"Alex, are you all set?" Kara called from the door "Seriously, you're going to be late!" she gazed at her phone "I'm two seconds away to go full uniform and drop you at the clinic's rooftop so you make it on time"

"I think I rather take the bus, it will be less suspicious" she called from the other room putting on her jacket.

"Come on, we still have to video-call Eliza! She wants to be part of this"

"Not going to be awkward at all to enter Dr. Eriksen's office with cyber-mom asking him a million questions" Alex locked the door behind her as they left the apartment "She does know I have a medical degree, right?"

Kara chuckled "She's just excited"

"I am too" Alex said earnestly before checking her phone for any missed calls.

"Are you expecting any news?" Kara asked noticing how focused her sister was on the device.

"Um, no, not really" she tried to offer a reassuring gesture "Hey, after this we should go eat, now that I won't be able to drink anymore I should find the pleasures of a meal"

"You have no idea how long I've waited to hear you say those words" Kara wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

They continued to chat on their way to the clinic and every passing minute Alex felt more and more anxious up to a point Kara had to look at her with concern "Alex, I can hear your heartbeat and it's picking up quite a lot of speed"

The older Danvers looked up as a deer facing headlights "I guess I am more nervous than I thought"

"Hey, it's all ok" she squeezed her forearms and just as she was going to give her some more reassurance a loud explosion went off several blocks down as a rough alien flew away.

"You got to be kidding"

"Let's go" Alex reached for her phone dialing J'onn but Kara quickly stopped her.

"No" she stoop up in front of her "You are going to that appointment, we are just a block away and you are not missing it just because of whatever that is" she looked her dead in the eyes "I've got this, you go ahead. As soon as I'm done with it I'll meet you, ok?"

Alex had a million excuses to refuse, because she was an Agent, because she had to answer the call… but ultimately she knew she was looking for a reason to run away from what was to come next, to avoid even trying so there was no failure, no expectation, no heartbreak… and Kara knew it. So instead of running towards her line of work, she decided to focus first on what was going to define the rest of her life. And so she embraced the hero leaning into her shoulder "Thank you, Kara" she let go "Now go save the day"

Lena arrived to the orphanage at the same hour she always did, she walked in already knowing her routine but just couldn't shake away the feeling that traced behind her. She wanted to be there, wanted to see Ellie, to make sure the day on the park was going to be a reality, but at the same time she kept on thinking she shouldn't be there, that she should be somewhere else.

"Hello, Miss Luthor" Mrs. Johnson greeted with a somehow nervous and tight smile.

"Hello, Mrs. Johnson she greeted back walking towards the room when the woman interfered.

"Um, I should tell you Ellie had a little of a run-in with another kid"

"What?" Lena stopped on her tracks "Is she alright?"

"Well, yes, she was not on the receiving end of the fight but she did got hit on the nose, so" she traced back "it's still running"

"Can I see her?" she asked with a bit or urgency.

"Of course, but I have to ask you to be very calm about it, she tends to collapse when confronted" she instructed "she's with the nurse, they are stopping the bleeding"

As Lena was taken there she had only brief instants to metalize an appropriate reaction but was futile upon seeing the little girl with a bloody shirt and a piece of cotton up her nose.

"Ellie" she breathed out in a mix of worry and disapproval.

The girl didn't say a thing, she just looked down while the nurse let go of her chin.

"Ok, kiddo. I think it just stopped" the nurse announced standing up "I'll go for something to disinfect you, stay still, ok?"

And soon it was just the two of them. Lena stood still for a moment doubting what to do next before kneeling down at her level taking a close look at the damage, softly directing her chin towards her face.

"Does it hurt?" she asked but Ellie just moved her head to the other side rubbing the sleeve against her watery eyes.

Lena sighed "Why did you fight? You are such a smart kid, you know your way with words and strategy, why would you hit someone else?"

Ellie shrugged providing no answer.

