Hey folks, this is my first published fic. I'm planning on it being the first in a trilogy based on the Supergirl TV series and Comic Books. If you like it please leave me a comment or two!
Graduation isn't what she expected. Of course she did expect the celebration, the fanfare, the applause. Graduating from the Spaceforce Command Program is a big deal after all.
"I am proud to present to you, the first ever graduating class of the Luthor Science Academy Leadership Training Program." The Academy Head Reynold's voice echoes throughout the hall and over the heads of the robed students, each awaiting their diplomas.
She expected to hate the crowds, full as they are of people staring at her, only to look away when she makes eye contact, afraid of how naked her gaze makes them feel. It doesn't help that she hasn't gotten any sleep, instead spending all night straightening her hair, picking out her clothes and getting her makeup just right. A layer of armor to protect herself from the world and all the ways she can be misunderstood.
She hadn't expected to enjoy herself, if only fleetingly. This is her day, time to celebrate her accomplishments. Normally she'd shy away from anything where people wanted to congratulate her. But today is different. This time she's done it all on her own, with no help from her brother. Her four years with Captain Sinclair are her accomplishments and no one else's.
Six years of war and two years of belligerent "peace", and they are all hers.
"Every one of our graduates has struggled, endured hardships, and sacrificed in order to be here." Head Reynold's booms into the mic. "And we are gathered here in honor of all of them. Yet there is one student who stands out from all the rest - whose intelligence, quick thinking, and leadership skills have proven her to be worthy of the highest honors, of both this institution and the Sol System's Alliance's SpaceForce. And whose struggles have been unique amongst our students. A recipient of the Star Cross and Scientific Legion of Honor, this student survived a disease that should have killed her, fought through her paralysis, to be the woman standing before us today. While in the midst of war, this student forged a team of explorers, scientists, and fighters, affectionately dubbed "L-Corp", and last but not least, this remarkable woman saved all our lives, and the entire Sol System's Alliance, with her skillfully researched deployment of isotope Kr-100."
"And she did all this before graduating our prestigious academy."
"Everyone, I give you, Lena Luthor!"
Applause fills the auditorium.
Lena's cheeks redden at Head Reynold's words, they're all true of course, but hearing herself praised so unambiguously is still a new feeling, and one that she isn't entirely comfortable with.
Lena rises from her seat and walks across the platform. A moment of victory for her, not over her disability like Reynold's claimed, but over her brother and his ego. She stands here today, her lower back shooting out tendrils of pain, to spite her brother, who had let his arrogance triumph over what she wanted. The head smiles at her as they offer their hand. Lena accepts it and they shake. Turning back to the audience, the Head grips the podium in front of them.
"We are pleased to present Lena Luthor with the Queen Certification of Excellence, historically presented only to our most accomplished students, Lt. Commander Luthor will be the first to receive it as a graduate of the Luthor Science Academy."
Looking out over the crowd Lena sees how uncomfortable they all are, only her friends Luke and Eli making eye contact with her, other than them no one wants to congratulate her. They are here for their own family and friends, or because she's a Luthor and they have certain expectations. There is, however, one stranger whose eyes don't turn away, that aren't filled with fear, hatred, or worry. Looking at her from behind glasses the only thing Lena senses is curiosity. Whatever else is behind those eyes, she can't feel it. The woman is like the calm in the center of a storm, a single bright spot when all else is darkness.
Lena closes her eyes as Head Reynolds pulls out a medal. She feels the ribbon slip over her bowed head and onto her neck. The last time she was paraded in front of a crowd, being decorated was when she'd received the Star Cross. An award Lex had picked her for, souring any enjoyment she might have gotten from it.
The main reason she agreed to be here at all and accept this award is because she knows for sure Lex isn't behind it, last she heard he had tried to block her from graduating at all. One more reason for them not to be speaking.
Lena opens her eyes and Reynolds has been replaced at the podium by her Captain, Veronica Sinclair. She nods at her and Lena returns to her seat. Veronica speaks on her time as Lena's Captain, their adventures before, during and after the war and Lena smiles.
One by one each student accepts their diploma and returns to their seat; which, aside from her friend Jess accepting hers, Lena finds unremarkable, and it passes through her mind in a haze.
She catches the blonde's eyes again. Lena waits, impatiently, for the last students to walk, for the parents, friends, and onlookers to finish with their zillionth round of applause, and Lena leaves. The emotions of the crowd nearly overwhelming her. The only relief coming in the stillness of the blonde woman's gaze.
