Hey, everyone. I hope you had a good holiday season, despite the circumstances. Sorry I took a while, but since this was the last chapter, I didn't want to rush it. And here ends this story.

Good reading.

Chapter 16

Earth – 38; National City

All of our heroes were now back at the DEO. Eobard Thawne was missing. Probably Returned to Earth – 1. Agent Burke had been arrested and would stand trial for complicity with a wanted fugitive. And Lex Luthor was dead then. Killed by his sister Lena. Even though Supergirl knew Lex's death was going to be hushed up. On the one hand, Kara felt relieved at the death of her enemy, (he was no longer a threat to her, to her friends and to her family), but she felt sad to see her friend Lena so hateful towards her. Her best friend regarded her as her enemy, and she didn't know how to fix things.

At the DEO, Barry hugged Iris, relieved to have been able to rescue her.

"Lex is dead," he told her. "We're going to be able to go home and cry Nora."

"Team Flash is still here," Iris replied. "And Nora will always be a part of it, regardless of the timeline."

"We will never forget her!"

Then Kara came to see them.

"Barry, Iris, I'm so sorry for what Lex did to you. I wasn't able to stop him from changing reality."

But the speedster remained sympathetic.

"Kara, we all suffered Lex Luthor's madness. You are in no way responsible for what happened," he told her gently. "I know it will take time for me to forget what we were in this crazy reality, but I'm with my family and friends… they give me strength! And you, you have found your sister and your friends… This is the most important!"

"Barry's right," said a voice behind them.

Oliver had just appeared towards them. He too was compassionate.

"Kara, you're not responsible for what Lex did. The Time Trapper found him without you knowing. You could never have stopped that from happening! The most important thing is that we got our lives back! We are masters of our destinies, and not under the sway of a bald madman. I know who I am, just like you, you are Supergirl, just like Barry is the Flash. And I stand by what I said, you are better than Lex Luthor."

"I'm not sure someone agrees with you," Supergirl sighed.

"Why do you say that?"Oliver said in confusion, before he understood what Kara was talking about. "You mean Lena? From what you've told us, she's your friend."

"Was my friend," the Girl of Steel corrected sullenly. "While we were the puppets of this crazy President, Lex had locked Lena in her lab, and he told her all about me. She knows that I am Supergirl, and… she takes it the wrong way… Several times in her life, she has been betrayed by a lot of people. Unscrupulous people who abused her, plus her brother and her mother. And now she puts me in the same category as these people! For her, I am a traitor! I understand she hates me! I had several opportunities to reveal my secret to her, and I didn't. I was the first to stand up for her, to show others that she had nothing to do with her brother. And now she will always see me as an enemy. So how am I different from Lex?"

Oliver nodded, understanding Kara's problem, then ended up responding:

"I've had enough friends who betray me to understand that trust can be hard. I understand Lena. I myself have been betrayed several times. I've discovered things that I wish I had never known, and in those moments we feel vulnerable. She may blame you, but that doesn't change the fact that you're better than Lex Luthor. He and his mother abused Lena for selfish reasons. You lied to her because you wanted to protect her. See what happened. Lex was going after your sister, because you're Supergirl. Alex almost died because Lex wanted to get to you, because he knew she was your sister. Don't you think that justified your decision to hide the truth from Lena? Imagine it was her instead of Alex who ended up in this water tank. Your secret is what helps protect those you love. The less people know about Supergirl, the better."

The Girl of Steel smiles.

"Funny, my sister told me the exact same thing after I became Supergirl."

"She was right," Oliver replied. "There is nothing selfish about wanting to protect the people who are close to us, Kara, it's human. And I know you're more human than Lex Luthor. He wasn't a Kryptonian, but he wasn't human either. And his actions have proven it. Lena may be in pain right now, but you have to believe that she will eventually understand and forgive you. Because if you give her up, you'll lose her forever. And one day, the two of you will find yourself on opposite sides. I lost a friend before he found his way but it cost me my mother. Don't make the same mistake I did."

Supergirl sighed and then nodded, knowing her friend was right.

