Chapter 3 - Falling in love

With a heavy heart, Kara crossed the threshold of the familial house she wished she could live in all the time. Everything was calm. Kara focused her super-hearing on picking up the sounds around her. Eliza, her foster mother was in her bedroom, she was asleep and snored softly. The bedroom Kara shared with her sister was empty, which meant that Alex hadn't come back from the party at the beach yet. Somehow, Kara was grateful for that because that meant that she wouldn't have to go through the millions questions her sister would inevitably ask her about her date. Date, that she had screwed up with talent, and Kara wanted to cry in peace before having to talk about it.

Slowly, Kara made her way upstairs and walked into her bedroom. Without thinking too much about what she was doing, she used her super-speed to switch from her blue shorts and white tank top to the most comfortable summer pajama she owned.

She slumped onto her bed, doing her best to control her strength and not punch a hole through the mattress. She took off her glasses and put them down on the bedside table. She curled up and without even realizing it, the tears that she had tried to hold back from the moment Lena had rushed away from her made their way out of her heart and started spilling out freely for she didn't even know how long.

After a while, Kara heard someone coming home, and shortly after, the sounds of footsteps heading upstairs picked up her attention. She quickly wiped her face, blew her nose. She sat up and did her best to compose herself.

The door of the bedroom creaked open, and Alex stepped into the room.

"So, how'd it go?" Alex asked eagerly.

Kara swallowed thickly, feeling tears brim into her eyes again.

"Kara?"

"I've messed up, Alex." Kara managed to say shakily.

Alex stepped closer to her sister's bed and sat beside her. "What happened?"

Kara looked down. "She was about to kiss me, and I pulled away just right before it could happen."

Alex frowned. "Why would you do that?"

Kara sighed, she looked up. "Do you remember what happened the last time I kissed someone I had a tiny crush on?"

"Uh... I'm not sure."

"I broke his nose, Alex."

"Oh, right, I've forgotten about that."

"Well, I didn't." Kara sighed.

"It was just one time, Kara. That doesn't mean it's gonna happen every time. You haven't tried to kiss anyone since then, right?"

"I don't want to endanger people life."

"People don't die from a broken nose, Kara."

Kara furrowed her brow in frustration. "That's not the point."

"So, what's the point then?"

"I don't want to hurt anyone."

"Kara..."

"Besides, I don't see the point of starting anything with someone. It could never work. Because of me." Kara said.

"Why that?"

"Because I constantly would have to hide who I am. I could never be honest about my life, my past, where I come from. Not only that would be a torture for me, but that would also be completely unfair to the person I'd be with. No one deserves to have a relationship based on a lie."

"Kara."

"The worst part is that I think I'm in love with her."

Alex's eyes widened. "Who? Lena?"

"Of course. Who else?"

"You barely know her!" Alex exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise.

"That's what I said this morning, and you didn't react this way."

"Because I thought you just had a crush on her. Being in love, that's different. You've never been in love before, Kara, how could you know you're in love with her?"

"Because every time I have pictured how being in love would feel like, I felt exactly what Lena makes me feel like." Kara said dreamily. "It's like, I'm with her, and I feel safe and warm. Everything just feels so right, and it's like, I am where I'm meant to be. And I know that sounds crazy 'cause as you said I barely know her but... I just want to spend my life loving her and protecting her. Being with her, it makes me feel that I'm home."

"Wow..." Alex said with wide eyes.

Kara furrowed her brow. "What?"

"I wish I could meet someone who makes me feel like this. You're lucky, Kara."

The deepest frown took place on Kara's brow. "Lucky of what? Being in love with someone I can't be with? How's that lucky?"

"No one said you can't be with her. She asked you out. That surely means something."

"Until she learns I'm an alien..." Kara muttered.

"You can't tell her!"

"Why? I know it might sound weird, but I feel that she can be trusted with this."

"This is not about trust. This is about safety. And for your safety no one besides those who already know should learn who you really are."

Kara looked away and held back a sigh. She knew she wouldn't win with. She also knew that somehow Alex was right.

"Kara."

