A/N: FYI, I don't update often due my schedule and a multitude of other reasons. Please enjoy and remember comments are love.
Puzzles Solved
Kara was halfway down the stairs when she overheard the murmurings of an unknown aircraft in their airspace sending out a distress call. "What distress call?" she looked briefly at the map on the overhead screen to locate the aircraft. "Mayday, mayday, this is…" were the only clear parts of the transmission the rest was static. Her eyes widened, she would know that voice anywhere. That was her best friend. "It's Lena," she said and quickly tore her glasses off before taking off from the balcony of the DEO.
Kara kept her eyes open for any signs of the aircraft as she neared the reservoir. She saw it almost immediately, it was a rather large plane. Supergirl heard the ting of metal against metal and redoubled her efforts to get to her target quicker. The blonde watched as Lena slammed a pole into the floor to keep the barrels from spilling out of the cargo door. She zoomed into the opening and took in her surroundings, she heard no other heartbeats but her own and Lena's. Then, she turned and saw her best friend was alright, shaken up, but alright. Kara yanked the lever towards her and manually closed the door. She could tell Lena was relieved to see her and was about to joke about the CEO's penchant for getting kidnapped when the plane rocked sideways.
"The barrels are treated to dissolve in water," the raven-haired woman said quickly, her thick accent showing from her boarding school days. "The plane crashes, they'll poison everyone."
As Lena rushed by her, she pushed off the floor and against the ceiling hoping that her strength was enough to keep the plane in the air. "Strap in," she warned and pushed with all her might. "I'm going to get them to blow the engines." The plane rocked as she wrestled with its weight and trying to keep the nose from diving. An explosion sounded from outside.
Her plan was working, the engines were slowly getting over worked and catching on fire one by one, however, Kara could feel the plane start to snap under the pressure of her pushing against the roof. The metal groaned and screeched loudly before splitting. She acted quickly enough to catch both pieces but there was no way she could manage to carry both for very long. Kara turned hearing Lena's scream and saw as the raven-haired woman fell to the bottom of the opposite half the plane. She would inevitably have to drop one of the pieces and Lena was in one while the barrels were in the other. She felt the muscles in her arms strain. Panic gripped her heart in a vice grip, she couldn't lose Lena but she couldn't allow millions of people to be poisoned either. Supergirl tried to lift the pieces higher to no avail. They were descending quickly. The weight of the plane was causing her to lose her grip. She needed to think of something, fast.
She looked down at Lena as the hair whipped around her face. "I can't hold both," she yelled over the roar of the engine and wind. She tried flexing her hands to gain more purchase.
"Save the chemicals, not me," Lena offered.
"No, I'm not going to drop you," Supergirl knew her best friend well enough to know that this was a sacrifice she was willing to make but there was no way that Kara could let her. She had already lost too many people and as her gaze locked on to Lena's she realized, she wouldn't survive it. Losing Lena would break her worse than anything else she could imagine. Just the thought of it had cause her heart to constrict painfully.
"Let me go," the CEO said with a finality that caused Kara's heart to skip a beat and not in a good way.
Green eyes pleaded with her and she gasped feeling a stabbing sensation in her chest. Clark had once said that he couldn't sacrifice Lois the way she had sacrificed Mon-El, he wasn't strong enough and now, as she gazed down at the beautiful woman who was her best friend, she finally understood. "No," Kara shook her head and used all her strength to pull. She felt the metal bend under her grip as she cried out in frustration and exhaustion. She looked down feeling an overwhelming sense of dread. The ground was fast approaching. Jade colored eyes stared back at her and she willed her mind to come up with something else, anything else to make sure that Lena made it out of this alive. Kara's eyes landed on the nets. That was it, there was still enough time if they hurried. "You have to climb, Lena," she yelled willing her friend to get up. "Climb," she said again with a brief nod of encouragement. A determined look passed over the CEO's features and Kara thanked Rao that the woman still had some fight in her. It took all her strength to keep holding on as the plane continued to slowly slip through her fingers. She looked down again to check their position, the dark water loomed below. This had to work. It just had to. Lena needed to climb faster. "You can do it, come on!" she encouraged. "Come on!" she yelled again as Lena reached the half way point. "Come on, you can do it."
