A/N: Hi guys! I feel like I'm just continuously apologizing for a long update wait haha. But what did everyone think of the series finale? While I was obviously disappointed on certain fronts, I enjoyed it overall and thought it ended the show nicely. I'll probably put more thoughts about it at the end of chapter notes, so let's just jump right back in!

barattajennifer: Thank you! Finals are coming up and then I have a nice winter break so I'm hoping to get some more writing done then. I've said that in the past though and things didn't go according to plan, so we'll see haha!

KaraLuthorZorEl: Thanks so much! I always feel like my writing style and the flow of my stories could be improved, so I'm glad you like how it reads. And you wrote a story? That's awesome bro! I'll definitely check it out, it's an honor!

Guest 1: She really would, that's what I love about her. They're both sacrificial idiots. Redemption time indeed haha

Guest 2: That's the big question, isn't it? Only time will tell how far they're willing to go ;)

M: Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy this next one

Relief flooded Lena's body. She could have laughed, could have cried.

Kara is alive.

Warmth spread through her chest. It was not lost on her that was the first time Kara had uttered her name since coming to rescue her, the first time she had spoken to her.

Lena searched her gaze. Gone was the steely glare she bore when confronting Lex, the burning intimidation. These eyes didn't belong to the combat-ready Girl of Steel nor did they belong to the Kara Lena had been at odds with for months. Now they were full of concern, a certain softness, and something Lena couldn't quite place. These eyes belonged to the Kara Lena remembered. Lena was mesmerized by the sight, feeling as if she was reunited with a piece of herself she hadn't known was missing.

Kara's foot slipped, eyes closing as her body sagged, the rattling of chains accompanying the blonde's low groan.

Relief gave way to panic as Lena was torn from her reverie. Her eyes raked over Kara's battered face, the bruising around one eye, the swelling by her temple, the dried blood running from her lip to her chin, all illuminated by the ghastly glow of her veins.

Her gaze fell to Kara's torso. The suit hid Kara's skin, covering the iridescent green light, making it hard to see much else in the pitch blackness other than the blonde's face and her silhouette. Lena could make out dark splotches covering the fabric, hints of green peeking out behind rips and tears, nothing she could assess with confidence in the darkness. But she could still see the dagger nestled in Kara's side, the cursed blade's presence evidenced by the web of incandescent veins littering what she could see of Kara's body.

"What did he do to you?" Lena whispered in horror.

Kara stayed quiet as she tried to regain her footing, her toes barely making contact with the ground. She panted as she came to a semi-stable position, her breaths echoing in the silence, before lifting her head once more. She seemed to drink in Lena's presence, her eyes lingering on her jaw.

"Who did that?"

Lena nearly screamed.

"Dammit look at yourself, Kara!"

"Who did that?" Kara ignored her, her stare never straying from her jaw. "You didn't have that before."

Anger washed over Kara's features, her eyes turning dark and tumultuous. The same way they had when she addressed Lex.

"I'm fine," Lena relented, ghosting her fingers over the bruising skin. "Nothing I couldn't handle."

Kara stayed silent as she glared at the spot for a moment longer, as if she were trying to look through Lena's fingers. Lena ducked her head, forcing Kara to break her stare and look her in the eye instead.

"Hey," she tried to keep the urgency from her voice, softening her tone. "What happened?"

The fight seemed to leave Kara, her tense posture deflating. It was uncanny how quickly her demeanor could change. One second Lena was looking into the barely restrained anger of a near god, the next she was left with tired resignation.

"Lex is enjoying his new found power over a Kryptonian," Kara said. She made to shrug her shoulders before remembering her restrained position.

Lena closed her eyes. She was almost grateful for the darkness of the dungeons. It kept her from seeing the full extent of Kara's injuries in gruesome detail. Yet it somehow made things worse, Kara's luminescent veins being the only source of light, casting what Lena could see of her wounds in a sick glow.

Lex had told her what he planned to do, but seeing the results in person was a whole different story.

"Are you–" Lena snapped her jaw shut, the question dying on her tongue. Of course she's not okay. "Do you know how long he's had us?"

Kara shook her head as much as she could.

"I'm not sure. After you were drug away he—" Kara paused, a humorless smile spreading across her face. "Well he had some more fun,"

The image of blood flying from Kara's lip flashed behind Lena's eyes. She shivered.

"Everything after is kind of blurry," Kara furrowed her eyebrows, looking deep in thought. She paused, looking at the stone walls of their cells. "I don't think we're at the hangar anymore though."

Lena nodded. She had come to the same conclusion. While there could have been a secret dungeon under the hangar, Luthors were unpredictable after all, she highly doubted it. It would have been in Lex's best interest to relocate them to throw anyone searching off his trail.