"You're right." Kara said, looking at the window.

"Do you wanna go stargazing at little bit? That always makes you feel better." Alex nudged slightly her sister's shoulder with hers.

"Yeah." Kara breathed out, getting to her feet.

On the rooftop of the house, Kara looked at the stars that twinkled brightly into the night sky. It was something that always helped her to clear her mind. And at this very moment, it helped her to take the biggest decision she had ever made, no matter what people could think of it. With a clear mind and a peaceful heart, Kara smiled and hoped that she hadn't missed her chance.

At the best park in Midvale, Lena was sitting on the bench she usually sat on, reading a book, or trying to read, as she was unable to process any words she was seeing. Kara Danvers was all Lena could think about since their date. Date that had unfortunately turned out sour. Lena couldn't help but blaming herself for having been too forward with Kara and ruined what they possibly could have had. Andrea hadn't come home to the house they had rented for the summer last night, and Lena was grateful for that, because she was pretty sure that if her best friend had found her crying alone in the dark, she probably would have decided to kick Kara's ass, as a payback for having broken her best friend's heart. Something that Lena really wanted to avoid. She was the one who had messed up. She was responsible for what happened, and would never put the blame on Kara.

Lena was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice the person standing in front of her until she heard someone clearing their throat.

She looked up, facing the woman she didn't expect to see again. "Kara," she said awestruck.

Kara was wearing a simple pale pink dress that clutched perfectly to her body. Her hair was up in a ponytail, and she gazed at Lena with a little smile and a bit of shyness shining into her deep blue eyes.

Kara fiddled with her glasses. "Hi, I… I hope I'm not disturbing you."

"No, not at all. I just... I wasn't expecting to see you again. Especially so soon. After what happened last night."

Kara shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "I'm sorry about that, Lena."

"You don't have to be sorry. It's my fault. I misread..."

"You didn't misread anything. I wanted to kiss you more than you can imagine." Kara said, a blush spreading on her face.

Lena smiled."Really?"

Kara nodded. "Yeah," she breathed out.

"What happened then?"

"I freaked out."

"Because of me?"

Kara twirled softly the pendant that was around her neck. "Not really. I just... There's something that I haven't told you about me."

Lena looked down, this sentence hitting a little too close to home.

"You okay?" Kara asked.

Lena blinked. She looked up. "Yeah." She smiled.

Kara felt her heart melt from seeing Lena's smile. She shook slightly her head, trying to focus on the reason she had come here in the first place. "Anyways. I'd really like to tell you what truly happened last night." she said, browsing the place that was full of people. "But it would be better to do that in private 'cause I'd like to show you something in case you don't believe me."

Lena let out a chuckle. "I didn't think Kara Danvers was full of mysteries."

Kara pushed her glasses up her nose. "Well, I am full of surprises."

"Can't wait to discover some of them." Lena smirked.

"Is there somewhere private we can talk?"

"How about my place?"

"Sounds perfect." Kara smiled.

"Wow! I didn't even know Midvale had such big houses." Kara said when they arrived in front of the house that looked more like a mansion.

"Andrea picked it." Lena shrugged as she slid the key into the lock and pushed the door open. "Come in."

Kara smiled as they both stepped inside the house.

"Do you want something to drink?" Lena asked, pushing the door close behind them.

"No, thanks." Kara replied, suddenly nervous. "I really need to get this off my chest quickly."

"Okay. Let's go to the living-room." Lena said, leading them to a spacious room with two white couches and a coffee table in between.

In silence, they sat down in front of each other.

Kara fidgeted on her spot and fiddled with her glasses, which indicated her high nervousness.

"Are you all right?" Lena asked worried.

"I..." Kara started, taking a fluffy cushion in her arms to press it against her chest, hoping to relieve some of the pressure that was stuck in her heart. "I'm just not sure how telling you what I have to tell you."

"Tell it as it comes into your mind." Lena smiled in a way that made Kara feel safe.

Kara took a deep breath and stared deeply at Lena as she spoke. "I'm an alien."

