They hadn't let go of each other, they were in love, and nothing could bring Lena down from the high she was on.
For the past four years, she had wanted nothing more than to be with Kara, and she was so close to having it all with her, but she couldn't hold back the fear she felt when she thought about the Matricomp… She didn't want to have to give Kara up; not now… Not after knowing what it felt like to have Kara's lips pressed against her own.
Not when she knew what it felt like to have Kara staring at her with love in her eyes.
She looked up to Kara and smiled when she found Kara already watching her. "I love you."
"I love you too," Kara whispered reverently as she leaned down to capture Lena's lips.
The same feeling of intensely overwhelming joy overflowed her again, and she smiled brightly. "I don't think I'll ever get used to how amazing it feels to hear you say that."
Kara giggled. "I don't think I'm ever going to get used to being able to say it."
Lena's heart swelled with adoration for the woman before her. "As long as you keep wanting to say it, I think we'll be okay." She smiled.
Kara squeezed her tighter than before. "I'll never stop wanting to say it."
"Say what?" Lena asked, playing coy.
Kara smirked and rose her hand to her chest as she spoke dramatically. "That I, Kara Zor-El Danvers am madly in love with you, Lena Kieran Luthor."
Lena laughed in admiration as she kissed Kara's cheek. "Well, Kara Zor-El Danvers, I, Lena Kieran Luthor, am also in love with you."
They beamed at each other for a few moments, before Lena remembered that she couldn't keep on with this without knowing for sure that they would be able to get married. "Why don't we go and get tested now?" She asked in faux-excitement. "I want the world to know we're together."
Kara smiled. "We could make it Instagram official? You have over 20 million followers."
Lena playfully rolled her eyes. "Could you imagine how badly your sister would react to that?" She asked. "I'd like to stay alive, so no thank you to that." She laughed because there was no way in hell she was going to let Kara tell anyone first but Alex. She knew that no one, not even her, would be more important to Kara than Alex, and she wanted to be on good terms with her at all times, because if Alex ever made it clear that it was either her or Lena… Kara would say goodbye to Lena in an instant… There was no disputing that, but at the current moment, she wasn't up for telling anyone about their newly instated relationship, until she was sure that their relationship would be able to stay instated.
"How about we go get tested at the Matricomp, and then from there we can figure out a plan?" Lena suggested cautiously.
Kara frowned. "Why is the Matricomp suddenly so important to you?" She asked. "I already told you that I'm not leaving you no matter what that number is."
Lena swallowed, trying desperately to hide her intentions. "I know that, but I'm really excited to know. Can we just… Please, Kara?" She hated how desperate and needy she sounded, but that was exactly what she was.
Desperate to find out if she could be with the love of her life and needing the answer to be yes.
She was also terrified, anxious, and head over heels in love, but that was beside the point.
Kara sighed and shook her head with a fond smile on her face. "Okay, okay… We can go and test ourselves. But I'm sure we're compatible Lena… and even if we're not-,"
"I know, I know," Lena interjected, her hands raised in a façade of surrender. "You'll want me either way."
Kara smiled, and nodded once, sharply. "Exactly." She assured as she leaned down and kissed Lena on the lips once more. "I'll love you until Rao takes me, and then I'll love you in his light."
XXX
It was strange to her that teleporting to another planet was becoming second nature to her, but she didn't mind… She would do anything to make Kara happy.
"I think we should tell my mother what we're doing," Kara said. "I don't want her to get upset that we've used the Matricomp without telling her."
Lena wanted to tell her that Alura wouldn't mind, but then she'd have to admit to talking to her behind Kara's back, and she wasn't ready to have that conversation just yet… Too afraid to start a fight.
"Of course," She said sincerely. "Whatever you think is best."
Kara grabbed her hand, and Lena wanted to pull away from her, because she was terrified of getting too close, knowing that the more she gave into this, the harder it was going to be for her to end things if they weren't a match…. She grabbed on to Kara's hand for dear life instead though, because she was powerless against her.
They walked through the science guild (where the Argo portion of the teleportal was hidden in the basement) and then down the main street, turning on Alura's road, and walked to her house. Kara pushed a button on a key fob, that lowered a staircase for them to climb up to the home that was in mid-air, just like Kara's.
"That is still going to take some getting used to." Lena huffed out in laughter.
Kara grinned at her. "That means you're planning to get used to it, right?"
Lena nodded against her will, because she wanted to get used to everything about Argo… Every moment she spent on Argo, she felt accepted, welcomed, cared for… but on Earth? On Earth the entire planet expected her to turn evil. They never looked past her last name, past her mother's hatred for aliens, past Lex's homicidal rampage.
Nothing Lena ever did seemed to be good enough to prove to them that she'd never hurt a soul… as long as that soul wasn't hurting Kara, that is.
On Earth, Kara always seemed stressed, was always forced to hide who she was, was always expected to save the day, and no one truly appreciated her… No one but Alex and Lena. So, was it so bad that she pictured their future mainly on Argo?
Lena may be a billionaire on Earth, but she was sure that she could keep up with Kryptonian technology without an issue, and although Kara was now one of the leaders of the Science Guild, she was sure that working with her there wouldn't be an issue… If nothing else, she could work as a science teacher… Right?
Surely she wouldn't have an issue finding somewhere to work.
If all else failed, she could turn her American dollars into Krypton's currency… At least she hoped so.
Eventually, she realized what her mind was doing, and she shook her head.
What are you doing, Lena? I can't start planning a future with her here! I might not even have one! She scolded herself as she watched Kara open the door to her mother's home.
