She had always been fascinated by aliens. Not to the obsessively jealous level that her brother had fallen to, just enough to want to know more about them, to learn the languages and the histories of these people from entirely different worlds. Kryptonian's interested her the most, as they had her brother, but for entirely different reasons. Every other alien that landed on Earth retained the abilities they had had back on their own planet, and rarely adopted new abilities when they landed. But Kryptonian's, Kryptonian's were suddenly super-strong, super-fast and could shoot lasers from their eyes. Why? Because of the sun. They UV levels were on an entirely different frequency, not to mention that Earth's sun burned considerably hotter, to the point where the colour of the sun itself was different to that of Krypton. It was the ultraviolet radiation that the yellow sun produced that gave the Kryptonian's their power; and she had long since theorized that, while the powers may be entirely different, it was plausible that a human on Krypton would adapt super powers too. This theory lead her ever-inquisitive mind to question the survival of the Kryptonian sun; it was the planet that died, the sun did not necessarily follow suit. It was in looking for the red sun of Krypton in the night sky, that she made a startling discovery. Lex's messily scrawled notes had divulged the coordinates of where Krypton used to be, and she had spent several hours with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) scouring the area for any signs of the red star. She finally found it, breathing a sigh close to that of relief that a small part of her best friend's home still existed. She chuckled at the image of Kara that flitted into her mind, desperately trying to juggle Supergirl and Kara Danvers, while keeping it from her best friend. As if somehow that little scar above her eye disappeared when she changed from cardigan to cobalt blue. As if her eyes were different, or her forehead crinkle disappeared, or the scent of her perfume miraculously changed. She chuckled again, leaning back to the lens. There was no way to gauge UV levels from this distance, no way to confirm her theory that humans would experience similar changes on Krypton, as Kryptonian's had on Earth. She sighed at the thought. She hated unproven theories. Moving the telescope to survey the area, she stopped suddenly when something that definitely shouldn't be there, was, in fact, there.
To the left of the red sun, was a planet. A planet that, by all rights, should have died.
She pulled away from the lens, narrowing her eyes in confusion, before looking down to Lex's notes. She double and triple-checked the coordinates, then checked them against the ones displayed on the JWST's handy screen. They were similar, but different. This planet was several miles South-West of the former location of Krypton, a little closer to where Daxam should have been, but that was gone, too. She flicked through the messy notes once more, looking for the measurements she knew were there; she can't test UV radiation from this distance, best she can calculate the size. A few quick calculations later, she discovered that there was a massive difference in size; Krypton had been triple the size of Earth when it died, this planet was double the size of the former Krypton. She leaned back in her chair, desperately searching for an explanation. Several minutes had passed before it finally hit her; Krypton had experienced a Big Bang. While the original, along with Daxam, no longer existed, this new planet was formed from it, had grown from it. The gears in her mind spun into overdrive, this was a huge discovery. Massive, in fact. But it would be bittersweet for Kara. She technically had a home to return to, but what would it matter if there was no one there? Another thought hit Lena. The Kryptonian's were a highly advanced race, their technology was some of the most complex and yet simplest she'd come across, what if some had found a way? What if there were survivors? There's no evidence of Earth before the Big Bang, of course there wouldn't be, but that meant that maybe the human's who had built themselves up into what they are today, had been survivors of the world before. It's a theory. A very hard to prove theory. But this new discovery meant she could look into it. Plus, if she happens to find survivors that know Kara, she can't imagine the brownie points involved with reuniting her best friend with her people. Of course, the idea of earning brownie points with Kara lead to some rather sordid thoughts, and she was suddenly thrust into a 'I know exactly how you can repay me' fantasy, before quickly shaking it off. Kara was a distraction at the best of times, and now was not the best of times. She had to figure out how to make contact with...New Krypton...she decided. Quickly inputting the telescope's former coordinates, so as not to disturb the astrologist's work in the morning - she had called-in a favor to use the massive device as it was, she didn't want to inconvenience anyone - she turned and departed the building, wracking her brain for a way to communicate with possible survivors.
It took three weeks to design and build the device that would carry her message to the possible survivors, and allow them to respond in kind. She had to use materials that were still in testing stages, find wiring that hadn't been manufactured in decades - the modern stuff couldn't stand up to testing, and she never found the phrase "they don't make 'em like they used to" more apt - and install a translation device to allow proper communication. Last thing she wanted to do was offend someone, or worse, accidentally declare war. While she was learning Kryptonese, she couldn't exactly ask Kara for lessons, so she wasn't confident with her pronunciation; it's entirely possible that the incorrect placement of emphasis in a word could change its entire meaning, and she wanted to avoid misunderstanding as best she could. So to avoid any accidents, she hacked the DEO, scouring their archives for anything they had on the language; and discovering multiple sound bytes from Kara, repeating phrases and words in perfect Kryptonese. The need for these confused her slightly, until she stumbled upon an email thread between Supergirl and her cousin; she was teaching Kal-El proper pronunciations. Seemed the Man of Steel needed his cousin after all. The thought made her smile as she listened to the way Kara's tongue wrapped around the language. She was accosted by a fantasy of Kara's tongue wrapping around something else immediately, but managed to force herself past it, determined to keep working.
