: Sacco, Meschi et. al (2013), "The Relationship Between Blood Pressure and Pain." DOI: 10.1111.

PDF: https/onlinelibrary./doi/epdf/10.1111/jch.12145

The Irish Gaelic that Lena says, "Go ndéana an diabhal dréimire de chnámh do dhroma ag piocadh úll i ngairdín Ifrinn!" translates to "May the devil make a ladder of your backbone while picking apples in the garden of Hell!"

I just thought is was funny and hardcore. :P

If your ever interested on how a mortician works, there's this really awesome youtube channel here:

https//user/OrderoftheGoodDeath

She's really good at explaining what they do and she answers questions!

Thanks so much for reading and waiting! 'Till Next!

Chapter Notes

Chapter 18

Hey hey!

Geeze, it's been a hot minute, I'm so sorry. '/

Since updating this story, life's been a little hectic and this story was just not cooperating, but I gave it my best! :)

Five members of my extended family have either died or been killed since the last update, so I haven't been in the best mood to write (but it has made me eternally grateful to my parents for moving us to Aust. when they did.) That, and my Microsoft Office has finally expired, so formatting may be a bit different haha. :P

(Soz for being a debbie downer.)

Anyway, onwards to the story! Same deal as usual! Please enjoy!

(Also, sorry to those comments I haven't yet replied too, I'll get to it after I posted this!)

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Lena roused with the rising of the sun. The feel of soft sheets and the warmth of Kara curled up into her were gentle reminders of last night's activities. The soreness of her limbs and the bruising and bites all over her body were less gentle, but no less welcome. She shifted slowly, relishing in the delicious ache as she shifted into her girlfriend.

A grin grew unbidden on her lips as Lena took in the sight of a sleeping Kara. The blonde's face was smushed into the Littlest Luthor's chest, warm puffs of air batting against her exposed skin with each of Kara's breaths. Their legs were tangled, Kara's wrapping around and in between hers. One of Kara's arms was awkwardly positioned behind her, a position that mustn't have been comfortable, and the other was draped over Lena's stomach, the hand resting below the navel and just touching dark curls.

Lena blushed.

The duvet had been kicked down, uselessly covering their ankles and leaving their bare bodies exposed to the cool room. Well, at least Lena assumed it was cool, for the raging furnace that was Kara was doing an excellent job as a space heater.

Kara mumbled in her sleep, face somehow nuzzling upward into the nape of Lena's sore neck. Lena craned down, placing a kiss against a messy hairline adoringly. What she didn't expect was for a sleep dazed Kara to follow her, leading to a surprise kiss and sleepy chuckles.

"Mornin' Sunshine." Kara mumbled, the words lazy on a loose tongue and eyes still closed

"Morning Beautiful." Lena whispered, lifting a hand and cupping a sleep warmed cheek. "What has Supergirl so tired this morning?"

Kara cracked an eye open, lips curling. "Well, Miss. Luthor, I believe that would be you."

Lena blushed despite herself, kissing the crinkle between blonde brows. Lena could feel Kara waking up, her emotions going from the blended haze of sleep to the deep colours of wakefulness. It was like a slowly leaking dam, for with every moment that Kara became more cognizant, Lena was flooded further and further with warm, squishy feelings that had a habit of stealing her breath.

It wasn't like Lena wasn't matching each emotion punch for punch though, 'cause she definitely was. Over the past few weeks, Kara had become integral to her life. She had moved from a reference that Lena had a concept of, to a footnote, to whole damn chapters in Lena's internal monologue. It was a frightening thought, but Lena wasn't scared in the slightest. She would dedicate entire books, hell, libraries to the woman in her arms because Lena knew, without doubt, that Kara was worth it.

So, it was with great remorse that Lena started to untangle herself from her alien space heater. Kara, predictably, protested the movement. Steeling her arms into a gilded cage, Lena soon found herself pinned under a body of chiseled muscle.

"Where are you going?"

Lena brushed aside the blonde hair tickling her face, meeting confused yet mischievous eyes. "I have to start getting ready for work."

"I called Jess yesterday, you have a few days off."

"I actually called her back and told her I would be coming in."

Kara's brow furrowed. Lena could feel her protest building.

"Lena, I hate to say this so bluntly, but your brother died two days ago."

She tried to hide her wince. "I won't use his death as an excuse to take more time off work." Lena cut in, authority seeping into her voice.

"It's not an excuse." Kara reasoned, leaning down and placing a kiss to Lena's strong jaw. "You need proper, stress-free time to grie-"

"I will not grieve." Lena bit out, punctuating the statement with an iron will and a nip at Kara's lips.

Kara pulled back, chests apart but hips still pressed as she appraised her companion. Lena didn't let up. She needed Kara to understand that this was what she wanted. Lena had made a promise to herself, she had given herself her word . It would mean nothing if she couldn't keep it.

It didn't take long for the impromptu stare-off to end. Kara closed her eyes and fell back into the CEO with an oof, face pressed into the side of Lena's face. The Luthor turned her head lightly, pressing her cheek against soft blonde. Kara copied the action until their cheeks were pressed and Lena couldn't keep the smile off her face. She knew she won.

"You know, sometimes I hate stubborn you are." Kara's lips tickled her skin.

Lena just hummed, enjoying the pressure of the Kryptonian on top of her. Kara shifted again, kissing her temple and then whispering.

"How long do you have before you have to go?"

Lena looked at the bedside clock. "About two hours or so."

Kara nipped at her ear. "Perfect." A pause. "Just, there's...ah... there's a tradition I wish to perform-" "Alright."

Kara looked taken aback, jolting back and looking Lena dead in the eye. Lena had to fight back the grin.

"You don't even know what I was going to say!" "I trust ya, sugar bug." Lena teased.

"Sugar bug? Really?"

"Yeah, nah, I'm not feeling it."

"Thank Rao."

Fifteen minutes later found the dynamic duo out in Kara's living room, sitting on the floor facing each other in nothing but the skin they were born in. It was odd, they had been naked together since yesterday and Lena had felt nothing but comfortable, but now, out in the open without the distraction of lust and libido and the help of gravity, Lena was feeling a little self conscious.

Kara must have read it in the way Lena sat up straight, puffed her chest out and sucked in a breath. That, and she must have felt in it in the undercurrent of self loathing Lena was experiencing as she tried to hide her stomach with nothing to hide behind.

It wasn't that Lena didn't like Kara's seeing her rolls. God, Lena knew that Kara loved her soft tummy if the amount of hickeys around her navel were anything to go by (it was only second to her chest). It was more that Lena didn't like the way she could feel her own stomach folding in on itself. She hated the sight of the muffin top and the way love handles creased as her thighs flattened against the cool floor.

"What do you need, Kitten?"

Kara's voice was soft and Lena could feel her raw sincerity. The Luthor knew Kara wasn't judging her or pitying her. No, instead Kara was letting her acknowledge what she was feeling and letting her deal with it without pressure. So, Lena took advantage of the question, asking for a pillow and hugging it to her stomach.

She instantly felt a million times better, falling back into comfort and mirroring Kara's relaxed position.

"Now, pray tell, why are we out here?"

Kara took to the new topic without so much as a blink. "It needed to perform this ritual in a room that doesn't smell of sex."

"Oh?"

Kara hummed. "Yeah, 'cause I'm gonna get up into your personal space during this. I thought it

would be better to curb any... desires before they could take route."

Lena adjusted the pillow, crossing her legs. "And what exactly will you be doing?" "I thought you trusted me?" Kara mock pouted.

Lena leant forward, taking a strong hand into one of her own. She could feel Kara's playfulness but goddamn that pout.

"I'm joking!" Kara was quick to amend with a squeeze. Lena raised an eyebrow. "Alright, fine." Kara started to play with the Luthor's fingers. "It's tradition for a couple, after their consummation, to perform a type of aftercare for their mate." Kara wiggled forward, reaching out and taking Lena's other hand. "Because our matches are chosen for us and our bodies compel us to, well, try to have an heir, most mates don't initially know each other that well outside of the bedroom."

"I thought you knew who your mates were a few years before you were bound?"

Kara shook her head. "No. Some are lucky to find out that their future mate is a friend of theirs, but the matrix only creates a match a maximum of a year before the year of marriage." Kara placed a kiss to a pale hand. Lena slipped the hand out of the warm palm, opting to instead caress a blushing cheek.

"Why? That's hardly a lot of time to get to know someone."

"Hence this tradition. Lorivi is meant to help strengthen the bond between mates. Marriages, bonding in and of itself, was performed to achieve something. Be it power, knowledge or status. Love was never a factor."

"That sounds horrible."

Kara shook her head, Lena's hand falling to a broad shoulder. "No, no it wasn't, it's just different. Love was something fostered after marriage. The Matrix was a good matchmaker."

Lena had to take Kara's word for it, even if the concept didn't sit right with her. It was almost easy to forget that the blonde wasn't human. Not that Lena didn't know Kara had powers or came from a different planet. Hell, Kara was painfully alien sometimes with her odd wording and idioms and random knowledge and crazy intelligence. Furthermore, Lena had experienced Krypton herself. She'd lived through Kara, walked through the streets and fought with friends.

But she had always viewed everything through the lens of humanity (even if she wasn't fully human). Lena had human morals and ethics and Kara, well, Kara had her formative years on a totally different planet.

Sure, she acclimatised to Earth, but whatever she learnt was in conjunction to her preexisting moral framework. It was like building a house that already had the first storey done, then changing styles and materials for the next storey. The building was functional, it stood and provided shelter, but the windows weren't perfectly aligned and the colour schemes didn't match.

"Alright, let's do this."

Kara beamed, depositing a kiss of Lena's cheek before darting back into the bedroom. Lena didn't have time to miss her, for with a rush of air, the blonde was back with her spoils. In her excited hands was a bottle wrapped in a plastic bag. The CEO watched as Kara carefully unwrapped it, the smell of camphor slowly filling the room and urging Lena to take bigger lungfuls of air.

She couldn't help but lean forward to get a better look. "What is that?"

"This," Kara held up a slightly oily honey jar, "is some camphor oil I made last week." She unscrewed the cap, titling the jar to her companion and letting Lena get her fix.

"Last week?"

"Yep," Kara pulled the jar back. Dipping two fingers into the oil, she coated her hands thoroughly, "I had a feeling, so I made some just in case."

She winked and Lena laughed.

"Am I that predictable, Miss. Zor-El?"

"Hardly, Miss. Luthor." Kara chuckled. "Now, do I have permission to touch you." There was no doubt. "Please."

Kara started with the neck, strong fingers massaging the oil into the base of Lena's skull, dispelling any tension. The Luthor's jaw fell forward as Kara traced lymph nodes down, outlining the upper trapezius and coming to rest at the rhomboids. Kara had almost pulled Lena into a hug now, the younger woman's eyes closed and jaw slackened as she lent a forehead on Kara's shoulder.

It continued much the same, Kara pouring oil on her hands and massaging each muscle in silence. She could feel Lena fall further and further into calm, all prior troubles were just dots on the horizon now. With a steady hand, she removed the pillow from Lena's lap and placed it down behind her.

With a light push against a shoulder, Lena lay back, head resting on the pillow and her eyes - more a startling blue then green- watched her intently as Kara started on her feet. The blonde didn't miss the way Lena's hands rested on her stomach, but Kara didn't comment as she pressed defined calves with the heels of her palms.

Coupling with Lena had definitely been an experience. Sure, Kara had... researched and had a few mortifying (for Alex) conversations with her sister, but nothing had prepared her for the intensity of last night. That's why Lorivi was a necessity. It allowed Kara to check in on her companion without any ulterior motive.

Kara wiped her hands on a towel, enjoying the way her skin felt warm and soft with oil. Lena sat up slowly, picking up the bottle and pouring a teaspoonful of oil into her broad palm.

"You don't have to do this."

Lena shook her head with a smile. Kara conceded to Lena's earnestness, staying still as the Littlest Luthor started on her forearms. Lena worked her way all over her body. Even though the massage didn't so much for Kara, she enjoyed the pressure and closeness.

Afterwards, they made their way to the shower, careful not to slip on the wooden floor. They spent time cleaning each other, rinsing off excess oil and running hands over smooth skin. They eventually progressed into washing each other's hair. Kara took advantage of the soap suds, modelling the fluffy bubbles into an imitation of a beard and sticking her hair into an approximation of a greaser.

"Careful, Miss. Zor-El, or I might just prefer you with a beard." Lena laughed, wiggling her eyebrows as she rinsed dark locks.

"Oh yeah?" Kara pretended to stroke her bubble moustache. "Well then, maybe I'll grow one." Lena did a double take. "What a minute, you can do that?"

Kara flicked Lena's forehead. "Of course not, silly."

They ended up running a little over time, getting lost in conversation and laughter. Lena's skin was a

beautiful red flush as she darted out the bathroom. Kara watched as Lena pulled on a business suit, chuckling as she ran out the door with a quick kiss.

Kara zipped around not long after, tidying up the apartment and packing a blue button up and some maroon dress pants before flying off to work. Her phone chimed as she touched down, cape whipping around her shins.

With an email off to both Snapper and Miss. Grant, Kara was off again. Detective Sawyer had texted. Kara was needed at the docks for an apparent emergency. The short wording, settled anxiously in Kara's stomach.

The emergency was definitely apparent as Kara located the good detective after changing. The area was frantic with spooked looking people either walking with purpose or cowering in groups. Kara jogged a little faster, careful to look human, before she stopped dead in her tracks.

Bile, like a vengeful flood, clawed at her throat. Kara's mouth flooded with saliva in preparation as she tried to breathe. In, out, in, out.

Rao, and today started so well.

With slightly shaky legs (she cheated a bit by floating a centimetre off the ground as she walked), Kara walked to the detective. As if sending her disgust, Sawyer ended her conversation with a fellow officer before turning around. The detective looked as good as Kara felt.

Sawyer looked pale and slightly green. Her hair was sticking out at odd angles from her ponytail, a tell tale sign of her worry. There were tremors running up leather clad arms and her hands, which were in her pockets, were twisting and fiddling.

"I know." Detective Sawyer's voice was strained as if she was just a thread away from losing it. "It's pretty grim."

Kara may be at a loss for words, but 'grim' was so far removed from the situation that Kara felt like laughing. Afterall, 'slaughter' couldn't be spelled without 'laughter.'

Kara turned to the crime scene, wincing at the display. One thing's for sure, they found the missing body parts.

She walked up, leaving the good detective behind as she approached the police tape. Taking in the scene, Kara tried to not let it affect her, but it was easier said than done. In the main harbour traffic area, now bordered off with police tape, was an image that would haunt Kara for years to come.

In all its ghastly glory, haloed by morning light, stood an effigy of grotesque proportions. The horrific creation was impaled on a spike driven into the ground. It was almost surreal how the missing body parts were arranged and assembled to form a creature worthy of nightmares.

And, proudly, at the centre of the chest, in a holed out cavity of gore, sat the head of one Maxwell Lord.

His eyelids were stitched open, milky eyes eternally staring right at Kara as his mouth was stitched into the crude impression of a toothy smile. The blonde couldn't look any longer. Averting her eyes, the Girl of Steel squared her shoulders and clenched her fists, journalist stachel swaying at her side.

Swallowing hard, Kara walked closer. With a quick look Sawyer for permission, she ducked under the police tape. She didn't have to look to notice the lack of stench. There was no horrible heaviness of decay. Matter of fact, the effigy smelt strangely clean .

With a quick glance in front of her, Kara came to a halt. The revolting entity stood before her, her brown loafers just a step away from the motelled feet of Hung Phan. With another thick swallow, Kara finally looked up to take everything in.

It was so much worse up close.

Each separate body part was stitched with the utmost care . The stitching was neat and tidy as if the

killer took time with their work. As if they were proud.

The different races of the victims created a patchwork of different skins, each section of victim clearly distinguishable from the next. The mutilated body parts weren't arranged into a humanoid shape, however. The arms, one from Shah and the other from Lancaster, were placed where the head should be. The arms bent forward unnaturally, hands coming to a rest on the body of Lancaster and placed as if they were pulling the chest cavity open.

Lancaster's chest was missing her breasts and Phan's torso was castrated, each wound left gaping but dry of blood. Phan legs had been cut off and then restitched on backwards, both knees shattered and then bent the wrong way.

All of this was run straight through with a metal pole, the top protruding between the arms.

Kara looked back to Lord's head, only now noticing the odd look of his teeth. It was almost as if his teeth were too...small.

Kara recoiled, stachel falling off her shoulder as she took hasty steps back. Child's teeth. That was Gracía's teeth shoved into the mouth of a bigot.

Kara scrambled back, snatching her satchel and then fast walking back to Detective Sawyer. She wasn't met with words, instead a chilled bottle of water was shoved into her hands. Kara took greedy gulps, trying and maringally succeeding in curbing her urge to hurl.

Once the bottle was done, the empty plastic being slowly crushed in her hands, did Sawyer speak.

"Kara, if you need to leave, I won't hold it against you. You still have the card I gave you? The one for Dr. Linda Martin?"

Her voice was soft, understanding as a strong hand was placed on the blonde's shoulder. It was just what she needed to ground herself. Lena's emotion's had perked up as soon as she made it back past the police tape. It was on the Luthor's strength that Kara hadn't bolted to the nearest alleyway and taken off into the sky.

Now, with Lena's presence and Sawyer's worry, Kara shook her head, took a few deep breaths and pulled on a mask.

"I'll be fine, Detective Sawyer. It just caught me off guard, is all."

The detective, for her part, did not look convinced in the slightest. Kara could read it in the squint of her eyes and pursing of her lips. Still the shorter woman conceded and let go of the Kryptonian.

"Call me Maggie. After something like this, I think we're on a first name basis by now."

Kara gave an airy chuckle, no mirth behind the sound. "Maggie it is."

With that, Maggie turned back towards the crime scene. Her hands once again fisting in her pockets.

Kara didn't turn back around, knowing her limits.

"I hate to say this, but there's only four victims here plus Lord."

Kara's stomach dropped, her head sagging. "There were five murders."

Maggie turned to her, face troubled. "Yeah. So, that poses the question, where's Newscott's skin? And why the fuck is Maxwell Lord the apple in this very wrong pig roast. I didn't even know he was missing."

Kara snapped her head towards the detective, eyebrows furrowed. Lord had gone missing weeks ago. Mr. Smith had stated as such as he barged into Lena's office. Wasn't notifying the police the first thing you do if someone goes missing?

Kara didn't voice any of those thoughts. No. What she really wanted to do was get as far away from here as possible. But, with a sigh, the reporter pulled out her notepad and a pen and started to jot down all the details she recalled. No time like the present.

It had taken a few hours, between interviewing a few witnesses (mainly the commuter that was unlucky enough to stumble across the scene first) and trying to bat off both tabloids and newscasters alike, Kara was beyond exhausted. She needed time to process. To understand and compute what she had seen that morning, but Kara didn't have that kind of time. Blood was in the water now and Kara, as both reporter and civilian consultant, was the only one with enough information to set the story straight early on.

That was how the blonde found herself wrapped in a fluffy blanket, a pot of Earl Grey on the coffee table and fingers tapping away on a new article.

"Business will carry on as usual gentlemen. Meeting adjourned."

With that, Lena stood from her seat and started gathering her documents, watching her board members' backs as they retreated from the room. Only one remained seated, files already clasped in his hand as he waited for his boss.

"You don't have to wait for me, Radley."

Radley gave a wry smile. He made of show of shifting further into his seat, solidly rooting himself in his spot. Lena chuckled at his antics. Once everything was in order, she gave him her full attention.

"I'm guessing you want to speak to me?"

"You guess correctly. Must be because you're a genius." Burt clipped, waving his hands dramatically.

"Har Har, very funny." Lena crossed her arms. "Now, what is it?"

Bradley played with his fingers, taking a breath. "Well, first off, I wanted to give you my condo-"

Lena held up a finger, immediately cutting her CFO off. Radley looked shocked but not surprised. Instead, he just ran a hand through his styled hair and nodded. Happy that he understood the silent warning, Lena lowered her hand.

With another nod, Radley started again. "Well, besides...that, um, I wanted to bring to your attention an anomaly in our expenditure."

Lena perked up as Radley shuffled through his file, finding the correct document and handing it over. Lena took it, eyes scanning the page until she landed on the highlighted section. Her brows pulled low, reading and rereading the information.

"I didn't authorize any shipments from a dock in England." Lena looked up from the page. "I closed all our labs in England so they would be searched and combed through for anything nefarious."

"Hence the anomaly."

"Did any of our partnering companies order anything?"

"No. I looked through that already. Never the less, you would have to approve a shipment first." Lena nodded, picking up her stuff. "I'll look into it, thanks for bringing this to my attention, Radley." "Anytime, Boss."

With a small smile, Lena was out the door and heading back to her office. During the meeting, Kara's emotions had been an utter mess. Honestly, Lena was surprised that she didn't have a vision. She had a few close calls. Her stomach had dropped and she felt that tell tale tingle down her spine, but she fought it. She didn't even know she could fight it, but she did and it worked.

Small miracles.

God, imagine if she went into a vision during a board meeting.

Instead, Lena focused her attention of grounding her girlfriend as she listened to her board bicker. Whatever happened really rattled the Kryptonian. Lena's palms had turned clammy in sympathy and the back of her mind was in a right riot. On top of that, her throat felt thick as if she wanted to puke.

Lena hurried into her office, dropping her files on her desk and turning the television on. Kara never reacted like this unless it was something horrible . Horrible things had a habit of finding their way onto the news, especially if Kara was concerned.

Where Lena expected a Supergirl incident, she found instead a news reporter describing a crime scene whilst standing in front of five pictures. She took in each one, her frown growing deeper as she took in how young they looked. That frown was wiped away with surprise when she was greeted by a picture of Lord.

Lena turned the volume up and listened. By God, she wished she didn't. With every detail Lena absorbed, she felt sicker and sicker. She brought a clammy hand to her mouth, the other wrapped around her stomach as she kept listening.

Fuck, Kara had seen that? This was her murder case?

Lena knew that her companion was working with the NCPD, hell, Lena had helped Kara debrief whenever she got back from the police department. She knew the names of the victims, she knew what was done to them but she had always felt removed. Her horrors were confirmed as the news anchor read each name out one by one.

Turning the television off with more force than necessary, Lena beelined to the bathroom. She splashed water on her face, not caring as her collar dampened. She gripped the edge of the sink to ground her, breathing deep and steady. Kara didn't need her to freak out now.

Fuck, she could only imagine how confronted Kara was.

Matter of fact, the blonde was strangely quiet now. The blonde's emotions were like grey sludge, thick and vicious. Lena closed her eyes, concentrating in hopes of feeling Kara better, but it was useless. Kara was numb and the CEO hated it.

Lena definitely didn't blame her, though.

With that, Lena made up her mind. She strode out the bathroom, plucking her coat off her chair and went to open the door. Only, the door opened before she could grab it. Forced to take a step back lest she get hit, Lena took in her unwelcome visitor and promptly froze.

Unwelcome indeed.

"Close your mouth, I raised you better than that." "Mother."

Lillian Luthor strode into the room like she owned it. Taking in her surrounds down the tip of her nose, she glowered. With a clenched jaw, Lena closed the door and turned to face the unwelcome witch.

"What do you want?" Lena bit out.

Lillian had the nerve to tut, turning to face her daughter with cold eyes and formidable height. Lena straightened, her walls up and posture all but stiff. They hadn't talked since Lex's trial, a fact Lena enjoyed.

"Is that how you talk to your Mother, Lena?"

"Well, if I ever met her, I'd let you know."

Lillian remained stoic, the retort rolling off her like water off a duck's back. Lena didn't say any more as she started back to her desk in calm exasperation. Silence settled like mist on the moors. Thick, stifling and obscure, Lena breathed deeply as if to expel it. She sat stiffly.

Lena crossed her legs slowly, her back straight against her throne as she lifted an eyebrow. Lillian lifted her own in response and Lena felt her ire rise. The silence continued, growing thicker and thicker until, surprisingly it was the Luthor matriarch that broke first.

"Where is he." A demand from viper lips.

A dry chuckle. "Who?"

Lillian took a threatening step forward, Lena's fist clenched under the desk, calves tightening. This was so out of character. Lena knew her mother to out stare a fish. So, the fact that she conceded her power of silence and that she wore her emotions on her shoulder (a sleeve was too obvious for the witch), spoke volumes of her mental state. Lillian was here as a last resort, and Lena, well-

Lena was going to have fun tearing her down.

Lena plated both feet on the floor slowly, enjoying this change in dynamic. With a crude smile, she waited. It didn't take long.

"Where. Is. He?" A clenched jaw and another step.

Lena steepled her fingers, smile growing wider. " Who? "

A few steps more, heels digging into office carpet loudly. Lena leaned a little back, refusing to raise her head. Lillian placed her hands on the oak desk, manicure like square talons on whitened fingers.

" Don't make me ask again, Lena."

The rage wasn't even hidden now. As if a cloak had been torn off, Lena noticed how unLillian her mother was. The coathanger she used as her shoulders had snapped, the rode of her spine was dented and her feet were less than shoulder width apart. To top it off, from this near Lena could finally make out the red rimming Lillian's eyes.

There was no power in the woman before her. No. In the shoes of a tyrant stood a woman beaten from mistakes of her own making. Lillian's legacy had crushed her and now her foundation was cracking with the death of her son.

Lena revelled in the rubble.

The silence was not taken to kindly. In a blink, Lillian's fist lashed out, a ring catching a plump lip and drawing forth a well of red. The Littlest Luthor felt her head snap to the side, yet her hands still remained at steepled before her. Lillian was not trained in combat, as told by the bend of her wrist, so Lena let her have one strike. In fact, she took the opportunity to not be facing Lillian to whisper under her breath.

"Stay where you are, Supergirl."

Instantly, Lena felt Kara's rage thicken, the heroine's protective instinct running doubletime as Lena looked back at her mother. Lillian was rubbing her knuckles, eyebrows so low that her eyelashes greeted them.

"Where is my son!?"

Spittle flew as Lena pursed her lips, the cut seeping blood between her teeth. Lillian shook before her. All Lena could do was smile with naturally straight teeth dressed in blood.

She felt slightly manic as she spoke. "Oh? Lex? Why didn't you say so?"

This time when Lillain lunged, Lena saw it from a mile away but still did nothing to stop it. The pressed, wet collar of her dress shirt crumpled in white knuckled fists. Lena was jerked forward, pulled from her seat and hovering over her desk. Lillian took full advantage of her height as she loomed over her daughter. The heavy table dug into Lena's stomach but still she smiled wider at Lillian's fury. Seeing the woman lose composure was giving Lena a magnificent thrill.

"Where is my darling son you bitch!?"

"Ash and dirt by now, Mother." Lena spat out, blood splattering against a shocked face, the lie like silver on her tongue.

Lillian punched Lena squarely in the face, her head snapping back again. Unwanted tears welled with the stinging numb of her nose but Lena still chuckled as Lillian withdrew.

"Honestly, I'm surprised it took you so long to get here." Lena croaked, voice gravelly. "Now get the fuck out of my face."

Lillian didn't deemed her with a response. Instead, the older woman straightened her clothes, rubbed her knuckles and stormed from the office. Lena was quick to call security downstairs with half a mind to berate them, but instead she instructed them to make sure the witch left the building.

Supergirl landed on her balcony, her worry back in full force, laced, in no small part, with anger. Lena turned, fa ç ade gone as her face threw a riot. Kara looked harraged, the light in her eyes haunted with seen horrors as she hurried through the door. Lena closed her eyes at the feel of feather light fingers tracing around her face as if to catalogue damage.

"Why did you stop me, Lena?"

The words were hushed, soft; a welcome reprieve from the shouting of earlier. Lena basked in the warmth of Kara's thick worry, enjoying the way it blanketed her lungs as she was pulled into the comfort of a hug.

"I needed to confront her on my own." The words bumbled out, her lips swollen and cheek hurting with the movement. Kara threaded a hand through dark locks absentmindedly, humming her displeasure. "She does something to me, I think her anger affected me more then usual."

"But she hurt you." Kara pulled back, tutting as she took in the damaging. "Nothing I've hadn't had before." Lena brushed off, withdrawing from the hold.

"That doesn't make it right, Lena." Kara's arms dangled by her side, unsure. A beat. "You could have handled the situation better."

Lena's jaw clenched, a hot retort like venom on her tongue. Kara must have felt her ire. The hero flinched as if struck, causing the CEO to loosen her shoulders in realisation. Kara wasn't to blame for this.

The fact of the matter was that Lena was caught off guard. She didn't have time to prepare for the confrontation (even though she should have seen it coming). That lack of foresight drove the littlest Luthor into a corner, backed her against a wall until all the words that spilled from her mouth came from a place of pain. And, by God, the pain that Lillian inflicted was deep and biting.

Lena wanted to hurt Lillian.

She deflated further, turning away from her companion and towards the drinks table. Lena hadn't acted like that before, especially towards her mother, but it was like Lillian's presence was more oppressive than before. The witch's manic energy had somehow filled the room, leading to Lena's slightly deranged display.

The sound of heavy boots gave Kara away as she followed. The deliberate steps like a metronome, each 'thud' drilling with a little more self loathing. Lena took a napkin off the table, bringing it to her mouth as a sudden breeze brushed against her back. Kara was back in a second, a tumblr full of water in hand and the other out in askance for Lena's napkin. Lena handed it over. With a small smile, Kara nodded towards the couch.

Once settled on the white leather, Kara dabbed the cloth in the water and brought it to Lena's face. "This may sting a little."

Lena nodded, chuckling. Kara's smile widened, wiping at the drops of blood on the Luthor's chin before dabbing gently at the cut lip. It didn't sting so much as ache, but all the same, Lena kept it to herself. The pain was hardly harsh enough to transfer to Kara.

"She hit harder than I thought she would." Lena groaned as Kara finished. "At least it'll heal fast." Kara placed a chaste kiss to Lena's hurt cheek. "Nothing like a woman angered."

"Scorned. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." Lena corrected, leaning forward and resting her forehead against the blonde's.

"I didn't know Lex was already cremated."

"He isn't." Lena sighed heavily, nuzzling her nose with Kara's. "He will be in an hour though, I'll be picking up his ashes tomorrow."