Outside the Grand Hall, in the sunlight, without all eyes on her, Lena is able to breathe again and enjoy the moment for what it is. Her back still feels like it's on fire, but that will have to wait.
Her friends emerge from the mass of people, Eli running, with Luke following behind, members of her so-called L-Corp.
"Who'd have thought that the little scared girl I found all those years ago would be here today. You make me proud Luthor." Luke beams at her, pride in his gaze."
Luke is several years above her and had graduated during the war, before the SpaceForce Academy was renamed in honor of her father.
"Lena, so many firsts for you." Eli chimes in, his smile hiding a hint of jealousy. "First graduate class since the war, first class since the school was renamed, first student ever to receive a Star Cross."
"Don't worry Eli, first doesn't always mean best. You are gonna be so much better than I could hope to be." Lena says.
Eli laughs and nudges her shoulder. "You think so?"
"Yeah."
She more than thinks so, she knows, the way she always does, that he is destined for great things. The same way she knew fourteen years ago when Luke found her and brought her to Captain Sinclair and SpaceForce, that no matter how scared she was, no matter how gruff and short he was with her, she was safe with him. Safer than she'd been at home with Lillian. Or with Lex…
"What're our plans for the rest of the day?" Luke asks.
"We're going to wait for Jess to wrench herself free from her family and then figure it out from there."
As if summoned Jess appears at Lena's side, her excitement palpable, a nice counter-balance to Lena's desire to let the ceremony end and move on to other things.
Jess has already removed her graduation gown, revealing a silky dress that hangs off her broad shoulders and slender hips.
"I'm hungry. You ready to bounce?" Jess asks.
Luke & Eli answer in the affirmative and the three pairs of eyes turn to Lena. She's not paying any attention, looking around to see if the woman is anywhere. The eye of the storm. She isn't and Lena frowns.
"Earth to Lena." Eli's voice cuts through Lena's reverie.
"Yes?" Lena says hazily. "Sorry, I was looking for someone."
"Oh? Who?"
"Just some woman I saw earlier."
"A girl? Weren't you done with girls, dates, and all that?" Jess crosses her arms over her chest.
Lena shakes her head. "Yes. If I change my mind you'll be the first one to know. Now I have to have change before we leave." She motions to Luke, who hands her a bag of clothing.
"Why, you look great?" Eli says cluelessly.
"She looks like she's been up all night." Disapproval fills Luke's voice.
Jess looks at her with barely concealed worry in her eyes. "Not only did she not sleep, she's had it on all night, and now all morning. Haven't you?"
"Yes…it's going on fourty-eight hours. There was so much to do, I couldn't afford the rest!" Lena looks away, avoiding her friend's glare.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Eli asks. "We could have helped you!"
She sighs. "I'm going to go take a minute, change my clothes, rest. I'll meet you all at the car."
Eli begins to protest, before being cut off by Jess.
"That's a great idea. And when you get back, you can tell me about this girl that's caught your eye." Jess smiles at her, and Lena feels the warmth exuded by her friends surround her. It's clear their disapproval is only because they care, and that helps Lena feel less alone.
"Thanks." Her smile is genuine as she heads back to change.
The Grand Hall has several dressing rooms and Lena ducks into the nearest one. In her bag are some more comfortable clothes, a necessity after enduring the stifling dress for hours one end. What she picked out still projected her Luthor image, but it is also a bit more her, less tight and controlled. Something she can safely wear to lunch with friends.
She lays her bag on the nearby bench, and sheds the robe and the dress underneath. Sitting on the bench - nearly naked, Lena revels in the feel of cool wood on her skin. What she needs is a private moment, away from fearful eyes and caring friends; she reaches out with her mind and confirms that she is indeed alone. Bracing herself against the wall, with her mind Lena flips the switch that controls her spinal implant. The fire in her back subsides and she feels herself breathing freely again.
It is thanks to the implant she was able to stand in front of everyone today, looking every bit the imperious Luthor they expected her to be. The Luthor mask of indifference provides her a way to hide the pain caused by the implant. The electrical impulses it sends throughout her lower spine, force dead and disconnected nerves to live again, and cause excruciating pain. But it is worth it when people no longer see the "sad little girl" the Luthor's so lovingly cared for. It's worth knowing she's here in spite of the one who had spent his days and nights looking after his sick little sister .
