me? starting another fic even when i have one in the works? it's more likely than you think! i just really wanted to write an all human AU (aka no powers) based on the movie "The Proposal" but it's sort of really loosely based so i'm going to butcher this however way i can rip

ft: distant lena, not-so-environmentalist kara, married sanvers and their cute daughter jamie, jess as half a friend of lena's, and eventual james/winn once i find some way to squeeze them in!

(find me over on tumblr at djsugar too if you want i'd add this at the end but it always seems too cluttered...)

Kara Danvers is just another face.

It's no fault of hers that she's forgettable. Lena Luthor is just not a people person, and if you were to ask her to pick Kara Danvers from a crowd of blond white women in cardigans and glasses, she surely couldn't do it. That is the Luthor brand, after all; to be impersonal, to treat employees as expandable, to never get attached because sooner or later everyone leaves. It's not a question of if, but rather, a question of when; no one truly sticks with the Luthor name.

So forgive that Lena forgets who Kara is for a moment when she steps into Lena's office, face apologetic and mouth already open to inform her boss of what latest developments are sure to have come up. But Lena takes in the sight of her for so long it hits her. Of course—Kara Danvers. She's been Lena's secondary assistant for the longest yet, working for about a year, and she is without a doubt the smallest, meekest person Lena has ever met.

And Lena gets an idea.

"Kara, darling, do come in," she says, waving her inside.

The confusion on Kara's face is palpable. Lena's never called her Kara, she knows. If Lena does speak to her, it's always been Ms. Danvers, and even then she hardly has a need to speak to Kara. Jess—Lena's primary assistant—is who Kara reports to, not Lena herself. But Kara seems to recognize the severity of the situation, because she steps into the room nonetheless, despite any confusion she has at the pet name. She looks as hesitant as expected, closing the door behind her too gently; it is, after all, the most common reaction when faced with a room full of three Luthors.

Lilian and Lex both have turned at Kara's arrival, and Kara awkwardly steps further into the room. For her credit, she doesn't falter at the sight of her boss's mother and brother, infamous as they are around the office. Lena knows her employees are well-versed in any and all Luthor drama, and Kara shouldn't be any different.

"Ms. Luthor?" Kara questions, poised and ready to take her orders, though she grips the clipboard in her hands a tad too tightly.

"You needn't be so formal, Kara," says Lena airily, and oh, she so does love the result; Kara's confusion only grows, eyes darting from Lena to Lilian and then Lex, both of which look instantly wary. "I was just about to tell Lex and my mother about our engagement."

The reaction from Lilian is undoubtedly the best; her jaw clenches tightly, her eyes hardening as they fix on the smallest details of Kara—her wrinkled cardigan, her glasses, the way Kara's hands flit around nervously. Lex looks mostly impressed, eyebrow raised at his sister as if to say well played.

But Kara? Oh, poor Kara. Her face goes red under Lena's gaze, her mouth falls open, and she chokes out, "Engage—engagement?" At the instantly suspicious looks of Lilian and Lex, Kara amends, "Yes! Of course, that's right. Our...engagement.

Only a fool would dare challenge Lena Luthor's word before her family, but Lena still feels relief flood through her the second Kara decides to play along. Lena takes pity on the girl (who is a shade of rather alarming red now), redirecting her attention to her mother instead.

"As you can see," Lena says, dangerously cool, "there is nothing to worry about since Kara and I are getting married. You remember Kara, don't you? She's one of my assistants."

Lilian has never been a good mother, has never talked to her daughter of matters of the heart, has never had reason to doubt her daughter's tale now, but she is a Luthor. And when she meets Lena's eyes, they're as cold and calculating as ever.

"Well," says Lilian slowly, crossing her arms, "I suppose congratulations for you and—your employee are in order." There is no disappointment in her voice, no false happiness, nothing but cool neutrality in her tone. Her eyes, however, tell a different story; they are sharp and steely as she all but glares at a slightly terrified Kara.

"Thank you, we're absolutely thrilled." Lena steps in front of Kara, daring her mother to redirect her gaze. "Now, what would the lawyers say about this?"

It's Lex who speaks up. "This is great, sis. Just make it legal, so we can keep immigration out of our business," he says, scratching his jaw thoughtfully. "I'm sure there will have to be some investigation on their behalf to make sure this is real, but that can't take too long."

Lena risks a glance at Kara, who looks so lost it's almost a pity. So she gently touches Kara's elbow, startling the poor girl enough to make her jump.