After two more days of juggling CatCo, L-Corp and her invention, it was finally ready to launch. She had set-up a launch pad on the roof of L-Corp, the device was small enough to fit in her hand, so it didn't require a huge staging area. She was exhausted, but the excitement had her vibrating with energy, desperate to see what fruit the endeavor would bear. Her optimism had gotten the best of her, and she rarely considered any outcome other than a good one; that may also have something to do with fantasies of Kara's response, but she tried not to think on it too much. She moved to the laptop that would control the small rocket she'd built, double and triple-checking that all was in order, before stepping back with a deep breath. She didn't bother with a countdown, too excited to wait any longer, instead opting to just push the button that launched the little device. She kept an eye on the data displayed on the laptop, ensuring that nothing was amiss, that the trajectory was correct, that there were no reasons to fear failure; and let out a sigh of relief when the device broke through atmosphere, projecting itself - and her pre-recorded message; a simple introduction, followed by a question of if aide was required - towards it's destination. She watched the stars for a moment, spotting Supergirl floating in the distance of her peripheral vision, blue eyes also turned to where the device had disappeared in the night sky. She had to think of what to tell the hero when she was inevitably confronted about the launch, but for now she was tired. So when Supergirl turned to her, floating just close enough that her raised eyebrow could be seen, she simply nodded and whispered that she'd explain after some rest. The hero seemed satisfied to wait, and returned her puzzled gaze to where it had previously been.
It would be a long time before the device reached New Krypton. She knew this. It was logical. But that didn't make her any less impatient. Several months had already passed, and her calculations told her it would be another few weeks before the message even reached the planet, let alone found someone to pass the message on to. She'd programmed the device to float around 5 feet above the surface of the planet, performing frequent scans that searched for heartbeats similar to Kara's - she'd managed to lift a sound clip from the DEO archives - while avoiding heartbeats that were too drastically different. The button that first played the message, then allowed the listener to record a reply, was set-up with the intent of alerting her - via an app - the very second a finger was pressed to it, a good idea at the time, but if she checked her phone any more frequently it was going to die of sheer frustration. Despite knowing, logically, that this would take time, that it may not even yield results; she was desperate for time to speed-up, just a little, just to know the truth. She'd assuaged Supergirl's worry when she explained that she had simply sent a message to other refugees that may need a place to be; that Earth could be home to them. It wasn't necessarily a lie, Kara's hearing would have detected the change in heartbeat that comes with a lie, so she got as close to the truth as she could. Kara had beamed at her, placing a hand on her shoulder as she gleefully told the CEO that she was "easily one of the best people in the world". It was probably the first time since her childhood that she'd blushed so hard.
It happened in the middle of the night. She'd been desperately trying not to fall asleep as she read-over...she wasn't even sure what she was reading anymore, such was her exhaustion. The recent events with Reign, Supergirl nearly dying at the hands of the villain, her own nightmares about what she'd witnessed; they'd all kept her awake, and it was getting to her. But the incessant beeping that came from her phone jolted her from her near-sleep state, and she bolted to the dining table where it sat. On the screen, an image of the Crest of House El pulsated. She'd chosen the crest because of it's connection to Supergirl, and thus, Supergirl's home planet, it made sense. And now, it still throbbed on her screen, telling her that someone had used the button on her messenger device. Someone had responded.
There was life on New Krypton.
She silently cursed herself for not figuring out how to stream the message straight to her phone, she desperately wanted to know who had made contact. She opted to try to figure that out while the messenger made its return trip. It would be so much easier if she could converse directly with the person on the other planet. Might even be a good business venture, allowing aliens to contact their families back home. She let the idea permeate as she hovered over the still beeping phone, before a yawn took control of her face, and she decided to at least try to sleep. She couldn't invent without rest, after all.
In the time it took for the messenger to return to Earth, embedding itself in L-Corp's roof as gravity forced it to take on terminal velocity, she had invented a whole new device, with an identical counterpart, that worked similarly to a regular cell phone. It had been absolute hell trying to figure out how to connect the two devices in an atmosphere that didn't share any common connection; but she had figured out a system which allowed the two to communicate. It had involved some trading with dodgy aliens for information and parts, but she didn't mind when they mostly just wanted a handout or a bottle of nice booze. Once the original device had cooled down enough for her to jimmy it out of it's position, she sat herself down in her office. She asked Jess to hold all calls indefinitely, as she waited for the machine to translate the words it had been told. After a deep breath, she hit the button to listen to the message.
