A frustrated sigh released from her lips, book flipped open at the small cafe table.

It wasn't as though the situation was too much, in fact, it was just the opposite, it was the string of looks and hushed whispers her presence brought about. Usually, Sam was there to distract her, to bring about a sense of comfort from the public workstation. Sam wasn't there. She wouldn't be, she was dealing with her father.

She'd only given Lara a small explanation. Her father was being a raging asshole. A small kiss to her cheek, telling her she'd probably be late but she would be there or she'd be dead, before rushing off in a hurry.

It set off a small unsure anxious feeling at the pit of her stomach. She really didn't want to be here, but it was their routine by now. She'd much rather be in bed watching a movie and just waiting for Sam to get back, but she'd always been the first to arrive. Stew beneath the scrutinizing looks, then Sam would come in a few minutes later with a smile and her worries were backseat.

It was routine, however, and it just felt so odd not doing the routine. It made her feel ridiculous that she felt so uncomfortable about not following the routine. She didn't like...change. She could adapt but she didn't prefer it.

Today was going to prove to be horrid if the man and woman walking towards her were any indications.

She brought her book up, held it in front of her in hopes they'd get the message, and pretended to read every word.

"Hey," they sat down, the man spoke with a smug grin. Shit, no they didn't get the message. She hated when this happened.

Harassment on her father's behalf, the dead yak.

"Hey," the man spoke a little louder to get her attention.

Lara released a sigh and closed her eyes for just a moment. He wasn't going to let this go, was he? Obviously not. She set her book down with a polite smile that didn't reach her eyes but was...good enough for this kind of interaction.

"Hello," be polite Lara, "is there something I can help either of you with?" His grin grew wider.

"Aren't you Lara?" Her stomach dropped. There it was, "Lara Croft? Richard-"

She closed her book just a little too hard.

"I don't see how that's relevant," she politely interjected.

"Nah, 'course not. Just...your father was that crazy guy, right? Magic, myth, all real guy?" Lara opened her mouth to stop him but he beat her to it, "Dishonored himself. Your family. Didn't he kill himself?"

"Yeah. Cause he lost his job or whatever? Depressed much more than losing his wife or ruining his kid's life?"

Lara's jaw clenched. Fuck, this wasn't how her Saturday was supposed to go. She abhorred Sam's father right now. She abhorred the world.

"Sir, Ma'am," she spoke tensely, firmly, both unwanted guests stopped, "my family is not your business. It's not even-"

"But isn't it though?" She blinked, "I mean it was newsworthy so it makes it everyone's busine-"

They were all stopped by the sudden appearance and loud thud of a designer bag. The was it filled with? Lara blinked in confusion. The black leather shone, she hadn't known anyone with this. She saw something flicker across the man and woman's face, she recognized them as students, but what surprised her the most was the look on their faces.

Smug and amused looks from harassing the young Croft were replaced by near...fear? Irritation? A mixture of both. They weren't looking at her, they were looking beside her. The air was a sudden thick of an awkward tenseness. It was enough to make her turn her head at their newest intruder.

She came face to face with a somehow familiar face. Where'd she seen her before? The newest guest was dressed nothing short of a designer, from her black pants to the leather jacket she donned, even her scarf seemed to cost more than Lara made in a week. A ridiculous thought to entertain.

To accompany the designer clothes, was pale skin, black lips. raven hair pulled back into a tight ponytail, sides shaved, and piercing green eyes that seemed to dance far too much in amusement at the looks she was being given. Lips tugged into a smirk and green eyes met Lara's.

Lara scrunched her nose in confusion as the woman pulled a seat out, fell into it, crossed legs elegantly- too rehearsed -pretended to wipe dust off of her legs and took a moment to study the others at the table. Her head tilted and she looked towards the man who wasn't frozen but didn't look like he was willing to speak first. At least, not quite yet.

"Let's skip formalities shall we? You must know who I am," the woman's voice dripped with dramatic sarcasm, she sounded American, the smirk never left, but the man nodded slightly, "I thought so because suddenly there is no bravado left in that thick skull is there?" She tried to sound saddened.

