Author's Note: There's a deciding moment in every writer's life where they wrestle with ending the chapter on a climatic note or dealing with the much-ignored aftermath. Personally, I'm rather fond of the aftermath. I feel like it's usually blown over way too much in shows. Like, can we see people's reactions after someone is rescued beyond the actual rescuing? Or after someone is hurt?

But like I tried to write an aftermath scene at the beginning of this chapter and just couldn't because of STOOPID LEX LUTHOR soooo we have a bit of a time cut.

I was thinking 'bout her

Thinking 'bout me

Thinking 'bout us

What we gonna be

Nelly, "Just a Dream"

"Thank you," William murmured as Kara handed him a mug of tea.

"Rest your voice," she reminded him gently, putting a hand on his shoulder and sitting down on the spot on the couch next to him. "He really did a number on you."

William shrugged, taking a tentative sip of his drink and letting the warmth soothe his sore throat. "It could have been worse."

"It shouldn't have been anything," Kara grumbled, gaze darkening. She stared past him, out the window. "Lex has been trying to hurt me and my friends for so long, and no matter what he does, there's never quite enough to trace back to him. He always gets off the hook, no matter whose lives he ruins. It just- it-" She clenched her hands in her lap. "It makes me so angry."

William set his tea down and covered her hands with his. He knew how strong Kara was, how much power even just her pinky finger held, but his hands still completely dwarfed hers and it gave him the urge to protect her at all costs. "We'll stop him, Kara," he told her firmly. "No matter how long it takes. No matter how many times we have to try. He'll will someday receive the justice he deserves."

Kara nodded, smiling half-heartedly at him before her gaze returned distantly to the window.

They had left Lex unconscious on the floor of his own torture room. There were, of course, no cameras in the room, which meant no proof of William's kidnapping. Besides, William knew that, if they made any move to expose Lex, Lex would expose him for breaking and entering. William still couldn't believe he had been so monumentally stupid, even if, in the end, it had partially led to Kara's rescue.

Alex walked into the living room. "Uh, sorry," she said, smirking over at the two of them. "Were you two… having a moment?"

Flustered, Kara pulled her hands away from William and shuffled a couple inches to her left. "No," she huffed. "We were just discussing bringing Lex Luthor to justice."

"Romantic," Alex rejoined, slouching into a nearby chair. "So you know, William… that's my spot."

"Oh!" William reached for the handle of his tea mug and all but leapt to his feet. "I, um, I apologize, I didn't know." He pursed his lips. "I'm- I'm really quite sorry to be such an intrusion today; I know it's been awhile since you two have seen each other."

"Sit back down," Kara groaned, dragging William back to the couch with what was thankfully not her super strength and shooting a glare at her sister. "Alex just likes to bully my boyfriends."

A little surprised, William grinned at her. "I'm your boyfriend, then?"

"Now you're definitely having a moment," Alex sighed, but instead of leaving just got more comfortable and stared at the two of them quite openly.

Kara rolled her eyes over at her sister and shrugged. "Yeah," she said to William, trying to sound casual. "I mean, if you want to be."

"That's… rather what I've been hinting to you for the past few months," William replied with a quick laugh.

Kara laughed, too, flustered again.

"This is really awkward," Alex commented, sipping at a glass of wine that had seemingly come out of nowhere.

"Well, you don't have to stick around for it," Kara rejoined, bugging her eyes out at her.

"Are you kidding?" Alex grinned at her, shameless. "I wouldn't miss this whole thing for the world."

Kara shook her head and reached towards the coffee table for the television remote. "I was promised Brooklyn 99," she said. "And I don't care if William's the guest; I was just stuck in the Phantom Zone for weeks and can watch whatever I want." She shot a quick glance at William. "Unless you really hate Brooklyn 99."

William, who'd never actually watched that particular show, gestured at the TV. "By all means, proceed."

Kara started an episode, then leaned her head on William's shoulder. Wondering how it was possible for his day to have turned from dreadful to painful to this great, William wrapped an arm around her and tried not to grin too much.

W / T \ Y

After a day spent with Kara, where William tried to stay as much out of the way he could without actually leaving the apartment, Alex decided to head back to Kelly and her own home for the night. She gave her sister a long, long hug and then left Kara and William alone.

"Well, I'm beat," Kara declared, poking her head into the fridge for one last snack before bed. "Can I get you any extra blankets or anything?"

William inspected his couch-bed, which was made up with a pillow and a couple loose blankets that would most likely be on the floor come morning. "I think I'm all right," he decided. "Thank you for not asking me to take your bed."

