Chapter 8
Lena lifted her head from resting on Kara's chest and placed her chin there instead. Kara turned her attention from the TV and looked down at her girlfriend with a smile. They were cuddling on the couch watching a Netflix Original, Lena's hair was down and over one shoulder, and there was a glint in her eyes that caused Kara's smile to widen.
"Kara?"
"Yes?"
"Can you say it again?"
"Again?" Kara said playfully annoyed.
"Yes, again. It can never getting tiring."
"I would hope so."
Lena rolled her eyes. "Kara."
"I love you, Lena Luthor."
"And I love you, Kara Danvers."
Before Kara went to bed, she asked Tanaya if she could keep the letters in her room so she wouldn't be tempted. The fact that Erik's father's name was in one of those letters, made it hard for her not to read through them before she got home. When Kara fell asleep, she once again dreams of Lena and it hurts to wake up knowing that she will never see her again. Kara lays there for a moment before she forces herself out of bed and heads down the stairs.
The smell of breakfast hit her nose and made her stomach growl. She heard the low chatter of Erik and Tanaya and Kara couldn't help but wonder if this was how it was like when Lena was alive. Did Tanaya come by in the mornings and fix the Luthors breakfast? Were there times where they would sleepover one's house and enjoy each other's' company as the sun rose. During these times did Lena ask Tanaya about her mother's past? So many questions and scenarios that filled up in Kara's mind but she knew that she wouldn't ask because they seemed too personal.
"Kara, you're awake!" Erik exclaimed, jumping out of his seat and running towards her.
"Hey, buddy." Kara yawned accepting the hug that Erik gave her.
"We're having eggs and bacon and, if you, want oatmeal." Erik told her as he led her to the table.
"Sounds like a plan." Kara said with a smile.
The trio ate breakfast and Tanaya informed Kara that she would be taking Erik to school.
"No, let me do it." Kara said. "I wouldn't mind."
"Ooo! Can she aintÃn ?" Erik asked.
Tanaya hesitates for second before she nods her head causing the little boy to cheer. Kara smile softly, it only made sense to take him since she will be in the future. Once they finish breakfast, they all aheaded to their rooms to get ready for the day. As Erik and Kara headed out the door, Tanaya informed Kara where she would be if she ever needed anything.
"Okay, thank you, Tanaya." Kara told her.
Erik was talkative all the way of to the school. He told her of his friends and of Samantha Walkers, a little girl that Lena could not stand and Kara could see why. Samantha Walkers sounded like the type of girl that was sweet and nice in front of adults but was honestly a bully of sorts. She have gotten Erik into tons of trouble by having him say things that were highly inappropriate for a five year old. She have gotten Erik to go to places, he wasn't allowed to go to and always blamed Erik in the process.
"But it's always fun!" Erik said, defending the little girl. "Samantha would never in-um-int-t-"
"Intentionally?" Kara supplied.
"Yeah!" Erik exclaimed. "She would never do that and have us get hurt."
"You have to be careful around people like her."
"Why?"
Kara hummed thinking. This would be her first time giving advice to a child and she didn't want to mess that up. She wanted the advice to be as clear as day and not to confuse Erik in anyway.
"Because, people like her may not seemed to have the intentions of hurting you but do because they like seeing you get in trouble. Has Samantha ever told the adults that she planned these things?"
Erik shook his head.
"Have she stuck up for you when you got into trouble?"
"No." Erik said. "Okay, I see what you mean. Mam said to be careful around Samantha, and I am! If it's anything too dangerous, I just run home."
Kara smiled."Good idea."
Erik beamed and they walked the rest of the way to the school in silence. Once they reached the school, Erik led Kara to his class and introduced her to his teacher, Mr. Taylors. He was a handsome man that appeared to be in his early thirties. Mr. Taylors expressed his excitement of seeing Erik which Erik returned enthusiastically.
"Mr. Taylors! This is Kara Danvers, she's staying for Mom's funeral." Erik informed.
"Really? Well, hello Ms. Danvers, it's nice to meet you." Mr. Taylors said offering his hand.
"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Taylors. I'll be taking Erik to school these next couple of days." Kara said.
"Great to hear, so I will be seeing you after school?"
"I suppose so." Kara said with a smile.
"Bye Kara!" Erik said, before he turned to his friends.
"Bye Erik."
Kara hesitated at Tanaya's house door before she turned to Lena's house. Her heart beats painfully at the thought of going to Lena's bedroom and seeing what was inside. Would there be any memories of the two of them? Of Lena's life in National City and Metropolis? Or was it just her life in the last five years?
She took a deep breathe and head over there. It was a What If that she could answer.
Opening the door cautiously, she was hit with the scent of Lena and nostalgia. She remembers coming home countlessly to find Lena cooking, or on the couch reading, or laying on the bed doing work on the computer. Where she would sit on the couch waiting for Lena as she watched and would suddenly engulfed by a hug and a kiss on the cheek. The smell always lingered in the room reminding Kara that she wasn't too far.
But Lena was dead.
Oh so very cruel and a bitter reminder as she headed to Lena's bedroom. It still held that air of finality but it was time to get pass the process of denial. No matter how painful it was. Kara slowly grabbed the doorknob, took a deep breathe, twisted it and pushed it open. If Lena's scent lingered around the house, it was particularly strong in her room. Kara felt the instant tears and quickly closed to door, so that she could keep the smell in. She flick on the lights and looked around.
The room was neat as if she just cleaned it up. Not a shoe, shirt, pair of pants, or underwear on the floor or on the bed a replicate of how their bedroom used to be except it had less things in this room. Kara's things were absent from the equation and it hurt Kara's heart more than it did days after Lena left their apartment all those years ago. Her breath came shakily as she walked further into the room and looked around. The walls were painted a light blue and voided of any pictures and paintings. On the other side of the room was a queen-sized bed that had a black cover on it with several pillows.
