A/N: Just a quick reminder that this story *is* about falling fast for someone. I hope you all have enjoyed it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Reviews are welcomed. Chapter 7 hopefully up later this week. Thank you!

6.

By aid of his flight ring, Querl glides high above the tallest skyscrapers of National City. The cloudless night is silent and still around him, peppered with blinking stars. The city below and its people sleep peacefully, unsuspecting of a pair of aliens flying over their homes.

Beside him, Kara struggles with her guilt and sorrow over the failed plan and Leslie's death. She hasn't spoken since they left the D.E.O. and it's easy to see tears are building in her blue eyes. Querl had never been the best with emotions, not his own or those of others. And so he doesn't bother attempting with conversation.

Instead, he reaches and grabs for her fingers. She startles at the touch, blinking as she remembers that he is there with her. She gives him a half hearted smile that rises for just a second before it falls again. "We're almost there," she quietly mutters.

He nods and readjusts his grip on her hand, giving her a slight squeeze for reassurance.

When their feet land on her balcony moments later, Kara brings her arms to wrap around his waist and rests her face in the curve of his neck. He returns the embrace, holding her tightly against him. She shivers in his arms and he knows it's not from the chilling night air. He waits, feeling that perhaps the quiet contact is what she aches for.

Her voice is small when she finally speaks. "I feel terrible."

"I know," His voice is low and soothing in her ear. "But it's not your fault, Kara. Don't let this eat you up."

"How can I not?" She counters with a sad tone. "It was my plan. I knew the risks and I decided to act on it anyways. I took three innocent lives with me. It was so foolish! I could have prevented it all if I'd just gone alone."

He sighs, tightening his hold on her, remembering her condition after her previous epic battle with Reign. She'd had her powers then, and still the World Killer had nearly killed her. "I'm glad you didn't. Tremendously glad."

A small whimper escapes her lips and he can feel her tears on his skin. He presses a kiss to her temple. "Come on now, darling. Don't cry."

"I just-I just…" her voice cracks and she pushes her face further against his neck, as if trying to hide from the burden she bares.

Querl brings a hand to the back of her head, stroking her blonde locks. "Shh, it's okay Kara. It's okay."

"I believed in her," she whispers, speaking of Livewire. "We-we weren't friends at all. But I knew she had a goodness in her."

"And you were right. Tonight proved that. She saved your life, Kara. If she hadn't any morality, would she have bothered?"

She shakes her head no and falls mute again. The wind picks up around them and Querl holds her for a long time, letting her process her self appointed failures and loss of what could have been a friend.

"She should be properly honored."

"Alright," he rubs her back soothingly. "That can happen."

"There's no body to bury." Biting her lip, Kara recalls the haunting moment when Leslie's physical being had disappeared into a collection of sparks and sizzles, signifying her ultimate death. "I-I don't even know if she has any family I should contact."

"Do it right here," he shrugs. "Light candles like at a Kryptonian funeral ceremony."

She lifts her head to look at him, a single brow raised in question. "You know of Kryptonian funerals?"

He flashes her a smile, "Of course I do. Who doesn't?"

Moments later they'd gather every candle in the loft and arranged them in a circle on the floor of her balcony. Kara kneels in the center, her head bowed in prayer and her hands folded in her lap. Her long blonde hair falls loosely, cascading down her back. The light of the candles surround her in an orange warmth. She looks innocent, pure.

Watching from the edge of the circle, Querl feels his chest tighten at the sight. She's breathtaking.

Kara gazes over her shoulder at him. "Would you like to join me?"

"I,uh," he coughs and straightens his posture. "I don't worship the Gods. Or believe in them, for that matter. My faith is rooted in science and mathematics and such of the like. I...I wouldn't want to offend you."

She smiles kindly. "I understand." She turns from him and he's thankful she doesn't press him further on the subject. She inhales deeply, closing her eyes and bringing one palm to rest over her heart. When she speaks, it's with a foreign tongue long forgotten and strange to those of this world. But no less meaningful, gracious, and pure.

"Blessed Rao, who drapes us in light and gives us his warmth, I come to you with prayers of mercy…" She bites her bottom lip to keep it from quivering. "Please, honorable Lord, take Leslie under you protective care and guide her into the afterlife with love and light. Forgive her, for the sins she committed during her time and bring her to the sacred lands where she can rest peacefully for all eternity…"

Querl finds himself enchanted by her and the words she speaks so carefully. And curses himself for not learning ancient Kryptonese, as he probably should have.

"Be not blinded by the faults she had and the failures she made. But judge her truly and compassionately, as you do with each soul that comes to you…"

It makes him uneasy, this display of such devotion to an unseen deity. Culuans did not believe in a higher power, preferring theoretical research above all else. And even that did not provide enough satisfaction for Querl. Experimentation, process of deduction, testing, and lab work are what he understands and worships.

And so, as quietly as he can, he slips into Kara's loft to give her privacy with her god.

***O***O***O***

When she opens her eyes all the candles have burned out and Querl is gone. The breeze picks up and whips her hair wildly as she stands to go inside the loft. But before she opens the glass doors, she takes one final look up to the stars.