The woman crossed her arms and tilted her head in curiosity before letting her eyes flickers to Lara's before continuing like she was trying to gauge her reaction. Lara said nothing. What could she say? Thank you? Get lost? She wasn't sure the woman's appearance was anything bad at all. In fact, it felt almost welcoming because of her interruption.

"So shall we get right down to it?" Before anyone could reply, the woman turned to Lara with a small smile and proceeded to ask, "I am going to make an educated guess and say harassment? For a meager family name?"

Lara frowned but nodded. Why did it matter? She could take care of herself. The woman turned to the others and continued.

"There are two types of people. Those that are born into families, and those that are born into dangerous families," it sounded like a threat, "Ms. Croft here," a hand gestured to her, "was born into the first. So I would very much suggest you pack your shit and leave the cafe, I'm not the first. Harassment isn't nice, but then again you're both arrogant aren't you?" The woman smiled.

The man's jaw clenched, he leaned forward pointing a finger directly in the woman's face. He looked angry, in short.

"You can't just assume everyone owes you a think. You and your family are all like this, we don't owe you shit, just 'cause your brother is a crazy fuck-" something snapped in the woman, she rose to her full height, the man gulped.

"You're right. He is. So how do you think he would feel that his sister's first week in the U.K. was interrupted by a student she went to UCL with? Because he was being an arrogant man-child who got kicks from harassing people he thought he could get away with?"

The man didn't say anything more. He looked terrified.

"Good," the woman sat down, "now. Leave. Before I make plans to visit him this weekend." The man and woman looked at her for a moment, until she rose a single brow, they took it as their last cue and scurried away, eventually out of the cafe.

Lara sat there. Dumbfounded. The hell just happened? Who was this woman? Did she go to school with them? Maybe that's where she's recognized the face of the woman. She wasn't sure...how could she be? With a small sigh, she stared down back at her book. She couldn't exactly focus now could she?

"Are you going to sit here alone?" the woman suddenly asked with a slightly softer tone than she'd used on the previous inhabitants of the two empty seats across from her, Lara looked at her and shook her head, "When's Sam due back?"

Lara blinked in confusion.

"You know Sam? What do you study?" The woman rose a brow but shrugged.

"Engineering, I've seen her before, we know each other from some galas. American ties. Just in passing. You're never seen too far from her," Lara's nose scrunched up in protest, "you're not dependent. I meant you two seem to be...close. Again, when is she due back?"

This didn't clear any of her confusion, but Lara took the opportunity to look at her phone and noted the time. She looked back up at the woman.

"Ten to twenty minutes," the woman nodded satisfied and looked down at the phone in her hand, Lara wasn't quite satisfied yet, "I'm Lara."

"I know," the woman gave an amused smile but turned back to her phone.

Lara frowned and looked back at her book, for a moment she thought about asking Sam who the woman was- but there was a reason she didn't want her to know. Right? She didn't want to invade her privacy. She let it go. It was just odd.

The minutes seemed to just past, Lara eventually reopened her book and quietly read to herself. The woman eventually pulled out a notebook of her own and wrote silently, giving a few sighs here and there. Lara chanced a glance and saw nothing but numbers, her brows shot up, but she said nothing. She returned back to her book.

They were left alone mostly, until the woman got up and announced she was getting a snack, asking if Lara cared for anything. Lara answered that just something sweet would be fine. She didn't really care what it was. A nod was giving and soon enough the woman came back with a coffee for herself and a small bag of cookies for her. She gave a thank you and received a shrug.

The silence continued, it felt less awkward and more full of understanding. The sound of the door opening filled their quiet space and eventually a voiced she'd been wanting to hear filled their ears.

"I'm so sorry I'm so late! Dad was trying to convince me-" Lara looked up beaming at Sam, who blinked at the woman but gave a smile, Lara was confused again, "-oh hi Lena."

"Nishimura," it sounded like a light tease, but Sam frowned a little before looking between the both of them.

"Were you- wait," Sam shifted feet, Lena put Sam out of her misery as she stood up and gathered her things.