"I've been sleeping on a rock for weeks," Kara yawned, wrinkling her nose. She grabbed a bunch of grapes and popped a few in her mouth, closing the door of the fridge. "Besides, I knew you are just too much of a gentleman to even dream about making me take the couch."

"Then you would be correct," William agreed with a dip of his head. He nodded towards the bathroom. "I'm going to go get ready for bed, if you don't mind."

Kara sent him a lazy thumbs up and leaned against the counter, eating another grape. William grabbed the bag that Nia had come by to drop off that afternoon. He really did need some basic items, like his toothbrush and a change of clothes. The first bag he'd thrown together had been taken by Lex when he'd been kidnapped, and it was much safer for Nia to go to his apartment than it was for him to to get his backup necessities.

By the time he came out of the bathroom dressed in a plain white tee-shirt and pajama pants, Kara was standing in the doorframe of her bedroom. "Good night," she said, walking towards him.

William took her in, unable to help an overwhelming feeling of warmth that came over him at the sight of her in a messy bun and loose striped pajamas. He met her halfway and gave her a hug. "Enjoy not sleeping on a rock," he said with a faint smile.

"Thank you," Kara snickered, resting her cheek on his chest. "I will."

Kara's couch was surprisingly comfortable. Sore and drained from the past 48-or-so hours, William was out in minutes.

He awoke to the sound of thrashing and low groans. William sat up slowly, bleary eyes taking in the numbers on his watch, which were much too small for him to be awake. He sat, listening to the sounds coming from the bedroom. He had a feeling he knew what was happening, but what he didn't know was how Kara would want him to act. Should he wake her up? Or would that embarrass her? Would she prefer that he just pretend he hadn't heard?

A wrenching sob came from Kara's bedroom and William's heart clenched, making up his mind for him. He stood up and strode to the room, hesitating again in the threshold. "Kara?"

Kara was twisting back and forth on the bed, sweat or tears or both gleaming on her face. Her eyebrows were crunched with a phantom pain (bad word choice), and she was fisting her blankets desperately between her fingers. William hurried to her bedside and crouched down. "Kara?" he repeated softly, placing an hand on her arm.

Kara jolted into a sitting position, panting. Her eyes glowed and William had just enough time to figure out what was going to happen and throw himself to the floor before two laser beams shot out of her face. They sliced into the wall, leaving two burning holes in the plaster before abruptly vanishing.

"Oh my God," Kara breathed. "Will?"

William slowly raised himself from the floor. "Uh… sorry," he said awkwardly. "I just- you were- I shouldn't have woken you up."

"Are you okay?" Kara cut in, reaching out and grasping his shoulder. "I can't see you. Did I- I didn't-?"

"Just the wall," William assured her quickly. He reached for the lamp and flicked it on, casting them both in a warm yellow glow. Kara let out a shaky breath, swiping at her cheeks. William watched her uncertainly. "Do you, um… do you want me to call your sister?"

"No, no," Kara said hurriedly. "I don't- I don't need to worry her. It was just a stupid nightmare." She stared up at the ceiling, fingers gripping the blankets. "I had this- this dream that I didn't get out of the Phantom Zone and that- that when you all came to rescue me you… died. You all died."

"Kara…" William murmured, shifting from the floor to the edge of her bed. "Everyone's okay. Everyone got out. You got out."

Kara pinched her lips together, nodding quickly. "I know."

They sat in silence for a moment. William wasn't quite sure what to say. As much as his relationship with Kara had grown over the past day, he still had no idea how she'd like him to handle this sort of situation. Should he hug her? Give her a pep talk? Just leave her be?

Kara still wasn't saying anything, so William cautiously stood up. "I'll, um…"

"Could you stay?" Kara blurted, fists tightening harder around her blankets. "Just- I just-"

"Yes, yes, of course," William murmured, sitting back down and moving towards the head of the bed. Kara immediately curled into his side, nestling her head into the crook of his neck. He could feel her eyelashes tickling the skin of his collar bone and let his eyes fall shut, breathing her in. "If you want to talk, just say the word."

"It's okay," Kara mumbled sleepily, draping an arm over his torso. Her breath soon fell into rhythm with his, slow and deep. "This is perfect."

I traveled back down that road

Will she come back? No one knows

I realized it was only just a dream

Nelly, "Just a Dream"

Author's Note: Okay… do I end it here? Or do you guys have more stuff you'd like to see me do? I know I'm just smooshing all the tropes into this story but I can't help it teeheeee. Any request for future chapter plots? Or ideas of how to protect William from Lex? Gimme your ideas/prompts down below :)