PART SEVEN
Present day….
2 A.M., Saturday, National City, Kara's Apartment
"This can't be real." Lena said. She was holding several of the photographs up at the same time staring at all of them as she sat on Kara's couch.
Lena had canceled her ride home so they could spend some time figuring out what this was, if it was real and what it meant. Kara cleaned up the broken glass and the spilled wine while Lena opened up another bottle which they promptly drained dry. Kara opened up another bottle and left it in the kitchen. They sat on the couch looking closer at the pictures and they listened to the recording on the CD on repeat.
"What does this mean Lena? If this is real…but if it's not who would do this to us and for what purpose?" Kara asked. She was sitting next to Lena on the couch looking at the other pictures.
There were pictures of them together, pictures of them individually but taken so close together (same clothes, same background) it was obvious that the pictures were most likely taken by each other all around the same time.
"These are old school printed photos not doctored digital images. They even have the date printed on the back. They're from the right time and they feel real. We can get these tested to make sure but where did this come from?" Lena asked shaking her head yet again. She was still in shock.
"The CD is one thing. I would dismiss it as completely fabricated if it was by its self. It's totally possible if someone really wanted to mess with us but to have photos with it…I can't…not believe it. It…feels real to me Lena." Kara said looking to her friend with an anguished expression.
"That voice, Kara. I know that voice on the CD. It's haunted me for years. I used to dream of it all the time. I went to therapy to stop dreaming about it and now I find out it was real and it was YOU this whole time! This is all freaking me out. Is there more wine?" Lena asked setting the pictures down and getting up.
"Yes, on the counter." Kara said. The more she looked at the pictures, the more this deep sense of sadness welled up inside of her. The girl with her face in the pictures was so happy. Happier than Kara has ever been or could ever remember feeling. Kara was jealous of this girl and she didn't know why. She wanted to know why.
Lena got up and poured herself another glass of wine, she frowned and bit her bottom lip as she said firmly. "I won't allow anyone to mess with us like this Kara. It's cruel beyond imagination. I'm going to get to the bottom of this! I'm going to test the photos and the CD, make sure they're real. We can go from there."
"Okay. That sounds like a good plan. What do we do if they're real?" Kara asked.
"Then we start asking our family questions. Someone has to know something. How could we know each other but not know we knew each other! It's crazy!" Lena said shaking her head with an angry expression.
"You know, what's weird Lena? When I look at all these pictures, like really look at them I get this strange nagging feeling in the back of mind that I'm missing something. Like it's familiar but it's not but it is. Like it's a dream I had that I can't really remember but I can. It's really, really bothering me." Kara said.
Kara picked up one picture in particular, a selfie of a young Kara and a young Lena grinning with such happiness that their eyes sparkled staring at each other. Their faces were so close you couldn't see what was behind them. They had their arms wrapped around each other and you could see just barely that their legs were also entwined. They were practically sitting on each other. It stuck Kara as such an intimate embrace, so intimate that had the people in the photograph not been a younger version of herself and her best friend she would have assumed these two girls were a couple. It looked like young love and the thought of that brought such sadness to Kara tears welled up and spilled over before she realized what was happening.
"Kara? Kara, are you okay? Why are you crying?" Lena set her wine down and rushed over to Kara's side wrapping her arm around her friend and pulling her close.
"I don't know. I can't stop staring at these pictures and they make me so sad. I have this overwhelming sense that I've lost something important. I don't understand this." Kara explained.
"Shit, I thought it was just me." Lena whispered and leaned her head on Kara's shoulder.
"Do you remember where you were when this supposedly took place?" Kara asked. She turned to Lena and they both sat back so they could see each other better.
"Let me do the quick mental math on when this would have taken place…um, oh shit…" Lena said her eyes going wide.
"What?"
"If the date's on the back of photos are legitimate, I will have to double check to be sure but it was a really rough time for me. A lot went down in short amount of time. I changed schools, survived an attempt on my life and some other accident that messed me up." Lena said.
"Wait, an attempt on your life? Another accident that messed you up, how?" Kara asked. She had never heard this story from Lena and she thought she knew everything about Lena's life.
"That's just it I don't remember. The accident I was in messed up my head, I have no memory of that time. There's a whole week I'm missing where all this stuff happened. One minute I was in school the next I was waking up in a hospital and seven days was gone. After that accident, I asked my brother take me with him and the whole thing must have scared him because he gave in for the first time. He took me overseas with him. He says I wasn't the same anymore, I just remember being so sad and angry. I 've heard head injuries that result in memory loss are like that." Lena said. She had a faraway look on her face that Kara completely understood.
