Lena unlocks the door to her and Kara's apartment after a long, hard day at work. Feeling exhausted, all Lena wants to do is cuddle with Kara and fall asleep in her arms, her lips splitting into a small grin at the thought. "Kara?" Lena calls as she steps into the apartment, setting down her keys and her purse. A big, bright smile forms on Lena's face when a pajama-clad Kara emerges from their bedroom, wearing her signature goofy Kara smile. Kara couldn't help but smile when she heard Lena's voice.
"Hi, darling," Lena says as the 2 women approach each other.
"Hi, love," Kara answers back, wrapping her arms around Lena's waist. Lena reaches her arms around Kara's neck, forearms resting on Kara's strong shoulders. Lena brings her lips up to Kara's, connecting their lips in a soft kiss. The kiss is sweet and tender, Kara humming happily into Lena's mouth and gently pulling her closer.
"I missed you," Lena says with a smile against Kara's lips when they break apart, resting their foreheads together.
"I missed you, too," Kara says, also smiling.
Lena and Kara enjoy each other's presence for a second but before she knows it Lena's being carried in Kara's arms. "What are you doing?" she says, giggling.
"Me? I'm just carrying my tired girlfriend to bed because I know she's been hard at work all day."
Lena smiles up at Kara. "Kara Danvers, light in my world, love of my life, you are too kind for this world. And I love you for it."
"Nope," Kara says casually, "No such thing as too kind for my Lena. I love you, so I also plan to use my superspeed to change you into pajamas, kiss you some more, and snuggle with you until you fall asleep."
"I can get on board with those plans," Lena says, her words laced with fatigue. She nestles her head against Kara's chest, relaxing in Kara's stronghold and relishing the natural warmth Kara's body gave off. Kara places a gentle kiss on Lena's forehead before walking into the bedroom, placing her down on the bed. She's just about to grab Lena's pajamas when she hears a strange sound.
Lena notices the change in Kara's demeanor. "Kara, darling, what's wrong?"
"Lena go hide in the bathroom and lock the door."
"What? What's going on?"
"Please, Lena." Kara's staring out the window, but Lena can see the genuine fear and concern in her eyes. Lena does what's asked of her, hoping nothing's wrong as she locks herself in the bathroom. Kara stands protectively in front of the door, waiting for something to happen.
"Kara? What's the matter? Are you ok?"
"Just don't come out of the bathroom Lena, please." Kara would be damned if she let anything happen to Lena.
"Ok, I won't. But what's happen-"
Lena's words are interrupted by the telltale sound of glass shattering. She scrambled over to the sink, pressing the silent alarm before running back up against the door. She can hear fighting, the distinct sound of gunfire. Then Lena hears the worst sound she's ever heard in her life, a sound she never, ever wants to hear again. It's Kara. It's Kara screaming in pain. Tears form in her eyes as the door is blown open and she's greeted by 2 men dressed in black, with masks concealing their faces. She looks around them to find Kara, on the floor, still. "Kara!" Lena cries, trying to break out of the men's grasp and run over to Kara's limp body. But it's no use. A rag is pressed over her mouth and before she can fight it she's unconscious.
Kara lies on the ground, her grasp on awareness fading. The men hit her with a kryptonite weapon of some sort. She tries to get up, tries to fight, but all she can do is watch as Lena is taken away by the men in black. "Lena," Kara says between labored breaths, before the darkness wins, her last sight of Lena being dragged away by the men.
-00-
Kara wakes up to the sound of soft beeping in her ears, squinting her eyes to combat the brightness of the sunlamps. She tries to take a deep breath but a set of coughs takes over her lungs and she lurches forward, choking on her own air. She's hyperventilating. She can't breathe. What the hell is going on? But then she feels a comforting hand on her back.
"Kara, hey hey hey, Kara, it's ok. Just breathe. You're ok." Alex says as she brings the plastic oxygen mask over Kara's face, rubbing Kara's back with her free hand. Kara feels tears burn in her eyes as her frantic blues make contact with Alex's warm, brown eyes. Kara's fingers bunch the fabric of her blanket, still holding eye contact with Alex.
Kara finally gets her breathing under control, taking a long deep breath. Alex slowly removes the oxygen mask from Kara's face. "Better?" she asks softly. Kara gives a small nod as Alex continues to rub her hand up and down her back.
"What happened?" Kara asks.
Alex hesitates. "There was an alarm triggered in your apartment. I don't know what happened but by the time I got there you were unconscious on the floor and Lena…"
Kara's breath catches in her throat. She remembers what happened. She remembers Lena being taken by those men. "Lena? Where is she?"
"We don't know right now," Alex says sadly. "But we're doing everything we can to find her."
