Author's Note: I'm back! So glad to be posting again, but my vacation was wonderful. Got engaged at Disney World and couldn't have asked for a more magical experience. Thanks for waiting for this update, guys! Hope you'll still enjoy the story. Lots of love!

That Friday, after changing her outfit six or seven times, Lena sent Kara a text asking when she wanted to be picked up. When Kara said, 'anytime,' Lena wasted no time getting in her car and heading out - without telling her parents, or her personal assistant, where she was going. She just… left.

Kara found herself pacing while waiting for Lena to pick her up. Why the nerves? She wasn't sure. What she did know was that she was, at the very least, excited to see Lena again. For whatever reason, she felt more safe and at home with Lena than she did with her own family.

When Lena pulled up to the curb, she was wearing a playful smirk and a pair of beyond-adorable aviators.

"Where to, m'lady?" the girl asked, patting the seat beside her.

"Sap," Kara teased, opening the car door and carefully getting into the car. "Anyway, I dunno. Anywhere you wanna take me."

"I want to take you anywhere you want to go," Lena teased back. "Anywhere. You name it."

"I don't know… I really… I'm just glad to be out of my house."

"You wanna hit a club?"

"Um… I think you learned from the bar that night life isn't really my scene. I don't think I can people right now anyway, unfortunately. I'm sorry… I'm a party pooper. I know. I just—"

"No, it's okay. Really. I get it. Everyone grieves differently, and in different stages, so if how you're grieving right now is wanting to lay low a little bit, that's okay. Let's go back to my place and play video games."

"You play video games?!" Kara gaped, blinking several times.

"Um, duh? I play a little bit of everything. Hardly ever have time, but when I do, I love it."

"I don't have a console… I've only ever played arcade games."

Raising an eyebrow but not wanting to sound surprised (and potentially judgy), Lena nodded and simply said, "It's fun. You'll like it."

"I'm not very competitive."

"I definitely am," Lena chuckled. "But I'll go easy on you. At least the first time, anyway."

This earned a broad smile from the blonde who spent the next twenty minutes periodically glancing over at her companion, finding herself involuntarily noting just how stunningly beautiful the star was.

When they arrived at Lena's mansion, Lena pulling up to the door and leaving the car running as she stepped out, Kara could barely get out of the car. In fact, Lena had to open the door for her to let her out as she stared in awe at the huge building before her.

"You live here?" the younger girl gaped, gawking.

Rolling her eyes, Lena laughed good-naturedly and tugged on Kara's hand to pull her out of the seat as her butler took the keys from her to go park her car for her.

"Thanks, Jarvis," Lena said with a genuine smile that surprised the blonde to a small degree. "I appreciate you, Sir."

He smiled back at her with a curt nod and proceeded to drive the car to the garage.

"Come on, nerd," the brunette said firmly, pulling Kara into the building and through the parlor. "Den is this way."

Kara followed, wide-eyed, staring at the decor as she was tugged along, until they reached the den, where Lena essentially threw herself into a leather love seat recliner.

With a grin, Lena ordered, "Sit down, dork. Let's do this thing."

Hesitantly, Kara sat down in the seat, terrified to rip the high end leather. When Lena handed her the game controller, though, she smiled and started to relax.

Lena taught Kara the basic concept of the game and made sure to thoroughly review the controls so as to give her a fair shot at victory. To her horror, however, Kara slaughtered her.

"No fair!" Lena cried, chucking the controlling across the room. "You cheat!"

"I wouldn't know how to cheat if I tried," Kara laughed. "I guess I just got lucky."

Sighing, Lena huffed, "Natural ability. Jerk."

"What's with the name calling? Hmm? You this mean to everyone?"

Shrugging nonchalantly, the brunette answered, "Only people I like."

Raising a surprised eyebrow, Kara looked over at Lena who was avoiding her gaze with her arms crossed over her chest.

"What just happened?" Kara asked quizzically.

"What do you mean?"

"Your whole body language changed."

"No, it didn't," Lena argued defensively, keeping her eyes down on the carpet.

"Okay," the blonde chuckled. "Whatever you say, dude."

After a long pause where neither of them spoke or moved a muscle, Lena finally confessed, "If I pick on you, it means I like you. I don't pick on many people. I know I'm a bitch, but I don't tease unless I care about you. So, I guess… I guess I just like you. I don't know. Whatever. Sorry I'm such an ass."

Kara was surprised to notice that as the short monologue continued, Lena's eyes were welling with tears.

Instinctively, she put her hand over the star's and said, "Hey. It's okay. I kind of like when you tease me."

"You do?" Lena asked, finally looking up at her friend.

"Yeah. As long as you don't actually hate me."

