I went in a somewhat different direction with Alex. I don't want people to think I hate her character. I think she's one of the best characters on the show, but did she actually move past her trauma?
"When did you find out?"
J'onn settled on the couch and waved off Lena's offer of scotch. He felt comfortable in the room, even if it was in the presence of a Luthor. Or a Wayne if Bruce's thoughts were any indication. Diana was back in her everyday wear, and she nodded once at Lena. J'onn watched the tension leak from Lena's shoulders as she sat down. Diana chose to stand next to Bruce.
"The Kryptonians went to check on Ruby," she explained. "Kara will return when she's finished there."
"Where is Ruby?" Lena asked.
"Sam dropped her off with friends earlier this afternoon," Diana said.
J'onn's lie detector went off, but Lena accepted the answer at face value.
"Would you like for me to get us dinner?" Bruce asked Lena. "You haven't eaten since noon."
"I'm not hungry." Bruce gave Lena a look, and she huffed. "Perhaps dinner will be lovely," she grumbled.
"Would you mind changing clothes first?" Diana teased. "I doubt National City wants the Dark Knight in their restaurants."
Bruce grunted and left with the promise of having food delivered for everyone. Lena returned her attention to J'onn. He cleared his throat when he realized she was still waiting on his answer.
"Kara's bracelet fell off during one of her fights several weeks ago. Alex and I were the only ones who read the inscription on the back," he explained.
"Hold on, are you saying Alex has known for weeks?" Lena asked.
"Not quite." J'onn leaned forward and sighed. "Government officials were coming to the DEO that week. It would have compromised more than Alex's position as an agent to have that information in her head." Lena gave him a confused look, and J'onn added, "Our benefactors are testing a new type of investigation technique. Instead of jailing certain aliens and metahumans, they're hiring them for the jobs no one else wants. Their newest interrogator was a telepathic ex-con. I knew Alex would never forgive herself if she allowed that information about you and Kara to slip free. When the investigation ended last night, I went to Alex's apartment and removed the block. She's only known since this morning."
Lena took a deep breath before saying, "While that may be the case, it doesn't excuse her behavior."
"You're referring to when she ambushed you in your office?" J'onn asked.
"That and other events."
"First, Alex paid heavily for her actions. I don't condone what she did, and I made sure she understood that being so aggressive toward you would not end well in her favor if she did it again. At first, I couldn't understand why Alex-
"-hates me so much?" Lena guessed.
"-was jealous of you," J'onn corrected. "Or rather, jealous of what you stand for."
"And what do I stand for?"
"Freedom. You have this autonomy where you've carved a path for yourself. You represent something Alex never had until she was much, much older. And I don't think she's ever had time to sit down and realize a majority of her life shifted the moment Kara arrived." J'onn held up his hand to stop both Diana and Lena from responding. "None of this is Kara's fault. If anything, it's just an awful set of circumstances that put many people in uncompromising positions. Alex was on the cusp of puberty when Kara arrived. She was already angry, moody, and trying to find her footing. I'm not making excuses for her, but I am saying I understand her better than I did when I first met her.
"Alex doesn't hate you." J'onn stopped and thought about the best way to say it. "Eliza put a lot of pressure on Alex and tasked her with protecting Kara. Eliza never considered the girls as separate entities growing up, which meant everything Kara got wrong, Alex would shoulder the blame. Eliza didn't handle it well in the beginning. She's trying to make up for it now, but Alex holds a much larger grudge against her mother than Kara. And when Alex went to college, Clark continuously told her how selfish it was for Alex to go so far away when Kara needed to be monitored more consistently. Especially with Lex on the rise and the rise in anti-alien protests. Clark was this constant reminder of how Alex failed Kara by not being there."
J'onn felt somewhat relieved by being able to talk so openly about Alex, and he sighed. He loved them both as daughters, but Alex bore too much guilt. And he hoped that someone other than him could push Alex toward healing.
"I'm not saying you need to forgive her," he said. "But I'm asking you to give her a chance to grow. She was tasked with keeping a Kryptonian safe and sheltered for her entire life. Kara spent a healthy majority of her formative years being coddled and stunted. Eliza and Jeremiah meant well, don't get me wrong. But it was a tough situation for everyone to be in, and they all came out a little broken in the end. So when I say Alex doesn't hate you, that she's jealous of you, I mean it. Deep down, she admires you, Lena. But she's been conditioned to think you're evil by Clark, and in a way, by the media. I ask that you allow Alex to make amends."
