"We'll stay in town for a few days," Bruce said as he and Diana prepared to leave. He pressed a finger over Kara's lips, squelching any rebuttal. "I have legitimate business in National City, and I'm sure Diana can find a new artist to mentor."
It wasn't as reassuring as Bruce probably intended. Kara leaned away from his finger. "What about…?"
"We shall deal with Cadmus, the DEO, and any threats to you and to the League as they come." Diana opened the door. "Expect additional visits from family, darling. They would have been here today if I had not asked to speak with you first."
Kara nearly stomped her foot in frustration. "Diana!"
"You are family." Diana's tone cut through Kara's anger and anxiety. "We share no blood, little sister, and yet you have been part of my family since I watched you devour a mountain of French fries and burgers the day we first met. Even our Queen argued her case for coming to National City."
That rocked Kara's world. She stared at Diana, unable to respond. Diana and many of the younger Amazons now left the island to experience the wider world. Queen Hippolyta did not. Rumor had it the queen had even threatened to disown Diana when she'd followed Steve Trevor to London decades ago.
"You will never be alone or unprotected again. Not while this Cadmus is a threat." Diana brushed her lips over both of Kara's cheeks. "You are immensely powerful, little sister; yet you are not invincible. I expect you to call much more quickly if you need me in the future." With a regal nod, she swept from the room.
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do, spitfire." Bruce's hug was quick and tight. "I'll try to keep your big sister from smothering you."
They shared a last look, knowing that Bruce was no match for Diana. "Give Uncle Lucius my love." She stepped away and closed the door behind them. The room was too quiet and too empty without them. Annoying, protective, and too convinced Kara was a helpless child? Yes. Kara still loved them both.
It felt good to slip on a jacket and leave the apartment. Cleo waited for her in the hallway, and Kara spotted several more bodyguards in suits and ties near the elevator and the access door to the roof.
Cleo was unusually silent on the trip to the stairs. Even her footsteps made little noise as Kara clattered down flight after flight.
"She spoke to you," Kara finally said as they exited onto the sidewalk. She didn't need superpowered eyesight or hearing to note a pair of men across the street in the same Men-in-Black attire as the guards inside. A black SUV pulled into traffic half a block behind them and crawled along the street.
Posture tense, Cleo hummed. "Did you think she would not? I am here to protect you, Kara. While you are not injured, I didn't stop you from flying out of the apartment or embroiling yourself in a war with this Cadmus. I am lucky she did not send me home to Themyscira in disgrace."
"It's not your…"
"Kara!" Cleo stopped walking, and their tail car dove toward the curb. The men on the other side of the street pretended to stare into an empty storefront. "You told me the House of El was one of the most powerful Houses on Krypton." She took Kara's hands. "Did your parents have personal guards? Did you? Were there servants in your home?"
Unwilling to give answers that Cleo already knew, she scowled.
It lightened some of Cleo's intensity. "You've always ignored what you didn't want to see or believe," she said affectionately. "But, Kara, you're something special. The Head of your House. A Princess of Themyscira. National City's Supergirl. It is my honor to be your friend and your protection."
Everything in Kara rose up in protest…and fizzled. She remembered Dai Kan-Te and Pizhom Jeza Jek-Vay, who had escorted her mother to and from meetings with the Council. An entire widon had been permanently assigned to her family. "I'm not special," she muttered.
An arm wrapped around her, pulling her down the sidewalk. "How is o kátochos tis psychís sas?"
"Stubborn." Beautiful. Strong. "She wouldn't take anything for the pain."
Cleo's grin wiped away the last of her sobriety. "Did you try The Eyes? Or The Lip?"
Rolling her eyes, Kara shook her head. "No! Oh my Rao. Why do you always call them that?" She shoved Cleo with enough force to make the other woman stagger a step. A mini shoving match ensued until the scent of garlic, pecorino, and baking bread stole Kara's attention.
Her stomach growled as Kara pulled open the door. The bell jangled. "Ah, Miss Kara!" The gnarled old man behind the counter waved. "You have finally brought your girl. The one you think of when you buy my soup."
Cleo covered her grin with her hand; her cough did little to disguise her laugh, however.
"Mr. Kaminski," Kara began – until he waved at her again and tottered away and into the back of the store.
That was enough for Cleo. "Even the deli owner knows you're pining for Alex. How often do you sip soup and think of her?"
