Kara immediately hugged Lena when they walked back into the room. "What are you and Alex hiding?" she asked curious.
Lena gave her a quick peck on the lips. "You will find out soon," Lena promised. "Until then you will have to wait."
Kara pouted and Lena was tempted to cave. "Fine," Kara said when she realized her pout wasn't working. "You and Alex aren't… involved or anything, right?"
Lena's eyes widened. "What? No!" she exclaimed. "Kara, I love you. There's nothing between me and Alex. I promise you will find out what we are hiding. Just, trust me, please?"
Kara nodded. "I trust you." She looked around Lena's now functional lab. "Do you want to try and get some work done?"
Lena glanced at her equipment. She did want to work on the super suit prototype and well as the shields for the DEO agents. Plus, she needed to work on Project Exodus. She needed to know how to make the device to introduce Kryptonite into the air. Then she could work on reversing the effects, in case Lex was successful after all.
"No," Lena said finally. "I will take my notes so I can work on things at home. There's not much I can do here. Will you come home with me Kara?"
"You won't be able to get rid of me," Kara said seriously. "Until Lex is caught, I'm not letting you out of my sight."
Lena grabbed her notes. "I'm ready," she announced.
Kara pulled her into her arms and took off out of the DEO. Lena held on tight to her research. The last thing she needed was for her notes to go flying off into the unknown. With her luck Lex would find it and use it against her.
They touched down on the still broken balcony. Lena groaned. Once again, she forgot to call the contractors. She pulled out her phone as they walked into the penthouse. She dialed the number she had saved but never got around to contacting.
Kara scanned the entire penthouse while Lena talked to the contractors. There was nothing out of place. No sign of bugs or bombs in the penthouse. Nothing that made it unsafe. Still Kara wasn't confident. She was afraid. Afraid that Lex had done something, something that she missed, something that would put Lena in danger. She was afraid she would get Lena killed and that scared her.
"Contractors will be here in the morning," Lena announced dropping her phone on the counter.
"Oh good," Kara muttered. "Are you sure you don't want me to fix it?"
"Do you know something about construction?" Lena questioned curious.
Kara blushed. "Well no," she admitted.
Lena laughed. "Then I suggest we leave it to the professionals."
Kara frowned. "But I broke it…" she trailed off.
Lena pulled her into her arms. "You need to stop blaming yourself. It wasn't on purpose and you were hurt. It's okay. I promise."
The superhero leaned against Lena. "Okay," she said softly. She kissed Lena before pulling away. Before Lena could ask Kara disappeared and reappeared wearing sweats and a tank top. Kara looked down at her outfit. "I hope you don't mind."
"No, it's fine. I'm glad you're comfortable," Lena said with a small smile.
Lena made her way to the bedroom so she could change into more comfortable clothes. She looked at her half-dressed reflection in the full-length mirror. She could see the bags under her eyes starting to form. She had a feeling it would be much worse by the time Lex was captured again.
Lena quickly threw on her own sweats and a tank top, in case Kara came to check on her. With everything going on Kara was far more overprotective which was saying something as Kara was always protective of her friends and family. She went into the bathroom and grabbed her brush. She quickly brushed out her hair and threw it up into a messy ponytail.
Lena left the bedroom and found Kara scrolling through the many channels. Lena was suddenly grateful she forgot to cancel her cable. Kara looked up at the sound of Lena walking into the room. "You look tired," Kara noted.
"I am a little tired," Lena admitted.
Kara held out a hand for her. "Come lay down," she said gently. Lena took the hand without hesitation. She allowed Kara to pull her on the couch. Kara was behind her, her arms wrapped protectively around Lena's waist. Kara reached past Lena and turned up the TV. It was some cartoon that Lena didn't recognize. "Rest Lena. I'll be right here."
Lena listened to the sound of some stupid talking sponge blowing bubbles for a minute before falling asleep. Kara knew right away when Lena fell asleep. She could hear the change in her breathing. She could feel the tension melt away from Lena's body.
Kara reached for her phone on the coffee table, careful not to move Lena too much and wake her. She sent a quick text to Alex asking if there was any update. She didn't expect any but she wanted to check anyway. The attack on L-Corp had left Kara rattled. She was terrified of losing Lena. She wanted to lock her away in a tower like a princess but she knew, one Lena would never go and two, it wasn't right. This was Lena's life and if she wanted to fight then she should, even if Kara hated the idea.
Kara's phone lit up with a text from Alex. Nothing has happened in the last half hour. I'll call you if anything comes up. Relax Kara. Lena will be fine.
Kara sighed and set her phone down. It wasn't as reassuring as Kara had hoped. She glanced at the sleeping woman in her arms. Her brow was furrowed. Whatever Lena was dreaming about… it didn't seem to be pleasant.
The blonde glanced at the open window. Lex was still out there. She should be hunting him down. She should be hunting down all of Cadmus. She never wanted to hurt someone as much as she wanted to hurt Lex. She wanted to punish him for all the pain and suffering he put Lena through.
She grabbed her phone again and dialed Clark's number. He answered on the first ring. "Kara, is everything okay?"