Lena sighed standing up backing away, getting the girl to worriedly look at her "Are you leaving?"

Lena stopped mid motion as she was about to lean against the wall "No" she said "I'm not leaving" she took a good look at her noticing fear and uncertainty on her eyes "Just because you got in trouble doesn't mean I'll walk away" she reasoned speaking firmly but in a soft tone.

Ellie's lip quivered but she bit into it.

Lena reached for a wet wipe and approached her again "I'm going to clean you up, ok?"

The girl didn't move so Lena proceeded to carefully wipe the trail that dripped down her chin "Can you tell me why you fight, please?" she tried once more and for the first time Ellie gazed into her eyes.

"The other kid was making fun of me" she said with a lump on her throat "He kicked the set you gave me and said mean things" her eyes were leaking salty tears "He said I was weird, that it was the reason no one ever adopts me" she sniffed "he was being cruel"

Lena did her best not to cry as well as she heard the girl so broken "Yes, he had no right in saying those things to you, Ellie" she carefully brushed away the tears with her thumb "But punching him didn't do any good either, did it?"

Ellie gazed down ashamed "It wasn't fair"

"You are right and you know what else? He was completely wrong in saying all those awful things. You are an exceptional kid, Ellie. You are so smart and you are full of life and curiosity and wonder…you are extraordinary" she said heartedly getting the kid to look up at her wide eyed as if she'd never heard such words of praise in her life. And just then she extended her arms and hugged Lena for the first time.

Alex grabbed the robe as the doctor gave her instructions.

"I'll be waiting outside" he informed opening the door just to be faced by a very flushed and breathless Lena Luthor.

"Oh, Miss Luthor. What a pleasant surprise" he greeted.

"Lena?" Alex called leaving the stuff aside walking towards.

"Hi" she said panting. Her always immaculate image was replaced by messy hair, a thin coat of sweat and very pink cheeks, an overall uncommon but all the same lovely image Alex had to admit "I-I hope I'm not too late"

"Not at all, I was caught in traffic due to an alien threat so we just went through what the procedure will be" Dr. Eriksen informed.

"Great" Lena gasped for air finally looking at Alex, being glad she had an excuse to be blushing and short on breath.

"I'll step outside for a moment" the man excused himself leaving.

"Did you run to get here?" Alex reached for her arm to stabilize her.

"Just the stairs, my driver did left me at the entrance" she said "I just couldn't wait for the elevator"

"Wh-what about your appointment?" Alex asked

"I got to talk to her, I think we made a breakthrough but she had a little situation so I was actually asked to leave so they could tend to it. I'm making it up to her tomorrow"

Alex made an effort not to flinch when Lena said 'her' or the fact that it sounded like Lena frequented this mysterious person.

"You…you didn't have to leave everything just to come, I would have understand you have other things to do" the Agent said in a small voice but Lena shook her head vigorously.

"You said it yourself, I have been there since the beginning, I really didn't want to miss it" she said earnestly loosing herself in those calm dark eyes before snapping back looking around in hopes that at least someone else would had stepped in, in case she couldn't make it "Is Kara not with you?"

"Oh, she got stuck downtown, she's coming as soon as possible"

"Great" she smiled fondly as both stood still just gazing one another until Lena's eyes landed on the robe behind her "Oh, sorry, go ahead and change, I'll be right over there" she turned around in a rush as Alex walked behind a screen to undress.

A long silence settled between the two as each was drifted into their own thoughts till Lena's voice finally broke the spell "Alex…can I ask you something personal?" she fidgeted as she spoke, Alex felt her heart skip.

"Sure"

"How did…how did you know you were ready to be a mom?"