"She was being harassed. The same guy did the same to me last week, I threatened him both times. It was more or less a way to do it again," Lara frowned, she could tell that wasn't quite it but didn't comment. Sam just nodded and Lena moved to walk away.

"Thank you," Lara called out, the woman faltered but continued her path out throwing a hand up as a goodbye as Sam took a seat next to her.

"That's not really odd with her," Sam commented, "I don't know her, but I've been around her. I feel like I should actually thank her for being here when I couldn't, you know?"

Lara nodded.

"Maybe we should invite her next time? Buy her coffee or something?"

"Yeah."

XXXX

"Ms. Luthor?" The voice was enough to bring her out of her thoughts.

She looked up and found Jess, her secretary, lingering in the doorway. Lena looked up with a scowl already in place. To Jess's credit, she didn't look intimidated, she couldn't when you worked for Lena as long as she had, she looked like she was waiting for permission. The fact she hadn't already left meant it was more than likely important and needed a few moments of her time. Her time couldn't be afforded to be wasted.

L-Corp, after all, was still struggling in some ways. She sighed and relented waving Jess to come in. The woman nodded and strode to Lena's desk, tablet in hand and stood up straight before looking down.

"The project has run into a few problems, it'll be set back about a week," Jess informed.

Lena sighed and rubbed her forehead. Again? This had happened a few times already, they couldn't afford another set of problems. Not when it those who had commissioned the project were depending on it for safety reasons. She regretted not seeing to it herself, she should have.

"I should have overseen the project of myself," she muttered to herself, she looked back up at Jess and sighed, "tell them to have a detailed report on my desk by Tuesday. That's four days. If I find a single thread of...fibbing in any report I will personally fire them. I want to schedule an inspection with Johan, his team, and I will personally oversee it." Jess nodded.

"Yes, Ms. Luthor."

Lena nodded satisfied. They'd had a few set backs already and it was becoming frustrating. The last time she checked in, it was over technicalities anyone could have worked out, The lead scientist, Johan, promised to take it more seriously, she'd given him enough leeway. He was a genius, he could do it, but the question was why wasn't he?

With a small sigh, she waited for Jess to continue.

"Your meeting at three has been moved," she raised a brow, "Wayne Industries, weren't able to send anyone. Problems arose, something about a fire? A crazy clown? They weren't very clear. The latest they'd be able to send someone is Monday."

"Alright, offer a video call instead, perhaps it'd be easier if they're having problems," she sighed, "or reschedule at a different time. It's whatever is more efficient at the time."

Jess nodded.

"CatCo-" a small smile threatened to form on her lips, Jess tried not to notice, "-called earlier, to wonder if you and your guests would be willing to do a joint interview? It seems they need some positive coverage as well."

Wait. What? That wasn't until-

"What-" Jess continued, however, she hadn't noticed the confused look.

"Ms. Danvers called, she apologizes but she said she'll be unable to make it to dinner tonight if you're working late. I told her I'd have you call her." Jess look back up from the tablet and gave her boss a look, Lena looked confused.

"I'll call her later," she promised, "but- you said, guests?" Jess nodded, "what guests?"

Surely it wasn't time already? That wasn't for another day. They'd planned it. She memorized the date, she was still having-

"Ms. Luthor?" Lena looked up, scrunched nose, "it's Friday."

Lena laughed.

"Surely it's not. It's Thursday," she shook her head and picked up her phone, dropping her pen, ignoring the few texts there were she looked for the date. It was- almost three on Friday. Friday, how did she... "Shit," she muttered to herself. Jess gave an amused huff, "In that case...tell CatCo no, I don't want to bombard them." Jess nodded.

"You have a guest," Lena's head snapped back up and she blinked, "would you like me to send her in?"

Lena thought for a moment. She'd have to apologize for forgetting, perhaps that was why she would today to be so boringly vacant of work. She'd already worked out that as much of the day as she could afford, would be to show her guests around, to let them settle in. Help them if she could. Now they were here, despite her forgetting, so she had to make the most it.