"You had something to tell me," Lena reminds her, eyebrows raised expectantly when Kara gapes at her.

Kara blinks, eyes widening as she remembers she's in a room with her boss and her family. "Oh! Um, the Japanese investors are on the line," she says. "Shall I...tell them you'll call them back?"

"Yes. Let them know to expect my call by three," Lena replies. "Have you taken your lunch yet?"

Kara is visibly taken aback by the question. "I—no, Ms. Luthor. I-I mean, um," she fumbles to speak, clearly unable to even form the name Lena, her eyes darting frantically to Lilian. "Lena."

It's a weak attempt. The girl honestly can't act.

But, "I'll call the investors myself, later. You go ahead and take your lunch while I finish up here," Lena says. "I'll join you shortly."

Kara nods. "Yes, I'll—be there. At lunch." She quickly turns and walks out of the room, nearly colliding into the door.

"Well," Lex remarks into the following silence as Kara disappears, "you sure know how to pick them."

Lena crosses her arms smugly, if only to see how Lilian's coldness begins to border anger. "I'll take that as a compliment," she says snidely, "considering you once dated Clark Kent."

It's a jab Lilian takes harder than Lex does, her fury finally coming out in her voice when she says, "I know what you're doing, Lena. It's not too late to sort this out in a civil manner."

"Civil?" Lena laughs shortly, the sound flat as she shakes her head. "No. I know what this is really about, mother."

"Oh?" Lilian is baiting her, daring her to say it. To finally voice her disdain for the Luthor name, to finally call her mother out on her blatant favoritism while Lex waits there unaware of the simmering tension.

Lena walks to her desk instead, taking a seat and pulling out her notes on the latest company meeting. "Yes, and forgive me, but I have work to do," she says. "Shall I have Jess show you out?"

There is something in Lilian's eyes, something dangerous that really ought to make Lena more nervous than it does, but it's gone as soon as it appears.

"No," Lilian says. "Lex and I know the way."

She and Lex leave a minute later, Lex offering his congratulations once more before the door clicks shut behind them. Lena exhales deeply once they're gone, her fingers tapping against her desk as she finally risks a glance at the papers Lilian had set on her desk when they first walked in.

She gets as far as the words immigration lawyer before she feels sick, stomach clenching and chest tightening as she shoves the papers away. They flutter to the floor, paper innocently ruffling as it does, and Lena wants to yell. Or even just set them on fire a little.

She calls Jess into her office instead. "I need you to call Kara Danvers to my office," she says, rubbing her temple as she feels a headache oncoming. "And pick us up lunch from the bistro across the street."

"Lunch for both of you?" Jess asks, and if there's any surprise in the question, it's masked well.

"Yes. That'll be all."

Lena refocuses on her notes as the door shuts behind Jess. The quiet of her office feels suffocating today, makes her hyperaware of every sound she makes, of every flip of a page and every scratch of her pen. By the time Kara finally shows up, door cracking open hesitantly as she steps inside, Lena's head is throbbing.

"You wanted to see me, Ms. Luthor?" Kara says patiently, tugging on the sleeves of her cardigan nervously. She doesn't mention their "engagement," nor does she address the obvious unethical mess that seems to be unfolding; no, she's the picture-perfect Luthor Corp employee, obedient and unquestioning, ready to take anything Lena throws at her.

Logically, in the back of her mind, Lena knows it's not because of loyalty. Kara is not standing here because she believes Lena is a good person. Kara is not standing here because she wants to help. No, Kara is here because of the fear that Lena's name inspires, because of the job that Lena could easily take away, because of the unquestionable conflict brewing that she needs to handle lest Lena's empire fall apart beneath her fingertips. Part of her resents the other woman, because Kara Danvers owes Lena nothing, and yet, Lena is about to owe her everything.

"Yes," Lena replies sharply, voice cold as she jerks her chin up to face Kara. "Sit. We have a lot to talk about." It's not until Kara does exactly that, smoothing her skirt over her knees, that Lena speaks again. "Tell me, what do you know about my brother?"

Kara's head jerks up. "Um," she says. "I know that he used to be CEO? Before you, of course. But that's it."

Lena doesn't know if she's lying or not. It's something any other employee would know—that Lex, after a scandal involving drunk driving, prostitutes, and misplaced company funds—gracelessly fell from public approval, and he was voted to be removed as head of the company by his own council. As the company CFO and named executive president, Lena was thrown into Lex's position just about three years ago, much to her mother's disapproval. Lena tells this all to Kara anyway, and for someone in the thick of the Luthor name, Kara sure seems surprised; her eyes widen to about twice their size when Lena's done recounting the story.

