Author's note: I really enjoyed writing this chapter, it was both a really tough and rewarding one to do. So I hope you enjoy it too!
All versions of Kara have meaningful conversations with each Lena, all leading to change how their relationship is, digging deeper into each other's history. Events start to unfold showing the bigger picture.
-Year 2016-
"That was close," Alex folded her arms, turning to face Supergirl as she came back from stopping a robbery with some unsolicited help from Guardian, "Too close for comfort."
Kara didn't have to ask what she was referring to. The thought of the past sneaking up on her at Thanksgiving was nothing short of alarming.
"I thought you knew what was going to happen," Alex stressed, folding her arms.
"I...might have changed some events a bit too much," her younger sister admitted.
"Maybe don't stray from the path?" Alex arched a brow.
"It was for a good reason," Kara insisted, "But if you want to have an easy week, I recommend you come with me to a doctor's appointment tomorrow and bring a whole DEO's team," she was not about to get stuck under a red sun again, "Besides, in the grand scale of things, the events didn't change that much. Lillian is in jail, no aliens were killed by the virus and Lena didn't join her mother. So I'd say we are still on the winning side."
"For now," Alex intervened, "What if the next time we aren't as lucky?"
"Time is really not an issue," Kara waved her hand dismissively.
"Shouldn't it be?" Alex sighed heavily, dropping her shoulder, "Kara...aren't you getting a bit too comfortable here? Don't you want to get snapped back into your present? I'm sure that whatever you are doing over there is equally important."
Kara's chest tightened, "It's fine," she said curtly, "time is perceived very differently with Mxy's interdimensional magic. Days and months sum up in a couple of seconds each time he shows me a scenario." She explained, "So when I go back it's still going to be the same night," she exhaled, "and whatever thing I'm about to face will be there waiting for me," she said bitterly.
Alex pursed her lips to the side, "You are not one to back down from a fight," Alex commented, circling the computer to stand close to her, "actually, quite the opposite. I tend to give you an earful because you are always diving headfirst into danger,"
"Learned from the best," Kara retorted.
Alex rolled her eyes, "My point is, how bad is this future of ours?"
Kara huffed humorlessly, "Even with Mxy setting this timeline back to normal, I don't think I should tell you,"
Alex whistled, "That bad, huh?"
Kara playfully shoved her shoulder against hers, "Nothing we can't handle. It's like you said, I don't back down,"
Alex saw through her attempts to pretend everything was under control, something frightened her sister, but she couldn't imagine what.
"Anyway, it's late," Kara straightened her back; pushing away from the desk she had been leaning against, "Don't you have plans tonight or something?" she raised a brow teasingly, seeing Alex's love-struck smile spread through her face, "Go be with your girlfriend," it felt salty saying that.
Alex was happy, happier than ever before now that she was with Maggie. But Kara knew how that would only lead to pain and heartbreak. How a proposal and the promise of a wedding would turn into nothing more than a sour memory.
"Yeah, I better go," the oldest Danvers turned around, ready to run into the arms of the woman that would cause her such harm.
Kara could warn her. Tell her something about the future, a clue as to what the deal-breaker would be. Perhaps that might spare her all the emotional devastation waiting down the line if she didn't get attached. Maybe that way she could protect her sister.
"Alex,-" she called out of impulse.
"Yes?" She turned over her shoulder, flashing that genuine smile on her face, showing how comfortable and uncannily joyful she was. Even if her relationship with Maggie was bound to end badly, Alex deserved to enjoy the good things about their time together, too.
"Tiramisu," she ended up saying, "Maggie loves that,"
Alex's smile spread even wider, "Thanks, sis!" she waved from the door, going to write her own love story, one which it's ending Kara had already read.
"Do you ever plan on having kids one day?" Kara asked bluntly, gaze lost in the sky as she walked through the park.
Lena Luthor did her best not to spill her coffee at such a straightforward question that caught her off guard. She didn't want to draw any unwanted attention that could potentially ruin the peaceful stroll they were sharing. It had become one of their new routines. Whenever Kara could sneak out of CatCo, she would visit the CEO to bring her lunch, and lately, to drag her along a walk through the park, like that day. "I beg your pardon?" she coughed discreetly, "Are you asking as a reporter?"
Kara realized how unceremonious the question had been and chuckled shyly, "No, I'm sorry," she shrugged her shoulders, "I was thinking about my sister," she explained, fixing her glasses, "She wants to have kids one day."
"Oh," Lena replied, finding that answer reasonable enough.
"But...I'm pretty sure Maggie doesn't."
Maggie, the FBI agent that arrived at dinner that night. Alex's girlfriend.
"Oh"
"And I think...that might be something neither of them will bend on," she knew. But that was something for the future to unfold, "It just got me thinking," Kara shrugged.
"About how much you would be willing to give up for someone you are in love with?" Lena provided with an arched brow.
Kara felt her face blush without explanation. Or at least not an explanation she was willing to say out loud. Hearing those words from Lena reminded Kara of all the things she did for the Luthor in her present. How there were no boundaries for a friend like her. Somehow when the word 'friend' got substituted by 'someone you are in love with' it gained a whole other meaning. One Kara hadn't considered before.
The reporter hid behind her scarf, being only glad that the cold could be blamed for how rosy her cheeks were, "I...guess?" She cleared her throat, trying to deflect, "I just don't want my sister to get hurt,"
"Then advise her not to date," Lena retorted sardonically, "If you want to protect yourself, then you shouldn't let anyone in,"
Kara knew where those words were coming from. She had heard them at the Fortress of Solitude from a broken Lena.
"Do you really believe that?" Kara asked quietly.
Lena exhaled slowly, trying to find the way to express it "I believe...trusting others is a gamble," she decided, "but then again if you don't play the game you can't complain of not getting the prize."
"The prize being...?"
"Companionship," Lena turned to look at her, "love, romance. I don't know," she gazed back at the horizon, "It depends on what the person is looking for, I suppose."
"What...are you looking for?"
Lena's eyes dropped to her coffee, her lips sealed tight as if abruptly shutting close the book the Kryptonian had been reading before.
"I'm sorry," Kara quickly apologized, knowing that had touched a nerve, "That's none of my business, you don't-"
"A home," Lena finally answered, looking up with resolve, "a family," she added, "somewhere I could belong outside the Luthor's name," the truth left her lips without resistance, "have someone I could trust."
Those statements weighted on Kara's chest, each heavier than the last, "I'm sorry," she mumbled with the same regret as someone confessing an unforgivable sin.
"Don't be," Lena answered, unaware or unbothered of Kara's tone, "I'm the one that decided not to play, anyway," she offered one of her defiant smiles, "What about you?"
"Me?" She repeated.
"Yeah. What do you really want?"
Why did the question sound so familiar and yet so foreign? She knew what she needed to do as Supergirl, what she had to pretend when being Kara Danvers, but what did she really want?
