After circling her mother's house a few times to make sure none of the neighbors are out and about, Kara slowly approaches her childhood home from the direction of the lake and makes a soft landing on the back porch. Kara looks at Lena's face. She's still asleep. Kara knocks softly on the porch door's window, trying not to wake her friend. As soon as she's knocked, however, she can feel Lena stir in her arms. Slowly Lena opens her eyes. Observing her friend's face, Kara can easily discern a quick succession of thoughts and emotions: first the confusion as to why she's in Supergirl's arms in a place she doesn't recognize; then the memories of what had happened flooding back; and finally the return of all the anger, hurt and disillusionment that had been so blessedly absent from her face while she was sleeping. Lena opens her mouth to say something and Kara braces herself for what's to come. But just then the porch door opens and Eliza appears in the opening.
Seeing Kara in her Supergirl suit and Lena all bruised and battered in Kara's arms, Eliza's jaw drops.
"What happened?", she asks, her calm voice betraying nothing of the alarm in her eyes. "Was she in an accident?"
Kara feels Lena move in her arms. It's clear she wants to get out of Kara's grasp. Kara looks at Lena's bare feet. They seem fine and Kara slowly puts Lena down. As soon as her feet touch the porch floor, Lena takes a few steps away from Kara. Kara's surprised by the pang she feels in her heart as Lena instinctively moves away from her.
"I'm fine," Lena says while smoothing her skirt and blouse with her hands.
Her tone is cold. Harsh.
Kara can feel her mother observing them. She knows her mother will find it hard to make sense of what's going on. "I thought perhaps you wouldn't mind checking Lena's injuries?", Kara says, her voice soft and uncertain. "Help clean them up? See whether she needs a hospital?"
"I don't need a hospital," Lena says curtly.
Eliza gives Kara a puzzled look. Then she smiles reassuringly at Lena and puts a hand behind her back.
"Let's get you cleaned up inside," she says, guiding Lena into the house.
Kara follows a few steps behind them.
Eliza takes Lena into the kitchen. Knowing Lena is in good hands now, Kara leaves them to wash Lena's blood off her own hands and change into some normal clothes.
When she returns downstairs, she watches her mother and best friend from the door opening to the kitchen. Lena is sitting on the kitchen counter. One knee's already covered in a large Band-Aid. The blood has been wiped from her legs. There's alcohol and gauze and more Band-Aids on the counter next to her. Eliza is in the process of cleaning a cut on one of Lena's arms. Eliza is so gentle with her and Lena accepts her ministrations without protest. She seems calm again and even almost at ease. Kara feels touched watching them and more than a little relieved. She was right to come here. Still Kara can't help but feel worried as well. Worried about Lena, worried about their friendship.
After putting a last Band-Aid on Lena's other arm, Eliza says, "There. All done." She turns to Kara. "Just some cuts and bruises. Nothing serious."
Lena gives Kara a look that clearly says, "I told you so." When she sees the worry on Kara's face, however, her face returns to neutral. She seems to think for a moment and then says, "Kara, don't worry about me. I'm fine. You just caught me on a bad day. I've actually been working hard and am making lots of progress." But Lena's tone is cold and clinical. Kara knows Lena isn't saying all this to reassure her. She's saying this to let Kara know she's fine without her, that she's moved on, that her world didn't fall apart just because Kara lied to her.
Kara also knows that what Lena says isn't true. She's not fine. Kara doesn't doubt for a minute Lena has buried herself in work. That's what she does. She probably also made some good progress. Lena has the ability to do great work even under the most challenging of circumstances. But this doesn't mean she's fine. All that Kara saw today clearly shows she's far from fine. But this is also not the time to challenge Lena. So Kara nods and with an encouraging smile says, "Okay".
Kara can tell from the look on Lena's face that she wasn't expecting this response.
Lena gets off the counter. "Thank you, Eliza, for your help."
"Anytime."
Lena gives her a sad smile in response.
Lena then thinks for a moment and says, "Eliza, could I use your phone for a moment?" By way of explanation she adds, "I would like to call for a company car to come pick me up."
Eliza casts a quick glance at Kara. Seeing how deflated her daughter looks she says, "Of course. It's right over there. But could I make you two some dinner before you go? You must be hungry."
"Thank you, but I'm okay," Lena says.
Kara looks at her friend. She looks worn out. Kara is pretty sure she hasn't been eating or sleeping well for quite some time.
"Hold on," she says, pretending to pick up on a cry for help somewhere far out in the world they've just left behind. "Sorry," she says. "Sounds like Supergirl's needed. I probably won't be back for a while."
With that, she rushes out of the house and flies off.
When she returns several hours later, Kara finds Eliza alone on the porch, gazing out into the dark night. They hear an owl hooting far off in the distance.
"Lena?", she asks.
"Asleep in Alex's bed," Eliza says. Then she adds with a smile, "She was rather hungry after all."
"Thank you Eliza." Kara puts a hand on her mother's shoulder.
"Come sit with me," her mother says warmly. "Tell me what's been going on."
Part of her is tempted, but a larger part of her just wants to switch off her mind and go to bed.
"I'm really tired," she says.
Eliza nods. "We'll talk some other time. You get some sleep. Come here." She gets up and gives Kara a big hug.
"I love you," she says.
"I love you too."