"You know… I have a rule. And it's shitty. But… I don't give anyone a free pass to get in my car."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean…" Lena started to explain with a sigh. "And I know I'm a shitty person… but… It's ass or gas, dude."

"What?"

"Lay me or pay my gas."

Staring blankly, Kara asked, "Why would you want someone to pay your gas when you have a car worth millions?"

"Because like I said, I don't give people a free pass. I don't appreciate people who use me, so it leaves me with no option."

"Does that mean—"

"No!" Lena cried. "Absolutely not. Not you. That's what I'm saying. I don't expect anything from you. And I'd do just about anything to make you smile. That's my point. I don't want you to think I need anything from you. And the fact that I don't want anything other than friendship from you says a lot about you. You're just… so… different. I really like you, Kara…"

Swallowing her nerves, Kara suddenly realized she was still holding Lena's hand. Letting go as rapidly as she'd put her hand there, she blushed and dropped her gaze.

Mumbling, the blonde shared, "I like you too, Lena. A lot."

This earned a broad smile from Lena that made Kara's stomach turn when she looked up.

Then, just as Kara's heart started to flutter, Lena sent it sinking into the pit of her stomach by saying, "You're a great friend."

"I… I t-try," Kara stammered. "And I'm glad you think so."

Hopping out of the recliner, Lena walked over to the liquor cabinet near them and poured herself a whiskey. Kara watched apprehensively, fidgeting in her seat as she started to feel mildly uncomfortable around the fact that the underage star was drinking. She wasn't about to make commentary or share her opinion, of course, but she found herself not only uncomfortable, but actually worried about her new friend.

"Whiskey?" Lena asked her with a smile, but Kara just shook her head.

"No, thank you," the blonde answered softly, her voice shy.

"What's wrong?" the star asked, downing the shot in one go, rather than sipping from the glass.

"N-Nothing," Kara lied, looking away.

Looking suspicious of Kara's answer, Lena poured another shot and carried it back over to the recliner where she sat down beside her friend.

"Lighten up," Lena suggested, holding the shot out to her. "This'll help you relax."

Again, Kara shook her head.

"Your loss," the brunette giggled, downing the second shot.

After another two, Lena was even more giggly than before, and to Kara's surprise, she was becoming increasingly handsy. The more jokes she made - which Kara couldn't help but laugh at - the more she leaned against Kara's shoulder, until finally, her arm was pulling the blonde closer, and Lena's head was on her shoulder.

Before Kara knew it, the celebrity was asleep, propped up against her, and breathing heavily. As soon as she realized what had happened, the younger girl felt her heart begin to race even faster than it had just from feeling Lena's touch. Not daring to move an inch, for fear of waking the sleeping beauty clinging to her tightly, Kara remained still for about 45 minutes until Lena's eyes fluttered open.

"Did I fall asleep?" she slurred, eyes droopy and unfocused, her arms not releasing their vice grip around her friend's torso.

Kara nodded, confirming, "Yeah, for a bit."

"How long?"

"About 45 minutes."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, you were a little drunk."

"Drunk?" Lena chuckled. "You think this is drunk?"

Shrugging and feeling a little confused, Kara answered, "Anyway… I should get home and let you sleep."

"No way," the brunette protested. "I'm not going back to sleep unless you come nap with me."

"Huh?"

"Aren't you tired? Emotionally exhausted? Don't you just want to check out for a bit?"

Biting her lip, Kara considered this carefully before answering, "I guess so."

"Good. Come on. Upstairs."

Following obediently, Kara made her way up to Lena's gigantic bedroom, with the brunette stumbling slightly the whole way and leaning on her for support. The bed was covered with an elegant canopy with fairy lights that sparkled in waves, making the bed look more appealing than any other the blonde had ever seen. Roughly tugging Kara towards the bed, Lena pulled her friend into the canopy of lights and laid herself down on the bed groggily. Hesitantly, Kara joined her, laying with an appropriate amount of distance between them.

"I'm cold," Lena whined, after a moment of silence.

"Get under the covers?"

"Nuh-uh," the brunette protested. "Hold me."

Raising an eyebrow, Kara started to protest, "I… um…"

But Lena was already rolling onto her side and draping an arm over Kara's torso, placing her head on the blonde's shoulder. As she listened to Lena's deep breathing, Kara's heart sputtered and hiccuped at every soft, peaceful sound. Lena usually had so much energy and spice that it was strange to see her so comfortable and relaxed. The blonde assumed this was partially due to the alcohol she'd consumed. Lena had been relatively guarded throughout the first few days of them knowing each other but was displaying significant vulnerability here, in her own space. Kara appreciated this more than Lena could know. It was flattering to hear what Lena had said before about her being "different," and it was more flattering still to have Lena demonstrate that opinion by relaxing so much in her presence.

This time, they both fell asleep, warm and comforted by each other's embrace.