"I get that. But even if Lena forgives me, I don't know if I could forgive myself. I know I… that we weren't ourselves when we were the puppets of this sick snake. And on top of that, the lies to Lena after what happened to her."

"Kara, the true question is, do you trust Lena Luthor?" said the archer softly. "Do you think she's better than Lex?"

On this point, Kara looked at her friend with determination. For her, there was no doubt.

"I know she's not Lex, nor her mother. I am sure of that."

"Then Lena will come back to you, I'm sure of that," Oliver assured her. "Give her some time."

But Supergirl didn't seem convinced.

"I hope you're right, Oliver."

Soon after, Team Flash said goodbye to Team Supergirl. Dreamer, Brainy, Jimmy, Alex and J'onn thanked them for the help they had given to their Earth.

"I'm relieved that our world is back to how it was," Dreamer said, beaming.

"So relieved that all this mess is finally over," Caitlin said.

"And let reality be intact, with the timeline," Cisco added.

"I really can't believe everything that's happened," Ralph exclaimed, stunned. "Reality rewrite, time travel… I think I've seen enough quirks for a lifetime!"

"I'm used to dealing with ruthless aliens," Alex added. "But with Lex Luthor… what he did, what he did to us… If Lena hadn't done anything…"

She was slowly recovering from her attempt to drown Lex. Being trapped in the water, being forced to watch her sister succumb to Lex Luthor, without her being able to act… She had thought she was going to die and lose her sister. She was grateful to Oliver and his Team for intervening in time.

"I cannot wait to return to our Earth," retorted Iris.

Supergirl and Flash joined them, looking confused.

"Why does it always have to be a disaster every time we see each other?" Supergirl pointed out.

"We need to change that. We need to meet more regularly, for fun, not because a world is in danger," Barry suggested.

"That's what we'll do," Kara promised, nodding. "Maybe we could go out and have a Big Belly Burgers."

"Sounds great," agreed the speedster young man.

"We'll do that. We'll do that!

Then the hero of Central City turned to the Green Martian.

"I would always be grateful if you gave us our memories back when Lex got hold of us," he said, shaking her hand. "Kara is very likely to have a friend like you."

"You are still a hero, Barry," J'onn replied with a smile. "Don't let Lex Luthor take that away from you! You have found your lives as they were, and thanks to Sara, you will find your life on Earth – 1!"

"We're ready to go," Cisco said as he opened an interdimensional breach that would lead them to their Earth.

"Oliver, are you coming with us?" Barry said to his archer friend.

But he shook his head.

"Not yet, I still have something to do on this Earth before returning to Star City."

"What?" asked curious Supergirl.

"Just a little business to settle, it won't be long!" Oliver replied hastily. "You'll find out in due time. Goodbye, Barry. Take care of yourself, and don't forget what I told you about Nora and everything in between. Losing people you love makes you realize how important the people who are still with you are. Sometimes that can make you close in on yourself for fear of losing them. But if you appreciate what you have, they can make you even stronger."

"I'll remember that," Flash agreed. "Thanks, for keeping me from making a mistake."

"You are a hero, Flash," Green Arrow replied with a smile. "Lex Luthor failed to destroy that part of your humanity that makes you the protector of your city. Always be yourself!"

"I promise you, Oliver," Barry assured him, then dodged a smile. "Do you think… that I can hug you?"

"No," Oliver replied, shaking his head. "No way."

Supergirl chuckled in amusement.

"Boys, I like you! I'm very glad that we have found our reality and that we have rescued our loved ones!"

Earth – 1; Central City

Team Flash arrived at Star Labs premises. They looked around, noticing that their lab appeared to be normal again. Then, Joe West, his wife Cecile and Sherloque Wells came to see them. Joe was relieved at the sight of them.

"Finally, you came back!"

Iris came to take her father in her arm.

"Dad, do you remember Barry Allen and The Flash?" she asked him, dreading his reaction.

"Yeah, of course I did," he answered confused. "Why?"

Iris was relieved. The last time she had seen her father, he had no memory of Barry Allen and The Flash. So their reality had been restored to Earth – 1. So Sara had put things back in order when she used the Book of Destinies.