"Did you hear about L-Corp?" Kara questioned.
"Yeah," Clark replied. "How's Lena?"
Kara ran her hand through Lena's hair. "She's more affected by Lex's escape then she will admit" Kara told him. She hesitated for a moment. "Kal, how did you do it? After everything Lex did to you and Lois. How did you not kill him?"
"Kara," Clark began. He paused to figure out how he wanted to say this. "Restraint and a lot of destruction in the junk yard. It's not easy Kara. And it doesn't seem fair but we're not human. The world looks at us and either sees a villain or hero. Don't prove Lex right. One day Lex will be brought to justice again."
Kara shook her head. She wished she was as confident as Kal-El was. "But what if he escapes again? I can't risk Lena. I won't risk her."
"We will keep Lena safe," Clark promised.
"We can't," Kara disagreed. "I'm only one person. Even with all my powers."
"What about the DEO?" Clark asked.
"Even if they had the manpower to give Lena a protection detail, she would never take it," Kara said slowly. "She doesn't want to appear weak or give Lex the satisfaction of seeing her afraid."
"Is she afraid?" Clark questioned.
"She would deny it if you asked but yes, I can see it in her eyes that she's scared," Kara confirmed.
"There may be something we can do," Clark started. "I've been in contact with Bruce Wayne. He's been keeping an eye on Metropolis when I've been in National City."
"Bruce Wayne, as in Batman?" Kara asked in surprise. She knew Clark and Bruce had an…interesting relationship. There was a lot of tension between the two considering their methods. Bruce had no trouble killing whereas Clark refused. There was also that business with Bruce fearing Superman's powers.
"The one and the same," Clark replied. "We may not see eye to eye on everything but even he wouldn't let an innocent suffer. Although we did have a disagreement on whether or not Lena was considered innocent."
"She's nothing like Lex," Kara snapped defensively.
"Calm down Kara," Clark scolded. "That's what I told Bruce. He's still not sure about her but he trusts me. He's going to continue to watch over Metropolis for me so I can be in National City more. Next time I come I'm bringing Lois."
"When are you coming again?" Kara asked excited. She missed Lois.
"A week or so," Clark replied. "I have an assignment to finish and Lois is currently working on an article. We want to finish both before we leave."
Kara nodded in understanding. "Can Bruce really watch Gotham City and Metropolis? That's a lot for one person and he's only human."
"He'll check in occasionally and deal with any threats," Clark explained. "He'll manage. If he needs help he can call me, or Barry."
Kara felt better knowing Barry was also willing to help. Barry was what some would call a metahuman. He wasn't an alien, rather a human that was gifted with extraordinary abilities due to an accident with a particle accelerator. He had the power to run at speeds that rivaled her own. He was a superhero in his own city, Central City, that went by the name The Flash.
"Okay," Kara said after a few minutes. "Okay," she repeated.
"It'll all be okay," Clark told her. "In the meantime, if you need anything just call me."
"Thank you Clark," Kara said, grateful to her cousin for everything he was doing to protect Lena.
"We're family and we protect our own. El Mayarah, right?"
"El Mayarah," Kara repeated.
It was quiet for a moment. "Hey, did Lena ever figure out the phrase on her bracelet?" Clark asked curious.
Kara rubbed the back of her neck. "I kind of told her what it said," she admitted. "With everything going on, Lena has other things to focus on. Besides, we're together now so there was no reason to hide it."
"Shame, I wanted to see her work it out herself," Clark said. "But you're right. There's more important things to worry about." There was a pause. "I have to go Kara. Perry is looking for me. Call me if you need anything."
"Thanks Clark," Kara said. The line went dead.
Kara put her phone down and turned her attention back to the TV. She stroked Lena's hair as she watched reruns of Friends. She was starting to get hungry but didn't want to move and risk disturbing Lena. Kara was certain this was the most the CEO had slept in a while. Kara couldn't help but feel a little guilty about that.
Kara sighed. She grabbed her phone and dialed Alex's number. "There's still no word," was Alex's greeting.
"I know," Kara said. "I just wanted to check in."
"There's nothing," Alex said. "I'm staying with Sam and Ruby for a while. I don't trust that Lex won't target Sam because she's the head of L-Corp."
"Does Sam know about Lex?" Kara asked curious. "I know Sam knows about me."
Alex wasn't thrilled Sam knew. Not that she was exactly against it but it should have been her decision, or Kara's decision. But it was done and there was nothing anyone could do to change it. "I told her," Alex confirmed. "I had to, in case Lex targets her for running L-Corp."
"How is she handing it?" Kara asked. It wasn't fair to drag Sam and Ruby into all this.
"Surprisingly well," Alex answered. "She's worried for Lena but it could be worse. She knows you'll protect Lena and anyone else in danger."
Kara sighed. "She has too much faith in me."
"No, she has the right amount of faith in you, and in Supergirl," Alex disagreed.
"I'm scared Alex," Kara whispered.
"I know Kara," Alex said gently. "It's part of being human."
Kara laughed once without humor. "I'm not human though. I'm supposed to be this great hero. But now…every time I go out to help someone… I fear something will happen here."