Hello, Lena of Earth. My name is Alura. I am a survivor of the death of Krypton. I have with me, 18 other survivors. We are stuck, starving as mutated creatures dominate the land. I implore you, Lena of Earth, please help us.
The woman's voice had been calm, yet tinged with fear and worry. Lena didn't need to think much on it. She'd decided to help the second she'd heard the woman say 'starving'. She quickly recorded a message on the new device, explaining that they could talk in real-time, and that she would make arrangements to bring them to Earth; adding 'Kara and Kal-El will be so happy to see you' almost as an after thought. She got to work on the blueprints for a ship that would hold 18 Kryptonian's and a pilot - despite her hatred for flying, she decided that she herself would pilot the craft - to get the group back to Earth. It would require a team, as opposed to just herself to build the ship, but her R D department knew all-too-well how much she valued discretion when it came to inventions, they'd all signed the NDA's. So she handed the blueprints to her most trusted engineer, as she made the trip to the roof, intent on launching the new communication device as soon as she possibly could.
Later that night, as she caught up on some paperwork that had been forgotten in her eagerness to help the Kryptonian survivors, a soft thump heralded the landing of a certain hero. She turned to look at the blonde, smiling as she stood to greet her on the balcony.
"You launched another thing, still looking for refugees?"
"Sort of. I found a small group that are in need of help, they're starving on their planet. I'm making arrangements to retrieve them." Once again, it was not a lie. She knew she'd successfully skirted the truth when Kara beamed at her again.
"You're all kinds of good, Miss Luthor. I hope you know that" The warmth of the declaration made her heart throb, and a raised eyebrow told her Kara had heard it loud and clear
"Yes, well, they need help, so I'll help" She shrugged, practiced nonchalance rolling off her in waves. Kara chuckled, shaking her head slightly. They stood in companionable silence for a while, looking out over the city together. She took the time to formulate her question, hoping not to bring too much pain to the Kryptonian in her own quest for knowledge.
"Supergirl?" A hum was the response, and she decided to push forward.
"We have a lot in common, when you think about it. We've both lost our parents, our entire worlds have changed, although mine not quite to the extent of yours. I miss my mother, desperately. Her name was Diana, and that name warms my heart, even in reference to other people. But I assume that your mother's name wasn't quite so...common. You likely don't get to feel that bittersweet warmth. I was wondering, if I may, can I ask what your mother's name was?" She turned to face the hero, who was smiling sadly towards the city. If she could find a member of Kara's family among the survivors, she would be thrilled, Kara would have a true piece of home. She wasn't expecting the answer the blonde gave her
"Alura. My mother's name was Alura." The blonde turned as her heartrate picked up, and she struggled with an explanation for its sudden spike.
"That's, a beautiful name. I didn't think you'd tell me, my heart feels all fluttery. I wasn't expecting you to trust me with that" Kara's expression softened, and she knew she'd gotten away with another lie.
"I do trust you. And one day, Miss Luthor, the whole world will see how kind and good and trustworthy you are. I'll make sure of it" The blonde smiled once more, before lifting off to attend other matters. She simply smiled into darkness where her friend had disappeared, more determined than ever to bring the surviving Kryptonian's home. She didn't care if the world praised her for it; if they thought her evil or untrustworthy, she'd discovered - quite recently - that she didn't need the world's approval, Kara's was enough. She shuffled back towards her desk, surveying the remaining paperwork, before deciding to simply tidy it and head home. The R D department were mere days off finishing the craft that would take her to New Krypton; she was already exhausted from learning how to control the ship, undergoing all the tests NASA required astronauts to undertake, as well as juggling multiple companies. It was definitely time for a rest.
She snuggled into her comforter that night; content with her plan, with the people she had asked to step into her shoes while she was away, with having told Jess and Kara of her upcoming 'business trip', and how long it would take. She was going to help those people, she was going to see to Kara's happiness, she was going to bring new heroes into the world.
The day had finally come. She was suited up, and performing her pre-launch sequence; heart thundering in her chest as she did. She was terrified of flying at the best of times, now she was going into space. She was thankful for her incredible team, who managed to keep her as calm as possible, reassuring her that everything was on track, and that there was minimal chance of any mishaps. The team knew what she was doing, knew she was bringing support for Supergirl; and they gushed about her selflessness in the face of her own fears. She had chuckled nervously, admitting that she was more terrified of her fear getting the better of her, than flying itself. The head of the department clapped a hand on her shoulder, stating simply that he believed in her. It wasn't much, but it was enough to get her into the cockpit, despite her fears.
