Without Me
Something Found, Something Missing.
Mister Mxyzptlk sighed as he settled in to watch what his handiwork had reaped. The council was now off his back but he felt himself a failure because the one person he wanted to be happy was now alone, without the people she called her friends and family and was so convinced of her the lack of her own worth that she minused herself out of her loved ones lives, certain that they would be better off.He didn't think that it was that simple.
What Supergirl in all her self flagellation, hadn't realized was that Aliens had been taking refuge on Earth well before she herself had arrived there, her own space dad in J'onn Jonzz should have been enough of an example for her. It was only when Supergirl revealed herself in National City that these Aliens felt safe enough to come out of the woodwork.
And as he looked into his new universe he saw something that made him smile. It turned out that while he might have been able to meddle, it might not be necessary because even though he had managed to take Kara out of their lives, it seemed like Kara had not been able to leave their hearts. What happened now was anybody's game.
Lena Luthor woke up to a very familiar sensation; the feeling of fulfillment and warmth. A particular warmth that belonged to her once girlfriend and now fiancé. Lena had never been one for cuddling, much less allowing a sexual companion to stay the night, but all that had changed once someone by the name of Alex Danvers had walked, or more appropriately sauntered sexily into her life.
Alex and Lena had met almost a year ago when she had been assigned as FBI security detail to her person when her life had been threatened by her own brother due to her changing the company's name and direction.
They had had a rocky start but by the time the threat on her life had been neutralized and Lena herself had ended up putting a bullet in her would be assassin John Corben's stomach while at the same time saving Alex's life, they were fast on their way to being friends.
The first time Alex had invited Lena out for a friendly drink, Lena had begged off; making a feeble excuse that Alex had immediately seen through but allowed, pllthe second time she had walked straight in to her office, ignoring her harried assistant chasing after her and demanded that she reject her invitation to her face. And Lena had not been able to.
Nothing overt happened that first week or the many weeks following, Alex's intentions for asking Lena out hadn't been amorous at all, in fact she had been crushing hard on a latina cop she was working with and most of those first weeks Lena spent more or less being Alex's wing-woman encouraging a very skittish Alex Danvers to take the leap and ask Maggie out before she became unavailable again since she had just recently broken it off with one of the bar maids down at Al's bar.
No Alex had not been fishing for a hook up when she basically ordered Lena out, instead she just wanted her company and had observed, in the few days as her head of security, that she rarely took time for herself.
Things with Maggie had not gone well since Maggie was very hurt by her recent break up and felt guilty for using Alex as her rebound. In the mean time Alex and Lena had become best friends as Lena basically starting consulting for the DEO on almost every Alien case they came across.
There were few things common between the two women but the one thing that they did bond over was a sense of emptiness in their hearts that had been there ever since they both could remember. It went to the point that sometimes the only way they could feel a semblance of fulfillment was when they were close to each other.
There was no explanation for this phenomenon that either woman had for the other, both women were staunch women of science and no scientific breakthrough ever accounted for empty feelings in the heart or how someone else's presence soothed said feelings.
It all came to a head the day that Alex was kidnapped. She almost lost Alex that day, she wept over her lifeless body while Maggie administered CPR until her heart began beating once again.
That night snuggled against each other under a blanket as they watched The Little Mermaid for the umpteenth time Lena confessed under the cover of darkness, near tears that she could no longer imagine life without the redhead, who in turn had admitted that her last thought as the water rose over her nose was of her.
The movie forgotten they had both turned to each other and let their instincts take over. What followed was weeks of domestic bliss where Alex and Lena barely left each other's sides because they truly felt bereft if they weren't in the same room together.
Then the Daxamite invasion happened and they were fighting for not just their city but the entire world. The Daxam prince, whose pod had landedaa in National City about the same time as Lena had moved there, had thought his entire planet and people gone and had decided that he liked the life he could lead on Earth. It took a while for Alex to convince him to go back with his parents and be with his people since the alternative meant a lot of death and destruction for the people of earth.
Unfortunately even when Mon-El agreed to go back to his people his mother Rhea turned out to be less honorable than her son, which was saying something, as she had ulterior motives regardless of how Earth responded to her threats.
Through Mon-El she had learned of Lena Luthor, a human who had worked wonders with Alien technology and someone who was truly worthy of being recognized as being just as capable as any Daxam scientist.
Rhea had used this information and more to manipulate Lena, pretending to be a caring maternal figure and befriending her, giving her the love and care that had never been present in her life growing up as an adopted child of the Luthors that the Luthor matriarch had never asked for.
She convinced Lena to work with her to build a transmatter portal that Lena thought could be used to better the world in innumerable ways but which in reality was being built to transport the massive armada of the Daxamites who were a people without a planet, and the Daxam Queen had decided to make Earth their new Daxam.
