The next evening, as 9 p.m. draws near, Kara starts to feel increasingly nervous. When there's a knock on the door, she looks over the rim of her glasses using her x-ray vision. It's Lena. Her hair is up and she's wearing black dress pants, high heels and a gorgeous black coat. She's holding a bottle of red wine which Kara knows will be excellent. Kara takes a deep breath and opens the door.

She can tell at once Lena is nervous too.

For a moment they simply stand there, looking at each other awkwardly. Then Kara catches herself. "Hi," she says quickly.

"Hi."

Wondering for a moment whether she can give Lena a hug, Kara decides against it. She steps aside and invites Lena in. Kara takes Lena's bottle and her coat.

"You didn't need to bring this," Kara says as she holds up the bottle.

"You know me; I find it hard to show up empty-handed."

"It's enough that you came," Kara says kindly.

A tiny smile appears on Lena's face.

They walk over to Kara's kitchen island. Kara takes two wine glasses out of a cupboard.

"Can I pour you a glass?", she asks.

"Please."

"Shall we try Cat's or yours?"

Lena picks up Cat's bottle. She looks at it approvingly. "Let's try this one."

Kara pours them both a large glass and hands one to Lena.

For a moment neither of them seems to know what to say. Then Kara gestures at the couch. "Shall we sit down?", she asks.

"Sure."

They sit down; once again an awkward silence takes over. They both quickly drink from their wine.

"It's good," Lena says, raising her eyebrows the way Kara knows she does when something pleases her.

"It is."

"Are you still in touch with Cat?"

"We talk sometimes; not very often."

"But you were close when you were working under her?"

Kara thinks for a moment. "Yes, I guess in a way we were. And she was a great mentor to me; I learned a lot from her."

"Did she know?"

"Know what?", Kara asks innocently.

Lena frowns. "That you're Supergirl."

Kara is taken aback; she looks at Lena uncertainly. But Kara can tell from the look on Lena's face that the question wasn't meant to hurt or castigate. There's no hidden dig.

"No, she doesn't," she therefore answers straightforwardly. "At one point she thought she had figured out I was Supergirl, but I managed to convince her I wasn't."

Lena nods.

Kara looks at Lena as she breathes in deeply. All of a sudden she is overcome with a feeling of well-being. How wonderful it is to be sitting here with Lena. She gives Lena a warm smile and says, "I'm so happy you came."

Lena gives her a tiny nod and then quickly reaches for her wine and takes another sip.

Wanting to put her at ease, Kara asks her how she's been.

Lena looks up. "I've been okay."

Wanting to give her a chance to speak, Kara remains silent.

Lena is quiet for a moment and then suddenly says, "Sam came to stay with me."

Kara smiles. "Did she?"

"Yeah. Ruby was staying with a school friend to work on a science project in the evenings and Sam said she was getting a bit lonely. So she took her laptop with her and did some work from National City."

Lena looks happy as she tells Kara this.

"That sounds great, Lena. How's she doing?"

"She's doing well. She says she misses us but likes Metropolis. And Ruby is thriving there."

"I'm so glad."

Kara looks at Lena. She wishes she could reach out, put a hand on her arm, make any kind of physical contact. She knows she shouldn't.

"How about you?", Lena asks.

Kara is about to answer, when they suddenly hear a bang coming from the corridor just outside Kara's apartment. It's followed by a loud "Ouch."

Lena looks at Kara. "Should we go and check?", she asks.

Kara takes a quick look at Lena. Then she pushes her glasses down her nose and looks through the wall.

"It's just my neighbor," she says. "I think he's drunk and just walked into the wall."

"Is he okay?"

"Ah, there's his girlfriend behind him." Kara puts her glasses back up. "I'm sure he'll be fine."

Lena looks at her for a moment and then asks, "Do you normally wear them in your apartment?"

"My glasses?"

"Yeah."

"Sometimes I do. I guess usually I don't."

Lena looks at her diffidently and says, "You don't have to wear them for my sake."

Kara hesitates for a moment. She looks at Lena and then slowly takes them off. She puts them on the table next to her wine glass. When she looks up again at Lena, she feels vulnerable all of a sudden, almost naked.

Probably sensing this, Lena gives her a reassuring smile.