Now, as she awaited the countdown to liftoff, she found herself surprisingly calm. She had left instructions with the head of the department that if anything should happen to her, Jess was to hand a pre-written letter to Kara. The letter would explain everything, from her discovery of New Krypton, to the message from Alura herself that had returned from the planet. She trusted her people to ensure this happened. Jess knew that she was to be there for Kara in any way possible, if the worst occurred. She had organized for CatCo to be passed over to James, L-Corp to Jess, and her remaining assets to be split between multiple charities and refuges; for aliens and humans alike - with a large portion set-aside specifically for Kara. No matter what, she'd make sure her friend was taken care of. So ultimately, there was nothing to worry about.
She heard the countdown begin, and braced herself for the oncoming rumble of the engines; closing her eyes and breathing deeply, thinking of Kara, and how much joy this would bring her, should she succeed. That outweighed any lingering worries that tried to creep back in, and as the final signal was given, she found herself excited for the journey ahead.
She was wrong to be excited. This was easily the most boring thing she'd ever experienced. She'd read all the books she'd managed to bring, performed all the entertaining little experiments she could perform in zero-gravity, and used all the pages in the notebook she'd brought along to record her journey and thoughts. All that was left was aimless floating, and looking out the window of the cockpit. She'd found herself enamored by the aesthetic of space, at first. But now it was just similar stars in different places. She was still a month out from her destination, and sighed heavily at the thought. At least she'd have company on the way back. She busied herself with re-checking the coordinates that the messenger device had given, ensuring - for the millionth time - that she was still on track. As it stood, she'd land mere meters from Alura and the small camp they'd created themselves. She had made contact with the woman multiple times on her journey, but Alura and the other's couldn't entertain her all the time, they needed to do what they could to find food. She understood, but she was still bored as hell. Resigning herself to her dreary travel, she re-checked the coordinates for the million-and-first time.
Landing was a lot more turbulent than she'd expected, and she jarred her shoulder badly as she'd braced herself. But that really wasn't important right now. Not when there was a behemoth suddenly focused so intently on her ship. The creature was massive, and looked like a child's best attempt at drawing an elephant/bird creature. It would be absolutely fascinating, were it not trying to eat her ship. Luckily, her ever-thoughtful R & D team had put measures in place for moments like these, and she quickly slammed her fist down on the provided button. An electrical field enveloped the craft, causing the odd creature to squeal and bolt away. She initiated an integrity check, breathing a sigh of relief when it revealed only cosmetic damage. They could still leave.
Looking around through the cockpit window, she discovered a barren wasteland to her right; completely devoid of any life beyond twisted trees. The monstrous elephant/bird creature had run that way, so she immediately decided it best not to explore those woods. In front of her, were plains of white sand. They would have been beautiful, were it not for the presence of odd footprints, so large she could see them from here, despite the distance. To her left, was a sheer cliff face, a cave opening only steps away. That was Alura's camp, without a doubt. A small face peered out through the entrance, followed by a voice that very clearly belonged to the boy's mother. There was no mistaking that particular tone. He appeared to whine petulantly before calling something back towards the motherly voice, as his attention was captured by the large metal ship now occupying the space a few meters away. His face lit up, and she immediately knew who he was. Throughout their chats, Alura had revealed that she and her husband, Zor-El, had had a son, Kor-El. Kara's little brother. His smile alone proved his relation to the blonde, and she couldn't help but beam back at the boy. He suddenly sprinted towards the ship, laughing and calling for his mother as he did. Alura appeared immediately, concerned at first, but overtaken by the same joyous smile at the arrival. She unbuckled her belt, gingerly removing her wounded arm from the straps, before making her way to the door. She barely had it open when she was spear-tackled by a 7 year old boy chattering wildly in Kryptonese. She'd maintained her ground, only wincing slightly when her shoulder was jolted awkwardly. Kor-El continued to chatter as her beamed up at her, and she only just got him to settle when she'd managed a 'slow down' in broken Kryptonese. He blushed and ducked his head slightly, and the move was just so Kara-like that she scooped him into a tight hug, regardless of the pain it caused her. She missed her best friend desperately.