Silence settled between them. Now that they were out of immediate danger, Lena became painstakingly aware of the last time they had seen each other, the way things were before Lex had taken them. The quiet felt tense, a stark difference from how it used to be. Kara had been one of the only people Lena could enjoy a comfortable silence with, content to exist in the warmth of each other's presence. Now it only felt cold.

Lena's tone was soft, "Kara—"

"What about you?" Kara cut over. "Do you remember anything?"

Lena's words died in her throat. Kara's gaze was guarded again, like it was when they had locked eyes in the hangar. Not quite cold, but unreadable, and it hurt to see such a sharp reminder of their broken trust.

"No," Lena accommodated. "The last thing I remember is—"

Crimson spreading from your side. The pain in your eyes. Your blood, your anger, you, you, you—

"—being drugged by Lex's guard. I woke up here but I don't know how long it's been since I was moved."

Lena had already tried calculating the passage of time, but without any sunlight she had nothing to work with. She knew she couldn't have been awake for more than a couple of days before Kara was brought down. Other than that, she was at a loss.

"Nothing that could help you escape, then?"

Kara's face was even, measured. Something felt off. Lena's eyebrows furrowed as she tried to pinpoint what was wrong when—

Kara inhaled sharply as she slipped again, the tips of her boots brushing against the stone floor as she struggled for purchase.

All thoughts left Lena's mind at the sound of Kara's pained grunts. Lena gripped the metal bars of her cell, knuckles turning white. She felt useless across the hall, unchained and mostly unscathed. She could only watch as Kara slowly steadied herself.

Lena's tone was soft, "Kara—"

"I'm fine," she gritted out. "I'm fine just...just give me a second."

Quiet blanketed them once more, the only sound coming from Kara's labored pants.

Lena bit her lip, eyes falling to her feet. Kara's injuries were stark reminders of how uncertain everything was. Lena didn't know how much time they had, how long it would be until Lex came back to rip them apart. Or worse, to finish what he started. This could be her only chance to make amends.

She released a shaky exhale, bracing herself, whether it be for a bone crushing impact or the hope of forgiveness she didn't dare dream of, she wasn't sure.

She wasn't quite sure what she was even going to say.

I'm sorry for working with Lex.

You were right.

This is my fault.

I miss you.

She looked up, and promptly swallowed her words.

Kara's eyes were closed, head resting on a chained arm. If not for the subtle furrow of her eyebrows, Lena could almost pretend she was sleeping peacefully. But she knew better. The slight tremor of her calves, the uneven breaths, the clench of her jaw; Kara was awake.

But looking at the dark bags under her eyes, the exhaustion etched into the lines of her face, well. Lena could wait.

She eased herself to the ground, resting her shoulder against the bars of her cells. She laid the side of her head against the cool metal and let out a tired sigh. She spared one last glance at the blonde's dangling form before closing her own eyes. She could only pray that when she opened them next, Kara would still be there.

Lena was sitting at a chess table. She looked down, shocked to find herself in a white button down and a plaid skirt. Lex sat across from her, a contemplative look of concentration bathing his features. She opened her mouth in confusion.

Except her face didn't move. She tried to drop her jaw, to move her hand, but nothing happened. Instead, she felt her head tilt as she stared at her brother.

Lex made a noise of triumph in the back of his throat as his rook took her knight, the fireplace casting shadows across his face.

"Your move, sis," he said, leaning into the back of his chair.

Lena felt her eyebrow raise in challenge. She glanced at the board, her fingers drumming on the mahogany table without her permission.

"I wouldn't be so confident, Lex," she heard herself say, mouth moving against her will. "There's still a game to be had."

She was trapped in her own body, the teenage boarding school heiress, the toes of her polished black shoes gently scuffing the floor as her legs swung autonomously. She couldn't move, not in the way she wanted.

Her fingers ghosted over her bishop in thought before passing over the piece in favor of her own rook. She moved it forward two spaces, taking no opposing piece.

Lex hummed, amused. He took a mere second to assess the board before moving his knight, placing it confidently in the line of Lena's rook.

"Oh, of course," Lex bowed his head slightly as Lena surveyed the field, her head resting on her hand. "I wouldn't want to be overzealous, would I?"

Lena's eyes flicked up to meet Lex's own. They were sparkling with mirth and mischief. With innocence. His hair was buzzed short, no doubt an attempt to hold onto what little hair he had left without allowing it to grow into more obvious thinning patches. This was just before his obsession really kicked in, then.

"Oh, please. When have you cared about being overzealous?" Lena laughed. Pain flared in her chest despite the unwilling pull of her lips. How long had it been since she was able to be so carefree around Lex? Since she was able to see him as the safe haven he used to be, since she was able to think of him truly as her brother?

"Trying to stall with quips, are you?" Lex countered. "Take your time. Obviously you need it."