Feeling that in some indirect way they've broached the topic of Kara's secret, of the betrayal, Kara says, "If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. But if you do feel like there are things you'd like to say or ask, I just want you to know you can. I know I really hurt you and I understand why you felt so betrayed."

Lena looks at her uncertainly. Kara can tell Lena is weighing in her mind whether she wants to open up, whether it's a good idea. She drinks from her wine and then, almost as if trying out what it would feel like to tell Kara what it was like to feel so betrayed by her, says softly, "I was really hurt."

Kara nods, encouraging her to go on.

"I went to such a dark place."

Lena is quiet for a while. Then she says, "There were many times when I thought I could never forgive you. I was so angry with you."

Lena looks at her uncertainly. Kara gives her another encouraging nod.

"You don't understand. I really wanted you to suffer."

"Lena, that's okay."

Lena looks down at her hands. Again Kara wishes she could put a hand on Lena's, but again knows she shouldn't. So instead she says, "You had every right to feel the way you did."

Kara casts another glance at Lena and adds, "If there's a villain in this story, it's me, not you."

Lena looks up. She studies Kara's face for a moment and then says, "I've thought so much about all of this."

"I know it's unforgivable that I lied to you for so long."

"That's not what I wanted to say." Lena thinks for a long moment and then says, "Yes, you lied to me for a long time about something that was really important. It made me feel you didn't trust me and that you didn't really see me as a friend."

Kara swallows hard. She doesn't think it'll ever get any easier hearing Lena say these things.

"But the more I thought about it, the more I also realized two things."

"Okay," Kara says, suddenly hopeful hearing Lena's tone of voice.

"First of all, I realized that you had every right to get to know me first to see whether you could trust me. Not because I was a Luthor, but because that's what you would do with any new person in your life."

Lena pauses for a moment; her face darkens. "I also realized that once we became closer, you will have understood how difficult trust is for me. And I started to understand that if you really did care for me as you said you did, it would've been very hard for you to tell me."

Kara feels so happy, and oddly proud of Lena, hearing her say this.

"I still think you should've told me sooner, but what I'm trying to say is that I see there might be more ways of looking at what you did."

Kara sits there beaming at Lena.

"What?", Lena asks, a bit uncomfortably.

"You're amazing."

Lena gives her a puzzled look.

"To have been through what you've been through. To have people close to you manipulate and betray you the way they have. And then to still look for goodness, to not close yourself off."

Lena looks at her shyly.

"To me, you're as much of a hero as I'll ever be," Kara adds.

Lena gives her a bashful smile. Then she says, probably wanting to manage expectations somewhat, "I'm not there yet."

Kara puts up her hands. "That's totally fine."

With more urgency in her voice, Lena adds, "Kara, I don't know whether I'll ever get there. Whether I'll ever be able to completely trust you again."

Kara surprises herself when she realizes she feels at peace with this. Perhaps because deep down she has faith in Lena. If she managed to get this far, she'll get there. "That's fine too," she therefore says warmly.

Lena seems surprised and also relieved to hear Kara say this.

"Okay," Lena says as she nods.

Lena picks up her wine glass and finishes her wine.

"Want another one?"

Lena looks at her watch. "I should probably head home. Long day tomorrow."

Kara nods.

They both get up.

When they've reached the kitchen island, Lena suddenly turns around. She looks at Kara warmly. "Thank you," she says.

"What for?"

"You know."

Kara actually doesn't, or isn't entirely sure she does, but also feels it's better to not ask Lena to elaborate or explain. It's enough for her to know Lena got something out of coming here tonight.

Expecting Lena to turn around to pick up her coat off the bar stool, Kara is surprised when she remains standing there. Lena looks at her uncertainly. She leans forward a bit. Suddenly Kara realizes what it may be she wants. Why doesn't she ask for it? Does she feel she shouldn't? Kara opens her arms to show Lena she can if she wants to. Lena slowly takes a few steps forward and then lets her body fall into Kara's arms. Kara feels how Lena wraps her arms tightly around her.

Without saying a single word, they stand there for a long time, holding each other. From the way Lena lets her body grow heavy against Kara's, Kara realizes how exhausted she must've been. When Lena finally lets go, Kara sees her wiping away a tear. Lena grabs her bag and coat, thanks Kara again, and leaves the apartment.