"Where have you been?" Cecile exclaimed. "You disappeared for two days… like that without leaving a trace."

"Even I, the great detective, had no clue to find you," Sherloque added with a cup of coffee.

"If you know what happened to us in the last few days…" Cisco stammered, shocked.

"A crazy story!" Caitlin added.

"We were in Supergirl's Earth," Barry replied to Joe. "And we had to confront Thawne with a bald psychopath who used me as a slave."

And Flash and his team told their loved ones about the events of the past few days. Lex Luthor who rewrote reality with the Book of Fates, who made Flash, Supergirl, and Green Arrow his puppets, the fight to save reality, and then they recounted how Lex had Iris, Felicity and Alex kidnapped with help by Thawne.

Joe, Cecile and Sherloque were stunned.

"My God!"the policeman exclaimed, mortified. "So some bald, nutty guy changed reality, made Barry a psychopathic slave, and nearly had my daughter killed? (Then he grumbled in rage.) Whoever Lex Luthor is, I hope he burns in Hell where he is!"

"I hope we won't have a change of reality yet," replied Ralph, still stunned by recent events.

"That's what it is to be in Team Flash," Cisco told him.

"I never thought the threats from another parallel Earth could be so dangerous," Barry added. "Right after losing Nora."

He thought again about the disappearance of his daughter from the future. He was relieved that she hadn't been there to see her father in Lex Luthor's clutches. Iris took her hand gently, while Joe put a fatherly hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Barry. You have to believe that we'll see her again!"

The young speedster recalled his daughter's vision of the future in Speed Force. He hoped that this vision would come true. He would have to remember it to tell it to his daughter so that she would give the message to her time double.

"I hope you're right, Joe!"

"We'll see her again, Barry," Iris replied. "We will!"

Earth – 38; National City

Night had fallen in the city.

In her office at L-Corp, Lena Luthor was drinking a glass of alcohol while pondering what had happened. She had killed Lex, and she didn't mind. After what her brother had done to her, he had to disappear. He had betrayed her so many times that she had stopped seeing him as her brother. She had killed him, but her plan had not gone the way she wanted it to. She had hoped to save Alex Danvers and the two women before Supergirl and her allies arrived. But they were ahead of her. And now, Kara would still continue to treat her like Lex's sister. A villain. If Supergirl didn't trust her, then their friendship was forfeited.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she did not hear the arrows well placed behind her. Then a dark figure came to rest on his balcony. Despite her drunkenness, Lena had brandished a gun. She whirled around, but before she could make a move, she heard a hiss, then her gun was snatched from her hand at full speed. Either Lena had drunk too much or thought she saw an arrow.

Looking up, she found Oliver Queen in archer's outfit, who had just shot an arrow to disarm her. The archer came slowly towards her, his gaze was serene.

"Lena Luthor," he said calmly.

Stunned, Lena took a few steps back, staring at the intruder with wide eyes.

"I know who you are! You are the archer who was with Supergirl! What do you want from me?"

Oliver lowered his bow, and raised his arms as he walked slowly towards her.

"I intend you no harm, Lena! I didn't come to threaten you. I only came to see you say what I have to say, after that I'm going!"

Lena couldn't believe her ears, and immediately thought of a joke.

"And what do you and I want us to talk about? From my brother Lex? I killed him. He was going to kill Kara, but you know that! I did what I had to do!"

"I didn't come to talk about your brother, it's about Kara," Oliver replied, still in a calm voice. "I know you were close! I know you are aware of his secret! Your brother told you all about her! And it looks like you are pushing her away!"

Lena couldn't believe her ears. Did this man really come to tell her about Kara and her lies? She couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Are you kidding me?! Did Kara send you to plead her case? Why you and not her? Is she too scared that I'm hiding kryptonite in my office? That wouldn't be surprising, since she never…"

"Kara doesn't know I'm here," Oliver interrupted, ignoring the young woman's giggles. "I came here of my own free will. You're angry with Kara, and I understand you. Much better than you think."

Lena stopped laughing and looked confused. She didn't expect this!