"Why do you care so much?" Diana asked, eyeing J'onn curiously.
"I lost my daughters and wife a long time ago, and Alex and Kara have wormed their way into my heart. I would never be so open without their permission if I didn't feel that everyone in this room wants them to be happy."
Lena didn't say anything more, and the three fell into a comfortable silence.
"So. How did you end up with the Dark Knight of all people, Miss Wayne?"
"Believe it or not, it started with becoming the youngest intern to work at WayneCorp."
"I would say I'm surprised, but that would be a lie."
Lena laughed and leaned back against the couch. As she spoke about her relationship with Bruce, J'onn could see her thoughts projected into the room. It was like she wanted him to see them, and he wondered just how much Kara told her about his abilities. J'onn decided not to mention it. He saw the plans she made for that evening and smiled inwardly.
Alex dumped another bottle of scotch down the drain with an annoyed huff. She was on bottle number two, and she had one more to go. Alex rubbed the side of her head as she watched the liquid go down the drain.
"Of course, the one time I need a drink is the worst day of my life," she muttered. "How does one tackle sobriety when you've been a complete ass to your sister and sister-in-law? Am I expected to confront my emotions like a normal human being?"
Alex cracked open the last bottle and sighed as she overturned it.
"I spent a hundred dollars on this and throwing it away. This is my life now."
Alex finished the process and leaned down on the counter. She hung her head and sighed.
"If you're here to kill me, can you do it quickly?" she asked.
"How did you know?"
Alex turned around and said flatly, "When Wonder Woman shows up in my apartment, I'm forced to notice. I'd suck at my job if I didn't."
Diana hummed and said, "I won't be staying long. I was just dropping off a visitor."
Lena stepped into the apartment from the balcony, and Alex puffed her cheeks.
"Great time to show up when I have no liquor to hide behind," she said.
Lena shook her head and said to Diana, "I'll be okay. You can go check on Reign if you want?"
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure."
Diana nodded and slipped out of the apartment. When she was gone, Alex felt woefully unprepared for the evening. Lena stepped further into the apartment, and Alex wiped her hands on her shorts. She grimaced at the state of her place and scratched the back of her head.
"I didn't plan for company tonight."
"That's okay. May we talk?"
Alex gestured to the couch, and Lena sat down first. Alex sat beside her, and she sighed.
"Did J'onn send you?" she asked.
"Yes and no. I was going to wait and see how long before you approached me, but I," Lena paused, "have realized you and I are alike in a few ways. And since you're on a sobriety kick, I didn't think I had it in me to wait a few weeks."
"I would've found you eventually," Alex muttered.
"Seeing as I'm on a time crunch, eventually would've been too late," Lena said.
"What do you mean?"
Lena reached into her jacket pocket and removed a white envelope. She passed it to Alex, who opened it.
"You are formally invited to…" Alex trailed off, and she flopped back on the couch. "Five years?" she whispered.
"Yes."
"I – you guys have been married for five years?" Alex repeated.
"We have."
Alex's hand shook as she put the invitation back into the envelope, and she laughed in disbelief.
"My sister's been married for five years, and I didn't know," she said.
"Kara and I have been together for six years," Lena said. "We got married a year after we met."
Alex ran a hand through her hair and sighed, "Way to kick me when I'm down, Luthor."
"It's Wayne, and I'm not here to coddle you, Alex."
"Why are you here?"
"I grew up with a sibling who hated me," Lena said. "And I wasn't interested in going through it again. I especially didn't want Kara to lose her first best friend over something that could be fixed. This conversation has been a long time coming, and we're going to have it for however long we need to. J'onn gave you the day off to let you adjust, and Kara's not coming back until the morning. So are you willing to help me or keep being a stubborn dick?"
Alex snorted. She laid her head back on the couch and stared at the ceiling.
"When I was thirteen, Superman touched down in my front yard and passed off this terrified alien to my parents. He didn't even say goodbye to her, just left Kara with some vague threat about remembering what he told her. Kara was like this newborn baby on steroids. She cried all of the time and got scared at every little thing. She broke a bunch of shit, burned down trees, and Kara had these night terrors that kept up the whole house. I hated Clark for bringing her there, and I made sure Kara knew that."
Alex ran a hand down her face and sighed.