Lena stayed silent as her gaze was deeply locked on Kara's. Her face was rather unreadable as she pondered the words that had come out of Kara's mouth.

Kara chewed on her lips as she waited Lena's reaction. Lena didn't seem freaked out, and wasn't looking at her differently. Which was something that reassured her. She fiddled with her glasses before taking them out and putting them down on the coffee table.

"Is that why you didn't let me kiss you last night?" Lena finally spoke. "Because you thought that I wouldn't want to kiss you if I knew you were an alien."

"In a way..." Kara looked down, putting the cushion she had been holding next to her.

Lena smiled and rose from the couch to step closer to Kara and sitting beside her.

Kara fidgeted with her hands on her lap, and Lena softly took one of Kara's hand in her own, hoping to calm down Kara's boiling anxiety.

Kara looked up, meeting kind green eyes that eased her mind and her heart.

"Kara, that doesn't change what I feel for you. I still would have wanted to kiss you. I still want to kiss you." Lena said, stroking softly her thumb over the back of Kara's hand.

Kara smiled, and entwined her fingers with Lena's. "I really want to let you kiss me. But I'm afraid of what could happen."

Lena frowned. "What could happen?"

"I'm afraid of hurting you. It happened before. I broke the nose of the last guy I kissed. I haven't try to kiss anyone since then. Let alone, someone I really am into."

Lena couldn't help a smile at these words. "Did it happen every time you kissed someone?"

Kara shook slightly her head. "No. Only that one time."

"You're an alien. Does that mean you have powers?"

"Yeah. I can show you some of them if you want. If you trust me."

"I trust you," Lena said without an ounce of hesitation in her voice.

Kara smiled and slowly wrapped her arms tightly around Lena, feeling shivers run up and down her spine.

"You ready?" Kara asked.

Lena nodded with a smile on her face as her heart fluttered at the feeling of Kara's arms wrapped around her body. Before she realized what was happening, she felt herself being lifted up into the air as Kara held tight onto her.

Lena's eyes widened. She looked down and saw that they were both hovering above the couch. "Wow..." She breathed out awestruck.

"What do you think?" Kara smiled.

"It's awesome," Lena beamed, looking up at Kara. "But you don't need to lift me in the air to make me feel that I'm floating."

A blush made its way on Kara's face. She smiled. "Ready to get down?"

Lena nodded, and delicately, Kara brought them back to sit down on the couch.

"Flying ability, check." Lena let out a laugh. "What else can you do?"

"Well, I have super-hearing which makes me hear a lot of stuff most people can't. I can see through anything, except lead with my x-ray vision. I have super-speed. Super-strength, which is the thing that's the hardest to control. Freeze-breath. Heat vision. And I think that's all."

Lena furrowed her brow as Kara listed her abilities that felt strangely familiar. "Can you tell me where you're from?" Lena asked, hoping her assumption was wrong.

"Krypton." Kara replied.

Lena gazed deeply at Kara as if she was trying to make sense of what she learned.

"Superman is my cousin." Kara said, understanding Lena's silent question through her stunned look.

Lena swallowed thickly. Her breath hitched and her heart quickened faster than ever. She scrambled to her feet and strode in the room, her back facing Kara as if she was trying to run away from her.

On shaky legs, Kara got to her feet and carefully stepped closer. "Lena? What's wrong?"

Swiftly, Lena turned around. Her eyes were filled with tears that she was holding back with as much composure as she could muster.

That sight broke Kara's heart, never in her life she had wanted to comfort someone so much, even though she didn't know what was putting Lena in that state.

"I'm so sorry, Kara." Lena said before Kara got the time to ask her what was wrong.

"For what?" Kara asked confused.

"You're not the only with a secret." Lena replied, her voice coming raspier than usual.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm Lena Luthor." She exhaled heavily.

Kara's brow furrowed. "Luthor?"

Lena swallowed thickly. "Lex's sister."

Kara froze for one second. "Lex's sister?" she repeated as if she couldn't believe it.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to..." She trailed off, wiping the rebel tear that had rolled down on her cheek. She took a deep breath. "I understand if you don't want to see me or speak to me ever again. But I want you to know that you don't have to worry. Your secret is safe with me. I won't tell anyone. I promise you."