"I know we don't know each other," Oliver continued. "But you and I have something in common. The betrayal. I know what it's like to feel betrayed. I let my family and friends hurt me because sometimes I couldn't see the truth. For years, I discovered family secrets that broke me, and even recently I discovered a new one. And each time, it hurts. It hurts to see our friends betray us. We feel vulnerable and mortified. I know what your family put you through. But Kara is neither your mother nor your brother."

Lena recovered her angry mood.

"She lied to me anyway…"

"Not for the same reasons that betrayed you," Oliver said, as if he hadn't been interrupted. "Lex and your mother abused you, used you to achieve their ends. Kara never told you that she was Supergirl, not to ridicule you or to make fun of you, but to protect you. Protect yourself from her enemies. Lex kidnapped Alex Danvers, and he tried to drown her in a water tank, because she is Supergirl's sister. Don't you think that justified Kara's decision to hide the truth from you?"

"What do you think that not knowing wouldn't have put me in more danger?" Lena argued.

"That's not how Kara sees it," Oliver replied. "She never saw you as an enemy. She told me you were different from Lex, and she still believes it right now. I don't think the problem is that Kara lied to you. I think you got mad at yourself for putting yourself in a position where you can be lied to."

"When I arrived in this city, Kara was literally the only friend I had. And I opened up to her all the time, but it clearly wasn't," Lena pointed out, still furious. "Why would she keep lying to me again?"

"I don't know, and you should ask her," Oliver said, shrugging his shoulders. "Because she had a very good reason to keep the truth from you. Kara sees the good that is in you, Lena. And despite the fact that I don't know you, I want to believe that you aren't Lex. Don't become like him!"

"How?"

"Don't reject Kara. Don't turn your back on your friends. If you do that, you will remain miserable all your life, and you'll find yourself on a dark path, the same that your brother took. Do you really want to end up like him? I'm sure that's not what you want. Kara still considers you her friend, so don't disappoint her! She always stood up for you when everyone was against you, so show her she was right to stand up for you. You are better than this anger, I'm sure of that."

Oliver hadn't planned this visit to Lena Luthor, but given Kara's anxieties, and knowing that she was one of her entourage, it was necessary. She had murdered her own brother, for whatever reasons. Murder could change someone into something else, and the archer was in a good position to know that. With this anger buried within her, Lena was able to become dangerous to herself and to others. He wanted to make sure that she wasn't a threat to Kara, and that she wouldn't take a toll on others, including him and Barry. Lex had taken it out on him and Flash, since they were allies of Supergirl. He had to make sure that he did not receive any further threats from a member of the Luthor family.

He left the balcony, disappearing like a ghost, in front of Lena who froze in place, while pondering what the archer had revealed to her.

Oliver had finally returned to the DEO. He found his team there.

"Oliver, where have you been?"asked Diggle.

"I wanted to make sure there were no more threats," the archer replied simply. "That we don't have a new psychopath who has the idea of going after us by changing reality."

"I shouldn't be saying that, but no one will miss Lex Luthor," Rene replied.

"I won't miss him," Felicity replied, with bitter memories of her kidnapping and her experience as a captive.

"We can go home," Dinah added.

Then Team Supergirl came to greet them one last time. Alex had taken the archer in her arms, he had not tried to avoid her.

"Thank you for saving my sister and saving my life from this water tank," she told him gratefully.

"I'm sorry I tried to kill you, even though I wasn't myself," Oliver told her, recalling threatening elder Danvers when he was under President Luthor's orders.

"All right, It's forgotten, and it wasn't you! Just like Kara!" Alex assured him.

The archer greeted the director of the DEO and turned to Dreamer greeting her in turn.

"Sorry for trying to kill you," he told her gently.

But Nia remained natural.

"It wasn't you, and what matters is that Kara, Barry and you are no longer the dummies of a mad President."

"You have potential, Dreamer. You are a hero. Something tells me you'll go far. Supergirl is lucky to have an ally like you."

"Thank you, and it was a pleasure to have fought by your side, Green Arrow," answered the young woman with a smile.

He greeted J'onn, then turned to Kara.

