It had been four days since the Dominators had attacked and Kara was working in her lab, modifying Lena's engine design to work with the custom motorcycle frame she was building.
Lena was working at the DEO, running her multinational corporation from Kara's office there, so that Lex couldn't track her. Kara, Lena, and Winn had already fixed Tempest so the armor couldn't be tracked.
"Incoming call from Lena," Harley announced.
"On speaker, please," Kara grinned.
"Hello, darling, how are you feeling?" Lena asked, "How's your cold?"
Kara sneezed, and rolled her eyes, "I hate this Lee, being on the sidelines is not my cup of tea. And my body can't make up its mind if I'm hot or cold, so I keep having to take off my shirt."
On the other end of the phone, Lena's mind went blank for a moment as she grasped the concept of a shirtless Kara. She heard Kara's snort on the line and she asked, "what's so funny, Ms. Danvers?"
"Your heartrate Lee, my minor powers are coming back first, so I could hear your heartbeat speed up when I mentioned taking off my shirt," Kara laughed again, but it turned into a cough.
"You sound terrible, how about soup and sandwiches for supper tonight?" Lena's concern wrapping Kara in a warm embrace.
"That sounds good, but that is not why you called?" Kara's voice changed to her Supergirl tone.
"You're right, I am also calling as your boss, I was wondering how the electric motor was coming," Lena explained professionally
"I solved the battery issue, and the charging issue, what I can't work out is the torque problem." Kara rested her hand on her chin as she looked over the plans and answered Lena's question.
"How long have you been working on this?" Lena asked suddenly concerned, "you are supposed to be resting too."
Kara coughed and answered in a whisper, "since you left this morning."
"I heard that Kara Danvers, bed now," Alex yelled through the connection.
"Lee, you traitor, you-" Kara stuttered "You tricked me."
"Actually this was my idea, Kara," Sara's soft voice spoke over the speaker. "I had a feeling if I gave you a problem to solve you you wouldn't rest."
"This is not fair," Kara mumbled.
"Kara, based on your current readings, my database recommends a nap of approximately 2.57 hours," Harley's voice spilled out of the speakers.
"Really Harley, you too!" Kara pouted, listening as the women on the other end of the line laughed at her. "Fine!" Kara trudged upstairs and laid down on the couch.
"Kara, we are just trying to make sure you get well, darling." Lena's smile came through the speaker, making Kara smile.
"I know Lee, I just hate leaving a problem…" she yawned.
"Under the blanket, honey." Lena's sweet voice reminded her.
"Okay Lee, love you," Kara answered as she started to close her eyes.
"Love you too Kara." Lena smiled, 'Harley, disconnect the call, set alarm for 2.5 hours please."
"Yes Lena, disconnecting call." Harley disconnected the call and set her internal alarm.
Kara slept soundly for about 2 hours when suddenly, the thought hit her right between the eyes. She sat straight up on the couch and started looking around for her phone. She shook her blonde hair, closed her eyes to focus, and remembered, "Harley, dial Lena please."
"Kara?" Lena asked, looking at the clock on her computer.
"I've got it Lee, I can charge the bike and increase the power. I figured it out, it came while I was asleep, I need something from my lab, can you get it, should I send Alex?" Kara paused for about a tenth of a second, "Lee, I said I got it."
"Kara, darling, slow down," Lena smiled a bit. "What did you get?"
"The crystals Lena, like your bracelets, one cut correctly could power and recharge the motor. You could apply it to racing and a bike for Sara. And if cut small and correctly, we could apply for day to day use. No fuel, clean-running and inexpensive." Kara smiled, trying to wake up.
"But Kar, you only have a few crystals." Lena hated playing devil's advocate, but Kara had a tendency to act before thinking a problem through from time to time.
"Nonsense Lee, I can grow more crystal." Kara sounded like a teacher, "I can show you how."
"Wait, Kara, slow down, you can grow the crystals?" Lee asked, trying to clarify what she had heard.
"Of course you can Lee, they aren't naturally occurring, they were developed in a lab, Kal-El's mom developed the science." Kara paused, thinking about what she was saying, "Oh-sorry Lee, I'm talking like you know everything that happened on Krypton."
Lena smiled over the phone, "Kara, darling, I'm not the least bit put out, now I know how everyone feels when Winn and I start discussing things."
On the other end, Kara was smiling as well, "Well I knew, and you are really cute when you get all nerdy."
Lena blushed and heard her email ding, she clicked on the message icon and felt her blood go cold.
To:LLuthor
Hiding behind the Kryptonian does not seem like your style, dear sister.
How is she feeling?
Love,
Lex
Kara could hear Lena's heartbeat increasing, "Lee, what's going on, what's wrong?"
"Kara, it's Lex, he knows we are working together," Lena responded, breathing hard, "Tempest and Supergirl, he knows. And he knows you are powerless."
"Lee, calm down honey, I'm home, I'm safe. I'm not going out okay, no patrols, nothing until my powers come back." Kara paused, then continued, "I promise Zhao."
"I'm calling it a day Kara, I'm coming home right now." Lena snapped.
