PART 12
For the next week, Lena found that she couldn't even see Kara without someone following her around.
They both tried to ignore it and they were careful but still, the papers speculated and the fact that Kara couldn't even face work made her look a little guilty.
Lena was becoming miserable and she knew that Kara was too.
Sighing, she ran a hand through her loose hair and looked at the laptop on her desk.
She flicked through pictures of places she'd been.
One caught her eye and a big smile came to her face as she suddenly had an idea.
She pressed down on the intercom and waited for her asisstant to pick up which didn't take longer than three seconds.
"Miss Luthor?"
Jess, could you do something for me?"
"Of course, Miss Luthor."
"Cancel all my appointments next week. Clear my schedule. I'm going to take some time off."
"Yes, Miss Luthor."
"Also. I need two town cars at the ready. One to take me to the airport this Friday night and the other will go to Metropolis." Lena told her.
She could almost see Jess's confused frown as she listened to all of Lena's instructions.
"Anything else, Miss Luthor?"
"I need you to book two plane tickets. First class, of course."
"Is someone going with you?" Jess asked, just as curious as everyone else.
"No. I want the room and I don't like sitting next to anyone."
"Anything else?"
Lena smiled to herself.
"No. That will be all thank you, Jess."
"No problem. I'll see to it right away."
Lena released the button and sat back.
This time tomorrow, she could leave National City behind at least for a week.
Lena grinned as she picked up her phone and called Kara who answered quickly.
"Lena." She breathed. She made it sound as if Lena had been away for ages when in reality, it had only been three or four days.
"Hi Kara, are you doing anything next week?" Lena asked, biting her bottom lip in anticipation of what she was about to tell her.
"Nope. I plan to stay in here until the press moves to another continent." She muttered unhappily.
"Well...what if we went instead?"
There was a long pause and Lena frowned slightly.
"Kara?"
"Sorry. What did you say?"
Lena's smile returned.
"How about you and me get away for a while? We could leave National City and just be together without worrying about the press."
"That...that sounds...almost too good to be true."
"Well it is true! The plane tickets are being booked and I have a car to take us to the airport."
"Lena that's...that's amazing but what about the press?"
"You let me handle them." Lena told her, a small crease forming between her eyebrows as she grew angry at the fact that herself and Kara were finding it difficult to spend any real time together because of them.
When they were out, they couldn't hold each other's hand, they couldn't kiss each other goodnight and touching of any sort, even a friendly hug was off the table.
It was torture for the both of them.
"Ok well, where are we going?" Kara asked.
"I have this family cabin in the woods. It overlooks a lake. Kara it's beautiful and what with it being nice, sunny weather as well, it'll be the most beautiful sight you've ever seen."
"It sounds lovely, Lena, but what about everything here?"
"We can leave it all behind. Please, Kara just come with me. One week. That's all I ask. I've missed you. It's been driving me absolutely insane not being able to be with you." Lena admitted.
Kara felt the same, Lena knew she did.
Lena could hear the smile in Kara's voice as she replied;
"Ok. Let's do it."
"Perfect. Tomorrow night is when we're due to leave. Pack whatever you want and I'll pick you up at 8:30 tomorrow night."
"Ok. I'll see you then."
"This is going to be great, Kara. Trust me."
"I do trust you, Lena. You know that."
Lena smiled and nodded.
"Ok, well I have to go and pack but I'll text you when I'm on my way. See you tomorrow, I love you."
She waited for Kara to say it back and then she hung up, feeling more relaxed than she had done in ages.
All this constant pressure was taking it's toll but soon, herself and Kara would be at that family cabin enjoying their time together and not having to worry about anything at all.
Kara panicked as she started packing whatever she thought she would need.
She grabbed suitcase after suitcase and wondered if it really was just a week or would Lena suggest that they stay there?
No, she wouldn't. She knew that Kara cared about National City, even when it was making her the news of the month.
Alex came in to find her sister packing.
"Oh Kara, I know things are bad but fleeing is not the answer."
Kara looked over her shoulder at her sister as she zipped up the first suitcase.
"Oh no, Alex, I'm not fleeing. Lena and I are going on holiday."
