Aftermath.

We're also in the home stretch, people. Only a few more chapters to go.

Supergirl: Blood Ties

Chapter 21

Heartwarming

Kara groaned and screwed her eyelids tighter against the light. She felt so tired still.

She felt a hand slip into hers and felt the soft press of lips against her forehead.

"It's okay, Kara. You're safe."

Kara blinked her eyes open, and was met by a green gaze filled with warmth and love.

"Welcome back, sleepyhead."

"Lena…am I dreaming?"

Lena's light laugh sounded like music, and she gave Kara a soft kiss.

"No, you're not dreaming. But you have us a real scare, mo chroí."

Kara tried to sit up, but winced.

"What hit me?"

"A lot."

Kara finally realized that she was in the DEO medical bay.

"How did I get here? Was I in a fight?"

Lena just looked at her sadly.

And then it finally came rushing back.

"Oh Rao…"

Lena pulled her into a tight hug.

"It's okay, Kara. You're safe now. Lillian can't hurt you. She can't hurt anyone ever again."

"She…did I—"

"No, I did. And if it meant saving you, I'd do it again."

The door to the room burst open, and Alex rushed in, shouting Kara's name and all but leaping into the group hug.

The three spent time like that, Lena and Alex pouring all their relief into the contact and Kara slowly calming down.

Something occurred to her, and she spoke up.

"Lena…I'm sorry for keeping it from you. I just…I was ashamed and scared, but you deserved to know, and—"

Lena nipped the babbling in the bud, putting her finger to Kara's lips and shushing her.

"It's alright, I understand. You are forgiven."

The three soon parted, and Alex cleared her throat and got to business, checking Kara's vitals and asking questions. Near the end of this, Barry walked in.

"Finally awake. Good. When I got Shanoa down to that room, you were already passed out. Exhaustion, I'm guessing."

Kara just blinked at Barry awkwardly.

"Barry? When did you…why are you…"

Barry just laughed.

"Your sister and J'onn called in the cavalry. I brought Wally, Oliver, Sara, Jax and Professor Stein, Ray, and Nate. Your cousin showed up, so did your friend James."

"James?" Kara asked, shocked.

"Cadmus released a video showing you captured," Alex explained, "It finally shocked his head out of his-"

"Okay, you know what, let's take it from the top. Please. I am really confused."

And so they did. Her disappearance, Lillian's gloating, Lena and Winn finally getting Cadmus' location, the troops rallying, the battle, and Lena confronting and killing Lillian.

"I knew there were Kryptonite bullets in the room, so when I heard a gun cock, I reacted," Lena said.

Kara sat back at the end of the story, stunned.

"All this, for me?"

"You sound surprised," Barry said, "I told you before. Any time, any Earth, my friend."

"But even Livewire?"

"Yeah, that was a twist I didn't see coming," Alex said.

"You inspire people, Kara," Lena said, holding her hand, "Is it any wonder that so many people came running when they heard you were in trouble?"

Kara couldn't help it. She started laughing.

"Thank you," she finally said, "Thank you all."

As she took a breath, Alex cleared her throat.

"I hate to dampen the mood, but there is some bad news."

"What do you mean?"

"That video Lillian released? The one that let us know she had you? She didn't just show off and torture you. She also blew the secret of vampires existing wide open."

"She what?" Kara gasped, paling considerably.

"She even killed one, live. The president hasn't made a statement yet, but people are already reacting. Winn and Vasquez have been monitoring things, and it's broken big. The news is so widespread now that we can't redact its existence like it's Area 51."

"Area 51 is real on your Earth?" asked Barry.

"J'onn's a Martian, you tell me."

"That…is both a valid point, and a disturbing one."

But Kara was already dreading the answer to her next question.

"Did…did Lillian…is my…do people know about me?"

Alex's look answered everything.

Kara started hyperventilating, and Lena lunged forward and wrapped her in a hug.

"Hey, you're okay. I'm here. We're all here. We're not going anywhere. We'll get through this together."

Kara slowly calmed down at Lena's touch and constant whispers. But the fear was still there.

"How many people see me as a monster?"

Barry scoffed.

"After all the good you've done, I don't think the response will be as bad as you think."

"Didn't stop the whole city from forgetting that after the Red Kryptonite incident," Kara shot back, "And if anything, this is even more dangerous. I don't need to be drugged to be a danger. There's a darkness in me, Barry-"

"So? There's a darkness in everyone! Take me, for example. I watched both my parents die. Both violently. Sometimes, I want to repay that violence with more violence, make someone else hurt as much as I do. That's what's buried inside me. That pain, that anger…but I don't let it control me. I use it as fuel. I use it to push me to be a better person, to be a better hero. Our darkness is a part of us, but it isn't all we are."

"He's right," Alex said, "Your vampirism isn't all you are. There is so much more to you. Hope and joy and kindness and love, enough to spread to everyone around you."

"Quite," Lena said, pulling Kara close, "You have so many people who care about you. Winning over everyone else will take time, so until then, focus on the people who matter most."

The three gave Kara big smiles, and slowly, Kara returned a smile of her own.