Anxiety and slight excitement buzzed in her chest. Anxiety from, how much had she changed? Too much for them to reconnect? Was it good or bad? Excitement from the idea of seeing them again. She wasn't sure she could classify them as old friends, unsure if they were friends at all, but they were the closest she had before National City. Before she disappeared back to America under her mother's thumb, to lead L-Corp.

She looked back up and gave a near genuine smile, it nearly threw Jess for a loop, she nodded.

"Please."

Jess gave a small nod and moved back towards the door. Lena took the opportunity to stack the papers on her desk and set them aside. She gave a small sigh and looked back down at her phone for a small moment. She tried to think, did she have any other meetings or anything of importance for the rest of the day? She didn't think so. If she did, it wasn't on her calendar that was set up on the wall next to her desk, so it wasn't entirely important. Was it? She'd ask Jess later to forward her details.

"Ms. Luthor will see you now," Lena looked up and watched as Jess held the door open.

She heard a small thank you being given and smiled in remembrance at the voice. Posh, English, she remembered.

A woman about her height stepped through. A hand was shoved into the pocket of a leather jacket, the hood of a hoodie sticking out over that, a blue henley beneath that, comfortable jeans, sensible shoes- she never cared about looks much over comfortability -and a bag slung over her shoulder. Brown hair was pulled into a neat ponytail, bangs hanging loosely around her face.

There were two things that stood out the most to Lena as she let herself take in her old acquaintance(?). Her eyes were still the same shade of brown, but there was a conflicting sheet of guardedness she could see and a brightness she hadn't see before. Not when they'd known each other. The second thing was the small object on her hand that shone under the light as she stepped forward unsurely.

Lena's head tilted slightly, she already knew it was just different to see in person, and she smiled standing up. Her smile was brighter than it had been in the past- she blamed one Kara Danvers for such a thing -and moved around her desk in order to properly greet her guest. She was nothing, if not proper.

"Lara Croft," she smiled and held her hand out, the action seemed to relieved Lara who pulled out her pocketed hand and took the hand in hers, "It's nice to finally have you here, in the flesh."

Lara laughed lightly as she shook the hand before retracting it and shook her head in amusement.

"Lena Luthor," she shook her head, "the great cryptid," it was a joke, but was enough to make Lena both chuckle and feel a little guilty, "it's quite nice to finally be here. All flesh connected of course."

Lena knew a silence was inevitable, this was the part where it usually took over awkwardly, no? She didn't want to wait and find out. So motioned towards the chair in in front of her desk, she felt ridiculous for not offering the couch. Lara smiled and nodded as she took her seat, Lena moved to take her own watching as the other woman set her bag down carefully.

"Did the flight treat you well?" Lara couldn't help but snort.

"Right. Like we didn't fly in a very private jet," Lena gave a satisfied smirked and shrugged innocently, "It did. It was nice. Sam was more or less ecstatic about the fact there was something more than peanuts to eat, it was amusing to see her make fast friends with an attendant just so she wouldn't stop supplying coffee."

Lena shook her head lightly. Sam wasn't a guarded person, not quite like Lara or she had been. She was more open, but she'd be a fool if she said she hadn't kept an eye on them from time to time. She could only guess to how guarded she became after Yamatai. If she was more herself over coffee? She'd take it. She didn't mind.

"That sounds like her," Lena shook her head, "I'll confess...I hadn't expected Friday to be here so soon, so it slipped my mind, but you got here okay so I'll guess Jess had a driver pick you up? How did they treat you both?"

She was asking in case she had to fire someone for mistreatment of them. If she didn't tolerate it in the building, even in the slightest, she wouldn't treat it within her drivers. She just hoped it wasn't the case. Most of the drivers were relatively nice.

"Ah, that explains the odd pick up then," Lara gave a small chuckle.

Lena was confused.

"What do you mean?"

"Well," Lara crossed a leg with a smile, "we didn't quite expect a pick up like...that. Sam and I, we aren't as- popular as we were in 2013, or when we came back from Syria. Still, most people who hire her, or would like to speak to me, are well enough off they send a private car. It's noticeable, most times a limo, or a van, a high-end car. What we didn't expect was a detective."