Rhea had also planned on taking Lena and forcing her to marry Mon-El in an effort to unite their two worlds and have them birth a child. Thankfully being the girlfriend of a badass DEO agent had its advantages and Lena was never without a concealed gun on her. While Rhea was going on and on about how she wsa going to bring about a Utopia Lena managed to get out a shot before she tried to knock Lena put and take her to her ship.
She only managed to graze Rhea because her aim was not that great at a distance, but because of the lead in the bullet the wound burned her like acid and she beamed herself off planet to save herself and declared war on Earth, angered by Lena's actions.
In the end Lena and Alex worked together with tech that her brother had been working on to release lead into the atmosphere so that the planet was uninhabitable to Daxamites, forcing Rhea and her ilk to flee but not before promising revenge.
That all had happened six months ago and once their lives got a little bit more manageable Alex and Lena truly began their journey together. It wasn't long after the invasion that Lena met Eliza Danvers, Alex's mother and things began to get serious between the two. Soon they began to stay over at each other's apartments longer and both their homes had evidence of the others presence somewhere, from pictures to clothing or books and shoes until eventually Lena put her foot down and told Alex to just move in to the penthouse. Which she did, two days later.
And just the night before, on the anniversary of their first meeting, Alex had gifted her a lovely private dinner, and gotten down on one knee and popped the question. To Lena it felt surprisingly right. She and Alex could be considered polar opposites, with her being closed off emotionally and always presenting a front, where Alex wore her emotions on her sleeve. Alex being very much athletic and into sports, where as Lena could get sunburnt on a rainy day if she wasn't careful. Lena being used to classy restaurants to Alex's preferences of greasy fast food joints. Alex's beer to Lena's wine. Lena's luxury cars to Alex's motorcycle. Alex's burger to Lena's salads.
Yes they were different from each other, but that only made every day of their journey a new experience, the first time Alex made Lena dip a french fry in her milkshake she had thought Alex had gone round the bend but the flavor was so surprisingly good that she went back for thirds. And of course Alex very much enjoyed getting to speed around in Lena's small but significant collection of sports cars.
Despite her misgivings Christmas with Eliza and Alex was a truly wonderful experience and Alex did eventually start to enjoy attending her galas, especially when she discovered the free alcohol and food that was available.
But even as Lena looked down at the beautiful ring Alex had given her, and even as content as she was this morning with Alex pressed against her back, arm across her stomach in a gentle, comforting grip. She still couldn't shake the idea that something was missing.
Lena had thought that with Alex she had finally solved the huge emptiness in her that she had shared with the redhead. The newness of the relationship, the first kisses and other firsts where they laughed and cried together. The first steps of their love, she had thought that she had been cured of this feeling of despair that seemed to envelope her at inopportune moments, like she was missing something or someone important.
But it was back. As everything with Alex became more and more routine, the empty feeling started kicking up again. And she hated herself for it. Here was Alex, giving her the world. Loving a Luthor when most wouldn't even spit in her direction and here she was pining for what she didn't even know, when the most amazing woman was ready to spend the rest of her life with her.
"Turn it off!" grunted Alex from behind her causing Lena to smile.
"The alarm isn't ringing, darling," she replied knowing what was coming next.
"Not alarm!" she replied reaching up the hand that was on her stomach to knock gently on her head. "Turn that big brain off, I can hear it all the way back here."
Lena couldn't help it, she laughed joyfully and she felt Alex's chest rumble behind her in laughter as well. God she loved this dork. That was the truth, she truly did love Alex, with all her heart. That wasn't the problem, this emptiness that she now felt was something that was wrong with her and while it was something that Alex and her had bonded over back when they became friends, she was sure that Alex didn't feel that emptiness anymore, this was Lena's damage and she would deal with it by herself.
Thinking back to days before Alex, Lena decided to book an appointment with her therapist. She hadn't been to see her since Alex came into her life, not that she was diligent in attendance before, but now her problems was encroaching on the one thing good in her life and she would die before she let her problems destroy her relationship with Alex.
As the window she was facing brightened Lena shifted to move, it was a big day today, and it would be even busier if she was going to have to squeeze in a therapist appointment as she was planning to.
Alex naturally protested her moving. "No," she grumbled and pulled her back to her chest.
"Al, darling I'm going to have to go get ready for work, I'm welcoming my replacement who's going to be taking over my responsibilities as CEO while I focus on CatCo."
"I don't even know why you bought that rag anyway?" she replied not letting go, her breath tickled Lena's ear as she spoke. "Even Cat Grant washed her hands off of it and she was the one who created it."