"This is so crazy." Kara whispered.
"What? Accidents happen all the time. I was lucky. I've been really lucky like that most of my life." Lena commented with a small shrug.
"No, that's not what I mean Lena. It's crazy because around that same time, I was in an accident too. A bad one; bad enough that I lost days too. In fact, I think it was this week that it happened but my memory of that time is so fuzzy. Shit, I need to call someone."
"It's two thirty in the morning Kara." Lena pointed out.
"Damn it, they're probably both asleep right now." Kara said a deep frown on her face.
"What?" Lena pressed.
"I need to ask my mom or my sister about the date of my accident just to make sure it's the same time." Kara said.
"This is getting really strange Kara. First we find this and now, after comparing notes we realize we both had accidents around the same time. Accidents that caused memory loss. This is crazy."
"Completely crazy." Kara agreed.
"Oh I'm getting dizzy. I think I've had too much wine tonight." Lena said. She was bent over clutching her head with both hands.
"Come on, you can sleep here. A few hours of rest and you'll feel good again." Kara suggested.
"Where do you want me? I can sleep here. I just need a pillow." Lena said, she looked around and moved to lie down on the couch.
"No Lena, I'm not having my best friend sleep on the couch. Come on, you can sleep on the bed with me. We can share for tonight right?" Kara offered helping Lena to her feet.
Lena was a little off balance and held onto Kara as they walked to the bedroom. Lena pulled Kara into a tight hug as they reached the bed.
"You're so nice to me Kara. No one is ever as nice to me as you are. You don't know what that means to me. And now you're sharing your bed with me. You're so sweet and kind. You're my best friend you know." Lena said.
"And you're my best friend Lena. Tomorrow we're going to get to the bottom of this mystery but first we need to get some sleep. Here, you climb in and I'll get you some water." Kara said. She helped Lena into her bed and tucked her in then went to the kitchen to get a glass of water for Lena. By the time Kara returned to the bedroom with the water Lena was already asleep.
It was so rare for Kara to be there when Lena was sleeping it was hard for her not to stare. There was a part of her that loved to just watch Lena go about her day, she was a sight to behold. A powerful confident woman who was usually smarter than anyone else in the room, Kara loved watching Lena work. Then there was the softer Lena that only a handful of people got to see, that side of Lena Kara got to see when they were alone, she loved that gentler generous sweet loving side of Lena. But, there was also this other deeper side to Lena that Kara had only seen a few times, the vulnerable Lena, the one that had insecurities and weaknesses. That's when Kara knew how deep their friendship went was when Lena showed her that side of herself. That's when Lena let her all the way in. Seeing Lena sleep was like that, seeing that softer vulnerable side to her friend with all her guards down.
"So beautiful." Kara whispered then stepped out of the room. She bundled up the pictures and put them back in the envelope and stopped the CD from playing anymore turning the player off. Kara put away the wine and put the glasses in the sink then opened the window and flew out.
With Lena fast asleep Kara took the opportunity to fly to the Fortress of Solitude. She knew her cousin was still on Argo with Lois so she was going to ask the next best source. Two hours later Kara was flying home, she sent a text message to her sister asking Alex to come over as soon as she was awake, that she needed her help ASAP. When Kara returned to her apartment, she used her X-Ray vision to make sure Lena was still asleep, she was. Kara used the open window slipping in and shutting it after. It was still very early so Kara entered her bedroom quietly in hopes to climb into bed without waking Lena.
The brunette was cuddling Kara's pillows in the center of the bed in what appeared to be a deep sleep. Kara climbed into her bed trying not to disturb Lena only to have the brunette roll over and wrap her arm around Kara pulling her up close so that they were spooning. Kara was surprised by the intimate gesture but brushed it off as Lena was asleep and settled in enjoying being close. Kara drifted off to sleep with Lena's breath on the back of her neck and Lena's arm around her waist.
A few hours later the buzzing of her phone in her left pocket woke Kara up. Without opening her eyes she answered it. "Hello?"
"Hey Kara, I'm on my way over be there in 5." Alex said.
"Thanks! See you in a few." Kara replied then hung up.