Lena closed her eyes and sighed. Oh no. Lara only chuckled and continued.

"A detective who had quite the stories. Apparently, she'd convinced Jess, she owed you a favor?" Lena groaned, oh god, "and came as a way of fulfilling that. She was friendly enough. Sam liked her almost instantly, there's quite a similarity there in personality. She took our stuff, asked us where we needed to go. If she knew who we were she didn't show it, which I appreciate, but Sam is convinced she knows."

Lena sighed again. Right. She had to make a note to remind Jess not to listen to Maggie unless she was there on official police business. If she'd known indulging the detectives need to bet her, at pool no less, and winning a favor, wouldn't work in her chances she never would have gotten that drunk and allowed herself to do something so careless.

She didn't bet drunk. It was a rule. Damn it.

"Where's Sam then?" She asked politely. Lara smiled.

"Currently in the lobby, I came up here to chat, speaking to Detective Sawyer," Lena groaned again, "she's quite nice. She didn't know where you lived, however, so she's been waiting on instructions so we could drop out stuff off. If that's still the arrangement?" Lara looked a bit...unsure of it. Had Lena changed her mind? Did she want to keep her privacy?

Lena, however, shook her head and sighed adamantly. She reached over, pressing a button, and waited until Jess's voice spoke through.

"Ms. Luthor." She sighed and leaned forward.

"Please notify Detective Sawyer of my guests living arrangements for the week, ask her if she doesn't mind chauffeuring for the day. If not I can have Avid take Mrs. Nishimura where she needs to," she sat back.

"Yes, Ms. Luthor."

Lara tilted her head in curiosity and gave a small smile. Lena rose a brow, challenging her to say something, daring her to almost. Lara could tell and she simply didn't speak, allowing Lena to further the conversation or unfortunately tell her she was needed elsewhere. The second option didn't come.

"You're giving me that 'that was weird but I'm not going to say so' look," Lara rose a brow this time, "you're forgetting, Sam gave me a crash course on Lara basics. I'm not the expert she is, obviously, but apparently, I'm not too rusty either."

Lara let out a small amused chuckled and nodded.

"Obviously, Detective Sawyer, is a friend I'm guessing," Lena froze, Lara shook her head to reassure her she meant nothing by it, "I just remember you telling me friends didn't stick around. If she is, you're lucky. She offered to lock anyone up who gave us trouble, I'm not sure if she was joking or not."

"Ah," Lena thought for a moment, "we're not- friends," Lara didn't believe it, "Not quite. I'm a friend of a friend. More specifically, I'm the friend of her girlfriend's sister. She's taken to bothering me," the word bothering held no malice, meaning Lena didn't really mind.

Lara looked a little taken back jokingly, Lena narrowed her eyes for a moment before sighing and slid a magazine towards Lara. The cover was of herself, a story about her advancements with L-Corp, highlighting the good they've done on a page. Lara gave her a look but when Lena nodded to it, Lara flipped to the appropriate page.

"Quite frankly I'm just showing off her work because it is brilliant," was Lena Luthor gushing about someone? "one Kara Danvers, has become quite an...irrevocable friend. She's quite the reporter too. So yes, I have friends, but don't tell her I showed off her work. Just look out for the latest issue of CatCo." Lena smiled.

Lara looked at her for a moment, assessing what she'd just been given. Her experience wth reporters, her and Lena's if she remembered correctly, wasn't entirely sunshine and rainbows. Befriending one? It left Lara a little uneasy with the possibility this Kara could take advantage of Lena at any time. She and Sam both had always considered her a friend, the topic was complicated for Lena.

She still didn't know Kara and refused to judge her before she could. According to Lena's smile, she was probably the closest person Lena had in recent years. Perhaps the closest person ever. She recognized that smile. She wore it often enough to know, but she didn't say anything. Not her place.

"My experience with reporters isn't as bright," Lena's brows furrowed, "for obvious reasons. But, the bit I've just read here, it feels like she's come to know you quite well."