"Why did you lie, then?" Kara voice was soft, her worry blooming like a flower bed between them.

"I don't know." Lena lamented, dropping her head to a broad shoulder. "I don't really want to talk about it." Kara nodded. "How are you holding up? I saw what happened."

She sighed, lifting Lena's head with careful hands. "With a vision?"

"No. News."

"Thank Rao for that. I don't think I'll get the image out of my mind." Kara deplored, leaning back and putting the used glass and cloth on the ground. "It was horrible, Lena. I don't understand how anyone could be sick enough take pride in that."

"And apparently Lord was a victim too?"

The confusion was shared between them, but Lena's boarded more on concern. What was going to happen with Lord Tech. now that their CEO was dead?

"Yeah. I was shocked. We knew he was missing , but I didn't expect someone with that much influence to be targeted."

"Maybe that's what drew the bulls-eye on his back? Lord, much to my irritation, has- I mean, had a huge following of loyal consumers." Lena got up, unable to sit as her mind whirred. "And who's going to take over now?"

Kara shrugged, brows furrowed in thought. "It'll most likely be his CFO, they'll be most qualified as interim CEO. Honestly though, it depends on the board."

"True. You said the killer was targeting people in relation with alien friendly workplaces?"

"Yeah, that's the common thread. I just don't understand their motive. What do they wish to achieve?"

"We'll just have to wait and see." Lena sighed, feeling a headache coming on. If it was a result of the punches or the change in competition, she didn't know. What she did know, however, was that something was looming on the horizon and Lena didn't like it one bit.

"The police had no clue." Kara added.

"I think we need to pay Mr. Smith a visit." "Can that wait for tomorrow?"

Lena hummed affirmative.

Kara hurried into the CatCo. building with great haste, report ready and proofread burning a hole in her satchel. She had worked like hell, writing in a daze as she relayed the facts and figures that Maggie let her. The murders had put the city into high alert, and Kara, like Arul on his mission from Rao, had a piece of truth to quell the rumors. Or, at least she hoped it did.

Miss. Grant herself was pacing her office, the tumbler of mm's in her hand steadily emptying as she popped one after the other. Kara strode in. The report wasn't even properly out her hands before the media mogul took it, eyes darting across the page behind thick cat-eyed glasses. She must have read it a million times over, each second ticking by making Kara more and more nervous. That was, until-

"This is why you're my prot é g é ."

With that, Miss. Grant took residence behind her computer. Grabbing the electronic copy of Kara's article, she posted it without preamble; the enter key playing the herold. If it was good news or bad news still remained to be seen.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Miss. Grant took off her glasses and massaged her temples. Kara stood stock still, slightly reeling from the massive compliment she was paid. Prot é g é? Had she heard that right? Sometimes super hearing messed up and she would hear a mishmash of different conversations (but that usually sounded like a garbled mess and not actual words .)

"Come now, Kiera. Off you go." Miss. Grant shooed her off.

Kara took the chance, heading for the elevator and promptly running into the cardigan clad body of Winn. He rebounded a bit before Kara caught him by the biceps. His cup of tea wasn't so lucky. The lukewarm drink slipped across the tiled floor, the liquid breaking free into the rigid nature of the grout lines.

"Ya know, you didn't have to run into me to get my attention." Winn ribbed, picking up the paper cup.

Kara fiddled with her glasses. "Sorry, Winn." She grabbed a few tissues off a nearby desk, "I know how much you like raspberry and pomegranate tea." Kneeling down, Kara made quick work of the mess. "My head's been a little scattered lately."

"I bet," Winn waved it off as he helped her up, "with the case and all. God, that must have been horrifying." A moment of silence. "Gee am I glad I'm just the IT guy."

Kara chuckled. "Just the IT guy my arse. You're head of the IT department."

They shared a smile, both heading towards the elevators. They were lucky enough to snag one for themselves, Winn hitting the third floor button as Kara hit the roof.

"Up, up and away?"

Kara nodded, taking off her glasses and rubbing her eyes. "Yeah. I have the rest of the day off. Snapper hasn't given me any new assignments and, well, you already know how my morning's gone."

Winn just nodded, pulled a piece of gum out of his pocket and handed it to her with a demure smile. Kara took it with a raised eyebrow.

"Gotta keep you mentally sharp." He joked.

Kara grinned, shoving the gum in her mouth and humming at the minty flavour. Supergirl landed in the DEO ten minutes later, taking her time to enjoy the carefree weightlessness of open skies before arriving in the cold concrete of government. It was busier than she thought it would be.

Immediately finding Alex at the main console, Kara saddled up next to her sister as she took in the main screens. Alex greeted her with a kiss to the temple, which Kara returned, before turning back to the blinking machines.

The majority of the screens were occupied with various social media and news feeds. Kara's very own article flashed passed briefly. What she did notice, however, was that the onslaught of pages and words were all in common with the murders. Or, more importantly, its impact.

"What are we monitoring, exactly?" Kara turned back to Alex, watching her put down a pencil she was fiddling with.

"The murder." Alex was curt, almost exasperated sounding.

Kara raised her eyebrows. "The murder? As horrible as it is, it's under police jurisdiction. All victims were human."

With a sigh, Alex answered. "There's been a surge of alien related chatter on the internet." she gestured to various screens. "Thanks to your article, the mindless chatter has now turned to speculation. We're on standby in case things go south on an alien related front."

Kara knew her sister didn't mean to sound accusing. The reporter was just doing her job and Alex knew that, so Kara took it on the chin. Folding her arms, Supergirl took in the bustle around her, noticing the worried glances of a few agents.

Alex returned to playing with the pencil, unnecessarily watching the screens as they flashed. With a quick swipe, Kara grabbed the writing utensil and threw it (lightly) at a pencil holder, grinning when it landed perfectly inside. Focusing back on her sister, Kara took Alex by the arms and directed her towards an empty room, much to the agent's protests.

Away from prying ears, Kara brought her sister into a strong hug. Alex welcomed it. The way her arms grabbed at Kara's shoulders telling the heroine that something was wrong. And Kara, who was not one for subtlety, decided to ask outright.

"Talk to me, Alex. What's happening?"

The eldest Danvers shook her head. "Nothing, Kara. Just tired."

"Lies." Alex tried to break out the hug, but Kara kept her caged, arms stiff but not bruising. "Nup. You're not getting out this hug until you tell me what's wrong. And don't make me carry you to my apartment to get the pillows, 'cause you know I will."

Alex chuckled but the sound sounded weary. The silence stretched on a little longer, Alex trying to wiggle her way out of her bindings until she realised it was futile. With a sigh, she finally spoke.

"Honestly, it's probably nothing and I'm just overreacting...but I feel like you're not telling me something and it's really eating at me."

Kara swallowed. Her heart started to pound as she took in the words. She hadn't meant to make her sister feel like this. Kara had kept her bond a secret because she had always kept it a secret. She never told anyone, not her mother or father, not aunt Astra or Uncle Jor-El. It had become common practice, something she didn't share because she didn't know how to share it.

That train of thought just grew deeper when she arrived on Earth. She was already an alien (even though she thought of the humans as the aliens). She was already different to her new family, why would she want to isolate herself even more?

Obviously, that type of thinking to didn't pertain to Alex anymore, but now it was too late to just reveal something like this. That fact that she made Alex worried (and maybe even a little hurt) changed things.

Before she could respond, however, Alex spoke again, the silence having gotten too much. "It's just... I had to find out from an article that you met Maggie-"

"I thought she would have told you?"

"She said that she didn't want to freak me out that she was working with my sister. She also said the same thing about you."

Kara sighed. "Honestly, I didn't tell you because I didn't know if you wanted me to work with your crush... and now that I'm saying that out loud, I hear how stupid it sounds."

Alex hummed in approval. "But that isn't the only thing." She pulled out of the hug, slightly surprised she had been let go. "You passed out at the morgue and God, Kara, you really scared me. But, for some reason, you just brushed it off as if it was no big deal. I don't know if I missed something or-"

"You didn't miss anything." Kara cut in quickly, hands waving between them. "It's just...there's something I haven't told you but I can't tell you just yet...?"

"Are you telling me or asking me? And, what the hell, Kara? What do you mean you can't tell me yet?" Alex's voice was getting higher and higher with every question, her hands starting to gesture.

"It's just...I have to... inform?...yes, inform. I have to inform someone else first before I say anything."

Alex just started gesturing harder. Kara started to panic. This was not how she wanted this to go.

"Dinner!" She exclaimed, startling them both to a standstill. Kara took the opportunity. "Tomorrow. I'll tell you then."

Alex huffed, folding her arms and cocking a hip. "Okay, fine. Tell me at dinner." A pause. "You better not be pregnant or something. I'm not ready to be an aunt."

Kara felt her face burn as Alex left the room. Rao, what had this day become? It started off so well, and now look where she was. Sighing, Kara walked out the room too. If there was nothing for her to do here, then she might as well go on patrol.

It was only a minute into flight before she was forced to aid a helpless Mardolovian. The green little man was being beat up behind the bumpsters of an aging restaurant by a pair of human thugs. Honestly, she wondered why people still committed crimes of this nature? Surely they knew they couldn't get away with it.

Landing with heavy feet on the rubbish littered pavement, she gathered the attention of the assailants. Only giving them a second to take in their mistake, Kara dashed forward and subdued them both without so much as a breath. They fell to the floor to the chorus of the Mardolovian thanking his saviour.

Mardolovians were one of the few species that still retained singing as the main way of obtaining a mate, thus their vocal cords were some of the most evolved in the near galaxy. They spoke in multiple tones simultaneously, so, to Kara, it sounded as if both a choir and a soloist were speaking to her from one person. It was odd, but she she enjoyed the way even spoken, albeit broken, English sounded like a melody.

The little man expressed his gratitude in an almost whistle register. Kara smiled, accepting the thanks but brushing off the praise. When she asked him why the attack happened, the happy trills fell into the sombre timbre of a dirge. The minor notes were filled with awkward accidentals as each stately word made Kara more and more worried.

Apparently the attack was random and unprovoked. It wasn't an unusual occurrence, unfortunately, especially for people outwardly non-human. What worried Kara, however, was the anti-alien rhetoric. It wasn't the usual "get off my planet" or "you don't belong here" slander. Instead, the Mardolovian stuttered with irregular off-beats that he was called a "murderer" and was beaten because one of his 'buddies' had the gall of using humans for art.

She thanked the man, making sure he was alright before letting him go to choir practice. Her unease deepened, the feeling stewing at the bottom of her stomach, mixing with acid and thickening her throat. It didn't take a genetic scientist to see the correlation between the murder and this beating.

Kara could almost feel the general anxiety of the National City population rising. She could literally smell the pheromones of fear wafting in from the busy street, the contagious scent making people wary. Kara took off gently, drifting just above the buildings, weaving around tall skyscrapers as she listened in on the chatter below. It seemed that the news had affected everyone. News channels played the story on repeat, tabloids embellished the news and the people ate it up.

The heroine spent hours up there, intervening when necessary. By the end of patrol, Kara had stopped quite a few beatings in the same vein as the first. On top of that, she had heard thousands of microaggressions towards the general alien population.

Rao, Kara really hoped this didn't surmount into something extreme.

Changing back into her 'Kara Danvers' getup, she wearily walked a block to a Spanish restaurant. The festive decor helping soothe some of her fraying as she bought paella. The walk over to L-Corp was uneventful, a fact that Kara was eternally grateful for. It was near dinner time now, night having descended as Kara was up in the clouds.

With the hot food in hand, Kara made it to the L-Corp. lobby. She expected to be let through with a friendly smile, but instead she was stopped by security. All was fine and good, only if it wasn't odd.

Xavier knew Kara well, often letting her pass after a quick frisk. But Xavier wasn't here. In his place was another man, but there was something about him that Kara couldn't quite place. He seemed oddly familiar, his face sparking something at the back of Kara's mind, but for the life of her, Kara couldn't figure it out.

With little hassle, Kara picked up the takeout and headed up to Lena's office. The building was mostly empty, everyone having gone home already as Kara walked out onto Lena's floor. With a knock, she entered the spacious office, smiling at the bobbing head of one Lena Luthor as she wrote furiously.

"Jess, you know the rules. You should've gone home by now."

Kara smiled at the misidentification. "Well, if it's any consolation, I think she finally listened to you."

Lena's head whipped up at the sound, confused, before a smile stretched across lipstick bitten lips. Kara walked forward, placing the food on the CEO's desk before leaning over and kissing Lena's bruised blue cheek.

"Now, only if the CEO herself followed her own rules," Kara leaned down again and kissed a busted lip, "that would be something."

Lena hummed. "If she did leave, then who would make sure this company stayed afloat?"

"I'm sure she could think of something." Kara started to unpack the containers, "she's a genius after all."

They shared tired laughs, settling in around the table as they dug in. The food steamed in the cool room, Lena's windows doing little to keep out the chill. They ate in content silence, Lena dropping grains of rice onto her shirt and Kara trying her hardest to not let it affect her. They polished off the food in record time, both hungry from the tiring day.

Kara stacked the empty containers as Lena sighed, holding her stomach contently. Kara could feel Lena's satisfaction making her muscles lethargic, her limbs relaxing. Kara enjoyed the warmth of it as she stood from the visitor's chair, skirting around the desk and falling (carefully) into her companion's lap. Not wasting time, Kara grabbed the backrest and promptly trapped her girlfriend between her arms as she straddled her.

Lena raised a devilish eyebrow, hands already sliding up and down muscular thighs. "Oh? What do we have here?"

Kara bit her lip, a slight bout of nerves making themselves known, but she kept the feeling at bay. "Stress relief."

Lena cocked her head to the side. Her hands travelled further up, slowly untucking Kara's shirt as she talked. "Stress relief? Why would I be stressed?" As is to prove a point, she yanked firmly, pulling the last of Kara's shirt free. "Business is good, I just had an amazing dinner, and I have a beautiful woman on my lap. I don't see any stressors here."

Kara hummed, leaning down and nipping a rice grain off Lena's white shirt. Chewing around the tiny morsel, she spoke. "Well, I can think of a few things." She found another grain of rice. "You're mother being in town." Lena groaned. "The unknown CEO of Lord Tech." Kara placed a kiss to a furrowed brow. "I bet the fear in the city itself is also affecting you all the way up here."

"You can feel it too?"

Kara looked down, stopping her kisses to Lena's hairline. "I can smell it, but you can feel it?"

Lena nodded sagely, fiddling with the buckled of Kara's belt. "I just feel weirdly keyed in to the people around me."

Kara rubbed a hand up and down Lena's bicep, enjoying the way the CEO's material bunched and stretched. "Okay, so there's that." Kara's hand shifted lower, carefully untucking Lena pressed shirt. "And Alex is coming over for dinner tomorrow."

Lena stilled, Kara zipper halfway down as she looked confused. Kara was confused at Lena's confusion.

"Why would that make me stressed? Alex has already seen me threaten a dead body, I don't think it could get much worse than that." Lena hand started to move again, playing with the elastic of Kara's

boy shorts. The Kryptonian started gently rocking her hips, looking for a source of friction as Lena's fingers evaded her attempts.

"Well, on the topic of the morgue. She, uh, she knows that we're keeping a secret from her." Lena stilled again. Kara groaned, dropping her head and cursing her bad decision making. She really did not want to be talking about her sister as she tried to romance her girlfriend. "So, I'm, I mean, we are kinda telling her about the bond tomorrow night."

Lena stiffened, her heartbeat drumming against Kara's ears as the blonde felt trepidation pull at her nerves. Lena's mouth opened like a gaping fish, no words coming out before she could finally croak:

"Actually, now that I think about it, stress relief does sounds like a good idea." Chapter End Notes

Ohhh, lots happened! Lillian's in town, the body parts are found and the killer is still illusive. These poor girls need to catch a break!

Things mentioned in chapter:

1. The mouth is one of the fastest healing parts of the body! The skin is thin and the area is very vascular. https//3-reasons-why-your-mouth-heals-faster-than-other- parts-of-your-body/

2. Chewing gum can actually help with cognition, especially for tasks with constant monitoring. https//releases/2013/03/130308093933.htm

3. You can literally smell fear. There's a pheromone people secrete in their sweat when they're scared. Human's can pick on the scent subconsciously, and that can raise anxiety. https//science/2008/dec/03/fear-smell-pheromone

Chapter 19

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Lena clutched the urn tighter. Frankie asked no questions as he drove out of the city, the car kicking up dust as it sped down dirt roads. She shifted again, unable to find a comfortable position knowing that the entirety of her brother was ash in her lap.

Lex had been cremated last night, as per Lena's instructions (she paid extra). She had picked him up before opening hours, happy with the lack of life, journalist or otherwise, that greeted her. There wasn't so much as an ally cat scampering passed as Lena hustled from the crematorium to the heated car, the brass urn freezing her already cold hands.

Frankie grimly nodded at her vague, stuttered instructions to drive her an hour out of the city in any direction. With true professionalism, he turned up the heat, kept the partition open (Lena prefered it when it was just the two of them) and revved the engine. Lena did her best not the look out the window, not wanting to know where they were going.

She was going to bury Lex's ashes somewhere far and unknown to her. He deserved to be lost to history. He would have no grave and even Lena wouldn't know where he was buried. It was for the best. A monster like him deserved to be forgotten.

Eventually, she placed the urn on the seat next to her, buckling it in least it tople and get Lex everywhere. She could really go without breathing her brother in every time she wanted to go somewhere. Frankie morbidly chuckled, his eyes sadly twinkling in the rear-view mirror as he shared a smile with his charge.

Lena pulled out her phone, sighing at the ungodly amount of emails she needed to shift through. Without much to do, she typed away with one hand as the other restlessly tugged at her now too warm scarf. Frankie turned the heat down.

Kara was sleeping. They had parted ways after dinner (and subsequent defacing of Lena's workplace). The heroine had been up most of the night, stopping the sudden spike in crime that was happening all over the city. Kara's exhaustion sat heavily in her eyelids. That, compounded with the restless night Lena had herself made staying awake a tiring endeavour in its own right.

She stifled a yawn, eyes squinting behind her glasses as she tried to read the newest report from Mrs. Sakurazaki. The cars were ready to be released to the public, having passed all safety examinations and deemed roadworthy. Lena smiled, excited. It was excellent news. This was her first major invention and collaboration since becoming CEO and what an invention it was.

Lena typed away, agreeing that they should get volunteers to put the cars through the paces before properly releasing them to the general public. Exams, as good as they were, couldn't properly emulate real world use. So, with one final tap, Lena agreed with Mrs. Sakurazaki that Etajima would host the 'soft release,' the smaller population making it desirable.

Lena was only able to answer a few more emails before the car pulled to a halt. Her pale hand instinctively shot out to steady the urn, sighing with relief as the seat belt held firm. Feeling a little stupid for her over reaction, Lena unbuckled herself, grabbed Lex, and got out the car before Frankie could open her door. He looked a little put out, his hand flopping back to his side as he stood awkwardly, adjusting the hat he insisted he'd wear.

With a demure smile, Lena took hold of the lax hand and hooked their arms together. Frankie adjusted accordingly, perking up at the gesture as he secured Lena's hand in the crook of his elbow. He patted it for good effect, almost as if he was making sure that Lena was really here.

With a nod, she let Frankie take the lead.

The old driver lead them over bramble and bush, his footsteps solid as they walked into the wilderness together. Eventually finding a clearing suitable enough, Lena halted Frankie with a gentle tug, careful not to drop the urn in her grasp. He freed her hand as they both took in the quiet bush.

It was like nature herself was holding her breath. The stillness felt expectant, as if the trees and birds knew what monster was going to be scattered in their homes. Lena didn't have time to mill, she didn't want to give Lex the impression that she cared. Frankie took off his hat, clenching it in wrinkled hands against his chest as Lena opened the lid.

With bated breath, she tipped it. The ash flowed in mockery of a waterfall, trailing behind her as Lena took measured steps over the weeds and thorns. A sudden wind picked up, filling the silence with the cries of leaves holding onto branches. The urn emptied quicker after that, the wind stealing bits of Lex with its deft fingers.

With a few final taps, Lena made sure the urn was empty. It was weirdly freeing, almost as if Lex's legacy was taken away as easily as his ashes were stolen by the breeze. Obviously, lena knew that wasn't the case, but she enjoyed the sensation all the same. With a resolute 'thunk', the lid was back on the urn and Frankie's hat was back on his head.

They left in silence. Not once did Lena look back.

Kara rested heavily against the good detective's desk, drowsiness like a weighted shawl keeping her hunched. Maggie had called her nay an hour ago, needing someone to bounce her ideas off. So, that's how Kara found herself at the precinct, cardigan inside out and her mind brimming with thoughts of murder, motives and sleep.

"- and why Lord of all idiots? As far as I- Kara? Kara, you still with me?"

Kara jerked up right as Maggie prodded her shoulder. "I'm up, I'm up." It probably would have been more convincing if she could keep her lead lidden eyes open.

"...Sure. Okay." Maggie nodded, watching Kara nod off again.

She startled awake yet again as Maggie placed a mug of coffee in front of her, the mug thudding heavy with excessive force. Kara grabbed the mug, making a show of blowing it (gently) and then taking a sip. She sighed, wishing that the caffeine would actually affect her. What she needed was a few good hours in the sun, but sadly the police station leant towards the use of fluorescent lights instead of windows.

"You were talking about Lord?" Kara grumbled, nursing the mug near her chest. At least it smelt nice.

Maggie nodded. "Yes. It doesn't make sense." She turned to her computer dramatically. "As far as I know, Lord had no aliens in his employ. Matter of fact, he was mostly an anti-alien advocate."

Kara shook her head. "I actually had the displeasure of meeting the man. He wasn't an anti-alien advocate, he was just intensely pro-human."

Maggie looked confused. "Isn't that the same thing?"

Kara placed the mug down, watching the brown liquid flatten. "Not exactly." Stretching in an effort to wake up, she explained. "Contrary to popular belief, Lord did employ aliens."

"Huh." Maggie rubbed her chin. "Really?"

"Yeah." Kara took another sip. "They were undocumented though. He liked to believe that aliens were fine to live on Earth, but only if they lived under humanity. Ya know? Like, 'let them come over and do the jobs humans don't want to do.'"

"So, like slavery?"

Kara nodded. "Modern day slavery, yes. They got paid, sure, but not up to the standard of humans and they were given ridiculous hours. No leave, no breaks and no benefits." She shrugged, trying to keep her ire down. "Who wouldn't want cheap, ridiculously smart labour?"

"I didn't know it was possible, but I'm hating Lord more and more."

Kara chuckled, getting up and fixing her collar. "You wanna discuss this while we take a walk? It's a lovely day outside." She really needed that sunlight (she could almost feel her muscles starting to seize).

Maggie raised an eyebrow but made no comment. Instead, she slipped on her signature leather jacket and grabbed her keys. They made their way out of the precinct and Kara swears that she didn't cry a little (the single tear at the corner of her eye did not count).

Inhaling the fresh smell of car exhaust and musty coats, Kara's shoulders dropped with the expanding of her lungs. Winter was starting to set in, and National CIty, as a harbour city, was feeling its bite. That also meant that the sun was starting to wither, a fact that made Kara a little sad, but she still let out a sigh of relief as the weak rays touched her sleep puffy face. Maggie pulled a pair of sunglasses out of her pocket, sliding them over her eyes and starting a brisk pace down the path.

Kara hurried along, pulling up to pace with calculated ease, the pep in her step doing nothing to slow her down. They walked for a while, the sounds and sights of the city absorbing them into its fold. Each step played measure to the ruminating of the women's thoughts. Maggie was the first one to break the silence as they turned into a community garden.

Kara listened as Maggie theorsed. Sure, her hands were occupied with poking broad beans and stroking spinach but she made sure hum when appropriate. It wasn't like Kara was not paying attention, because she definitely was. She just processed better when multitasking. Her mind would turn over thought after thought while her hands did their own thing. So, it was with the teasing squeeze of a kumquat that the blonde decided to jump in.

"What if we're looking at this from the wrong angle?" "What?"

Kara dusted her hands off, taking a moment to formulate a theory. "What if...our perspective is wrong?"

"You mean that the murder is not some 'being' trying to prove a point?"

Kara nodded, eyes distant as her jaw clenched. "I mean, yes, that's may be a part of it, but we have to look at this holistically. What have we established so far?"

Maggie started to pace, her worn boots kicking up dust with each thudding step. "All victims are linked to the fact that aliens work in their businesses."

"All, except-" "García."

"Yes. And he was the first." Kara swallowed, not liking the spit building under her tongue. "Maggie, what happened straight after that death? Community wise?"

The detective stopped, pulled out a notepad and started flicking through the pages. "The community was in shock. Mr. García held a memorial. All in all, the incident was old news by the end of the week."

Kara rubbed her face, pulling at her cheeks and scratching her jaw. "Then the next victim was Shah, a teenager, killed in a very public place in a very 'over-the-top' way. What was the community's reaction?"

Some more page flipping. "They thought it was gang related. The strip club was shut down and the community forgot about it a few days after."

"After Shah was Phan, a young, rich man who drowned in his swimming pool."

Maggie looked up slowly, "it's like the cases are building . The community took Phan's death hard. He was philanthropic, so all the churches and community centres he funded held services for him.

Now Kara started to pace. "What about Lancaster?"

"Lancaster's death almost started an all out war between two gangs. The woman was the daughter of a mob leader. Both gangs are still high sprung and that precincts police are pulling double time to try and ease tensions."

"Then why the hell would the killer then go after a 'no-body's' skin? Better yet, why go through all the trouble of killing Newscott somewhere else and then relocating the body when that was done for none of the other cases?"

"Maybe Newscott found himself seeing something he shouldn't have?" Maggie looked back down at the notepad, pulling out a pencil and scribbling. "I'll have to look into that. But, yes, now it makes sense why Lord is now the victim." She tapped the pencil against the page.

"Each murder is more high profile then the last. The killer isn't just trying to prove a point, they are trying to prove a point in a way with the most community repercussions. They want the attention."

"Fuck." Maggie chewed the end of her pencil. "The news has just been the freakin' harbour effigy incident over and over."

"The city is stressed and on edge. They feel threatened." "And threatened people normally react by lashing out." "And guess who's going to get the brunt of the punishment?" "The aliens."

"It's basic in-group vs. out-group bias."

Lena dropped her head against the heavy oak desk, eye's clenched to help abate the aching. She'd just sign the last of the paperwork pertaining to the launch of a new type of rubber compound. Unlike normal rubber, which takes upwards of 450 years to decompose, this new compound reduces that time span to around 70 years whilst still retaining the versatility and strength of the original compound.

She lifted her head up heavily, neatening the documents and stacking them at the edge of the desk. Her face still hurt from yesterday and no amount of makeup could hide the ghastly mottled green of fresh bruises. Still, Lena walked with confidence and started down anyone who dared ask how she got them.

To compound that, Kara's emotions were getting more erratic as the day wore on. The pain, combined with the slightly nauseous and disturbed feelings gave the littlest Luthor the beginnings of a ferocious headache.

Hoping to nip it in the bud, Lena pulled open a drawer. Grabbing a bottle of paracetamol, she rattled two pills into her hand. She was so close to dry swallowing them when the doors to her office opened in a hurry. Lena lowered her hand, face falling neutral until she recognised Burt striding in with purpose.

"Sorry to intrude, but word just got in," he ran a hand through his slicked hair, ruffling the cleanly combed lines, "the new CEO of Lord Tech. is Mr. Winston Smith."

" Smith? How did that happen?" Lena questioned incredulously. "He's completely underqualified!" "I know!" Radley flopped into a visitor's chair. "It makes no sense! I knew Lord and Smith were

friends, but this is ridiculous."

Lena ground her teeth, the headache turning from a light march to a steady rumble. She massaged her temples, the pills sitting in her lap under the desk. "How did you find out so fast?"

Radley shifted a little awkwardly in his seat. "I, um, may have called in a few favours." He rubbed at his clean shave cheeks.

"If they're anything like the favours you used to cash at school, I don't want to know."

Bradley was the stereotypical rich, white jock back in boarding school, and- like all rich, white jocks in an all boys school- he often jumped at the chance for some more... personal interactions with the students from the sister school. The sister school just happened to be Lena's school. Actually, when the littlest Luthor first stumbled upon Radley, he was three buttons loose with a girl at his neck in the gym supply closest. His first words? "Just cashing in a favour."

Lena just glowered, grabbed the volleyball she came for and walked away all while making creepily solid eye contact.

Oh how the times had changed.

Now, Radley stood up, re-buttoned his blazer and ran his hand through his hair one more time. Lena could still see that annoying, lanky kid in the man that stood before her. Sure, the sticky-outy ears had changed and he grew into his nose, but under that toned frame was still that same 17 year old kid

trying to learn the ways of elite society.

"Well, I just wanted to make sure you got the news. I'm pretty sure no one else knows yet, but it'll be public knowledge by the end of tomorrow."

"Thanks Burt. I'll use the knowledge well."

With a last nod, he left. Lena promptly took the pills, got up and walked to the built-in closet in her bathroom. Looking through the clothes, she surveyed her options. She wanted something that scream 'power.' She needed to take up as much space as possible, and clothes were a big part of that.

Pulling out a hangar, she walked back into her office. Dropping the clothes onto her sofa, she unlocked the balcony door and called out to her significant other. Instantly, she felt the uptick in Kara's emotions, the suddenly alert Kryptonian bursitig with sudden joy. Lena couldn't help but smile at the sudden influx of warmth wrapped around her chest. The feeling grew steadier as the time past, almost acting as a countdown to Kara's arrival.

The happy bumble deepened into a wandering stream, eventually into a lazy river until Lena's headache was washed away at the heroine's arrival (or it could have been the pills...it was probably both). Lena found relief in her girlfriends arms, delighting in the happy nuzzle attacking her neck. She couldn't help but laugh as Kara continued her assault, her nose cold from the wind as Lena tried, in vain, to push her off.

"Come on, Kara!" Lena whined, trying to squish her chin down. "You're fecking cold!"

Kara chuckled, turning her head slightly to replace her nose with her mouth. Lena could feel Kara's lips tickling her as the blonde spoke.

"Well, all the better for you to warm me up."