After some convincing, they got Kara dressed in proper clothes as opposed to hospital garb, then up and out of the room, leading her to the main area where everyone who had taken part in the battle had gathered. Kara found only sympathetic smiles and proclamations of relief, not fear or anxiety. It was comforting, knowing that all these people were worried about her.

"Finally up and about?" came Wally's question.

"Why are you holding your arm like that?" Kara asked, noting how Wally was cradling his right arm.

"Oh, while you were out, I donated a little blood for you. And fast healing aside, it still feels a little tender."

Kara blinked at the frankness on display.

"You…donated blood to me?"

"A few people here did," Nate interjected, "I'd have done the same, but with how I got my powers, we weren't sure my blood was safe. Alex said she'd take a look at Wally's before he gave it to you, so…"

"Thank you…and yes, your blood might be odd."

Kara suddenly laughed.

"I just realized, we have two men of steel in the building."

"Your friend Winn already made the joke," Nate deadpanned.

"And it was only moderately funny the first time."

Kara turned, and saw her cousin, who hurried forward and wrapped her in a hug.

"I was worried, cousin," he whispered to her in Kryptonian.

"I am well, Kal-El. Mostly," she replied in kind.

"That your alien language?" Sara asked, stepping forward, "It's pretty."

Kara broke the hug and smiled at Sara.

"I never got to thank you for that advice you gave…about Lena."

"What about Lena?" Lena asked.

"Oh, she was venting to me about your little break-up. I assume you've patched things up?"

"There are a few things to talk about still, but it looks like," Kara replied.

"Speaking of break-ups, I've been meaning to talk to you, Lena," Superman said, "Alex and Winn filled me in on the whole story. I can't say I approve of how you handled things, but I have a pretty good idea of what you and Kara mean to each other, enough to figure out that this rough patch will pass. You make her happy. That's all I can ask for. That said…"

His eyes flashed briefly.

"Break her heart again, I'll break you."

"Kal! What the hell?" Kara growled in Kryptonian.

"I meant what I said," he responded in kind.

As Sara laughed at the looks on their faces, Kara rounded on her.

"I'd stop if I were you. After all, you have your own Lena to make it up to."

Sara's laughter cut off like a faucet.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"No one gives advice about romance that good unless they've been through something similar. And since you were flirting with me when we met—"

"She was what." Lena asked flatly.

"I can only conclude you haven't taken your own advice on breakups and makeups."

"I haven't the faintest idea what you-"

"Her name's Nyssa."

"Dammit Ollie!"

"You were the one who brought her up earlier!" Oliver smirked.

Kara crossed her arms and said "Well?"

Sara looked pained for a moment before muttering that it was complicated.

"Then do yourself a favor: find this Nyssa and simplify it."

Lena laughed and pulled Kara close.

"Well, listen to the wise matchmaker. I love it when you're bold."

Lena gave her a tender kiss, which Kara returned.

A few of the guys gave catcalls, but Kara waved her hand to say 'get lost' and kept kissing her girlfriend.

As the warmth flooded through her body, she shivered a little in pleasure. She had missed this.

Everyone started milling about, talking amongst themselves, and Kara noticed Livewire off to the side, leaning against the wall and watching everything. After softly informing Lena that she wanted to talk privately, Kara made her way over to the electric woman.

"I step into gay central or something?" Livewire asked acerbically.

"I'm bisexual, actually," Kara said.

"And that's better how?"

"Can you stop being a homophobic jerk for five minutes so we can talk?"

Livewire rolled her eyes, but nodded.

"I wanted to thank you. You stuck your neck out, went right into the arms of people who could have thrown you in prison. You put yourself out there for me. All these people, they're my friends. I'm not surprised they came to help me. Touched, but not surprised. You, I wouldn't have expected in a million years."

"Yeah, well, I caught the torture livestream. Seeing you chained up, brought up some bad memories. The mad scientist from last time."

Livewire leveled a glare at her, but it didn't seem as harsh as usual.

"I don't like you, Blondie…but I couldn't let someone else suffer like that. Just the idea felt…wrong."

"I did get through to you that last time," Kara smiled.

"Oh shut up."

"You've got more good in you than you know."

"If you're going to keep up the Pollyanna act, I'm out."

As Livewire turned to electricity and vanished, however, her face softened.

"Seriously, though. Take care of yourself. You've been through a lot."

And then she was gone.

Kara let out a slow breath.

"Well, that was a thing."

"She was a big help. She gets a pass today."

Kara turned to see James standing there. He shuffled awkwardly.

"Least, that's what J'onn said when I asked about her."

"Speaking of surprising appearances, I didn't expect you," Kara said.

James took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"I…I wanted to apologize for my recent behavior. I've been an idiot."

Kara relaxed a bit.

"What changed your mind?"

"Two things, really. After Winn told me about Malverne, I made a comment too far, and he snapped. Ranted at me, cursed me out and stormed off. That stuck with me for a bit. Winn doesn't exactly drop F-bombs willy-nilly, especially the cluster variety."

"Yeah, that would stick in your mind. What was the second thing?"