Lena's smile brightened just a tad more before she cleared her throat in a horrid attempt to cover herself, and nodded, crossing her hands in front of her on the desk.

"She's become a great friend," best friend, went unsaid, Lara was quite happy to hear that and she knew Sam would be more so, "I'm sorry it's rude of me. I hadn't asked if you had somewhere to be. I can call a driver-"

Lara interrupted her.

"I don't, until tomorrow. The local museum seemed to be a good place to place my skills with. They have a new shipment of artifacts yet to be identified, I offered help when you asked us to visit. I thought it'd give you and Sam time to go over the details of the project," Lena opened her mouth to say something but Lara beat her to it, "I'm not put off by it. It's confidential. I'm allowed to know, but as I won't actually be helping with it I thought it was only polite.

Besides, there's always dinners, breakfasts, or whatever else you'd have us do for the rest of the week. Though, I do have to ask something. I was curious as to why you offered your place for us to stay?" Lara knew Lena, it was a little odd.

"It was," Kara's idea in order to reconnect properly, she convinced me, "a better idea than you staying at a hotel. Neither of you would have let me pay for the weeks expenses, so it's a better choice. Sam...noted a concern of being in a place without proper security," Lara frowned, "my apartment is secure. I own the building after all." Can't let Lex or Lillian succeed in killing me off.

Lara rose a brow but didn't comment, she hadn't kept up with Nation City news, she didn't know about the attempts on her friend's life. If she had, she might have understood the need. Instead, she remained quiet and watched as Lena sighed and pushed back her chair, smoothing out her dress.

It was then that Lara tilted her head. Where shaved sides were before, hair was in place. The theme of black clothing was still there, but relatively less- punk, more business-like. The lip piercing, however, was gone as well she chuckled. Lena gave her a look.

"You were so adamant about defying your mother with the lip piercing," she commented.

"Ah yes, well the board didn't enjoy it as must," Lena replied sadly, "As far as I know I'm relatively free for the next few hours. I'm getting sick of the office, is there any place you'd like to sight see or would you care to join your wife and relax for the day?"

Lara's eyes widened for a moment, but her thumb was playing with the ring on her finger, causing Lena to smile. They, she'd always thought were an example of love, and she'd seen them enough. Seen how they looked at each other, the mutual love and respect. She was only sad she'd not been there to see the day they had wed or heard the vows been exchanged if they'd gone that route.

But by now they knew of her wedding gift, if not she'd done enough to hide it under a different way.

Lara smiled a moment later and chuckled.

"Yes, and thank you for the support," Lena tried to look like she had no idea what she was talking about, "Thorul isn't exactly the best alias. The money helped supply my team on an expedition with the right gear, saved a few lives. To answer your previous question, I do have to stop by the museum, tomorrow so no- I am free tonight."

Lena nodded and moved to pick up her purse when her phone buzzed, she paused for a moment and looked it over, Lara paused to wait for her.

Sunshine: Ur guests r here !
Sunshine: Maggie told me! !
Emerald Happiness: Are you okay with that?
Sunshine: Y wuldnt I b?
Emerald Happiness: They're going to be staying with me
Emerald Happiness: Would that be okay?
Sunshine: Its ur place
Emerald Happiness: Darling I'd like you to stay the night if you could
Sunshine: Really?
Emerald Happiness: Yes. I don't want you to feel like I don't want you
Sunshine: Consider me there when I'm off of work!

Lara gave her a curious look when she put her phone away, but Lena did her best to give a small smile and moved to lead her to the door. Lara to her credit had just followed.

After a second thought, she thought it best not to completely blindside Lara and Sam, she paused causing Lara to nearly run into her back. Lena turned and looked both sheepish and apologetic. Her smile fell and Lara looked taken back, this was a little odd and so sudden to her she didn't not how to feel. She was about to open her mouth and ask if all was okay when Lena beat her to it.

"I don't want to blindside you," Lara looked confused, "I should have realized, the big picture, when I asked you both to stay with me," Lara took a step back, what? "I didn't because I was just happy to see the both of you again. I apologize, for that, but- there's- it's-"

"Lena," Lena looked at her, "It's fine if you want us to-" Lena shook her head, waving her hands about.