Alura was now standing a few steps away, hands clasped in front of her, smiling as tears trailed down her face. She opened her arms when Kor-El had been released, and Lena stepped into them without preamble. Alura muttered a welcome in beautifully spoken Kryptonese, followed by a litany of thank you's. As she stepped back, she gestured for the CEO to follow, explaining that she'd seen the rocky landing, and wanted to ensure there was no severe damage to their pilot before they took to the skies. She spoke slowly, aware of Lena's novice stage of learning, and the brunette couldn't be more thankful. Kor-El skipped along beside them, holding the new arrival's hand, beaming up at her whenever she turned to face him. The boy was gonna be a heartbreaker, she could see it a mile away. They entered the cave, and all-eyes fell to the CEO. She'd never been more nervous in her life. But when the small group erupted into chatter, smiles, tears and 'thank-you's'; she breathed a sigh of relief. It was odd that a group of aliens could accept her more willingly than her own kind. If it weren't for the giant elephant/birds and the sparsity of food, she might very well decide to stay here. But Alura was leading her to a flat rock, sitting her down, and slowly asking about injuries as she looked over the stranger before her; and Lena couldn't bear the idea of leaving such a kind person to starve on a hostile planet. Plus, Kara deserved to be with her family. She had yet to reveal to Alura that Kara Zor-El was alive, and was her best friend. Now seemed as good a time as any, though, so she whispered 'Kara misses you', and watched as suddenly teary eyes locked with her own. Alura searched her for any lie; finding none, she launched forward into waiting arms, sobbing joyfully at the news. After she settled, Alura called a tall man over, introducing him as Zor-El, Kara's father. The trio sat quietly as Alura tended to the injured shoulder, and Lena revealed what she knew of Kara Zor-El.
The spoke long into the night, and everyone agreed it best to rest before the journey ahead. As Lena lay down on her patch of surprisingly comfortable cave floor, she realized, with no small amount of disappointment, that her theory was wrong; humans did not develop super powers under Krypton's red sun.
The morning brought a cheerful bustling of excited Kryptonian's, and a slightly sore Lena. Turns out the floor wasn't as comfy as she'd initially thought. She watched idly as the group packed what little they had managed to salvage. It was barely anything, really. A few photographs - or at least she assumed that's what they were - trinkets and other sentimentally valuable knick-knacks. She wondered what she'd take, if she were in the same position, and decided that if she couldn't get hold of Kara herself, she'd be sure to grab that photo she'd managed to sneak when she convinced the blonde to try on one of her dresses. It was classy, dark blue with a tolerable amount of sequins that shimmered like stars in the night sky. The neckline was a modest cut, not dipping lower than necessary, but still showing a little cleavage. A split along the right side stopped just above the knee, allowing easy movement and showing a reasonable amount of flesh. She'd done the blonde's hair into a modest bun, pulling a few tendrils out to perfectly frame beautiful, shining eyes. But modest amounts of flesh, and perfect up-do's weren't the reason she loved this particular picture. This picture captured her heart for the way Kara had smiled at her when the shutter sound echoed into the room. Kara had smiled like she was in love, in love with the photographer, in love with her. And the picture had captured the smile perfectly. If Kara never felt the same, that was fine. She could pretend as long as she could have that image in her life.
She was pulled from her thoughts by an impatient little El, shaking her leg and scowling at her. She chuckled and stood, turning to face the expectant faces before her. She smiled, before leading them out to their salvation.
This, was worse than the first trip. Kor-El had become bored only moments into the flight. Seven year old's didn't appreciate the beauty and serenity of space, apparently. He'd whined and grumped within 20 minutes of take-off, and 30 minutes after that, she was about ready to throttle him. Alura, Zor-El and the others tried to entertain him, but he got over that pretty quickly. It was on the fourth day that Zor-El jokingly suggest they hang him out the window. Alura had smacked him up the back of the head immediately, and asked their pilot if there were any games or other distractions floating around. It was with a smack to the head that she'd remembered the game she'd invented especially for the boy - he was the only child among them, after all. On Earth, they would have to learn English, she knew this. She also knew that seven year old's had the capacity to bore easily, as proven by this trip. So she'd invented a game. It played on a standard handheld console from Earth, and was hopefully entertaining enough that he'd forget his boredom and learn the language as well. She shuffled through her belongings and found the console, handing it to Alura as she explained how it worked.
It worked so well even the adults were crowded around the boy, laughing and learning together. She let out a sigh of relief. Kor-El would no longer annoy the hell out of everyone, and she didn't have to worry about teaching the adults a whole new language. The trip went far smoother after that. Now, only 6 weeks away, she could feel excitement bubbling beneath her skin. She'd be home with Kara in no time
Meanwhile, back on Earth
"9 months, Alex! She's been gone for 9 months! I've flown around the world a thousand times now, and her heartbeat is no where. No where, Alex! She's gone. I'm telling you that for certain. My best friend has died somewhere, maybe even been murdered by one of her brother's goons, and no one cares!" Kara sobbed into the phone, nursing a ninth glass of alien rum. She was heavily intoxicated - not for the first time since her best friend's disappearance - and Alex just wouldn't understand why that hurt her so much. She was sure her sister just hated the idea of her being happy.