"Oh...well, thanks for the heads up." Alex mumbled, shoving her hands into the pockets of her jeans.
Kara stood up straighter and let out a breath as she looked at Alex's crest fallen expression.
"Alex, I'm sorry. This was Lena's idea and she kinda sprung it on me."
"But you accepted?"
"Of course I did. She's my girlfriend, Alex, and I just want to be able to spend time with her without the press lurking." She said, sounding tired.
Alex nodded.
"Kara, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about. It's why I'm here actually."
Kara nodded but went back to packing.
Alex frowned, finding the fact that she didn't have her sister's full attention, distracting.
"So um...I've been feeling a little...different lately and I know-I know it might come as a shock but um, I've been thinking about-Do you have to do that now?" Alex barked, cutting herself off and frowning at Kara's back as she zipped up a second suitcase.
Kara straightened, looking a little surprised at Alex's outburst.
"Sorry...Alex, what's wrong with you?" Kara asked softly.
Alex sighed and raked a shaky hand through her short hair.
"I think...I think I might be having feelings...for another girl."
Kara's blue eyes widened.
"What?"
"Yeah, I know but the thing is, I've been avoiding these feelings for ages now and then you met Lena and...that happened and it confused me because I didn't have any clue that you were like that-"
"Neither did I." Kara said with a chuckle.
"-And then I met this girl and God, Kara, she's amazing."
Kara smiled at her sister who was clearly smitten with this new girl.
"She is?"
"Yeah, she's smart and funny and honest and..." Alex trailed off and she took a seat on the end of Kara's bed.
Kara frowned, not understanding why Alex's mood had suddenly taken a down turn.
"She sounds great. So why are you sitting there like you lost a cat?"
Alex frowned at the metaphor and then her sad expression came back.
"She...she's involved with someone else. Another girl, obviously."
Kara nodded her head slowly as she took in her sister's distress.
"How long have they been together?"
Alex shrugged.
"I don't know...but, Kara, she's all I think about. I don't even know the girl and I can't stop thinking about her! She's got in my way a few times with cases and such and sometimes she drives me crazy, but in all the right ways, you know?"
Kara nodded as she thought of Lena.
"Yeah...I do."
Alex sighed and brushed her hands through her hair again.
"So what do I do?"
Kara sat down next to her sister, taking her hand.
"Alex, in a situation like this, there's nothing you can do. She's with someone and she's happy."
Kara paused as a thought occurred to her.
"She is happy, right?"
Alex nodded unhappily.
"Ok, so you just have to try and put her out of your mind. Go out, meet another girl. Someone that makes you forget all about this...sorry, what's her name?"
"Maggie." Alex said, a wistful smile coming to her lips as she said the other woman's name.
"Now see? It's things like that." Kara said, pointing at Alex's smile.
"What?"
"That smile. Because of her. Stop smiling."
Alex knew Kara's tone was teasing but there was also a lot of truth behind it too.
"I'm sorry but, Kara...she's-she's like no one else, y'know? And the way she looks at me...no one's ever looked at me in that way before."
"Does she know that you're... like her?"
"No. I think she suspects but no, she hasn't said anything."
Alex looked down at her hands.
"I almost wish that I could come out to her. I know it's a long shot-a very, very long shot- but I thought maybe if I did, she'd be more accepting of me."
Kara raised an eyebrow at Alex.
"I don't think that's what you meant."
Alex rolled her eyes.
"Fine. I thought that if I came out to her, she'd ditch her current girlfriend, you happy?"
Kara chuckled and hugged her sister.
"You're right, it is a long shot but maybe...just maybe it's worth coming out to her, if you think you can."
Alex pulled back to look at Kara and thought about it, then smiled.
"You know what? I think I can."
Kara smiled.
"Good. I wish I could be as brave as you."
Alex gave her a sympathetic smile.
"If Lena's the one, you will."
She is. Kara's brain automatically responded.
"Well I'll go, leave you to pack, and I'll see you before you leave. Which is when?"
"Tomorrow night."
Alex's eyes widened.
"Tomorrow?! For how long?"
"A week."
"A week?! Kara, are you sure you wanna do this? What about the city?"
Kara sighed.
"It can deal without me for a week, can't it, Alex? I just want some time with Lena. I think we both deserve it."
