Explaining to Nia that she was the daughter of Lionel Luthor wasn't something Lena was ready to discuss. If the girl had heard the rumours in the Greylands it also wouldn't be necessary. She simply let Lex escort them to her old room, then picked a dress to wear, offering one to Nia as well. Nia declined, saying she felt safer in her own clothes and Lena secretly agreed. They went down to the ballroom, the music growing louder as they approached. Lena tried to calm her breathing as she prepared herself to face her father.

Lex moved through the crowd with confidence, greeting a few of guests and pointing a few out to Lena that she might remember.

Lionel Luthor was standing in the centre of the room, making polite conversation with his guests, sipping from a glass containing an alcoholic beverage of some kind. As Lex approached, he smiled at them and passed his glass to waiter who appeared as if on cue.

"Lena," he held out his arms to hug her, and she stepped awkwardly into the embrace. "What a surprise."

"Didn't you receive the Council's letter?"

"I meant a surprise that you were the one they sent," he corrected her, "and I would have hoped that any visits could have waited for another day."

"May I introduce my apprentice, Nia. Nia, this is Mr Luthor."

"Charming," he held out a hand, which Nia accepted after looking at Lena for approval. "How are things in the Greylands?"

"Fine, thank you," she told him.

Lionel turned his attention back to his daughter, "and how are you?"

"Well, thank you. You?"

"Never better. Now, there are some people I would love for you to meet..."

"I promised Lex that I would stay for one dance, but we really can't stay long."

"Nonsense, you haven't been home in forever, you should enjoy the ball and stay here for the night."

"I..." Lena went to shake her head but she recognised the look in her fathers eyes, "we are not here alone."

Lex leaned in and whispered to his father, telling him about the human. Lionel looked amused.

"I'm sure suitable arrangements can be made," Lionel told her. "If it will ease your conscience I will even agree to meet with the human."

"I really don't kn..."

A voice interrupted Lena, greeting Lex and Lionel. She turned to the source, feeling a little frustrated with her family and the Council for making her come here.

"Ah, Doctor Danvers, good to see you," Lex greeted the newcomer, "I was hoping to introduce you to my sister. Lena, this is Dr Alex Danvers."

Lena looked the other woman over using her magic to check her aura. She wasn't human, though at first glance she appeared to be.

"Nice to meet you," Alex stuck out a hand.

Lena hesitated before accepting, "and you."

"Alex here is one of our top scientists," Lionel told her. "I'm sure you recognise her name, her family have gained quite the reputation among humans for their healing skills. The number of requests for their help surpasses any others."

"Oh, we try our best," Alex told them, "science and medicine have been the family's bread and butter for centuries now."

"Really?"

"Yes, we're happy to share our skills with everyone regardless of which side of the border they're from. We even ended up adopting a couple of humans into the family a few years back."

"You did?"

"Yeah, the kid was really sick, both parents dead, so his sister wrote to us. It required some rather drastic action to save his life, but ten years later and he's still doing well."

"She's immortal," Lex muttered in Lena's ear. "Much older than she looks."

"That's good."

"They're here tonight, you should meet them," Alex looked around, then waved at someone across the room.

Lena couldn't see who, so she turned back to Lex, not bothered about meeting more humans. She forgot that Nia was half-human. Her apprentice eagerly asked Alex more questions about them, and about her work with humans. By the time they came over, Lena was hoping to find someone she could dance with so that she could leave. She knew her family hoped she would fall in love with someone from the Nightlands, but she preferred the company of other witches, and felt safer in the Greylands.

When Alex introduced her 'sister' Kara a few moments later, Lena was taken aback at the young woman's appearance. For a human who was living in the Nightlands, she appeared to be thriving. She smiled at them, golden hair falling just below her shoulders, soft curves of muscles along her arms. Her brother Querl, on the other hand, had clearly undergone some dramatic changes at the hands of the Danvers'. His skin was tinged blue, Alex explained that it was from his original illness a part they hadn't been able to cure, but he was very intelligent and curious about them. Lena could see how he wouldn't fit in among the humans, his appearance was too different now for them to accept him.

Nia didn't seem to mind, she struck up a conversation with Querl as Lex and Lionel moved to discuss some of Alex's latest research with the doctor, leaving Lena and Kara to stare at eachother.

"How long have you lived here?" Lena asked, trying to break the silence.

"Nearly ten, no fifteen years I think," Kara shook her head and smiled, "sometimes it feels like we've always been here."

"Really? You don't miss home?"

"As long as I have Querl and know he's safe I'm happy. The Danvers have been so good to us, taking us in and treating us as part of their family."

"It's rare to find a human who isn't scared to be here."

"We came when we were young and they helped us. I know there are stories about the ancestors of those who live here, but witches and humans aren't perfect either."

Lena smiled, "that's true."

"I didn't mean... I know you're..."

"A witch, despite my father being of the Piper's line I never inherited that gift."

"Lex speaks very fondly of you."

"Do you know him well?"

"Alex has lots of meetings with your father and Querl goes with her sometimes. He's very clever, I think it's a side effect of his cure because I can't understand half of what they talk about. When I tag along, Lex keeps me company."

"Oh, are you two...?"

Kara laughed, "no. I mean, he's very nice but he's not my type. He taught me to fight and we have fun, but nothing more than friends."

"Oh okay."

Kara looked around, "I don't suppose you'd want to dance? These events make me restless, just standing around talking for hours. Not that... I mean, you're very nice company, I like talking to you... I don't know why..."

Lena smiled, "I'd love to dance."

"Lex taught me," Kara admitted as she moved towards the area intended for dancing.

"He taught me too," Lena told her.

As the music slowed to a finish, Kara held out a hand. Lena placed her left hand in Kara's right, then moved to put her right hand on Kara's waist.

"Is this okay?" she asked.

Kara nodded, "yes."

As they danced, surrounded by other couples, Lena watched the human as she tried to focus on the steps. She was a little nervous herself. When the song ended, Kara immediately asked whether she would like another dance. As much as Lena wanted to keep talking to her, she didn't want to lose the feel of Kara's hand under hers. It was such a shame the blonde was too nervous to manage both.

She agreed to two more dances, before she noticed her brother watching them with a smile on his face that looked polite on the surface but she knew held a deeper meaning. Regretfully, she declined the next dance and Kara led her back to the others.

"Thank you," she told Kara, "that was lovely."

"Are you staying here long?"

"No, I'm going home in the morning," Lena told her.

"Oh. Maybe next time you visit..."

"I only come back for work... but perhaps I should come back to see Lex and my father," Lena suddenly realised Kara was hinting that she would like to see her again. "Then you could show me what else Lex has been teaching you."

"Do you play chess?"

"I do."

"We could have a game. Lex always beats me, but I'm getting better."

Lena smiled, she had beaten Lex a few times at chess, "very well."

"There you are," Nia smiled as Lena and Kara joined her and Querl.

"Are you having fun?" Querl asked.

"Yes," Kara smiled at him, then looked at Lena who returned her smile.