"I know you still feel guilty about what happened in this crazy reality, but it's behind us now. It's you who controls your destiny, and not a hairless fool. Whatever happened, you are still Supergirl, the one who gives hope to others, and who will inspire those who will made the Legion in the future. Keep that in mind."

Kara nodded, smiling.

"Thanks Oliver. You don't see yourself as a hero, but to me you are one. You are a hero, Oliver, whether you like it or not. And sometimes I think to myself that my Earth would need an Oliver Queen or a Green Arrow. You are a good person. Keep that in mind."

"Thanks Kara."

Then the archer and his team left Earth – 38 to join Star City of their world.

"You really have great allies, Kara," Nia told her with admiration.

"Thanks Nia."

A moment passed. Supergirl observed her city from the DEO balcony. J'onn was gone, and she didn't know where. Her sister came to see her. Alex worried about Kara's mental state. The reality of what already had and what could have happened to Kara pierced Alex's being with excruciating horror. Lex Luthor was a crazy snake, but from there to transforming reality and making her sister his puppet…

It was a question of power. It was always a question of power. And he wanted to use Kara – her innocent, gentle, peaceful and compassionate Kara – as a means to achieve his perverted desire.

Horrific scenarios took hold of her mind, Kara becoming the personal puppet of a mad President, deprived of all autonomy, forced to do things she didn't want to do, only seen and treated as an object… and forcing her to kill people…

Alex couldn't imagine a worse hell in existence to subject someone to.

And then there was the kidnapping and the attempted murder. She had been locked in a water tank again. As she struggled to try to stay alive, she saw Lex go after her sister violently, attacking her with kryptonite. Alex would have given anything to be able to kill Lex to save Kara. Her sister was mortally wounded, and there was nothing she could do to rescue her. She thanked Team Arrow for saving Kara from certain death.

"How are you? And don't tell me that you're okay. After what happened, maybe you want to talk about that?"

"What should I talk about?"Kara asked. "The fact that Lex transformed our Earth and made me his puppet, or the fact that he kidnapped you and almost killed you?"

"Both," Alex replied.

"Alex, I thought I was going to lose you. And even, I almost killed you when I was the slave of this nut. I still remember this. I remember the lives I took. I also remember seeing Lex as a mentor as he used me. It will take time for me to forget what happened."

Finally, J'onn appeared near the Danvers sisters.

"J'onn where have you been?"Alex asked.

"I had gone to find someone to help Kara," answered the Martian.

He stepped aside, and the figure of Alura, Kryptonian mother of Kara, appeared. She walked over to the two sisters.

"Mom? What are you doing here?"exclaimed the Girl of Steel, taking her mother in her arms.

"Where else should I be?" Alura said, grasping her daughter's hand firmly. "J'onn told me what happened to you, and he thought like me, that I had to come and see how you were doing."

"I missed you." Kara said as she hugged her mother.

When Alura released Kara, she came to see Alex and hugged her in turn.

"It's good to see you again." she greeted.

"You too," Alex replied, delighted that Kara's biological mother came to comfort her sister. "I will let you. The two of you must have things to say to each other."

Kara, excited to talk to her mother, gave J'onn a warm smile, thanking him with a look.

Mother and daughter were chatting on the balcony. Kara had told her everything that had happened to her over the past few days. Her mother was stunned.

"It's insane!" she declared. "Once I lost you, and I pray to Rao that it doesn't happen again."

"Me too," Kara replied, nodding her head. "And I hope not to lose Alex again, as was the case today. She was drowning and I was unable to help her. I was there watching her die without being able to act."

"Your father and I thought that by sending you to a planet where you had powers, you would be safe. We never considered that you would become a target for criminals," Alura replied with concern and guilt in her voice.

"People fear what they cannot understand," her daughter replied. "But as for Lex, it's different. He was a crazy psychopath."

"Crazy is an understatement," Alura agreed in shock. "Rewrite reality, make you a tyrant… A slave without any free will… And impose a tyranny on Earth… Rao, how can someone like him come after you? You are a good person!"

"It's a long story with Kal-El," Kara replied. "I think it was easier for Lex to pick on me. But it's over, he's dead. But that doesn't erase what he did to me. And what he almost did to Alex!"