Kara slipped the phone back into her pocked and opened her eyes. She was now on her back and Lena was lying halfway on top of her. Kara didn't want to move, she really liked this but her sister was on the way. Sighing with disappoint Kara untangled herself from Lena and slipped out of bed. She was careful to be quiet as she left the bedroom shutting the door softly then put on some coffee. As soon as she had two cups poured her sister knocked on the door.
"What's the emergency?" Alex asked walking in as soon as Kara opened the door.
"I need your help." Kara replied offering Alex the cup of coffee. Alex took the coffee and followed Kara to the kitchen.
"Okay, what's going on?" Alex asked and took a long sip of her coffee.
"You know how mom's been cleaning out the attic and sending us all our stuff we left there?" Kara asked. They took as seat at the kitchen counter sitting next to each other.
"Yeah, I've gotten three huge boxes from her. Why?"
"I got another box from mom yesterday and in it had something supposedly from my junior year of high school and…" Kara tried to explain but Alex cut her off loudly, "What? That's why you called me over first thing this morning!"
"Alex! Please keep your voice down, Lena is still asleep in the bedroom and I don't want to wake her up. She had a lot of wine last night, she needs her rest." Kara said chastising her sister. Alex gave Kara look of surprise.
"Why is Lena in your bed Kara?"
"We went to a concert last night and had a couple of drinks after. She needed a place to crash, I didn't sleep last night anyway. What I found in the box mom sent has turned everything upside down. That's why I need your help." Kara said.
"Okay, wait a second. Start from the beginning again, you got the box from mom and inside had something from high school. What?" Alex asked being her usual pragmatic self.
"This." Kara showed Alex the green tin and Alex face scrunched up as if in deep thought. She asked Kara, "So what's the problem?"
"There was some stuff inside I can't explain because I don't remember that time period. I had that accident back then remember? So I went to the Fortress of Solitude to verify some stuff but not where the tin came from or if the contents are real." Kara said.
Alex was still staring at the tin then a moment later her face lit up and she announced, "I can't believe I didn't recognize it instantly. Kara I know what this is. I did this."
"What?" Kara was shocked. She never expected Alex would know something about it.
"I made this tin for you. Yeah, that's right it's coming back to me now. Wow, it was so many years ago." Alex seemed stunned.
"I'm totally left in the dark here Alex. Come on fill me in, please." Kara was desperate for information but didn't want to rush her sister.
"So when you had your accident I had gone on a college tour with mom. We were gone for like a week I think, this was one of the few times you were home alone. While we were gone like halfway through the trip, we got to talk for a little bit and you told me you had made a friend. If I remember it correctly you rescued her from some bad guys, and was helping her figure out what to do next, you know you being you. This friend was your age and you were super happy. But by the time mom and I got home you had gotten in your accident, your friend was nowhere to be found and so mom and Clark decided to not say anything to you. I didn't agree with that at all. In fact it was the first time I really fought with mom, we argued behind your back about it for about seven months." Alex paused shaking her head and finishing her coffee. She got up and poured herself more then sat back down next to Kara who listening very carefully. Alex continued. "You see Kara, when mom and I got home, I found a CD you had made with your friend and then I got a call from Harrington Store that your photographs were ready. I didn't listen to the CD or look at the photographs but I knew if you had been comfortable enough to record yourself singing in front of another person they had to be pretty damn special. I knew you'd want to keep some record of that even if you couldn't remember anymore. So I put the CD and the pictures into the tin wrote the label on it then hid it in our closet."
"What happened to me Alex?" Kara felt tears well up and spill over.
"Debris from space, pieces of an alien craft I think fell and hit the town. Clark thinks you came into contact with it as did some other girl, there was an explosion. Rumor around town was she didn't make it. You lost over a week of your life." Alex said.
"Why did you not tell me all this Alex?" Kara asked. Tears were beginning to fall and she was quick to wipe them away.
"You couldn't remember. I couldn't find your friend. You had already gone through so much. After a while I thought mom was right, why bring you more pain. Why? What's going on? So you saw the tin? And you opened it right? So you found pictures of yourself you don't remember. What's the big deal? I still don't get what the emergency is?" Alex asked she was confused to why Kara seemed so distraught.
"I need to show you what was in the tin." Kara said.
Kara got up and turned the CD player on and pressed play. As it got started she went to the coffee table and picked up the envelope of pictures and brought them over to Alex.
"Is this the CD from the tin?" Alex asked.
