Chapter one.
It's been three months since Kara and Lena last shared a friendly word, the relationship between them blown to pieces by Lex's dying words. It feels like yesterday that Lena had introduced Kara when she received her Pulitzer prize, and admitted to Kara that her secret had been revealed.
Kara had tried for weeks to fix things between them, but Lena is so damn hurt that the walls she has rebuilt are impenetrable. Sad, broken eyes have long since grown cold and resentful. So much so that Kara now avoids the DEO when she knows Lena is there, the youngest Luthor still determined to help make the world a better place; even if it means being surrounded by those who had hurt her.
Lena had made it perfectly clear that none of them are her friends anymore, warm smiles replaced with a cool, professional demeanor. Even Brainy can't seem to engage Lena in a conversation about anything other than work, Lena not even allowing anyone to ask how she is.
Kara had started checking on her discreetly instead, hovering amongst the clouds every night just watching Lena work late into the night. Sometimes it would only be for a few moments, other times an hour would pass before Kara would even realize. The only thing that remains the same, is the fact that Lena's office light is always the last one to go out in the entire L-Corp building.
Even now, as Kara hovers in the rain long after midnight, Lena is still hunched over her desk. There's several empty coffee cups, but no signs of Lena having eaten anything. Her heels have long been kicked aside and her hair released from the tight ponytail. Kara can easily spot how exhausted Lena is, and it makes her stomach twist into knots.
Lena would usually look so well put together, her hair and make-up always immaculate. To other people, today is no different, but Kara can see the cracks beginning to form. Dark circles are hidden with expensive concealer, but there's no hiding the tiredness deep inside green eyes. Her movements, usually elegant, become sluggish and erratic. A sign that Lena had started on the decanter full of scotch before Kara arrived.
Kara knows Lena had been lonely before they became friends, but now Lena seems worse than before. Having that friendship and losing it, despite Lena being the one to end it, has destroyed the young CEO. The hope is gone from within her, and the few smiles that grace her lips never reach her eyes.
It breaks Kara's heart to see what Lena is becoming. Guilt claws at her, and she wishes she'd had the nerve to tell Lena the truth herself. Kara was going to, several times, but her nerve always collapsed at the last second.
Now, Kara is left to suffer for her choices, to be on the outside on the outside of Lena's life. Whether it's Lena's intention to punish her or not, that's how Kara feels. She hates leaving her each night, knowing another day of dismissal has passed by.
She really has no choice, though. Kara can only be there for Lena if, or when, Lena decides to forgive her. Kara can't make that decision for her; Lena needs to meet her halfway. So, for now, all Kara can do is continue to protect her from a distance.
With a sigh, Kara shoots herself into the air, speeding up into the darkness as far as she safely can. Burning tears are wicked from her cheeks by the wind, her throat closing around a solid lump. She wouldn't do this to herself every night for anyone else, wouldn't constantly punish herself if it wasn't Lena.
The taste of bitter regret coats her tongue, a choked sob escaping her mouth as she speeds towards nowhere in particular. All she knows is she can't go home to her empty apartment, not tonight, not on the night she and Lena used to have dinner together.
"Supergirl?" Alex's voice cuts through her pain, reminding her that she still has her sister. "We need you at the DEO."
"On my way." Kara turns in the air, shooting across the city, relieved to have a distraction of some kind. Even if it's just for a few blissful hours.
Only a few minutes pass before red boots hit the DEO balcony, Kara striding down the stairs with her head held high. They don't need to know that she's in constant pain. They'd only start treating her differently anyway, with kid gloves, like Alex has been doing.
Kara approaches the hub, stopping beside Alex and not meeting anyone's direct gaze as Brainy and Nia join them.
"Thanks for getting here so quickly, Kara," Alex murmurs to her. She knows her sister is struggling, and Alex admires the way Kara hasn't let her superhero duties slip. "We've had a message from Barry, they could use your help, and maybe it would be good for you to get away for a little bit," Alex says, her voice low enough so that only Kara can hear.