Kara crossed her arms and watched Cleo lean against one of the deli's tiny tables and cackle. "Why do I like you? I'm having trouble remembering." When Cleo simply kept laughing, Kara stalked to the counter and stared into the display case. Her stomach rumbled again as she admired the mounds of sausage, spicy stuffed bacon rolls, and nalesniki filled with cheese.
"I bring you extra soup. Your girl looks like she might eat more than you, Miss Kara." He winked at her as he set two paper bags onto the countertop. "I also fix you sandwiches. You will love them."
She'd learned never to argue about the sandwiches. They were always divine. "Can I have a dozen of the nalesniki and a couple of the bacon rolls, too, please?"
"Of course." Mr. Kaminski opened the case and reached for the items Kara requested. "You won't introduce me? You are here so often; we are family now."
Flushing, Kara apologized. "Forgive me, khehthgr. This is my oldest friend and companion Cleo."
"Friend? Is that what you young people call the love of your life?" He sounded disappointed.
"Not everyone is as accepting as you, sir." Cleo stepped behind Kara, arms wrapping around her waist. "We meant no insult."
Mr. Kaminski's smile returned. "Many people are stupid. My daughter and her wife have been together many years. Long before this country recognized their love." He finished boxing and bagging the food and slid the bag toward Kara. "Take good care of each other; that is the most important thing. Always."
His words warmed Kara all the way through – and then ripped out her heart and soul. She'd never bring Alex here. Never get to hold her hand as she introduced Mr. Kaminski to her bondmate. "We will," she choked out through the emotions suddenly clogging her throat.
Cleo's arms tightened around her, probably sensing Kara's struggle. "It was an honor to meet you, sir. Thank you for taking care of her when I can't."
With Mr. Kaminski's well-wishes and goodbyes ringing in her ears, Kara allowed Cleo to lead her from the deli. "I'm sorry."
Kara shrugged. What could she say? They'd had this conversation so many times.
"She sounds beautiful," Cleo said. Her shoulders slumped, and she kicked a sandaled foot at a pile of leaves near their resting place in the Queen's Garden.
Kara ignored Cleo's body language, focusing instead on her words. "She is. Beautiful and smart." Perfect. "I'm so lucky she's mine." She could envision Alex in the flowing robes worn in Argo. Not white, even if that was the most popular for the Great Houses.
A hand on her arm yanked her out of her fantasy. "She doesn't want you, Kara! She's the reason you're here, remember?"
"Kar?" Cleo caught Kara's free hand. "I know what you're thinking."
"Nothing's changed." Voice cracking as she lost her control over her tears. "I have Alex back, but I know she doesn't want me like…like I want her."
Moving so that Kara leaned against a bricked storefront, Cleo gently wiped at the tears on Kara's face. "If she truly knew you, Princess Kara, your Alex could never resist you. All of Themyscira loves you." Her lips twisted into a self-mocking smile. "I love you. You stole my heart with far more skill than the great Autolycus pilfering King Eurytus' cattle."
The comparison made Kara snort. "Didn't Autolycus get caught?" Leaning her head forward, she rested her forehead against Cleo's.
"Not that time."
"I feel so much better," Kara sniped then she sighed. "You're right. I know you're right, and that I have to let her go. She deserves so much more. Everything that's happened to her and to her family is because of me." And Kal. Kara hadn't forgotten his role in bringing Cadmus into the Danvers' lives.
Cleo pressed a smacking kiss to Kara's cheek and stepped away. "Let's get you home. You get maudlin when you're hungry. Everything will look better after you eat all those pancake things."
Kara continued to lean against Cleo as they finished the walk home. Neither spoke. They simply carried their bags into the elevator and then into Diana's apartment. Soup went into a bowl for Kara and a large mug for Alex. Sandwiches, nalesniki, and bacon rolls filled plates. Kara added drinks.
Finally, she and Cleo carried everything into the bedroom – to find Alex sound asleep.
The sight cut through Kara's dark mood. It was so cute. Soft snores filled the room, and Alex, her Alex seemed to have shed years from her age as she clutched the blankets to her chin. Kara quietly set the items in her arms onto a small table in one corner of the room and pointed to the cluttered nightstand near Alex for the rest.
Retreating to the doorway, she watched Alex for several minutes. "Tin agápisa apó ti stigmí pou vrethíkame. Pos mporó na tin afíso na fígei?"