"No, no, I didn't mean that," Lena sighed but continued, "After- I became CEO, I had to become a very private person. If I didn't, there was so much Lex or-" Lillian, "-bad people could find out. So part of my life I've kept to the confines of my home, or-" she sighed in frustration, unable to find further words to explain, she did the next best thing. She blurted it out, "I'm dating someone."

Lara looked shocked, but not entirely surprised. Like she simply hadn't expected Lena to actually say it, but at best had a guess. Lena blinked in confusion and opened and closed her mouth several times. Lara took pity on her.

"I kind of guessed," Lara informed, "you're entitled to your privacy about it. You owe me nothing. Why would it blindside us?"

"Because she's been spending the night at my place for the past month," she blinked again, "it's become a comfort I'd rather not lose with how things have been lately. I...asked her to stay again tonight when she's off work."

Lara nodded and considered the information.

"I won't mind, nor will Sam, I'm certain she'll enjoy it more than I will. Embarrassing you, I mean, in front of a romantic partner," the words brought a smile to Lena's face again. It felt like a normal friendship for the small moment, a part of Lena's past she finally got back that wasn't tainted by the Luthor name.

"Alright, thank you for understanding," Lara just shrugged, "shall we go finally?"

"Yes. I'd like to get home."

Lena stopped only to inform Jess of her plans, asking her to notify her instantly the moment something came up. If it was important. After jess confirmed her plans, she led Lara through the building. Once in the elevator, she let herself fully breathe in relief. Lara elbowed her with a reassuring smile. Tonight would be fine, they'd get through it, tomorrow would be the real challenge, wouldn't it?

XXXX

LeeLoo: I'd like to inquire about a change of plans
Sam: Shoot me
Sam: Told her you forgot
LeeLoo: I have someone coming over tonight
LeeLoo: However she'd understand if you weren't comfortable
LeeLoo: Would you mind if she stayed the night?
Sam: You think I'm going to miss the chance to spill about Uni
Sam: That's cute and I don't mind!
Sam: It'd be nice to make a friend in an unknown city
Sam: Especially if she's a 'gal pal' ;)
LeeLoo: Are you sure?
Sam: Absolutely
LeeLoo: She's a reporter just so you know
LeeLoo: She'll join us when she's off of work
Sam: Sweet! See you then

XXXX

TakeASchott: Omg ur collection I'm jealous
LuthORLost: See 'em and weep Schott
LuthORLost: I have a custom one too I built from scratch
TakeASchott: I'M JEALOUS

Lena snorted. They weren't friends, not at all, but she was able to geek out with Winn where she could. Especially where Star Wars was concerned.

Sawyer: Sam's nice
Sawyer: Oh man Kara is going to freak out on you
Luthor: Why?
Sawyer: You should really check your Netflix

Lena sighed and shrugged.

Agent Danvers: You're annoying
Agent Danvers: But you and Kara together on game night
Agent Danvers: TH T
Agent Danvers: I demand a rematch

Lena let out a chuckle and shook her head. She didn't reply, instead of pocketing her phone. Alex was still complaining about her chess wins for the past week, they were due for another game night soon, if they could all get-together.

She, of course, wasn't friends with any of them- but she enjoyed their company and her presence in Kara's life was more...tolerated than it had been in the beginning. Where there was once intent to prove she was nothing but a Luthor, there now a comfortable space for her to just be where she could.

The irony laid in the fact Alex and Maggie were the warmest ones towards her. The two who were trained to be the most suspicious were the ones who saw that any ill intent towards Kara was non-existent. Alex was always a little guarded, but that was just Alex, Maggie had considerably softened her over the last year. She saw it. It was sweet, to say the least.

The others were still a little put-off, but Lena had since dropped the idea and no longer cared about proving them wrong. Kara had told her she didn't need to actively try, if they couldn't see it by now, it was their own fault. She owed no one anything. She had to agree, she was nice for Kara's sake but other than that? She'd made efforts. They hadn't.

Kara mattered the most, didn't she?