The air around her turns cold, and when seconds ago, she couldn't breathe because of the heat radiating of her own body, Lena is now out of breath because her lungs seem filled with ice spikes. This is what happens when she lets herself go. This is what happens when she indulges in the warmth of Kara. The feeling of safety that usually radiates from her neighbour clearly blinded her, made her believe she deserved something good. Clearly she was mistaken.

Sam is standing frozen at the top of the stairs, and Kara looks ready to tear her apart. Her eyes almost seem to glow and her tantalising biceps vibrate with the strength she's holding back. Lena wants to reach out, to stop Kara from attacking her best friend ; not because she's scared for Sam, but because she's afraid that Kara will get hurt if she collides with her friend's invulnerable body. Sam is virtually indestructible, and Kara, strong but sweet Kara, is only human.

"What are you doing here ?" Kara repeats through gritted teeth, her clenched jaw moments away from blowing up to dust.

"Lena called," Sam finally says, taking a cautious step forward, then another when Kara momentarily shifts her gaze to look at Lena.

On her, her eyes soften almost imperceptibly before they harden again as she turns back to Sam. "You can't be here."

"Lena called."

"No," Kara barks. "You can't be here. Alex is coming. Right now. Which you should know, unless you've forgotten how she sounds."

Sam freezes again, the rest of the colours draining completely from her face as she listens. Lena knows she's missing something, something crucial, but she can't put her finger on it.

"Get inside," Kara growls motioning to Lena's apartment. "Quicker," she adds sharply at Sam's hesitant steps. "If she sees you I'll kill you myself."

"I'm moving back to National City," Sam says as she walks past her.

"No you're not," Kara says with finality, slamming the door behind her. "I'm sorry," she adds, "really."

Or at least it looks like that's what she's saying because the blood roaring in Lena's ears prevents her from fully understanding and she isn't sure for what part Kara is apologising anyway. She considers asking, she builds up the words in her head, but someone else makes their way down the corridor and the puzzle clicks. Kara Danvers. Alex. Alex Danvers. That's why she looked so familiar.

"I have to," she says, taking a step towards her door and then stopping, looking at Kara who relaxes ever so slightly, composing herself to face her sister.

"I'm sorry," she repeats. "Go. Sam probably needs you. I'll call you later. Wait, I don't have your number. I'll talk to you later. I'm really sorry."

She looks sincere, but her smile feels like hail.

The door slams behind her and Lena all but falls backward onto it ; the wooden surface the only thing keeping her body upward as billions of needles prickle her paper thin skin and her breathing becomes more and more ragged.

"Go sit," Sam says, her voice muffled by the blood in her ears and hoarse from her own emotions. "I'll make some tea."

"No, no," Lena manages to say. "You sit. I'll make some tea."

"Don't be ridiculous Lena."

"You've just had a bad surprise, sit, I'll take care of you."

"No offence," Sam says, her face blank and her words stern, "but your life is a literal pile of shit right now and you look like you're about to pass out. Sit."

Lena can feel her resolve slowly seeping away from her and her body sags further against the door. "Okay. Okay. I'll go sit. But we take care of each other. Not just you of me or just me of you."

"Deal," Sam says with a mock salute and a somewhat pained smile. She unfurls her long body from the couch and makes her way to the kitchen, control and cautiousness etched into her every step.

Staggering to the couch takes all of Lena's remaining strength and she's unsure of how much time passes before Sam deposits a warm cup of tea on the coffee table in front of her. She thanks her with a nod, words refusing to come to her.

Minutes pass in a less and less steep silence, the air becoming more and more breathable with each sip of the scalding tea. Next to her Sam relaxes a little, her strong body sinking further into the cushions with each shared breath.

"Did you know ?" Lena eventually asks though it pains her to hurt her friend by asking.

"That your Kara was this Kara ? No. You didn't tell me her last name remember ? But did I know that Alex was still in National City ? Yes. I stopped keeping tabs on her a while ago, but," Sam swallows, her eyes dropping to her knees where her restless hands are playing with her leather bracelet. "But this entire city smells like her. I just hoped I wouldn't accidentally bump into her."