Alex tried, not for the first time, to console her devastated little sister. Trying to reassure her that they'd find out what happened to the CEO, that if anyone had hurt her, Kara herself could beat the guy. She understood Kara was hurting, understood that the alcohol made her behave similarly to a red Kryptonite exposure when she'd drunk too much, but it still hurt to hear her little sister sob, hear her yell and scream that Alex was insensitive and cruel. More than anything, though, she hated these moments when she'd arrive at the bar to collect the sobbing blonde; who would stumble into her arms immediately, and fall apart completely. She was thankful that Kara still maintained her work life, as well as her Supergirl duties. It was only when she was alone at night that the grief really hit her. And Alex had done everything in her power to ensure that those nights were as infrequent as possible, this was only the fourth time Kara had been left alone long enough to get into this state. She held the blonde tightly, sighing and praying to any god that might listen that they'd find a lead soon, that they could get some closure for the heartbroken woman. Alex lead Kara home, and tucked her into bed. As she turned off the lights, she determined to try even harder in the morning. There had to be something.
She managed to land far more smoothly this time, the presence of a child making it far more important to her to lessen the impact. Within moments, she saw the rooftop door open; Jess and the entire R & D department filing out onto the roof to greet their boss. Jess had tears in her eyes. The Kryptonian passengers shuffled cautiously to the front of the craft, looking carefully through the window. Kor-El spotted the small audience and waved emphatically at them, bouncing happily on his toes when they waved back. She chuckled as she removed her belt, and stood to lead them out into their new home.
They looked around in awe at the new world they'd landed on, surveying their surroundings and taking in as much as they could. Jess was the first to step forward and greet them, happily kneeling down to chat with Kor-El. The planet's newest inhabitants were brought inside, fed a meal that would make Kara proud, and allowed to rest before they moved on towards their new lives. Jess quickly updated the CEO with everything that had been going on, both in and out of work. Even telling her seemingly mundane things, like that it was the first week of December, Morgan Edge was still a prat, and Supergirl seemed glum. She was glad she'd ensured L-Corp would be left in capable hands, should something terrible have occurred. Soon enough, the Kryptonian survivors were piled into a large van - with a considerable amount of reassurance and coaxing - and carted off to their new homes. The brunette had purchased an apartment block before leaving on her journey; fitting it out with everything the group would need in their new lives. She and Jess would teach them cooking skills, and they would all be employed under L-Corp, fitting into whatever job they felt most comfortable with.
The survivors settled in with such ease that it was hard to believe they'd ever live elsewhere. She, Alura and Zor-El had agreed to wait until Christmas Day to reveal the whole situation, allowing the new arrivals to acclimatize and learn to control their newfound powers. Plus, Kara would have a far better set of Christmas memories than she currently had. That brutal fight with Reign should be removed from Kara's memory as much as possible, and the trio had opted to do that with a tearful reunion.
The only issue was a severely impatient little boy, who discovered a love of laser eyes and flying. Lena had even considered tying a rope to his leg so she could drag him back to the ground to scold him for melting whatever item of kitchenware he'd decided to play with that day. But they day grew closer and closer, and soon enough it was Christmas eve. She called the remaining members of the House of El to a meeting, and they set up the plan for making Kara's Christmas the best ever
Kara couldn't bring herself to feel any kind of cheerful. Even with Alex, Eliza, J'onn and all her closest friends around her. She just felt hollow. She thought she could face anything, overcome any hurdle in her life; but losing Lena had destroyed her. Even the events of the previous year paled in comparison to the loss she felt now. And Alex wouldn't even let her have a drink. She stayed on the couch, staring at the floor while everyone bustled and laughed around her. She heard them try to get her attention, felt them trying to make her raise her head; but she couldn't. Not without Lena.
A strong and familiar knock came from her front door, causing her head to shoot up immediately. She'd stopped paying attention to the heartbeats around her months ago, but now there was one, thundering in her ears in perfect tandem with her own, as it always had. She was at the door a microsecond later. She didn't need x-ray vision to know who it was, didn't need to smell her expensive perfume, or feel the material of her blazer. It was Lena. She felt it in her very soul. She yanked the door open, somehow still surprised to see the woman she thought lost to her. Tears stung her eyes immediately, and she flung herself towards the new arrival. Wrapped up in warm and comforting arms, she fell apart, dimly noting the cooed words of comfort in a familiar timbre. She was shuffled back into the apartment, still held tightly against the CEO's chest. As the tears subsided, she pulled away, not far enough to break contact, just enough to gaze into the forest green eyes that had captivated and enchanted her long ago. Lena chuckled, raising a slender finger to wipe away fallen tears.
"I'm sorry I took so long. Your present was extremely difficult to get to" the crinkle appears, despite the blonde's best efforts, and she leans in slightly when tear soaked fingers smooth over it gently.
