Chapter Four: Please Don't Let Go

"I think it's completely absurd", Alex said driving down the street.

"Which part?", Kara asked from the passenger seat.

"All of it. If you like this woman that much, you should go for it. She's gorgeous."

"She's a patient, Alex. It's totally unethical. You know I don't date any past or present patients."

"I know you don't date at all. My God. When was the last time you went out with someone more than once?"

"That girl I met at Sophie's part,", Kara said proudly.

"Come on. She totally doesn't count. You couldn't stand her. The only reason you went on a second date is because you felt bad she paid for those expensive tickets."

"Okay... okay. I get it. My social life sucks, but I have a duty to care for her and protect her. I can't take advantage of her."

"From what you described, it sounds like she wants you to take advantage of her," Alex said with a coy smile.

"Oh, come on. I never said that," Kara said, irritated.

Nia leaned forward from the back seat and grinned devilishly.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that. You shouldn't date her, but I doubt she would kick you out of bed if you crawled under the blankets."

"Come on, Nia. You're supposed to be on my side. I sign your checks."

"Do you want someone dishonest working for you?", Nia asked cheerfully. "Besides, I agree with Alex. You need to get laid."

"Wow. You two are awful.", Kara said annoyed but smiling.

"All I'm saying is your life is a dumpster," Alex said unyielding.

"Thanks a lot, Alex," Kara said.

Alex stopped at a red light and looked over at her sister.

"I'm sorry, Kar. I just mean that you do nothing but work yourself to death. For the first time in years, you actually showed an interest in something other than your job. I just don't want you to lose the opportunity to be happy. You deserve to be happy."

"I tried to get her to go see Dr. Guzman, but she refused," Kara said.

"She told me she had met no one who made her feel as warm and safe as you do. I mean come on," Nia said. "Did you really think she would just walk away?"

"Oh. Warm and safe? That sounds promising", Alex said, giving Kara a little jab in the ribs.

"The light is green, Alex. Come on."

When Lena walked into the office for the extraction, it surprised her to find the waiting room completely empty except for a man and a woman who sat at opposite ends of the waiting room. She noticed that Maggie wasn't sitting at her post and Nia wasn't there to greet her.

Lena walked up to the front desk and looked around, but the place looked abandoned.

She called out.

"Hello! Hello? Is anyone back there?"

The door swung open and a frantic Kara stepped out in her scrubs. She looked flustered.

"Hi", Lena said sweetly.

She looks so stressed out. I need to help her.

"Hi Ms. Luthor. I am so sorry. Today has been crazy. I lost my entire office to food poisoning, so it's just me. I cancelled all the no-emergency appointments for the day, but I'm seeing a few patients who I know are in pain. I'm truly sorry. I can do everything, but it will all just take a little more time. That man over there arrived early, but your appointment is first. I'll take you in a couple minutes. I still have one woman after you. What a day!"

"Are you really alone?", Lena asked.

"Yes. I'm afraid so", Kara said, looking like she was barely holding on.

"This is just an idea. Feel free to say no, but why don't you take that guy first. I'm no dentist, but I can be an extra pair of hands. I have no illusions of grandeur, but if you need someone to hand you something I can help."

"I couldn't possibly ask...", Kara said with a bright smile.

"You're not asking. I'm offering. Tell me what you need from me and I'll help anyway I can. You can bump me to the end and if you are too tired, we can reschedule."

"You are so sweet. You really don't have to do this."

"Please, let me help. Just show me generally what to do and I'll be here."

Kara and Lena looked into each other's eyes and smiled sweetly.

"I owe you big time for this," Kara said. "Come with me. I'll get you some scrubs so you don't mess up your beautiful clothes."

She thinks my clothes are beautiful? I like that. Why do I like that so much? I am so glad she is going to let me help her.

Lena followed Kara into the exam area and changed into a set of scrubs.

Lena helped Kara treat two scheduled patients and one emergency walk-in. She enjoyed being able to watch Kara work. It warmed her heart watching Kara be so gentle and so kind to her patients.

She is warm and kind to her other patients, but I feel like we have a special connection. Am I just imaging it? Am I falling for her? Oh God. I am falling so hard.