Lena's eyes locked with hers and she saw many emotions filter through those expressive orbs. Fear. Hope. Adoration. It was the last emotion that had caused Kara's heart to beat erratically against her ribcage. She glanced back toward the water, they'd hit any second now, she had to think quickly. "You have to jump, now," Kara realized out loud. She watched the older woman steady herself and bend her knees to get a good push off. A second later, Lena was in the air, hands grasping for purchase. Kara let go of that half of the plane and caught Lena's right forearm with her right hand.
They both watched as the plane splashed into the water below, Lena dangling in the air. The CEO gazed up at her in amazement. She had saved her. Kara let out a heavy breath as some of her panic dissipated knowing that she held a tangible forearm in her tight grip. There would be bruises from her grip but at least Lena was safe. She groaned as the other half of the plane pulled her down slightly, her strength was slowly waning. "We're waiting for you," Alex's voice came in over the speaker in her ear.
"Hold on tight," she instructed to Lena. Supergirl could see the lights in the far distance and then made out the flashes of red and blue as they neared the shore. She thanked Rao and began their decent as quickly as she could without jostling her passenger or the chemicals sitting precariously in the half of the plane she still held in her left hand. Lena held on tighter and continued to stare at Kara. The blonde only looked away to make sure they landed gently and didn't crash into anything.
Supergirl lowered the plane and was immediately relieved to have the weight that was dragging her down gone. She flexed her hand before maneuvering Lena to readjust their positions to where she was now carrying her passenger with her arms supporting her legs and back while cradling her against the House of El crest on her chest. Their eyes locked once more and Kara could see the soft expression usually reserved for her reporter self on Lena's beautiful features slowly change into something she had never seen before. Hurt and disbelief seeped into her features and Kara knew that she had figured it out. She touched down gently still gazing at Lena, her best friend, the woman she only just realized she couldn't live without, the woman she loved with all her heart. Her own tears threatened to fall as a deep disappointment replaced the look of adoration that had been in those jade eyes just moments before.
"Supergirl?" Kara looked away from Lena briefly to see Alex was waiting with her medical gear. She carefully put the CEO upright on her feet.
Alex took the raven-haired CEO by the shoulders and directed her toward one of the SUVs. Her best friend looked back only once before letting Alex assess her injuries. The look of utter shock and betrayal when their eyes met made Kara's heart hurt. She opened her mouth but closed it, what could she say to make this better? It had never been that she didn't trust Lena or that she didn't want to tell her. But even if she told her that, she doubted Lena would believe her. Knowing Lena was in good hands, Supergirl pushed off the ground and zoomed into the night with as much strength as she could muster. A loud crack sounded as she broke the sound barrier and by the time she slowed, the sun was just coming up over Washington DC.
—
Lena covered her ears at the sound of Kara taking off and she suddenly felt guilty. She wondered if Supergirl would have taken off like that if the CEO hadn't realized it was her best friend she was staring at. Alex dutifully checked her over and didn't say a word until she was done, which left her to her thoughts, which was never a good thing.
She was feeling a lot of different emotions right now. Relieved and amazed at how Supergirl had managed to save her yet again. She was grateful for such a wonderful being. She adored Kara's clumsiness and Supergirl's strength. Shocked at suddenly realizing the blue eyes she was lost in belonged to her best friend. Her best friend was Supergirl. Hurt and betrayed because she had been lying to her this entire time. Disappointed in herself for not figuring it out sooner. And worst of all, Kara had seen each one as she felt them because her eyes said everything even if she hadn't. Oh God, Kara probably thought the worst when she took off. She cursed herself. "You're all set," Alex said breaking through her thoughts. "A sprained wrist from your fall, a few cuts and bruises. Nothing that won't heal in a couple weeks."
"Do you think she's okay?" Lena asked not paying attention to her own injuries. "I've never seen her take off like that before," she couldn't keep the concern out voice as she looked up to the night sky.
"I'm sure she's fine," Alex tried to smile as the CEO looked back down at her but couldn't keep the worry-lines from appearing on her face. "You're an important figure in her life and you nearly died, and not just that but you asked her to let you go," Alex reminded her.
"I was just trying to do the right thing," she sighed.
"She knows that. She's always been your biggest advocate. Even when the rest of us doubted you, she never did."