"Oh" Alex's head snapped up upon hearing the question "I-I don't know how to explain, it was…like this wish? No, this need? Yeah, a thrive to have someone to look after, to protect, to love, to help grow and have in my life…" she offered "Someone to pass down all that I have learn, someone I can hold and nurture, to fill the void…I don't know, I'm probably talking nonsense"

"No, it actually makes sense" Lena cut in "I just…for most of my life I couldn't figure out how to fit in with the Luthors, I guess I never did belong in that house… and it just got me questioning why would they have us? Lex and I were at best a display of pedigree they could brag about so…I couldn't relate to the idea of having a family of my own… but-" she cut herself off not sure if she was ready to say it out loud, to even put on the table the possibility that she could be a mother too, a partner…

"Lena?" Alex called in a whisper from the other side.

"But I think I want to figure out by myself if I would be capable of having that…that love, that safeness, that selflessness…I don't want what Lilian told me to keep defining me,

maybe…maybe I am worthy of love…maybe I could have a family…"

Alex wanted to say something, reassure her, encourage her, ask her if she could figure in in that picture, but instead a sharp gasp escaped her lips as she tried to tie the robe on her back and an old wound stretched.

"Alex?" Lena asked approaching the screen "Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah, sorry, it's just an old scar that keeps giving me trouble" she answered wrestling with the laces.

"Do you need help?"

Alex felt her face warm up "Yes, actually" she admitted "I can't tie it"

"Ok, I'm coming in" she said looking away giving the Agent a bit of privacy as Alex hugged the robe to her body shrugging "You'll have to turn around" Lena explained and Alex did her best to blush as she held the cloth as close as possible.

"What is the story behind it?" Lena asked with a smirk taking the opportunity to evade her previous confession.

"Um…field mission, I got distracted and was ambushed by the back, it left a nasty mark, luckily it doesn't show when I wear a backless dress, it runs to the side instead"

Lena gently pushed the fabric to the side taking a glimpse at it, it was really an outstanding wound, the damaged tissue showed how close it had been to become fatal.

"You're very driven, aren't you Agent?" she mumbled softly tracing her fingertips against the skin, making Alex shiver at the sudden action "But…you do know that you have to leave this behind you, right?" she mumbled following with her index all the extension of the scar in a gentle caress "If…when this procedure works…your life won't be entirely yours anymore…your family will need you safe-your-your kid, I mean" she whispered letting go of her back tying the know instead leaving Alex to catch her breath.

"I-I…I know…well, I'm coming to realize it anyways" she huffed to herself before mustering the courage to say it "And, um…Lena, what you said before…you are worthy of love" she remarked "you are deserving of kindness and happiness and if that's what you want then a family as well" she said unwilling to turn around to face her eyes just yet "but you have to believe it first. You've said you are not like your family and you have proven it over and over again so please stop torturing yourself as penitence for actions that weren't even your own" she mumbled "you don't have to keep hurting for what they said or did to you…you can let it all go and…begin living for yourself, not for your last name…"

Silence. Complete silence that unsettled Alex, thinking that perhaps she had gone a tad too far and was ready to turn and face her doing when she felt the woman rest her forehead against the back of her shoulder and a soft sniffing was heard.

"Lena?" Alex whispered trying to take a look over her shoulder.

"Wait, please don't turn around" Lena asked softly "I just need a moment" she requested gently, there was no hurt or hate in her tone, she was simply moved.

"Ok" Alex turned again allowing the Luthor to rest against her. Lena still had parts she couldn't bring herself to show, but felt sheltered enough if Alex was there to isolate the rest of the world so she could express them.

For a moment there was only silence and Lena's uneven breathing until she finally caught her breath and leveled her head high again clearing her throat "I'm okay" she provided as Alex finally faced her with the slightest trace of worry showing while all the same she was trying to conceal it. The red head knew better than to ask, Lena's actions often spoke volumes her words couldn't, so she reached for her heand giving it a tender squeeze instead.

Lena smiled at her in a way she never had before, it was just so open and luminous, like she could finally scare the grey clouds away.

"I-I want to let you in into my personal project" Lena said with resolve "But not today, though. Today is a special day for you" she tilted her head to a side "So let's see it through, shall we?"