"You could have just refused when I offered to have you relocated here," Lena says softly, reaching out hesitantly to lightly squeeze Sam's wrist. "I would have understood."

Sam sighs, forcefully rubbing the heel of her hands on her eyes. "I wanted to come back here. You know I would have told you otherwise. I've always loved National City. And mum isn't getting younger so it's easier if I'm not too far from Midvale either."

"You can fly Sam. You could be across the world and still be there in time to catch Patricia if she were to tumble down the stairs."

Sam laughs sourly and take a sip of tea. "I should have put whisky in this," she mumbles with a dejected look.

"I can cancel your transfer," Lena offers softly. "Because you know you're going to see a lot of her, her sister leaves next door and if you come over you're due to bump into her one way or another."

"No. I'm moving back here so I can be closer to my best friend and if I have to see my ex then so be it, I can handle it."

"Can ?" Lena starts, nearly biting back her words when she realises what she's about to ask. "Can Ruby handle it ?"

Sam tenses like a spring, freezing up before she drops her head in her hands. "Fuck."

"She's smart. You know there's a chance she might recognise her."

"Rao... I can't do that to my kid. She asked after her for so long."

"Do you want me to cancel your transfer ?" Lena asks again, as gently as she can.

"No. No don't. I can own up to my mistakes. If it comes down to that, I, I'll try to make it right."

"Are you sure ?"

"I. Yes. I am."

"Alright." Lena drains the rest of her tea, dropping the cup back on the table and taking Sam's half full from her. "Then let's go to bed."

"I'm sorry for all this mess," Sam mumbles, motioning to everything and nothing. "I came here for you and now everything's fucked up."

Lena sighs, resisting the urge to burry her face in her hands and never move again. "You couldn't have known you'd bump into your ex's sister. It's not your fault."

"I don't want to come in between you and whatever this is."

"You're my best friend," Lena replies firmly. "She's a girl I met a fortnight ago. You're more important."

"You like her. And your happiness matters to me."

"I'll admit I enjoy her company," Lena says, turning away to hide the faint blush she can feel spreading on her cheeks.

"The hallway reeked of pheromones Lena, you can't fool me."

Lena groans, her embarrassment radiating from her. "God, I keep on forgetting you can do that. I don't even know her that much !"

"I fell in love with her sister in five minutes," Sam croaks with a sad smile. "It's a Danvers thing. I'm not saying you have to marry her and raise her handsome kids. But you're allowed to 'enjoy her company'. Nothing bad is going to happen if you do."

Lena scoffs, turning back to Sam to glare holes into her head ; but truly, she looks more defeated than offended. "Have you seen my life ? Good things don't happen to me. She probably won't ever talk to me again. I wouldn't be surprised if she were to move to Alaska in the middle of the night."

"You have two private jets, you can chase her down to Alaska."

"This is ridiculous."

"I'm glad you agree."

"I."

"Let yourself be happy," Sam cuts before Lena can launch into an indignant rant. "No matter what Veronica made you believe, you do deserve it. If you like Kara, then be friend with her. Or fuck her. Marry her. I don't care. Do something for yourself, for once."

"If she still wants to be my friend..."

"Alright," Sam concedes. "If she still wants to be your friend. But you did nothing wrong. And, well, unfortunately I know her, and she's a good person. She won't drop you just because she doesn't like me."

"Good things don't happen to me," Lena repeats.

"I am your friend, aren't I ? And I like to think I'm not half bad. Good things do happen to you. You just see the world a bit differently than most people and you sometimes need to be reminded that things will be alright."

Lena exhales strongly, willing away all the tension in her muscles. "You're good at this."

"Just like you're good at handling me."

In synch, they shuffle to the middle of the couch until Lena can rest her head on Sam's shoulder, and Sam can rests her own on top of hers.

"Are you gonna be okay ?" Lena asks after a short moment, the last of the tension seeping out of her body as she huddles close to her best friend's unnatural warmth.

"I don't know," Sam admits, wrapping her arms around her exactly like she's done hundreds of times before. "I don't know."