"Something else you may not know," Lena divulges rather reluctantly, "is that I was born in Ireland. The Luthors adopted me when I was about ten. They postponed acquiring my U.S. citizenship for years, and because of their pull I suppose no one questioned it."

"I'm sorry," Kara says softly, and Lena's brow furrows, because no one has ever interrupted her before. Kara seems to remember this as well, because she visibly blanches. "I-I mean, I'm adopted too. So I know what it's like."

"Yes, well." Lena looks down at her desk, unsure of any witty reply she can give to that, especially when Kara sounds so sympathetic. "As you may know, the process to become a citizen is quite extensive. Since I haven't gotten around to it yet, I have a work visa."

Kara nods along as Lena rushes through the story, glossing over parts she doesn't wish to get into, but Kara's confusion is still evident. It's suddenly quite clear she has no idea what Lena has done, and that hits Lena harder than it should. The poor, innocent girl.

"My visa is expiring soon," Lena continues, then, deciding to cross that bridge later. "Usually that isn't an issue, because I have some...connections that let me renew it quicker than usual." She notes that Kara looks particularly uncomfortable at this part, and that's just her luck, to get the most law-abiding citizen in this godforsaken city. "But it seems that Lex is gaining the board's approval again, and if I were to suddenly leave, well, it's expected that the council would not hesitate to reelect him."

Kara seems to be catching on, because her mouth falls open a little. "Your family...they want to deport you?" she says, shocked. "But that's—that's not very nice!"

Nice? Great, this girl is practically a Girl Scout.

"That's why I need your help," Lena finally says, uncharacteristically nervous as she fidgets with her pen. "My mother likely was the one who even brought up my visa to the immgration lawyers. I don't know if Lex has anything to do with this, but..." She trails off, unwilling to go down that route. A part of her foolishly hopes he doesn't and that he's in the dark like Lena is supposed to be, but she figures that's wishful thinking.

"Gosh, that's—awful," Kara says, and she blinks, the rest of the words sinking in. "So what can I do?"

Lena sighs. "I need you to marry me."

Kara freezes. There's no other way to describe it. Her eyes widen, her mouth drops, and she stares, unmoving, unblinking, for all of ten seconds before she sputters, "What?"

"My family already thinks we're engaged, Ms. Danvers," Lena explains, calm even though her stomach sinks. "If we were married, it would remedy this situation fairly quickly. I assure you, I will get my visa renewed soon afterward and we could divorce in no time. I just need to make sure I keep my job."

There's more to that, of course. Lena needs to keep more than her job; she needs to keep her dignity, her freedom from her mother's grasp, her legacy. If she needs to do that from this hell tower every day for the rest of her life, then so be it.

"I-I don't know, Ms. Luthor!" Kara's face falls, and the worst part is that she truly seems sorry to not be saying an enthusiastic yes. "That's—a crime, isn't it?"

Lena wishes it had been Jess that walked through that door earlier. Jess certainly wouldn't have taken so long to agree; Lena would go as far as argue that they're almost friends. But unfortunately, Kara is the only option. Pastel-wearing, baby-faced, and probably-environmentalist Kara Danvers. Lena can't afford a no, so she leans forward, ready to offer whatever it takes.

"I assure you, this will be mutually beneficial," Lena promises. "I can compensate you if you'd like. Just name your price."

That only seems to panic Kara further. "Oh no, Ms. Luthor!" she cries. "I'm not—this isn't a money thing."

"Then what is it? Do you have someone in your life?" Lena questions, raising an eyebrow because wouldn't that be interesting.

"No, the last time I was in a relationship was a year ago, so..." Kara trails off, then blushes a low pink. "I'm sorry, that's unprofessional of me to say."

"Ms. Danvers, considering I'm asking you to marry me, I'd say nothing is out of bounds," Lena says with a smirk, delighting in how red Kara gets.

"I'm just...not sure," Kara admits, feebly adjusting her glasses. "I don't mean to disrespect you, Ms. Luthor, I would never! But breaking the law? My sister-in-law is a cop, so she'd never let me live it down, and my sister would laugh a lot and then get really mad, probably. And my parents—oh, Eliza would be so disappointed—"

"Ms. Danvers," Lena cuts her off. "You don't have to do anything you're morally opposed to."