"I'm...I'm not sure," she found herself admitting, "In...In a relationship I guess what I want is...to be me?" she let the words roll out of her tongue; they sounded right... but felt wrong. Who was she? A Super? A Zor-El? A Danvers?
"Well then, set a clear goal and you'll find the means to get what you are looking for,"
It was sound advice. How could Kara yearn for something when she wasn't sure what she was looking for? When she wouldn't admit to herself what that was?
"To answer your previous question," Lena added and Kara tried to remember what it had been in the first place, "Yes. I do want children."
"You do?" Kara asked surprised. She never figured that would be the answer. Then again, she never asked.
"Yeah," she nodded, biting her lower lip and tilting her head down in contemplation, "Although I should have every reason in the book not to want kids, I do," she inhaled deeply, "When I was adopted into the Luthor's household I truly understood the meaning and the value of family because they completely lacked it," she said bitterly, "but at the same time, if they hadn't given me all the opportunities and resources I wouldn't be where I am today." She explained, "So I want to adopt and give a child the best future I can and a far better childhood than the one I was given." She clenched her fists, "I know I'm not ready yet and with how things are with L-Corp right now it doesn't look like it will be anywhere in the near future, but it's one of my personal dreams. The kind you don't talk about because saying it out loud makes it feel real,"
Kara never knew this part of Lena before. She would never have imagined how much was hidden under the surface. How that was something she longed for.
"I...didn't know..."
Lena sobered up, putting up the walls that had been down, "As I said, it's not something I usually mention,"
Kara nodded, fidgeting with her hands, feeling the ache in her heart while memories flooded her, "I was also adopted," the confession earned her Lena's full attention, "My family," my people, my planet, "suddenly died and in an instant...I also became one of the last of my name," she inhaled sharply, "and when I was adopted into the Danver's home I...I was mad. But also grateful?" she tried to explain, balling her fists, "Why me?" she fought to let the words out, let the hurt show, "Why was I the one to survive when everyone else died?" her jaw clenched, "what made me so special? What had I done that deemed me so worthy that I was saved?" She sniffed, fighting back the emotion in her tone, "And that brought guilt into my life. If I lived then I should be doing something worthwhile, I owed it to them. I wasn't living only for myself, but for all of those who couldn't make it." Her tears were close to evaporating due to how hard she was struggling not to let her ire and sadness mix and boil with her heat vision.
Kara hastily turned her back to remove her glasses and wipe her eyes, keeping her powers barely at bay and her identity hidden as she always did.
But then she felt a comforting cold that eased the fire that burned her insides with guilt. Lena's icy fingers carefully intertwined around her own, holding tight and holding her together when she thought she was about to break.
"Kara?" Lena called softly.
And that ended up disarming the Kryptonian from her last bit of strength. She turned to Lena, hugging her close to her chest, letting their heartbeats be tangled in a messy harmony. Kara hid in Lena's shoulder, glasses in hand, to just for a moment be nothing more than whom she really was, no cape and no civilian disguise. She needed to share this instant as her true self even if she didn't know who that was; Kara just wanted that moment to be real. So real not even Mxy could erase it.
-Year 2020-
Kara sighed, rubbing small circles over her temples, analyzing her options. She was seriously considering approaching this period's Brainy in hopes of getting him to contact the future. Granted, not the next century or so, just a few years down the road, but even that felt risky and unlikely. She needed to send a flare, a kind of signal to help her team find her, nothing too showy or prejudicial.
She had hoped they would have already pinpointed her location, but somehow that hadn't been the case. If Kara from the year 2020 had ended up in her place, she was sure her time period would be agonizingly easy to recognize, given that they had switched the same day Mxy had shown up to help fix her friendship with Lena. The fact that they hadn't managed to do that, unnerved her. Because that meant this change wasn't as straightforward as she imagined, but she had no way to prove or test her theories.
She sighed loudly, running a hand down her hair, thinking of ways she could tear the fabric of time to send a message without it being a threat to its integrity or creating a paradox. If there was something she had learned from Barry Allen was to never do that.
But her thoughts were interrupted or rather short-circuited when her hearing picked up the sound she usually tuned to when trying to sleep, her secret lullaby. She heard Lena's heartbeat...and her own stopped dead on its tracks.
"What are you doing here?" She mumbled to herself, turning around to look through the door with her x-ray vision, and sure enough, the Luthor was standing on the other side.
This was not how the original line played out, what had changed? What was supposed to happen now? She did her best to think back to these days but they were mostly a blur around the edges. She knew the main events, but the parts that caused her the most hurt were deliberately forgotten. And now she was empty-handed, trying to think what to do next that wouldn't compromise further the already delicate fabric of time.
But when Lena knocked reality came crashing down allowing her no time for a contingency plan. Kara took one deep breath, steadying herself, trying to keep her hands from shaking. It was not out of nervousness alone, it was due to the idea of seeing the woman she had been missing for the last week or so and having to pretend as if she wasn't yearning to kiss her until she could commit her taste to memory once more.
She turned the doorknob and took a step back, keeping her distance immediately. The least little details this past version of her wife could pick from her appearance the better. She had words at the ready, but seeing her there left her speechless all the same.
Lena folded her arms, "Not so fun when it's someone else reaching your home?" She challenged, which was fair enough. The last time she had shown up uninvited to her balcony, now the Luthor was paying back the visit.
Kara swallowed hard and turned around, letting her in, "Why are you here?" she asked, keeping a neutral tone.
"I want to know what's going on," Lena answered, walking into the apartment. She moved through the space with equal parts of familiarity and discomfort. Feeling no longer welcome into the home where countless game nights and reunions had been hosted.
"What do you mean?" Kara asked, barely looking over her shoulder, keeping her face partially hidden.
"For starters, why Alex suddenly showed up at my office, offering an olive branch to-"
"She what?" Kara turned around, unable to help the reaction, "When?"
Lena's arched eyebrows showed her surprise, seeing that Kara truly didn't know about that. That it truly had been Alex's initiative to reach out, "A few days ago,"
Kara closed her eyes, sighing, "Alex," beautiful, considerate and headstrong, Alex. Alex who couldn't see her sister suffer without trying to help somehow, "I didn't plan that," Kara finally said, opening her eyes just to keep them averted from Lena's, "It's wasn't a ploy to manipulate you."
If that were true, why couldn't she look her in the eye when saying it? "Then explain the flower to me," Lena demanded, walking closer, not missing the way Kara took a step back to keep the painful distance between them. Why did that bother Lena so much? She had been the first to establish said distance, so why was she so hurt now that the Super was finally complying with it?
"It's a lily-of-the-valley," Kara answered without missing a beat.
"I know that," Lena said sternly, "Why did you give it to me?"