"You may not have been born on Earth but you're just as human as the rest of us. Even more than some," Alex assured her. "Why don't Sam, Ruby and I come over for dinner? Sam and I can cook and we can have a normal night for once."
Kara glanced at Lena. It felt wrong to invite anyone over to Lena's penthouse without her permission. But the thought of having a "normal" night was too good to pass up. "Seven work for you guys?" Kara asked. She glanced at the clock on her phone. It was three. That gave Lena a few more hours to sleep and Kara time to clean up the penthouse.
"Seven is fine," Alex said. "We'll stop at the store and bring food. I doubt Lena has much with you staying there."
Kara glared at the wall. "Very funny Alex."
Alex laughed. "We should invite Mom over sometime," she commented after a minute. "She was worried about you when you were unconscious and… I think she should meet Lena."
Kara shook her head. "She doesn't trust Lena and I won't put her under more stress."
"I know Kara," Alex said softly. "Mom doesn't trust anyone when it comes to us. I think the only reason she's okay with Sam is because she gets a grandkid out of it. But you know if we don't invite her, she's going to show up one day when we least expect it."
"And at the worst possible moment," Kara added, remembering all the times Eliza had shown up unannounced.
"Exactly," Alex exclaimed. "Call her Kara. Figure out a time for her to visit."
"I will," Kara promised.
There was a pause. "I gotta go Kara. We'll see you tonight."
Alex hung up before Kara could say anything. She was tempted to fly over to the DEO to see if anything happened but decided against it. She didn't want to leave Lena alone. Besides, if something did happen Alex would tell her.
Kara decided to get the call to Eliza over with. She dialed the familiar number and waited. She wasn't sure Eliza was still at work but she hoped she didn't disturb her. "Hello," Eliza answered after the fourth ring.
"Hi Eliza," Kara greeted.
"Kara," Eliza exclaimed. From what Kara could tell Eliza was not at work. "How are you?"
"I'm good," Kara said. "Really good."
"I heard about Lex," Eliza started.
Kara sighed. They were going straight to Lena then. "Yeah," Kara said, unsure what else to say.
"How is Lena?" Eliza asked.
Kara was surprised. Was Eliza actually concerned about Lena? "She's fine," she said shortly. She loved Eliza like a mother but she didn't like how the older woman treated Lena without ever meeting her. She judged Lena based on the Luthor name much like Kal-El did.
"Alex told you about our conversation," Eliza realized.
"You mean about how you judged Lena for her family name?" Kara countered. "Yeah, she told me."
"I know you're upset Kara," Eliza started.
"It's not fair to judge Lena because she's a Luthor," Kara told her. "I already had this conversation with Clark. I won't stand for you being mean to her or treating her badly."
"Alexandra was right," Eliza stated. "You do love her."
"I do," Kara confirmed. "I trust her Eliza. More than I've ever trusted anyone outside of family. And for some reason she loves me. I won't turn my back on her."
"I know," Eliza said. "And I'm sorry for what I said. Alexandra has already thoroughly scolded me for that."
"It's not me you owe an apology to," Kara said firmly.
"You're right," Eliza stated.
It was quiet for a minute while Kara got the nerve to invite Eliza over. "Alex and I were thinking… you should come visit. You can meet Lena and Sam and Ruby. But I understand if you don't want to. With Cadmus still out there, National City isn't the safest place."
"I would love to visit," Eliza exclaimed. "And I will give Lena a chance, a real chance," she promised.
"Thank you Eliza," Kara said.
"I love you Kara," Eliza said. "Stay safe."
"I love you too Eliza," Kara said before hanging up the phone.
She put her phone on the coffee table and closed her eyes. She focused on the sound of Lena's heartbeat. It was the only thing that helped calm the voices of the city. The people in the city needed help, though today seemed to be a good day. Kara felt guilty for choosing Lena over the city. It was wrong of her. The city deserved her help.
"You're thinking loudly again," Lena mumbled sleepily.
"You're awake," Kara said. She shifted so Lena could sit up. "Did I wake you?"
"No, I don't think so," Lena said. She rubbed her eyes and ran a hand through her hair. "How long did I sleep?" She looked around but nothing had changed.
"About an hour," Kara told her. "You should sleep some more."
"No," Lena said with the shake of her head. "I'm good. I just need some coffee."
She stood up and stretched her stiff muscles. She headed to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. "Lena, are you okay?" Kara asked concerned.
Lena looked up from the coffee pot. "I'm good Kara," she said. "I just really need coffee." Kara stared at her and raised an eyebrow. "I had a dream we were back in Santa Monica, lounging by the pool and drinking margaritas. When I woke up…I don't know, I was sad that it wasn't real. That instead of spending time with my girlfriend, I have to deal with my psycho brother."
Kara appeared in front of Lena. She carefully removed the coffee pot from Lena's hands. "I'm sorry it's not real," she said softly. "But one day, when this is all over, I will fly us anywhere you want to go, and we will sip margaritas by the beach."
Lena laughed and leaned against Kara. "Promise?"
Kara wrapped her arms around Lena. "I promise."