Using her mind, she lifts the clothes out her bag, watching as they dance in the air around her. Lena grabs her skirt from the air and, with the same effort of lifting weights, lifts her legs with her mind and pulls the skirt up and on. Her hand is on her shirt when she sees a reflection in the mirror that isn't hers.
"What are you doing here? How long have you been standing there?"
"Oh God." The woman's hand darts to her eyes. "I, uh, didn't see anything. I swear. You were putting your shirt on. That's it."
Lena flips the switch on her implant, stands, and quickly pulls on her shirt. In front of her is a woman, with cropped blonde hair, peering out from behind her hands. She exudes the same calm as the woman from the stands, and just like before, Lena can get no sense of her thoughts..
The woman is turning to leave when Lena calls out to her. "Just who are you exactly?"
She looks back at Lena, looking sheepish.
"Uh, I'm Kara Danvers. I'm..."
"Just tell me what you're doing here, watching me change. You're not a stalker are you? I don't need another one of those."
"Uh, no. No, I'm not a stalker. I'm with the Collegian Torch, sort of. I just wanted to talk."
"The academy's student paper? I already told your editor I'm not giving any interviews and following me to the dressing room isn't conducive to changing my mind."
Kara's eyes go wide. "I'm sorry, I was just waiting for the right time, which clearly isn't now."
"Just ask me what you want to ask me Miss Danvers."
"You're clearly busy. I've interrupted, that is, taken up enough of your time. I really should go." Despite her words, the reporter doesn't move. Lena catches her eyes again, except this time she has a name to go with them. Kara . Through her eyes Lena senses hesitation, curiosity, and desire… A desire for what, Lena can't quite tell. It obviously goes beyond a desire for an interview. And Kara is cute. In that adorkable way girls with glasses often are. So Lena offers her a crumb.
"Tell you what." Lena raises her eyebrow. "Right now I have a lunch date with friends, but you give me your number, and I'll meet you later and you can ask me whatever you want."
Kara, nearly speechless, hands Lena a card with her number on it. "There you go Miss Luthor."
"Thank you Miss Danvers." She gathers her things and walks out of the dressing room leaving the poor baffled reporter alone.
Jess, Eli, and Luke are chatting outside her car when she approaches.
"There you are." Jess smiles.
"We were beginning to wonder if you were coming back." Eli says.
"You weren't meeting with anyone, were you?" Luke teases.
"Just you three.
"So you weren't in there with that woman who's walking out right behind you? No relation at all to the one you were looking for earlier of course." Jess teases, knowingly, not exactly disapproving, but clearly not approving either.
Lena sighs. "Let's just get something to eat, I'm starving."
"Fine, we'll let this go, for now." Lena knows that Jess isn't going to let it go but she smiles anyway.
The four of them climb into Lena's car. Lena tells the computer where they're going, and the car lifts off the ground and into the lanes of shuttle traffic. "The auto-flight mode's been a bit buggy lately. Let's hope we end up at the right place."
"All the more reason you should let me at the controls." Eli's eyes gleaming at the thought getting to fly.
"You are not going anywhere near those. Remember the last time we let you pilot?"
"I remember how much fun it was."
"We almost died Eli! That wasn't fun." Jess exclaims.
"It's not my fault Lena's car wasn't built to handle the touch of a genius."
Lena nudges him with her elbow. "Don't diss my car. It's a very good car." Her car is one of a kind, another perk of being a Luthor, she always gets things no one else has. Laughter echoes through the car. The rest of the ride is filled with brief discussions of the best & worst parts of the graduation ceremony, who's speeches were snooze worthy, and whose were mildly interesting.
They arrive at the restaurant and climb out after the car parks. Lena grimaces as she stands, eager to be done with the public appearances, to be safe and to let go.
Her hunger gnaws at her stomach, having not eaten since yesterday morning. Inside the scent of cooking food wafts through the air. The varying cuisines served at the Talon blend together in a uniquely appetising aroma that serves only to wet Lena's appetite further.
The computerised host directs them to a table in the back of the restaurant. Everyone grabs a seat and places their orders in the table console. Waiting to eat, conversation strikes up again.
"I hope we'll all still be with Captain Sinclair, I can't imagine serving with anyone else." Doubt flows from Eli in waves. With two more years in the academy, Lena can tell he's worrying about being left behind.
"That's not gonna happen." Lena fills her voice with as much assurance and comfort as she can.