Lena doesn't remember falling asleep, but she wakes up in her bed, the side Sam must have slept on still warm and the smell of coffee wafting in through the open door. Her friend's voice filters in from the living room and for a moment she fears someone is there with her before she realises she's only on the phone.

"That was Ruby and my mum," she says when Lena pads into the kitchen, rubbing her tired eyes. "I dropped her off last night on my way here. They wanted to know if I'd be there for breakfast. I said lunch at best." She turns away from the stove, carelessly waving an egg covered spatula. "You're not going to work today."

"I don't know. I'll have to check my schedule to see if I can take the day off."

"Oh that wasn't a question. I called Jess and cleared your schedule."

"Is that why you let me sleep in ?" Lena asks, yawning as she checks the oven's clock.

"7:30 isn't sleeping in Lena," Sam replies with an eye roll before turning away from her to flip something in a pan.

"Are those pancakes ?" Lena enquires, her stomach rumbling at the smell.

"I figured that while I'm here I'd take the opportunity to feed you something that isn't greyish mush."

"I had croissants just yesterday," Lena mumbles as she takes a seat at the kitchen table. "Kara bought them for me."

"Wow. She seriously upgraded her moves. She used to feed her ex burned toast." She chuckles sourly, the sound half blocked in her throat. "Alex and I taught her a lot of things. And she taught me a lot in return."

"You know," Lena says cautiously, "you never really told me about her. I mean I knew Alex had a sister, but that's about it."

"We were really close," Sam replies after she's done swallowing a mouthful of pancakes that she chases down with coffee. "I was utterly and devastatingly in love with Alex, but Kara, Kara was my sister."

Lena reaches out across the table to lay a comforting hand on Sam's. "You don't have to talk about it."

"I want to. I think." She sighs, looking down at the spoon she's twisting between her fingers. "I already knew Alex when Kara came to live with the Danvers. I had been in love with her for a while. Alex and Kara didn't get along at first so I didn't get to talk to her, but she always had a smile for me. She was sad. Cautious and careful. Even more so after Jeremiah died. The first time I really interacted with her was when I found out I was pregnant with Ruby. She heard me crying in the bathroom at school and she came after me. I remember it so vividly it's crazy. She used to wear a lot of ill-fitting sundresses but not on that day. She was dressed in a white tee and mud stained jeans. Her hair in a low ponytail."

Lena laughs lowly at that, the image of teenage Kara swirling warmly in her stomach. "Baby butch", she mutters through the smile that stretches her lips.

"She held me for Rao knows how long and then she called Alex. But before Alex showed up, she told me something that is probably the reason I didn't give up. She told me about her birth parents, and the community she grew up in, and that being gay wasn't a fatality. I denied it of course. Vehemently. But she told me she knew, and that there was no need to be afraid."

"That was also the day Alex kissed you for the first time, right ?"

"It was," Sam confirms with a sad smile. "Kara changed our lives for the better. We were a family. She was with me when I told my mum that I was gay and pregnant. And she was pacing the corridor when I was giving birth and crushing Alex's hand. I was there for her first heartbreak. And I taught her how to knot a tie. She was there to hold Alex after I left." She sighs, toying with her food for a minute. "She has all the reasons in the world to be mad at me. But she's a good person. She took care of you when I couldn't. Protected you. She even changed your lock and you and I both know you could have done it yourself." Lena glares at her over her mug and Sam laughs. "I think she cares about you. So don't let my issues with her get in the way. If I'm wrong though, and she treats you like crap because of me, then that means she's undeserving of you and you're meant for someone better. Not the opposite."

"I heard what you said and I won't fight you on it," Lena says with some difficulty, "because I'm trying very hard to believe you when you say I deserve something good. But what about you ? You're putting yourself in a painful and difficult position. I don't want you to get hurt. You were," Lena stops, swallowing and pushing back the tears pricking her eyes. "You were so sad when I first met you. Heartbroken. Hollow."

"I grew up a lot," Sam says with a somewhat doleful smile, "and I think I can handle it. But if I can't, then I promise I won't try to hide from you. And I'll let you take care of me."

"Okay," Lena replies softly, nodding along her words. "I trust you. I trust that you'll make the right decision."

"Thank you."

"Thank you," Lena fires back. "For always being there, and always knowing what to say."