Lena could practically feel her grin as Kara changed her assault to one more sensual in nature. God, Lena really wanted to enjoy it. Kara's mouth felt ridiculously hot after her cold nose, but she knew that if she let this continue, they would be wasting whatever advantage Radley had gotten them.

So, it was with a heavy heart that Lena gently pushed her girlfriend back, making sure to kiss the pout away in reassurance. With wistful sighs, they walked back into the office, Kara playing with her cape as she followed.

Lena didn't waste time, walking back over to her discarded change of clothes. She pulled her shirt out of her skirt, unbuttoning the silk blouse with one hand as she unzipped the skirt with the other. Kara was none the wiser, having gone to inspect the wet bar, the blonde was busy poking and picking at the nuts. The heroine ultimately decided to pop a few green olives.

"Radley has just informed me that Smith is the new CEO of Lord Tech."

Lena's only warning, as her shirt and skirt hit the floor, was a choking sound before an olive seed whistled past her ear, embedding itself in the wall. What was with Kara and embedding things in walls? Why was it always food related?

Lena turned, pulling a white shirt over her shoulders as she took in the scene. Kara was positively red-faced and her mouth was agape, lips gaping like a fish. Lena shrugged with a coy smirk, doing the buttons up with proficiency and she hunched her shoulders a little self-consciously. At least, that was until her steady hands were replaced with the decidedly less steady ones of her girlfriend.

"Warn a woman next time." Kara pouted, her feelings causing Lena's cheeks to burn red.

"And miss such a reaction." Lena tried to play it off, quirking an eyebrow whilst trying to dampen the heat sparking in her core. They really didn't have time.

Lena mustn't have done a very good job, for in a second, Kara's eyes became hooded and her breath grew hot. The blonde moved in, their faces inches apart as Kara started unbuttoning the buttons she just done up. Lena tried to wiggle out, but Kara just stepped closer, pushing her body into Lena's underdressed one.

"We don't have time." Lena tried to reason half heartedly. Her emotions, however, gave her away. Her need was thick and viscous as it dripped behind her sternum. Kara read her like an open book, gentle hands rising and falling in phantom trails, almost touching the bare skin of Lena's sides.

"I can be quick."

And, like that, all Lena's resolve evaporated. The kiss was forceful, both exhaling as Kara gently pushed Lena against the couch, lowering her slowly and avoiding the ironed clothes. Heat burnt between them, eating their affection and growing larger with each physical exchange. Tongues greeted each other, teeth nipped and sounds were eaten.

Kara settled between her legs, the heavy body weight pinning Lena against the soft leather in an act of dominance the Luthor secretly craved. Long fingers threaded in Kara's wild locks, humming with pleasure as the strains flowed through her fingers like liquid gold. Kara shifted again, Lena gasping as the blonde pressed swift kisses down her body.

It press of lips was like Lena was being branded. The warmth lingered long after Kara moved, almost as if her skin was trying to savour the quick actions. It only got worse when Kara's hands started to wander. Strong digits pawed at her soft skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake as Lena arched into the sensations. World saving palms dragged across thick hips, stroking almost reverently at the undulating roll of Lena's stomach.

She couldn't help it, the moan was pulled from the back of her throat as Kara tugged her underwear down by her teeth. Lena clamped a hand over her mouth, heart rate spiking at the idea of someone stumbling in on them, but that thought was banished via the way Kara's fingers gently combed through her curls. Lena tried to spread her legs further, but found steel arms frustratedly keeping her in place.

"Oh Rao, Lena. You're so wet for me." Kara hushed into the soft skin of her thigh, nose still cold and her pupils blown. Lena tried to make eye contact but it didn't last very long. Her eyelids dropped closed as soon as Kara tentatively slid a finger through her wet heat, gathering her essence and coating the single digit. Lena couldn't help but buck into the sensation, sensitive and seeking for the pleasure eluding her.

"Kara," a whine, "stop teasing." A heavy breath, "we don't have ti-"

With a sharp inhale, Kara dived tongue forward. Lena gasped, the leather creaking beneath her as she shifted to somehow pull Kara closer. A persistent, wet tongue positively buzzed against her aching clit, short circuiting her capacity to think anything else besides: more, more, more.

"More...Kara, I need more."

Kara herself stopped for a split second, relishing in the clumsy Krypotian falling off a lolling tongue, before she brought that darn, wet finger to Lena's clenching entrance. Lena felt exhilarated, her euphoria and Kara's mixing into a heady concoction that rendered the normally astute woman into a primal mess.

She then fell into a whimpering wreck the second Kara pushed into fluttering walls. She couldn't help it, she couldn't. Her legs spasmed every time Kara flicked her clit just right and her core clenched with each stroke of the curved finger.

Lena could feel the build up at the base of her spine, her body tensing and bowing with the growing tension.

"Rao Kara! You're so fucking good."

Somehow the pleasure buzzing behind her ears grew more intense at the praise. Kara's resoundingly pleased moan vribatred deliciously against her core, forcing Lena to arch further. Kara added another finger, pushing just little deeper as she thrusted with abandon. The sudden fullness proved to be the CEO's undoing.

With quick hands Lena pushed her girlfriend's head back with force, Kara detached but still stayed close. Lena proceeded to drench the poor sofa. Quivers ran through her raggard body, her neck straining as she gasped. Her heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest and her head was stuffed full of cotton. Everything was spinning and her hands were shaking. Lena's jaw clenched, holding back her growling moans, but they still rumbled in her chest as the climax stole her willpower.

It felt like eons had passed before her body finally slackened; her flushed chest heaved. Shaky hands push messy strands away from her rosey face. Her feet slacked in Kara's grasp, knees still crooked on strong shoulders.

She was given a few seconds before Kara shifted, Lena watching with distracted eyes as her girlfriend proceeded to lay on top of her. The weight was fantastic. It helped ground her to the moment, allowing Lena to regain control over her still slightly spasming limbs. The suit was rough against her exposed skin, the material dense but oddly slick. Lena's eyes shot open when she realised.

"Kara, you better not get cum on my shirt."

Lena felt the whole sofa shake with the force of her girlfriend's laughter, Lena's body taking the vibrations and storing it within her soul. She clung onto jolting shoulders, relishing in the unbridled joy sparking between the both of them. Something heavy and comforting sat just under that emotion, but Lena was too distracted to pay close attention.

"Don't worry Kitten, you're shirt's clean."

Kara pushed herself back, bracing on her forearms, head level with Lena's neck as she looked up with adoration. They shared eye squinting smiles, Lena squirming a bit at the cooling slick now on her chest.

Kara got off Lena, standing to the side, after making sure she was okay. The CEO took one look down and blushed profusely, making a note to buy a rug in the future (she doubted a stain like that would come out).

"God, I hate that I make much a mess." Lena gestured from the floor, to the sofa and then to the heroine herself.

Kara looked down as if to take note of her sticky jaw and neck, wiping at the slick on the collar of her suit. She leant down, depositing a quick kiss against Lena's pouty lips. Lena was quick to taste herself, her hubris inflating just a little.

"Well I, for one, find it fucking hot," Kara proclaimed, brows high and hands on her hips. With another megawatt smile, she dropped into a conspiratorial whisper, "and it really strokes my ego like you won't believe"

Lena laughed, gesturing for the heroine to help her up. Kara helped the CEO dress, doing up buttons and making sure Lena didn't stumble on her still unsteady legs. Popping the starched collar, the business woman motioned to the tie still left on the couch.

Kara gulped, picking up the deep green material and draping it around her companion's neck. Lena made to grab the material, but Kara swatted her hands away gently. She situated the tie carefully, looking up only to be met with intrigued green eyes.

"You know how to tie a tie?"

Kara nodded. "Jeremiah and I used to do it together to help me learn fine control. We did all types of knots, each one more complicated than the last." She chuckled, shaking her head as Lena felt a sorrowed ache ignite deep in her chest. "He lost so many ties to my fumbling hands."

Lena leant forward, resting her forehead against Kara's in an eskimo kiss, their noses almost touching and their slightly laboured breathing shared. The blonde fiddled with the silk, letting it run through her fingers.

"What was his favourite knot?"

Kara's stopped. She pulled back slightly, hands kicking into gear as Lena watched on. With each look, Lena grew a little more confused. Her tie knot knowledge was limited to a Windsor, half windsor, Balthus and a Prince Albert- all normal, common ties knots she used in school. What Kara was doing was something entirely different.

With a firm tug, Kara's hands stilled. Her face small with emotion but eyes dancing and twinkling. Lena acted on instinct, the heady feeling was back, sitting behind her ribcage and stealing her breath. Grabbing Kara's face, Lena squished subtle between warm palms, delighting in Kara's expression. Kara tried to smile, her lips curving and nose scrunching as Lena tired to hold back her delighted squeal. Instead, she ended up saying:

"How are you so fucking beautiful?"

Kara shrugged, gesturing to the tie, "You like the Trinity knot that much, huh?"

"No, you dolt." a light whack to Kara's shoulder before the offending hand resumed its place. "While the knot is beautiful," Lena hadn't even looked at it yet, "it's creator is far more enthralling."

Kara chuckled, her face scrunching further as Lena's heart melted a little more. She could feel Kara's blush warm her palms, calling her lean forward and place a quick kiss to a frowning forehead. Lena's heart felt heavy and light, weirdly irregular as she looked at the woman in her hands. It was odd, as if the moment suddenly tilted on its axis and the whole world decided to take a collective breath.

Kara, sweet, perfect, hurting, strong, resilient Kara stood before her, tieing her tie and mourning her childhood. Lena felt a strong urge to protect well up inside. To support and build. To help, and hold, and please, and need. God, it was like a bucket was dumped on her shoulders as Lena suddenly realised that she would do anything for the wonderous being in her hands.

The unknown, enormous feeling pulled the words from her, no thought given to their meaning but their meaning given by her emotions- by their bond.

"I love you."

Silence. The air stilled, the Earth stopped and Lena's heart halted.

Only to jack hammer a second later, only for the air to turn electric, and only for the world to spin a little faster. Kara's eyes widened, Lena's hands falling as the blonde straightened. Lena's mouth gaped, her mind rushing to find words to take take it back but instead finding that she didn't want to . Her mouth was incapable of apologising, incapable of lying about the love that punched her in the chest. So, instead of eloquence, Kara was met with a barrage of words so unlike the Luthor. Lena rambled, words losing meaning as she continued on and on until the only thing Kara could do was kiss her into silence.

Lena sank, shoulders deflated and brain throwing a party at the sheer density of emotions warring between them. She couldn't keep track, her mind numb with euphoria, bliss doing a tap dance across her ribcage and the warmth running in her blood as Kara's lips danced with her own. Everything got mixed up and muddled and, by God, did Lena want more and more. She could get addicted to this high, to the feel of the strong body against hers. Fuck, she already was but this was something else, something heavier and more profound. It was like all the keys to all the doors in the world had suddenly unlocked. All problems didn't matter, as long as Kara was with her. Sure, she knew that was naive and childish, but that didn't make the feeling any less true.

Lea shifted, leaning further into her companion's space. Wrapping her arms around a broad back, Lena tugged her fiercely. Kara pulled back, their bodies still flush and her eyes the bluest Lena had ever seen, glistening with unshed tears.

"I love you, too."

God, it felt like home.

"What was his favourite knot?"

Kara methodically looped the green silk tie, threading it through the other loop before tucking the short end behind the collar.

A trinity knot. Jeremiah's favourite. The knot that Alex asked her to tie when she needed extra strength for an event.

It was the first 'complicated' knot that she mastered under Jeremiah's guidance. She could remember those moments so well. The grit of the sand on her legs and the heaviness of the air from the sea were ingrained in her memory, the sensations associated with her Earth childhood. Jeremiah would come home from the lab, grab the ties he never wore from his closet and then walk down to the beach with a small Kara in tow.

It was Summer. The sun would set late and the wind would ruffle their hair as they chatted to the sound of the waves. They would have a tie each, Jeremiah going through step by step, working his way up to a knot slowly and Kara trying her best to follow, to not pull too hard or yank too tight.

But still, the tell tale sound of a rip would happen and Kara would sag in defeat. Jeremiah would just chuckle and hand her a new, hideous tie and they would start again. Little by little, Kara learnt control. Each loop became second nature and week by week, she would learn a new knot.

She once asked Jeremiah how he knew so many tie knots if he never wore any ties. He ruefully

chuckled, gaze forlorn and searching as he looked out to sea.

"My father taught me those knots. I never told you, but he was a tailor in his younger years, before he became a farmer. He took great pride in his clothes, quirky ties and fun tie knots were like his calling cards." Jeremiah looked down, blinking heavily. "He told me he met my mother through ties." He laughed thickly, eyes teary. "She wanted a travelling suit and his tailor shop was the only one in the whole town that took her seriously. My father made her a beautiful suit, Edwardian cut with the velvet lapels and all. But, when it came to tying the tie, he did the normal Windsor. Apparently my mother wasn't impressed. She undid the knot and redid something spectacular- a trinity knot."

Kara looked down at the tie in her hands, smiling as Jeremiah poked her cheeks.

"She left to go travelling, but my father was hung up on the girl who taught him something new. So, he got a book and learnt all the knots you could imagine. He even knew how to convert a tie into a bowtie." Jeremiah smiled and Kara giggled, not really knowing what bowties were. "She eventually came back and they spent many a day learning new things from each other. They got married two years later."

"Where are they now?" Kara asked, looking up at her foster father as he sniffled. "Gone. But at least I have these knots to remember them by."

That Summer was so long ago. Things had changed so much since then but Kara didn't dwell on it. Jeremiah was now long gone, but his teachings stayed in her muscles and the dexterity of her fingers. So, it was with a firm tug that Kara indicted to Lena that she was done. The knot sat proud against Lena's collar, the pattern eye catching and complementing the woman that wore it.

She was surprised by the palms suddenly cupping her face, but she let Lena tilt her head upwards. Kara could tell her eyes were slightly puffy with sorrow, her heart ached with an old pain that would never go away, but she had made peace with it. Still, it didn't stop Kara from trying to smile.

Lena squealed and Kara tried to hold her laugh in, knowing that she looked ridiculous. Lena's eyes scrunched and her nose crinkled and her smile was wide and happy. Rao, Lena was perfect and her goofy happiness crawled up Kara's spine like a tidal wave, running around her chest and tickling her vocal chords until she chuckled.

"How are you so fucking beautiful?"

Kara shrugged, not understanding what Lena found pretty in her still scrunched up face. Instead, she tried to deflect by gesturing to the tie, "you like the Trinity knot that much, huh?"

"No, you dolt." Kara pretended to flinch at the whack, subtly nuzzling into the warm palm once it returned. "While the knot is beautiful, it's creator is far more enthralling."

Kara fought the blush threatening to burn under Lena's palms by scrunching her face further. The reaction cause something to change between them, but Kara couldn't place her finger on it. It was like the air stagnated in the office. The breath in Kara's lungs caught and her throat clothes.

It was like everything slowed and Kara had all the time in the world to take in the woman holding her face. Lena was all beautiful in her suit, her soft curves accented in the tailoring and the strong lies of her face bordered by the stiff collar. In a way, it kind of represented Lena in her entirety.

Kara felt sudden protectiveness flare at the base of her skull, the need to provide and support Lena thick on her tongue. It was like everything Kara had been feeling through their time together had

decided to become concentrated, solid like a punch to the gut. It was almost as if-

"I love you."

All thought ceased. Kara's jaw slacken and everything fell silent, all her senses honing in on Lena. Lena, Lena, Lena, Lena. Kara's eyes widened, the breathing her lungs suddenly fresh and her mouth opening to say something.

Only, she couldn't because Lena was suddenly spewing words faster then her heart beat. Painting paragraphs and sculpting reasons to justify her love. As if Lena needed a reason. As if Kara needed to hear a reason when she could feel each ache and longing of Lena's heart as she motored on and on.

Kara didn't think at all. She acted on impulse, darting forward and eating the reasons and justifications with soft lips and battling tongues as she kissed Lena with all she was worth.

Love.

Lena fucking Luthor loved her. "I love you, too."

And, by Rao, did Kara mean it.

It had happened so gradually, she couldn't place the exact time of the exact day that she fell in love with Lena Luthor. Ever since their talk in the hospital- with Lena lying on the bed and Kara sitting beside her, both questioning yet skirting around answers- Kara knew, somewhere deep in the marrow of her bones, that they had ignited something. Since then, over the months, they had grown closer, aided but not dictated by the power of their bond.

Rao, how had Kara not seen it? How did she not question that some of her fondest memories were just Lena eating pancakes with sleep mussed hair at her kitchen counter? Or how her heart had settled at the knowledge that Alex liked her companion? The signs were all there! Lena talking science with the universe swimming in her eyes, Lena giving speeches and threaten business rivals with polite words, Lena grumbling at painting, laughing at cutting open a shark and panting at dancing so close together.

Each moment since that fated falling, when Kara plucked the diving plane out the sky, Kara forgot to catch herself, and now? Well, fuck, now Kara had been falling ever since and she only just realised.

Suffice to say, it was a while later that Kara dived off the balcony, making sure to wipe the lipstick off her neck as she met Lena as Kara Danvers by the Luthor's town car. With a nod to Frankie, they both got in, stupidly huge grins on their faces, fingers laced, and their emotions frighteningly strong. So potent that Kara swore she saw roses at the corners of her vision.

Kara wanted more than anything to call Alex, to tell her of the great news, but then she remembered yesterday. The sisters hadn't talked since the confrontation at the DEO, choosing to remain silent until their dinner tonight. Kara's smile fell a little; the sister's squabbling rested heavy on her chest.

But today felt different. Hell, Kara felt different. It was little she had finally settled fully into her skin, but the odd thing was that she never realised she was uncomfortable in the first place. It was like her lungs could breath to the fullest extent, or her limbs were allowed a full range of movement after being bound. The only thing that could explain it in any capacity was that Kara's biology had finally, finally, stopped pushing her (for now).

All in all, it made her feel a little bit reckless. So, squeezing the hand in her own and arching into Lena mouthing at her neck, Kara fished the phone out her pocket and speed dialed her sister. It rung twice, Lena's hand stroking down her thigh, before the eldest Danvers picked up.

"Kara? What's wrong?"

Kara sunk further into the seat, grabbing Lena's hand playing at the zipper of her pants. "Lena loves me." She said it with a wistful sigh, the words so new and light Kara feared it would float away.

Alex sputtered over the line, her voice going from slightly panicked to awed in a breath. "Kara, that's...that's fucking brilliant."

"I know! I love her so much. Rao Alex, we're in love. " kara laughed at the grin against her neck, Lena's lipstick no doubt smudged ridiculously.

"I'm so proud of you!" Alex chuckled along, the her genuine happiness lifting Kara further. Honestly, she wouldn't be surprised if she was floating.

"I know I'll be seeing you tonight, but I couldn't wait to tell you."

Alex's chuckles turned a little wary, but she tried to keep her upbeat attitude. Kara could tell by the tone alone, but she let her sister think she got away with it.

They said their goodbyes quickly, Alex citing that she was still, in fact, working and that Kara should be too. Once her phone was back in her pocket, Kara turned to her girlfriend, reading concern in heavy green eyes. She put on her bravest smile, reassuring her love that she was fine with all the honey tinted emotions she could manage.

The honey wasn't thick enough, for Lena, lipstick smudged and mouth kiss-swollen, brought her hands up to cup Kara's face. The blonde's glasses dislodged as her bottom lip trembled. Rao, she really hated fighting with Alex. Lena leant forward, eyes closing and mouth soft as she took in the quivering lip, tugging gently before bringing the blonde into a sweet kiss. She pulled back, resting their foreheads together, Kara watching all the micro-movements of Lena's features.

"Talk to me, Kara."

So Kara spoke, the loud yet quiet world doing nothing to take her words. "I'm scared that Alex will never forgive me." It sounded so loud in the unquiet car. Kara could hear everything: the road underneath hugging the slightly flat tires, Frankie humming softly to the even softer radio, the combustion of the engine imitating fireworks and the steady beating of Lena's heart. It was the last thing that she chose to focus on.

"I may have known Alex for a much shorter time than you," Lena started, her heart steady and strong as her breath ghosted across Kara's lips, "but from everything I've seen, both personally and not," they both chuckled dryly, "I know, without a doubt, that she'd never not forgive you."

Kara pulled Lena into a fierce hug, fighting the tears pricking her eyes. Lena hummed, patting a light rhythm on her broad back as Kara swallowed thickly. "Rao, I hope so. She can hold a grudge."

They both let out watery chuckles, Kara feeling a little bad for putting Lena through this so soon after their confessions.

"Well, I didn't say she wasn't going to be mad." Lena shifted back, straightening out her blazer and running reverent hands over her tie. "Because she will be." Lena pulled a handkerchief from her pants' pocket, wiping at her face. "But just remember that that anger originates from a place of love."

Kara nodded along, her fingers fidgeting in her lap. The car pulled to a stop soon after. They got out, straightening their clothes one last time and making sure everything was prim and proper before entering the building. Lord Tech. was quieter than Kara expected. For a company undergoing such drastic change, she thought it would be teeming with people doing their utmost best to avoid being cut by the new management.

Lena's confusion shone through in her slightly furrowed brow and the muddled feeling at the base of Kara's skull. They walked through the foyer, their befuddlement settling further at the lack of security as they filed into an empty elevator. Before the doors could fully close, Kara lowered her glasses a little and scanned the surroundings. Everything seemed in order, nothing unusual for a multi-million dollar technology company, beside the lack of people.

The doors closed as Kara rightened her glasses. "Nothing." "Shouldn't this place have more, I don't know, employees?" "Maybe even a security team?"

They shared secret smiles, the doors opening onto a quiet floor. The CEO office was easy enough to find, the ornate and gaudy lettering giving it away. They didn't even deem to knock, choosing instead to use the power created via dramatic entrance.

The doors slammed open, Kara fighting down the urge to look back and make sure she didn't accidentally break it, as they strutted into the office. Smith jumped at the noise, his heart pounding with a start and his eyes large and shifty. They both crossed their arms, a united front as Kara cocked a hip and Lena stood straighter, her suit cutting a deliciously imposing figure.

Kara heard Smith gulp, his throat bobbing as he stood. Taking his time buttoning his blazer with his good hand, Lena cut in.

"It's surprising that they made a man who couldn't even button his own coat the new CEO." Lena took a step forward, taking up space with her sturdy stance born from years of training. Kara hung back, allowing Lena to do what she needed. With Smith attention on her girlfriend, Kara subtly scanned the surrounds, instantly locking a lead box in the filing cabinets in the corner.

Smith quickly did the button, his face slightly red but he did remarkably well keeping a poker face. "What are you doing in my office? Business is closed, get out before I call security."

"If you don't want people coming in, Mr. Smith, I would advise you to at least lock your front doors." A pause. "Now, let's talk, one CEO to another. How come a lowly manager suddenly becomes the CEO of one of the largest technology companies in the country just days after the old CEO turns up dead? Better yet, why is the heir to another internationally renowned company suddenly the CEO of a rival company? I don't know if it's just me, but I smell fish ."

Smith fidgeted, his eyes darting around the room a few times before settling back on Lena. Kara could smell him starting to sweat despite the air conditioner, his casted hand swaying a little more at his side. Lena must have noticed it to, Kara could feel her intrigue tingle behind her ears.

"Get out of my office."

The tone was resolute, the words final. Lena chuckled, walked up to his drinks cart and poured herself a tumbler of a scotch. Without even a look back, Lena walked out the office with Kara trailing behind, the blonde shooting a quick look over her shoulder. She caught Smith looking at the filing cabinets.

Lena deposited the still full tumbler on an empty desk, grabbing Kara's hand and making their way to the exit. Frankie was still waiting for them out front, tipping his hat as he opened the door. Slotting in, they lounged into the leather.

"He gave himself away."

"You noticed it too? He kept eyeing the filing cabinet." Lena added.

"Yeah. I think he's hiding something in there. There's a lead box in the third drawer."

Lena shifted, stretching her arms out before sagging again. "What are we going to do about it?"

"I don't know. Espionage? Good ol' break and entry? Nothing? All we have is a hunch to be honest. And it's not like lead boxes are uncommon."

"True. But I feel like it's important. It's just so odd that Smith takes over the company, my mother's in town and she was in communication with Mrs. Addington earlier in the year. I can't help but draw the conclusion that something bad's gonna happen."

"But those things could be explained away as well." Kara reasoned, pulling against her seatbelt to get a little closer to her girlfriend. "While it's unusual for Smith to take the position, Lord was his good friend, hell maybe even his best friend. And your mother's here because of, you know...Lex."

Lena was silent for a moment, Kara feeling her annoyance spreading like a cloud in her prefrontal cortex. She started breathing deeper, calming her body and letting the feeling seep into Lena. The CEO relaxed beside her, head falling forward with a sigh.

"Sorry. I know I shouldn't let my prejudice cloud my judgement, but it's hard sometimes."

Kara smiled, slinging a thick arm around hunched shoulders. "That's why you have me, Kitten." She pressed a kiss to lovely cheek, humming at the feeling of a smile blooming on her girlfriend's face.

"Don't worry, I'll keep you in check too, love."

Kara felt a burning warmth rush through her very bones. She couldn't stop the smile splitting her face, not that she wanted to. "Rao, call me that again, please."

Lena turned to face her, eyes large and gaze soft. There faces so close that there was no need for anything above a whisper. The word was comfortable- delicate but present and calling to something primal in Kara's soul.

"Love."

Kara shuddered, her muscles jumping at the coo.

"Rao, you saying that," she looked down, stroking the tie, "whilst wearing this," her voice dropped even lower, "it's doing things to me."

Lena played along, "you're talking like you didn't just fuck me in my office an hour ago."

Kara groaned, ears reddening a little as she dropped her head on a strong shoulder. "Way to call a girl out, Lena."

Lena laughed, Kara's head bobbing on her shoulder as the car pulled to a halt. They got out, the heavy air dissapitating as Kara brushed imaginary lint off Lena's blazer. Walking hand in hand to the L-Corp. doors, they parted with full smiles and promises to see each other for the big dinner.

Kara refused Frankie's offer for a ride, preferring to take a walk in the city streets for once. National City was so different from street view. Everything was larger than life. The buildings stretched to the heavens and the streets held possibilities worth a plenty. It was oddly humbling to walk aimlessly, with nothing but her thoughts for company.

Normally that would be a dangerous pastime with Kara's thoughts having a habit of turning dark quite quickly, but that seemed impossible with the crunching Autumn leaves underfoot and the breeze playing with her hair. No, it was definitely impossible with the warmth of Lena's love building a furnace under her heart and placing liquid fire in her veins.

Kara felt powerful.

It was like she could do anything, like everything would work itself out. So, with a bounce and a skip, Kara hopped into a grocer feeling light (she had to check she wasn't floating). With a basket on hand, she pursued the aisles, dropping in spices and fresh produce and she meandered with hungry eyes. So what if she may have bought 5 packets of chips, or a few too many bags of mm's, what mattered was that she picked up three ducks and everything else she needed to make Alex's favourite food.

The basket groaned in her hands, cluing Kara in that maybe she should at least pretend that the basket was heavy (the man from aisle three was giving her a weird look). With dramatic flare, she groaned and sighed as she hefted it on the checkout counter, the cashier's eyebrows so low that his eyelashes greeted them.

Kara paid with a sheepish smile, putting her wallet away and taking the many bags of food. She made it to the apartment not too long after, laying out all the ingredients she needed. Lena would be over later with the brand of scotch Alex favoured and a spicy red Côtes du Rhône . If everything went to hell tonight, at least it wouldn't be because of the food.

Kara looked at the clock, nodding when she found she had enough time to finish making dinner by the time Alex arrived. She started by creating the orange salt. Grabbing the dried and crisp rind of oven baked oranges, she finely ground them and combined it with salt.

Preheating the oven to 180 degrees celsius, Kara cleaned the the ducks. Patting them dry, she drizzled the skin with olive oil and seasoned both the skin and cavities with the orange salt. Humming, she put the duck to roast in the oven for an hour. Kara then started on the potatoes.

She combined the potatoes and the duck fat, seasoning it with garlic and rosemary and placing it in the oven with the ducks. After an hour, which Kara spent cleaning the apartment, she removed the potatoes and reduced the oven to 150 degrees. She let the ducks cook for another one and a half hours, returning the potatoes in the last fifteen minutes.

Lena knocked at the door, Kara darting over to open it. With a quick greeting kiss and easy smiles, Lena placed the alcohol on the counter as Kara returned to cooking. Lena started to set the table, pulling out tumblers and wine glasses, placing placemats on Kara's small dining table and lighting candles.

Kara whipped out a saucepan, twirling it before placing it on the stove and putting it on high heat. Pouring chicken stock and orange juice, she reduced it before adding some brandy. With a cheeky burst of heat vision, the sauce caught aflame and burned off the alcohol. Quickly peeling an orange, she stirred in some orange segments, some rind and then salted to taste.

With a quick look at the clock, Kara put the oven and stove off and dashed to the bedroom. The door bell rung just as she changed into something nice but comfy. She wanted to be presentable, but she

didn't want to be too formal. The doorbell sound heralded her nerves coming back in full force. Lena shot her a look, still in her suit as she made her way to the door. Kara dashed to her side, feeling the Luthor's attempt to calm her cooling the back of her neck.

With a nod, they both opened the door to reveal one Alex Danvers, in all her knitted sweater, trench coat and scarf glory, holding a lovely bouquet of colourful flowers. Kara was quick to dart over. Alex preempted it, tossing the flowers into a waiting Lena's hands as her arms became full of affectionate Kryptonian. Kara wanted to get her fill of hugs now, while everyone was still happy.

Alex swatted her sister on the shoulder with force, the hug having lasted a little longer than comfortable. "Kara, let me go. Your apartment smells delicious and it's cruel and unusual punishment keeping me locked here."

Kara chuckled, Lena moving inside to find a vase. "Well, we can't have that, Miss. DEO."

"Oi, shush." Alex looked down the hall quickly, checking before she followed Kara into the apartment. "Anyway, the flowers are for you guys-"

"I think you mean 'gays'."

"God, Lena. At least let me have a drink before you start with the puns." Alex hung her coat on the coat rack, unwrapping her scarf.