"I'm fine, Alex. If they need me, I'll go. It's not about me," Kara retorts. "What do they need?" Alex sighs, struggling to ignore Kara's flippant tone.
"People have been going missing, only to return a few months later," Alex says. "They're different when they come back, Barry said it's like their humanity has been removed somehow. They've been recruiting people and killing anyone who crosses them. It's bad, Kara," Alex explains. "Barry and his team can't work out what's going on exactly, but he thinks some of their powers are similar to yours."
"Mine?" Kara asks, "that can't be possible. Are they Kryptonians?"
"He doesn't think so, they can be taken down," Alex sighs, "but Barry doesn't want to just start killing people. He believes they're victims. Brainy can help you get there when you're ready."
"I'm ready," Kara replies instantly. She doesn't miss the way Nia and Alex share a concerned look, but she doesn't comment on it. "If people are getting hurt, there's no time to waste." Kara sets her lips in a determined line, her hands landing on her hips. She meets Alex's worried gaze, silently telling her sister that she's fine, that she can do this.
"Please be careful, Kara." Alex wraps her arms around Kara, squeezing tightly. "I love you."
"I love you, too." Kara allows herself to sink into Alex's embrace for another short moment, before she forces herself to straighten up. "It'll be okay… I'll be okay." Kara forces a smile to her face, but it feels more like a grimace.
"I know you will," Alex says, sounding as though she's trying to convince herself just as much as Kara. "If you need anything, reach out. We'll be waiting for any and all communications."
Kara nods, preparing herself for the journey. The trips between worlds always made her feel a little off. Brainy shoots her a meaningful look as the portal opens, and Kara gives him a nod. Her hair is blown in all directions, the energy from the portal causing her skin to tingle. With one last look at Alex, Kara steps inside.
It only takes her a second to notice that something is wrong, for it to feel different than usual, but it's too late. There's a flicker of another world, a flash of Barry waiting for her, but it's snuffed out like a flame in a jar.
She lands heavily on her knees, hands flying forward to brace herself, and then she feels it. Pain. It floods her senses, forcing her further down, knees unable to hold her own weight. Kara has felt it before, but never like this.
Kryptonite burns every inch of her body. Her blood simmers like lava within her veins, and every gasping breath feels like needles attacking her lungs. Heat shoots from her eyes, a scream of anguish tearing from her throat.
This is it. This is how it ends.
It's relentless, her nerve endings screaming for it to end. Unyielding green flashes across her skin, mapping the kryptonites journey through her body. Her face hits concrete, her powers draining and leaving her helpless.
She can vaguely hear yelling nearby, and two sets of strong arms grab Kara, hauling her to her feet. Kara hangs limply in their grasp, knees still grazing against the ground. There's nothing she can do to save herself, struggling even to breathe until…
"Enough." Kara recognizes the voice, but the steel behind it is foreign to her ears. The intensity of Kryptonite within her begins to fade, burning pain lessening to an ache and fresh air flooding her lungs. She forces her gaze up just enough to spot the pair of stilettos clacking obnoxiously across a courtyard Kara hasn't seen before, blue eyes trailing upwards until they reach a familiar face.
Lena, but not her Lena. Green eyes are cold, and a sharp jaw is clenched tighter than should be possible. Lena looks down at her, eyes narrowing. Lena looks hard, strong features lacking the softness than Kara is accustomed to. Dark painted lips are curled in distaste, and Kara can't help but flinch when Lena kneels down in front of her.
Lena's gaze is intense, piercing, but Kara doesn't allow herself to look away. She takes in the dark smokey make-up that frames brilliant green eyes, noticing how much paler Lena looks in her all black attire. That's not something Kara thought was possible. A long finger urges Kara's chin further upwards, Lena silently drinking in the new face in front of her. New, but identical to another.
"Now where did you come from, hmm?" Lena smirks at her, glancing up at the guards holding on to Kara. "Put her with the others," Lena orders, dropping her hand from Kara's face as she gracefully rises back to her full height.
"Right away, Ms Zor-El."