Kara feels more tears pool in her eyes. "I should've protected her. It's my fault."
"No, Kara," Alex says, pulling her sister into a tight hug and letting her cry it out. "It is not your fault. Whoever was in your apartment hit you with a pretty dangerous blast of Kryptonite. There was nothing you could've done. If Lena hadn't hit the alarm..." Alex doesn't finish that sentence.
Kara sniffles against Alex's torso and makes a shaky move to get up.
Alex stops her with hands on Kara's trembling shoulders. "What are you doing?"
"I have to find her. I have to help." Kara tries to stand up again but Alex stops her.
"Kara," she says firmly but keeping her tone gentle, "You need to rest, you can barely keep your eyes open. And you need time to recover. Your powers haven't come back yet."
"But...but Lena," Kara says tiredly, trying to ignore how heavy her eyelids are and how comforting Alex's warmth is.
"We will find Lena. But for now you need sleep." Alex strokes Kara's hair. "I know you want to help, but you can't help Lena if you don't take care of yourself first."
Kara nods and allows herself to be laid back against the pillow. Alex drapes a blanket over Kara, turning around to leave when she feels a sleepy fist curl around her arm.
"Stay with me?" Kara pleads. Alex gives a sympathetic nod and lowers herself onto the bed next to Kara, opening her arms. Kara snuggles against Alex's side, resting her head on Alex's shoulder. Alex runs her fingers through Kara's hair. "Go back to sleep, Kara," Alex whispers, rubbing Kara's back gently. "I love you, sweet girl."
"Love you, Alex," Kara mumbles, falling asleep pressed into Alex's side.
-00-
Lena woke up in a dimly lit room and before long realized that she was tied to a chair. Great. Her mind was reeling with images of Kara lying motionless on the floor, hoping to every God out there that Alex showed up at the apartment. Her spiral was interrupted by a familiar voice.
"Glad to see you've joined us."
Lena knew that voice, and the face that emerged with it from the shadows. "Mother. I should've known," she sneered. "What is the meaning of this?" Lena looked herself over, trying to assess her injuries when she realized she didn't have any. She was unharmed?
"You're my daughter," Lillian said, approaching "Do you really think I would hurt you?"
"Apparently you're not above kidnapping me, so yes. I do."
"I do apologize for the kidnapping, but it was a necessary step."
"A necessary step of what plan?" Lena was starting to become worried that this plan would involve Supergirl, involve Kara.
"We can discuss that later."
Lena opened her mouth again to speak but was interrupted.
"Your little girlfriend is alive, if that's what you're wondering. Sure, she's injured. But she's alive."
Under her breath, she added, "For now."
Lena felt a little bit relieved, but was still concerned about how Kara might come into this later. Oh, and the fact that she's been kidnapped and has no idea where she is. Scanning her surroundings, it appears she's in some sort of cave. Then it clicked. "Why have you taken me to Lex's old mountain vault?" She's nervous the answer will involve Lex's old anti-kryptonian toys.
"I may as well tell you. You're my daughter after all, and I trust you."
"What are you getting at?"
"You're my bait," Lillian says with a chuckle. "I'm using you as bait for Supergirl." It was then that Lillian held up a very specific watch, the same watch that Lena was just now noticing had gone missing from her wrist.
"No," Lena says, "No. Leave her alone."
"Oh Lena, you seriously can't be this naive. Supergirl is the enemy, but she's grown to care about you and she's somehow corrupted you to care about her as well. So when she comes here to rescue you, I will detonate this Kryptonite bomb," she holds up a small remote, "and it will kill her." Lillian begins to make her way out of the room, stopping to say, "We'll call her over here later. She's no use rescuing you if her injuries haven't healed."
Lena's eyes are wet with tears. "No!" she yells, thrashing against her restraints. "Please, mother! Don't do this!" Lena calls out to Lillian, but gets no response as Lillian leaves her alone in the middle of the cave. Lena sat there crying, unable to escape her restraints, thinking about Kara, about how her entire world was going to be destroyed at the hands of her mother.
-00-
Kara woke up, still snuggled against Alex in the DEO, feeling much better than she had last night. After a full night under the sunlamps she was fully charged and ready to go. She stirred slightly against Alex.
"Morning, Kara," Alex said, rubbing Kara's back as the younger Danvers sister came into awareness.
"Hey," Kara said softly.
"You feeling any better?"
"Yeah. My powers are back." Kara sat up and got out of bed, testing her weight on her muscles.
"That's good," Alex said, hopping out of bed and standing next to Kara, noticing the sadness in her eyes. It broke Alex's heart to see Kara like this. "Kara, we're gonna find Lena. I promise." Alex squeezed Kara's shoulder lightly as Kara looked into her eyes.