Lena huffed in mild annoyance at Alex's words. "I just... Edge was buying it, I sort of felt like giving someone like Edge the ability to sway public perception through something as global and influential as CatCo magazine would be a failure on my part if I had the ability to prevent it from happening."
This was all legitimate reasons for buying the company's majority shares sure, but these were reasons Lena came up with later to defend her decision to members of the board, Alex and even herself. Truth was she didn't even know initially why she was so dead set against Edge acquiring CatCo. She hadn't given the publication company a second glance in the years that it existed, truly that magazine was responsible for a lot of slander that she endured on a daily bases back when Lex showed his true colors. But when she saw on the TV Morgan Edge and his smarmy face declaring that he was going to buy out CatCo she just couldn't stay still. She called up her lawyer and accounts department and the deal had been made before she even knew what she was doing.
And today she had to deal with the consequences of her actions. Since she couldn't feasibly run two companies at once she had decided to move her CEOing to CatCo and put someone else in charge of L-Corp, while she decided to keep a closer eye on her investment.
As Alex leaned in to kiss the nape of her neck, Lena made to squirm out of her reach, definitely aware that if she gave in to Alex now, she would regret it later when she was late for work.
"Darling, I really have to go!" she insisted. "Sam's is coming straight from dropping Ruby off to school and I need to meet her early on to reassure her that choosing to move here and taking over as acting CEO was the right choice. It took a lot of begging for her to even agree moving Ruby out of her school, she was not a happy camper."
"Ah yes, Sam," the grumble was back as she felt Alex's grip on her midsection loosen. "I can't wait to finally meet this Sam that you supposedly never dated despite the smile she puts on your face whenever she calls."
Lena's smile widened as she gratefully pulled away from her lovers grip even as she huffed at her absurd jealousy of someone who she had never even been with.
She looked back at Alex as she crawled out of bed and smirked at the disgruntled redhead, her hair all spiked up after sleep and her droopy, eyes frowning up at Lena.
She shook her head and tutted. "You admit to once having little old crush on a friend and you never hear the end of it."
All Alex did was grunt as she threw a hand over her eyes to block put the sun and scowled at her.
Lena grinned. "Besides those smiles are mostly for Ruby," she said truthfully. "You should ask Jess about the smile I get when you call, she once described it as nausea inducing."
She straightened down her borrowed, read stolen, NYC t-shirt over her boy shorts and walked over to the curtains to rip them apart almost making Alex scream in agony.
"And if I recall correctly, you Director Danvers have an early morning meeting with your new recruits, so rise and shine sweetheart. Can't have the rookies thinking their boss is going soft, right?"
"It's Assistant Director Lee," she mumbled as she tried to turn over against the bright light giving Lena a tantalizing view of her toned behind encased in a skimpy thong that left little to imagination, especially with her camisole riding up high on her back. If Lena was asked when they first met, who out of the two of them were most likely to own the most number of Victoria's Secret lingerie, she would not have chose Alex. But it turned out that underwear was the one place where Agent Alex Danvers did not skimp.
"Not for long, love," she finally replied to Alex's mumble as she shifted her eyes from her lovers delectable ass and focused on finding her charger. "J'onn is really looking forward to retirement."
When Alex didn't say anything she picked up the remote for the blinds on the other side of the penthouse and opened them up making Alex groan and finally sit up.
"Alright, alright I'm up mom!" she growled snarkily as she stood up and trudged over to Lena and engulfed her in her arms. They stood there breathing each other in for moment before Alex pulled away and they kissed each other good morning and both walked into the ensuite to get ready for work.
Yeah, she really needed to set up that appointment because she wasn't about to give up mornings like these for anything.
The day of Krypton's destruction...
After the failed launch Zor and Jor had herded their children, well Zor herded his child while Lara carried Clark over to one of the bunkers set up in Argo city for families in case of an event like this. Unfortunately as Kara had learned in her previous life. Only half of the bunkers were fully operational, that was why there were so few people when she had visited Argo city back then.
Through her tears she saw Jor and his family settle into one of the cryo chambers as did her own, the only problem being that there was only space for two in each chamber. Lara was able to hold Clark in her arms while Jor sat beside her but that wouldn't be possible for her own family. It was with a detached sense of unrealism that she watched Zor push her and Alura into the chamber and lock the door. As Alura demanded that Zor come back Kara just sat down, tears streaming down her face as she realized what was happening. With Argo breaking off from the main planet, it would be a while before the Harun El would be able to power a shield to protect Argo's citizens. And it would probably be another while before breathable atmosphere was created that would allow them to survive. Until then they would have to go into cryogenic sleep for who knows how long until the city was able to support life again. And Zor had chosen to save his wife and child over saving himself as he typed in the time they would have to remain asleep... twenty-four years.
Twenty-four years...
Once again...
And soon Kara could only see that familiar darkness.