Kara bit her lower lip, putting her hands on her hips as she usually did, for the first time in days ducking her chin to her chest, "I needed to," she admitted, "it's one of your favorites,"
"I never told you that," Lena incriminated, "So how would you know?"
The question was painful on its own, the idea of being unable to answer was so much worse "Let's just say that I do,"
Lena chuckled woundedly, "Is lying to my face such a second nature to you?"
That hurt beyond what words could describe, beyond what any language could express. Because in this timeline, there was one more thing she had been lying about, not only to Lena but to herself.
"Who are you?" Lena finally asked, "Because you are not her,"
Kara shut her lips tight, swallowing the knot that was tightening in her throat.
"You can't even look me in the eyes," Lena huffed defeated, "So I guess there's no point for me to be here any longer," she shook her head, fixing the leash of her purse, going to the door. And Kara heard it again, the way her heartbeat missed its rhythm, aching with something that was beyond explaining.
Paradoxes be dammed, and any or all the timelines that could be broken as well, but Kara could not bear that pain for a second longer, nor a second time. Whatever might come next, she would figure it out, but not before this ache had subsided.
"Lena," Kara called with such presence in her tone that it froze the Luthor in her place, making her turn to be faced by Kara who looked down and deep into her mesmerizing green orbs, "Look at me,"
"What?" Lena took a step back feeling how Kara's presence had suddenly become imposing, radiating a different energy than the one before, than her usual amicable one. She was determined and adamant, exuberating a sense of control.
"Look. At. Me," she repeated pointedly, letting Lena roam her sight through her features. To see up close how a thin scar ran down her chin, to observe the way the crinkle on her forehead was slightly more prominent, to realize how inside her eyes was the experience and the burden that came through the passage of time, "It's still me," she said softly.
Lena's hand reached out to almost touch her face and Kara yearned to lean into the caress, but neither of them moved another inch.
Lena narrowed her eyes, truly taking in the image, "Kara?" she asked in disbelief, "You are...?" her eyes went wide at the realization, "you are from the future," that wasn't a question anymore, "That's why you know what will happen! Why you act so differently, that's why you knew about the flower, you-"
"You told me," Kara cut in firmly yet softly, "You told me that flower was one of your favorites because of what it meant to your birth mother,"
"Why would I have done that?" she asked defiantly, unable to think of an instance in which she would share something so private, so intimate, now that they didn't even see eye to eye, "Did you come back to make sure you'd win?" she folded her arms, "So you can tell me how this will be my downfall and convince me to join you?" she arched a brow.
Kara reacted to her words, and although her face hardened, her heart did the opposite, "No. Like I said before and as I said the first time, the choice is yours to make."
"Am I supposed to believe that's you are telling the truth? That this isn't another deceit?"
Kara's hands tightened into fists, her jaw clenched shut, and her eyes turned to stone, "You are right, you can't trust me," she nodded, taking a deep breath, "And you know what? There's one more secret I've been keeping from you throughout this time,"
"And what is that?" Lena raised her chin, daring Kara to meet her eyes, but when she did, Lena found herself unprepared to face the courage in them.
"That I love you,"
Lena's breathing hitched, her world stopped, and so did her heart.
"And I know that all the suffering you are enduring right now is because you loved me too. And instead of giving you my heart, as I should have, I broke yours. And that's why you hate me so much right now. And I don't blame you. And I don't hold that against you, not even now."
Lena's mouth dried, feeling the privacy of her thoughts being breached, forcing her pulse to quicken to a rhythm she couldn't keep up with.
"Wh-why are you telling me this?"
"Because I should have done it long ago," she walked closer and Lena found herself pressing her back against the door, cornered. But Kara didn't lay a single finger on her, "Because it's as true right here and now as it is in my time, as it has always has been. Saying it today won't change anything, not in the grand scale of things, and it's likely that when I leave you won't remember any of it," she tilted her head, looking at the shorter woman's parted lips with forbidden desire, "I wish you could feel my heart hammer against my chest to reassure you my words are true, but then again you have never felt my heartbeat before and couldn't understand its pleas. So let me say it now for all those times I didn't," she leaned in, not missing the way Lena's pulse spiked, matching her own disarticulated one, as she whispered into her ear, "I love you, Lena." She said fearlessly, passionately. That was her most guarded secret, and now it was Lena's to keep.
And without grazing a single hair of the Luthor's, she reached behind her, opening the door. She wouldn't force Lena to stay or believe her truth over her own feelings. The decision had to be hers, but at least now there were no more pretenses among them, "I know it's not my time to ask you to say it back."
Alex spitted her drink out, making the carpet a victim of her reactions for a second occasion, "Yout told her what?!"
"The truth. That I love her," Kara answered unapologetically, eating calmly at the couch with her sister.
"Isn't that a bit out of the script?" Alex coughed.
"Given that she showed up at my door because you showed at hers..."
"With good intentions," Alex raised her arms, giving her a bit of a guilty smirk.
"I know," Kara nodded, she no longer had moral ground to scold her about changing the past, "I think it's out of the table to let things as they were, now," she sighed, "I'll have to ask J'onn to block her memories,"
Alex frowned, shrugging into herself, "I...don't think you should," she said hesitantly, "That's...actually one of the things I went to apologize for,"
"What?" her sister gazed at her in confusion.
"Kara... you weren't the only one that lied to her. We all did, but we were perceived as just an extension of the charade regarding both your identities. Isn't blocking her memories just another deception?" she asked uncomfortably, "When I couldn't remember you were my sister it's when I truly became Lena's friend since I was not biased. I trusted her far more than I trusted..." the words stuck on her tongue, "the DEO," she decided.
"Me," Kara offered, "you were going to say that you trusted her far more than what you trusted me," she exhaled, "you weren't in the wrong," she admitted, "my judgment was not..." she shook her head unable to finish the idea, "kryptonite was a delicate subject."
"Was?" Alex raised a brow, taking another sip of her beer.
"Still is as harmful as ever, I just have better equipment against it," she explained, taking another drink.
Alex pushed her lips into a side-pout, "Lena's equipment?"
"Should it not be that obvious?" Kara smirked back, sighing in contemplation, "I understand the point you are making, I don't like the idea either, but...but I just..." she clenched her hand around her wedding token, "poured my heart out to her." Kara shook her head, "I've been telling myself I wouldn't change much and at the sight of her pain I..." she exhaled, "I became undone. I jeopardized everything because I yearned to hold her and...remind her of my vows to always be there, but she's still hurting and...maybe I just made everything all the more complicated and confusing."
Alex scratched the back of her head, "Honestly? Yeah, maybe you did," she placed a hand over her shoulder, "but then again, you told her the truth. If she came back into your life because she could trust you again, then I think being sincere is a good thing. You didn't tell her anything about the future events, you didn't say you'd marry her, you still gave her the freedom of her choices, but you put your heart in the line this time around." Alex tilted her head, "Is that something you would have wanted to do on the original timeline?"