Lena rolled her eyes at his grin. He was clearly baiting her in more ways than one. She bit her lip as she weighed her options.

They were down to the endgame, each only having a handful of pieces left. Lex had intentionally moved his knight into her path, but Lena saw through his tactics. Taking his knight would open her rook up for capture by his bishop. A sacrificial red herring of sorts to rid her of a higher value piece.

Her gaze shifted from her rook to her queen. It had always been her favorite piece, for obvious reasons. The most powerful player on the board, regal and imposing. As a child, Lena often marvelled at its versatility, its ability to move in nearly every direction. But as she got older, she began to wonder if the queen merely mimicked the pieces around her. Learned their movements, adapted and morphed into whatever piece was deemed necessary for the play, compensating for the burden of responsibility only the queen could bear. Wondered if that's why it could never move the same way as a knight, as if moving in such a polarizing direction against all expectations was the one thing the queen could never do.

She supposed it didn't matter. The queen served her purpose in the game regardless.

"Tick tock, Lena."

After a brief period of consideration, Lena's eyes fell back to her rook.

"The knight was tempting, I'll give you that," she smirked, moving her little tower forward and plucking Lex's lowly pawn from the board instead. "But you had to know I wouldn't fall for it. You've been using that sacrifice play since we were kids."

Lex chuckled, shaking his head.

"You got me," he sighed dramatically, feigning worry. Lena's confidence wavered.

He castled immediately, moving his king and his rook. Nodding, he looked up at Lena expectantly.

Well that threw off her strategy.

Lip between her teeth, Lena labored over her next move. She moved her rook forward.

"Check."

Lex moved his bishop into her path, protecting the king.

"Uncheck," he teased.

Planting her rook onto the square, Lena moved his bishop off the board.

"Check."

Lex grinned. His eyes still sparkled and Lena was almost loath to have made her move so quickly. She didn't want the game to end, desperate to hold onto this painting of her brother for as long as she could, no matter how selfish it made her feel.

Lex moved his knight back, taking her rook.

"Uncheck. And check to you."

Lena analyzed the board with a frown on her face. She eyed her queen again. There was only one play she could make. Reluctantly, she moved her queen into position, shielding the king.

Lex smiled, easy and relaxed, and Lena knew she had lost.

His knight cut across the board, taking her queen. Lena sighed, her king cornered on all sides.

"Checkmate."

Lex held Lena's queen up, a smirk on his face.

"I'm not the only one with childhood habits. That's your problem, Lena," he said. "You never use the queen until it's too late."

Lena just rolled her eyes at him as he eagerly set the board up again, raving about a new strategy he wanted to test, a sinking feeling in her stomach. He was right.

She always acted too late, and the queen always fell.

The room melted away, the crackle of the fireplace warping into distorted white noise before settling into the loud hustle and bustle of National City traffic. Lena's eyes met smooth tile and white walls, a cream-colored couch and a sleek desk. She was in her office at L-Corp. Or Luthor-Corp now, she supposed. The sun was setting outside the large balcony windows, bathing the space in a warm glow.

Lena attempted to take a step forward. She sighed in relief as her body obeyed her will, the clack of her heel against tile a welcomed sound.

Her eyes zeroed in on the table near the couch. Two tumblers laid on the surface, half-full of amber liquid. Or half-empty.

A chess set sat beside the glasses. The board was mostly vacant save for a few pieces. A game already played, already finished. The black king was in checkmate, trapped by two white rooks and a bishop. Lena's gaze fell to the side of the board. Where there should have been a plethora of captured pieces was instead a singular figure. The onyx queen stood at attention, its dark shine contrasting the white table.

A bitter taste rose in Lena's mouth.

The diminishing sunlight cast Lena's shadow against the wall. As day turned to dusk, the orange glow quietly faded, taking the warmth from the room. She bent down, gently taking a glass from the table. It was warm, room temperature, and she distantly wondered how long it'd been since the game had finished.

A telltale woosh sounded from behind Lena's back. She exhaled slowly as a second shadow joined hers on the wall, the silhouette unmistakable.

She could picture the billowing cape, the steady pose, the blatant crest. The guarded eyes.

"Lena."

The glass tumbler fell from her hand, shattering on the ground.

"No, please!"

Lena stood in a dark warehouse. Gray walls stretched out around her, cracked and faded, the rafter windows shattered. Wooden crates were scattered around the area, dusty and covered in cobwebs. The air was frigid and Lena rubbed her arms, trying to generate heat.

A scream echoed in the vast expanse of darkness, chilling Lena more than the cold ever could. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as she whirled around.