"Yeah, just listen."
"Okay." Alex replied with a shrug.
"Okay…wait…Should I make the dedication at the beginning before the song or after I do the song?" A young Kara says.
"Oh my god…that's you. You sound so young. Like a baby!" Alex said laughing.
"Do the dedication now." A young Lena says.
"Is it me or does that voice sound familiar?" Alex commented. Kara held up her hand silently telling her sister to wait and be patient.
"I'm just going to say for those listening. I could never have done this without the help of my best friend. My best friend who is also playing the guitar for this song I will be singing called, "Stone" by Alessia Cara. This song is dedicated to my best friend, the person who gives me strength to really be not just the person I am but the person I dream to be, my best friend Lena Luthor." A young Kara says.
"What the fuck! Rewind that!" Alex said standing up.
Instead Kara tosses the envelope at Alex, her sister picks up the pictures pulling them out of the sleeve and her eyes go wide and her jaw drops. In the background young Kara sings and no matter how many times Kara hears it, it still pulls her attention.
"Holy shit Kara. That's…What the hell is going on? That's who your friend was!" Alex asked Kara and Kara shrugged and replied back, "How would I know? I don't have any memory of that time. You tell me. Are these pictures real? Is this CD real?"
"Yeah." Alex replied shocked.
"Hey, what's going on out here?" Lena asked coming out of Kara's bedroom. Kara looked up to see Lena looking half asleep yet totally put together and looking quite sexy with her hair down and her make up slightly smudged.
"Oh, hi Alex, I didn't see you there. Good morning." Lena said with bright smile.
"Hi Lena." Alex replied. She was still staring at the photos.
"Good morning Lena. So I called my sister in to help us. She knows what's going on. She's the one that made the tin for me. She says it's real. Oh, and there's the coffee if you'd like some." Kara said getting right to the point.
"What! Alex is this true, you know what's going on?" Lena asked rushing over to them.
"Yeah. I was just filling Kara in on what I know." Alex replied.
"Can you repeat everything for me? I know I'm up late but I would really appreciate it."
"You know how I had that accident that week this went down, well the strange thing is so did Lena. That same time frame, and she's also missing a chunk of time." Kara said to Alex and Alex's face twisted into total confusion and deep thought.
"How is that possible?" Alex asked then shook her head and looked at the photos again. "Then again, how the hell did you two meet when you were in high school?"
"That's what we're trying to figure out Alex." Kara said.
"Okay, I'll start from the beginning again." Alex said. Lena nodded and went to pour herself a cup of coffee. Lena sat across from Alex as Alex repeated everything for Lena. Kara listened to it again and tried so hard to remember any of it but all she could recall was hanging out with Kal-El for a few days. She had felt so lonely and sad and hanging out with her cousin cheered her up.
When Alex was done, Lena had tears in her eyes. Alex seemed even more alarmed now, "Lena, are you okay?"
"I'm sorry Alex. It's just, it's all true. My brother used to tease me that the first attempt on my life was back during this time and that I was lucky I couldn't remember it, that it made me less jaded. He even showed me the email I sent him telling him about how the security team he hired to protect me tried to run me off the road in an attempt to kill me. In that email I said I was staying with a friend, not to worry about me. My brother would tease me that I made that friend up, because there was no one I could trust. I wonder…could it have been Kara I was staying with?" Lena said.
"Then…this is real. We did know each other before we met." Kara felt like she had been robbed and violated. She wasn't sure why but she was overwhelmed with the ugly feeling.
"I found the CD in mom's office. I picked up the pictures from the store myself so I don't think this is a set up. I'm the one that put everything in that tin. I had no idea it was Lena in the pictures. I'm sorry this must be so unsettling for the both of you." Alex said sympathetic to how disturbed Kara and Lena seemed.
"You have no idea Alex. No idea." Kara said. She put her chin on her balled up fists deep in thought when Alex's phone started buzzing. Alex picked up her phone; Kara could hear the whole conversation and knew her sister had to take off for work. A few moments later Alex was off the phone.
"I'm sorry, that was work I need to take off. Call me if you need any more help with this, I can run some records or something if you need me to. I wish I could help more. I'll call you later Kara." Alex said giving her sister a hug before taking off.