"Besides, no other Captain would have you." Jess taunts. "Not after Veronica claimed you."
"Claimed us." Eli corrects. "She picked all four of us. Not just me." He mumbles.
It's true that while it was Lena's leadership and strategy that brought them all so close, it was Veronica Sinclair's choice to force them all together that paved the way for them to become L-Corp.
Lena sits silently amidst the banter, and catches Luke's eyes, smiling to herself. The two of them already knew where they'd be, Luke had found out and told her, after making Lena promise not to tell the rest of course.
"We're gonna be fine. They wouldn't dare mess with L-Corp." She says.
"Even if we were separated, it's not like we couldn't keep in touch." Luke takes a bite of the complimentary bread and Lena catches a sadness in the corner of his eyes. She prepares to ask him about it, only to get the impression this is a discussion for another time.
The waitress comes by with the food and sets the plates down in front of them, Eli flirts with her, ignoring Jess's disapproval and Luke's chagrin.
Before starting in on her food, Lena takes a moment to pull out the card with Kara's number on it and send off a message indicating when and where to meet; hoping she isn't letting her curiosity about the reporter get the best of her. Lena looks over her L-corp and smiles to herself; despite what everyone else expected of her, as a girl in a hoverchair or the one who ended the war, or Lex Luthor's sister, she knows that these three always have her back.
At the age of ten, Lena was diagnosed with a disease that most doctors expected to kill her. It left her unable to eat, speak, move, or breathe on her own. During that time Lex never left her side, except to work on a cure. The first night she slept on her own, all the machines whirring around her, was when the nightmares came. When she saw dead eyes, disappearing loved ones, anger, sadness, death, darkness, and destruction.
Unable to scream, unable to move, unable to do anything but cry... That was also the night she first moved something with her mind. Desperate to move something, anything - an arm, a leg, even just her toes - that a power she didn't even know she had caused one of the medical monitors to fly across the room and smash into the wall.
Lex was the first by her side, and the only one who stayed. The only one who cared. Knowing she couldn't answer, he had spared her the pain of asking questions. He simply held her in his arms as she cried herself to sleep.
After that night Lex had moved his lab into Lena's room so she wouldn't have to be alone again. The dreams didn't stop, but her brother's presence had made them less pressing than that first night. It was three years before Lex found a cure, four before they saw results. During that time they had developed their own language, based entirely on her ability to move things with her mind. Her favorite was when they would play chess and Lex would tell her stories of alien worlds. They had had to get a physical chess board, since Lena couldn't use her mind powers on a holo-projection. Of course, Lex had found a beautiful set, a deep-blue and red wooden table, with matching pieces. The images were inspired by tales of a far off world where they had creatures called Nightwings and Flamebirds. Lena had only seen drawings based on travelers reports, but she had been entranced. She clung to the Nightwing piece, the mythological creature comforting when her dreams would overtake her.
It was Lex's presence at night, and their private language that kept her sane through the darkest, hardest time of her life. It was his presence that helped her rage against the dying of the light.
Only for him to betray her at the very end.
Lena blinks open her eyes, dismayed that despite his lack of presence at her graduation, Lex has wormed his way into her dreams. Grateful for their utter lack of disturbing content, and only slightly confused at the way they played through her early life events, she pushes them aside. Now is not the time for Lex or her flights of Kryptonian fancy.
She sits up and adjusts her legs so that her feet hang off her bed. One and a half hours isn't enough time for her inflamed nerves to quiet down, so Lena decides to wait until Kara arrives before turning on her implant. She smooths the wrinkles out of her dress, adjusting herself in the mirror so when Ms Danvers arrives she isn't a mess
It's exactly six o'clock when Lena finally hears a knock at her door. She starts, caught off guard by the sudden presence outside her room. Usually she can sense someone's arrival before they get close...
Unsettled, she steels herself and turns on the implant, walks to the door and pulls it open, revealing Ms. Danvers looking only slightly less flustered than earlier.
"Hi." Kara clutches her notebook to her chest.
"Hi. Come in." Lena motions inside and closes the door after Kara. "Have a seat. Anywhere you like."
Lena raises an eyebrow at Kara's outfit, which is decidedly less revealing than what she was wearing earlier. Her button-up and pants seem like armor and Lena wonders what the reporter is protecting. Once Kara seats herself next to Lena's worktable, Lena grabs a seat on the opposite side of the room.