"Did you know that if you have more than two pillows that means that you're lonely?" Kara said.
"Well, that's blatantly not true. How could I be lonely if I have you?"
Kara wonders now if Lena ever felt lonely these past five years.
Lena had two nightstands on either side of the bed and they were white with a couple of pictures on both of them. Kara took a step forward, paused, took a deep breath, and continued to walk over towards the bed. She started on the left and picked up the first one that she could reach. Her breath caught as she stared at the picture of her and Lena. Tears welled up in her eyes as she recalled that memory.
Lena squealed as Kara grabbed her around the waist from behind and pulled her close. She had threw back her head laughing as Kara beamed at her and pulled her closer. Time seemed to stand still as Lena looked down and gave Kara such a loving smile that she had returned.
Unbeknownst to them, Eliza had snapped a picture of this moment.
"You caught me," Lena whispered.
"I did," Kara whispered back.
Lena leaned down as Kara tilt her head up and their lips met with a soft kiss. Another picture was taken.
"Say 'Cheese'!" Eliza had yelled.
Lena her head to the camera, as Kara did, and gave her biggest smile. Teeth, dimples, and all.
"This is where you went?" Kara whispered, touching the frame.
Tears fell and splattered onto the glass. Her legs felt weak and before she could catch herself, she collapsed on the floor and began sobbing. With her free hand, she whipped away her tears and covered her mouth in attempt to stop her tears. She looked down at the picture and tried to control her breathing. The light had hit them just right, it looked as if they were engulfed in light. They looked so happy, content, as if nothing could get in their way.
Kara remembered panicking when she couldn't find this picture, and how sad she was when she couldn't find it. Of course, Lena had taken this with her. It was her favorite picture, it was always something that Lena would bring up random times with a smile on her face.
"Eliza is a phenomenal photographer."
"Going on about that picture again?" Kara said with a smile.
"How can I not? Look how beautiful it is!"
"Not as beautiful as you."
"Pretty close."
Kara laughed.
Kara smiled weakly at the memory before she forced herself to get up and place the picture back on the nightstand. She picked up the one beside it and chuckled at it. It was a picture of Lena and Lex sitting at a table, both covered in cake. Lena was caught in mid-laugh and Lex was in mid shaking his head with a small smile. This had to be one of the many pictures that Lena kept out of Kara's reach, so that she wouldn't laugh. Kara wondered what was the story behind this picture before she set it back where it was. The next picture was Maggie and Lena, they were younger, maybe 15 or 14 years old. They had their arms thrown on each other's shoulder and they were grinning holding two medals.
The only sport that Lena ever played was tennis and Maggie had been her partener for years. They had won multiple tournaments and were the closests friends before Maggie and her family moved. Kara smiled at the memory when Alex and her had introduced Maggie and Lena on their first double date.
Alex and Maggie was running a little late and Kara was waiting impatiently as Lena looking through her phone and rubbing Kara's in a soothing matter. It wasn't that Kara was upset that they were late, it was more like she was anxious about the meeting. Would the night go smoothly or would it be the worse night in history.
"It'll be fine, Kara, relax," Lena said, as she turned her attention to Kara. "What's the worse that can happen?"
Kara gave Lena a look and she laughed.
"I thought that you were the optimist?"
Kara rolled her eyes with a smile. "I can get nervous too."
Lena opened her mouth to say something funny but was interrupted when Kara noticed Alex out the corner of her eye.
"They're here!" Kara staged whispered.
Lena looked up and said teasingly: "It seems so try not to have a heart attack."
Kara winced now at the joke.
"Sorry we're late, traffic." Alex said.
"You're fine." Lena said. "So where is the girl?"
"Here, I'm -"
Lena's eyes widen in shock and a slow smile appeared. "Maggie!?"
The Danvers sisters looked confused as Maggie's eyes lit with recognition too.
"Lee?!"
"D-do you guys know each other?" Alex asked.
"Of course, I know Maggie Sawyer! My childhood friend that decided to up and leave me!" Lena said, rising out of her seat to hug Maggie.
"I definitely had no choice." Maggie said with a laugh, hugging her back. "I do remember Lena Luthor, the one person more competitive than me."
"Well, we did win all those gold medals didn't we?"
Alex raised her eyebrows and turned to Kara, who was just as lost as she was.
"Well, I guess you had nothing to worry about."
Kara placed the picture back before it hit her that Maggie probably didn't know that Lena had died. She sucked in breath as she ran a hand through her hair and wondered if Alex took the courtesy to tell her. She reached for her phone and dialed Alex's number as she walked over to the other nightstand. Alex answered after the second ring.
"What's up, Kara?"
"Too many things." Kara murmured as she stared at the picture.
The picture was a woman with dark brown hair, holding a child in a hospital bed. She wasn't looking at the camera but instead at the baby and she wore a content smile at the crying baby. At the corner of the picture it said 'Nuala and Lena'. Kara could see the resemblance between the two, Lena gotten her strong jawline, cheeks, and nose from Nuala.
"What things?"
"The reason why Lena left was because she was pregnant."
The was a moment silence and Kara moved on to the next picture. It was the same setting but with Lena and Erik, and Lena was staring at the camera tiredly.
"WHAT?!"
Kara almost dropped the picture at Alex's sudden outburst.
"Yeah, his name is Erik and he's five years old."
"His father?!"
"Oh that's the other thing, Lena has five years worth of letters and Erik's father's name is in there but she doesn't want me to read it until I get back home."
"Are you going to respect her wishes?"
"Yes, I am which leads me to my next thing."
"What is it?" Alex asked warily.
"She gave me custody of Erik."
"SHE DID WHAT?!"