In a few moments Kara and Lena were alone again. They both sat at the kitchen counter looking lost and shocked. Kara spread out the photographs on the counter so they could see all of them at once then got up and replayed the song again. She didn't say anything she just sat back down in front of the photos and continued to examine them as if searching them for clues. Lena was intrigued by what Kara was doing and got up taking Alex's now empty seat. They listened to the recording on the CD again and Kara got emotional all over again tearing up by the songs end.
"You're going to double check the details right?" Kara asked Lena while still staring at the pictures.
"Of course I am. I have to." Lena admitted.
"We agree though, that…this did happen." Kara said still filled with such disbelief that she could have met her best friend when she was younger and not remember.
"I feel like someone stole something from me Kara." Lena said her face scrunched up into a frown, tears in her eyes.
"I know what you mean. I feel the same way." Kara admitted.
"I'm having a really hard time with this. Do you think I can borrow some of these photos and the CD do some tests on them? Just to put my mind at ease. You're my best friend Kara, how could I not have remembered you? This…it bothers me deeply." Lena admitted and all Kara could do was nod in agreement.
"Take all of them if you want." Kara said then smiled and shook her head.
"What is it?" Lena asked.
"Even if we find out there not real I would still like to keep them. I like them. I like the idea that people that look like us were hanging out and look so happy." Kara confessed and Lena agreed.
"It makes me jealous." Lena said.
"There you go reading my mind again." Kara commented and Lena laughed.
"I think I'm going to head home Kara. I need to shower and I've put you out long enough. Thank you for last night and this morning. Can I take you out to dinner later?" Lena asked gathering up the photographs and grabbing the CD putting it back in its case.
"Only if I can take you out for lunch." Kara said, it felt like they were going back to their old rhythms with each other and yet there was something else in there tense smiles with each other. Those pictures and that CD had rocked the very foundation of their friendship and they both knew it. It showed them something they weren't prepared for and now they were left shaken to their core.
Lena called for a car then Kara helped Lena with her jacket and walked her downstairs. Kara waited with Lena until her car arrived.
"If you find anything out call me okay?" Kara asked as she opened the door for Lena.
"Of course I will Kara. Trust me this is the only thing I'll be doing today." Lena assured her.
"See you later Lena." Kara said smiling at Lena as she closed her car door for her. Kara stood there watching the car drive off before going back upstairs.
Inside her apartment Kara cleaned up then took a long hot shower, she couldn't stop thinking about the photos and recording. Kara kept examining her own feelings over it all, yeah so she knew a friend a long time ago but she forgot all about it. Yeah it's strange and totally bizarre but she was in accident and lost her memory. What takes it over the top is that Lena had an accident too that also took her memory. The only thought that did give Kara comfort was that it appeared they were destined to be friends
However, there was something else nagging at Kara. Something else in those photos that bothered Kara, told her there was something else there, something she was missing. When Kara got out of the shower she was restless and decided to go out flying to clear her head.
4:37 P.M., Saturday, National City, Lena's Lab
Lena was sitting at her desk going over the results again. She had run every test she could think of on the photos and CD and it all confirmed that they were real.
There was a ding on her phone and it alerted her to a couple of emails she had been waiting for. She opened her laptop to read the email; it was the search on Luthor properties during that time along with her medical records from that time period. Lena read through the emails and all the attachments. It confirmed what Lena already suspected, their father had owned a property in Midvale and Lex used it as a safe house multiple times over the years mostly to hide property from their mother. The hospital Lena was sent to immediately after her accident was the largest one near Midvale, which is what Lena would have expected of her brother.
"So I was in Midvale. Why can't I remember?" Lena whispered as she stared at blown up images of the photographs.
Lena frowned at the image as she stared at her younger self, so happy, so excited with Kara. And she got angry, she was jealous and resentful. She had searched her whole life for that type of happiness and here was proof she had found it at one time but then lost it. Lost it! That she had it in the first place baffled Lena but to have lost it made her heart ache. She wanted what the girl in the picture had, the fact that the girl had her face was like some cruel joke.
The pictures felt to Lena as if they held some secret that only they knew and now they were forever hidden, it made her so frustrated, enough so she wanted to break something or scream. She wanted that happiness, she thought because of her luck over the years and all the failed attempts at it she just wasn't meant for it but that wasn't true. These photos were proof of that. It was possible, but only if she knew the secret they held. They secret they're not telling her.
"It does prove Kara and I were always meant to be friends. Huh, I wonder what the odds are of that. Meeting twice like that and becoming friends twice." Lena said to herself as she began doing the mental calculations when her phone rang. Lena answered it without checking it.