Sam does get to Midvale in time for lunch, but she flies Lena there with her. They land in the forest just outside of town and walk the rest of the way to Patricia's. They pass the Danvers' house and Lena catches a glimpse of a blonde woman cutting flowers in the garden. If she didn't know Kara is adopted, she would no doubt believe that Eliza Danvers is her birth mother. It's not the first time she comes to Midvale with Sam, and so it's not the first time she walks past Kara's childhood house. It's the first time however that she knows who Kara is. The bright home seems cheerful and filled with happiness ; it suits her. She wonders behind which window her bedroom hides. Eliza looks up as they walk in front of her gate and she waves with a sad smile. Sam waves back politely but her shoulders and head drop down heavily as soon as they're out of sight.

Ruby jumps on them as soon as they come in through the kitchen door and Lena squeaks a reminder that she isn't as indestructible as the over eager child. She smells like cookies and fresh air which Sam picks up immediately.

"Have you been flying ?" she asks with a scowl even as she ruffles her hair affectionately.

"No," Ruby replies with a cheeky smile, bouncing over to her grandmother to sneak a slice of bread out of an overflowing tray.

"Liar."

"I stayed under the tree line like you said," Ruby mutters, looking everywhere but at her mother. "I'm sorry I went flying without asking for permission. It's boring here without you."

"Thank you for me," Patricia scoffs teasingly, not meaning it one bit. "Lena dear," she adds, "it's such a pleasure to see you. Do you eat properly in that big city of yours ?"

Patricia opens her arms, and Lena willingly steps into her warm embrace, taking a moment to breathe deeply in the older woman arms.

"I fed her real food this morning," Sam says, following her daughter's example to scavenge a piece of bread. "Shit this is good, is it homemade ?" she asks with her mouth full, crumbs littering the floor around her.

"Samantha," her mother scolds, "don't talk with your mouth full."

"Mum ! Language !" Ruby shouts with an ear splitting grin. She extends her hand towards her mother, wiggling her fingers. "That'll be one dollar for the swear jar."

Sam sighs and pats her pockets. "Put it on my tab, I don't have cash on me."

"Oh I can take your credit card," Ruby offers.

"Here," Lena says, extracting a random bill from her own wallet. "I'll settle her debt."

"Aunt Lena," Ruby says with a frown, "that's nineteen dollar more than what she owes me."

"Buy yourself some ice cream," Lena says, shrugging and taking the slice of bread Patricia willingly offers her on her way to the dining room. She made roasted lamb, but Sam pretends to be innocent when Lena shoots her a questioning look.

The day passes by much quicker than Lena wants it too. After lunch, they take a long walk on the beach and Ruby buys everyone ice cream. She hugs Lena a bit longer when she slips her a fifty dollar bill before she has to leave.

The flight home is short, which is both good and bad. Good, because Lena isn't a fan of flying and Sam's speed gives her motion sickness. Bad, because she isn't quite ready to face her life and her empty apartment, knowing that Kara is just next door.

"I know what you did," she says when Sam drops her off in a shallow alley behind her building. "You took me to see Ruby and your mum to show me something good and reminds me that such things exit."

"Well, did it work ?"

"Yes," Lena sighs, "yes it did."

"Good," Sam says with a soft smile. "I gotta go," she adds pointing to the sky, "I promised Ruby we'd go flying before bed."

"Have a safe flight," Lena says, taking a couple of steps back to avoid being blasted away by Sam's take off.

"Oh," Sam adds right before flying away, "Kara's on the roof. If you want to talk to her." And then she's off, leaving nothing but a cloud of dust and lingering warmth.

As she climbs the stairs to her apartment, Lena hesitates, unsure of if she should meet up with Kara or not. But on her doorstep is a box of apology cookies with a note offering to talk, and so, putting on a thick jacket, she takes the path to the roof, her heartbeat quicker and quicker with each step. Kara is sitting on the edge, in her, their, usual spot. Her t-shirt is tight around her shoulders, but they seem less tensed than last night. She tilts her head back, the rays of sun making one with her features, and exhales, before lifting her hand and motioning for Lena to come closer.