"Okay, Lee." Kara responded, "I'm not going to complain."
"Sorry, Kar. He has a way of getting under my skin." Lena took a deep breath, "I'm headed out now."
"Love you, Lee, be careful." Kara smiled.
"Love you too, Darling," Lena smiled slightly as she started to gather up her things.
Kara immediately contacted Lucy and let her know what was going on. She might be a contract employee for L Corp, but as Supergirl, she had to let the DEO know what was going on.
Kara; 'Hey Luce, Lex emailed Lee again.'
Lucy; 'Got Winn at L Corp today working with Jess, they are setting up programs to track.'
Kara; 'Have I mentioned what a great friend you are.'
Lucy; 'She means a lot to you Kar, so that means she's part of the family.'
Kara; 'Thanks Luce, see you for game night?'
Lucy; 'I'll be there, now shouldn't you be resting?'
Kara; 'Does everyone know I am sick?'
Lucy; 'Of course, between Alex and Sara, the whole base is aware.'
Kara; 'Ugh...Love ya'
Lucy; 'Ahahaha, love ya too, now rest.'
As Kara was completing her text to Lucy, Lena was finishing locking down her files and her computer. She was locking the door to Kara's office when Alex approached.
"Headed out kind of early, Lee?" Alex asked.
"Another email, Alex," Lena answered. "He knows about Kara being without her powers."
"Lee, her apartment is secure, and there is enough anti-tracking equipment on your armor to make Batman jealous, okay?" Alex said, placing her hand on Lena's shoulder.
At the joke, Lena tried to smile, "Alex, I can't lose her, or any of you because of him, I came to National City-I came here because of Kara, because I thought, if people could see me working side by side with Supergirl, they would accept that my-," she stopped.
"You thought that people would see your family as a force for good. Lena, it isn't your name that defines you, it's what you do, it's who you are. The Luthor name does not deserve you, Lena," Alex smiled. "Now, go home and make my sister rest, please."
"Oh Rao, I almost forgot, she needs a crystal, for the engine." Lena stumbled, "the solution came while she was sleeping."
"Did she give you cutting instructions?" Alex laughed.
"No." Lena sighed.
"I'll text her. She becomes a bit of the absent-minded professor when she gets an idea in her head." Alex laughed.
"Thank you, Alex, for everything." Lena smiled, then walked to Kara's exit and whispering Tempest, she felt her armor form around her and launched into the tube.
No sooner did she get out of the tube then the trouble alert went off in her ear. She scanned the immediate area and saw an alert from DEO agents being attacked on the northside of town. "Let's go, Harley," Lena said through clenched teeth, as she shot towards the danger. "DEO, Tempest is inbound, advise on your situation."
"Tempest, thank God, this is Alpha unit, we are pinned down, repeat we are pinned down in an alley, 200 yards from the intersection of 3rd and Avenue A. There is a twelve-man CADMUS team assaulting an alien bar, they have us pinned between the alley exit and the door of the bar," Lena heard through her coms.
"Any Meta's?" Lena asked, hoping for a negative.
"Affirmative, one Meta. Supergirl calls him Slag. He throws plasma, but our shields are holding him back, but we can't get a clean shot." The communications person responded, "Backup can't get here for fifteen minutes Tempest, accident blocking route."
"I'm on my way, be there in five," Lena yelled through the coms. She shot straight up, adjusting her trajectory. "Harley, contact Kara."
"Affirmative, contacting Kara," Harley responded.
"Hey Lee, everything okay?" Kara answered through her coms.
"Alpha team is cornered, CADMUS team and a Meta you call Slag?" Lena filled her girlfriend in as she reached the apex of her climb.
"Glass jaw, recharges in 10-15 seconds, shields should hold up without a problem, your armor is heat resistant," Kara recited.
"Thank you, darling," Lena smiled. "Harley adjusts power for close combat, we want to land behind the CADMUS units. Adjust power to shield."
"Be careful Lee," Kara huffed, missing the action again, then she sneezed.
"Bless you," Lee smiled behind her mask.
Two minutes later, Tempest landed in the Alleyway. Slag turned and saw the heroine walking towards him and through two plasmas bolts at her, only to watch them sizzle against her shield and fall to the ground.
"Oh shit!" The huge Meta gasped.
Behind her mask, Lena smiled. The big guy approached her and Lee spoke over her coms, "okay guys, I've got the big one, you take out the shooters." She got two clicks from the members of the Alpha team and turned her complete attention to Slag.
The big Meta lumbered towards Lena and took a quick swing. Lena ducked and took a quick step back, then shot forward with a punch that Slag blocked easily.
"You're not the fighter she is Tempest," Slag smiled. "Your punches are sloppy."
Lena gritted her teeth, "Harley increase speed by a factor of three please."
Lena led with a left, then followed with a right, both of which were easily blocked. "Dammit," she swore into her mask.
Suddenly Slag was all over her and all she could do was block, luckily she had Harley to help with that. Lena was realizing that while she was okay against human targets, she was definitely outclassed when it came to fighting Metas, especially ones with fighting experience.