Lena knows that she's going to lose everything. If she is deported to Ireland and Lex is put in her place, she knows that he will buckle under the pressure again and Lilian will slowly begin to take over. Lena will be forgotten, and everything she's worked for—every proposal, every new piece of technology her labs are working on—will never see the light of day. Lena needs Kara, as desperate and pathetic as it is, and any answer beside yes is destined to doom her. But Lena is also not like her mother. Lilian Luthor would stare Kara Danvers dead in the eye and threaten her, force her, to do as she asked. Lilian Luthor would destroy Kara Danvers's spirit only to build it up in a pitying, sadistic way to watch it happen again. And Lena would never—could never—be so despicable.

Kara hesitates, not relieved, but resigned; worried. "I don't know your mother," she says after a moment. "But I can't—I can't just do nothing. It sounds like she's not a very good person! No offense."

"None taken," Lena says, and she tiredly leans back in her chair, rubbing at her temples again. The only thing that distracts her from the turmoil playing out over Kara's face is a knock at the door as Jess announces herself. "Come in, Jess," Lena calls, shifting back into place as the door opens.

"Your lunch, Ms. Luthor," Jess says as she walks in, eyeing Kara suspiciously as she sets the bag onto Lena's desk. "Do you need anything else?"

"No, thank you," Lena answers, grateful that Jess doesn't stick around, just nods and walks out as quickly as she came. "I hope you're not a vegetarian," she says to Kara as she shifts through the bag to get the pastrami sandwiches Jess has brought.

Kara looks startled as Lena passes her a sandwich. "You didn't have to buy me lunch," she says weakly, but she's eyeing it so hungrily Lena just scoffs and unwraps her own sandwich.

"I did rudely take your lunch hour away." Lena takes a bite, amused as she watches Kara practically shove half of the sandwich into her mouth.

Kara slows down halfway through, absentmindedly smearing mustard over her thumb as she wipes her lips. She looks deep in thought, distraught even, so Lena doesn't try and say anything else. It can't have been long—maybe just five minutes of full silence—before Kara seemingly cracks, shoulders sagging in defeat when she prompts,

"Ms. Luthor?"

"Hmm?" Lena looks up from her lunch, heart in throat at the underlaying apprehensiveness of Kara's voice.

"I'll...I'll do it," Kara says, readjusting her glasses in what must be a nervous tic sort of way, her words coming out stronger than before, firm and sure. "What do I need to do?"

(And Lena breathes, really breathes, for the first time all morning.)

.

.

.

Kara leaves work feeling absolutely overwrought.

The bus stop is a street over, but Kara walks right past it, gripping her bag so tightly it's a wonder she doesn't lose all feeling in her fingers. She eventually sits down on a bench when she's about two blocks away from the L-Corp building, and that's just to call Alex to come pick her up. Alex agrees readily, just as she always does, and at least that part of Kara's life remains the same.

Alex shows up in ten minutes. It takes all of Kara's self control not to spill about everything—about her newfound "engagement," about her worries about Lena's family, about the awkwardness to even refer to her boss as Lena in the first place—but she keeps her mouth shut. That had been one of Lena's firmest conditions about this arrangement; no one, except Jess who knows the extent of their limited interactions, is to know the engagement is fake. To everyone else, Kara is supposed to have been having a six-month office romance with her boss, having been unwilling to share this part of her life yet.

(The real Kara would never be so secretive, and it hurts to think about it.)

"Hey, Kara," Alex says as Kara gets into the car. "Did you miss the bus again?"

"Yeah," Kara laughs awkwardly, hand going to her glasses. "You know me, I get so in my head sometimes."

"Or you're just overworked," Alex says, rolling her eyes. Alex has always had a quiet disdain of Lena Luthor, one Kara insists is unwarranted, because she's never—up to this point, anyway—known Lena well enough to make a judgment on her character. Even now, it's clear Lena doesn't try to be unintentionally cruel; she's just hard-working, and if that means piling lots of tasks on her assistants, then so be it.

"How's the party planning going?" Kara asks, changing the subject and opting not to reply to the accusation; she'd prefer to leave work out of her thoughts tonight.

Alex groans. "I swear, J'onn can read minds," she grumbles as she pulls away from the curb. "Winn just mentioned the beach house in passing, and J'onn called me today and said to make sure to make his cake red velvet this time around."