Lena, with a cheeky smile, instantly placed a tumbler of scotch in Alex's hands. The eldest Danvers' eyebrows shot up, chuckling and jiggling the glass before taking a sip. With an over dramatic swallow, Alex sighed happily.

"With service like this, and in a suit like that, I can see why you love her, Kara."

"Hey!" Kara chastised, dressing the ducks with the sauce. "Hands off." Kara shot a mock glare.

"What? I'm only a humble woman." Alex swaggered up, placing a kiss to Lena's blushing cheek before leaning against the kitchen counter. "And I'm in a very happy almost relationship with Maggie, thank you very much."

They adjourned to the table soon enough, the ducks steaming in the center. Kara set upon carving them, Lena poured them all glasses of the wine she brought whilst Alex was content with sipping her scotch. With their plates all full, Kara proposed a toast.

"To strong relationships." Kara grinned, hoping that nothing would hurt Alex's view of her.

"May nothing come between us." Alex grinned, clinking their glasses together and taking a sip. Kara gulped and Lena squeezed her thigh in reassurance.

Lena held back a groan, taking another bite while her mouth was still full. Holy fuck was the food good. The orange had really seeped into the meat and followed by that wine! Lena was having a spiritual experience right here at the dining room table. It wasn't like she was the only one either. Alex was groaning left and right and Kara was already on her second duck, cutlery forgotten in favour of fingers and chewing bones.

"Fuck, Kara. You haven't made this since Midvale. It's been years." Alex lamented, a drumstick held in ehr hands.

"'Cause it takes forever to make, and I'm impatient." Kara whined, chewing a wing.

Lena smiled, looking between the two sisters as they bantered. Alex laughed, liking her hands gracelessly as Kara took a sip of wine.

"You're telling me," a smack of the lips, "remember that time you ate a raw chicken because you couldn't wait the forty-five minutes for it to cook? We all told you not to."

Kara blanched and Lena laughed at her face. "Don't remind me! That was so horrible."

Lena felt a tingle race up her spine as Kara shuddered. Alex just took another sip smugly. Dinner carried on very much the same. They all joked and talked about their days. Lena fell into a rant about Smith and Lord Tech. and Alex offered to do a little espionage on their behalf, much to Kara's chargin. Lena happily agreed, silently hoping that Alex kept her offer after tonight.

The bottle of wine was finished rather quickly, Lena on her second while Alex was somewhere around the fourth glass. Kara zipped around them, grabbing the dishes before they could even attempt to help. The blonde's nerves were back in full force now, Lena could feel them sparking at her fingers and jittering behind her eyes. With the meal out the way, there was nothing to distract them from the reason Alex came over. No more buffer.

So, with an easy smile, Lena loosened her tie and unbuttoned the top button of her shirt. Her blazer was long since discarded on a nearby chair, she passed it on the way to grab the scotch, motioning for Alex to follow her to the couch. The agent compiled, the easy smile slowly melting and alertness returning to her eyes. They sat down, sinking into the worn cushions with fresh tumblers. Kara busied herself in the kitchen, actually doing the dishes at a seeable speed, trying to buy some time.

"It's that bad, huh?"

The question was soft, but Lena caught it, turning her head back to the elder Danvers. Alex looked...small. Worried. Her fingers played with the tumbler, the liquid inside swirling with the movements and her eyes fixed on the brim of the cup. Lena wasn't used to a demure Alex, and it was a little unnerving.

"It's not bad." Lena hushed, keeping her gaze steady on Alex until the older woman looked up. "My only request is that you hear her out."

The agent nodded, her lips upticking quickly before falling again. "So I guessed right that you were the other person she needed to 'consult' before talking to me?"

Lena shifted uncomfortably, taking another sip before nodding solemnly. She didn't want to be stepping on any toes, per se, but Alex had always been Kara's 'go to' person for everything. Her knowing something so intrinsic to Kara that Alex didn't know made Lena feel like awkward. It was as if she had disrespected the eldest Danvers without meaning to. It didn't matter that the very notion was stupid, Lena had the bond too and it wasn't like she chose to be bound to Kara. Thank God she was, but still-

Alex shuffled closer, breaking the littlest Luthor from her thoughts. Lena looked up from her tumbler, catching a pursed smile before Alex spoke.

"I'm not mad at you. Kara is her own person. She makes her own decisions on who she tells what. I'm just happy, if a little apprehensive, that's she going to share something that's making her this

nervous."

Lena chuckled meekly. "You can tell?"

"Please, who do you think I am?" Alex nudged their shoulders together, a less tense smile blossoming on Lena's face. "Kara never makes orange duck, no matter how many times I ask, and you brought my favourite scotch, which," Alex lifted her tumbler in salute, "thanks for that. I would by it myself, but I don't have that kind of money."

Lena was about to quip back when a fiddling Kryptonian plonked herself on the other side of her sister. Conversation fell silent again, the air bulky and pregnant with expectancy. They both turned to Kara simultaneously. Lena placed her scotch down on the coffee table, her hands suddenly shaking with the force of Kara's nerves.

She breathed in calmly, searching for her companion at the back of her mind. Once finding the tight ball of worry that was Kara's essence, Lena started to help soothe her. With warm coaxing and a swelling of affection, Lena watched as the superheroine started to relax. Alex read her posture as well, stretching across the coach to grab the throw pillows and depositing one in all their laps. Lena immediately started to fiddle with the corners, her bottom lip abused with thought.

"I...I don't really know how to start." Kara tried, voice small.

Alex set her own scotch down, hugging her pillow to her chest. "I find the beginning is always the best placet." Alex tried, eyebrows quirking in a joking manner. The joke fell flat, so Alex grew serious. "I promise to hear you out."

Kara sighed, rolling tense shoulders before sitting up straight. Lena subconsciously mirrored her lover, understanding that Kara was serious now. There was no more time to skirt around the truth.

"The beginning it is." With a nod, Kara started to spin her tale. "It all started when I was eight." "Back on Krypton?"

"Yeah. I've kept this to myself since then. Anyway, when I was a child, I used to get these...odd...feelings. Like, I would get really happy when I was doing nothing but reading, or I would start crying when I was playing with my friends. My mother and father wrote it off as just me being an emotional kid. They said it was something I would grow out of, only, I didn't. I just got better at hiding it."

Alex nodded along, brow furrowed.

"Anyway, sometimes these, uh...'phantom emotions' would get so intense I would black out. Only, it wasn't a black out but a 'vision.'"

"Vision? Like you could see the future?"

"No, nothing like that." Kara floundered, gesturing between Lena and herself. "Lena? A little help?"

Like ripping a bandaid off, Lena just said it out right. Watching Kara trying to explain was becoming too painful. "Kara and I are empathically bonded."

Alex blinked, stunned. "What?"

"Ever since, what I assume was my birth, I've been able to feel Kara's emotions and she's been able to feel mine."

"Wait, hold on a-"

Lena kept going, not wanting to lose her nerve. "When either one of us has really intense emotions, we have a vision. Basically, we find ourselves in the other person's body with them."

"Yeah, we can't do anything in that state and we're not aware that there's the other person with us, but we can see what is happening that causing such intense feelings." Kara added, the poor pillow in her hand was getting mangled gently. Lena gave it a few minutes before it would just be a pile of stuffing.

Alex looked between them, eyes large and mouth parted. Lena saw Kara reach out, taking one of her sister's hands. Lena could almost feel the sensation on the tips of her fingers, watching as Kara gently stroked across bruised, calloused knuckles.

Alex's voice was soft, concerned and searching. "You mean to say, that this whole time...that you're whole life, you've been able to not only feel each other's feelings but you randomly transport into the other's body as well."

"Essentially-"

"Yes." Kara nodded. "That's what happened at the morgue.. I 'flashed' when Lena-"

"-turned manic and started to beat the dead body of her brother." Lena finished. Kara's disapproval snapped at her spine as Alex hugged the pillow closer to her chest. "But that's not the only thing."

Alex's head whipped towards her. "There's more? How could there possibly be more? "

Kara chuckled darkly, leaning forward and snagging Alex's tumbler off the table. Alex grabbed it,

taking a fortifying sip in preparation.

"Well, I've affectionately named it 'mind-walking,' and, so far, I'm the only one able to do it." Lena started.

On it went, each interjecting with information when relevant. Alex tried to keep track of everything she was being told, but Lena could see her confusion in muddled eyes. So far, the eldest Danvers was taking it well. She was asking questions, clarifying when needed. Hell, Lena even got out a pen and paper to try to describe the mindscape she saw (Kara was just as intrigued). Alex was so understanding and supportive...until she wasn't.

Everything went to hell when Kara started to explain how she started losing her memories. How Lena trying to help ended with her identity being robbed from her little by little. Alex exploded when Kara told her sister that J'onn knew; that he had known for a while now. The pillows were discarded as Alex stood, her hands jittery and tears tracking paths down her cheeks.

Kara was much the same, and Lena, well Lena was trying her best to keep it together, for both their sakes. But it was so bloody hard when her chest felt like it was being ripped in two and when her mind felt clouded and accusingly scared. Lena couldn't tell where Kara began and she ended, and, by God, did each angry word from Alex cut like lashings against her ribs.

"How could you not tell me? After everything? God, I was so close to losing you and I didn't even know!"

She could understand where Alex was coming from, she really could. They should've have told her sooner, when Kara was suffering and Lena was searching frantically for answers. But for some reason they didn't. It was never Lena place to say, but how did she wish that she had said something

instead of wallowing in self-loathing. She was fucking pathetic and Lena knew it.

Hell, they wouldn't even be in this situation if it wasn't for her. Alex wouldn't be swatting away Kara's attempts at reconciliation if Lena didn't meddle. Kara wouldn't have been this hurt if Lena didn't try to help. No matter how she looked at this, each time Lena found that it was her fault- she caused this.

"Alex-" she tried, her strong grip grabbing thin wrists. The agent tried to break her hold, but Lena's years of training kicked in and she held on fast.

"No. Don't even try." Alex huffed, anger lacing every breath.

So, Lena did the only thing she could do. She let Alex go. The agent took the opportunity, brushing past them with a hard, forced kiss to Kara's forehead before she grabbed the bottle of scotch from the kitchen counter and slipped on her coat. With her hand on the door, Alex didn't turn back, but her pain was still telegraphed in her voice and posture.

"Just let me have a few days. I need to process."

With that, Alex left, Kara fell and Lena tried her best to catch her.

Chapter End Notes

Hey hey!

It's a bit of a crazy chapter, not gonna lie. Lots happened haha. Alex finally knows about the bond and she did not take it well... Lex is disposed of and Smith is now a CEO.

And Lena and Kara have (fucking) finally professed their love! Woop! Thanks for reading! Have an awesome day!

P.S. Also, I know this is weird, but I promised my friend that I would help him out. So, if you want, check out his YouTube channel:

https//channel/UCTkOvH1kezEmkiztO-mdKFw

He's a great singer and does some awesome covers and instrumentals. I was actually listening to him when I wrote this chapter.

Chapter Notes

Chapter 20

H-Hello? Is anyone still here? *Looks around nervously*

I'm sorry it's been so long since I've last updated! I got busy with uni, and then I hit a block writing this chapter to which I procrastinated by writing a 30k one shot, and then I got busy with uni even MORE (somehow??). Those are all excuses, but the moral of the story is, well, time got away from me. I'm sorry. :(

This chapter is a little all over the place but it does introduce some important ideas. Happy reading!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Earth's sky amazed Kara. Krypton, with its fiery red and yellows, was almost monotonous in colour (this was partly due to the denser air and the fact that red and yellow light is scattered less). Earth though, well Earth was something else. Sure, blue seemed to be the natural state of the perceived sky on any clear day, but when the vast expanse was covered in clouds like today? Well, sometimes the sky looked almost angelic. It wasn't the dense grey of heavy clouds that made it so. No. It was the sun rays that managed to punch through the cover that gave it this heavenly quality.

It was like the sky was painted by painters of old. A romantic recreation of basic science but leaning more towards divinity. This was the sky Kara sat under, feet half buried in the sand of an empty beach as she watched clouds turbulently roll over an afternoon sky.

A sandwich, soft and full of cheese, was clutched between her grimy fingers. Kara didn't care much for dirt, there wasn't a lot in the way of bacteria that could hurt her. That being said, Kara wasn't one to eat food with dirty hands, both her mother and Eliza had taught her better than that. She looked down at her meal, frowning at the black stuck under her fingers and the grained of sand dusting her knuckles.

She didn't brush them off.

Alex hadn't talked to her in two days. Two whole, horrible days. This hadn't happened since Kara had come out as Supergirl and Alex admitted she was a DEO agent. They'd been closer than ever since then, repairing a bond that had gotten lost in the angst of childhood and frayed with the stress of secrets. Now Kara had gone and fucked it up. She'd taken a hot poker and driven it clean through the sisterly bond they shared and now, sitting desolate and dirty on a lonely beach, Kara just hoped the wound wasn't fatal- that their bond was cauterised with no chance of recovery.

She took gritty bite, bread giving way as she winced at the sound of sand being crushed into the cheese. She chewed, not at all enjoying the sensation but feeling like she deserved it. (Kara couldn't help but wonder how ancient Egyptians survived having to eat everything with a percentage of sand in it).

The sea was calm, annoyingly so, as the water melted into the sky. There was no wind, the air cold and dead in its stagnation. It was odd how calm the world seemed when National City was slowly

falling into turmoil. When her home, her city, was running amok with mayhem.

It had been a busy morning -that was an understatement- it had been a ridiculous day and a half. Hate crime had skyrocketed, which wasn't a surprise with the tension created by the 'harbourside horror' (a news rag had coined the term). It started violently in the farmlands. Worker strikes turned to alien witch hunts. Kara could still smell the smoke clinging to her hair from a burning wheat field. The heat of open flame was like phantoms on her inflammable skin. It was hungry, despite and Kara couldn't comprehend.

She took another bite, wiping at her misty eyes roughly with her right forearm. The horizon cleared a bit but blue still melded into blue. For all her heroics, for all her speed and tenacity, Kara wasn't fast enough. She hadn't pre-empted, hadn't known. The field was already burning by the time Kara got there, cape snapping as she dashed through charring wheat. She'd been too late. Five. There were five bodies- Razonians- all hogtied and burnt alive.

She sniffled, stuffing the rest of the sandwich into her mouth.

She couldn't get the image of their runny egg eyes out of her mind. Their face, charred stiff with realised horror would haunted her dreams to come.

They hadn't stood a chance. Razonians were small, the tallest around five foot five, and weren't particularly strong- any farmer could overpower them. But what they lacked in physicality they made up tenfold in their ability to care for plant life. It wasn't a surprise that most of the Earth dwelling Razonians found work in agriculture. It must have reminded them of their home planet.

Ravione was a dwarf planet filled with all kinds of flora. The place was positively thick full of planet life and all its inhabitants were forced to adapt. Yet, even with centuries of evolution, the planet couldn't fix one problem- it was too small. Over population became rife on Ravione. While food was not scarce, space definitely was and with Razonians being aggressively pro plant life, it wasn't long before they ran into all sorts of problems.

The solution? Travel. That's how a small group of a few thousand Razonians found themselves on Earth. It wasn't long before they realised they could work the fields to earn coin, to earn space and to thrive. Only now, well, it was kinda hard to live when you're dead.

With a sigh, Kara gently floated onto her feet, grains of sand cascading off her red boots. She dusted her hands as she floated up and away, her back to the calming ebb and flow of waves. She drifted like a ship blown from its mooring, eyes glazed as she made her way towards the city.

The Razonians weren't the only incident that had happened. They'd been a shooting a few hours ago by the metal factory district. Thank Rao Kara had been near the area, allowing her to prevent most of the harm before it occured. She melted gun barrels and froze triggers, yet innocent alien workers still sustained brutalised injuries and a human was sent to hospital. Just half an hour prior, Kara's hands were wrist deep in the chest of a Xeverieran who swallowed a bomb and ran into a crowd.

Terrorism.

It was self-cannibalisation sparked by a patch work monster, feed by personal demons and sustained by rising tensions. Hope seemed so far away now, lost and forgotten in some barrel as everyone turned to violence.

Cat had written an editorial, she'd given a speech that was live streamed to the whole city. Hell, CatCo. itself had done nothing but work tirelessly to dissuade the masses from their anger. It did nothing. Fuck, it just felt like the paper of their work added to the fuel of the pyre. The falsely

accused were burning and the people were out on a witch hunt.

National City itself was now a hotspot for protest and riots. The DEO and the police were doing their best to manage the crowds with Kara only taking the extreme cases. Businesses closed for the day, their employees either joining the masses or taking shelter at home. All the noise, the anger and shouting, the rhythmic chanting of frenzied crowds scratched and tore at her psyche, it ate away at her sleep ailed mind until Kara didn't feel like a functioning Kryptonian anymore.

That's how she found herself on the beach, knees indenting into wet sand as she tried to scrub purpling blood from under her fingernails. It flaked and dissolved in the salt dense water, but the image was burnt in her mind. She couldn't forget the feel of the Xeverieran's two hearts beating on either side of her hands as she clenched the bomb in a tight fist. It had exploded in her palms, the blast contained to the gore of a carcass as Kara gritted her teeth. Still, it had splashed like the violent flicking of a paint brush, splattering her uniform and face with brilliant, bright purple.

She'd been in a daze since then, shaking her hands of excess water and pulling out the sandwich Lena had made for her that morning. That's when she took a sandy bite and contemplated the colour of the sky.

Kara flew through a cloud, grimacing at the feel of water vapour clinging to her hair. Lena had been in a near constant state of worry. The tempestuous emotion was like a grey, angry mass pressing at Kara's throat and choking at her windpipe. Normally she'd rationalise Lena's concern, probably swoon a little at how much Lena cared, but Kara was tired and beaten, she hadn't seen her bed since she tugged on the cape a day and a half ago and to top it all off, the sun was weak with Winter and cloud. She felt dead on her feet.

Kara dropped onto the CatCo. rooftop, relishing a little in the silence of her comms unit as she tried to swallow down Lena's concern (and a little sand too). She breathed, feeling her lungs expand with polluted air before she did her best to appease her lover's concern. Lena responded instantly, a flowery warmth wrapping around Kara's chest and abdomen as she changed into her civilian clothes. Despite her shortening temper, Kara couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips. It was just the affect Lena had on her.

She took the stairs, jumping down the flights until she ran into the bullpen. Spotting the hunched, danish smelling figure of Snapper, Kara made her way over, doing her best to neaten her rushed ponytail.

"You wanted to see me?"

"I don't like that tone, Ponytail." Snapper grouched, shuffling through a stack of paper with surprisingly deft hands as he turned to address her.

Kara glanced at her watch, biting back a sigh, her arm flopping to her side. She felt thin, as if her steel skin was fractured and riddled with fissures so small and connected she feared she'd snap at the slightest pressure.

Snapper slapped his stack on the desk, startling her. "I need you to head down to Speaker's Square. The new CEO of Lord Tech. is giving his first speech and we need a journalist on the ground."

Kara furrowed her brows, adjusting her glasses. "Wasn't Phil meant to take this story?" Snapper sighed, looking at her over his glasses. "Helmet's in hospital."

"What?" Kara frowned. "What happened?"

"Don't know, don't care. I'm one reporter down and you're available. Go do your job."

With that, she was dismissed with a flick of the wrist. Kara huffed, used to his attitude as she made her way out of the news building. She really didn't want to see Winston Smith's smug face as he lorded over a hungry crowd, but Kara needed to do her job. She needed the break from her cape desperately. So, she hitched her satchel higher on her shoulder as she hit the angry streets in her white boat shoes.

Speaker's Square was bustling with groups of Winter bundled humans. Misty breathes hung in the thin air like smoke from a furnace as people fought with flawed opinions. Normally Kara would be able spot one or two distinctly extra-terrestrial individuals, even more than that in the recent months, but now all she saw were muted scarfs, upturned collars and malleable skin. She felt oddly alone. Choosing not to focus on that, Kara scanned the crowd, making sure not to bump into anyone with extra strength as she slipped towards the front of the crowd.

Microphones were set up on stage, the podium a buffed rose wood standing patently for its speaker. The crowd was restless, the two hulking men to Kara's right kept shoving into her as they bolstered each other on. She did her best to react with the appropriate sway, but it was getting harder and harder to not stand still like a steel rod when she couldn't help but hear their conversation.

"-fucking aliens. Why the hell are we taking 'em if their own planets don't want 'em? We're not just some dumping ground for unwanted filth."

Kara clenched her jaw and she fiddled with her glasses. Arguing was not in her best interest. All she needed to do was listen to Smith's speech, take a few notes and then get the fuck outta there. But by Rao did she want to rant and rave. Those cracks in her skin were clustering, feeding into one another and everything hurt with such a permeating ache.

"The shits are like fucking bugs. They're infesting everything. Hell, I can't even go a day without seeing a horn or gills. Like, no thank you, I just want to fill up my fucking car, not be offended by some third eye that can probably see through my fucking clothes."

"That's fuckin' gross, dud. Shit, mate."

Kara felt herself hunch. Her chin tucked into her neck, her glasses slipped to the tip of her nose and she crossed her arms in an effort to contain herself. Lena made herself known, stepping at the feelings of trouble.

Heat pooled between tensed shoulders, muscles protesting at the Littlest Luthor's attempts to calm her, to loosen her. Kara felt the heat travel up her neck, she could imagine Lena's fingers working at tense cords of strength as she helped bring the Kryptonian down. Then, like melting ice, a numbing calm dripped down, down, down from the back of her jaw and pooling in the pits of her twisted stomach. She breathed. One, two, in, out, repeating the cycle over and over until she felt more centred, more focused in an angry reality. She needed to be calm, to do her job, to protect and save and bring clarity to a helpless situation.

It was only then that Kara realised that Mr. Smith had taken to the stage.

Lena huffed as she cradled an aching head in her drink cooled hands. A half-drunk diet cold drink sat condensing on a harden leather coaster to her left, her desk a mess of files and notices of delays because of the strikes happening across the city. Stocks were diving, anti-alien sentiment was

erupting like a forgotten pressure cooker and Lena was in full damage control mode. On top of that, all employees were on forced leave unless otherwise notified. She couldn't let them come into work with the streets in such uproar.

She knew that L-Corp.'s pro alien stance would be a challenge. Hell, backlash was inevitable when a business was tied to a political ideology. As much as she hated it, remaining morally grey had benefits, especially in business. That being said, it was too late for regrets- not that Lena had any.

She sat back, grabbed her pen and twirled it between ink stained fingers. Swivelling on her chair, Lena looked out on the cold, blue and grey world outside. National City was having a cold front, the tall windows misting with the temperature differential between the office warmth and the outside world.

Lena had been at the office since the early morning, when the world was dark and lights were left unlit. She'd only gotten a few hours rest, Kara had been in a sustained state of angered, appalled grief and all those dark, sticky, gelatinous emotions seeped deep into the recess of Lena's dreams. Rest was fleeting, so Lena took the sound of Supergirl's boots on her hardwood floors as a sign to cease pretence.

Kara had been in constant motion ever since Alex had walked out the door. Lena had done her best to give her lover space, to let Kara figure out how she wanted to approach the situation. But then National City had gone to hell and everything had to be push to the side- not forgotten, never forgotten but rather shoved into an air tight box and guarded in the fortress of Kara's mindscape. Lena made Kara a stash of sandwiches, snagging a few for herself, before falling into work like an enraged bull. She hadn't eaten since.

No matter how many emails she responded to or potential crises she adverted, her chest still felt tight and her shoulders were crushed under the weight of not only Kara but also her unwanted guest. That fucking Death was back, it's stagnant shadow always drifting at the edges of her vision and the more Lena tried to glimpse it, the heavier she felt. So, in retaliation, Lena dived even deeper into work, calling meetings with various department heads (apologising to calling on their day off), working closely with her marketing managers to help avoid company crises and plummeting stocks. The thing was, she didn't understand why it was back. It normally reared its ugly head during her darkest moments, were the world felt too small for sins so large, but the last few months had been better. She had been better but maybe she was worse off than she thought.

Lena cracked her knuckles, turning back to her desk and shuffling through her papers. There wasn't time to spare. Lord Tech.'s new CEO was being announced today, in fifteen minutes actually, and CatCo. would be breaking the news five minutes before. She worked her jaw, trying to relieve some of that nagging tension that she'd woken up with. It was like someone had put rubber bands around her head in hopes it would burst like a watermelon (Lena feared it might). She'd taken ibuprofen half an hour ago and it was yet to kick in. So, she held her breath, hoping to raise her blood pressure a litte, and continued with work.

It wasn't long before Lena discarded her pen. She was halfway through checking a tax report Radley had given her yesterday when her mind fogged with unprecedented rage. Kara had been all sorts of worked up lately, her anger mounting brick by brick, but this? This was almost vindictive and Lena needed to do something about it.

It felt like a steel rod had been shoved down her spine, locking all her muscles in a mock rigor mortis. Everything was stiff and cold and yet somehow on fire. She felt her heart start to pound with the suddenness of it all.

Lena breathed shakily, revelling in the achy way her lungs expanded as she tried to focus on her

lover. Kara was growing more agitated by the second, the blonde's winces almost shocking through her core with affronted anger. She really needed to do something about this before Kara did something stupid. Before the heroine did something she couldn't take back.

Lena started by taking stock of her own office, the mundanity offering a sense of calm that Kara was lacking. She tried to channel that feeling of familiarity through their bond, easing her way into Kara's conscience to provide passive, understanding support. She imagined the way Kara's shoulders tensed, each bundle of muscle tightening with overloaded power. God, Lena's finger's ached with the need to relieve that tension, to massage out Kara's troubles and ask her of her woes. She needed to find a physical solution to Kara emotional problems, because maybe then they would be able to work through this. Maybe then the damage wouldn't be as hard to fix, to heal, if it was something physical rather than mental?

Lena knew she was wrong, but it didn't stop her from hoping.

Instead, Lena sat lonely and proud in her office, doing her best to help her tragic hero without knowing the problem. What she did know was that it had been a rough last few hours. The news was thriving with all the misfortune seeping into the bones of the city; Lena had yet to see a television show today that wasn't interrupted by a breaking news headline. And if it wasn't for the news, Kara's sudden nose dive into her melancholic heroic inadequately told her enough.

She worked her hands, clenching her fists before letting the tension seep out into open fingers. She repeated the actions, counting up to ten and then down again, breathing evenly all the while. She could feel it starting to work, the steel rode in her spine was sluggishly melting with each repetition, her stiff limbs slowly regaining movement. Going a little further, Lena slowly started working her wrists into easy circles and rotated her ankles. She kept going until she felt the last of Kara's tension and irritation bleed away from her body, her posture slackening in relief. She had successfully brought Kara down and for that Lena was a little chuffed.

It didn't last long. Her little victory was cut short by the very annoying voice of one Mr. Winston Smith. Lena turned, a sneer falling unbidden on peach pink lips. Lena put the television louder, leaning forward and squinting as if it was going to make her hearing better. Lord prattled on, talking about honour and greatness and everything completely cliché of a victory speech. What Lena wouldn't give to see Lord's face in reaction to such a speech. Lena expected even Smith to have more tack.

"-in the wake of the tragic death of Mr. Lord, he has placed me, Winston Smith, as his successor for CEO of Lord Tech. Mr. Lord was a man of the future," Lena scoffed, "always looking for ways to better humanity. I wish to carry on his dream for a brighter, human future."

Lena felt her stomach drop, her veins weighed down by liquid lead. She felt Kara's sudden worry flare with warning at the back of her throat. Lena flinched back further into her chair, the television remote falling from her suddenly useless hands. She clenched her jaw, dark brows furrowed as every muscle in her body tensed. Her eyes closed unbiddenly.

The first thing Lena noticed was the smell, it was so like her personal Death yet nothing alike at all. It was everywhere, pressing and squeezing, choking at her, no, Kara's windpipe. Next was feeling- touch. She was in a crowd, hot blooded bodies jostling from all sides, rallied and ravenous with manic energy. Lena hadn't had a vision in ages, leading her to feel more out of sorts than usual. She felt lost, listless and turned-about in the most uncomfortable of ways. Kara opened her eyes, and Lena finally saw.

Kara was at the speech. Why was Kara at the speech? She was meant to be working from the office today.

She was jostled, the feeling of flesh from someone on her right pushing into Kara's solid body. She felt Kara sway appropriately, the world tilting slightly but eyes never leaving the stage as Smith basked in raucous applause. She felt sick. That sleazy smirk widened with each clap and cheer and Lena felt herself fall into sudden despair. She thought the world was getting better, more accepting but now the worms crawled out of the woodwork, festering and hungry for pain.

"That is why I am most pleased to announce that Lord Technologies will be merging with Addington Engines at the start of the new year."

Lena felt Kara take a step back, anger starting to boil in the pit of their stomachs. Lena knew something like this was coming, why else would Smith spend more time than needed in a company not his own? The only plausible explanation was that he'd want it, that his mother wanted Lord Tech. and now she was going to get it.

It wasn't unusual for companies to merge. It was beneficial to both parties and Lena predicted this would happen as soon as she heard of Smith's succession. But this soon? Lord's decapitated head hadn't even left police evidence yet... unless the merger was underway before Maxwell's head was used as an apple for an effigy?

Lena fought vertigo as Kara spun on her heel. She felt warm, too warm. Her alpaca wool cardigan felt constricting, her boat shoes a tad too stretched as she marched through the crowd. Lena did her best to look, to memorise the faces as Kara glanced around. It was a habit she picked up as a defence mechanism, more so since the changing from LuthorCorp. to L-Corp. People do stupid things in anger and Lena wanted to remember the faces of these angry, angry people.

They made it out the crowd, frazzled hands readjusting the satchel on their shoulder. They marched to a nearby, empty alley, already ripping at the buttons under the cardigan. Lena felt her gut pull, the world dropped beneath her and she opened her eyes back to her office.

Her head swam, a latent nausea biting at the back of her teeth as she sat stiffly in her office chair. She shut her eyes tight, the headache she'd been fighting all day was back with full force. Her mouth was thick with expectant saliva and a permeating malaise sat deep in her bones. She groaned. First a vision and now a migraine, why had the world forsaken her so?