Kara pressed her fists so tight her knuckles turned white. She nodded.
Alex smiled sympathetically at her, "Then stand by your words, and face those consequences, regardless if you might still change the past or not."
Kara chuckled breathlessly, "How are you so good at this?"
"I grew up with a sister that got herself tangled in all sorts of trouble which gave me tons of experience, have you heard of her? Because rumor has it she's currently in the future and probably drooling over her future wife."
Kara's face boiled with embarrassment as she threw a pillow at her sister.
"I'm just saying!" Alex raised her hands in surrender, "Maybe she already beat you to it and confessed,"
Kara rolled her eyes, but couldn't help to wonder what her past self was doing in the future and how much she had figured out by now.
-Year 2028-
Kara found the sunflowers by the window that morning, just in the right position to get the first rays of the day. That brought a smile to her face as she joined them to also absorb some of its warmth. It was weird, now that she thought about it, but other than the flowers, there really didn't seem to be a lot of decoration around, or anything that could clue her in as to what Lena's life was like. And when she had mentioned the flowers that first night she arrived, the Luthor had mentioned that those weren't for her, but hadn't provided any more information. Maybe they were for the no-show mystery date Lena had been expecting. The thought made Kara pout for no reason, perhaps it was that she had grown attached to the flowers and didn't want to imagine them being for anyone else. That could be it. She liked the flowers because they also chased the sun and she found the similarity comforting. But when Lena walked into the room, Kara turned to her as if she was the brightest star there was.
"Morning!" she said with a cheeky grin.
"Good morning, darling," Lena softly pressed her forearm, "How are you feeling?"
"Recharged," Kara smiled gratefully, "thank you."
"My pleasure," she replied kindly, before roaming through the living room in a bit of a hurry.
Kara stood in place, seeing her move in her home, and curiosity got the better of her, "Hey, Lena?"
"Yes, dear?" she called over her shoulder, going through her purse in search of something.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Of course," she answered, fishing her phone out, seeing the multiple messages and missed calls from work.
"Do you have any pictures in your house?"
Lena stopped her movements, slowly turning around to see her, "I...do," she traced back carefully, "but I removed them in the early morning after the first night you spent here," she admitted, "it felt safer that way. There are still a few things you don't know that are better left unsaid and unseen," Like their wedding photographs, for example.
"Oh" Kara shrugged in her place, "that's...reasonable,"
"Sorry," Lena mumbled.
"No, it's okay!" Kara waved her hands to the sides, "I'm sorry you had to rearrange on my behalf. I bet they were lovely, I'm honestly kind of surprised I didn't notice they were missing, I should have at least seen some that night,"
"You had a lot on your plate," Lena pointed out, quite relieved that Kara hadn't seen them. She wouldn't have known how the young Kryptonian would have handled the news given that she was basically a complete stranger and sister to Superman's greatest enemy, "Speaking of plates, have you had breakfast yet?"
"I...might have eaten a few things from the pantry," she answered shyly earning a hearty laugh from the Luthor.
"I'll make sure to fully restock and order some takeouts on my way back,"
Kara frowned, "Back? Fr-from where?" she asked, "The Tower?"
"I'm afraid not today," Lena answered, "I have to go to the office for some very important meetings regarding an upcoming fundraiser," she explained apologetically, "I spoke to J'onn and he said he will be doing some trials with the alien we have in custody, so you'll be with him today."
"Oh," she said aback, "Well that's-that's great! I've been meaning to ask him a few questions."
"Well, today is your chance," Lena said with a smile, "I'm sure he'll be just as thrilled to have time to catch up with you now that you won't have to be stuck in a lab with me,"
"I-I don't mind," Kara rushed to say, shrugging her shoulders.
"Don't worry, darling. My focus is still to get you home, I promise I'll be gone for just today. There's a portal prepared to take you to the Tower and I already gave Brainy a detailed list of simulations he can run to find your timeline. Alex will be overseeing the experiment and will call me if there are any developments. Everything will run smoothly, you won't even notice I'm gone,"
But Kara already did. She couldn't hold it against her, however. Lena Luthor was an influential and powerful woman that had probably been neglecting her empire to be her baby sister and keep Kara out of trouble. It made sense she needed to show up at her office! Kara had already stolen so much of her time, Lena had a life of her own, one Kara knew very little about, "Okay," the Kryptonian offered a faint smile, "Good luck with your meetings!"
"Thank you, darling. See you tonight."
J'onn's eyes snapped back to reality, freeing the aline from his telepathic hold, "Is that as far as you can remember?" he asked.
"Yeah," he replied, scratching his head anxiously.
"So that's about twelve years ago, it matches your description," J'onn said to Kara, "the thing is that he wasn't in Earth by that time, so the chances of our Kara finding him to get snapped back here are slim to none,"
Kara frowned, "Aren't you concerned?"
"I'm sure she can take care of herself," he said reassuringly. She could tell everyone trusted future Kara, but the one they currently had in custody? Not so much, "And in case she can't jump back to us, we'll go back for her." The Martian said determinedly.
"And how are you planning to do that?" the alien snapped, "let's not forget that without me you are stuck here too,"
"We'll help you get back to your time, your cooperation will help your current situation,"
"You sure know how to convince someone," he snarked, showing his chained wrists, "soon as I appeared here you kidnapped me and threw me inside a cell! So trusting you doesn't come naturally, you know?"
"You were involved in an underground arm-"
"I haven't done anything!" he stressed, "I don't know what shady thing future me did, but I'm not him, not yet. And given how grand my life was before snapping here, I kind of imagine why I would have to do something illegal to make it through the day," he grumbled, "and it's all your fault," he turned to the young Supergirl.
"I'm not this time's-"
"No, I'm not talking about future you, I'm talking about the current you," he spitted, "you broadcasted a message for all, inviting us to Earth like it was such a safe haven. But you weren't a champion for aliens, you lived among humans like one of them. You forgot to tell the rest of us that you had to look and act like them to be welcomed," he said bitterly, "And suddenly everyone migrated there, abandoning their own planets, their families and their world's economies," he huffed, "and I guess I bought a ticket too and ended up in Earth and to do what exactly?" he turned to J'onn, "You said that I was selling arms?" he chuckled dryly, "yes, such a promising future," he kicked the table, "So, hard pass. I think I rather stay here in this time, let my future self dig himself out. I haven't done anything illegal, so according to this Earth's costumes that means you'll have to let me go, right?"
"Listen here," J'onn was about to intervene when Kara sat down in front of him.
"I'm sorry," she said heatedly, "I didn't know...It wasn't my intention to create so much trouble, I just wanted others to share what I had," she explained softly.
"That doesn't make anything better,"
"It doesn't," she agreed, "but I guess we both have a chance right now," she said, "when you go back to your time, you'll remember everything, right?"
"Correct," he nodded.