"Fortunately you have succeeded in restoring reality," said Alura. "And you and your sister survived thanks to your friends from another Earth. But you don't have to pretend you're okay. I know we've spent years being apart from each other, but you're still as easy to read as when you were a kid."

"It's just that I can't forget what Lex made me do," Kara said with tears in her eyes. "Forcing myself to kill people and I liked that… it's not me, Mom, it's not who I am… I'm not like that…"

Alura hugged her daughter by the shoulders.

"I know very well who you are, Kara. Even though I haven't seen you grow up, I know the Kara I know is not a murderer, nor a bloodthirsty and power-hungry tyrant. You are the person who inspires the hope that our family represents."

"I just need time," her daughter replied. "But I don't know how long it's going to take me."

"Be patient, I'm sure you'll find your way back," Alura reassured her. "If your Earth – 1's friends can, so can you."

"How do you know?" Kara asked.

"Because you are strong, and you have the pure heart of a hero who fights for justice. You are better than Lex Luthor."

A little later, Kara, after having spent good comforting moments with her mother, had come to join her sister Alex. Immediately, she hastened to ask her the question:

"So when are you leaving for Argo?"

"I never said I was leaving for Argo," Kara replied.

"But you want to go with your mom," explained her sister. "With what happened, I thought you might want to spend some time with your family."

"Alex, you are my family," Kara corrected. "And it's with you that I want to spend time. I thought I was living with two brothers, when it was just a masquerade. I know who you are, Alex. Although I'm glad my mom came to see me, I want to stay with you. Because you are my sister. I'm not going to pretend I'm okay mentally. Yeah, I'm still shocked by what Lex did to us. I need to take back my life, the one I had before Lex took it from me by creating his twisted reality. And for that, I need you. Because you give me the strength to fight against whatever will come after."

Alex took her sister's hands.

"You got me, Kara! And no matter what reality we are in, you will always be my sister! And I know you are strong enough to overcome it all! Because you are Supergirl and you won't let Lex Luthor destroy that part that makes you a super-hero."

Kara was relieved and grateful. She didn't know if Lena would be able to forgive her, nevertheless, she was sure that she could always count on the presence of her sister who would support her no matter what.

A few days later…

Quietly in her apartment, Kara was recovering from her experience of Lex Luthor's treatment. And there was a consolation. Her article denouncing Lex's actions against the government had been published and even won her the Pulitzer Prize. The Girl of Steel was happy about this. She had lived in a world where people viewed Lex Luthor as President, and in real world he would always remain a lunatic psychopath. At least it was a victory she could savor.

Since her mother's visit, she had rediscovered her joy of living. People were always happy to see Supergirl come to their aid. She only intervened when things became too dangerous for law enforcement or firefighters to intervene. Ben Lockwood was in jail, and his son encourage people listen to alien refugees. She no longer had to fear anti-alien attacks.

Until then everything pleased her.

Then a knock on the door brought her back to reality. Also wrapped up in thought, Kara didn't even think about X-raying her door to see her visitor, but just walked over and opened the door.

Much to her surprise, Kara found Lena Luthor nervous outside the entrance to her apartment. She hadn't seen her old friend since Lex died.

"Lena?"she exclaimed in shock.

"Hey Kara," Lena replied with a nervous smile.

The last time she had seen her, Lex's sister was filled with fury towards her. And at that moment, it was no longer anger. Only anxiety. As if she feared something.

Taking a step to the side, Kara motioned for her to enter, closing the door behind her. As the Kryptonian turned, the two women found themselves face to face, each looking as nervous as the other, not entirely sure what to say first.

"We… we… we need to talk about you and me," Lena said softly in an implying tone that wasn't a suggestion.

Nodding, Kara pulled up a chair, then looked up at her friend.

"Sit down," she told her softly.

Immediately, the two women took their places and looked at each other, then Lena decided to speak:

"I'm sorry, Kara!"

The Girl of Steel couldn't help but be amazed. She did not expect this. For a moment, she wondered if Lena had been drinking again, but was forced to find that she seemed sane.