Present day, Argo City...
Kara brushed the last swirl of paint over he current project and pulled back to admire the view. It was the view of the city as she remembered from all those years ago, in another life. The view from Lena's penthouse that showed a sprawling National City and the bay in the distance.
She smiled and wondered how her friends and family were doing. She hoped they were happy, she had given up everything to make sure it happened and she was content enough here that she didn't resent the decision anymore.
She sat down on one of the benches in her painting room and looked around at the portraits and landscapes she had drawn over the years. Two women stood out as featuring prominently in most of her paintings. Lena Luthor and Alex Danvers. Danvers. It was a name that she hadn't heard uttered by anyone in atleast fifteen years. And now Kara was almost the same age she had been when she made that wish with Mxy and chosen to stay on Argo while her planet got destroyed.
Her plans to become a member of the science guild was all for naught. The science guild was located outside the outskirts of the city and had perished with the core exploding. Most of the science guild members were dead and those that remained refused to take on pupils. Choosing to safeguard their knowledge instead of sharing it.
When Alura had suggested that she follow in her own footsteps she had blown up at her mother asking her how well her career and the law had served her that she had used her own daughter as bait to lure her own sister and sentenced her to a life of endless nothingness.
Her and Alura's relationship had never been the same again.
Her father had died when Krypton exploded and Argo was left without an atmosphere. His final act was to activate the Harun El and create the shield around the city to terraform the chunk of rock they were now floating on.
Kara considered this a good thing because she had a huge bone to pick with her own father and his Xenophobic actions that only came to light when the planet that they had intended to send her to suffered the consequences of those actions.
There was a knock on the door as Kal peeked in. At fourteen years old he was already almost her height and on his way to becoming the handsome man he once was.
After her fight with Alura, Jor and Lara had taken her in and she became Kal's primary caretaker until he reached ten years of age and joined the warriors guild. During that time Kara started to teach Kal and his friends about the rest of the world, mainly a little blue green planet she called home.
She became known as the storyteller, telling tales of a heroic maiden blessed by the yellow sun of Earth and fighting crimes while saving the lives of fair maidens who insisted that they didn't need her help in the first place.
Her fanciful stories made her popular but also estranged her from her mother since she believed that Kara spent too much time with her head in the clouds.
Kara strongly disagreed. She was dedicated and she was also motivated. There were a lot of things that she could no longer have on Argo but she was determined to do one thing eventually. And that was to rescue her aunt from the Phantom Zone.
And to prepare for that she trained daily in secret, honing the skills that Alex had taught her so long ago, which she had ignored at the time because she preferred to rely on her brute strength alone.
Now all those lessons came to forefront and she was more than ever thankful to Alex's dedication to keeping her safe. Because one day soon she would bring Astra home and right the wrongs done by her family to one of their own.
Motioning her cousin to come in she sat him down next to her and smiled down at him. She had told Kal a lot of what her life had been like on Earth in another life. She never lied to him about it, but since he was six she believed that Kal thought that his older cousin was just a good storyteller and she was happy to feed that misconception.
Kal could never get enough of her stories, especially the story about Superman and Lois but today wasn't about Superman, today she was remembering her third year of heroing and her battle against Reign, possibly her most formidable foe and one of her closest friends, when she was not being possessed.
Kara had been really grateful for her memories as she had woken up from cryosleep thirteen years ago because she had then realized belatedly that another Pod had made its way to earth other than hers and Kal's, the original fortunately at that time she still had her mother's trust and had told her about finding strange symbols and artifacts in Selena's home. Alura had investigated quietly and discovered the Dark Priestess and her plans with the World Killers and had her arrested to spend the rest of her life behind bars.
Kara had breathed a sigh of relief at that. With no one to command Reign Kara knew that Reign would remain dormant inside Sam and on the off chance that she did make an appearance, she would not be convinced to do evil because the hand that guided her actions before would not be there anymore.
Kara might have been optimistic but she had forgotten how corrupted a governing body could be. Minutes into her incarceration Selena had began influencing people around her, convincing people about her cult and it's evil ways. Her message was convincing as people were struggling to be happy in Argo since a lot of them saw no future for their city.
The promise of an entire planet and New Krypton swayed more than a few people and very soon Selena had everything she needed to achieve her goals.
Even as she activated the crystal and watched it respond Selena smiled. It was time for chaos to Reign.
Present Day, Earth...
Samantha Arias smiled as she waved goodbye to her daughter, dropping her off to her first day at her new school. But as she watched Ruby's retreating back her smile dropped and her eyes turned red for only a split second before Sam blinked and got control over herself, glancing up at her mirror she was only met with her own hazel gaze staring back. Shaking her sudden moment of introspection off she put her car into gear and sped off to work.
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