"Now tell me, what questions could be so pressing, that you've been following me around for days?" Lena leans forward. She knows how to maintain control in most situations and despite not being able to read Kara she hopes that jumping right into the interview will keep Kara on her toes.
"Now that you're no longer a LSA student, but a fully fledged officer in Spaceforce, what are your plans?" Kara edges forward in her seat, tapping her pen on her tablet.
"I plan on returning to the Spaceforce fleet to become a captain. As you know, that isn't my decision. If they wanted, the Admiralty Board could have me assigned to the lunar mining colony or some garbage detail."
"Would they really do that? I mean, you are their most famous new officer, after all. That would be a waste of your talent!" Kara struggles to keep emotion from her voice, straightening her back to maintain composure. Lena's fascinated, the idea she would be treated unfairly, seems to have really upset the reporter.
"There are people who, despite all I've done to make a name for myself outside my family, only see me as Lex's little sister. His influence is so broad and far ranging, most assume that I'm at his beck and call. If you thought making me captain would give one of the most powerful men more power, would you do it?."
As Lena speaks Kara nods, taking notes on her tablet. Looking back at Lena when she's finished. "Your brother's anti-alien views are widely known, and though you claim not to share them, you helped create and deploy Kr-100. Some say that this was a form of biological warfare, seeing as the isotope only affects Kryptonians. Your response?"
Lena sighs. "It was war. I simply found a way to protect my people from an aggressive species, who had attacked us for no reason, and who gained unimaginable superpowers when in our solar system. It's not something I'm proud of, but I saved lives. I hope I'm never asked to apologize for that."
"Uh, no." Kara purses her lips. "I can see how it must have been a hard decision. … What is your relationship like with your brother?"
"When I was young I worshiped Lex. He was the only one who made me feel welcome after father brought me home. It wasn't just his crusade that drove us apart you know, it was a much more personal matter. He and I haven't spoken in several years." Lena avoids the reporters eyes as she speaks, afraid to give too much away. The memories of Lex's betrayal were something she never spoke of. Just thinking about it left her feeling small, struck by the utter selfishness of his decision.
"Are you seeing anyone?"
Lena blinks. She suppresses the urge to end the interview right here, right now; after all every answer she's given is a matter of public record, so Kara must be after something else. Fixing the reporter in her gaze, she seeks out the purpose behind her question. Kara's eyes shine with nothing but curiosity, untainted by any malicious impulse, nor a desire to gossip. Beyond that Lena can't say, the woman is strangely hard for her to read.
"No." She says, biting the edge of her lip. If Kara is after more than an interview with a Luthor, Lena is quite happy to play along. "Are you?"
Kara's cheeks redden. "Uh, no I'm, I mean yes. Well technically yes, but no." Her back stiffens as she sputters her response.
That is the effect Lena was looking for, if not exactly the words. The flustered reporter attempting to give a bumbling explanation thrilled her. A power very different from when wary colleagues would salute her, seeing only a dangerous Luthor. This is something she can enjoy, the effect she has when people want her and don't know it yet.
Rising from her seat Lena walks over to Kara and leans over the reporter, her eyes gleaming. Kara's breath quickens and she swallows hard.
"Uh, Miss Luthor, this isn't what…"
"Lena." She purrs into Kara's ear. Lena places her hand on the woman's thigh and she feels Kara quiver beneath her.
"Lena." Kara protests, a stoniness filling her voice. "This really isn't why I'm here. You really are beautiful but..."
"But?" Lena pulls her face away from Kara's ear only to draw her gaze to Kara's eyes. Those same inquisitive eyes that haven't turned away from her, full of everything she had forgotten could live in a person's eyes. Deep blue eyes full of mysteries. In these blue eyes Lena sees a challenge to be better than what the world says she is, she see righteous fire, and a loneliness and pain that are all too familiar. A pain that she could kiss away...
Kara jumps, the moment shattered by a piercing ring.
"Oh, that's mine." Kara's relief is palpable as she glances at her smartwatch. "I, uh, I have to go."
Kara's walls go back up and Lena is shocked at how quickly the shift happens.
"So soon?" Lena retreats from the reporter as she hurriedly gathers her things.
"Yes. I'm sorry. This was lovely." Kara is halfway out the door when she turns back to Lena, all smiles. "Let's do this again sometime."
And with that she disappears through Lena's door leaving her with more questions than answers.