"Thank you," Kara said, pulling Alex into a quick hug, breaking it with new determination in her eyes. "Let's get to work." Alex nodded and the 2 of them fell in step with each other as they made their way towards the lab.
"Hey Kara," Winn greeted her, embracing her in a quick hug. "Glad you're back."
"Me too," she said, looking at the screens. "Anything?"
"Not yet. But we're not gonna stop trying until we find her." Winn walked away, speaking in science with some other agent.
Kara hoped they would find something soon. Not knowing what was going on with Lena was killing her inside.
-00-
It had been a day and a half now. Maybe Lillian had given up on her whole killing Supergirl plan and just left Lena there to rot, alone. Better her than Kara, she thought. Lena closed her eyes for a second, taking in a deep breath before her silence was interrupted by the clicking of high heels on the stone floors.
Lena opened her eyes to Lillian walking into the room with a smug grin on her face, the watch in one hand and the remote in the other.
"No…" Lena said. "No. Please. Please don't do this."
"I am sorry it has to go down this way, Lena. But it's the only way to rid the world of one corrupt Kryptonian." With those words, Lillian opened the watch cover, pressing the button in the shape of the shape of the House of El crest.
"No!" Lena yelled, but it was too late. The signal had already been sent out.
Meanwhile, back at the DEO, the beeping of the signal reached Kara's ears. Her head snapped towards the window.
"What is it, Kara?" Alex asked, stepping closer to Kara.
"It's Lena, her watch. I have to go." Kara sped off, flying faster than she's ever flown before.
"Kara! Wait! You don't know what you're getting yourself into!" Alex called after her, but it was too late. Kara was already long gone, headed for Lena's location.
Kara sped through the skies, willing herself to fly faster as she neared the source of the beeping. She knew it was probably a trap, but she didn't care. Kara kept flying and flying until she reached...Lex's mountain vault? Why would Lena be taken there? That's not important. Focus Kara. Get Lena to safety. Kara flew down into the vault, using her super hearing to pick up on Lena's heartbeat. She punched out the concrete walls and her eyes settled on Lena.
"Lena!" she exclaimed, speeding over to where her girlfriend was tied up in a chair.
"Kara! No! You shouldn't be here! You have to go!"
"What are you talking about? No way I'm leaving without you." Kara leaned back, scanning Lena for any injuries. "Are you ok?" Kara asked as she began to break Lena's restraints open.
Lena stood up as she was freed from her restraints, grabbing Kara by the shoulders. Kara wondered why she seemed so frantic. "Yes, Kara I'm fine but you need to get out of here. Before my moth-"
"Supergirl. Nice of you to show up."
Kara knew that cold, unforgiving voice. "Lillian," she growled, turning around to face Lena's abductor. "You would kidnap your own daughter, you daughter?" Kara stood in front of Lena protectively.
"Of course I would never hurt her. She's only an incentive for you." Lillian's voice was calm.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Kara spat back at her, but before Kara had finished her sentence, Lillian pulled out a Kryptonite ray gun, shooting Kara in the shoulder.
Kara grimaced in pain, biting back a scream as she held a hand over the now bleeding wound in her shoulder. She could feel herself weakening a little bit from the Kryptonite. Lena's eyes became full of panic, and she now stood in front of Kara, facing her mother defiantly.
Lillian examined the gun. "Well. I guess it works," she said, feeling satisfied she hurt Kara.
"Stop this mother! Leave her alone!" Lena yelled at her, still standing protectively in front of Kara.
Kara's head was reeling and she was becoming dizzy, but it was not enough to let anyone touch Lena. There would be no limit as to how far Kara would go to keep Lena safe. "Lena. Don't," Kara gritted through her teeth, still holding her shoulder as she stepped next to Lena. Kara was expecting Hank Henshaw to attack any second now, but he never did. It seemed as though Lillian was here alone.
"What are we doing here Lillian? Where's your cyborg pet?" Kara felt herself gaining some strength back as the effects of the Kryptonite began to wear off and the wound in her shoulder started to heal. She took her hand away from the wound, balling both hands into fists and getting into a fighting stance.
"He wasn't necessary for this operation," Lillian answered calmly. "Do you remember our good friend Metallo? With the synthetic Kryptonite heart?"
Lena didn't know what to do. She was at a loss for words. She knew what was coming but couldn't find the words to say anything.
Kara said nothing and Lillian continued. "Do you remember...what happened to the heart?"