"Hello?"
"Lena? Hi, I thought we were going to get together today?" James asked, he sounded tense and angry. Lena immediately sighed she had no energy or patience for him today.
"I'm sorry James, I totally forgot. Something came up last night after the concert and it's taken all my attention." Lena said honestly. She surprised herself usually she was never this…blunt.
"So I'm not important to at least warrant a text message Lena? I thought we were going to try to work things out at least? How can we do that if you can't even send a text?" James said his voice rising.
"You're right. You're totally right. It's not going to work out. I'm going to have to think about this for a long time and when I feel ready to approach this with the delicacy it deserves I'll give you call James. I need to go. Bye." Lena said.
She could hear James stutter as she hung up. Lena sighed and shook her head, with all that she had going on she didn't have enough energy to deal with James too. Lena went back to work, it was the one thing she knew she could rely on no matter what was going on.
Twenty minutes later she found herself spacing out and thinking about the revelation that she knew Kara way back when, she was confused. Why was she so affected by this information? Why did seeing herself so happy bother her so much? Why did she feel like the girl in the picture was hiding a secret she was desperate to know? Why does she feel so cheated? Lena sighed and shook her head, it was like she was missing several necessary threads that were holding the picture together and without them it was just a bundle of colors. Lena hated this constant nagging feeling that's plagued her since she heard the song and saw the photos but there was no taking it back now. She looked at the pictures again, and couldn't stop the smile that formed on her lips.
"No I wouldn't take this back. No matter how much pain this is causing me, to see this to know…this was real. A fantasy I've had of me and Kara since the day we met, and it's true. Either I'm the luckiest person in the world or the most damned." Lena whispered as she picked up the selfie her younger self took of her and Kara together in the woods staring at it with tears in her eyes.
4:37 P.M., Saturday, Midvale, the woods behind the Danvers House
Kara was dressed in her Supergirl uniform; she landed in the field in the woods behind her mom's house. She could not remember the last time she had come out to the woods or the field.
Kara had tried flying to calm herself but she could not calm her mind or her emotions. She felt like she was missing a puzzle piece so she called her mom and started asking questions. When she found out how much debris fell that day and where she was found after the accident and how big the crater from impact was from the debris that landed in the field Kara became determined to search the field for clues. She had a hunch and wanted to check it out before moving on to the next idea.
Kara walked around the field looking around, memories of playing there with Alex when she first arrived flashed through her mind. She shook them from her head and focused on the task at hand. Using her X-Ray vision Kara started scanning the ground and the surrounding trees. She was curious if there was any remaining pieces of debris from that day that could help her identify what alien space ship it belong to. She methodically searched the field first finding dozens of metal objects, animal bones, coins and metal bits too burnt up to be identified. Then she scanned the surrounding trees and found something unusual.
"What in the world is that?" Kara said as she approached a tree with what looked like a scar in the trunk. It looked as if it had been struck with something then as the tree healed it healed over whatever had hit it.
Using her X-Ray vision Kara looked into the tree and saw something odd inside. It was small oblong object that seemed to glow like it was emitting power. Kara walked over to the tree and with her bare hands she tore it open to get to the object, it was a glowing blue oblong piece. Kara recognized it as alien tech but she wasn't sure what it did. Afraid of another reaction after talking to Eliza and Alex about what had happened Kara just tore out a chunk of the tree that contained the glowing blue piece leaving the tree intact and ensuring she didn't have to have direct contact with it. Kara flew back carrying it with her and texted her sister she needed a favor.
Kara knew going to the DEO for help would cause a mess since Alex got that new boss but Kara needed their help to examine the alien tech so she did something she usually did not do she called in a few favors.
"Hi Alex, I will need your help some more after all. Can you grab Brainy and meet me?"
"Yeah, when do you need us?" Alex replied.
"Right now."
8:22 P.M., Saturday, National City, Lena's Apartment
Lena walked through her door coat in hand, exhausted yet still wired. She wanted a long hot shower and a big glass of wine after her long day. She shut the door and hung up her coat and her phone rang, it was Kara.
"I've got great news Lena! Where are you at right now?" Kara asked in an urgent tone.
"I just got home. What's the news?" Lena asked walking further in to set her purse down.
"I've been working with Supergirl and with her help she found something that can help us get our memories back." Kara said.