"Then you can rewrite your story,"
"I don't think that's viable," J'onn shook his head.
"He deserves his second chance," Kara said to the Martian, "and if you help us, we can make that a reality," she addressed the alien.
"How do I know you'll keep your word?" he grimaced, looking at J'onn, "How do I know he won't wipe my mind clean and just send me back to the slaughterhouse?"
"Same as we don't know if you'll pull something to just get yourself back and leave me stranded here," Kara shrugged her shoulders, "we'll have to trust each other,"
"Yeah, right. Like that will happen," he scoffed running a hand down his face, "I have the skill to get myself back in time a few minutes and I still end up tangled in the worst kind of trouble,"
"What's your name?" Kara asked.
He eyed her suspiciously up and down, "Ja'ek" he answered after a beat.
"Well, Ja'ek. My name is Kara Zor-El," she said, "And I'm not this time's Supergirl, so I know what you mean when you say these weren't your actions," she said solemnly, "I can't take credit for the good or the bad she's done, nor should you take the blame for future Ja'ek's actions. But you have to make good on your word that you'll change the path you'll take," she explained, "J'onn will look into your mind, and if you can guarantee you won't make the decisions that will lead you to this future, then we can make a deal."
Ja'ek stood silent, observing her with determination before sighing noisily, leaning into the table, "Well, let's see first if we can actually do something about us being stranded," he turned to J'onn, "you think you'll be able to find some answers in my head?" he asked.
"If I can have a better understanding of your abilities, then yes," the Martian nodded firmly.
The alien exhaled obnoxiously loud, "Then let's try,"
Kara walked into the control room, finding Alex monitoring the screens with Brainy, who seemed to be in the middle of sharing an idea, but stopped abruptly when he saw her walk in. His sudden silence prompted Alex to gaze over her shoulder.
"Hey!" She greeted, "I head J'onn is making some progress now that the alien is cooperating,"
"Ja'ek, yes. He's...open to exploring his options," Kara said, smiling weakly as she approached them, noticing the way Brainy eyed her curiously.
Alex cleared her throat "Well, we were discussing some options as well,"
"Really?" Kara asked hopefully.
"Why yes," Briany intervened with his usual and unmistakable tone, "We were wondering if it would be wise if I contacted the future to inquire how to solve this. There might be a footnote in history books."
"Wait, the future?" Kara asked, "Isn't this the future? Well, at least for me?"
"You see, similar to your case, I'm not from this time period, but unlike you, I came here with a mission and resources. Also, I am from a very much more distant time period,"
Kara felt suddenly overwhelmed by the information, "That's...a lot," she swallowed hard, "can't we use the device that got you here to get me back?"
"It's not that simple," Alex intervened, "Remember, you aren't a time-traveler, you are displaced through time. There's a difference. Right now, my sister is writing over your story, which means that there's still one of you in each timeline, that's why it hasn't collapsed or created paradoxes,"
"And that's also probably why the Legends haven't intervened," Brainy chimed in as if Kara would know who he was talking about, "Because the course of things is still relatively safe,"
"That's right," Alex nodded, "so those are actually good news, Kar." Alex pressed her shoulder encouragingly, "So now we just have to be patient and look for the safest way to swap you back into your respective lines."
"Give time some time," Kara sighed through a breathless chuckle.
"I'm afraid so," Alex patted her back, but before any comforting words could be said, an alarm went off and the lights turned red. She turned to the screen seeing a violet anti-alien group attack a defenseless shelter, "Guardian, Dreamer!" Alex called into her com, "Get into the portals, we have a situation," her voice quivered, "Kelly, it's one of your centers,"
The line went completely silent, and then Guardian's voice came through with icy determination, "Send us in,"
Alex quickly obeyed, supervising the situation from afar, seeing the events escalate far too quickly, "Brainy, they'll need reinforcements, I'm going in," she put on her hood, adjusting her armor, "Be ready to give J'onn the signal,"
"Understood," he nodded.
Alex turned to Kara, but before she could say anything, Kara complied, "Stay put, I know. Now go save them"
Her sister nodded and opened a portal for herself, disappearing through it.
Kara quickly got closer to the screen, to see them in action. Her sister was far more skilled than ever before, and when she fought next to Guardian, it was like watching a ballet. Their synchrony and unfaltering movements made a waltz in which only the two of them existed. Kara smiled to herself, Kelly was unarguably Alex's battlefield counterpart; her wife.
But the spell of the moment broke far too soon as multiple other rioters showed up with more than just bats and threats. The flames started to rise as the place got torched and multiple families scattered to the streets only to be faced with their aggressors.
"They are too many," Kara said, "you have to call J'onn!"
"To a mission with fire?" he retorted, clearly worried as well, "he would be compromised, there's less than a 30% chance of success," he stood up, "I'll go," he turned around to gaze at her, "our Supergirl would have 95% rate of success," he said, "without her, this will turn into a predicament,"
Kara pressed her fists.
"Luckily for us, you are her," he gazed steadily into her eyes, opening a second portal, "in case everything else fails," and without another word, he disappeared into the portal and sprung into action.
The Superfriends divided into two groups, while Nia and Brainy helped evacuate the alien civilians, Guardian and Sentinel fought to keep them at bay and buy them time to get as many of them as possible through a portal.
"Is that everyone?" Alex asked, standing her ground.
"I think so!" Dreamer answered, coughing violently as she escaped the collapsing room, "I don't see anyone else,"
"The police are on their way," Brainy informed, "same as the firefighters."
Guardian stood in front of the wreckage, seeing the building be turned to ashes, falling in front of her. Everything was falling apart way faster than they could put it back together. Her fists tightened and her eyes watered.
Alex reached her side, seeing her wife's work be blown away like cinder, "I'm…I'm truly sorry," she said heartedly, "and we'll make them sorry for it," she added fiercely.
"We don't have time for sorry," Kelly turned to her, "we have a lot of work in front of us," her eyes were shimmering with determination, her drive increasing.
Alex nodded back, "Right," she breathed in, "this is far from over,"
And far from over it was. The explosion blindsided them all, throwing them in different directions.
"Was that a bomb?" Nia asked from the ground, recovering first.
"The gas line," Kelly answered, holding her side, "there must be a leak,"
"That means more could-?" the second wave didn't get to touch them as a blur of red and blue appeared, blowing icy breath to contain the flames, keeping them from harm's way.
"Kara!" Alex was about to say something when her sister's attention was caught by a faint sound.
"There's someone inside!" the young Supergirl rushed into the building, flying blindly through the smoke, only trusting her hearing to find the person trapped. She moved the debris finding...three bodies, but only one heartbeat. Her stomach turned as she moved the entanglement of limbs and a pair of frightened eyes gazed at her from underneath. The eyes of just a little girl.