Alex nodded in agreement but she wasn't too keen about her sister being out of the country for a whole week and with a Luthor but she didn't say anything, she just smiled and gave Kara a hug.
"I hope you have a really nice time."
Kara smiled as she rested her chin on Alex's shoulder.
"Thanks, and I wanna know about everything with you and Maggie when I get back."
Alex smiled and chuckled lightly.
"If anything happens."
Kara shrugged.
"You never know, people can surprise you."
Alex looked hopeful and then left the apartment as Kara continued packing.
Lena was all packed and ready to go, her bags were in the trunk of one of the town cars and they were both sat outside her office.
Inside L Corp, Jess was standing in front of a mirror as Lena handed her some really high heeled shoes.
"I don't think this going to work, Miss Luthor."
"Don't be silly, of course it will." Lena assured her as she put a jet black blazer over her assistant's shoulders.
"All you have to do, is go out there, get in the car and lead the photographers away from National City." Lena told her.
Jess bit her lip as Lena handed her a pair of dark shades.
"Put these on." She instructed.
"Lena-Miss Luthor-they're gonna know it's me."
"No they won't. The heels make up the height-"
"I'm nearly five feet, you're what? Five-six?"
Lena shrugged.
"Something like that but it's a quick thing, Jess. Just walk briskly outside, into the car and enjoy the ride. The windows are blacked out and by the time you get back here, I will be on that plane and they'll be too late."
Jess looked doubtful but Lena needed a decoy and even though Jess was tiny and more tanned than Lena, the Luthor didn't see that she mad much choice.
"Ok, are you ready?"
Jess nodded and Lena gave her a kind smile.
"You'll be getting a raise after this, I promise."
Jess nodded and then sighed, putting on the shades and doing her best to look a little haughty, which was how Lena looked when she was out walking about. It was a defense thing and it worked.
Lena hid a grin.
"That's great. You'll do fine."
Jess then turned and left Lena's office.
She would call Lena when she was in the town car and and then Lena would take the other car to go and pick up Kara.
It didn't take long and Lena watched out the window as the town car pulled away, and sure enough, a van followed.
Lena rolled her eyes.
Her phone rang and she answered.
"I'm clear."
"Lovely. Thanks, Jess. I'll see you in a week."
"Have a good holiday, Miss Luthor." Jess said but she sounded nervous, she had probably never been asked to do this before.
Lena looked at herself in the mirror.
She didn't normally dress like this; she was wearing ripped jeans, combat boots, a black tank top with a grey hoodie thrown over the top.
She pulled the hood up, grabbed her bag and made her way outside to the car waiting in the curb.
She jogged over to it, opened the door herself and climbed inside, shutting the door quickly.
The blacked out windows provided her with the perfect cover and she lowered her hood, brushing her hair back and smiling a little at her plan.
Her normal driver rolled down the partition and gave her a knowing smile.
"Everything going according to plan, Miss Luthor?"
She nodded, clearly pleased with herself.
"Yes. It's going very well."
"To Miss Danver's apartment?"
Lena nodded.
Only her driver knew that Kara was going with her on this trip.
She did feel bad about not letting Jess know what was going on but if the press turned up at the office while she was away, they might put pressure on the girl and she could crack.
Lena was surprised that she'd even agreed to her plan but still, it was better to be safe than sorry.
They pulled up outside Kara's apartment and the driver went up to help Kara with her bags.
Lena stayed inside the car where she knew no one would see her and soon, Kara was sliding in next to her looking happier than she had done in days!
Lena lent over and gave her a quick kiss.
Kara looked at Lena's clothes.
"Wow, so this is you going casual."
Lena shrugged.
"It's comfortable."
"Looks good."
Lena smiled looking at Kara's cute summer dress. She always looked adorable.
"So do you." Lena told her, that smile never leaving her eyes as she stared adoringly at her girlfriend.
The car started up again and the driver told them that no one was following them.
They talked all the way to the airport and before they knew it, the car stopped and the driver got out, helping them with their bags and there were a lot of bags.
Lena walked next to Kara with her hood up as Kara tried to make herself look as small as possible before they boarded their plane.
It wouldn't be long now.