Kara giggles, mood lifting slightly. This marks the third year and counting that J'onn has caught wind of the "surprise" birthday parties that Alex plans.

"Well," Kara teases, "I guess we don't have to leave him out of the planning again."

"Yeah, but now he keeps trying to tell me that he doesn't like the beach," Alex says, because that too is a recurring theme every year; every time J'onn catches wind of a party they're throwing for him, he tries to cancel it. "But Mom already rented it, so there's no way he's not getting his party."

"Speaking of," Kara says, and she hesitates because Lena is going to hate this, "can I bring someone?"

"To the party?" Alex asks, bewildered. It certainly is a strange request, since all of Kara's friends are already invited. "I don't see why not. Is it someone we know?"

"Sort of," Kara says. "I mean...you know of her."

"Okay, well, who?"

Kara hesitates. "Lena Luthor?" she answers meekly.

Alex is quiet for about thirty seconds before she says, ever-so-calmly, "What."

"She's—she's sort of my girlfriend," Kara says, because that's what they've agreed on: Kara can tell people Lena is her girlfriend, but not that they're engaged yet.

Alex nearly slams on the brakes at the upcoming red light, jostling Kara forward; the seat belt across her chest thankfully is there to snap her back.

"Very funny, Kara. Really. I didn't know you were such a comedian," Alex says sharply. "Can you maybe not give me a heart attack while I'm driving?"

"Alex," says Kara, a little hurt now, "I'm not joking."

Alex shakes her head. "You know what? I'm not—let's not talk about this right now. Let's go over to Mom's."

"Fine." Kara turns towards the window and tries not to be hurt by the way Alex drives a little faster and turns her music a little louder, the way Alex tends to do when she's mad. Alex isn't supposed to judge her. That's what sisters are there for! But it seems like she's missed the memo, because instead of being excited for her little sister, Alex stays stoic the rest of the drive.

When they get to Eliza's, Alex finally speaks. "Your girlfriend, huh?"

"Yes." Kara's heart thumps hard in her chest hopefully because Alex doesn't look mad now, just pensive. "We've been dating for six months."

"Six months?" Alex's voice comes out hurt, even though she tries to hide it. "Why didn't you tell me?" She truly looks distressed at that, because she and Kara tell each other everything. "I thought you weren't ready to date again."

Kara has to scramble to think of a good lie. It's true that for the past year she's been insisting that she doesn't want to date again because she's not ready. Alex has had to sit through stories of Kara's awful attempts of online dating, even; it's going to be hard to try and rationalize her behavior these past six months.

"We didn't want anyone to know," Kara says, finally. "Because she's my boss and all."

"Not even me?" Alex asks. "You know I'd never tell anyone, Kara."

"I know. I'm sorry," Kara says quietly. "It hurt me not to tell you. But Lena and I were just,"—here, she tries valiantly to think of a good way not to throw Lena under the bus for everything—"trying to keep it casual. I didn't want you to judge me if it didn't work out."

Alex reaches over to tuck a strand of hair behind Kara's ear. "Come on," she says, "let's go in so you can tell me everything. Mom's going to lose her shit when she finds out."

Kara exhales, relieved all at once but also instantly guilty. She's glad Alex is tentatively on board, but at the same time it's going to be even harder to try and convince her family she's in love with a complete stranger. (A stranger Alex sort of hates, too.)

Eliza is chopping carrots when Kara and Alex come in, likely preparing a salad for dinner. "My kids remembered to visit," she teases as both her daughters press a kiss to her cheek. "J'onn and Maggie are out back if you want to help them, Alex. Kara, you can come help me slice some cucumbers."

"Don't tell me—they're trying to set up that swingset again, aren't they?" Alex groans, already halfway to the back door. "I'll be back."

While Alex leaves, Kara steals a piece of carrot from the salad bowl and watches Eliza chop some more. Eliza swats her hands away when Kara goes in for a second, pointing her to the cucumbers waiting on the cutting board instead.

"You're here early. Did you miss your bus again?" Eliza asks.

"Sort of." Kara gingerly takes a knife and starts to chop. She's never been good at mastering a knife, so the slices come out uneven. "It was a very interesting day."

Eliza hums disapprovingly. Like Alex, she's never approved of Kara's job. "That boss of yours overworking you again?"

"No, she...she just needed me," Kara says vaguely. "Listen, about my boss—"

She's interrupted when the front door swings open. Winn and James, honorary members of the Danvers family, have come back from what must've been a trip to the grocery store per Eliza's request; they're laden with grocery bags. Jamie, Maggie and Alex's two-year-old, is even cradling a bag in her arms.