"Hey," Kara cooed, "I'm getting you out of here," she saw the burn marks in her arms and quickly removed her cape to wrap it around her protectively, flying through the blazes as the rooftop began to collapse over their heads. But Kara only had one purpose right now and that was to get the kid out safe, holding her to her chest, making sure her heartbeat was still beating against her own as she broke them through the last wall, finally seeing the light of day. She was so focused on the girl it took her several moments to realize her sister was already by her side, asking her to let go so Kelly could take the kid to the paramedics.
"Kara, Kara, it's alright," Alex said, holding her shoulder and Kara finally felt herself come back to her senses. Her mind had been completely elsewhere, captive of a violet scene from the past that haunted her deeply, "you got her out, you can let go,"
Kara's hold loosen and Kelly took the girl that was still wrapped in the cape.
The Kryptonian shivered, hiding her face into her hands, sighing unevenly, doing an effort to hold back a sob.
"Kara," Alex called again.
"I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have shown up," she apologized.
"It's okay, we'll talk about that later," Alex kept an arm around her, using her body to cover her from the cameras, "Are you alright?" Kara's lower lip quivered, but she nodded, "Alright, let's get you out of here," Alex helped her up, "Brainy, open a portal for us, please."
He nodded, looking apologetical at them, perhaps feeling guilty of having defied Alex's order, and encouraged the young Kryptonian to intervene in the first place, "Of course,"
But before they could cross, Kelly rushed to them, "Wait!" she looked at Supergirl with urgency, "Her parents, did you-?"
Kara paled drastically, a pained expression in her features as she shook her head no, feeling nauseous, "Hers was the only heartbeat left, they...saved her."
Kara ran her finger around the mug in front of her, unable to drink the tea inside of it as she waited for news from the rest of the team. The Tower was unusually quiet, leaving her head to fill the silence with screams and pleas only she could hear. All in a language no one could understand, but Kara was sure that the devastation on their tones would have been enough to know that they were cries of help. Millions of voices begging to be saved from the flames and the explosions and all she could do was stay uselessly frozen in place while being shipped away, spared from a similar fate. But that little girl today, she hadn't even made a single sound...
The Super's stomach knotted again as she pushed the beverage away, unable to stand her own reflection.
"Aunt Kara?" Esme tentatively walked into the room, "I-I heard what happened. I thought to...well, I didn't want you to be alone while they all..." she shrugged.
Kara sniffed, cleaning her face, "Come here, little one," she opened her arms, and Esme was magnetized toward them, hugging her so tightly Kara couldn't properly breathe, but right now that's exactly what she needed, to stop the numbness that spread through her body.
"Thank you, Esme," she kissed the top of her head, cuddling her niece in arms, "You give great hugs, do you know that?"
Esme snickered lightly, "I've learned only from the best," she pushed away just enough to see her face, "you are on the top three."
Kara chuckled back, wiping the tears away and letting go, "Are there any news?" she asked after a beat.
"Mom said she'll be put into the system," she admitted, her own eyes saddening, "it will take a little while to place her into a proper home,"
Kara cupped her cheek, "Are you alright?"
Esme shrugged where she stood, "It's...it's past talk," she explained fidgetting with her hands.
Kara smiled sadly at the sight, "Hey, if you don't tell anyone, neither will I," she offered, "it'll be our little secret. I'll make sure to tell J'onn to erase the information later, don't worry,"
"Are-are you sure?"
"I'm your aunt, right?" Kara smiled, "or at least, I really want to be,"
Esme could recall all the times she had turned to her Aunt in search of advice and comfort. Whenever her powers seemed to be too much, the Kryptonian would take all her worries away and reassure Esme, making her feel like she was the most important person in the galaxy. For her, that was the Super's real power; to always be there when she needed her the most.
And this time, it was no different.
"I'm a...I was also in the system," she explained, "before my moms adopted me and...even though I was so little I still recall things and-" her lips quivered and she made an effort not to cry, but Kara's arms were already around her, holding her together, "I don't want her to go through that,"
"I understand," Kara rubbed small circles on her back, "I don't want her to live through a pain similar to my own either," she admitted with a heavy heart.
Esme gazed up at her, looking into her eyes with confusion and sympathy. That part of her aunt's history was not something she truly knew about, and Kara realized it by her reaction.
"We are back!" Alex's voice echoed down the corridor and both turned to see the four heroes arrive still with their uniforms covered in cinder as a reminder of the events.
"Are they alright, is the girl-?"
"She's safe. Some minor burns in her arms and she breathed a bit of smoke, but she'll be alright," Kelly explained, "she's at the hospital right now,"
"And the other aliens?"
"We'll relocate them to other shelters, we've already coordinated with the authorities, they'll be patrolling so nothing like this happens again," Alex explained.
Kara stood silent for a moment before daring to ask, "Has...this happened before?"
All of them shared a concerned look, which was confirmation enough, "We've been working on some peace treaties," Nia explained, "but there has been some discontent among some humans. But we are making progress, passing laws," she offered, "Alex, Kelly, and James have brought this issue to the senators, and the political environment" she gestured to herself and Kara, "we make sure to address it to the public through journalism, and Lena uses her technology and resources to fund many charities," Nia waved a hand to explain that the list went on and on, "we do a lot more, but there's still work to do,"
Kara nodded, feeling a warmth spread through her insides, comforted to see that everyone was doing their best, to see the passion and commitment in their eyes. She believed them, she believed in them. This was her future family, after all.
Kara waited in the Tower, instead of jumping into the portal back to the apartment since Lena had called before saying she was running a bit late, and somehow making it back to the house without her being there wasn't as appealing.
Nia and Brainy waved goodbye, with the latter gazing at her with a bit of a conflictive expression as if looking for the words to say something but failing to articulate them. But ultimately, he nodded at her and parted with Nia to their home.
It was a few minutes later that Guardian walked into the room, "We are about to head out, do you want us to wait with you at the apartment?"
"No, it's okay, I'll get going," she stood up, looking at the youngest Olsen through the mask, "So we are sisters-in-law, Kelly?"
The woman stood silent for a moment before removing her helmet, finally letting her see her without the mask, "We are, Kara," she smiled openly at her.
Kara sighed with relief, "It's good to see your face," she said, feeling suddenly vulnerable, "I'm...I'm sorry I couldn't save them all,"
Kelly reached her side, grabbing her shoulders, "That's in no way your fault, you have nothing to apologize for,"
Kara couldn't help the tears that escaped her, "Still, I feel like I should have done more, that I should have been able to-"
"No, sweetie. This doesn't fall on you,"
"It feels like it does! It feels like Krypton all over again," And Kara couldn't even tell why this one incident had triggered something like that after she had faced far worst-case scenarios before. But her tears decided to stream down like rivers regardless.