Then she found herself wrapped in Slag's arms, and he was squeezing. Her proximity alarms were going nuts, but her armor was holding up fine. She heard Slag whisper, "Mr. Luthor says hello Tempest, says you should watch your friend really close."
Lena panicked a bit, then remembered Kara was at their apartment, safe. Then she reacted completely by instinct and lifted her knee into Slag's crotch. She watched as his mouth and eyes opened wide and his grip relaxed. She shot back out of his grasp, and then, adjusting her speed by a factor of five punched him in the jaw. Slag stood and stared at her for a moment, then his eyes rolled back and his body collapsed into a heap on the ground in front of her.
The Alpha team had taken down all but two of the CADMUS shooters and Lena placed a stun bolt into the back of each, dropping them. The team leader approached, "Thanks, Tempest."
"Do you record all incidents?" Lena asked, "I'm sorry, you're welcome, he said something, I know I got it, but I'm curious if you recorded it as well."
"We didn't get a clear voice recording of your encounter, Tempest," the team leader admitted.
Behind her mask, Lena breathed a sigh of relief, at least they didn't hear the threat to Kara.
"We will take care of the incident reports, thanks again for the backup Tempest," the Team l leaders said one more time.
"Thanks, I'll be around if you need me," Lena reminded the man, smiling at her mask.
Lena launched into the sky once again, "Harley conference Lucy, Alex and Sara please."
"Dialing," Harley responded.
All three women responded, "Lex is trying to use Kara to lure me out."
"He can't get to her at home Lena," Alex reminded her.
"We aren't going to let him have either of you Lena," Lucy smiled into the phone. She was beginning to understand why Kara always saw the best in Lena.
Sara spoke next, "We are all close to her Lee, he has to go through all of us to get her."
"That's what I'm worried about," Lena whispered.
"Lee, we are a team, a family, don't do anything without letting us know, okay," Sara pleaded.
"As soon as we find him, we will deal with him as a group," Lucy promised.
"Okay," Lena sighed, as she sped to her and Kara's apartment.
Across town at L Corp, Jess and Winn were installing software into the servers, well Winn was, Jess was keeping track of where each one was installed and what is tracked.
"So explain this to me again," Jess pondered.
"Okay, so this one, it tracks false signals, so if he is sending the emails through multiple servers, we can figure out which one it originated at," Winn explained. "This one, it reads the message, makes sure the same person is typing each one, although knowing Lex, he probably has a robot doing it for him."
"So all this is to help Lena?" Jess questioned.
"Yeah, she is really important to Kara, so she is really important to all of us," Winn smiled.
"And Kara's important because she's Supergirl?" Jess smiled.
"What? No, Kara's important because she is like the heart of our family." Winn smiled back. "She's the center of our little group of friends."
"So sweet. I'm glad Lena is part of the group now, she needs it," Jess nodded. "What's next?"
"Last program, then we are done." Winn started typing, as Jess leaned over his shoulder. The smell of her perfume overwhelmed his nostrils and he inhaled, closing his eyes. When they opened he found himself staring at her profile, and he wondered aloud. "Jess, we umm, so like every other Friday, umm, maybe, if you want, I mean you don't have to say yes."
Jess looked at Winn confused, "Are you inviting me to game night at Kara's?"
Winn blushed, "Well yes, you-well you are part of the umm, the family too, aren't you?"
Jess smiled softly, "Kara said the same thing. I love to come. Thank you, Winn."
"Would you like to go to-maybe-umm get something for dinner." Winn paused, then blurted out, "with me, I mean?"
"That would be nice," Jess responded, blushing a bit herself. "Now shouldn't we finish this last program?"
"What? Oh, that." Winn smiled, "yes we should."
Lena finally arrived home after stopping two muggings and a fire. She landed in the second bedroom and whispered "Tempest" to herself. Her armor slowly returned to its bracelets as she entered the living room. Kara was nowhere to be found. "Kara!" Lena yelled. She turned back towards the other bedroom and saw her super curled up under the quilt on their bed, fast asleep.
Lena moved closer and sat on the edge of the bed, "Hey darling." She smiled as the adorable blonde uncurled herself from the blankets and stared up at her with her amazing blue eyes.
"Hey, Lee. Sorry I was was so excited when I woke up, and I thought you would be here earlier, and I pulled out the stuff for supper, and I got cold…" Lena's lips pressed against hers and Kara sighed.
"Go back to sleep, sweetheart." Lena smiled, "I'll be right back." Lena dashed into the bathroom, changing into one of Kara's t-shirts. Coming back into the room, she hopped into bed beside Kara and felt her super curl up into her arms.
"Alex and Sara will be here around seven, Lee," Kara said, her voice heavy with sleep.
"Harley will wake us up honey," Lena smiled, "How about I join you for a little while?"
"Cuddle buddies," Kara smiled. Then she closed her eyes and relaxed into Lena's arms.
Lena shook with silent laughter as she relaxed against Kara then kissed the back of her head, "Cuddle buddies, darling."