"Eínai to sostó. Xéro pos théleis na káneis otidípote tha tin kánei eytychismén." Kara turned into Cleo's arms, burying her head into Cleo's chest as she tried to deny Cleo's belief that she would do what was right for Alex. "Ó, ti kai an symveí, pánta tha ypárchei chóros stin kardiá moy gia eséna, Prigkípissa. Eísai tóso fíli moy óso eísai kai oikogéneiá mou. Móno i Thecla kratá éna megalítero kommáti tis kardiás moy."
"I love you, too." Kara raggedly whispered.
With a last, tight hug, Cleo pushed Kara away. "I'll be…outside if you need me." Outside in the hall, Kara mentally translated. Keeping Kara safe.
She watched Cleo walk away. Listened to the door close. Then she turned back to watch Alex. "Holy Rao!"
"Sorry." Alex stared at Kara, completely awake.
Heart still racing, Kara grinned. "If Diana comes back, can you maybe not tell her I didn't realize you weren't sleeping? Her training on situational awareness is brutal." She mock shuddered. "Not to mention the lecture to go with it." Even knowing that she and Alex needed to talk about things, Kara couldn't help being happy. She'd missed Alex every day they'd been apart. Having her here, in Diana's apartment, was a dream come true.
"I got you the promised soup." She pointed to the mug on the nightstand. "And a sandwich, in case you feel up to it. And the absolute best crepes stuffed with cheese in National City."
"I'm not hungry."
The hairs on the back of Kara's neck came to attention. "Alex?" Unease and dread fought for supremacy as she met Alex's emotionless gaze.
"Can you tell Vasquez and Lucy I'd like to speak with them?" What had happened in the short time she'd been gone?
"Alex? Did something happen? Cadmus? Do you need a doctor?" The words tumbled out and banged together. Kara spun, scanning the apartment and then the entire building with her enhanced vision and hearing.
She didn't see or hear anything. Nothing except the pounding of Alex's heartbeat. It was hard and way too fast. It stood in complete counterpoint to her detached voice when she said, "Please leave."
"To…to get Lucy?" Kara's hands ached from being so tightly clenched. "And then we can talk and eat?" she begged shamelessly.
"No." The word was soft yet implacable.
It slammed into Kara and stole Sol from the sky. Her heart stopped beating, and a cry echoed from the depths of her soul. She'd been (almost) prepared to formally end her betrothal to Alex. To dishonor her House and consign herself to being alone forever.
Not once since finding out Alex was fighting against Cadmus had Kara thought Alex would cut her completely out of her life.
Until Alex did. "I don't want you to come back. I want you to leave me alone, Kara. We're not family or friends. We're not anything."
Translations:
Greek:
okátochos tis psychís sas - the holder of my soul (bondmate/soulmate inference as used in the fic)
Tin agápisa apó ti stigmí pou vrethíkame. Pos mporó na tin afíso na fígei? - I loved her from the moment we met. How can I let her go? (Την αγάπησα από τη στιγμή που βρεθήκαμε. Πώς μπορώ να την αφήσω να φύγει)
Eínai to sostó. Xéro pos théleis na káneis otidípote tha tin kánei eytychisméni - It's the right. I know that you want to do whatever will make her happy (Είναι το σωστό. Ξέρω πως θέλεις να κάνεις οτιδήποτε θα την κάνει ευτυχισμένη.)
Ó,ti kai an symveí, pánta tha ypárchei chóros stin kardiá moy gia eséna, Prigkípissa. Eísai tóso fíli moy óso eísai kai oikogéneiá mou. Móno i Thecla kratá éna megalítero kommáti tis kardiás moy.
- Whatever happens, there will always be space in my heart for you, Princess. You are my friend just as my friend as you are my family. Only Tekli holds a bigger piece of my heart. ( Ό,τι και αν συμβεί, πάντα θα υπάρχει χώρος στην καρδιά μου για εσένα, Πριγκίπισσα. Είσαι τόσο φίλη μου όσο είσαι και οικογένεια μου. Μόνο η Θέκλα κρατά ένα μεγαλύτερο κομμάτι της καρδιάς μου.)
Kryptonian:
Dai – Soldier (used here as officer)
Pizhom – Captain
Widon - squad
Khethgyr – grandfather