"Maybe because for the last couple of weeks you've lost your home all over again," Kelly cooed softly, looking at the broken Girl of Steel, "we didn't give you time to process that you were displaced from everything you know," she rubbed her hand up and down Kara's arm, "We just kept on moving forward trying to make a plan, because for us the change wasn't as abrupt, we all know you," she said gently, "but for you, all of this is foreign, too big, too loud, too fast... like arriving to a different planet once more."
Kara broke down sobbing, realizing how true those words were, how painfully accurate they echoed inside her. It was like Krypton, but this time, there was a dim hope that she might be able to go back to her own home, and having that little hope also meant having something else to lose.
As if sensing her pain, Kelly added, "You might not recognize your surrounding, but know that the people here love you dearly. You are not alone, Kara. That much, I can promise you," Kelly gazed deep into her eyes, "you have all of us,"
Kara sniffed, nodding, "Thank you," she hugged her tightly, "thank you for being part of the family," she said against her shoulder.
Kelly hugged back, "My absolute pleasure," she stroked her back gently, giving Kara a chance to pull herself back together. When the Kryptonian finally let go, Kelly squished her arm encouragingly, "Come on, let's get you home, I'm sure Lena will be there soon."
Kara nodded, "Yeah, and you have a family to get back to,"
Kelly smirked, "I do," she waited for a moment, "we are going to the hospital first," she admitted, "Alex and I decided to host the girl for the time being. She won't be lonely," Guardian said gently, honoring her hero's name.
Kara felt a relief root deep into her core, healing something that had been wounded for far too long.
"Darling?!" Lena called for Kara as soon as she opened the door, "I just saw the news! Alex should have called me! Are you-?" she found the balcony's door open and the figure of the Super sitting on the riel, dangling her legs on the edge, looking quietly at the moon. Lena took a deep breath and joined her, "Kara?"
"I'm wearing the bracelet," she showed her wrist, "and I have the flower, so I don't think anyone can see me," she looked over her shoulder, "magic?"
"A talk for another day," Lena smiled softly, reaching her side, placing a tender hand on her back, "Are you alright, darling?"
Kara pressed her hands around the riel to the point a little more pressure would have pulverized the material, "Yeah, I was thinking about..."
"Zehdh?" Lena pronounced to the best of her capabilities the word for home, belonging.
"Zhi" Kara answered an affirmative before turning to Lena completely struck by the realization, "Wait you- you know Kryptonian?"
"To a very basic level, I'm afraid," Lena smiled shyly, "still conversational, just not fluid. You are a very patient teacher, I might add," she was about to look up when she felt Kara embrace her strongly, yet careful not to hurt her. The young Kryptonian hid in the crook of her neck, trying to keep from breaking down crying again, "Kara?" Lena called softly, adjusting her body to fully cradle her in her arms.
"I'm sorry, I just...I never thought I would have someone to talk to in my native language again," she confessed, "Kal was so little when we left and when he speaks it sounds so foreign, even when it's his first language as well and," she chocked, swallowing the knot on her throat, "And it's a piece of home, insignificant as it is," she sniffed, "thank you."
"It's not insignificant, Kara," Lena caressed her nape, "and it means just as much for me, too." She closed her eyes, savoring the moment. If she really tried, she could pretend she was in the arms of her wife right now. Even her smell was the same, sunkissed skin that lingered with the freshness of the day. She was her sun, the light that always pulled her out of the darkness.
Kara stood there, quietly being taken care of, held in a warmth and comfort she rarely allowed herself to feel. And once again, Lena's heartbeat became the only sound she could hear, soothing her like a lullaby. When she finally was able to catch her breath she opened her eyes to find she had been levitating over the balcony while holding to the Luthor heir.
"Sorry," she mumbled, touching back down, surprised to find that Lena hadn't been disconcerted by that. Instead, she looked even a little sad that the flight was over.
"Are you feeling better?" Lena cupped her cheek, her cold hand like a soft winter breeze against her always warm skin.
"Yes," she nodded, "I guess today was a bit too much,"
"I'm sorry I wasn't there," Lena's brows knitted in concern.
Kara shook her head, "It's alright, I know you have many things to do. Dreamer mentioned you run a lot of charities for aliens, I- I wanted to say that it means a lot to me,"
"I know," Lena mumbled, smiling weakly, unable to explain further all the things that had to be left unsaid, "Maybe it's best if you get some rest?" she offered in its place.
Kara faintly nodded, maybe a bit of sleep could clear her head and put at ease her troubling thoughts.
But it didn't. Sleep eluded her and Kara found herself staring at the ceiling, her mind light-years away. The hollow feeling settled into her chest as if taking the space where her heart should be. She closed her eyes, forcing herself to ease off and tune in to something far more welcoming than her own thoughts.
Lena Luthor, sitting by the edge of a bed too large for one person on the room over, also found herself prey of memories. She grabbed her wedding token from the drawer and stared at it fondly. The inscription inside of it was the same first phrase she had learned in Kryptonian. It was emblemed into metal and into her heart. "El mayarah". It was hard to believe in strength when feeling so lonely. And she had to wonder how was her wife handling the distance across time? Did she miss her touch? The midnight flights across the city? The tender kisses they would share when thinking no one at the Tower was looking?
Lena pressed the piece of jewelry against her lips, unable to call her name.
And then, a knock on the door brought her back to her empty room, "Lena?" The door opened ajar, revealing the figure standing by the frame, timidly gazing in.
"Kara?" she rapidly put the token back into the drawer, "Is everything alright, Darling?"
"Yes, I just-" she gripped the fabric mercilessly under her fingers to the point it almost get torn apart, "Can I sleep here tonight?" The request froze the Luthor in place and Kara found herself panicking, "Just for tonight, I don't even need space in the bed, I tend to float, I just- I-I don't want to be alone right now," she tried her best to keep her voice from quivering but felt her tone tremble nonetheless.
Lena inhaled sharply, remembering she needed air in her lungs, and took the final step to the door, "Of course, dear," she opened wide, letting her in, noticing Kara had brought her own pillow along which melted her heart for no reason.
"Thank you," Kara said, unable to look her in the eye, feeling embarrassed of her own request. She walked towards the couch before feeling her hand be gently grabbed.
"Don't be silly," Lena said softly, "the bed is big enough, I tend to sleep on the left side, you can have the other half," she offered with the same level of awkwardness Kara was embodying. She laid down on her side, leaving enough space between them to make her comfortable.
Kara slid under the covers, taking as little space as possible, sinking into the sheets, being swallowed by the cushions, with her sight averted.
"If you need," Lena's voice broke the silence, "I could call Alex,"
"No!" Kara replied immediately, looking into her eyes with urgency before shying away from her fierce emeralds, "She's got a difficult night ahead of herself," she added evenly, "they took in the little girl from the shelter,"
"Oh. I...didn't know that" Lena mumbled back, "was she the one you saved?" she inquired, not missing the way Kara's eyes flinched with hurt in them.