Lena felt a little nervous at first, but after the first patient, Lena got comfortable with what help she could provide Kara. By the third patient, Lena was feeling like she was in the groove.

"Careful, if you're too good, Nia might get jealous. You're a natural," Kara said.

"You're an excellent teacher", Lena said with a warm smile.

Kara continued to work on the last patient. When she finished up, she sat back and gave the patient a smile.

"You're all set, Ms. Castro. Wait a few hours before you eat and try to stick with soft foods for the next day or so."

"Thank you both so much", Ms. Castro said to Lena and Kara.

"You are very welcome. I'm glad we could help you. Maggie isn't in, so we will send you a bill in the mail in a few days. I'll see you out," Kara said with a grin.

Kara escorted her out of the office and locked the door. She returned to Lena, who was cleaning up the tools.

Kara stood in the doorway watching Lena as she worked. Lena looked up and found Kara smiling warmly.

"How can I possibly repay you for all of this?", Kara asked with the sweetest sincerity.

"Don't be silly. You don't have to repay me for anything. I was happy to help. I hated seeing you so stressed. Anyone would have done the same."

"I highly doubt that. My own sister would have laughed and told me to pound sand if I asked her to do what you did for me tonight. Thank you so much. You are... well, extraordinary. I can't believe you were fetching tools and handing patients rinse cups. Please tell me you don't have some crazy corner office executive job somewhere."

"No, thanks necessary. I'm the head of Mergers & Acquisitions at Kurosawa Global. It's a few blocks down from here," Lena said with her most disarming smile.

"Oh, my god. I am so sorry", Kara said deeply embarrassed.

Lena couldn't help but chuckle.

"You're adorable. Please don't worry. I meant what I said. I was happy to help."

Kara looked at the clock.

"Oh God, it's so late. How's your pain," Kara asked with concern. "I can do your extraction now."

Lena put a hand on Kara's arm and smiled.

I shouldn't be touching her, but I have to. I just have to. She's so warm and soft. How can anyone be so sexy and so sweet at the same time?

"Nonsense. It's late and you're beat. I'll be fine. I'll call and reschedule with Maggie tomorrow if she's back. If she and Nia are still out, just let me know and I'll clock in for another shift."

"Thank you Lena", Kara said, wrapping her arms around Lena's neck and pulling her into a warm embrace.

Lena raised her arms up and hugged Kara back.

"You're welcome. What happened to Ms. Luthor?", Lena asked playfully.

"Technically, you're in scrubs and still on the clock. I'm allowed to hug my employees and call them by their first names," Kara said with a grin. .

"Ill accept those terms," Lena said sweetly.

Kara and Lena stood there holding on to each other for long enough that they both knew it was starting to feel less like a friendly hug and more romantic.

I know I should let go of you, Kara. I know I should pull away and make things easier on both of us, but you feel so good in my arms I just can't let go of you.

Instead of pulling away, Lena held Kara a little tighter and pulled her a little closer. She took a hand and rubbed Kara's back gently.

"You really saved my life today, Lena. I don't know how I could possibly thank you."

Bring me to your place and ravage me until I can't walk. Kiss me right here until we have no breath left in our bodies and our lips are raw. I ache to be near you. I want to slide a hand under your scrubs and find out how soft the skin is on your flat belly. I want you to take those soft, gentle hands of yours and move them under my scrubs. I want you to search my body with your fingertips. This is terrible. I should really let go.

Lena could feel Kara hold on a little tighter and pull her a little closer.

Kara pulled back a little and looked deep into Lena's eyes. She moved a hand to Lena's cheek and caressed it softly with the back of her fingers.

Oh, my God. Is this really happening? You are so beautiful I can barely breathe. Please kiss me. I would give everything I have just to feel your lips on mine just once.

Kara's cell phone rang and interrupted their reverie. Kara let go of Lena and stepped back.

"I'd better get that", Kara said, sounding a little dazed.

"Danvers," Kara said a little breathy into the phone. "Oh, hi Nia. Yeah. Everything is fine. I could help three patients thanks to Ms. Luthor. Yep. Really. She was amazing. You might be out of a job."