Alura's home was a bit more sophisticated than Kara' looked as if it was cut right out of an Architecture magazine. It was gorgeous. As soon as Lena entered, she was awed by the modern look. She was afraid to touch anything lest she tarnish it.
When Alura stepped into the dining room, she smiled. "Kara! Lena! I wasn't expecting you for a few more days." She declared.
Kara smiled, "Mom, I'd like to tell you something."
Alura tilted her head slightly to the side. "I already know, sweetie. You've decided not to go through with the binding between you and Kell-Ur."
Kara bit her bottom lip adorably and squeezed Lena's hand just a little bit tighter... Too tight, actually, but Lena knew how terrifying this was for Kara, so she stayed quiet, and grimaced at the pain. "Yes… and I've decided to be with someone else."
"Might it be the woman standing next to you who looks like she's in pain?" Alura asked.
Kara looked at Lena confusedly for a moment before she realized what the problem was. "Oh, Gee, Lena. I'm so sorry!" She announced as she let go of her hand. "I-I didn't… I didn't realize."
Lena shook her head. "Don't apologize. I'm fine."
Kara swallowed audibly before she turned her attention back to her mother. "Mom, I'd like for you to test us in the Matricomp."
Lena knew she was pale from fear, and when Alura smiled and nodded in agreement, it felt as if the world had stopped… She was terrified of what was about to happen… She was terrified that they'd be less than 80%.
XXX
Alura was in the room next to the Matricomp, talking to one of her colleagues she had run into on the way in, she promised she'd be back soon, but Lena was so anxious to get the test over with that every passing second felt like an eternity.
Kara was holding her hand, rubbing her thumb comfortingly along the back of Lena's backhand.
"Lee… are you… Are you regretting telling me that you're in love with me?"
Lena's heart shattered at the uncertainty and vulnerability that resided in Kara's voice, and on her facial expression. "no!" She practically yelled. "Hell no, Kara… You're the love of my life."
Kara offered her a half-smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Then why are you acting like you've made a mistake? Like you're terrified of the results?"
"I-," Lena closed her eyes and lowered her head as she sighed. She wasn't ready for this conversation, but she didn't want to lie to Kara either. "Because I am scared, but not because I'm regretting anything."
"Then what's wrong, Lena? You've been acting strange since we got here… Please talk to me." Kara practically begged, and Lena wanted to refuse, but the self-deprecation in Kara's voice, the sadness, the hurt was enough to get Lena to divulge everything she was feeling.
"Kara, I love you more than anything. You make my world spin, and no matter how much I love you, I couldn't marry you knowing that you'd be choosing me over your home. You're the happiest when you're here, and I can't even begin to imagine the pain it would cause you to have to lose this world all over again. So, I know that it will hurt like hell, but if we aren't at least an 80%, I can't be with you."
Kara's eyes were wide, tears shining in the corners of them. "Lena! No! If… If it means that much to you, we won't even have to get married." Kara practically pleaded. "I-if we're not an 80% or higher we can just live together forever as life partners. We don't have to be bonded and married."
Lena shook her head. "That's not fair to us. You'd resent me if we did get married on Earth and you lost your home for the second time, and you would resent me if you were never able to get married because of me. I want more than anything to be with you, and I hope to Rao that we're an 80%, but if we're not, Kara; you deserve to be with someone that is a match."
Kara shook her head. "I deserve love!"
Lena nodded. "You do, and you can find that with anyone that the Matricomp pairs you with." She was dying inside, as she was visibly breaking Kara's heart.
"Why did you even tell me then, Lena?!" Kara asked, tears cascading down her face. "If this was your plan all along, why even play with my heart like this? I'd choose you over anything!"
Lena shook her head. "I'M NOT WILLING TO LET THAT HAPPEN!" She yelled exasperatedly. "Kara, you deserve the world… both worlds… All worlds; and if I'm the reason you choose to let go of one of your homes, I'm not going to feel anything but guilty. You deserve everything in the multiverse, and I'm not going to allow myself to take anything from you. I love you too much for that."
Kara pulled Lena to her. "You're my world. You're my home. You're my multiverse… If you really love me as much as you say you do, you'd never take yourself away from me."
Lena's body filled with confliction, she had no idea how to respond to that, and all she could do was lean in and kiss Kara passionately.
They kissed, until they were both breathless, and leaned their foreheads against each other.
"So," Kara huffed. "Have we come to an understanding?"
Lena was just about to reply and say that she still wasn't going to be the reason Kara lost her home, when Alura cleared her throat.
They pulled apart almost instantly, and Alura smirked before walking over to them, grabbing them both by the wrists and dragging them over to the machine.
"Lena, you poke your finger on this one." She instructed. "And Kara, you use that one."
They both obeyed and did as instructed, and when they were done, they watched as Alura did everything Lena had done to test the blood before.
The machine revved up and started working immediately.
The process started, and Kara grabbed Lena's hand, looking into her eyes as if she were searching to see if she had changed Lena's mind about the decision… Lena smiled at her sadly, because she wasn't sure if this were the last time she'd hold Kara's hand.
"Whatever happens, just know that I'll love you until time stops," Lena whispered.
Kara had a tear slide down her cheek "Lena, please."
Her heart shattered at the pain that Kara conveyed just in two words alone, but before she responded, the machine spit out their ticket, and they both turned their attention to Alura as she picked it up.
Alura read the card and frowned. "Oh no…" She said gravely
Lena's heart disintegrated, and her stomach fell to the floor… They weren't a match.
Kara's eyes were filled with tears. "What!?" She asked frantically. "What's wrong?"
Alura looked up from the paper and sighed as she shook her head. "I'm going to have to help you plan two weddings now." She smirked.
Lena's heart fixed itself instantly…
They were a match!