A sad smile tugs at her lips. "Thank you, Leslie."

Inside, her loft is seemingly vacant when she enters. Until her eyes lay upon a spread of freshly cut fruit, deli meats, spaghetti, muffins, corn on the cob, and pancakes on her dining room table. Querl stands in front of her stove, yet to take notice of her entry. He stirs the contents of a small sized pot while reading the cooking instructions on the back of a box of Cream of Wheat. He frowns as he reads, muttering swear words and criticizing her 21st Century appliances.

The sight warms her heart greatly. "Hey," she says softly.

He whirls around to face her, his shirt covered with food splatter. "Hey!" He points to the table with the spatula he holds. "I made breakfast. And dinner - just in case."

"I see that," she crosses into the kitchen, picking up a grape and popping it in her mouth. "You've been busy."

He a sheepish purple blush rises on his turquoise cheeks. "You haven't eaten since you got back from Fort Rozz, and you were on the balcony for a long time. I wanted to do something productive."

As she comes within inches of him, Kara slips her arms around his neck. She smiles, speaking sweetly. "How very thoughtful of you."

"Yeah, well," he shrugs nonchalantly. Though he gazes at her as if he wants to say something, or wants her to say something.

Kara furrows her brow. "Is something the matter?" She makes to move away from him, afraid invading his personal space was off putting.

Quickly he grabs her hip and pulls her towards him again. "No! Nothing's the matter. I just," he searches her eyes, worry clearly written in his. "Are you alright? A lot has happened this week."

She smiles. "I'm better now, I swear. But, how are you? You slept for two whole days."

Again he shrugs. "I suppose I needed it."

Kara nods in agreement. "You did. Don't push yourself that hard again, okay? I know you can handle a lot at once, but you do need to eat and rest. You are half-organic lifeform, after all."

He cocks her half a grin. "I'll try to remember."

"I'm sure you'll remember. And you know..." she loops her arms back around his neck, pressing her body until she's fitted against him. "I believe we shared our first kiss earlier."

His eyes drop to stare at her plump, pink lips and he nods, tightening his hold around her. "Yes...we definitely did."

"You were very bold," She traces a finger along the side of his jaw.

"Should I have waited?"

She leans into him and bites her bottom lip, shaking her head.

"Should I wait now?"

"No," she breathes.

And then he captures her lips with his own, holding her with one arm around the waist while the other cups the back of her head to secure her against him. Kara practically melts in his arms, clutching at his messy shirt to draw him closer.

She moans when he breaks from her lips and moves to her neck, planting loving kisses all over. Her breaths come in short pants and a tingle works through her at his touches. "Querl," she sighs.

"I was terrified," he admits, voice muffled against her skin.

She frowns. "Of what?"

"Of losing you so soon." He nuzzles her, still giving her light pecks on her pulse point. "I woke in the medbay alone and came to find you were aboard a damaged ship in outer space, trapped with Reign and only minutes from incineration. "

Guilt pangs her and she hugs him tighter. "I'm sorry, I should have woken you to say goodbye."

"Don't ever say goodbye to me." It's practically a plea, revealing the depth to which he feels and it sends shivers through her. His intimate truth grounds her from the high his affection has given, momentarily reminding her that they've only been officially together for less than week. It was madness, really. She'd never gotten this serious with someone so quickly before. Her previous relationships had been slowly built over time and after careful consideration. She was practical and made responsible decisions regarding her personal life. She wasn't one to jump head first.

Yet...Querl was different. And as absurd and rushed as this relationship was, it didn't feel wrong.

"I-I won't," she stammers. "I don't plan to, at least. But, you…" She worries her bottom lip, afraid of a question that had, in light of recent discoveries of her feelings, been brought to the forefront of her thoughts. "You'll have to return to your own time, won't you?"

He brings his face up from her neck, dark eyes meeting hers with a solemn look. A long moment passes between them before he answers quietly. "...Yes."

Immediately tears fill her eyes. She swallows a lump in her throat and her voice shakes when she speaks. "And you...you won't be able to take me with you, will you?" She hadn't thought of leaving the 21st Century, not truly. But the reality of him leaving her was clutching at her heart, creating a fear and stirring anxiety on levels she hadn't before felt.

"...No."

The air leaves her lungs and her knees feel as weak and wobbly as jello. Querl lets her slip from his arms and back away from him, hugging herself around the middle. She blinks, trying to fend off the tears that are already slipping down her cheeks. "Then-then why…?"

"Kara…" he steps towards her, reaching out to touch her cheek.

"I think you should go," she halts him, turning her face from him. "I-I don't, I don't think we should -"

"Don't. Please," he croaks with emotion. "Don't do this. Let us enjoy the time we do have."

She glares at him through her tears. "How can I enjoy it like this? Knowing what I do now? I'll always be wondering when you're going to leave me."

"Please, Kara. We've barely started." He sounds hurt, almost as much as she feels. Almost.

Again she averts her eyes. "I guess it's best that we end it now, then. Before it hurts too much...or before...before we fall too far."