"Ahn Kara!" Jamie shrieks, running to latch onto Kara's legs, impatiently holding up her arms until Kara drops the knife and picks her up. "I got chips!"

"Oh wow, you got chips?" Kara gasps, feigning amazement.

"Yeah!" Jamie thrusts the bag in Kara's face, smashing the package against Kara's glasses. "Open it!"

Eliza takes the bag before Kara can even try to free herself from the attack, smiling in amusement. "Jamie, sweetie, we need to have dinner first. How about you help your Aunt Kara make the salad?"

"Okay! I wanna help," Jamie tells Kara seriously, squeezing her arms around Kara's neck until Kara surrenders and takes her over to the salad bowl.

Eliza finishes up the carrots and cucumbers, opting to start making lemonade while Kara lets Jamie stir the salad with a spoon. James and Winn start depositing what they'd brought on the table: cherry tomatoes, more chips, hot dog buns and dressings for the hot dogs.

"Kara," James says, obviously surprised when he catches sight of her. "You're not late. Did you miss your bus again?"

"Why is everyone so surprised that I'm here early?" Kara complains. "Maybe I took an earlier bus!"

"Not with the way Lena Luthor works you," Winn snorts. "Do you know she's expected to make the cover of Catco's women in power issue this year? Cat is furious because we can't even get an interview. Either that woman is too busy or she's just not interested. I'm betting both, to be honest."

"No surprise there," James says, shaking his head. "I interviewed her brother when he was still CEO. The Luthors are pretty aloof people."

"Well maybe that's because you don't know them," Kara blurts out. "Since you're strangers and everything."

Winn shrugs. "Maybe," he agrees, though it's clear he really doesn't care about the matter. Kara, on the other hand, feels protectiveness surge in her chest at the thought of Lena who isn't cold so much as she is guarded.

"You work for her Kara," James says, eyebrows raised expectantly. "Don't you know what goes on with her? Is she really screening all of Ms. Grant's calls?"

Kara flushes. "What is that supposed to mean? I don't—I don't know what goes on with her. I'm not even her primary assistant. I report to Jess! You remember. So. Yeah."

There is a confused moment of silence. James and Winn exchange glances. Eliza stops squeezing lemons. Even Jamie looks up from the salad bowl. (Jamie goes back to it in a second, uninterested in Kara's rambling, but it still happens.)

At that moment, Alex has chosen to return inside, door sliding shut behind her as she mutters under her breath about stubbornness. When she sees everyone staring curiously at Kara, she rolls her eyes.

"So I take it Kara told you guys she's dating her boss?" Alex asks.

Jamie shrieks at the sound of her mother's voice. "Mama!" she yells. "Look, I'm helping!"

Alex's reply to her daughter is drowned out. Mostly by Kara's groan of no, I did not, but also by James's wait, what? and Winn's no way, are you dating Lena Luthor?

"I...meant to tell you guys sooner," Kara says meekly, when the hubbub dies down and everyone is looking at her expectantly. "But. Surprise?"

"Wait, wait, wait. I'm sorry, did I miss something? When did you and Lena Luthor—" Winn stops, helplessly, gesturing for James to pick up on his train of thought.

"That's, um, that's great Kara," James says instead, blinking his surprise away. "How long have you guys been together?"

Kara pauses, trying to remember. "About six months," she replies carefully, making sure not to betray the truth on accident.

"For the record I've always thought she was a great person, even if she does ignore Ms. Grant's calls," interjects Winn quickly. "So, uh, congrats on dating your boss!"

(Kara opens her mouth to argue that Lena doesn't, in fact, ignore Ms. Grant's calls but realizes she has no idea if that's true.)

"I'm so glad you told us, Kara," Eliza says, wiping her hands off on a towel so she can squeeze Kara's shoulder. "But don't think you're getting off so easy for keeping this from us for six whole months! Tell us all about her. What's she like?"

"And has she ever mentioned Cat?"

"Winn."

"What? It's a valid question."

Kara laughs nervously, hand going up to her glasses as everyone's eyes end up on her again. She and Lena had agreed on a generic story of how they started dating, but it's one thing to make it up; it's another to sell the story and act the part of someone in love. But, well:

"Right," Kara says, smile just a little forced, "I'll—I'll tell you guys about her."

(Lena honestly owes her a raise.)