"When I was fifteen, Kara ran away. There was a massive storm in town, and I knew Kara hated them. The sounds made her remember Krypton exploding, so the fact that she snuck out told me she was too upset to notice. I was the only one who saw she was gone, and I couldn't figure out why she ran. Until I remembered what I'd said to Eliza that afternoon. I was angry that a friend of mine wouldn't hang out with me anymore because she said Kara was too weird. I told Eliza that I was tired of being a bodyguard for some pathetic alien who couldn't get her shit together." Alex rubbed a spot on her collarbone, and she frowned. "Something inside of me refused to settle with her being out there. So I climbed out of the room with my flashlight and looked for her. It was so dark, and the wind blew the rain into my face. I couldn't see shit, couldn't hear anything, but I couldn't go home without Kara. So it made sense I walked right off a cliff after getting turned around."
Lena's eyes widened, and Alex tugged down her shirt, revealing a jagged scar going across her collarbone.
"I remember the screaming. It wasn't a cliff overlooking the water, but there was a rock formation at the bottom that I crashed into. The only reason I'm not dead is that Kara caught me at the last minute. She hadn't practiced the whole catching a human thing yet, so the impact knocked me against the side of the cliff. Kara was so scared. After everything I put her through, this alien kid who lost her world and family flew me back to the house and woke up Eliza and Jeremiah. She never left my side, afraid that she'd hurt me, and that's the first time I saw Kara for who she was. That's when I started seeing her as my little sister. So those night terrors, I'd crawl into bed with her and let her listen to my heartbeat until she fell back asleep. I did strength training with her and taught her how to be as human as possible. But I never… I never wanted her to be human. I liked that when she got excited, she floated in the air. I liked how she could eat ten pizzas without choking and still have room for an entire cake. Kara being an alien became my favorite thing about her."
"Then why did you pull away from her?"
"It wasn't Kara's fault. I know I made it seem like it was, and I have to own up to that, but it wasn't her. I had a friend named Vicki, who I had this massive crush on. I asked Vicki on a date, and she was into it. So we're at the movies when Kara shows up out of the blue. Eliza told her where I was, and Kara was so embarrassed. She didn't want to be there, but Eliza had to work and couldn't watch her. So Kara had to stick with me. Vicki didn't mind. Anyway, Kara sat a few rows back and was excited to see the film. We watched the movie, went to get food, and that was that. Kara couldn't stop talking about the experience, and she kept teasing me about the kiss Vicki gave me at the end. It was sister talk, you know? Kara was so happy that she told Eliza."
Lena's face fell, and Alex smiled sadly.
"Kara had no idea she'd just outed me, and I was too young to know what gay and lesbian meant. Eliza did. She didn't say anything around Kara, but things changed. When I had plans with Vicki, Eliza had to work, and I had to bring Kara along. Vicki got annoyed by it. We had no time alone, and Kara tried her best to disappear. She hated feeling like this add-on, and I begged Eliza to let Kara stay home. Vicki broke up with me a couple of months later and said it was weird that I had to lug my sister around. I think that's when things sort of…festered. It was always Alex and Kara Danvers. Can Kara come? Is this something Kara can do? Bring Kara with you. Don't leave Kara out, Alex. It makes her feel unwanted. You don't want her to run away again, do you? Be nice to Kara. Stop excluding your sister. On and on it went until I just…hated the sight of Kara."
Lena stayed quiet as Alex brought her knees to her chest.
"I've made mistakes when it comes to my sister, and I will spend the rest of my life making up for them. I thought I'd gotten better, but I hadn't. I hid behind alcohol and the DEO to avoid the gap between us. I didn't want to tell her the truth because I was afraid I'd lose her again. Did you know we stopped talking for months?"
Lena shifted and said, "Yes."
"Right," Alex laughed lightly, shaking her head. "You've been together for six years, so I'm sure you were around during that."
"Kara did miss you," Lena said. "She talked about you all of the time."
"You don't have to try to make me feel better," Alex said. "I was an ass, and I know I was. But what was worse is that I missed the signs when it came to you. When Kara moved here, she never quite joined the anti-Luthor train. Even Winn noticed how she refused to say anything bad about you, and it frustrated me how she couldn't see the threat. All Luthors are evil and want to kill Kryptonians. I needed Kara to see that because if I've spent my life protecting her from people like Lex. It didn't matter that I didn't know you. It didn't matter you were changing the medical field for the better or creating devices that saved lives. You were a Luthor. I would kill you on sight if it meant keeping Kara safe."