She felt around her desk, bumbling fingers making for her top draw. With little hassle she pulled it open, pushing papers and business paraphernalia aside until she heard the rattle of painkillers. She grabbed the bottle, eyes still closed, and opened it. Palming two, she dry swallowed with a pained gulp, diet coke forgotten. They'd still take a while to set in (and she sincerely hoped they didn't interact with the ibuprofen) so all Lena could do was sit tight and try to numb the pain. Kara didn't need this on top of what she's already been through and Lena'd be damned if she added to Kara's grief.

She'd gotten into a comfortable position, having migrated from her throne to the couch, the cool leather a balm to the raging fire of her headache. She toed her heels off, the stilettos falling to the floor haphazardly as she flung an arm over her eyes. The reprieve didn't last long, for as soon as she relished in the relative silence, her office doors opened with a bang.

"Holy fuck!" Lena startled, snapping as she jerked up into a sitting position. Her glare was out in full force as her vision swam and head pounded.

"Calm down Little Luthor, it's just me."

Lena relaxed instantly, recognising the voice as her vision finally settled. "Alex? What are you doing here? The building's closed."

She sat up properly, feet falling to the floor as she tried to smooth down her hair. Alex walked into the room, eyebrows raised as she took in the sight of a ruffled Lena. Lena shifted on the couch, moving to one side and patting the other for Alex to sit. The elder Danvers took the cue, sitting down on the white leather, hands fiddling with something just out of view.

"What's that?"

Alex gave a grim smile, the face a pretence more than anything. They weren't on talking terms at the moment. Alex said she had needed time and both Kara and her were giving Alex just that. But for the agent to break her silence and come into her very much closed office, well, it must be important. That still didn't make it any less awkward between them. they just get drunk and talk existentialism like they used to?

"I snuck into Smith's office and took a look at that lead box you guys told me about. I took pictures of its contents and put everything back in place."

So no on the drinking then. "And? What was in it?"

Alex unpalmed a USB, holding out the device for Lena to take with a slightly shaky hand. "Documents and letters. I didn't have time to properly read any, but it seems to be correspondence with his mother, a few spread sheets and other miscellaneous items."

Lena hummed, brow furrowed. "Who still sends letters in this day and age?" "Funnily enough, people who don't want to leave paper trails."

"I got you a coffee."

Maggie turned around, surprised but her hand already extended to retrieve whatever caffeine she could get. Kara gave a small smile, taking a sip of her own matcha latte. There was a beat of silence before the detective spoke.

"It's not that I'm ungrateful for the coffee, but why are you here, Kara?"

Kara took another quick sip before answering. "I was at Speaker's Square for Winston Smith's speech-"

"Ouch."

"Yeah." Kara nodded, shoulders bunching. "Anyway, I just needed to take my mind off reporting for a bit, so I was wondering if there was anything I could help you with case wise?"

Maggie sighed. Sipping at her coffee as she looked around. They were near the extra-terrestrial embassy- a newish building that was built to reflect the shifting laws of the United States of America. Its slate grey, strong structure was surround by green and flowery gardens, all bordered by a tall iron fence. With the turning state of public opinion, however, the embassy was a hot spot for protest, and protest the people did.

Police were patrolling the area, controlling the crowds and subduing violent outbursts. Maggie was between two groups of opposing protests, Kara beside her, as they sipped their respective beverages

to the sound of shouted slurs. They shared a sigh, both exhausted in their own right. "We've hit a wall in the investigation."

"We have?"

Maggie nodded. "Yeah. We don't have a concrete motive, we only have a very loose victim profile and, thanks to the whole effigy scenario, they've become unpredictable. Not to mention this whole mess." She tipped her head to the crowd.

They both took another sip, shoulders heavy. Kara had come here to feel a little better, to do something that wasn't related to superheroing and yet here she was, useless once again and drinking a Rao damned latte to top it off. Maggie, ever the detective, must have seen the drop in her shoulders or the clench of her jaw because the next thing Kara knew, there was a gentle hand rubbing up and down her back. Kara shot the woman a coy smile, adjusting her glasses as she turned her gaze back to her takeaway cup. Maggie took a step closer, not encroaching on Kara's personal space but still giving an illusion of privacy.

"Are you alright?" "No."

Kara blinked at the truth, startled at the lack of filter. She didn't mean to answer that fast, that honestly. She must have been worse than she thought. Maggie shuffled a little closer.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

Maggie's earnest voice did more harm than good, the words like an arrow through the knee- not devastating but definitely crippling. She fought the urge to turtle, instead choosing to play with the cup in her hands. She shook her head.

Maggie stilled for a moment and Kara had an inkling that the detective didn't actually know what to do (not that Kara did either). Sawyer's hard demeanour, while a cover for softness, was also a disguise for her lack of being able to navigate delicate emotional situations. That being said, Kara couldn't fault the good detective for trying. All this stilted conversation had done was make Kara want to see Lena (she always did, but it made her want her girlfriend more); Lena always knew what to do.

She excused herself from Maggie, giving a short nod as she walked away and into the busy street. Lena had been weirdly muted all day. Kara could definitely feel her, she always could, but her emotions were dulled as if chucked under a heavy blanket in a closed room. Lena was a private person by all means, but this was almost a new level and Kara felt off kilter at how alone she felt in her mind. It was like there was too much space.

She walked briskly, chucking away her empty cup and weaving in and out of the busy streets. It took about twenty minutes to get to L-Corp., the structure reflecting the late afternoon sky as Kara made her way inside. She nodded at Mr. Carter, his bald head shining in the warm lighting. Apparently Xavier was still away, which was... peculiar. Hadn't Lena said he left for a family emergency? That he'd probably be a few days at most? It had definitely been more than a few days, weeks really. Kara made a note to ask as she entered the elevator.

She was greeted by the Jess' empty desk, neat and idle as Kara walked on plush carpet. Her brow furrowed further, she hadn't seen Jess in a while either. Unease settled into her gut but she shook it off. She was just tired. She needed sleep but most of all, she needed a hug from either Alex or Lena.

And with Alex... well, Lena's arms always made her feel safe (which was ridiculous notion for the girl of steel).

Kara pushed on wooden doors, head ducking as she caught sight of the well patched crack in the wood.

"Hey Lena, let's get a late lun- Alex?"

Kara stopped dead still, one foot past the doorway as she took in the scene. Alex was in civilian clothes, bob a tousled mess and her woollen sweater bunching awkwardly as she loomed over Lena. Lena was similarly dishevelled, her loose hair curling, eyes tired and shoes abandoned by the white couch. They were at Lena's desk, both were clearly absorbed by the computer until Kara barged into the room.

This was... unexpected. Alex had been radio silent since the dinner and now here she was like it was any other Thursday. Kara took another step into the room, allowing the doors to close softly. Alex stood straighter, her eyes turning deep and slightly listless at the sight if her sister. Kara could see the minute tensing of her shoulders, the way her feet shifted just so. Alex, even if she tried not to show it, felt slightly threaten by the situation. Kara's sudden presence had thrown her.

Lena's gaze shifted between them, head moving as if she was watching a tennis match. Kara took another step in, Lena's gaze finally settling on her and the blonde was overcome with a sudden sense of calm. Or as much calm as Lena could afford her with barely veiled pain underneath. Why was Lena in pain?

Kara's shoulder's tensed. She didn't have to hide it now. She could actually ask Lena why. There was no bug secret to keep and, in a sense, Kara felt liberated. Alex knew and Kara didn't have to hold her tongue any longer.

"Did someone hurt you, Lena?" She swallowed, slightly annoyed at how coarse her voice felt.

Despite that, Kara kept her blue gaze on Lena's green, refusing to let her head drop with her sister in the room. Alex had seen her weak, hell, Alex had seen her in the darkest moments of her life and yet, here, in the still office with so much between them, Kara wouldn't let her weakness out.

Lena shook her head slowly, Kara noticing a slight increase in pain at the movement. A headache. It wasn't uncommon for the CEO to get them, but Lena hadn't had one in a while. On top of that, this one felt intense. Kara walked with steady legs over to the drinks table, pouring a tall glass of water and chilling it slightly with her breath.

She heard a chair scrape, Lena's heart steady and loud as she stood. Her bare feet padded across the floor as Kara turned to hand the water to her. She took it without question, sculling the glass before leaning forward and planting a chilled kiss to Kara's cheek.

"Thank you." She hushed, pained and tired. Kara returned the kiss, lingering just a moment before walking over to Alex.

"Kara." Alex spoke, watching her little sister take a seat at the edge of the sturdy desk.

"Alex." Kara returned in kind, smirking slightly, arms folded protectively over her chest. Alex had a gift for making her feel vulnerable, open and that was a fact Kara didn't mind so much normally. Lena came up behind her, sling an arm over broad shoulders and gently pulling Kara against her side. It was a small thing, barely a hug, but it made a world of difference. "Why are you here?"

"Remember that lead box in Lord's, sorry, Smith's office you told me about?"

Kara nodded. She did a quick scan of the room, not finding said box in the vicinity. "What about it?"

Alex gestured to the computer with a brief wave. "I was able to sneak into Smith's office during his big speech," Kara shuddered. If Alex noticed she didn't comment, "and I took photographs of the contents. You know, so I could put it back like it was never touched."

Lena gave a final squeeze before moving to resume her seat. Kara got up too, arms still crossed as she peered over Lena's shoulder at the computer. The CEO started to go through the pictures. Kara scanned each one, reading them multiple times before Lena clicked onto the next.

"As you can see," Alex started.

"There isn't anything incriminating." Kara finished, leaning sightly closer to the screen in concentration. "Why would he hde this is a metal box under lock and key in his office? Hell, why would he even keep this?"

Lena nodded, jaw working before she asked, "Maybe he's sentimental?" Kara looked down at her girlfriend. Lena shrugged, "I dunno, I used to write letters to Lex once upon a time and whenever I received one, I would keep it in a box hidden under my bed. Handwritten letters, no matter rhyme or reason, feel special."

Kara couldn't help but place a chaste kiss on top of Lena's crown, feeling a mutual affection bloom in her chest.

The letters themselves were personal correspondence between one Winston Smith and three other people: his mother, Maxwell Lord and an unknown entity simply called 'E.' They held all sorts of useless information- recounts of holidays, small talk, events and planning, and one or two chastising Smith on his behaviour (curtesy of Mrs. Addington). With each click of the button, Kara got more and more frustrated, each letter more useless than the last. Lena's ire grew along with her, and Alex started to slightly sway on spot- a sure sign she was getting antsy. It got to the point that Kara started kneading Lena's shoulders lest she punch through the computer (Lena would not enjoy that). Thankfully it didn't come to that for Kara caught sight of something in the corner of one page as Lena flicked passed.

"What Lena, can you go back one?"

The letter in question appeared on screen. It looked like all the other letters: bold, neat ink on thick paper. It was short, nothing more than a meeting reminder, but what made Kara pause was a small, faint symbol in the top right corner.

"Can you enlarge the image?"

Lena nodded, zooming to the area Kara directed to. Alex leant in beside her, brow furrowed and fingers stroking her chin in thought. Lena's intrigued confusion rose to the top of Kara's palette. The image was grainy, the drawing faint as if an afterthought, a doodle of an absent mind. The thing was, no other letter was marked in any way. Kara could feel it in her gut; she was onto something.

"Do you know what that is?" Alex asked, their shoulders brushing as they crowded.

Kara squinted as if it would help her see better (impossible) as she contemplated the collection of pixels. There was something nagging at the back of her mind. The symbol looked familiar, like a passing face in a crowd. Kara had definitely seen it before but she couldn't quite place it.

"Hey Lena,"

"Yeah?"

"Can you pass me a pen 'n' paper?" "Yep. Here."

Kara took the utensils, hand already drawing what they were looking at. Maybe if she got the image down physically, it would help jog her memory? The felt tip fine-liner raced across the sticky note, the bright yellow in high contrast with the black ink.

"Kara, that looks like chicken scratch."

"But it's the only letter with superfluous markings, Lena." Kara tried to reason.

"That could just be a coincidence." Lena took the sticky note from Kara's fingers, looking at the image. "Hell, I'm meticulous in my writing but sometimes even I drop my pen or doodle."

Alex took the note from Lena, thumb tracing over the dry ink. "You both have valid points," she started, words mumbled in thought. She rotated the drawing a few times, her voice getting stronger. "But this pattern looks full of intent."

"Exactly." Kara agreed, watching the picture go 'round and 'round in Alex's hands, mind still nagging. "Like," Kara pointed to one area of the drawing, "that part looks like a British pound sign. Even when I'm concentrating I have trouble writing those."

Lena chuckled. "It could be an epsilon?" "Or a capital 'E.'" Alex added.

All their heads jerked to the computer screen in unison, voices varying degrees of exclamation at their shared epiphany. "It's a symbol for 'E.'" They all shared smug smiles.

Lena zoomed out on the image, all of them looking to unnecessarily confirm that the sender of the letter was, in fact, the mysterious 'E' (a fact they already knew). That still gave them no new information. Kara groaned, dropping her chin gently on Lena's head, the Luthor hummed in solidarity and Alex began to sway more aggressively in contemplation. Kara stuck the sticky note on the edge of Lena's computer screen so she could have both pieces of information in her field of view.

It was a good few moments before Alex broke the silence, "Do you have a spare USB, Lena?"

Lena huffed a laugh. "It would be criminal not too, we are a technology company after all."

"Wise crack." Kara muttered, watching as her girlfriend pulled open a desk drawer, the sound of a bottle of pills rattling gave weight to the motion. Kara's heat sunk. She'd been so caught up in the letters that she'd forgotten about Lena's headache. She jerked her head off Lena's, taking a step back. Rao, how was she so selfish? Her companion was in pain and all Kara could think about was why a symbol looked oddly familiar.

How could she be so insensitive?

As Lena relaxed back into her chair, she was greeted by Kara's hands slowly pressing into the base of her skull. Kara felt immediate relief chilled up her back, hairs standing to attention on her forearms. She sighed, feeling a little more settled as she took care of Lena. With the world going to shit around them, it was nice to know she could still have control somewhere in her life.

Alex slotted the USB into the computer and started copying the images over. The elder Danvers' fingers tapped impatiently on the mouse as they all watch the progress bar take its sweet time. Kara's fingers continued to work, Lena became steadily more pliant, and Alex took to pacing the office floor.

Kara watched her sister go back and forth, her mind lost to its own thinking as her hands migrated from the back of Lena's neck to the junction of her shoulders, working a larger portion of her trapezius. She went a little further than that, strong fingers working towards Lena's spine, soothing her rhomboid major. Kara didn't notice the heady, cotton-like quality that started to descend on her mind. Her train of thought was derailed completely off track. The only thing she found herself focusing on was the feel of Lena's tense muscles relaxing, how her thick, winter blouse, bunched with each movement as she traced carefully over delicate bones. Taken with her ministrations, Kara failed to notice the clench of Lena's authoritative jaw or how her head fell slightly forward- skin flushed and body loose.

"God, I really don't need to see Lena's orgasm face."

"Holy Rao."

Kara jumped, ripping her hands off Lena's body and propelling herself to hover a good foot in the air, ponytail just shy of hitting the ceiling. Lena jumped too, albeit not as high as her heart startled into a gallop. Alex just shook her head at their antics, pulling out the USB and securing it in her pants' pocket.

"Now I'm gonna go before you guys bone. There are somethings a sister does not need to see." "Alex!" Kara floated down, landing a little harder than intended, spluttering. "B-Bone? I'm not some

bitch in heat!"

Alex chuckled, cocking an eyebrow as she looked between the lovers. She opened her mouth to retort, only to be interrupted by Lena.

The CEO stood, placing a calming hand on Kara's shoulder, rubbing soothingly. "You're not a bitch."

"Thank you, Lena."

"You're just an unbound Kryptonian who's hornier than a male dolphin. I do my best to keep your libido in check, but damn is it thirsty work. I'm pretty sure I've gained forearm muscles."

"Lena!" "It's true!"

"Aaaaaand that's my cue to leave." Alex turned heel, her bob whipping around her head as she hurried to the exit. She needed to bleach her brain, the sooner the better. She wasn't lucky, however, for her timely escape was thwarted but a gust of wind and a gentle grip at her arm. Alex looked over her shoulder, the burnt sienna of her eyes meeting Kara's sky blue.

There were no words exchanged, none needed to be for the sisters to have a full conversation. Years of living under the same roof gave them the ability to read each other at the drop of a hat. It was in the way Alex maintained eye contact, how her shoulders shifted, her stance opened- hell, it was even the way one of her hands was hanging by her side, not in a pocket, and the other loosened its grip of the brass door handle. Kara knew, in this very moment without a shred of doubt, that the distance between them was temporary. That Alex was just processing. Sure, she wasn't quite there yet, but

the journey had started and Kara felt settled. Relieved. She knew that Alex was just prepping herself in a way to best support Kara and for that, Kara felt infinitely blessed.

She let go of Alex's arm, watching her older sister exit with a parting twitch of lips.

Settled. Solid. Firm once more and yet Kara felt incredibly weak. Rao, she was finally able to be weak, to let up this horrid façade of Atlas and allow the superglued cracks of her concrete bones to finally shatter. And shatter they did. Crumbled, in fact. Calcium powdering to dust under the heavy weight of her muscles.

Kara sunk to the floor, forehead kissing the wood of the door as she let out shaky breath after shaky breath. Alex's approval meant everything to her. That was one thing off her chest but the weight of the world was still crushing her, her shoulders aching at the responsibility. Yet, for all of that, Kara didn't cry. No tears welled in the pools of her eyes. No sobs broke as Lena gently sat next to her, back against the door as she let Kara feel.

Rao, was it good to feel.

Lena dropped the packet of steaming apple pies on the counter, disrobing her overcoat and draping it on a vacant chair. She curled her toes against the cool floor, trying, in vain, to alleviate the persistent ache borne of pointed toed heels. She rolled her shoulders as she contemplated the best way to burn her shoes and implement a flat shoe policy for all her employees. Maybe Lucy could help her with that too?

She puttered around her kitchen, pulling our plates and cutlery for the pies and two tumblers for the bourbon she had stored at the back of her liqueur cabinet. Today had been a hell of a ride. From a dip in the stock market, to Smith's speech and Alex's sudden appearance, well, Lena felt she deserved to let a little loose. First things first, however, she needed to get comfortable.

The lights had already been on when she entered her apartment, the sound of the shower greeting her as she crossed the threshold. Kara must have gotten in a little before her. Lena couldn't stop the smile from dimpling her cheeks. It felt so... domestic to walk into a busy home.

It felt right.

It was without any trepidation that Lena entered her bedroom. Kara was showering in the ensuite, steam curling from under the door and misting against the painted wood. Lena had no doubt that Kara knew she was home, she'd been too noisy to escape the Kryptonian's notice and she definitely wasn't being quite now.

Lena hummed to herself, singing under her breath as she took off her earrings at the vanity, thumbing off her rings before unbuttoning her blouse on the way to the windows. The city seemed so quite from up here. Docile- a mask for the rot running through its veins.

Sighing, she shouldering off her blouse, not caring as it heaped on the floor. "Mornië alantië."

She chuckled dryly, shaking her head as she unfastened her pants, her stomach expanding with shameful relief. Lena tried not to think about it. Instead, she turned around and shed her clothing quickly. Her reflection on the dark glass would do nothing to soothe her so what was the pint of looking? She didn't need to see to know her hair was just a day over greasy, or that the bags under her eyes were heavy enough to make a strong cup of tea. Yet, despite her aversion, it definitely didn't stop Lena from crossing her arms awkwardly over her stomach.

She hated the feeling of her shifting weight. Her stiff blazers, stretched collars and pressed cuffs had always served a double purpose for Lena. Wearing mildly uncomfortable clothing took her mind off the excess weight sitting on her midriff and it also allowed her to present herself how she wanted. It gave her power where she felt she had none. It hid what she didn't want shown. Hell, the right clothes allowed her to become a completely different person.

Maybe she was like the city below? A pretence, a charade for a flawed system?

She really needed to shower.

Lena turned the doorknob, not surprised to find it open, and stepped into the steamed room. Two towels sat proudly next to the sink, soft and clean. That little minx, Kara was expecting her. Who was Lena to deny? (It didn't stop her from announcing her presence through their bond).

Lena squared her shoulders, lifted her chin and opened the misted shower door. Kara turned, eyes soft and hair flat with water. Ever chivalrous, Kara held out a helping hand, tugging Lena into the hot spray.

"Do you remember when we first met?" Kara conspired, head ducking close to Lena ear.

Lena pressed a kiss to Kara's bare shoulder, her smile imprinting on bronzed skin as her brain fired to action. She played along, "I thought I had wandered into a dream."

Kara lathered her hands in soap, running sud filled palms over the landscape of Lena's back. "Long years have passed. You did not have the cares you carry now." She worked sore muscles. "Do you remember what I told you?"

Lena nipped at Kara's jaw, taking advantage of their closeness and running fingers through her silken blonde hair. "You said you'd bind yourself to me, forsaken the immortal life of your people."

Kara gently turned her around, bringing Lena's back flush with her solid frame. "And to that I hold. I would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the ages of this world alone." She parted dark hair, placing a kiss at her lover's nape. "I choose a mortal life."

Lena's hand snaked up, catch Kara's fingers, tugging them into her own and intertwining. "You cannot give me this." She shook their combined palms, squeezing with all her might. Kara nuzzled into her shoulder, smile soft and lips softer. Her own smile cracked, however, her mind taken a turn for the serious.

What started out as silly banter, playful words from too many nights spent watching movies, had grown too solemn for the confines of the shower. Kara moved behind her, their hands falling apart only for her lover to wrap her in a hug, sensing the sift through their bond. Lena felt the gravity of Kara's words like an ancient library catching on fire. It pained her but reality was so. There was nothing either could do to prevent the inevitable, there was no escape.

"It is mine to give to whom I will. Like my heart."

Lena sank further into the embrace, head lolling back as the water cascaded around them. She would eventually die and Kara would live on, there were no two ways about it. Kryptonian biology meant that Kara was slower ageing than any human. It wasn't even by just a little bit, no. Kara, naturally, would live at least a good few decades after the average human lifespan. Hell, if she kept herself healthy, she be able to last even another century.

God, Lena didn't want to think about that inevitably now. She never wanted to think about that fate but it was the only way their story could end. That is, if Kara didn't die on a mission and Lena didn't

fall victim to the human condition (both of which were looking more and more likely). Mortality was a fickle thing.

A thing definitely too fickle to contemplate in a shower with her lover kissing at her neck and the water running warmth down their skin. Kara nosed at her ear, humming and prompting Lena to get back to washing her hair.

"Aren't we a piece of work."

"Hmm?" Lena cocked an eyebrow, running shampoo through her thick mane.

"I mean, what were the chances that I would end up with a woman who'd speak Elvish to herself and then enable to me to quote a full scene from Lord of the Rings, word for word, whilst naked together in the shower?"

"I have no idea, but she definitely sounds like a keeper." Kara squeezed her a little tighter. "She definitely is."

Lena smiled, banishing anything heavy from her mind. She didn't need that negativity right now. "It wasn't word for word, my dear." She brought a hand up to kiss. "I didn't say my lines in Elvish."

Half an hour later found them standing around the kitchen island, donned in fluffy robes and air- drying hair as they attacked a pie each straight from the tin. The plates sat sadly on the kitchen counter- discarded without a second thought as Lena chastised Kara for almost blowing up the microwave.

"Foil will explode, Kara! Seriously? You know this!" "That's why I prefer my eyes, Lena!"

"But they heat things unevenly."

"But they still heat things."

"For someone so good at cooking, you do make stupid mistakes sometimes." Lena huffed. Kara rebuffed. "Well, I'm sorry I don't own a microwave."

Lena took a petulant sip of from her tumbler, letting the bourbon settle into her mouthful of pie before swallowing. Kara had chosen to forego the alcohol, choosing instead to make herself a hot chocolate. Now she was sporting a very dashing froth moustache, cheeks ballooning like a beaver as she munched on apple filling with a pout.

Lena had picked up the pies from the Ambrose Coffeehouse on the way home from work. The place was the same, dead quiet and pleasantly welcoming. Frankie didn't comment on the lack of business, but she did give him a whole pie in thanks.

She took another bite, humming at the rich taste. Kara hopped on the counter, landing lightly and without a sound as she licked each finger clean before folding the empty aluminium pie tin neatly. Lena held out her hand, fingers curling around the neat square and dropping it in the bin without flourish. She leant against the counter, side by side with Kara and close enough that the blonde's leg was pressed into her hip. Kara didn't waste time pulling another pie towards her, her eagerness rumbling through Lena's stomach. Her fork, slightly warped, was held like a spear with the pie its

unwilling prey.

Lena put down her half-finished pie, chuckling as kamikaze bits of apple fell from Kara's fork. "For someone who loves their food so much, you sure do lose a lot of it to your hair." She picked crumbs out of loose blonde tresses.

Kara blush, grin cheeky and eyes glossy with the late hour. "Well, Kitten, that's the secret to these luscious locks of mine."

Lena nodded sagely. "I see. No wonder my hair has gotten so brittle. I thought it was stress, but it seems I haven't been feeding it enough."

"Exactly," Kara waved her fork around, "the oiler the food, the better."

Lena hummed, watching as Kara stabbed her pie. "Avocados?"

"Yep." Kara lent forward. "Avocados are good, but expensive."

"Tell me about it. I eat so much avo toast I fear I won't be able to afford a house."

They descended into delirious laughter, the pie in Kara's hand tilting dangerously as they both succumbed to stupid humour. It was nice to exist like this. Tucked away in the late hours of night, sheltered and uncaring for the world beyond the walls. The moon was new, bringing with it endless possibilities and yet, Lena found herself uncaring for any of them except for the possibility of now.

Now, with Kara in a baggy, pie stained shirt, tapered sweatpants and fluffy socks. Now, with her stomach full of sweets and her teeth hurting with laughter. Now, with the warmth of her lover's arm slung over her shoulder as they shared mirthful smiles. The world could go to hell tomorrow, it could crash and burn with righteous fury but that was tomorrow. She took a sip of her bourbon, enjoying the burn in her chest as they both came down from their high.

Kara's elated mood turned pensive, Lena feeling her collect herself like a cloud turning to rain. She took another fortifying sip, leaning more heavily against the counter. Kara had a certain look on her face and Lena knew that look too well.

"When was the last time you had a migraine?"

She sobered up, her tumbler clinking against the marble counter. When was the last time she had a migraine? Surely it had happened since...

"Months ago. Remember when you got the bracelet?"

"It hasn't happened since then?" Kara put her pie down. "That was ages ago." "As I said, 'months ago.'"

"Smartass."

"You like my arse."

Kara hummed. "That I do." She stabbed her fork in her mostly eaten pie, the handle sticking straight up in a crude interpretation of Excalibur. "Now, stop trying to change the subject." Lena sighed. "Do you know what triggers them?"

Lena shook her head. Her migraines were as unpredictable as the chaos theory, any small change in initial circumstances could be the trigger. "I have no idea. I've definitely been getting them less as

I've gotten older." She toed the floor, her bare feet sticking to tile with each pass. "I remember getting them every other day when I was, like, 10ish? Maybe 11? Lillian used to lock me in my room because she couldn't have a 'demented kid welcoming guests, it would be unseemly.'"

Lena felt as much as heard Kara's possessive growl. She gave a wain smile. Bygones and all that. "Well, it did at least give me some much needed peace and quiet. Lex even used to sneak me chocolate from the kitchens and push it under my door. Then he'd scurry off to get back to entertaining."

Kara went quiet, happy eyes turned heavy and Lena could feel their crushing weight. Silence settled like a closing car door, quick and noticeable. She wrung her hands, Kara's arm was heavy enough to ground her in the present but, God, talking about childhood put her in such a weird space.

Lena knew that Lillian didn't treat her right. Hell, Lena would go as far to say that she was abused. However, Lillian did raise her. Sure, it was filled with locked doors, sharp tongues and degradation but it was the only childhood she knew. Lena couldn't imagine her youth without the patented Luthor harshness. It had made her her and, as much as she hated it, Lillian would always be her mother- biological or not.

Kara shifted, pulling Lena's body just a touch closer and placing a warm kiss to her cheek. Lena leant into the affection, soaking it up like a sponge in a desert.

"I'm sorry to keep harping on about this, but I just want to help you."

"I know." Lena rubbed Kara's hand on her shoulder. "I promise I won't break."

Kara hummed, pressing a kiss to her forehead this time. "So, you've had migraines when you were a preteen. Then...?"

"Well, I had a pretty horrible one a while back, when Alex was on that plane-"

"-that I plucked from the sky." Kara stiffened. "You don't think-"

"-that you're the constant variable for my episodes? Well, it would make sense." Lena dropped her chin, thinking it over. She waved her arms uselessly. "Maybe certain emotions trigger them? Like, for example, today with the whole crowd fiasco."

"You saw that?"

"Yeah, I flashed." Lena huffed, running a hand through loose hair. "You were so angry. I...I was scared you'd do something stupid, like get into a fight or- or, I don't know, punch Smith."

Kara sagged next to her, arm flopping off her shoulder. "Yeah, Rao." She hid her face in her palm, speaking through splayed fingers. "I wanted to punch him and, honestly, if it wasn't for you, I might have done just that."

"You would have thrown him into the sun."

Kara chuckled, the sound dry and forced. "Yeah. Maybe even past Sol and into the next solar system."

"Alpha Centuri?"

Kara hummed, body bent, and pie forgotten. Lena shuffled closer, seeking the warmth of Kara's skin as she huddled into her Kryptonian. Kara welcomed it, legs opening as Lena wedged herself in the

warmth. She tucked her head under Kara's strong chin, ear flush with heated skin, hearing filled with the life of her lover.

She whispered, safe in the knowledge that Kara could hear her. "You're not at fault."

Kara tensed, jaw tightening and muscles jumping. "How could I not be? I am the cause, the ignition for the fire of your migraines."

Lena shook her head, swallowing with a thick throat. "It's unfair to think about yourself like that."

"How, Lena? Tell me how it's unfair?" Kara added hotly, chest heavy, swaying Lena back and forth gently.