"What? Really? How? Where are you Kara? I can come to you right now?" Lena said turning around and heading for the door.
"I'm already on the road and can be at your place in a few minutes, I just wanted to be sure in case I needed to turn around." Kara replied.
"Oh okay. I'll be waiting. I'll let the doorman know so you can come right up." Lena said.
"See you in a few." Kara said.
"See you soon." Lena replied.
Lena turned on the lights and drank a large glass of water while she waited. She kept wondering how they were going to get their memories back? Special tech? Hypnosis? What did Supergirl help with? Lena had so many questions. Ten minutes later, the doorman announced Kara and Lena was there to open the door before Kara could even knock which turned out to be a good thing since Kara came in carrying a large black case.
"Hey! Thanks for getting the door. I love how you can always read my mind like that. I was literally just thinking, Lena please open the door and then you did." Kara teased with a light smile. Lena laughed and shut the door. She was amazed how Kara would make her laugh even in tense situations.
"What's in the case?" Lena asked following Kara inside to the kitchen table.
"Hopefully, it's the solution to our problem." Kara replied.
"How?" Lena asked.
"Let me start at the beginning." Kara said and Lena nodded then added, "Please do, I'm very curious to how this is supposed to work."
"I couldn't stop thinking about the pictures and the recording and what we learned from Alex. I wanted to know which alien spacecraft fell in pieces over my home town that day so I called in a favor. I called Supergirl. I asked her to go there, to the field where I was found after my accident and check it for anything left over. Something we could use to help us. She found us something even better. She found us the device that caused this mess to begin with." Kara said then opened the box showing Lena a dull blue oblong object sitting inside a cushioned interior. Lena noticed Kara was careful not to touch it.
"What is that Kara?" Lena asked as she looked closer at the device yet kept her distance, she could see small sparks of some type of odd electricity spark around it.
"Supergirl found it in a tree in that field. It's been identified as an Ylurtian memory device from one of their ships. It's used as a main component of their ships brains. This one is broken, so when it hit the field we must have come into contact with it because it took our memories. Supergirl had a friend confirm that our memories are still on this device." Kara said.
"What! Really?" Lena was really excited.
"Not only that, but the friend was able to fix the device so that we can get our memories back. And it's safe Lena. I made sure. I wasn't going to take it from Supergirl if it wasn't safe." Kara said.
Lena felt a sudden rush of excitement and fear. Once she realized she had lost something all she had wanted was to get it back but now that it was right here she was scared. Those pictures held secretes, was she ready to learn the truth behind them?
"What do we have to do?" Lena asked. Her heart was racing, she felt sweat creeping along her brow and her back. She was scared and yet she had to know, she couldn't pass up the opportunity to learn the truth no matter what it brought.
"Basically we need to touch it at the same time to ensure we both get our memories back before its charge fails. It was also suggested that we sit down when we do this. We might pass out in the process but we should be fine. The person I consulted and would normally consult on stuff like this is actually the person that Supergirl went to when she found it, small world you know." Kara said rambling a little.
"We can sit in the living room?" Lena suggested. And Kara nodded and Lena turned to lead the way. Kara carried the open box while following Lena into the living room. They took seat opposite of each other with the box of an ottoman in between them.
"Okay, so what we just touch it at the same time right?" Lena asked getting ready to touch the device.
"Yes. Okay…Ready?" Kara asked as she also got into place.
"Wait!" Lena asked suddenly. Kara paused and looked up at Lena, "What?"
"Whatever we learn Kara, I still want us to be friends. I don't want to lose that. Okay?" Lena asked. She had no idea what they would learn but she was terrified they would come out the other side unable to be friends.
"I totally agree. No matter what we learn. We'll still be friends. We were destined to be friends remember." Kara said firmly with a nod of her head. Lena wanted to believe it so she told herself she was going to.
"Ready?" Kara asked. Her hand was hovering over the device, Lena hand's was next to hers.
"Yes. Let's do this on the count of three." Lena said.
They counted from three to one then Kara and Lena touched the dull blue device together at the same time.
Lena saw a bright blue flash at the same instant she felt a hard numbing jolt through her whole body. She twitched and thrashed in her chair slipping unconscious as she was drowned under the weight of her memories returning. Lena was completely overwhelmed as her memories slammed into her mind forcing her to relieve them as they came in. Lena's body shut down as her mind went into over drive receiving the memories and putting everything back in order.