"The Cadmus video. I saw you chained up and tortured, and I couldn't breathe. For a hot second I didn't see a vampire, I saw a friend in trouble. And just the shock of that made me realize what an ass I've been these past few months. Now, I know I've got a lot to make up for, but-"

Kara cut him off with a big hug.

"It's good to have you back, James."

"Wait, just like that?"

She leaned back a bit, giving him a smile.

"I believe in my friends."

As the two parted, Kara noticed Shanoa and Adrian watching. Both vampires nodded and smiled.

Kara made her way over and asked what was going to come next.

"Vampires are out in a big way, after all."

"You let us worry about that," Adrian said, placing a calming hand on her shoulder, "There have been plans circulating amongst the oldest of us for ages about what to do if this happens. There are a few things that can be done. I've already contacted a few of my people. One of them is in Washington, and will try to meet with the president soon. You just worry about you."

Kara gave them an anxious look, but Shanoa just nodded along with her husband.

"We have this, Kara. You concentrate on your life and where to go as Supergirl. We'll handle the politics."

They seemed certain, but deep down, Kara wasn't as sure. But she nodded and left them to their own conversations.

oOo

Things were rather mellow from there. Everyone was chatting, as if it were a small party.

Kara looked from Lena and Ray discussing their respective armors, to Alex laughing with Sara, to Professor Stein picking J'onn's brain about physics in outer space, to James and Oliver sharing stories, and she sighed happily.

"It's nice when everyone is together, huh?" came Barry's voice beside her.

"Yeah, we really ought to do it more often," Kara said.

"Before we got the call asking about your whereabouts, I overheard Sara trying to work out a few possible times for a girl's night. Her, Caitlin, Iris, Amaya, and both you and Felicity were brought up. She said she'd call you."

"I'll see if I can talk to her about that. Find a date."

"Speaking of dates, we haven't set one yet, but I was hoping to get your answer now."

"About what?"

"Would you like to be there when Iris and I get married?"

Kara whipped her head over to him and stared at him for a full minute, her mouth hanging open.

Just as he was about to ask if she was okay, Barry found himself all but crushed into a tight hug. A squeal of glee shot through the room, loud enough that everyone flinched.

"Ah, my ears," Winn winced.

"How do you think I feel?" Kal replied, digging a finger into his own ear.

"What's going on?" Alex shouted.

"Did you know Barry's getting married?" Kara all but shouted, a big grin on her face.

Sara snapped her fingers and said "I knew there was something I forgot to mention."

"Don't get too excited, they haven't set a date yet," Oliver said.

"I can't believe I missed a ring on Iris' finger," Kara said, "Was the proposal romantic?"

"He wrote and sang a song," Wally grinned.

"Oh Rao, Barry you sap! That's adorable! Wait, was it any good?"

"According to my sister, yes."

Kara squealed a little, and conversations shifted a little before Barry decided that they'd stayed long enough.

"Tired of getting teased already?" Oliver smirked.

"Too bad, because I don't intend to stop," Sara smiled.

"Barry, you're doomed," Jax deadpanned.

Everyone saw the Earth-1 heroes off, Kara giving Barry one last hug and telling him that she'll be at his wedding, come hell or high water.

"Considering you can fly, I doubt high water is going to be an issue," Barry chuckled as he stepped through the portal.

Kara sighed, still smiling.

"You ready to go home?" Lena asked.

"I just want to collapse on my bed and not get up for a day."

J'onn suddenly cleared his throat.

"That might be a little bit of an issue."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean your apartment is technically compromised. Lillian captured you from there, and there's no telling how many Cadmus agents she told the address to."

"I was just her, Henshaw, and a Metallo cyborg. Not the original—"

"But we still don't know if she told more. For all we know, your address could have been a company-wide memo. It's not safe for you to return."

Kara's jaw dropped, and one could almost hear her heart shattering.

"Are you telling me I can't go home?"

"If it makes you feel better, I grabbed a bunch of personal items and stored them at the DEO," Alex said, "Clothes, photos, your painting stuff. We can find you another place to live."

Kara still stood in shock. That apartment had been her home for the past few years. She'd lived and loved in that apartment. She'd become Supergirl in that apartment. It was a part of her life, and now it was gone.

"She could live with me."

Kara broke out of her spiral to look over at Lena.

"My building has excellent security, and I certainly have the space," Lena said, "There's even a balcony she can take off from, if need be."

"Are…are you serious?" Kara asked.

"Why not?" Lena replied, shrugging.

"But…after everything…all the lies…"

"Kara, I told you, you're forgiven," Lena said, pulling her close, "I told you, it's alright. You were afraid. That's understandable. But I'm here for you, Kara. Always."

Kara inhaled sharply as she looked into Lena's eyes and saw nothing but love.

"Okay," she found herself whispering.

"Oh look, U-haul lesbians," Winn laughed, and then Alex slapped the back of his head.

"You're dumb. And the relationship is hardly new."

Lena brought her into a hug.

"Welcome home, Kara."

And Kara felt warmer than she had in a long time…