"She's saved me more times than I can count."
"And she will continue to," Alex agreed with a small chuckle. "Give her some time to sort through the emotions she's feeling. She's lost so much more than anyone I know and I don't think she has ever properly grieved any of it. She just pushes it down and then plasters a smile on her face."
"And I told her to let me go," Lena sighed. "I'm an idiot."
"No, you're not," the agent smiled softly. "You're brave and good. She is right to believe in you. Remember that," she added. "I have to go write up the report on this incident, but I promise I'll let her know you were concerned."
"Thank you," Lena replied.
—
She hadn't even realized what her destination had been but as she touched down on top of Cat Grant's lavish penthouse she realized she needed the perspective of someone she had lied to who didn't hate her. "Supergirl?" Cat emerged from the door that opened up on the roof. "What in the world are you doing here?"
Kara sighed dejectedly. "I need some advice."
"Do you?"
"Well, you always give the best advice," Supergirl admitted. "And I really could use some from someone who knows my secret but doesn't hate me."
"Ah," Cat replied knowingly. "She figured you out, before you told her," it wasn't a question and Kara knew she didn't need to answer because Cat beckoned her inside. "Coffee?"
"Please," the taller blonde sighed and collapsed onto a bar stool in Cat's kitchen. The press secretary moved about the kitchen fluidly and soon Kara had a steaming mug of black coffee in front of her. "Thanks," she smiled gratefully.
"Listen, Kiera, how did you feel when you found out Mr. Olsen was Guardian? Because I can guarantee you that Miss Luther feels ten times worse than that," Cat told her bluntly.
"I wanted to tell her."
"I think you need to figure out why you want to tell her and why you haven't. Those are the two biggest questions she will need you to answer."
"I love her."
"She is your best friend," Cat pointed out.
"No," Kara shook her head. "I mean yes, she is, but I love her," she sighed. "I'm in love with her." Supergirl placed her head in her hands propped upon her elbows.
"Oh, well, that changes things a little. You might consider being prepared for her to not believe you since you were with," Cat paused to think. "What was his name again? Mark? No, Matt? That's not it either. Anyway, my point is, you were with him, right? So, Miss Luthor isn't likely to believe you just suddenly fell for her."
Kara thought about it for a minute and realized Cat was right. She had to try to make sense of everything in her head before she just showed up or called her best friend. She needed an explanation, many explanations if she were being truthful. And then it dawned on her, "It wasn't sudden," she whispered.
"What was that?" Cat feigned the need to strain herself to hear.
"It wasn't sudden," Kara shook her head. "It was slow and all consuming. Every thought, every action, every interview, every lunch date, my steadfast belief in her, and the way I have defended her. I just didn't realize it until she asked me to drop her," Kara felt tears prick her eyes and wiped them away. "She asked me to let her go, to sacrifice her and I couldn't. I can't. I won't," she shook her head and wiped angrily at the tears falling from her eyes.
"But you sacrificed him," Cat said softly.
"I had to, millions would have died if I hadn't," Supergirl replied defensively.
"But, you just said you couldn't sacrifice her. How many lives were at stake when she told you to let her go?" Cat asked gently.
"Millions," Kara said with a sigh.
"And why didn't you?"
"I wouldn't be able to survive it," she shook her head. The thought of losing her best friend, the woman she loved cut her so deeply just thinking about it that if it were to ever happen she knew she would wish for death. "Losing Mon-El was hard, he knew what I had been through, he understood the loss and pain. He brought me a sense of familiarity I hadn't had in years. Lena is different."
"He knew you and your culture, he was comfortable."
"Yes. And I did love him," she continued.
"But you weren't in love with him," Kara nodded. "Well, I think you've got most of it figured out, no?"
"Yes, thank you."
"Any time. Am I correct in thinking you flew here after you panicked?" Kara nodded. "You should probably call her at the very least, offer to explain and answer her questions. If she asks for space, give it to her."
Kara sighed. "I can't lose her."
"You won't, but you can't expect her to be okay with you lying to her for the last what, year? If she is, great, if not, give her the space she needs to process."
"What if she hates me?" Kara asked softly.