Alex tightened her grip on her knees, and Lena reached out, putting her hand on her shoulder. The tension in Alex's body leaked a little, but it was still there.
"I was tasked to be her sister, and I've done a shit job of it. Especially when it comes to you, someone that Kara decided to spend the rest of her life with. I know enough about Kryptonians to know that they don't do divorce. It was a hard pill to swallow when I saw the bracelet, and I realized that my sister didn't trust me enough to tell me she was married. I'd lost her, and it hurt like hell. J'onn blocking my memory helped numb the pain, but it hit me earlier at work."
"I know what Kara's bracelet says, and I doubt it led you straight to me. So did J'onn tell you it was me?"
"No. On that Sunday I visited you, you yelled at me in Kryptonian. I don't even think you realized it. But you called Kara your bondmate, and that stuck out to me. It made my brain itch, though now I know why. But it wasn't just the words. The last clue was this."
Alex gently rolled up Lena's sleeve, revealing the almost imperceptible tattoo of Kara's initials just under the bracelet.
"When you were throwing me out of your office, your sleeve slipped down. I wouldn't have noticed it had I not been looking straight at your wrist. So the clues were all there, but I never put them together until I had my memory back. Things sort of fell into place after that. Kara disappears from National City the same week every year and comes back with this radiant smile on her face. I never asked, and I think I always knew she was seeing someone. Even if it was indirect, Kara's been telling me for years about you. Every time she mentioned you, defended you, and showed me an article about you, she was testing me. And I failed. Lena, you've deserved so much more than my suspicion and anger. I'm sorry that I allowed Lex's sins to cloud my judgment over a woman I didn't know. I didn't even try to know you, and that's one of the worst parts. You're my sister-in-law, and I didn't trust my sister enough to choose her perfect partner."
Silence fell between them, and Lena scooted closer. She ducked down to meet Alex's gaze.
"It's been tearing her to pick between us," Lena said.
"No, I don't want her to pick," Alex replied.
"Then start acting like it," Lena said. "Talk to her. Kara's a lot more understanding than you give her credit for. She will be upset, but isn't it worth a few weeks of awkwardness than a lifetime of tension?"
Alex teared up and released a shuddering breath. She fell into Lena, and Lena sighed, holding Alex upright.
"You've had to be strong for the strongest person on this planet," she said. "And you never took the time to allow yourself to be human. You don't know this yet, but to hear me say you're allowed to be vulnerable is a bit hypocritical." Alex laughed a bit, and Lena rubbed her back. "It's okay to feel angry or jealous or resentful. I hated Clark for so long because he broke my brother's heart. I blamed him for Lex's spiraling, but it wasn't fair for me to do that. Lex always felt that way, and it would've happened one way or the other. You have to grow with these emotions, not pretend they don't exist. You're not obligated to face this alone."
Lena's words caused Alex to cry harder, and Lena carefully took her phone out of her pocket. She sent a message to Sam, changing their plans, and she figured she had about five minutes before Kara arrived. Alex sniffed and gently pulled away from Lena.
"Now I see why Kara married you."
"Look, we're not okay," Lena said softly. "You've said some hurtful things that can't be taken back. But if you're serious about making things right, I know we'll be fine. You're about five years late, but what's five years to a lifetime?"
"God, that was corny," Alex groaned, wiping her eyes.
"Shut up. As for the party, the color scheme is non-negotiable. And it would be wonderful if you arrived earlier than the guests. Your sister thinks eating half of the food before everyone else means she'll have more to eat. If you're there, maybe I can have a better chance of saving forty percent of the dinner."
"There's no such thing as saving food if Kara's around."
"You know, when I imagined you two spending time together, I didn't think you'd be so mean."
Lena and Alex turned as Kara flew into the apartment. Lena stood and gave Alex a meaningful look before turning to her wife.
"You're earlier than I planned."
"I had a reason to come back."
"Don't you always?"
Kara grinned and kissed Lena sweetly, nodding toward the window.
"Want me to fly you home?" she asked.
"No, I can walk. I know there'll be at least one person watching."
"Your Dad's across the street," Kara teased.
"Of course, he is." Lena snorted and kissed Kara again, tapping her on the chest. "Don't come home until you're complaining about Alex stealing your cookies again," she said.
"For the last time," Alex huffed. "I didn't steal them! You left them in my apartment for three days! After three days, I'm allowed to eat them!"