Kara stepped closer to Lena and with the deepest gentleness, she put a hand to her cheek. "Lena, it's okay, don't worry. That doesn't change what I feel for you. I still want to get to know you. I still want to kiss you." She smiled, wiping softly the tears that Lena had released at her words.

"Really?" Lena smiled through her tears, her heart slowed down as she calmed down at the way Kara looked at her and touched her.

"Really." Kara nodded with a smile, bringing her other hand to Lena's cheek.

"Kara," Lena whispered wonderstruck while Kara caressed tenderly her cheeks.

"Come here." Kara smiled, wrapping delicately her arms around Lena to softly pull her into a protective embrace.

Lena snaked her arms around Kara, and hid her face into her neck. She closed her eyes, and inhaled Kara's scent that smelled like cinnamon. Kara was holding her tightly and softly at the same time, and Lena was pretty sure that she had never felt safer that at this very moment. For the first time in her life, Lena knew in her heart that she was home.

Kara's heart fluttered at the feeling of Lena's body pressed against hers as she breathed into her scent that smelled like the most expensive perfume that could exist. She smiled and rubbed slow circles over Lena's back before giving a soft kiss to her temple. With gentleness, she slightly pulled away and locked her gaze with Lena's as she brought a hand to her cheek and smiled at her.

"I can't believe you're afraid of hurting me." Lena let out a chuckle, leaning into Kara's palm.

"What do you mean?" Kara asked, caressing softly Lena's cheek as she looked fondly at her.

"No one has ever touched me with so much gentleness. No one has ever looked at me the way you do. And no one has ever made me feel as safe as you do." Lena beamed.

Kara smiled and shifted even closer to Lena. With the same gentleness, she leaned in and rested their foreheads together. She closed her eyes, and basked into the exhilarating feeling of being so close to the woman she was pretty sure she had fallen in love with.

With Lena's words echoing into her mind, and the softness of the feeling of their bodies in a such close proximity mingling with all the sensations swirling within her, Kara wasn't sure how, but the fear that she had felt the previous day had vanished. It was as if her heart trusted her body not to hurt Lena.

Ever so slowly, Kara leaned forward, brushing softly her nose with Lena's and feeling her breathing on her skin.

Lena smiled, putting softly a hand to Kara's cheek as she waited for the blonde to connect their lips when she would be ready to do so.

Without thinking too much, Kara gave a light kiss to Lena's lips that were even softer than she had pictured it. Completely trusting herself, Kara slowly leaned in again and pressed a firmer kiss to Lena's rosy lips, her feelings for Lena increasing at each caress of her lips against hers.

Lena smiled into the kiss as she brought her other hand to Kara's cheek. Never in her life she had felt such intense feelings for someone. Never in her life she had felt the need to deepen a kiss, until she felt Kara's lips coming in contact with hers.

With the same gentleness in which Kara touched her, Lena softly swept her tongue across Kara's lips before slithering it slowly into her mouth.

Kara moaned quietly when her tongue met Lena's for the first time and slid down her hand to wrap an arm around Lena and gently pulling her closer to her as they silently expressed their feelings until they were both too breathless to keep their lips locked together.

Lena let out a laugh. "Is giving super-kisses part of your powers too?"

"Maybe," Kara said, running a hand through Lena's hair. "Perhaps we should do it again to check it out."

"Yeah," Lena nodded with a beaming smile. "We should really check it out."

Without any hesitation, Kara wrapped both of her arms around Lena's waist and softly pulled her as closely as she could to her body.

Lena beamed and draped her arms around Kara's shoulders, feeling happier than ever.

Without being sure of whom made the next move, their lips joined in another kiss that felt better than any sweets they could have ever tasted.

When they pulled away, Lena tilted her head to one side and laughed. "Yeah, that's definitely a super power."

"You also have that super power." Kara smiled so wide that her cheeks were hurting slightly.

With twinkling eyes, they beamed at one another, their hearts light and happy to have found each other.