Cat snorted. "Please, that woman worships you, both as Kara Danvers and Supergirl. She comes to see you on a regular basis. Her face lights up the minute you walk into any room."
Kara was about to disagree when her phone buzzed. She pulled it out and checked the screen before answering. "Alex, is everything okay?" she asked hoping that nothing was wrong or that Lena wasn't in trouble.
"Fine, but, where the hell are you? You took off without telling anyone where you went like a bat out of hell. You broke the damn sound barrier. Lena is worried she upset you and I'm worried you're going to do something stupid."
"I'm in Washington."
"As in DC?" Alex asked.
"Yep, I'm with Cat. I needed her perspective."
"On?"
"Lena knows, Alex and not because I told her. She figured it out when I saved her tonight. You should have seen her face when she finally put it together, Alex. She looked so betrayed."
Alex sighed. "Well, she's worried about you. At least call her so she knows you're okay since she knows."
"I think she deserves more than a phone call. Wait! You don't care that she knows?"
"It's not like it could be helped and she would have found out eventually. We'll probably need to do some paper work but we all trust her not to intentionally hurt you. She's more than just her last name."
"Thank you," Kara sighed with relief. "I should go," she said to both Alex and Cat. "Thanks again," she smiled. Cat shrugged waving her off, "Go get your girl." Supergirl shook her head and let herself out before leaping off the building and making her way back to National City. She decided to take a nap before attempting to see or talk to Lena. She woke up later that evening and texted her best friend, hoping she would respond and agree to see her.
—
Lena poured herself a generous glass of wine and set it on the kitchen counter to let it breathe before changing into more comfortable clothes. On her way back out to the living room, she grabbed it and her phone then sat in her favorite corner of the couch. Her mind would not shut off no matter how hard she tried to get it to. Scenes kept scrolling through her head of all the times Supergirl, Kara, she corrected herself, had saved her. The raven-haired woman prided herself on being observant, how had she not noticed before now how much Kara looked like Supergirl and vice-versa?
Oh God. My mother could have killed her, more than once. Lena took a large gulp of her wine and tried to push those thoughts from her mind. No wonder Kara hadn't told her. She shook her head and took another long sip. Her phone buzzed on the table beside her and she looked down. Her heart hammered in her chest when she saw Kara's name scroll across the screen, nervous and relieved all at once. The text meant the reporter slash hero was at least okay but Lena was mildly afraid to open the text. Maybe she was just more trouble than she was worth. She wasn't sure she should answer. Her feelings were still jumbled and being home going over all their interactions wasn't helping.
She had gone over every detail and in hindsight could point out all of the lame excuses and times she should have caught Kara in her lie but didn't. And why not? That was the other thing that was bothering her. The phone buzzed again and she picked it up, Kara was her best friend, that hadn't changed even if she had lied to her about her secret identity. Surely, the Kryptonian had a good reason, and guessing was only going to give her a headache and a complex. It was better to find out from the source.
After sending a quick response to her best friend, she started to think about their interactions again. She had developed a small crush on the woman shortly after meeting her and had dismissed it after knowing that Kara had a boyfriend. That didn't mean she didn't flirt, she was a natural at it and simply couldn't turn it off. Nothing ever came out of falling in love with your straight best friend except hurt, but something in Kara's eyes tonight had given her a glimmer of hope. Something she hadn't had in a while.
Was that why she took off that way? Lena wondered and sipped at her wine. And now she wanted to come over, why? It was obvious that the blonde realized she had figured it all out when they were in mid-air just after Kara had saved her yet again. She'd just have to wait to find out.
—
Kara: Are you home?
Lena: Yes.
Kara: Can I come over?
Lena: Sure.
Kara smiled and hugged her phone to her chest feeling like this was a small victory. At least Lena was willing to see her and possibly hear her out. She changed into a pair of jeans and pulled on an oversized sweater that hung just off her shoulder. She left her hair down but kept her glasses. While she didn't need them, they did provide a certain amount of comfort. She took a cab so as to go unnoticed. She didn't need anyone catching her in her normal clothes while flying. While in the car, she thought of what to say. How to present the news but she really need to just confess everything.
Ten minutes later, she was standing outside Lena's penthouse apartment on the top floor, hands in the pockets of her trench coat, staring at the wood in front of her, afraid to knock.