"Four days," Kara argued. "The rule is four days!"
"Oh, for the love of – I'll buy you some more, okay?"
"Two more."
"One, and I'm not negotiating with you."
Kara grumbled under her breath, and Lena shook her head.
"On that note, I'm leaving. I love you, and Alex, I'm serious about the color scheme."
"I got it," Alex said. "All black."
Lena scowled and left the apartment. When she was gone, Kara rubbed the back of her neck.
"You do know she was serious, right?"
"Where will I find a decent red outfit by Saturday?"
"Borrow something from Winn."
Alex glared at Kara, who grinned and sat down on the couch. Her smile fell when she noticed Alex's eyes, and she wiped a stray tear away with her thumb. Alex caught her hand and intertwined their fingers like they used to do as teenagers.
"I don't know if I should be happy or concerned you were crying," Kara said carefully.
"Before I say any of this, I'm proud to be your sister."
"Okay?"
"It's just hard to sit here and find the words to express how sorry I am for hurting you. Not just with the Lena thing, but with your arrival, your support when Jeremiah died, and how fucking amazing you have been as Supergirl. You saved my life, and all I kept hearing was Dad and Eliza screaming that you needed to stay a secret. I couldn't fathom how I was supposed to dim your light. Your heart wouldn't allow you to let bad things happen in the world when you could do something about it. And instead of defending you, I went along with it because it was the easy choice. I didn't even make an effort to find another way."
Alex shifted and released a slow breath, trying to keep her tears at bay once again.
"I've projected a lot of hate onto you when you didn't deserve it. You didn't ask for any of this. I hated your innocence, your ignorance of this world and how evil it could be, and I hated that you just wanted to belong somewhere. It was something that I wanted also. And if I couldn't have it, then you couldn't either. And fuck if that's not the most selfish and fucked up thing I've said to you. But this is me coming clean and trying to save our relationship because I can't do life without you. I can't function knowing I've pushed you away to the point that you stop talking to me. I purposely ignored the truth you were begging me to see. All you needed from me was to accept you, to love you as you were, and I didn't. I blamed you for losing friends and my childhood. I wanted you to feel what I felt, so I hurt you. I hurt you a lot in so many different ways. Your graduation day has haunted me for years. I got drunk on purpose the night before, knowing that if I wasn't sick, I would show up and cheer for you the same way you did for me. So I drank until I passed out. Then I kept drinking to run away from what I did, and it kind of spiraled from there." Kara's eyes went to the bottles on the counter, and Alex chuckled. "I think the rats in National City's sewers might have a better night than me," she said.
"You dumped them?"
"Being sober is supposedly more fun anyway. We have a long list of things to do together, and I can't do that if I'm dead."
"Alex-
"That's where I was headed, and you know it. I know you x-ray my liver every time you see me." Kara shifted guiltily, and Alex smiled. "I want to be better for us both," she said. "Not just to live longer, but to stop running for once in my life. I have to face things and confront the consequences of my actions. I've hated that you continue to love me when I don't deserve it. But I couldn't stop. I couldn't face the reality of you leaving until J'onn opened my eyes to the truth, so to speak."
Alex's fight with her tears was a losing battle, and her voice cracked from the effort. Kara, however, was openly crying.
"Winn told me what Clark and James did as soon as he found me, and that was a massive wake-up call. I had already planned on telling you that I knew you and Lena were together, but hearing that forced me to confront the heaviest truth I've been hiding from. I have been an awful sister to you. Like, when the hell did you start dating girls? When did you meet Lena? What made you want to get married? When was the wedding, and how many people were there? Did you wear a suit or a dress? How long have you personally known Wonder Woman? Why Lena? What is it about her that made you say you wanted to spend forever with her? These are the things we were supposed to squeal about at sister night. There's been so much shit that I wasn't a part of because I blamed you for something you had no control over. You didn't ask to be sent here. You just wanted someone to love you, and you found it in Lena. And not just Lena. But you have this entire found family out there that picked you up when I let you fall. Do I even fit in anymore? It's the worst feeling in the world, and I know it's my fault. But I can't keep going like this. I need to fix this. You're my baby sister, and I love you so much. I'm sorry, Kara. I'm so sorry-
Alex's voice went out, and she covered it with her arm. She tried to muffle her cries, but it was useless. Kara tugged Alex forward and wrapped her arms around her.
"Please don't let me go," Alex cried.