Lena stood straight, extracting herself with a glare and teeth bared. "Because it hurts me that you're going to try to limit yourself!" Lena stepped back, taking in the full form of the heroine before her.

Kara clenched her fists, shoulder movement exaggerated with forceful breaths. Her hair was a golden mane around an angelic face and Lena could help but be attracted to the potential power before her. She was like a beast caged with the very muscle and bones of her body and Lena wanted nothing but to help, to open the door and let her lover free. The thing was, Kara's cage was voluntary. She wanted to be caged, needed to be kept in check to reach the impossible standard of perfection she set for herself.

God, Lena hated it because for all Kara's attempts at perfection, Lena knew that Kara was just as much flesh and bone as anyone else. And like all sentient, thinking beings, she needed emotional release so she wouldn't destroy herself. So what if the price of Kara's anger or her fear was just temporary pain to Lena? It was temporary.

Kara sagged on the counter, body losing rigidity as she sighed. Her fighting drive evaporating like ice on a kettle. She ran a hand through her hair, still damp hairs clinging to fumbling fingers. It was a useless attempt to tame her locks, but it bought her just a fraction more time. It was only once she properly stilled did she speak, hushed and low. Lena strained to hear.

"I don't want to cause you more pain."

Lena let the words fall in the space between them, adamant not to soak them up and allow them to sink into her skin. "No."

Kara looked up, eyes glassy. "What?"

"No." Lena took a step closer. "You'll never intentionally cause me pain." Another step, fingers brushing Kara's knees. Kara opened her mouth to retort but Lena hushed her gently. "No. Listen to me, please." The jaw clicked shut and she took her opportunity. "Kara Zor-El, you are the most selfless person I know. You go out every day and fight with words and, when needed, fists for the freedom of people that take you for granted. You get paid pittance for your help and any lesser being would have thrown in the towel by now."

"I don't do it for the money, Lena."

"Exactly my point." She probed a steel chest with each word before laying her palm flat, feeling the beating of Kara's heart. "You, Miss. Zor-El, heir to the House of El and last daughter of Krypton, are a heroine because you are a heroine. Being Supergirl is as much in your DNA as being Kara is." Lena took a breath, leaning forward with intense eyes as she spoke her truth. "You would never hurt me purposefully and I know that. I feel that and God do I want you to understand that." Lena grabbed at Kara's pyjama shirt, fisting the soft material to her closer. "My pain is not your fault. It's a

happenstance borne of our unique situation, that is all. I've lived with this my whole life and I'm fine living with it. It's a necessary evil."

Kara bit at her lip. Lena's chest felt heavy with Kara's indecision, the blonde's mind flipping between believing the earnest woman between her legs, and self-pity. It only took a few moments (and Lena may have leaned just a touch closer) before Kara gave a her a shallow nod. It wasn't much, but the relief Lena felt was immediate.

She placed a lingering kiss to a ruddy cheek, feeling Kara lean into it with a hum. Strong arms wrapped around her waist, allowing the shorter woman to nestle her face in the dip behind Kara's jaw. Lena wanted to live in the warmth found there, to set up shop and home and never leave. Alas, the world was a cruel, cruel place and the ringing of her phone broke the much needed reprieve.

Kara groaned and Lena sighed. Extracting herself from the warmth of Kara's arms, Lena pulled her phone from her sweatpants' pocket. Her brow furrowed.

"Who is it?"

"Alex." She muttered, confused. Lena took a step back, answering the phone as she watched Kara give her a curious look. "Alex? Hello?"

"Lena. Good. I tried to get a hold of Kara, but she's not answering."

Kara pulled her phone from her pocket, not even shy at eavesdropping. She hit the power button and winced at the multiple missed calls. Lena shook her head with a smile.

"I think it was on silent." Lena tried, tone light but grimacing at the sigh from the annoyed agent. "Yeah, it definitely was on silent." She amended, voice falling serious.

"Well, it doesn't matter now. Can you put me on speaker phone please? I need to talk to you both."

Lena nodded, half forgetting that Alex couldn't see her as she placed the phone on the counter beside Kara's thigh. Pulling the half-finished pie towards her, swatting Kara's hand away and grabbing the fork, she gave Alex the affirmative to start talking. Kara stole a piece of crust before the mouthful could even reach her mouth.

"Alright, so you guys know the symbol we found earlier today?"

Kara hummed. "Yeah, the pound, 'E' looking thing. What about it?"

"Well, I scanned in a drawing of the symbol and then reversed image searched it on the internet."

Lena swallowed, the apple sweet on her tongue. "And?"

"Well, the only thing it came up with is old Greek mythology."

Kara rung her hands. "Greek?"

"What myth?" Lena leaned closer, resting her elbows on the counter as she took another bite.

"Alright, so I don't know how versed you are with Greek mythos, but apparently the symbol we found relates to the story of Europa."

"Europa? As in Europe?" Kara asked, stealing Lena's fork and taking a bite of pie. "What does Europe have to do with Smith? I know Mrs. Addington is based out of London, but the symbol was on the letters written to E."

Lena dropped her head, mind racing with thought at the new information. She knew the myth of Europa relatively well. It was one of the happier ones and a pretty popular story told in ancient art. Hell, the story was even depicted on the two euro coin in homage to the Godmother of Europe.

Lena chewed at her lip. "Do you guys know the story of Europa?" "No." The answer was unanimous.

Lena nodded her head. "Alright. Maybe the symbol doesn't have anything to do with Europe but instead relates to the story?"

"Worth a shot." Alex agreed. "You know it?"

"You're in luck." Lena stood straight only to hoist herself up on the counter beside Kara. The Kryptonian placed an arm over her shoulders. "In the most common retelling of Europa, and the only one I know, is a story of the daughter of Agenor, a Phoenician King, who was kidnapped by Zeus and then became his wife."

"Rao, Zeus is a bastard."

"I couldn't agree more, sis."

Lena cleared her throat. "So, according to legend, Europa was the epitome of Earthy feminine beauty. Zeus saw her on the seashore of Phoenicia playing with her friends. He fell in love instantly ad wanted to possess her." Kara shifted uncomfortably, Alex cleared her throat and Lena placed a soothing hand on Kara's thigh. "So, in true Zeus logic, he transformed into a white bull with gem- like horns."

"What the fuck?"

"Europa is intrigued. She marvels, touches and, eventually, straddles the bull. Zeus takes off into the sea and carries Europa all the way from Phoenicia to the island of Crete. He takes his human form and then they have sex under an evergreen tree." Lena waved a dismissive hand. "She later give birth to three sons: Minos, Rhadamanthys and Sarpedon. They become the judges of the Underworld after they died. Actually, Minos founded the town of Knossos and gave his name to the Mionan civilization."

Alex's slightly tinny voice broke the monologue. "What of Europa?"

Lena hummed. "Uncharacteristically, Zeus loved Europa so much that he showered her with gifts: the bronze man Talos, the dog Laelaps that could hunt anything, and a javelin that would never miss its mark. Europa later married one of the Kings of Crete, Asterius, who took in her sons. She became the first Queen of Crete."

Kara cleared her throat, her question burning at the back of Lena's throat. Lena gave a her nod.

"What of Europa's family? She literally got kidnapped. Did no one look for her?"

Lena squeezed her thigh, slightly melting at the concern Kara showed over a fictional story. "I was just getting to that. Europa had four brothers." Lena held up a finger, "Cilix was the eldest and had not luck finding her. Instead, he landed in Cicilia, to which he gave his name, and became King there." She held up another finger, "Thasus, the second, had no luck either and instead also became a King in Thassos, which he also named." A third finger, "Phoenix, the third brother, went to Africa." And then the last finger, "lastly, Europa's favourite brother, Cadmus, asked the Oracle of Delphi what to do. The Oracle told him that his sister was safe and that he was to go to Boeotia and start a

town there. Cadmus founded Cadima, which is present day Thebes."

Kara did a double take "Wait, what? Let me get this straight. Three of her brothers gave up and her favourite brother decided to just stop looking on the word of a stranger? I just...I just- what?" She dragged a hand over her heavy brow and Lena could feel her turmoil. With sudden, blurred speed Kara turned directly to the phone. "Alex, if you ever go missing- touch wood- I will never stop looking for you."

There was nothing but steel in her voice. Lena could feel the conviction settling like dust in the air and thickening at the back of her throat. She squeezed a little lighter, feeling Kara's muscles jump slightly under her palm. The implication had been received. Kara knew that her promise also worked for Lena. That the littlest Luthor would move heaven and Earth to see the Danvers sister safe and sound.

Alex voice, thick and heavy, drifted from the speaker. "I love you, Kara. There's nothing in the multiple universes that I wouldn't do for you."

The apartment was warm, the windows misting with their effort to keep the cold outside. Pie crumbs sprinkled the counter tops, littering the worn fabric of both their sweatpants and even clinging to their damp hair. Alex's breathing played rhythm to lost thoughts, the world heavy with implication and the declaration of sisterly fealty. Kara shifted, dropping her arm off Lena's weary shoulders only to be replaced by a wilting head. The night was late now, everyone tired from long days of anxious work and yet it still wasn't over. Even with the sandman tugging at her eyelids, sleep was the farthest thought from Lena's racing mind. So, as she acted as a pillar to a blonde God, Lena turned over thoughts and musings of why a Greek story would grace the corner of one of Smith's letters. It couldn't have been some musing, a doodle of an absent mind. The way it was drawn was intentional, planned and steady. Sure, the pen work was light, but the hand was fluid. No hairy lines. It was familiar.

Lena cracked her knuckles.

Kara and Alex both tutted disapprovingly. Lena bit back a grin only to let it fall a few seconds later. What if- "Maybe the Europa story is a metaphor?"

There was shuffling over the phone, a click of a bottle. "Metaphor? In relation to what?"

"I'm still figuring that out." Lena mumbled. Something was nagging her, dancing on her palette and tickling the tip of her tongue. "I'll have to look at the letters again. There must be something I missed."

Kara nudged her, pressing a light kiss to a warm cheek. "I can feel you're on the cusp of something." Lena nodded. "It's nagging me. There's something about this story and those letters that feels

familiar and- oh my God." Everything clicked like the cocking of a gun.

Kara bolted upright, sparked by the sudden heady energy that Lena was giving off. Lena paid her no

mind, instead grabbing the phone and bring it closer to her face.

"Alex, what do you know about an institution called Cadmus?"

A pause. "Cadmus? Nothing much. Weren't they a government transport company for the army?"

Kara tilted her head. Lena nodded. "Partially, yes. They provided military grade transportation and helped with supply efforts for the war fronts, but that was just part of what they did. I'm pretty sure they had a hand in helping create bioweapons."

"What?" Kara crossed her arms. "Do you mean-"

"Yeah, exactly. Being a transport company meant they were able to get to all types of locations without question."

Lena felt her stomach drop as Kara came to a realisation. She hated the feeling. It was hapless, floundering and angry. It burned at her veins and did it best to clog her arteries. Most of all, however, it felt thick.

Alex cleared her throat. "Care to fill me in? I don't have the advantage of being bonded."

Kara spluttered, body sagging, and Lena sighed. "What I'm getting at is that Cadmus, using transport as a front, was able to kidnap any manner of beings from distressed nations without a trace. What they did with their captives is best left up to the imagination."

"H-How do you know this?" Alex asked, voice hushed and weary. Lena clenched her jaw, eyes screwing shut with effort. "Lex." "Len-"

"Lex used to boast about experiments and break throughs when he had had a glass too many." The sound of a bottle hitting wood was heard through the tinny phone speaker, "he would never say it out right, but his hints weren't subtle either."

Lena could still picture those nights. Lex would be in a neatly pressed suit, tie tugged to loosen, and the top button of his starched shirt undone. His right hand would sway, gesturing with abandon regardless of the nearly empty bottle of aged whiskey in its grasp. His thinning, curly hair plastered to his forehead with a mix of gel and alcohol laced sweat. And his eyes, God, his eyes would be manic, darting this way and that as he spoke in boastfully hushed tones.

Lena's stomach curdled at the topics.

He would seem so so proud, pacing the floor as if speaking to a large audience. Alas, it was only Lena who was privy to these bursts. She'd be glued to a leather lounge chair, a book forgotten in her lap as she receded further and further into the couch. Lex could never see how uncomfortable she was. For all his talks of family and sibling bonds, he had lost the ability to read her.

"Lena?"

"S-Sorry." She shook her head, banishing the ghost of a dead brother. With the action, however, she caught the shadowy company of another. The familiar heaviness sat on her shoulders as she tried to ignore its presence. "For all of my brother's drunken ramblings, and there were many, he'd only let the name of the organisation slip once: Cadmus." With the admission, she felt weirdly untethered, like her mind could drift off without the need of her physical body.

Kara took the phone from her limp grasp, hitting the speaker button before putting it to her ear. Lena didn't pay attention to what was discussed, all she could focus on was the white of the kitchen cupboards opposite. That had only been a few years ago. Those drunken rambl- no, those inspired speeches weren't some distant memory, they'd happen at random moments throughout the years. They were fresh, like field cut flowers in a jar. Lena had done her best to kill the root, to stifle the fact that she did nothing to curb her brother, but the flowers still grew and bloomed. Her failings had killed hundreds and now she sat, dredging up repressed memories in an effort help.

She could do something now. She wouldn't be a bystander. She wouldn't watch the building burn

expecting someone else to call the fire brigade.

Lena leant back, the marble of the counter cool against her shoulders as she stared blankly at the ceiling. Only, it wasn't her ceiling. Gone was the white paint and energy saving light bulbs. In its place was a familiar light grey ceiling moulded with decorative Plaster of Paris. Her hands clenched, spine going ridged as familiarity seeped into her synapses.

Home.

No. No, no, no. No. She did not want to be home. It was a trick of the light, that's all. She'd been working too hard for too long with too little sleep and she was seeing things.

But the creaking floor boards told her otherwise.

She knew that creaking so well. She knew that resonance, knew that sound, hell, she knew the very shoes that walked upon the ground.

She really wished she could forget, but apparently she needed to suffer more. Lena always need to suffer more, to bare the pain of not only a heroine but to be an unwanted orphan. So, despite her deepest wishes, Lena turned her head and watched history repeat itself.

"It was marvellous, Lee! God, I wish you could have seen it. Blue! Its organs were neon blue!" Lex took a swig from the bottle. "Absolutely marvellous. Like nothing I've never seen before." He shook his head in wonder, eyes dancing all around the library.

Lena shifted, the sofa creaking with age and her fingers thumbing at the pages of her book. She'd been reading, wanting to finish Zorba the Greek before school started for the new year. Lex had barged in, suit rustling and polished shoes creaking on the floorboards. Lena had come to dread her brother's visits.

Lena swallowed on a thick throat. "Di- ahem, sorry, did the, eh, I mean, where did you find a willing subject?"

Lex stopped in his tracks, dancing eyes stilling as blown pupils took her in with uncanny sharpness. He ran a hand through thin hair, unblinking. "Willing?" He took a step closer. Lena wish he didn't. "What do you mean willing? These creatures have no will, Lee. You have to understand that. Having will is a human trait. Animal's simply lack it."

She tried to sink further into the couch. Lex took another step closer. She should have kept her mouth shut, but in true Lena fashion, the words fell from her lips without thought.

"But they have complex thought, Lex. They must have will or else they wouldn't have ended up here."

Lex stilled, not even a shift in weight. Lena watched with baited breath, eyes never leaving those of her brother's. The image would forever be burned into her mind, no matter how much she would try and bury it. His alcoholic sweat drenched skin, the way his suit was just a tad too big and how his tie hung sadly from his ox-like neck. The way his untucked dress shirt was creased and one too many buttons were undone to reveal a hairless chest.

She could remember the stench of him. Under the alcohol, under his cologne, under the Lex was the smell of something else. Of chemicals and rubber gloves, of pain and agony and a sympathy. Lena held back a gag.

"Only humans have will."

The words were so quiet, barely a whisper but they may as well have been shouted in the still room. Lena's jaw tensed, a snarl barely contained at the wrongness of it all.

"These are animals, Lee." Lex crossed the distance, bending a knee so they were level. She tried to avoid his gaze but Lex wouldn't allow it. "Animals. You must understand that. And we, as the innovators, the scientists, the best of the human race, well, it's our duty to take these animals apart so we can see how they tick. The human race has been dissecting for eons, why stop now? Why stop when there is so much to gain?"

Lena shook her head, mouth opening to retort, to refute and rebuff the flawed logic presented. She didn't get the chance. In an instant, Lex's eerily calm demeanour snapped taking along Lena's head with it. She felt her neck crack, the shock of the sound, the sensation startled tears to her eyes before the pain did. Her cheek didn't even get to turn red before Lex grabbed her jaw, pulling her welling gaze back to his.

"I'm right, Lee. You'll see when you're older." Then, as if he hadn't just slapped her, he petted her head with brotherly charm. "Now get to bed, Zorba can wait 'til tomorrow."

Like a cold wind, he left, shoes creaking, floorboards groaning and an almost empty bottle of scotch forgotten on the floor. And Lena? Well, Lena just sat and stared. And stared.

And stared. Chapter End Notes

Lena needs a break, nuff said. Alex hasn't abandoned them but she's still distant and National City has gone to hell. Oh, and Cadmus ha ha... ha.

I'm also a nerd and was doing a rewatch of the of The Lord of The Rings trilogy (extended editions, of course. I'm not stupid) and I had to include one of my fav scenes from the first movie. Also, Liv Tyler. Nuff said.

I hope you enjoyed! Have a great day! Stuff mentioned in the chapter:

1. Bystander effect: "The bystander effect occurs when the presence of others discourages an individual from intervening in an emergency situation." Basically, if your in a crowd of strangers and an emergency situation happens in front of you (like a stabbing, hell even murder or a fire), you look to others to see how they are reacting. Because you are in a crowd, there is a diffusion of responsibility. You expect someone else to intervene or call the ambulance. The problem is, that's what everyone else is thinking too, so no one does anything.

Here's a real life situation (trigger for rape and murder): In 1964, 28 year old Kitty Genovese was raped and stabbed to death in front of her apartment complex. The attack lasted over 30 minutes and was witnessed by several dozen people who failed to report the incident. Some failed to realize that an actual crime was going on, claiming they thought it was a "lover's quarrel", whereas others realized they were witnessing a crime, but failed to report it because they assumed that someone else had already called the police."

The thing about the bystander effect is that now that you know what it is, it'll not affect you. It's a subconscious thing.

Good articles that both explain and give real life examples: https//au/basics/bystander-effect

https//us/blog/the-social-thinker/200911/why-do-we-help- less-when-there-is-crowd

2. Earth's Blue Sky:

NASA says it well: "Sunlight reaches Earth's atmosphere and is scattered in all directions by all the gases and particles in the air. Blue light is scattered in all directions by the tiny molecules of air in Earth's atmosphere. Blue is scattered more than other colors because it travels as shorter, smaller waves. This is why we see a blue sky most of the time."

Closer to the horizon, the sky fades to a lighter blue or white. The sunlight reaching us from low in the sky has passed through even more air than the sunlight reaching us from overhead. As the sunlight has passed through all this air, the air molecules have scattered and rescattered the blue light many times in many directions."

Here's the website: https/spaceplace.nasa.gov/blue-sky/en/

3. Male Dolphins have a ridiculous sex drive. Hell, they even use live eels to masturbate and have recreational sex...

4. All food in Ancient Egypt had a percent of sand in it (comes with living in a desert). This meant that most Ancient Egyptian's had really worn down teeth from grinding sand all the time, thus leading to major tooth aches and dental problems.

'Cause they didn't understand the cause of the toothache, there are some wild remedies to cure the pain. They can be found here: https/museumofhealthcare./2013/02/09/grin-and-bear-it-toothache-day- and-why-it-was-best-to-avoid-the-dentist-in-the-ancient-world/

5. The Avo on toast thing is in reference to what Australian real estate millionaire Tim Gurner said about young Aussies not being able to afford property.

"Australian real estate mogul Tim Gurner advised young people to solve their housing woes by putting their '$22 a pop' toast toward a deposit instead."

Thing is, even if we did that, we still wouldn't be able to afford a house til were, like, 65 (they made a calculator and everything). He's a laughing stock now.

Article: https/.au/finance/money/costs/avocado-toast-mortgages-have- gone-global/news-story/0e691bfafc89e2d1511a7cbdfd074e9c

6. Alpha Centuri is our solar system's neighbouring star. It's about 4 light years away.

7. Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis is one of the only books I studied in matric and loved. I legit wrote a paper on the duality of the two main Characters (in relation to Apollonian and Dionysian philosophy) and how, together, they create one person. Without one another, they fall apart.

It's a good read. The movie's good too.

8. The story of Europa can be found here: https//crete/heraklion/heraklion-myths/europa.htm

The symbol of Europa can be found here: https/crescentoverthecrossroad./2014/08/18/fun-with-astronomical-and- astrological-symbols-jovian-moons/

I know nothing about Greek Mythos, so if I got anything wrong, please inform me! Thanks for reading!

Chapter Notes

Chapter 21

Hey everybody look, it's a new chapter!! What a surprise!

I'm sorry it took me so long to update and that the chapter is on the shorter side this time. D: But, it felt like the best place to end this chapter haha, so please forgive me.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

The stars were hidden by high sitting clouds, their windswept patterns only allowing winks of the twinkling light. That being said, the sky was far from black. It was more of a deep, deep blue, lit by the sole will of an angry moon. Waves ebbed and flowed, licking at the shore with hungry fingers.

Kara shifted on the sand, the sensation of cool grains through the thick material of her sweatpants was like static. On top of her, cocooned in blankets and burrowed into the cage of her arms, was one Lena Luthor. The wind wasn't fierce but the smaller woman was still wracked with shivers. Kara had offered to take them home multiple times, but she was met with rebuffs and nay says at every attempt. Her tongue eventually stilled in lieu of bring their bodies impossibly closer, almost crushing the smaller woman against her chest.

"Do you want to talk about it?" "No."

Silence. Busy, busy silence. Lena shifted, Kara adjusted and they just stayed like that- huddled, sad and haggard. Kara couldn't do anything. She refused to tamper with Lena's emotions, not wanting to cross boundaries and yet at a loss on how to help. She'd been scared when Lena went eerily quiet in the apartment earlier. That was a few hours ago, a few hours since the littlest Luthor laid on the kitchen island and fallen so deep into her mind, into turmoil, that Kara panicked. She panicked at the sudden fear cracking at her sternum, the tearing thorns in her ribs. Kara panicked so hard she grabbed her girlfriend and the blankets off the sofa before all but jumping into the late night; cape and identity be damned.

That's how they found themselves on the beach, the sand giving way to heavy bodies as Kara fell where she landed. She wrapped her lover in the blankets and then her arms, rocking gently in time with the waves and waited. She waited for an eternity before haunted eyes cleared and shared confusion settled on her shoulders.

Only then she relaxed.

Lena didn't ask why they were on the beach. Hell, she didn't ask anything at all. She only stared at the ocean and, in turn, Kara stared at her. Stared and stared, and waited and waited. Time slipping and running and slowing, going and going with each moment passed. The sky grew lighter, the air marginally warmer and yet Lena refused to answer the simple question.

Or maybe it wasn't so simple.

And that's when Kara's mind faulted and stuttered, diving down to the dark she liked to avoid. Their

conversation with Alex sat at the forefront of her mind, playing over and over. Lena had been fine until she wasn't. Kara had felt the shift, noticed the change as Lena suddenly grew exhausted, burdened with knowledge no one should shoulder. Kara could catalogue Lena's pride at knowing the myth, retelling it and deeming herself useful. Then she could remember the wave of sorrow, thick and hungry, stifling her heart as Lena started talking about Lex. It was always Lex.

Kara knew that. She knew that conversation about Lex's madness always affected Lena but it had never been this severe before. Lena needed help, to see someone, to vent and rave to a near stranger, but Kara knew she wouldn't do that. Lena was a creature of familiarity and as much as she hated her burdens, the Luthor defined herself by them.

So, when faced with insurmountable silence, Kara did what she tended to do- she started to rumble. It wasn't intelligent conversation. Hell, was it technically a conversation if there was only one participant? (Or was Kara monologuing?)

Still, her mouth ran circles with all sorts of trains of thought, most in English, as she tried to fill the silence of a night time beach. Sandwiches featured heavily, so did fish and a few birds too. Nothing concrete, nothing heavy.

Nothing was working.

So she changed tactic. She clicked her jaw shut and instead focused on the beach- on the waves and the sand. Her silence didn't last long.

"A kid asked me once if there were more stars in the universe than grains of sand on the Earth's beaches. I never got to answer him because the little bugger decided to shout the question in the middle of a fight and then had the audacity to run off. I'd forgotten about it 'til now."

Kara sighed, unravelling an arm to shift cold sand between her warm palms. "It's simple maths, really. A lot of estimation though because I don't have time to count every grain of Earth sand."

Lena shifted closer, a pink ear keenly listening under unruly locks. Kara smiled.

"I might as well do the maths now." Kara shifted slightly. "So there's about 200 sextillion stars in the known universe. That I know because it was the standard number on Krypton. Well, we didn't call it 'sextillion,' per se, but that's the equivalent." A pause, "anyway, I digress. The next thing we have to do is figure out an estimation as to the number of grains of sand."

Kara looked around her, making an estimation as the size of a grain. "So, let's say it takes about 20 grains of sand, stacked one on top of another, to make a centimetre. Thus, there's 8000 grains in one cubic meter. Now to figure out how to estimate the number of beaches on-"

"About 700 trillion cubic meters of beach on Earth." Lena cut in, sitting up a little straighter.

Kara bit back a smile (Lena could undoubtedly feel her giddiness leaking through though.) "Okay, I'm not gonna question how you know that because I'm not going to look a gift donkey in the mouth."

"Horse."

"Whatever." Kara cleared her throat. "Now, using that figure, that would give the Earth around 5 sextillion grains of sand. Therefore, there are more stars than grains of sand on Earth's beaches." Lena coughed to catch her attention. Kara looked down with raised eyebrows. "Yeah?"

"Well, I could be off by a factor of 2 either way."

"Then it's either 2.5 sextillion or 10 sextillion grains."

"Huh, it doesn't make a difference then."

Kara shook her head, "not at all."

It wasn't long before they fell into hushed laughter, lips cracking with smiles at the hint of normality. Lena nestled closer, Kara held on tighter, and the world kept rotating around its axis.

Strong sunlight bathed the temperature-controlled office, casting long shadows from innocent objects. The morning, whilst not exactly early, held an air of lethargy often found with sudden wakefulness. However, Lena had been up for hours. Sleep was like an absent lover, stealing away the more Lena craved it.

Kara had stayed with her, on that beach, until sunrise. If Lena tried hard enough, she could still feel the warmth of Kara's skin cocooning her own. She couldn't remember how they got there, she never asked. What Lena did know was that she felt incredibly safe sitting on that beach listening to her girlfriend ramble. It was that little piece of normalcy she'd been unknowingly craving but know that she discovered it she held it close to her chest.

The sun had been sluggish to rise. The sky was cold with Winter and by then it had been too late to get any semblance of rest. They'd parted that morning with hushed words, mugs of coffee and soft lips. The car to work felt like a cage and now Lena sat bound to duty.

Wet ink dried matte with her lack of focus. Charts and tables, all apparently important, lay unattended. Her mind had wandered off, untethered and floating with thoughts.

Lena played with the card between her fingers, tapping the edge against her desk as she ruminated on calling the number. Kara had given it to her, all doe eyes and softly spoken. Lena had scoffed, snatching the card with every intent to throw it away.

Only, she hadn't.

The bone white mocked her. The Silian Rail font was tasteful but nothing flashy. In Lena's humble opinion, an eggshell white with a Romalian type would have been much classier. It would make a statement, hold the eye for a little longer.

Who was she kidding?

Thinking about fonts and shades of white were getting her nowhere. It was just a distraction to stop her focusing on the contents of the card.

Lena knew she was troubled. Hell, she had troubles on top of troubles, but the fact of the matter was that she didn't have time to see a psych. With everything going on, she didn't need another commitment to add to her already busy schedule. Still, Lena played with Doctor Lynda Martin's card as she waited for her next meeting.

A least it was quality card.

The knock on her door cut her musings and forced Lena to store the card away (weakness and all that). Straightening her shirt and quickly tidying her desk, Lena beckoned her 10 o'clock in. The door opened and Lena stood, imposing and powerful and, overall, tired under the mask.

"Lena."

Unease settled low in her gut. "Jess. Come have a seat, I think we're overdue for a little... chat."

Her elusive secretary nodded, doing as told. Lena didn't follow, instead choosing to perch atop her desk like an owl eyeing pray. Jess looked up at her, hands open and resting in her lap, so unlike the witty woman Lena had hired her first day.

"Is there anything I can help you with?"

Lena chuckled lightly, shaking her head good naturedly. "Yes, in a sense. Can you answer a few questions for me?"

Jess was quick to nod.

"Excellent." Lena crossed her arms, eyes flashing. "What's your opinion on the new rubber compound we're launching in 27 days?"

"It'll help create a greener footprint for humanity. The biodegradable nature of the compound is fascinating and will help a great deal in saving Earth's future."

"Excellent. What about the partnership with Mahou Industries?"

"Using nuclear power for transportation is an idea that's been in development for a long time. Now that it's almost actualised, well, you're really helping lessen the strain on resources, Lena."

She suppressed a shudder and plastered a smile. "I'm excited too. Localised testing is underway and the results should be eye opening." A pause, "any improvement in the stock market?"

"No. I talked to Mr. Burt earlier and he said we've actually dropped 0.05%. Mr. Burt blames Mr. Smith's speech."

Lena supressed a groan, shifting slightly on the desk. Throughout the questioning, she had paid close attention of Jess body language. Everything seemed normal, routine almost. Jess shifted her weight appropriately, she blinked at regular intervals, her posture was open and everything was by the book.

And by that, Lena meant everything was wrong.

Jess, for all of her practice, was never this... robotic. For one, the Jess Lena knew would have refused to let Lena sit above her. Her secretary would have chosen to stand instead, not letting Lena have the distinct advantage of height. And sure, Jess was always clued on with the going ons in the company, but the fact that she had talked to Radley without consulting her afterwards was out of character. Lena never asked it of her, but Jess had the habit to relaying all the information she gathered, even if Lena knew it already.