"Yeah...that one," she sank deeper into the sheets as if the fortress of pillows could compare to the one of Solitude.
Lena stretched her hand, pushing down the fabric to properly see her face, "Kara? What's wrong?" she asked delicately.
Kara's eyes soon flooded with tears once more and she pressed her face against the pillow sheepishly trying to hide away.
"Darling?" Lena lightly caressed her cheek, wiping away the salty drops.
"I'm sorry," Kara chocked out against the pillow. What was she apologizing for? Showing hurt? Feeling weak? For crying through all her attempts to stand tall? Lena couldn't find a reason in the world for her to say sorry.
"I'm here," was the Luthor's answer, "I'm here for whatever you need. To talk or stay silent, to hold you or give you space," she said resolutely, "I've got you, Little Darling."
Kara felt moved by the sincerity of her words and earnest actions. She pushed the hill of her hand against her face, erasing the trace of tears.
"How can I help you?" Lena asked gently, not pushing for answers.
Kara found herself latching her fingers into the colder ones of Lena, pressing lightly, "It's...the little girl," she said with a faint voice, "I...always have a hard time when it comes to kids,"
Lena knew this, but she wouldn't dare say it. That was one topic she and her wife couldn't see eye-to-eye, not even after so long. Every time Lena tried to approach the subject Kara would all but flee to avoid it, never offering as much as an explanation. After a while, Lena just stopped expecting one.
Kara held on a little tighter, trying to find the words to say it. To say something that rarely came across on her talks, but seeing those emerald eyes so focused and gentle reminded her that if her future self had shared with Lena her native language, then there was nothing she wouldn't have told her already. "Especially when it has to do with babies," Kara said hesitantly, "I was supposed to...my one mission was to protect Kal and I failed," she said bitterly, swallowing the salty admission, " I was her family, I was supposed to keep him safe, to be there for him. Hold him, help him, let him know he was loved and that he wasn't alone and..." she hid her face, "and I can never get rid of that guilt inside of me." she said brokenly, "and...whenever I see a baby in someone else's arms...my mind takes me back to my capsule and all I see is how he is drifting away from my grasp." she exhaled unevenly, "And today, when I pulled that little girl out of the smoke and destruction, away from her parent's lifeless bodies I-" she bent over, feeling her guts twist, closing up her throat.
Lena quickly sheltered her against her body, feeling the trembling figure admit something her future self had buried for so long, "I've got you, Darling," she mumbled into her hair, rubbing circles on her back, "It's okay, you can say it, I'm here for you,"
"I was supposed to be Kal's family," the sob ripped through her chest, shaking her violently, "I was supposed to care for him, but instead he made sure to give me all the things I could never provide him. He made sure I had a family, a loving home, so how could I...?" she clenched into Lena's robe, pressing her forehead over her chest, "I knew right then that I could never carry a baby in arms and not feel this hurt," she felt her chest tighten, "and today, with that girl it all came back to me. All the memories, all the pain, all the broken pieces of that nightmare that I keep under the rug," she exhaled exhaustedly, finally having let it all out, letting the weight be lifted from her chest even if only for a minute.
Lena found herself shaking at her words, finally understanding a missing piece of the puzzle her wife was. The real fear and uncertainty that lay under her always determined gaze. Some wounded area of her heart had simply hidden away and hadn't resurfaced. But this young Kara had poured her soul out just for her ears. The reason Kara could never see herself as a mother was because of a pang of well-rooted guilt regarding her nuclear family. How could she be expected to care for a child when that simple act had been the beginning of her journey to the unknown? The premise of so much hurt and guilt that had built up throughout the years... But her lips had remained tightly shut around the topic, shielding her heart from that experiencing that ache once more.
"I-I didn't-, I'm so sorry, Kara," Lena held her back, wishing not for the last time that this version of the Kryptonian was her wife so she could say all the things that needed to be said. To reassure her that a family of their own wouldn't have to hurt, that she wouldn't be alone, that she would always be there, and even when she felt astray, that Lena would take her hand so both could keep moving forward. But that's not what she could tell this Kara. So instead, she embraced her lovingly, and spoke softly, "It's not your fault,"
Kara shook her head, unable to accept the same answer Kelly had told her before, "It is,"
"It's not your fault," Lena said again, "It's not your fault," she repeated, holding her with might, "It's not," she kissed her forehead feeling the Kryptonian finally break down at her words, "you were just a kid," she mumbled weakly, "they shouldn't have made you carry the weight of your world and it's legacy on your shoulders. They were unfair to put that on you, and you deserve to know that you did everything you could. You loved Kal, and even if you couldn't be the one holding his hand as he grew up, you are the one that gave him back his family when you made it to Earth. You never abandoned him," she said heartedly, "You didn't choose to be pulled apart and you don't have to be the one having to stand tall and be the last daughter of Krypton. You are Kara Zor-El, and that's more than enough. Don't let the wight of your name drag you down. Believe me, I know that much," her voice quivered because she could feel her pain as her own. Because she was now realizing the battles her wife kept quiet about.
But when this young Kara gazed up with her impossibly clear blue eyes that look unfairly more beautiful through the tears, she saw something be restored. Or at least, the very first spark for that to happen. And she was looking at her with such affection, Lena felt her heart pull her closer to her, but this wasn't her time to say more or act on those candid wishes.
"Why are you...?" Kara lost her voice, "why do you care so much about me?" It was as if trying to get the moon to tell the sun why it orbited around it.
Lena couldn't say much, but she could spare this secret, knowing it wouldn't mean the same for this Kara as it did for her.
"Because I love you,"
Her words were soft and true and she didn't have to express what she meant by them. She loved her for the friend she had been to her when they first met her and she loved her now for the life partner she was. In due time, in Lena's past, she would get to tell her more about it, but right now, that was still far ahead into Kara's future.
But Kara didn't need to know more to feel the sincerity of her words. Just the comfort of having someone to ease off the loneliness brought her that unique feeling that she was already home. So she held into that emotion and curled into Lena's arms, finding them to be a safe haven to let her guard down. Her eyelids finally gave out as she pressed her ear against Lena's chest, focusing on that steady heartbeat that never failed to soothe her.
Lena tangled her fingers through blonde hair, pressing her lips on Kara's head while gently humming a Kryptonian song she knew by heart because of all the times she had held Kara in a similar position when the hero came back home after a particularly tough day. The kind of days that weren't sunny, when she hadn't been fast enough or strong enough or couldn't save them all. But she always came back to her arms and that made it all a bit better.
And Lena needed her to come back to her once more.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thank you so much for all the love this fic is getting! I appreciate it beyond what words can describe.
P.S. Who else saw those edited pictures and fell for it? Honestly, I'm not even mad, that was great. So to whoever turned Twitter upside down putting Supercorp on the map for one last time, I applaud you. Now it's up to fanfics to keep the torch from going out just yet.