"Never. I will always have a spot in my heart for you," Kara whispered. "You're my sister, my first best friend, and no one will take your place."
Sam stayed behind in Jump City while Kara hurried back home. Lena's message was vague and concerning, so it made sense Kara broke the sound barrier to get there. Sam hoped the conversation with Alex went well. She'd always hoped Kara and Alex would find their way back to one another. Sam couldn't be what Alex was, and Kara never expected her to take Alex's place. Kara needed Alex more than she cared to admit. Sam was glad they were taking steps to make things right. Lena was their biggest cheerleader, even when she pretended she wasn't. Raven and Jinx were asleep, and Sam didn't feel like going back yet. She sat outside on the patio and stared at the sky. The door opened behind her, and she looked over her shoulder at Ruby.
"Hey, peanut. What are you doing up?" Sam asked.
"I couldn't sleep."
"Everything okay?"
Ruby came and sat beside her.
"Can I know what happened between you and Aunt Kara?" she asked.
Sam exhaled and rubbed her legs. She wasn't cold, but it was more out of habit. "Kara was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The first time Reign had been activated, Kara was in the desert. She'd been upset at being away from Lena again and took her frustration out on some rocks. Reign's programming hadn't been fixed yet, so she recognized Kara as the champion from the prophecy. She was a threat. All I remember is dragging Kara out of the sky. I didn't have my mask at the time, so Kara saw my face. She couldn't understand why I was hurting her. I was Sammy, her best friend, and I couldn't fight Reign's control. Kara kept looking at me like she knew something was wrong and had forgiven me no matter what. That caused me to break Reign's control, and I took over again. I kept crying and apologizing to her the entire way back to Metropolis. I took her straight to Lena. Kara was the first person to fight for me, even after I almost killed her. We don't talk about it much. It upsets Lena, and it upsets me. But I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."
Ruby reached over and grabbed Sam's hand.
"It's okay, Mom. Thank you for telling me now."
"I'm not a good person, Rubes," Sam whispered. "But I'm trying to be for you."
Ruby kissed Sam on the cheek and whispered back, "You're my hero, Mom. That hasn't changed, and it never will."
Ruby and Sam looked up when Diana touched down in the backyard. Ruby muttered something about watching TV until she fell asleep before leaving. Diana wrung her fingers together, a rare sign of nervousness, and she jerked her head.
"Would you like to go for a walk with me?"
Sam stood and brushed off her pants.
"Lead the way, Wonder Woman."
Diana smiled and held out her hand. Sam took hold, and Ruby poked her head around the corner. She watched them walk off together and did a little fist bump.
"Oh, there you are, Kiera. Tell me something. Why is it when I leave you alone for one day, and you get yourself kidnapped and drugged."
Kara smiled and closed the door to the office.
"I'm not supposed to be here, Miss Grant."
"Your wife is preparing for the party, so I have carte blanche to monopolize your time."
"Of course. How's Carter?" she asked.
"He's sleeping off the morphine. Your wife kept me updated, by the way. No thanks to you. And you've made up with your sister? How Hallmark of you."
"I missed you too, Cat."
"Please. I was gone for twelve hours. You could have easily stopped by the condo and said hello. It's not like I'm hosting your anniversary party or anything."
"Drugged and kidnapped, remember?"
"Boo, the Girl of Steel has a weakness." Cat turned on her heel and crooked her finger. "The magazine is ready for print and will be released by five p.m. this evening. It was advertised as a special edition, one that has been hyped by that crazy millennial group on floor eight. They assure me the world is waiting for the next big thing. I can't trust them to make a decent cup of coffee, but they've managed to bring in decent press."
"Can I see it?"
"They haven't even seen the cover, but they've managed to convince the world it needs to be read."
"So why am I here?"
"Because I want to ask if you're sure about this. Lena thinks this is a magazine about being married to Supergirl."
Kara sat down on the couch and said, "Lena's been dating two versions of me for too long. This is my choice, and I'm prepared for the aftermath."
"Are you?"
"For her, I am."
"Good." Cat reached into a drawer and removed a manilla folder. "Here," she said.
Kara took the folder and opened it, revealing a single picture. No words, no advertisements, just Kara and Lena. The image, a candid shot of Kara and Lena in Gotham several months ago, was perfect. It was on Lena's birthday, and they were on a rooftop overlooking the city. Kara floated off the ground with Lena standing on her toes, and it was a frozen capture of them dancing mid-air.
"This is perfect."