"I had to go to a whole different planet, to get your gift. Had to face my fear of flying, got to see galaxies and solar systems completely unexplored by man. It has been an adventure, but I know it will be worth it, because I know it's going to make you so very happy" Kara is lost for words. There is so much she wants to say, and wants to ask, but it seems the time isn't quite now, so she opts to stay silent. She watches as the CEO reaches behind her, pulling out a blindfold and quirking an eyebrow in askance. The blonde nods, she's always trusted her best friend, and even if this was confusing, and painful on an immeasurable scale; she would do anything asked of her, if it kept the brunette close by. The blindfold is applied, and Kara is surprised to find it lead-lined. Maybe her best friend knows more than she lets on. She hears an expensive stiletto heel firmly tap the floor twice; and her theory of Lena knowing more than she lets on, is confirmed when whispered Kryptonese, pronounced perfectly, floats into her ears from where the brunette stands behind her
"I hope this coming year brings you nothing but joy, Kara Zor-El" She's suddenly aware of three new heartbeats, fuzzy from the effects of the lead-lined blindfold, floating in the space before her. She feels the tug of the ribbon that binds the blindfold to her head, and feels it fall away. The room is dead silent, and as she opens her eyes, she sees why. Before her, stands her mother and father, with a little boy who looks too much like her to be anything other than a little brother. She's overcome immediately, stumbling towards her long-lost family with tears pouring from her eyes, crumbling to her knees to greet her little brother. She's enveloped in a crushing hug, that matches the ferocity and desperation of her own. She can't speak, can't move from the overwhelming emotions that take hold of her. She can hear her parents whispered soothing words and apologies. She can feel the joy that rolls off them, and in her emotional state, she doesn't notice a certain brunette sneaking away.
J'onn, however, does. Catching the CEO's eyes with his own, he raises his beer to her, nodding his approval. She slips away with a tearful smile, and a nod of her own.
Later that night, Lena is on her penthouse balcony, at the leftmost edge where she can see the young woman and her son that lives on the next block. She had found the young boy crying in her building's lobby earlier that week, and after some reassurance that he was safe, he had explained that he'd lost his way home, being new to the area. As she'd walked him back to his apartment, he'd told her about his mother's nursing job; how she worked all the time, and seemed to be struggling with money regardless of how hard she worked. Lena had spoken about the issue to her favorite doorman, Hank, and they'd devised a plan to make a single mother, and her little boy's Christmas the best ever. She was watching for the result, and chuckled quietly to herself when the little boy opened the door to greet none other than Santa - there was a reason he was her favorite doorman, after all. Hank leaned down to the child, and waited for the emphatic nod in response. Soon enough, there were three large presents inside the doorway, and the little boy tore into them like he might die if he didn't. Meanwhile, 'Santa' handed the mother an envelope. Inside was a cheque for $10,000. It wasn't the most she could give away, not by a long shot. But she knew from experience how overwhelming too much money could be, so she figured the sum was likely less overwhelming. The woman flung herself into 'Santa's' arms, kissing him on the cheek as she went. He shook his head, and lead the woman to the window. He pointed straight at her - figures he knew she'd be watching - and moved aside to make way for the little boy who came to investigate. The child opened the window immediately, screaming 'thank you miss Lena' across the distance between their homes. The mother leaned out shortly after, repeating the boy's exclamation. It was Christmas, and hey, she'd just flown to a whole other planet just to make the woman she loved smile, so screaming 'Merry Christmas' back across the road was hardly something she couldn't handle. She chuckled as she leaned away from the ledge, sipping her wine as she waves to the overjoyed little boy. She had no idea that Supergirl was behind her, watching the exchange, until she heard the thump of cherry-red boots on the balcony. Turning, she smiles warmly, and utters a greeting.
"Hello, Supergirl" Kara just stares at her, eyes still red from joyful tears. Her breathing is shallow, and she seems lost for a moment. In a blur of blue and red, Lena is swept into comfortable arms, dropping her wineglass to make room for the hero in her grasp. They stay silent for a moment, hovering just above the balcony, enjoying each others warmth.
"You left. I didn't even get to thank you, or ask you anything, or yell at you for disappearing from the whole planet. I thought you'd died, Lena" she squeezes the brunette a little tighter, not enough to hurt, just enough to convey the magnitude of her pain. Lena sighs, she hadn't thought to tell Kara she'd be going off-world. It makes sense that the blonde reached that conclusion. She apologises into windswept hair. Kara nuzzles her temple in response, and she's pretty sure that means she's forgiven. Kara sighs
"I missed you so much, you have no idea. If it weren't for Alex, I probably would have become an alcoholic. But I'm so glad your back now" Lena tightens her own grip on the heroine, shocked by how much pain she'd accidentally caused the blonde.
"I'm here now, and I have no need to go anywhere else. I just want to be here with you". Kara nuzzles her again, and she lets out a breathy chuckle as she hears 'you'd better not' whispered into her hairline in Kryptonese.