Kara smiled at Lena and she felt like she could die happy.

I should make this easier on both of us and go. We can't be together.

Lena was so distracted she didn't realize Kara was trying to hand her the phone.

"Here, Nia wants to speak with you," Kara said.

Lena took the phone from Kara's hand. Their fingertips barely grazed each other, and Lena felt her whole body quiver with desire.

"Hi Nia", Lena said.

"Hi Lena. I just wanted to thank you for helping Kara. I imagine today was really rough for her. In fact, I know it was. Thank God she didn't have time to eat before we all got sick. She said you were great."

"I was just happy to help where I could. I could see how stressed out she was, and I just wanted to make it better," Lena said, staring into Kara's eyes.

Shit. Did I just say that? That sounded a little too familiar.

"Well, don't you go taking my job from me," Nia said playfully.

"Never. You're irreplaceable," Lena said.

"Well, thank you. Seriously. No one else would have done what you did. It was truly kind."

"I'm sure anyone would have done the same thing."

"Nope. I doubt that very much. Well, I'm going to die in a corner somewhere. You have a good night and please tell Kara that I'll be in tomorrow."

"I will. Thanks Nia. Feel better soon."

"Night."

Lena ended the call and handed the phone back to Kara. Their fingertips touched again.

Electricity.

"Nia said she will be in tomorrow," Kara said with a little upturned grin. "Is there anything else I can help you with? Do you need help cleaning up?"

"No. Thank you. Really. You've already done too much," Kara said, touched. "I think I'll close up everything for the night and head home. It's been a long, weird day. If you can wait a minute, I'll walk you out."

Kara and Lena gathered up their things and turned off all the lights. Kara set the alarm, and they walked outside to the parking lot. Kara's white BMW sat in the middle of the parking lot like an eyesore.

Lena's black Range Rover was parked a couple spaces away.

Kara and Lena stood close together.

"Nice car", Kara said.

"What about yours? Not too shabby. My boss drives one of those."

"I hate it", Kara said, a little embarrassed. It was my sister's idea.

"No offense, but your sister sounds like a troublemaker."

Kara chuckled.

"Apt description. No offense taken. She is a troublemaker, but her heart is in the right place."

"Why do you drive a car you don't like?"

"She said I should drive a nicer car since someone named me the number one dentist in LA, but I think it's gross. I don't care about what other people think of me."

"Well, I happen to think you deserve the distinction of number one dentist in LA. I also think you are a lovely person who should drive any car she wants," Lena said honestly.

Kara seemed a little taken aback by Lena's kindness and honesty.

"Thank you," Kara said deeply touched. "Lena, you really are an extraordinary woman. I...", Kara said, trailing off.

Suddenly, she looked very tense.

"Are you okay, Kara?"

"Yeah. I just... never mind. Thank you again for everything. Call Maggie tomorrow and I will make sure she gets you in whenever you're ready. You earned some VIP treatment today. Was that your plan all along?", Kara asked playfully.

"You're onto me. I knew if I threw on some scrubs and helped hand out rinse cups, you would pledge your undying devotion to my greatness," Lena said with a hearty laugh.

"Well, your plan worked," Kara said sweetly.

"Have a good night."

"You too."

Can we hug again? I want to feel your arms wrapped around me again.

Kara gave Lena an affectionate smile and made her way to her car.

Lena walked over to her Range Rover and climbed in. She waited until Kara was safely in her car and had pulled away before she pulled away. She wanted to know that Kara was safe.

Lena talked aloud to herself as she drove down the dark LA streets.

"Shit. I really like her. I adore her. Fuck. What am I going to do? She dropped so many walls tonight, but we still can't. I can't risk losing her. I will take whatever she can give me. Even if it's just a smile. God, I love her smile and her laugh. I love her mouth. Stop it, Lena. Calm down and get her out of your mind. She's off limits. You can't do this," Lena said resolute.

Lena turned on the radio.

"The Promise" by When In Rome played.

track/48p5E25cFPanxuwCTmTpuL?si=6wrZAPgtTLKz66jZClCF9w

Lena turned up the volume and beamed. Kara had awoken something in Lena she never imagined possible.