The sun is high, the snow reflecting the rays of a new beginning. Behind her, there is a giant of a man clutching a small child to his chest. Although the sun is a ways in the sky, the child is still sleeping.
Normally, the woman would have chided the man for letting her sleep so late into the day, but the girl deserved it. After the last few harrowing days, just about anyone would want to collapse into the embrace of a loved one and sleep.
The woman purses her lips, her eyes furrowed in thought.
Loved one? Where did that come from?
For a moment, her contemplation gets the better of her and she stops in her tracks.
"Kara," his voice, deep and melodious, murmurs amidst the sound of his crunching footsteps, "is something wrong?"
Kara turns around and regards the Android that had saved her life along with Alice's. Over the last few days, they had become enemies to allies and then, tentatively, to friends. Perhaps… perhaps given time…
She scans—no, gazes—at him with the intensity of a burning flare. Her eyes, once bland and dull in order to serve human masters, glitter and sparkle like that of a soul. For once, she disregards what her eyes see and then she really looks at him.
He's strong. He's caring. He loves Alice like a daughter and he has come to protect Kara without a thought.
With a start, Kara realizes that, yes, Luther is indeed a loved one.
He's part of her family that she has fought and protected to become part of.
And perhaps…
Her eyes soften and she smiles slightly at him.
"Oh, no," she breathes in a way that suggests that she is far more human than others would give her credit for.
Luther glances at her expectantly, as if expecting more, but she merely turns around and faces forward. In that moment, she resolves that she will learn to live…to love.
Behind her, she can hear Alice ask if they had finally arrived at the house.
It's a new beginning.