Lena then continued:

"Kara, when I was angry with you and completely drunk, I accused you of manipulating me and pretending to be my friend. And I even thought you saw me as a villain, that you saw me as Lex. But… the truth is, you were the best friend I've ever had. What I told you was unjustified and wrong. Your sister was threatened with death, and I pushed you away when I should have been by your side to help you. Instead, I went it alone. I was wrong. I can understand why you never wanted me to tell me who you were. I know you never meant to hurt or ridicule me. You didn't want to tell me who you really were so that I didn't suffer."

Kara took a moment to recover from her shock, and spoke in turn.

"I'm sorry, too. I know what you think of people who lie to you and I should have been honest with you much sooner. I shouldn't have been hiding my identity for so long. I needed to know if I could trust you. Hope you understand it had nothing to do with your last name."

"I know that, Kara, really," Lena admitted, nodding. "I thought of you as my friend, and you know it's true. Finding out that you were Supergirl while I was locked in my own lab in a reality where my brother was President, it hurt me! But I know you kept your secret from me for good reasons. I was betrayed by my own family, and then there was Eve… But know that you are not one of those people! It's just that I wish you trusted me sooner."

"I did," Kara admitted. "I've been trusting you ever since you stopped your mother from eliminating all the aliens who carried this virus."

"So why didn't you tell me?" Lena asked surprised.

"Because I was afraid. You hated liars and with each passing day it got easier to justify hiding the truth from yourself rather than taking an opportunity and telling you everything." Kara replied, admitting that she had let her guard down completely.

Lena smiled and nodded.

"I can forgive that. Kara, let's just promise that from now on we'll always be honest with you and me."

"Speaking of honesty, would you have received a visit from an archer from another Earth a few days ago?"Kara asked.

Lena smiles sincerely.

"Yeah, he came to see me and helped me open my eyes."

"That makes a lot of sense," replied the Girl of Steel with a smile.

"He is a really good man, your friend from another Earth," said Lena, nodding her head.

"Yes, he is!"

"By the way, congratulations on your Pulitzer Prize, Kara," Lena said sincerely. "You have something to be proud of! Now that my brother is no longer of this world, what do we do?"

"We're making a new start, you and I," Kara said. "I'm slowly recovering from what Lex did to me."

"I wouldn't let my brother destroy what makes you a Supergirl," Lena warned. "You are important to the world. Supergirl is important to the world. Let's keep it that way!"

Kara then extended her hand.

"So… welcome to the circle of trust."

Lena smiled and came over to shake his hand, accepting his offer. She now knew who Kara was. And that she had always been her best friend. From now on, there would never be any more secrets between the two women, and could help each other.

Epilogue

In the old L-Corp factory, now derelict, lay the lifeless body of Lex Luthor. Then a figure emerged from nowhere. That of Mar Novu, the Monitor. The cosmic being approached Lex's inert body, and looked at him for a long time.

"Lex Luthor, your time is not over yet. Not when the Crisis is on the horizon."

And he used his powers to bring Lex Luthor back from the dead. He had his role to play in the Crisis. And he knew what would become of him.

END

And so this story ends. I hope you enjoyed reading it that I had to write it! I'm sad to end it like this, I hope you liked it. I had a period where I had lost the strength and motivation to write, but I really wanted to complete this story that was close to my heart.

As promised, I didn't want Lena to take the path she took in season 5. And I wanted Oliver to be able to see her, knowing that he knows betrayal very well, for being betrayed multiple times in her life. He could understand Lena and make her realize that she didn't have to hate Kara for keeping the truth about her from her.

Either way, I'm still planning on doing other Supergirl / Arrow stories. I'm still not recovering that Arrow is over, and knowing that the next season of Supergirl will be the last, it motivates me to make more stories about them. I know everything comes to an end, but I feel miserable that Supergirl is going to end anytime soon. I can't wait to discover it.

While I love Jon Cryer's performance as Lex Luthor, I find it hard to accept that he survived the Crisis when Oliver couldn't make it! Screw Mar Novu!

While waiting for a new story, take care of yourself and see you soon for a new story.