Kara's eyes widened in alarm as she finally realized what Lillian's plan was, but it was too late. The only sounds that resonated in her mind were a small beep, and explosion, and Lena's panicked screaming. Lillian was already gone, making her escape with one of Lex's transmat portal watches.
The Kryptonite in the bomb was much stronger than in the gun, and Kara felt its effects immediately. She forced herself to regain her composure as she grabbed Lena and flew straight through the ceiling, using her own body to shield Lena's and taking some damage in the process. Kara carried Lena up into the sky, flying with heavy eyelids as she flew away from the mountain. She could hear Lena screaming, but it sounded so far away. Her vision was blurring around the edges and her entire body burned in excruciating pain.
Kara could feel herself losing consciousness as she flew lower to the ground. She was determined to keep Lena safe, no matter what. She held onto Lena as long as she could before she just couldn't fly anymore. She lost hold of Lena's body, but thankfully Lena dropped onto a soft, grassy hill, not injuring her too badly other than what would maybe be a bruise on her knee later.
Kara, however, was not so lucky. Her powers gave out as she fell and crashed, the sound of her body hitting the earth in a crater reverberating through the field.
Lena felt tears stinging in her eyes. She didn't want to be right about what she knew that noise was. She shot off the ground, looking around frantically and calling out, "Kara? Kara?" She ran down the hill, and her breath caught in her throat when she finally laid eyes on the crater, not 20 feet away from her. She felt sick, her knees wobbling underneath her. "Kara!" Lena sprinted for the crater.
Kara groaned softly, her face contorted in a grimace of pain as she fought to stay awake.
"Kara!" Lena cried, taking the dirty, bloodied body in her lap. She patted Kara's cheek gently, hoping to keep her awake. "Kara," she said, voice breaking, "Kara, stay with me. Stay with me ok. You're gonna be ok. You're gonna be fine."
Lena didn't know what to do. She didn't know where she was or how to help Kara, who was bleeding and whose skin was paling and whose eyes were dulling and whose breathing was becoming more shallow and who was dying in Lena's arms. Lena looked around frantically, panicking and sobbing. "Help! Somebody help us!"
"Lena," Kara choked out in between heavy breaths. "Lena…look at me."
Lena stopped her broken screams to look at Kara, trying to ignore the way the light was fading from those usually bright blue eyes.
"Listen to me." Kara paused, taking a deep breath. "I love you," she said weakly, slowly bringing up her bleeding hand to Lena's cheek. Despite everything that was going on and the tears that fell down the sides of Kara's face, she was smiling, smiling as she gently thumbed the tears off of Lena's cheeks. "I need...I need you to promise me so-something."
Lena closed her eyes, heavy tears still falling as she leaned into Kara's palm.
"I need you to promise me that y-you're gonna m-move on. I want you t-to be happy, even i-if it's not with me." Kara's breathing became more strained and her skin was starting to become clammy against Lena's.
Lena opened her eyes, looking at Kara through tear-blurred vision. She still had a sleepy smile on her face. "I...I can't. I can't Kara," Lena choked out. "I need you. Please don't go, please."
Kara's eyelids felt like cinder blocks, as she fought with everything she had to stay awake. Kara knew it was a battle she wouldn't win, but she could not, would not, leave this Earth until she knew Lena would be ok. "Lena," she said softly, "It's ok. You'll never be without me...not really. I'll always be watching over you from the light of Rao." Kara's smile still held as her hand stayed up against Lena's cheek. "But I need you to...to promise me that you'll be ok. And be there for Alex. Don't let her shut everyone out. Tell her I love her, and remember I'll always love you." Kara's eyelids started to flutter. Her breathing was really shallow now, each heavy breath sending her chest heaving up and down.
"Ok," Lena said softly. "I promise." Lena stroked Kara's cheek. "Just please stay awake Kara, please. I'm gonna get you some help. I love you so much. Just stay awake." Lena began looking around again, praying that someone would come running from the horizons and save Kara.
Kara felt numb. Lena's words sounded muffled, like she was underwater. She closed her eyes and this time they didn't open again. Her chest rose and fell with a strained breath and this time it didn't rise again. Her mouth exhaled one last warm breath and this time she didn't inhale again. Her hand fell from Lena's cheek, hitting the ground with a thud. And the small smile stayed present on her face. Lena's head snapped back at Kara.
"Kara?! Kara, wake up! Wake up!" she sobbed, patting Kara's cheek and shaking her body lightly. "Kara, please! I love you so much...wake up…please..." she whimpered, sobbing into Kara's hair and hugging the lifeless body closer to her chest. "Kara," she sobbed, "come back."
Sobs wracked Lena's entire body as her wails of agony echoed throughout the empty field.
She would never be ok again.
Nothing would ever be ok again.