"You did a beautiful thing for that little family, and you've done something monumental for mine. Geez, Lena, I don't know how you do it, when the whole world seems to be against you" She's pondered that herself, late at night. Sometimes it would be easier to just do what everyone expects her to. But she's just too damn stubborn to let them win.
"I'm pig-headed and stubborn?" She jokes, earning a raised eyebrow from the hero
"You're good and perfect, Lena. Not arguing on the stubborn part, but it's the perfect kind of stubborn." Lena's breath catches, and her heart races as Kara's forehead rests gently against her own, and she knows she's caught when that eyebrow is raised again, and coupled with a knowing smirk
"Lena?"
"Hmm?"
"Why did you do this for me? You could've just told me about the whole thing, and let me take care of it. But mum tells me you built a ship, and piloted it yourself - despite your irrational fear of flying - and you collected my family yourself. Kor-El even tells me you built him a game to help him learn English. You did all these amazing things, when you could have just left it to me, or any other of the multitudes of capable agencies in the world. So, why?" There was no way out from here. Kara knew, and she had worded the question such that the only possible answer was the truth. A mumbled 'bloody reporters' caused the blonde to chuckle, but Lena sighed and gave in anyway.
"Because, Kara, I'm completely, irrevocably, unequivocally in love with you. And I wanted to give you something that would make you happy, would make you smile every day no matter how rough it was. I want you to be happy, Kara. That's why" Tears fill blue eyes again, and they touch-down gently on the balcony. Kara pulls away slightly, and Lena closes her eyes, bracing for rejection. Suddenly she feels a little dizzy, and slightly nauseous. When she opens her eyes to try to backtrack, she figures out why. They're in her room. Kara's arms are still around her, and a tear-soaked smile is playing on her lips.
"If you think for a second, Lena Luthor, that I don't love every single thing about you, you're wrong. Thinking that I lost you, that was the most painful thing I've ever experienced in my life. It was like my heart had died in my chest, unable to beat without you in my life. I explained it to mum, and she told me that that's what it's like to find your one, your person. So, I'm pretty sure that you're my forever, Lena. If you'll let me be?" She'd turned shy by the end of the admission, blushing and ducking her head in that adorably Kara way. Lena couldn't even formulate a response. She could feel the tears streaking her face, ruining her perfect eyeliner, but words just wouldn't come. So she decided on actions; pulling Kara back towards her, and connecting their lips. It was tentative, gentle; allowing Kara to back away if it was too much too soon. But she just leaned into the kiss, moving her mouth against Lena's. The kiss was simple, but it was easily the best either had ever experienced. Pulling away to rests their foreheads together, she laughed wetly, clinging to each other and gazing into the other's eyes.
"You know, my dad told me he'd be thrilled if I married you"
"A little soon, maybe, Kara. But I'm glad he likes me. Pretty sure it was all the science talk on the way home though" Kara feigned shock, before adopting the worst English accent Lena had ever heard
"You sweet-talked my father?! You silver-tongued harlot!"
"You should see what else I can do with my tongue" Kara gaped, and blushed profusely, as Lena giggled.
"But that can wait for another time. For now, would you like to cuddle with me, Supergirl?" Kara regained her composure quickly, nodding as she smiled at the CEO
"Yes, but first, I have another question" Lena cocked her head to the side, awaiting the question
"How did you know I'm Supergirl?" The brunette laughed and shook her head.
"A few things had me suspicious; sudden departures, flying buses and the like" Kara ducked her head with an embarrassed smile
"But it was other things, like the little scar above your eyebrow; which, by the way, is present regardless of what you wear, so be careful with who you let see both Kara and Supergirl frequently." She chastises, waiting for Kara's nod before continuing
"But if I'm honest, the thing that settled it for me, was your eyes. Your have a whole universe in your eyes, Kara, and I've manged to study every constellation in them. I could find your eyes in a sea of blue, in pitch darkness, anywhere at all. I've traveled through space, and seen some stunning things, but Kara, your eyes are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I know that sounds ridiculously sappy, but it's the truth" She finished with a shrug, before leaning forward to kiss away fresh tears. She never completed the task, as she was suddenly on the bed, with soft, yet insistent lips pressed against her own. It never went further, as Kara begrudgingly relinquished the lips she had stolen, and curled up next to the woman she loved. After a moment, she grumbled 'stupid sweet-talking goddesses', causing Lena to laugh openly, Kara joining in moments later. They snuggled together after the laughing subsided, neither caring that they hadn't changed for bed, just relishing the other's presence. Sweet kisses were exchanged, as sleepiness set in, and they fell asleep in each other's arms, blissfully happy with their perfect Christmas.
AN: I know it's a little late for a Christmas story, but I was working, so I kinda had no choice.
Merry Christmas, or whatever else you believe in. It's not about the words, it's about the sentiment, and the togetherness.