Author's Note: Missing scenes for episode 203 "Welcome to Earth".

Lena Luthor cannot, for the life of her, figure out why she cares what Kara Danvers thinks.

She met the woman barely two weeks ago, and has spoken to her for a grand total of an hour. Their most recent conversation made it quite clear that Kara doesn't share Lena's views on certain subjects; Kara looked like Lena had kicked a puppy when Lena showed her the alien detector and explained its purpose. Lena sincerely hopes the other woman develops a thicker skin if she's going to continue as a reporter—

Lena's hands freeze over the keyboard. This. This is EXACTLY what I was just thinking about. She scrubs a hand over her face as a soft groan escapes. Lena can handle people getting under her skin; it's a favorite tactic of others in the business world, especially those not used to seeing someone of Lena's age and gender as a peer. They smile politely and deliver thinly-veiled insults or get angry and hurl threats at her. Sometimes, their words hurt, but since Lena doesn't care to ever see these people outside of a business setting she can (mostly) shrug off the sting and go about her business. The words and faces that go with them get shoved into the darkest corners of her mind, and she does her best to forget them.

For some reason, though, Kara Danvers' face looms in Lena's memory: How apologetic she looked when she admitted to being there to get Lena's take on the Alien Amnesty Act. The initial curiosity and then instant disapproval when Lena showed off and explained the alien detector. How Kara tried to collect herself and maintain her professionalism as she pushed back against Lena's rationale for the device. Oddly, Lena also thought Kara looked nervous when Lena first pushed her to use the device, then relieved when she eventually did and got a human reading. Could Kara be an alien?

Lena groans again, leaning back in her chair. It's certainly possible. After all, the whole reason Lena designed the detector in the first place is because so many aliens look human. Granted, she doesn't have a lot of data on this hypothesis, but what she does have certainly supports the conclusion. Except… Rising from her seat, Lena quickly retrieves the detector from the safe. If Kara is in fact an alien, then either her species is close enough to human that the detector is useless, or the prototype has a glitch somewhere. Lena pries the cover off the device, and immediately finds her answer: Just under the outer casing's seam, sensitive electronics have been burned away in a precise line. What the hell?

"Miss Luthor?"

"Yes, Jess?"

"You wanted this as soon as it arrived." Lena looks up as her assistant places the latest issue of CatCo magazine on her desk. "Will there be anything else?"

Lena's stomach flips at the sight of her name on the front cover. "Not at the moment." Thankfully, her voice comes out steady.

Jess gives a quick nod and exits. Lena simply stares at the magazine for a moment, her thoughts racing. Based on the (admittedly minimal) evidence, Kara Danvers is an alien. An alien to whom Lena said some things that, in hindsight, make her sound like her xenophobic brother. An alien who writes for one of the most widely-read publications in the country. An alien who just wrote an article about Lena's views for said publication.

Shit.

Lena has a very bad feeling about that article.

Well, if there's a storm headed her way, better to be forewarned. Lena puts the detector away for now and returns to her seat. Picking up the magazine and mentally bracing herself for the roasting that surely awaits within, Lena turns to the article.

*SC*SC*SC*

An hour later, Lena finally puts down the magazine. Kara's article is… amazing. Instead of the hatchet job Lena feared, the reporter has crafted a piece that strikes a good balance of facts and Lena's opinions. A discerning reader could likely also glean Kara's opinions on the subject, but the casual observer likely wouldn't be able to tell. Lena's instinct that Kara would make a good reporter seems to have been a solid one. Alien or not, she deserves to know that. Lena picks up her phone. "Jess, can you please put me through to CatCo? I need to speak with Kara Danvers."