"Hello?" Lena called out frantically. The screaming persisted, loud and pained, the noise reverberating in her skull. She tried to take a step forward but she was frozen in place. Her feet wouldn't move. She could only look around desperately, trying to find the source of the noise. She squinted in the darkness but the sound seemed to surround her, coming from every direction.

The screams tapered off, replaced by heavy breathing and a pleading voice.

"Make it stop! Please, please, make it stop!"

Lena began to tremble, her lips quivering as she fought back tears. She knew that voice, she knew she should know that voice, but she couldn't place it in the fog of her mind. She couldn't distinguish anything in the face of her panic, sheer pain radiating from her chest.

She willed herself to move, to think, to do anything that could help, but she was paralyzed.

"I-I can't," Lena cried.

The screams began again, increasing tenfold, bouncing off the cement walls. Lena felt bile rising in her throat. She clamped her hands over her ears, sinking to her knees as tears leaked from her eyes. It did nothing to block out the high pitched wailing, growing louder with each passing second. She was hyperventilating, her breaths coming in sporadic bursts. Her throat was raw, her eyes burned. The voice cut through the cacophony, tortured words mixing with agonized screams.

"Please, don't do this. Stop, stop, please—"

Lena's tears were flowing freely down her face now. She screwed her eyes shut, pressed her hands so tight against her ears she thought she might crush her skull. It was too much.

"I'm sorry," Lena sobbed. "I'm so, so sorry."

The walls were closing in, her lungs were exploding, her chest was cracking open—

Lena woke with a jolt.

Her heart was beating out of her chest, her breaths coming in shaky puffs. Something wet slid down her face. She brought her hand up, trembling imperceptibly as she wiped a tear from her cheek.

Screams still echoed in her mind, ringing in her head. She glanced frantically across the hall.

Kara was in the same spot as before, chained to the ceiling, her mouth mercifully shut. The tension in Lena's shoulders melted minutely.

It was a nightmare, it wasn't real.

For how much longer that would hold true, Lena wasn't sure. The thought made her stomach drop.

She felt Kara's watchful eyes on her and turned to examine the Kryptonian. She was sagging more than she had last night (morning?) her weight noticeably straining her taut shoulders. Her eyes were half-open and she was blinking slowly, but concern burned bright behind her drowsy gaze. Lena wondered if she was even able to fall asleep in that position.

"Are you okay?" Kara asked, her voice gravelly. She hesitated before adding, "You were restless in your sleep."

Lena attempted a smile but it came out more of a grimace.

"I had a nightmare," she said, careful to keep her words even. She tried to block out the sound of anguished cries, of pained pleas mixing with her own desperate sobs. "I'm fine, now."

Kara stared at her, suspicion and concern painting her tired expression. Lena had to avert her gaze, turning to rest her back against the bars. She couldn't look at her, at the sympathy so clearly coloring Kara's face. Not when she could see the blood coating the side of her mouth, not when she was the reason it was there in the first place.

"Do you," she could hear the clinking of the metal chains as Kara shifted. "Do you want to talk about it?"

It was funny, really, how Lena couldn't seem to pin her down. She knew Kara Danvers and Supergirl were one and the same, and yet she still couldn't help but view them separately. She could almost picture Kara in her button up shirt, shifting on her feet awkwardly and fiddling with her hands before adjusting her glasses as she hesitantly breached a sensitive subject.

Lena wondered if she would ever get to see that Kara again, or if they would both rot in these cells before she had the chance.

"Not right now," Lena swallowed. "I think I'm going to try to get some more rest."

The lie felt bitter in her mouth. She didn't want to sleep, couldn't if she tried.

"Okay."

Lena rested the back of her head against the cool metal bars, trying to ease the flames of her guilt.

She thought back to Kara's unreadable expression, the apprehension in her gaze. Lena still had a million questions, none of which she thought she'd ever get answers to. Still, there remained one that stood out above the rest, something Lena had wondered ever since seeing Kara again. It pounded against her temples, circled around her mind, tore at her heart.

Kara's voice was so soft, Lena wasn't sure she was even supposed to hear her words. But she did.

"Goodnight, Lena."

Why did you come for me?

A/N: Hope you all liked it! Going back to my thoughts on the finale (spoiler alert ahead), I loved the conversation between Kara and Lena and that they acknowledged how much they mean to each other, even if they didn't get together. And I loved that Cat Grant came back and all the cameos from past actors. But um, Lex and Nyxly are in the Phantom Zone now? Couldn't this all have been avoided if Kara had used the Phantom Zone projector on Nyxly like she was going to in, what was it, 6x11? I mean I know sending someone there on purpose weighs heavier on the conscience than if she went there by her own (read: Lex's own) misjudgments, but still, it just rubbed me the wrong way. Anyway, I gotta stop or I'll go on a whole tangent about what I liked and disliked about the episode haha, so let me know what you all think! I love discussing the show with y'all.