Lena grew uncomfortable, caught in the razor eyes of the stranger before her. She smoothed her skirt, hiding her too dry palms. "Mr. Smith is an old crow well past his prime." She couldn't help but sneer, "and I'm so sorry that you have to see his face. That you have to see him lording over a crowd as they sing his praise."

Lena waited. She waited for a reaction, for a break in mask. Hell, she even waited for a change in breathing. Nothing. Jess sat, unmoved and unaffected. Perfect and, well, for a lack of better term, inhuman.

Lena decided to charge on. "What about that phone call from my office two months ago? The one that happened when I wasn't here. Mr. Smith made a big scene about it."

That got a reaction. Jess' eyes widened slightly, her nostrils twitched and her hands tensed. Everything was almost unnoticeable but Lena was trained to be perceptive.

"Nothing came of that, Lena. I gave you the call record sheet, as you asked. I haven't heard anything since then."

Lena nodded. The answer was evasive, unhelpful and formulated to almost lay the blame of her. It conformed Lena's fears.

Another moment passed with both of them sitting in tense silence before Lena dismissed her secretary. Jess left without so much as a look back. The door closed with a click and Lena felt a stone rattle against her ribs.

Acid laced her throat and her breath became shallow, her teeth were on edge. She needed to take a bath, she needed to purge the deceitful grime from her skin but that would have to wait. Instead Lena stood, grabbed a cardigan from her back up closet and made her way to the balcony.

Wind howled and tugged with urgent fingers, wrapping around the building with speed. She braced herself against the railing, doing the level best to keep grounded as nature tried to catapult her off. Lena wasn't anything if she wasn't strong willed.

Her nose burned with the cold, cheeks growing ruddy with wind chill. Lena tugged the cardigan tighter, its thin material flimsy against the cantankerous gale. Still, she stood strong, proud and betrayed. But most of all, Lena felt ashamed.

That wasn't Jess. They looked like Jess, talked like her too, but the personality was all off. Lena only had herself to blame. How long had this imposter been in the building? How long had they known her every ins and outs, watching and waiting? What was their goal?

It couldn't have been good. It was never good.

And, like an after thought, bitter and vile, Lena felt her stomach drop. Jess was missing.

"Fuck." The word stolen by the city below.

Jess had been gone for God knows how long and Lena had the audacity to worry about herself first? Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. She gripped her cardigan tighter, fingers threatening to tear the wool. For all she knew her secretary, her friend, could be dead in a ditch somewhere and Lena had been too busy to notice. Too busy to care. Too bloody busy confessing her love to pay attention.

Lena failed and it stung like tailored poison.

Tears welled but she bit them back. She didn't deserve to cry. So, with a wet sigh, she sank to the floor, back pressing against the wall. She was an insolent fool, making excuses and reasons, justifying her actions but that still didn't take away the responsibility she felt. Jess' disappearance was on her hands, her horribly blood-soaked, cursed hands.

Lena closed her eyes, sniffling. Her head felt like it was stuffed with cotton, packed so tight it threatened to burst. Still, she couldn't show weakness, she wasn't allowed to mourn aloud. There was an imposter at her door with access to her office and her people. She needed to deal with them first before all else.

One thing Lena did know was that she couldn't give herself away. She couldn't let the imposter

know that she knew. Maybe she could wait, see how this would play out? She shook her head. That was a stupid idea.

Alerting security would be her next bet. Apprehend the intruder quickly and quietly and then, only then, could Lena go find Jess.

Kara licked her fingers clean, enjoying the sticky residue of the sugar glaze in her mouth. Winn ate the last bite of his doughnut, dusting his hands flamboyantly before taking a swig of his skinny cappuccino. Kara sculled her chocolate milkshake, foam doing its level best to give her a moustache.

When Kara had entered the CatCo. bull pen, Winn had taken one look at her, grabbed her arm and practically manhandled her to their doughnut place just off Main. She didn't even protest, knowing she needed the extra sugar just to get through the work day (that, and she missed hanging out with Winn). Cue them sitting in silence, scarfing down sugary confections with alarming speed.

"So, do you want to tell me what it is?" Kara looked up. "What's what?"

Winn gestured to her meaningfully. Kara didn't catch his drift. He took another sip, finishing off his drink and sighing.

"I needed that." A pause. "What I meant was, well, you look knackered, Kara. Like, almost as bad as that time you solar flared and then dragged me on a mission to help Miss. Luthor."

Kara dropped her head, energy sapped by the observation. Rao, solar flaring was preferable to this exhaustion that had settled into the very cells of her being. "I haven't slept since Tuesday."

Winn's jaw dropped. "Kara!" He whisper-shouted, leaning forward intensely, "It's bloody Friday! I know your... condition means you don't have to get as much sleep as us mortals, but you still need sleep."

"I know! I know." She waved off, looking around the café for prying eyes. Even the simple action felt draining and Kara did her darn best not to show it. (She had serious concern for how she was going to fare for the rest of the day.)

But Winn had known her for years, been there through the rough days of pleasing Cat Grant and the highs of coming out Super. He could read her and, for all the love she had for him, sometimes Kara wished she didn't keep such perceptive company.

Winn scratched at his 5 o'clock shadow, the scruff speaking of longs days at the office. For all his talk about sleep, he looked as if he could do with a few hours himself (the bags under his eyes did nothing for his chocolate browns). She didn't blame him though. CatCo. had been in a right tizz since the Harbourside Horror. Journalist were prowling the pavement, recording devices hot in hand as they documented the stories of the people. Even though the man before her was not on the frontlines of journalistic media, Winn had been working tirelessly keeping CatCo.'s online presence accessible and current.

The public knew honest unbiased media. CatCo. had seen a huge increase in online traffic, meaning that poor Winn was stuck tweaking servers and the like so the website could handle all the activity without crashing. And 'cause Winn was Winn, he decided to do a complete revamp of the website layout because "image is everything, Kara."

Two birds one stone and all that. He needed a doughnut as much as Kara did. Sugar made everything better.

That being said, they didn't stay long. They couldn't stay long, not with the day so young and their workload growing towards mammoth proportions. So, with exhausted sighs and coffees to-go, they walked arm in arm back to work, Winn sneezing as soon as they hit sunlight.

A fast jet-stream had blown away the clouds of yesterday, leaving National City with clear skies and creating wind tunnels through the tall buildings. Winn braced against her for both warmth and strength, using her much stronger frame as an anchor in one of the much winder parts of the city. Kara was happy to be of use, it was a nice change of pace considering the last few days.

Wind howled against the tall windows of the CatCo. building, drowning out some of the normal chatter of the bull pen and adding a din that understated everything. She secretly enjoyed it. The almost katabatic nature of the wind acted like a blanket, dampening extraneous noise but also slightly cutting Kara off from the outside world.

She left Winn outside the elevators and headed towards the ever-imposing doors of Cat Grant. The CEO was at her minibar, popping mm after mm as she grumbled with murmurous concern. Kara cleared her throat, not wanting to startle.

She failed. Miss. Grant's heart rate spiked alarmingly and her muscles jumped but she did remarkably well at hiding it. To the human eye Miss. Grant seemed cool and collected. Kara was anything but human.

"Kiera, this is a surprise." Miss. Grant raised an eyebrow, placing her cup down and chewing on a last MM. She gestured to one of the couches.

Kara took the comfier one, setting the tone of the impromptu meeting. It was a little known fact that the two identical couches in Miss. Grant's office were, in fact, non-identical. Sure, they looked the same, but one was infinitely more uncomfortable than the other. The 'visitor's couch,' as Kara dubbed it, was so uncomfortable even she got slightly numb sitting on it. Miss. Grants own couch, while still retaining structural integrity, was like marshmallows in comparison. It was a power move that Miss. Grant used to great effect.

"Sorry to intrude, Miss. Grant." Kara adjusted her glasses, "I just, well-" She wrung her fingers, mouth bobbing like a fish. She didn't really know how to word what she wanted to say.

"What is it, Miss. Danvers?" Cat asked her, voice not soft but caring all the same as she stalked around the couch with barely contained finesse. "You've obviously come here for something."

Kara sighed, a smile tugging at her lips. Miss. Grant took no crap. She rubbed at her eyes under her glasses, tilting the frames as her body collapsed on itself. "I'm overwhelmed."

The cushions sank next to her, Miss. Grant's thin frame taking up presence but lacking oppressiveness. It was a unique mix that Kara only knew to exist in two people- one was the woman beside her and the other was the woman prowling through her mind.

She took the CEO's silence as an invitation to talk. "It's just, well," she rubbed her palms on her pants (her hands never got clammy so the action was more of a learnt social cue than anything else), "the last few days have been, frankly, quite hectic." Kara huffed, hands now waving in illustration. "I feel scattered, like I can't focus and all the crime that's recently been happening as left me feeling... unsettled." She dropped her hands back into her lap as she slouched with horrible posture. "On top of it all, sleep has been but a teasing fancy that likes to taunt but never deliver. It's honestly

frustrating but I know I have work to do here. Hell, the work on my desk is bordering on frightening with being one reporter down. It's just, urgh- it's that-"

"I understand."

Her jaw audibly snapped shut, ramble cut short and attention back on her boss. "You do, Miss. Grant?"

The CEO nodded, "Of course I do, I've been in your very shoes Kiera. Well, hypothetically of course, I would never be caught dead in...those." Kara waved it off, she was used to the good natured snipe. "The fact of the matter is still the same, I was a reporter for a large media company once and I remember those late nights and stacks of paperwork. I remember wearing my soles bare beating the pavement in chase of a story. Most of all, however, I always remember putting myself first."

"How?" Kara leant forward, hands steepling.

Miss. Grant chuckled, "Well, I used to take sick days-" "I've used almost all my days up."

"Let me finish."

"Sor-"

"Kara."

"Right."

"Now, as I was saying. There's been this lovely new invention in the last few years called 'Mental Health Days.' So, as your mentor and Editor in Chief, it is my duty to advised you to take a mental health day either today, tomorrow or sometime soon."

Kara stood abruptly, feeling slightly queasy at the sudden movement. She took a second to collect herself before looking at her boss. "I couldn't possibly do that Miss. Grant."

"There is no true physical health without mental health, Kara."

Kara's arms falling limp in defeat, her urge to fight evaporating after a very short life. She mulled it over, the words succinct and true.

There is no true physical health without mental health. Hell, there is no health without mental health. It was a throwaway line, a common utterance of warm breath, and yet it made Kara realise how incredibly stupid she had been. She was a being of ultimate power who was exhausted beyond belief. Her brain felt fried, her muscles jumping, and her bones filled with lead.

She took a deep breath in, squeezing her eyes tight and groaning. To take a day off to sleep sounded lovely. It sounded so inviting and yet Kara knew that she couldn't afford it. The city was wrong in hundreds of ways, people were falling further and further into idolised beliefs and men like Winston Smith were gaining followers.

She heard Miss. Grant stand, heard the couch creaking and her footfalls as she stood in Kara's space. Despite all this, Kara still flinched when the CEO spoke.

"Take the day off, Kara."

Kara shook her head. Pride made her stubborn. "I'll work today, finish the reports on my desk and get in touch with the NCPD. I'll take a half day tomorrow, sleep in and then come in at lunch. We're too busy to have two reporters out of commission, even for a day."

"I can't force you to take time off Kara, but CatCo. has survived with less before and it will do so again. We have a lot of interns begging for a chance to prove their worth, give your less intensive stories to them. You need to learn to delegate because, I'm not sorry to say, this won't be the last time CatCo. will be this busy. If you're not out her by 5 at the latest, I'll chase you out myself. Am I understood?"

"Very much so, Miss. Grant."

"Good, now out. I have a phone conference in two." And, like that, Kara was shooed back to her desk.

Lena knocked on the door urgently, looking over her shoulder for any signs of Not-Jess (it felt disrespectful to continue to call the intruder 'Jess' when they were definitely not Jess). The door opened at the second rapping, Not-Jess nowhere in sight as Lena hurried into the office.

"Miss. Luthor?"

She closed the door quickly, grabbing Burt by the arm and pulling him further into the room. "Radley, I need you to be honest with me."

He pulled his arm back to himself, rubbing at a slightly smarting wrist. "I always am, Lena."

She let out a sigh. "I know, I know." Lena sighed, taking a step back. She gestured to his prone arm. "And sorry for grabbing you."

Radley chuckled. "It's alright. I forget how strong you are sometimes."

Lena gave a wry smile. "How could you with all those times I beat you in volleyball?"

Radley laughed. "I remember that one time you were striker and you served the ball right into Christian's face?"

Lena winced, "God, I can still hear the crack of his jaw breaking."

"That's why they called you 'Tooth Fairy,' legend has it that one of the school volleyballs still has teeth indents in it and that one of Christian's teeth is lodge in the gym floor."

"Don't remind me. It took me going to college to get rid of that nickname."

"Now," Radley clapped his hands together, "I have a gut feeling you didn't manhandle me to the back of my office to reminisce about high school. So, what is it?"

Lena took a calming breath. "Yes, you're right." A pause. "Did Jess talk to you earlier today?"

"Yes, she did. She asks me for the company's stock statics every morning, so I give a copy of the daily report to her. She tucks it away in her folder and then she's off, I presume, to see you."

Lena nodded along. "That's all? She just takes the stock report and then goes?" Burt nods. "Generally, yeah. "

"Generally?"

"Well, sometimes she drops off coffee, but she's been getting my order wrong for months. I've also caught her in my office once or twice, but she's always cleared it with security first. That, and she always cites that you asked her to retrieve something. I've never really questioned it."

"Fuck. What does she take?"

"Just the invoices of our various locations. About an hour later she returns the files and I check them. Everything seems to be in order when she hands them over."

"Radley, Jess does not have my authority to just take files form your office." Lena growled. "I'm just now realising that. Shit. I've fucked up, haven't I?"

Lena ran a hand over her face. "We both have, but now it's done. Just, don't let Jess in your office without your supervision again, okay?"

"I'll try."

"That's all that I can ask." Lena sighed. "actually, do you remember that shipment you alerted me to about two weeks ago?"

"The one from England?"

"Bingo. I hadn't had time to look into it, do you still have the records?"

Burt jumped to action, sweeping around his desk and unlocking a file cabinet. Lena waited as he rummaged through file after file, growing more impatient by the second. It wasn't long before Radley left the drawer and took a seat behind his computer.

It took all of five minutes to realise that all traces of the England shipment had disappeared. Radley apologied profusely only for Lena to wave him off. Apologies wouldn't fix this. There was a breach in the L-Corp. system and Lena was too fucking stupid to realise. How long had Not-Jess been messing with reports and documents? Lena couldn't handle months of damage now and it was definitely a horrible time to hold an audit. A large majority of L-Corp. staff had taken leave for the festive season and mandatory leave started in six days.

Lena urged Radley out of the chair, taking over his computer with cool efficiently. She would not let the frustration win. Getting flustered now was to no benefit, so instead Lena worked on trying to retrieve the deleted files.

No such luck.

She turned back to her CFO. "Do you remember the destination of the shipment?"

"No. It was two weeks ago and my mind's like a sieve." He rubbed at his stubble, "actually, I tend to write down important stuff on sticky notes. Hang on."

He pulled open another filing cabinet, this one taller than him. Lena bit at her thumb, waiting for Burt to find anything that could help her figure out where the shipment was. Not-Jess would have erased the shipment details for a purpose and Lena couldn't help but feel it in her gut that this was somehow connected to Smith and the Harbour-side Horror.

Lena pulled out her phone, getting out of the desk chair and letting Radley have a try at the computer

again. Opening her contacts, she dialled up Alex in hopes the agent wasn't busy. The phone rang out, so Lena tried it again to the same end. She clicked her tongue, shoving her phone back into her pocket and heading for the door. With a quick farewell to Radley, Lena made her way down to the lobby.

The security guard behind the front desk stood to attention as she approached (he must have read the worry in her eyes). Lena didn't preamble with pleasantries and instead cut straight to the chase.

"I need you to revoke Jessica Huang's access to Radley Burt's office effective immediately."

The guard nodded, confusion clear but he held his tongue. With a few clicks on a tablet, the access was revoked and Lena let out an uneasy breath. This action was a gamble. It wouldn't be long before Not-Jess would realise the sudden leash and Lena hoped to God she didn't give herself away.

Confrontation was inevitable, Lena needed to be prepared.

"Can I also get all the security authorisation logs for the last two months? I'll need it by the end of the day at latest."

She waited for a nod before making her way back to the office. It had crossed her mind to inform Kara of the situation but she was quick to banish it. The reporter had enough on her plate. That, and Lena could feel her exhaustion like nails behind her eyes. Kara, the stubborn mule, needed rest not security breaches. Hell, L-Corp. was her priority, her baby, so she would be its defender. Kara was a last resort.

(That and Lena still needed to get the blonde's phone number.)

Once the familiar leather of her throne groaned underneath her, Lena got straight into sleuthing. The company's encryption's were iron, all data was saved and backed up in a number of locations (many superfluous) which made it nearly impossible to delete anything. Not-Jess would have to have knowledge of all the L-Corp. servers to achieve such a feat, but the imposter was undoubtedly alien and thus most likely have access to far superior technology.

Lena just hoped they weren't properly versed in human computers.

Her fingers flew across the keyboard, seldom stopping in thought as Lena spent a good hour trying and failing to find the erased logs. She needed to find the details on that shipment and yet all her time-machine backups were proving fruitless. She worried her bottom lip to bleeding, the copper sharp on her tongue. Lunch came and went, hunger on the backburner as she typed in password after password but it was like the logs had vanished, 'poofed' into thin air like a cheap magician.

Eventually she had to stop and return to her duties. The paperwork was piling with urgency, the holiday period making her employees push work through at a staggering rate. It wasn't long before Lena conjured a glass of aged bourbon to help her burning eyes, she even went as far as swapping out her contacts for glasses when an e-mail popped up in her inbox.

It was the security logs she wanted. Cracking her knuckles, she opened them quickly. At first glance everything seemed normal but closer inspection wielded the results she was after. There, about two weeks ago, Jess' name popped up in the records with granted access to Burt's office. Lena looked to the issuing personal, eyebrows furrowing at the name Xavier.

That wasn't right. Xavier was still away to God knows where... Fuck. Oh fuck, fuck, fuck.

Two intruders. Two people managed to get under her nose and infiltrate her company for months before she knew. Xavier and Jess, both gone without a trace as Lena was sitting in her office none the wiser.

Her security was compromised. Bloody hell, she just alerted security by restricting Not-Jess, hadn't she? She had must less time then she thought.

Lena quickly logged off her computer, donning her coat and gabbing her wallet. She speed-dialled Alex but ended up with voicemail again. Shit, shit, shit. She could feel panic grab at her fingers. Adrenalin put her teeth at edge and her jaw locked with tension. She was in danger now, the air was thick with it.

Kara was sluggish in her response, the sudden influx of safety was unwanted and Lena made that known. She needed this anxiety to help ground her. The nervous energy was just another tool she had utilised in her years of fighting experience, it gave her an edge.

(And yet she couldn't help but subconsciously worry as to Kara's uncharacteristic response. This whole week had been odd, but this was odd).

Lena pushed past her office doors, her steps pure murder as she tried to get out the building as fast as she could. She should have paid more attention to her surroundings. She should have taken the stairs. She should have yelled for Kara from her balcony.

Lena did none of that.

Instead she was caught at the end of the corridor, watching with morbid fascination as the elevator doors parted to reveal the small frame of a smiling secretary.

Lena's training kicked in, her stance automatically widened, shoes kicked to the side, and arms loose with fluid power. God, what she wouldn't give to just have her sword with her. Sure, it would be nothing but empty comfort against a possible shapeshifter, but it would be more comfort than she currently had.

Where the fuck was Kara?

The floor creaked, heralding the slow advance of her adversary. Lena felt anxiety thicken at the back of her throat, her head feeling oddly empty as all she could focus on was the sway of a slow, inhuman gait.

She could die here, alone in a building full of people. She could die here, in her third best suit with no shoes and wasted martial arts training. She couldn't die here, not with Kara and L-Corp. relying on her to help them.

She couldn't fucking die here. Not. Now. Lena didn't anticipate the gun.

The world was spinning much faster than it should have been. Her ink stained fingers wobbled slightly as she wrote. Food, Kara needed food. She should get food, she could get food if only the world would stop fucking spinning.

She couldn't make heads or tails of the anxiety plaguing her breath. She didn't understand the fear eating at her lungs. She tried to combat it with feelings of safety, she tried to right herself and yet it did nothing. That safety was rejected, pushed away like a hot iron and only then did Kara realise that

it wasn't her anxiety and fear she was feeling. No. It must have been Lena's and that made it a thousand times worse.

She didn't think. Her reaction was automatic. Uncertain feet led to wobbly steps and yet Kara pushed through her sudden bout of dizziness. Lena needed her. Lena needed her and Kara was damned if she wasn't there.

Lena could be in danger.

That very thought bolted her forward with energy she didn't have. Her supersuit was at home, abandoned on the bed in morning haste. She didn't have time to grab it so she instead grabbed an unwatched trench coat from a chair and pocketed her glasses. This would have to do for now.

The wind was so strong on the roof that it stole Kara's hearing from her. Hell, it almost bowled her over too, but the reporter had no choice but to fly. It was a stupid, reckless idea but it was the only way she could possibly get there in any semblance of time.

Buttoning up the coat to the top so her outfit was covered as much as possible, Kara leapt into open sky. She shouldn't push it, she could already feel the strain of reckless days but she threw caution to the wind. She broke the sound barrier, jetting off to L-Corp. and landing solidly on Lena's balcony.

The office was empty but Lena's heart was like a boxer in her ears- deafening and relentless. Fear drenched the walls and Kara followed it like a dog to a bone. She walked through the window, glass shattering around her. With speed she flashed across the office, opening the door with unnecessary force and almost walking into the source of her distress.

Thank Rao she did.

The door pushed Lena back, making her stumble into the wall and out the way of an oncoming attack. Kara wasn't so lucky. Caught off guard, a fist smashed against the side of her skull, whipping her head around. She groaned.

"Fuck. That hurt."

She didn't have time to recover. Within seconds, Lena was back and throwing a pot plant at- was that Jess?

The terracotta smashed on a solid body, dirt raining onto the pristine floor. Kara took advantage of the moment, pushing Jess bodily to the floor. She had so many questions but she needed to act. Kara pulled a fist back, releasing it with all her might.

Jess caught it. "What-"

Her head snapped again, her teeth biting through her lip due to a slack jaw. With mighty power, Kara was hauled into a wall. She landed solidly on her back, winded and in pain. Kara could feel her powers waning. It wasn't long now, Kara knew it. She was close to solar flaring and now was definitely the worst timing ever.

Lena yelled, alerting the superheroine to the fact that Jess was standing up. Only, it was not Jess. Rao, that was certainly not Jess. In a manner of seconds, the body of the secretary had morphed and reshaped into something horribly familiar.

It was the figure of the police man Kara had talked to when first stepping onto the scene of the

Newscott murder. Kara would never forget a face. The shiny moustache, the gaunt look- it was all there and with it came a horrifying realisation.

Kara had been in the midst of a shapeshifter for the better part of a year and she had no idea. Better yet, it was very highly possible that said shapeshifter could be the kill-

Kara dodged a swipe. Quickly ducking and pushing into an uppercut, feet solid just like Lena showed her. The shapeshifter's jaw cracked shut and Kara took advantage of the temporary stun. With steel hands, she grabbed the now too tight clothing of the assailant and flung them into the opposite wall.

Only Kara had misjudged her strength and had instead thrown them through the wall and into Lena's office.

"Fuck." "Shit."

Kara grinned, looking over to her lover. The pain in her side flared but she ignored it. Lena shared a smile, cracking her knuckles and then charging into her office. Kara followed suit, leaping through the person sized hole and landing in a roll. She was met with a swift kick to the back, the heavy foot doing its best to warp her spine. Kara rolled it off and instead used her low centre of gravity to grab at the shapeshifter's legs.

Lena came out of nowhere, charging and coat-hanging the intruder. Kara heard him choke before his heavy frame fell. She hauled herself up, feeling an odd tingling in her legs but largely ignoring it in favour of the situation. Lena's breathing was loud, her heartbeat louder as they both assessed the humanoid figure on the ground.

"That was almost too easy." Kara tried to laugh off, her pleased huffing cut off with a wince. She leant over the prone form, making sure that the shapeshifter was properly down. Lena came to stand beside her, a soft hand nestling on top of her own, caressing bruised ribs with cautious fingers. Kara leant into the support, mind going soft with the sudden increase of warmth.

Lena was trying to numb her pain, reading her anguish as clear as day. It was soothing. Kara could feel her muscles unlocking, her adrenalin seeping into the floor and their bond somehow becoming more known. The pins and needles in her legs, however, were persistent.

Their lack of attention proved to be Kara's downfall. It happened in a second. A hand shot out, grabbing the heroine's ankle and launching an unprepared Kara towards Lena's windows. Kara reacted instinctively, knowing that the momentum was too great for her to overcome with such limited energy, she grabbed the assailant by the neck.

They were both catapulted off the balcony and into open air, the concrete of the railing fracturing and giving way like confetti. Kara felt her stomach drop as her grip tightened on the neck in her hands. Her mind instantly turned to a mess of shock and horror, panic laced everything and Lena roared murder from the storeys above.

The last thing Kara saw was the look of abject horror on the shapeshifter's face before their bodies hit the pavement.

Chapter End Notes

So, that was a lot and writing action is HARD. I don't know how people do it tbh haha.

Things mentioned in the chapter:

the calculations in relation to the number of grains of snad vs the stars in the universe can be found here:

https//106725/are-there-more-grains-of-sand-than-stars/

The whole "there is no true physical health without mental health" thing can be found here:

https/www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/91/1/12-115063/en

I think that everything mentioned in the chapter! Thank you so much for reading! P.S. how was everyone's new year's? I know it's very late but HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Chapter Notes

Chapter 22

Sorry this took so long...

maybe you peeps should reread the ending of the last chapter? Just to refresh haha. Have fun reading!

:)

See the end of the chapter for more notes

"Kara!" Lena yelled, voice splitting between notes and throat running raw with the sudden burst pressure. Breath stole from her lungs with the force of her scream. She rushed to the edge just in time to-

Oh God. Oh god. No, no, no. God FUCKING NO.

Her vision swam. Fire split her head and blood burned in her veins. Her skull felt ten times too small and her voice cut off like a tear. She stumbled back but even that was hard. Her body felt alien, foreign and her limbs weren't reacting the way they were meant to. It was like the room was suddenly filled with molasses, sticking to her limbs and pulling her under.

Blood. So much blood. Too much blood. The pavement was red with it and Lena didn't want to know the origin (and yet she did know. How could she not know?) It was splattered across the grey like a cheap horror movie. Only, Lena wished this was fiction.

Despite it all, she pushed herself to race out of her office and into the hallway. She grabbed her phone from the floor and dialled the only other person that would understand. Her phone was shaky in her hand, pain made her vision swim and everything was shaded red, red, Red. The colour was burned to the back of her eyelids, shading all she saw.

She almost stumbled on the discarded gun, ankle twisting uncomfortably. The firearm was a reminder of the fight before Supergirl arrived. Not-Jess had pulled out a gun and Lena went into auto-pilot. She had known that as soon as that firearm was fired, it would be game over for her. So she used the element of surprise and threw her cellphone at the attacker. In the split second Not-Jess was distracted, she disarmed her opponent with a well-placed punch and hand mauver.

She'd received a kick to the stomach for that, she could feel the bruise pulling uncomfortably with every step, but Kara had arrived just in time to intercept the 'killing blow' and pushed Lena back with the door. She had been grateful then but now? With her lover busted and prone on the pavement? Well, Lena couldn't help but wish it was her there on the floor.

What was her life in comparison to Kara's? Who was she in relation to a God?

Lena picked up the gun and stuck it in the waist band of her pants. Pulling her shirt over to hide it, she took the lift down. Dread crept up her spine. Slowly, oh so slowly, the horrid pain and bone splitting ache lacing her very being was being replaced by numbness. Lena knew it was Kara's adrenalin kicking in but it just made her panic more.

The phone call didn't go through. Lena growled and tried again, knuckles white and thumb unforgiving. As if by divine intervention, Alex answered and Lena didn't waste time.

"Alex, Kara needs you and the DEO. L-Corp. Now!" Her voice was nothing but gravelled husk, rough, raw, and angry.

Alex spluttered. "What? Excuse me? What happened?"

"I have no time to explain," The doors opened and Lena ran, "Kara's seriously injured and there's a shapeshifter here that could potentially be the Harbourside Horror murderer."

"Fuck. Okay, okay. Kara's gonna be alright. She always pulls through. We're on our away."

Lena didn't waste time with goodbyes. She hung up, stuffed her phone in her pocket and pushed through the beginnings of a crowd.

"Get out of my way!" She pushed and shoved, moving employees and pedestrian's alike, gun uncomfortable against her flesh and body stiffening slowly. It was like everyone were statues, unmoving and unresponsive, and Lena was like a baby trying to walk through dense undergrowth.

Lena started to feel cold. It's started in her fingers and her legs felt slightly stiffer. She pushed a man out of the way, almost barrelling him over to get to Kara.

Kara, kara, kara.

She burst from the wall of bodies, pushing past the crowd only to fall to her knees at the sight.

She couldn't pay attention to anything else. Not the phones, or the camera flashes or the sirens wailing as they got closer. All she could feel was the red soaking into her pants. All she could see were Kara's panicked eyes and bobbing throat. All she could compute was the awkward angle of Kara's legs, bent were they should not have been bent.

With shaky, stiff hands, Lena crawled forward as close as possible. She folded her legs underneath herself, not knowing what to do or how to conduct herself. What was protocol here? Was there even a way to be prepared for a situation like this? It had all happened so suddenly that Lena was still reeling from the shock.

She settled for grabbing Kara's hand, not wanting to cause more damage by moving her.

Cold.

Kara felt cold.

Wrong. That was so, so fucking wrong. Kara was never cold, not even when she solar flared. The metaphorical embodiment of sunshine was not allowed to be cold. Not on Lena's watch.

Everything felt wrong and cruel. Lena closed her eyes, letting her mind wander to find its companion. Kara was there, quiet and subdued and Lena was having none of it. She scrunched her nose, imagining the natural warmth of Kara's skin when they held hands and not this sad imitation of life. She thought of that megawatt smile that could power a city and banished the thought of Kara's bobbing throat as she tried to form words.

Most of all, however, Lena thought of how much she loved Kara. How she loved her goofy giddiness and her cold calculations. Loved her waxing lexicons and artistic command. God, Lena loved Kara in so many ways mundane and extraordinary and she couldn't lose her now. Not now

when there was so much at stake and so little hope. Kara was hope and Lena couldn't let hope die.

She opened her eyes, tears welling but she wouldn't let them fall. Fall they did because the first thing Lena saw wasn't the pearly white of a femur or the blood browning on cement. No, it was Kara's crescent smile beaming up at her, it was the feeling of Kara's fingers squeezing back weakly. It was the groan of almost spoken words and it was the shine in bright blue eyes.

And, in that instant, Lena was grabbed and hauled away. She kicked and screamed, Kara's smile a brand behind her eyes and her soul on fire with wrath. She only ceased her useless, angered flailing when she recognised the fitted black tactical gear and semi familiar faces. She was only released when she went lax at the scene before her and even then she couldn't compute the happenings.

She couldn't understand the shocked fear on Alex's face. She couldn't fathom the anguished wail rattling her bones. She couldn't look as paramedics somehow got Kara onto a stretcher. She didn't want to look at her lover's broken body.

She just couldn't.

If Kara was to die today, Lena didn't want to remember her fallen.

That didn't stop her from panicking. It was like everything was moving too fast and too slow simultaneously. The world was loud but muffled and the faces of the crowd were harsh. She ducked her head, her senses assaulted from the madness around her. Her breathing turned so ragged it folded back into itself. Her throat constricted, and all Lena wanted to do was curl up into a ball, fall to the floor and hope it was all a dream.

The sudden hand on her shoulder broke that wish.

"Miss. Luthor."

She flinched, hackles raised and, before she knew it, she threw a fist.

Thank God J'onn caught it, her fist pale and shaking in his warm, secure grip. Lena snapped her hand back, horrified and overwhelmed.

"What year is it?'

What? "What the fuck are you playing at, J'onn?"

A pause. "What year is it, Lena?"

"2018."

"Good. Who's the president?"

"Marsden."

"Correct. What's your favourite colour?"

Lena felt her shoulders start to unclench, her breathing turning towards regular. "Blue. Soft blue." "Noted." J'onn shuffled a little further back, giving her space to breathe. "What season is it?"

Her hands unclenched, the world coming a little more into focus. "Winter. It's almost Christmas."

"That it is." J'onn folded his arms. The familiar motion set Lena just a little more at ease, "what city are we in?"

"National City."

J'onn nodded. "And, last one: what's your name?" "You literally just said it earlier."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Lena Lutessa Luthor. Happy?"

"Satisfied."

They shared another moment of silence, Lena mulling over what just happened as J'onn looked on. What he did wasn't lost on her. She'd clued on halfway through but God did it work. If J'onn was this calm it stood to reason that Kara was alright.

"Thanks for deescalating me."

"Of course, Lena." He patted her on the shoulder. "There is one thing I want to ask, however."

"If you ask about the weather, I might just punch you." Lena tried at a joke, the tension in her body needing an outlet.

The joke fell flat. "Alex said something about a third party to you and Kara?"

Lena's eyes widened. She pushed J'onn to the side, gaze frantic as she looked over the steadily clearing scene.

The shapeshifter was gone.

"You can read minds J'onn. You know it was a shapeshifter and they're fucking gone." "You forget I can't read yours."

Death would have been favourable.

Rao, in his eternal glory, promised no pain in the afterlife and Kara wanted nothing more than for the pain to stop. To cease along with the beating of her heart, but how could she do that? That wasn't her choice.

Whether she lived or died wasn't her choice. It wasn't anyone's choice besides her body's but by Rao did Kara have a sudden craving for death. (Strangely enough, it was almost like the craving she had for food.) Yet, anything was favourable to the burning numbness of her body. Her mind was a torturous loop of falling.

Falling. Falling. Falling.

It was the scene over and over. Sometimes she could see herself reflected in the L-Corp. glass, her hair whipping about like a tail and the trench coat flapping at her ankles. Other times she watched the pavement come up to greet her, her shadow growing larger and larger with the shortening of distance. There were even a few times when she used the shapeshifter as a crash pillow and other times where the shapeshifter wasn't there at all.

So many variations, so many starts and middles but always one end.

Lena, panicked and haggard, would always burst through the crowd with murder in her eyes and a head full of pain. Kara, prone and fucking helpless, could do nothing to ease her. She could do nothing to reassure her lover that she wasn't dead and that the culprit was still in her grip. (Well, she couldn't check that because it hurt too much to move her head, but she was pretty sure the shapeshifter would at least be stunned after a fall like that.) On top of it all, her emotions were so intense she couldn't handle them. The only thing she could do was try and subdue them so they wouldn't affect Lena.

It was pure agony to watch shock steal Lena's faculties. To watch the proud woman bend at the sight of her broken body. To watch her lover kneel in a puddle of her own blood.

Kara feared the image would never leave her mind.

Then, like a light across boggy moors, Kara would feel warmth seeping into the back of her mind. Her chest would bloom with yearning affection and her numbed body would roar with sprinkled sunshine. It gave her enough strength to squeeze the warm hand in her own. It gave her just enough energy to smile.

So she smiled and she squeezed and it was the hardest thing she'd ever done. It was the most rewarding thing too.

Lena always smiled back.

Lena came to in a cold room. Walls of concrete caged her from all four sides, her body was covered in an itchy blanket and she didn't have to look at the obnoxious logo painted on the far wall to remember that she was in the DEO. She sat up abruptly, cursing at the sudden bout of vertigo as her legs swung off the bed.

Everything was stiff. Her head was at war with itself and the air was heavy with missed opportunity and her own personal death. Lena groaned, straightening her shirt and shooting a glare at the shadowy figure in the corner. She'd didn't need this now, but when was the world ever fair to her?

How could the world be fair to her when she was guilty?

Supergirl was half dead on a bed because of her. Kara was injured because Lena was too blind to notice her would be killer under her nose. The world was unfair because it should have been her with her head cracked across the pavement. It should have been her with legs bent in three too many places. It should have been her gasping for breath and croaking to speak.

She opened the door, shoulders heavy with her unwanted guest and the worries of all ill-fated decisions. There was no reprieve. Lena needed to see Kara. She needed to know what time it was.

She needed to get rid of the emptiness bouncing around her head. She needed and needed and needed and yet she had the audacity to question why the world was punishing her.

She shivered. The hallways were cold and endless, concrete echoing in announcement with each footfall. Lena could hear busyness, could feel the tension of the agents bleed through stone. On she walked, shuffling with shaky legs and grim determination until she found herself somewhere familiar.

The control room was abuzz with a flurry of agents, all serious, all working and all blind to her presence. Lena took a step back, turning heel and hoping to God she wasn't seen. It was odd. She felt like a kid sneaking around the house well past her bed time. Lena knew that the DEO knew she was here, hell, they'd brought her here, but she felt wrong about the fact that she could walk around.

She was a civilian, a third party and sure she signed the NDA's and had been to the DEO a few times now but that still didn't mean she had unrestricted access. Lena hurried, fearful that an agent would turn her away and make her go back to her cot. She had something to do and going back to sleep was definitely not it. Taking a left and then a right, Lena happened upon the familiar glass walls of the medical bay.

That's when she stopped, body swaying with the sudden lack of momentum. Glass, you see, had a funny habit to being transparent. God, Lena wished it wasn't transparent. The fact that she could see through it meant that she was met with a sight she was not ready for. It was too much too soon but how could she be ready? How could she ever be ready to look and see the direct result of her foolishness?

Her stomach twisted, curdling around nothing and yet still making her nauseous. Sweat started to bead at her hairline, the DEO issued track suit uncomfortable with the sudden flush of heat. She swallowed at the gag suck in her throat.

Lena didn't get to hesitate now.

With a nod to herself, she resumed her pace, bare feet hurried across a cold floor as she tried her best not to look. She made it to the door, the steel handle numbing to the fingers as she opened it. Stepping through, she turned and closed it.

There she stood, facing out when the room beckoned for her to face in. To face a reality she didn't want to confirm.

Yesterday (was it yesterday, a week ago or even earlier today? What even was time?) Lena had point blank refused to be anywhere near Kara or the medical bay. J'onn respected her wishes, gave her a change of clothes, took the gun and ushered her into an empty meeting room.

They hashed out the details of the altercation. Lena talked with cold efficiently, almost telling the story as if it happened to someone else and not herself. J'onn wrote down the facts, asking questions for clarification and Lena did her best to recall.

She then chewed him out for letting the shapeshifter get away. The director took it graciously. His stoic demeanour didn't once crack nor did he make Lena feel inferior. Not that Lena cared. All she cared about was the resonance of her voice in anger as it bounced off the echoey walls.

It was over in half an hour tops. Lena went to sleep exhausted and, well, now she was here. Here.

Lena bit her lip, took a breath and turned around.

That breath was useless.

It was like the scene from a horror movie where a mad scientist was endeavouring to create human life, but only a lot cleaner. Kara was in all sorts of casts, bandages wrapped tight and clean but spotted with blood. Her face was black with swelling and her legs, God her legs, were caged in the bars of external fixation devices.

They must have done surgery on her, the breakages were too severe to warrant anything else. And Lena? Well Lena was busy sleeping while Kara was under the blade. Of course Kara would go into surgery. Lena knew that subconsciously but she still made the active decision to got to fucking sleep.

She flopped into the visitor's chair by Kara's bedside, careful not to jostle the medical equipment or hit the sun radiation emitters. Hell, Lena was too afraid to even breath in Kara's direction lest she somehow injure her further (which probably wasn't even possible).

So she sat in heavy silence, each passing beat rung in with the beeping of the medical equipment and then layered with the sound of Kara's raspy breath. There was a tube down her throat to aid her breathing and Lena knew it was there to help her. She knew all of these things were keeping Kara alive and yet she couldn't help but hate it all. She had so much blame already on her shoulders and she needed it to go somewhere else. So she blamed the DEO for losing the shapeshifter. She blamed the medical equipment for displaying Kara's weaknesses so openly. She fucking blamed the stupid glass walls of the medical bay because it was stupid and intrusive and God Lena couldn't handle being here.

She couldn't handle the smell, the noise, the expectations. Most of all, however, she couldn't stand the amount of space in her own head. For all her life Lena had shared her emotional headspace with Kara. Now it was like Kara wasn't even there. She was so deep asleep that Lena had to almost fall into the blonde's mindscape to feel her and even then it was a pale imitation at best.

Lena hated that she had so much space to think and her thoughts were so big that they threatened to consume her- to eat her from the inside until there was no Lena left. Kara was her balance, her companion and they kept each other in check!

She bolted up, head bowed, fists clenched and the chair scraping against the floor. She needed to be productive. She needed to give Kara time to heal. She needed to help.

She didn't get very far.

Before she could charge out for the medical bay, the door slammed open to reveal one Alex Danvers.

Lena took a step back reflexively, mouth dropping in surprise and body stiffening. She didn't get a moment to even think before her arms were filled with a warm, slightly shaking body. Lena wrapped her arms tight, pulling the elder Danvers as close as she could, not caring that Alex's height made it slightly awkward.

Lena had expected...well, she hand't expect this. "A-Alex?"

The agent shook her head. "Shut up and keep hugging me." Who was Lena to refuse?

Lena chucked the tablet onto the desk with a heaved sigh. She stood snappishly from her chair, startling a few agents in the room as she proceeded to pull at her hair. This was a common occurrence. Frustration sat like a demon at the forefront of her eyes and her vision was slightly blurry with the hours spent looking at screens.

It had been two days and they were getting nowhere. The shapeshifter was still out in the crowd, Kara was still out for the count and Lena wanted nothing more than be knocked out.

She'd had urged J'onn to contact the NCPD to notify them of the intruder yesterday but the appropriate paperwork was still being filled out. Honestly, Lena had half a mind to phone Kara's contact- Maggie Sawyer- herself just so she could talk to someone who understood half of what was going on. Sure she could talk to Alex, but the agent had been spending an absorbent amount of time out on the field as of late (and Lena didn't blame her. The DEO really needed to get rid of the fucking glass walls).

Needing a break, Lena cracked her knuckles and slipped her sneakers back on. She was pretty sure it was either against protocol or just bad etiquette to have her shoes off, but no one had told her otherwise yet, so she would keep doing it.

Over the last hour or so, she had felt a definite shift in Kara's mental state. More specifically, there had been a dramatic swing in the reporter's pain level. Post-surgery, Kara had been dosed with morphine and a cocktail of other drugs to manage the pain so she could recover faster. The trauma was so severe, however, that Kara had fallen into an almost coma like state.

God, Lena hated to think about it.

She made her way to the very room she dreaded. She needed to notify Dr. Hamilton that Kara needed something more in hopes that the good doctor would listen to her.

Alex informed her, after the too tight hug and minutes of heavy silence, that Kara had only survived the fall because she seemed to have solar flared halfway through impact. It she had solar flared even a second sooner- well National City would have been hero-less and Lena- she didn't want to think about that. Anyway, the impact itself wasn't what broke Kara so brutally but instead it was Kara's own muscles absorbing the shock of the fall. Her bones had literally snapped in half under the pressure of her own muscles clenching with such suddenness.

Lena swung open the door. "Dr. Hamilton, she needs pain killers."

"Not even a 'hello'?" Dr, Hamilton looked up from her clipboard, face stern but eyes kind. Lena didn't comment. "We have an hour before I can give her another dosage, Miss. Luthor."

"She's in pain though."

The good doctor raised an eyebrow. "Oh? All her vitals seem fine. What makes you think she's in pain?"

Lena scratched her neck. "I just- I just know, you know?"

Of course Dr. Hamilton didn't know. She couldn't know and Lena was kicking herself for the turn of phrase.

"Yeah, I do."

What? "What?"

"I understand." Dr. Hamilton put the clipboard down, placing her full attention on the CEO. Lena didn't know if she liked it. "When somebody you love is injured, it's almost like you can sense when they're in pain."

Lena double-took. "Love?"

Dr. Hamilton shook her head almost fondly. "Don't even try and deny it." She pointed at Kara. "That one is completely infatuated with you," she then pointed to Lena., "and you, her. You don't have to be perceptive to pick it up- it's written on your faces as soon as you see each other."

Lena ducked her head, not knowing how to respond. She huffed, "...you can't just call us out like that."

Dr. Hamilton puffed a tired laugh, "I can and I did."

Lena cracked a smile, the first one in ages. Taking residence in the visitor's chair, Lena shuffled as close as she possibly could to Kara's bed. She still didn't touch her girlfriend though, she didn't want to cover even an iota of Kara's skin in case she hindered her lover's recovery.

"You can touch her, you know. It won't make a difference in her recovery. If it did, she would be naked or as close to it for the fastest recovery."

Lena nodded slowly, sighing. She took the cue and gently grabbed Kara's hand, not wasting time to thread their fingers together. As silly as it sounded, Lena felt more settled now then she had in the last two days. Nothing had changed and yet, here she was feeling more centred and grounded and, dare she feel it, slightly more hopeful.

"How is her recovery, Doctor?"

Dr. Hamilton hummed, her face looking suddenly weary. "Slow."

Lena's shoulders sunk, her grip involuntarily tightening around Kara's limp fingers. "How slow?"

"It's hard to say. It could be anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. She's still solar flared. I hypothesise that recovery would be faster if Supergirl got her powers back."

Lena looked down at her companion, taking in the sunken hollows of her cheeks and the gaunt caves of her eyes. Kara's hair, lacklustre and tangled, sprayed on the hard pillow beneath her head. Lena couldn't look too long, (she was afraid the image would burn into her mind and haunt whatever sleep she could get).

"What's keeping your powers, Miss. Zor-El? You know I hate waiting." Lena hushed. She turned to the doctor, voice louder, "is there anything that can jumpstart that?"

Dr. Hamilton stayed silent. Lena had her answer.

She relished in the feeling of her blade sliding back into the sheath. She needed this, she really needed this. Sweat dripped down the back of her neck, the DEO track suit clung uncomfortably and yet the sword in her hand felt nothing but right (and maybe a little slippery). Lena always found peace in the balance of her blade and how it cut through the air with control.

She found less peace in the memories that training had resurfaced. Mainly the memories of Kara with her own sword as they practiced side by side in a field. That had been so long ago but Lena could still remember teaching Kara proper footwork and their shared laughter with the fading sun. God, Lena could still remember the heat of Kara's warm body as she pressed her up against Annie (and then promptly shattered the window).

Lena left the training room, wiping her face with a towel on the way out. It'd been four days. Four days since Kara's body broke on the floor and four days since Lena's been following the trail of the Jess simulacrum with no success.

She placed the sword in a locker, making sure it was steady before she closed the door and locked it. Lena didn't make it two steps towards the showers before her phone started ringing in her pocket, vibrating against her thigh annoyingly. With a groan, she looked at the name. Her brow furrowed.

"Radley? You never call me, what's wrong?"

"Lena, nothing's wrong. Don't worry."

"Oh, thank God." Lena let out a relieved breath, "so what's up? I'm listening."

"I found the details on the missing shipment. It was definitely deleted from company records but I had forgotten that I had printed it out. I found the post it note detailing as such in a kitchen cupboard. Blasted things get everywhere. I really don't understand how-"

"Radley."

"Right. Sorry. Anyway, I found the print out. I e-mailed a scan of it to you but to cut to the chase, the shipment was destined to reach National City Harbour. Its contents, which don't seem to be specified, should be stored in a warehouse in the ship yard. The address is on the scan."

"Radley, I could just kiss you." Lena almost squealed. A lead. She finally had a lead.

Radley coughed, his awkwardness thick through the phone. "I don't think Miss. Danvers would

appreciate that."

Lena double took. "Seriously? You know too? Is there anyone that doesn't know?" "It's probably the best kept company secret, Miss. Luthor."

"I hate you."

"You hate me and yet you want to kiss me. You want to talk about-"

Lena hung up, not even slightly remorseful about the fact. She pocketed her phone, reopened her locker and threw in her towel and clean clothes. Showering could wait, she had more urgent matters on hand.

With hurried footsteps, Lena all but ran to mission control. A few agents looked up at her arrival, even fewer lifted an eyebrow but overall no one cared. The man Lena was looking for was not there, so Lena grabbed the attention (and the arm) of the nearest and least busy looking agent.

"Do you know where the director is?" Lena was sure she looked manic. Her hair was a mess and sweat was dried to her exercise blotched skin. Did she care? Hell fucking no. She was like a dog with a bone and J'onn needed to know. She had a very possible lead.

"He's in one of the prayer rooms, shouldn't be too long now." The agent answered, body leaning back and trying to uselessly tug his arm out of Lena's grip.

Lena let him go, giving an apologetic shrug before turning heel. The prayer rooms weren't far. They weren't very large spaces but they were quiet and tucked away from the general foot traffic, which made them perfect for quiet reflection and holy practise.

There were four in total. One for general prayer use, the other a little larger with a large window, the third was filled with scripture from various religions- Earth and other- and the last was mainly for J'onn's and (when the Kryptonian felt like it) Kara's use.

Lena gave pause outside the thick wooden door. On one hand, it felt wrong just to barge in and disturb the Martian, but on the other hand, wasting time created a bigger and bigger chance that the lead she had would become redundant if it wasn't already so. She shifted, wriggling one foot then the other with restless energy.

If this panned out, if there was something at that warehouse that connected the shapeshifter with the Harbourside Horror and (and this was a long shot) Smith with Addington Engines, then... well then the police would have a field day, this would be another cased closed for the DEO and Kara would still be in a very possible coma.

Lena deflated a little.

No. She couldn't psych herself out. Lena had waited four days for something like this and now that she had the power to actually do something other than twiddle her thumbs, well she's grabbing this bull by the horns and not letting go.

"Miss. Luthor?"

Lena jumped, turning dramatically to the face the ever-impassive face of one J'onn J'onzz. She couldn't even get a word out before the Director was motioning towards an empty meeting room. Lena took the cue, schooling her features along the way.

J'onn nodded as Lena finished explaining what Radley had told her. Sure her hands were flying widely, her eyes might have been a bit manic and her hair had fallen out of its braid more then it was in it, but through it all J'onn still stayed almost expressionless. Stoic. His brow was furrowed, like it almost always was. His beady eyes tracked Lena's ever constant movement and even his arms were crossed.

Honestly, the Littlest Luthor could not get a read on the director and it irked her a little bit. That didn't stop her from charging on however. "So if you could just let me take a small task force-"

"Out of the question."

Lena's jaw clicked shut. She forced down a growl. "What?" Her voice lower than natural.

J'onn shook his head. "I cannot do it. All you have is speculation. I need solid proof before I enable a task force, Miss. Luthor."

Lena bit her lip. Fuck. "But what if this is the led we've been waiting for, J'onn? I'm sick of waiting."

"I know, Lena." He sighed, arms falling to his side. "But even as Director I have to follow protocol. I'm sure you understand that."

Lena understood that all too well. She stormed from the room, steps thunderous as she returned to the locker room. She grabbed her clothes more forcefully then required, slammed the locker door and pulled out her phone on the way to the showers. She held the phone to her ear, waiting for the call to ring out but pleasantly surprised when it didn't.

"Lena?"

"Alex. You busy?"

There was some shuffling. "No, I'm just finished up with patrol. What's up? Is Kara okay?"

Lena swallowed. "Kara's still stable, don't worry." A pause. "But I may have a possible lead, wan-"

"I'm in. When and where?"

Lena grinned, dumping her clothes on a bench. "Excellent. Can you pick me up in 10? I'll tell you more when I see you."

"See you soon." With that, Alex hung up and Lena tossed her phone on top of her clothes.

Things were looking up. Alex and her would check out the lead, hopefully that would result in something useful and they'd be one step closer to finding the shapeshifter. Lena pealed her workout clothes from her body, half a mind on the way sweat had dried on her body and the other half nervous with what they were about to do.

Lena was technically going against J'onn's direct orders by involving Alex. But how could she not involve the older Danvers? That would be almost blasphemous and Lena really didn't want to start a fight. She couldn't start a fight with everyone so down trodden.

The water spluttered once, twice, thrice before falling in a steady stream from the shower head. Lena tested it with her hand, body out the spray as she waited for it to come to temperature. It didn't take long, per se, but Lena didn't have time to spare. So she bit the bullet and stepped into the cool, standing her ground against her body's instinct to jump out the way.

Suffice to say, showers were always warmer with Kara- be it her bubbly personality, witty humour, warm hands or heated tongue. God, Kara and showers and their...situations in said showers were a risky thing to think about in a place like the DEO. Lena looked down at herself, the warming water running rivulets down her face, running fingers through her matting hair and tracing rivers across pale skin.

She lifted her hands, water pooling in her large palms and seeping through the cracks of her long fingers. She couldn't dwell, so she rinsed off the sweat methodically, making sure she was a clean as could be before towelling herself off and slipping into a clean shirt and jeans.

She hustled out of headquarters, no agent giving her mind as she walked out onto the busy street. Alex, as if summoned, pulled to the curb with practised ease. Lena didn't waste a moment as she slipped into the passenger side, pulling up the email from Radley on her phone. Alex peeled onto the road and they headed towards the docks.

"So, what are we in for?"

"Well, that's the thing. I don't really know. Radley, my CFO, had called me earlier about an obscure

shipment that was made a few weeks back. Apparently, the cargo of said shipment in housed in warehouse 27."

Alex looked over and Lena met her tired gaze. Alex looked worse for wear. Her hair was greasy and matted, her eyes sunken with lack of sleep and her pallor was almost sickly. "How is this a lead?"

"It's a possible lead. I have a gut feeling we're going to find something there."

Alex was slow to nod, almost like she was chewing on the information as she focused back on the road. It was a couple of turns and a stop light later when she spoke again. "Fine. I'll take anything right now, even if it's just instinct."

Lena nodded once, giving Alex a small smile before settling into the seat properly and looking out at the road. The docks weren't far, in reality nothing in National City was actually far, but traffic made getting anywhere a trial. Thankfully it wasn't peak time, so the roads were relatively quiet.

The National City docks were unremarkable. It smelt of the sea, fish and rusting metal. Lena wrinkled her nose, slipping out the car and closing the door with a solid 'thunk.' Alex, largely unaffected, was already walking into the harbour, discarded nets and lines doing their level best to tangle her feet but ultimately failing.

Lena was a little slower, stepping carefully lest she trip and made a fool of herself. They meandered through the labyrinth of corrugated metal, weathered wood and the occasional disgruntled worker, Lena scanning each warehouse for any sort of number system whilst Alex just charged on ahead.

"Do you know where we're going?"

Alex looked over her shoulder, "kinda. Unsurprisingly the harbour seems to be a popular spot for all sorts of against the law happenings. I've been called out here a lot."

The agent took a right, Lena followed, picking up the pace a bit to keep up. It wasn't long before the littlest Luthor gave up trying to find any sort of order to the warehouses. She instead just followed Alex. Maybe she was a little too close behind because not a few short minutes later Lena found herself walking smack bang into a strong back. Alex just shot her a look, Lena shrugged and then they both went to inspect the targeted warehouse.

Unsurprisingly, it was locked. The door was secured with a chain and lock that looked heavy enough to bend the door itself (it didn't, but Lena wouldn't rule out the possibility that over time it would). Alex didn't waste time. The agent strutted to the door and, in one swift motion, knelt and procured what Lena believed was a lock picking set from her pocket.

Lena's eyes widened at the action, she darted forward quickly, scanning the area before standing behind Alex. She did her level best to obscure the agent from common eyes, but Lena's rather small stature left a lot to be desired. Or at least Alex quipped as so as the lock clicked open in her hands.

They both hefted the chain out of the way, it fell to the floor with a satisfactory rustle as Lena dusted her hands clean of metal residue. Alex pushed open the slightly stiff door, the door space within pooling with light of the outside world.

Lena was the first to step through, pulling out her phone and turning on the torch. She froze a few few feet, Alex almost bumping into her as the agent fiddled with her own phone.

"Wha-... ah fuck, what is that smell?" Alex gagged, her free hand coming up to cover her mouth and nose.

Lena wrinkled her own, "definitely something rotting," she started walking again, shining her light this way and that, "and I have a feeling it isn't fish."

The warehouse, whilst not large, was almost filled to the rafters with crates and boxes. From what Lena could devise, it looked like shipments of metal and other various machinery parts. None opened and all from the same company- a Horák Metalworks.

She scratched her chin. Horák? Lena didn't remember hearing of a Horák Metalworks company having any business in National City never mind using a LuthorCorp. ship without authorisation. What was the play here? Why did a metalworking company go through shady means to bring stock all the way here? Lena could only deduce they were based somewhere Slavic, maybe even Czech, due to the nature of the name. Then there was the connection to the shapeshifter. Why the hell would a serial killer go to such lengths to erase the records of this shipment if it was just for metal and machinery? Lena was missing something here and she really hated missing things.

"Hey Luthor, over here." Alex's voice cut through the darkness.

Lena turned, making her way over. Whilst she was checking out the crates for markers, Alex had been slowly walking around the space, her own light aiding her as she looked over the warehouse with scrutiny.

Lena's nose wrinkled further the closer she got to Alex. She started to breathe through her mouth, the smell so thick she could almost taste it. "The smell's getting worse here."

"I know."

"You couldn't just tell me that?"

"No, 'cause I want you to stand here," Alex pointed at the floor where she was standing in the corner, "and when I go back outside, I want you to hit against the wall." She gave said wall a good few knocks as if to make sure it worked.

Lena did as asked, taking up Alex's position as the agent herself left through the front door. Counting to two, Lena started knocking as loudly as possible against the wall, the metal reverberating with a low moan at each hit. It wasn't long before Lena heard a response. Alex was knocking along with her, each hit coming closer and closer until, and this confused Lena greatly, Alex bypassed her.

That wasn't possible. Lena was in the corner, there should be no more wall left for Alex to knock against. Unless-

She turned to the wall she wasn't hitting, her phone light reflecting off the rough surface. With a firm hand, she placed her palm against the metal, running her fingers over it in contemplation. It took a moment but eventually Alex's footsteps resounded behind her, the footfalls even but hurried.

"I see you figured it out."

Lena hit her palm against the metal. "This is a fake wall." She hit it again for good measure. "How did you figure that out? I didn't see any doors and the metal looks the same age as the warehouse itself. Even the welds look old."

Alex stood next to her. "The size of the interior didn't match the exterior."

Lena looked at her incredulously, an eyebrow raised. "And you got that from a quick glance outside and a look around inside?'

Alex nodded. "Yeah. Half my job is finding secret lairs and the such, I've learnt to subconsciously catalogue building dimensions. It's come in handy a few times, like now for instance."

Lena dropped her hand from the wall. "So that smell then-"

"-it must be coming from whatever's behind this wall." Alex sighed, nose still wrinkled. "I really hope it's just an illegal fish smuggling ring or something."

Lena huffed a laughed. "I sincerely doubt that." A pause. "So how do we get in?"

Alex thought for a minute, surveying the wall. She then unlocked her phone, scrolling through contacts. Before Lena could even ask, Alex answered.

"It's a good thing that I happen to have the number of the handiest woman I've ever met."

Lena opened her mouth only to be cut off again.

"I'm going to call Maggie Sawyer and ask her to bring her angle grinder."

"Detective Sawyer? Angle grinder? Are you sure you want to involve the police? Also, this metal seems pretty thick, I don't know if an angle grinder is gonna cut it."

Alex shot her an eyebrow, phone already to her ear. "Do you want to see what's on the other side or not?"

Lena bit her tongue and nodded.

"Good. Now shut you're mouth, I'm on the ph- Oh, hey Maggs! You busy?"

Lena rolled her eyes. This couldn't be a good idea and yet, there Lena stood tapping her foot and crossing her arms.

Chapter End Notes

Things are chugging along nicely :) (mwhahaha) Thanks for reading!

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