Chapter 6 – Of Fog & Glass

Kara's Hospital Room – The D.E.O

Kara lays deathly still on her hospital bed. She can hear Cat in the hallway on the phone with Lillian Luthor. I must be dying for Cat to be on the phone with Lillian Luthor! Rao please take me away from this, I know they're trying their best, but I'm ready to go. I can't bare to see them suffer any longer! Kara can feel a tingling inside her head. "Hold on sweetheart – please!" Kara smiles at the intrusion into her mind. "So rude" she mumbles as she gives in to the sedative.

10 years later. CEO's office - L-Corp

"Breathe Cherie, breathe." Cynthia Marlowe says. Eve is hunched over her desk hyper ventilating. Cynthia rubs Eve's back soothingly. Is she really here after all this time? But why now? The questions swirl in Eve's mind as her breathing normalizes. Hearing the loud frantic questions of Eve's mind prompts Cynthia to stop rubbing her back and walk toward the blue leather couch 3 meters away.

Perhaps she isn't ready, but can I really wait any longer? This persistent ache in my chest is not only distracting but it impairs my ability to 'travel'... she needs to cure me Cynthia muses. "Is it true?" Eve's voice intrudes suddenly. Cynthia turns toward her eyes flashing. Eve's voice trembles slightly, "That you've visited everyone but me over the years?" The aching feeling in Cynthia's chest increases. "Yes."

Cynthia settles herself at the edge of Eve's desk and waits for Eve to finish her thought. "I can't do this" she says finally, raising from her chair. Afraid to look at Cynthia she walks over to an awaiting tea trolley and pours out two cups. Feeling calmer she walks over to the couch and rests the tea cups on the coffee table. Cynthia, taking the hint, comes over but instead of taking a seat beside Eve, settles herself on the coffee table. Eve, unnerved at the sight of Cynthia's flawless brown legs, asks "Why are you here Cynthia – why now?"

Cynthia's eyes glow as she watches the currents of emotion swirl over Eve's face. "I am here to see you – just you and -" "Stop, please stop." Eve covers her eyes with a shaky hand. Cynthia, taking Eve's remaining hand, brings it to her lips. "We can't do this – I'm married. I have two kids, Darius and Omara – they just turned 5..." Eve smiles as she thinks of her children. Cynthia, reluctantly releases Eve's hand, and smiles at the images flashing in her mind. "They must be wonderful."

"Would we have had kids?" Eve asks suddenly. Cynthia gives her a sensual look and kisses her inner wrist, "We are giving birth to a new galaxy as we speak." Eve's pulse quickens and her mouth goes dry. Cynthia's eyes begin to glow, "No matter who you are with, or where in time you are, I am always yours" Cynthia whispers.

Eve shivers and bows her head, "But I have made them happy..." "Undoubtedly - but at what cost? You work yourself to death to avoid your husband and children that you love – why?" "Why? You showed me what was possible, then left me in a world of chains! Every breath ties me to this place, while you roam free - truly free. Unbound by obligation, circumstance and time itself! I'm not so vain as to think that it is because of me, but why on earth would you come back here Cynthia? Why would you risk your freedom to be trapped by my mundane existence?"

Present day. Cat Grant's Penthouse

Lillian Luthor stands in front of Cat Grant looking at her intensely. "You can't ask me to do this – anything but this!" "Lillian please – she's dying!" "Not my problem. I-I won't deal with that 'thing' again!" Lillian says through clinched teeth. Cat steps closer. She brings her hand to Lillian's cheek and begins to caress it gently. Lillian's eyes soften. "Kitty you don't want me to do this. It will ruin-" "She must live" Cat says firmly.

"Lena will figure it out." Cat shakes her head and moves her hand to Lillian's neck. Lillian's breath catches in her throat, in her mind every pleasant sexual experience she has ever had is now playing on a loop. "Wow that alien has taught you a few things..." Cat chuckles, "which one?" "So this isn't the Kryptonian's doing?" Lillian smiles drunkenly. "No, a talented attorney is the author of this technique..." Curiosity piqued Lillian asks, "How exactly are you doing this to me?" Cat smiles, "Do you want me to stop?"

Now on the couch, Lillian's head is in Cat's lap. "No just... explain what this is..." Cat caresses her ear, and she squirms in delight. "Well let's just say that instead of seducing you myself I'm letting your memories do it for me... We both know where my heart is right now..." Cat looks away suddenly as a few tears escape her eyes.

"But how?" Lillian whispers. Wiping away her tears Cat chuckles softly. Continuing to caress Lillian's face playfully, "Desire is a current like electricity. It can be diverted, manipulated, and since on some level, you want me too, I'm toying with you." Cat's fingers skim across Lillian's collar bone, Lillian's eyes close as a storm of phantom sensual caresses cover her body. "I feel drunk... why am I here again?" Cat smiles diabolically, "I need you to see a dangerous man about a very rare medicine..."

Throne room. The Royal Castle of J'onzz – Kingdom of Mars.

A prisoner is escorted into the throne room in chains, he has been beaten and starved for several days, he stinks of urine and vomit. "On your knees spy!" General Alexandra hisses, the prisoner falls heavily to his knees. The trumpets sound the King's arrival. The King enters smiling with princess Kara on his arm. She is regaling him with tales of her latest diplomatic adventures.

The princess's bubbly diatribe stops when she sees the clearly tortured man awaiting her father's judgment. "Father may I be excused?" Kara asks pinching her nose at the smell emanating from the tortured man before her. "It is time you become acquainted with the unpleasant side of statesmanship my dear." General Alexandra can't help smirk at her father's comment. "Your Majesty before you is a man claiming to be from an imaginary land called – what is it again prisoner?" The prisoner attempts to speak but can only manage to gasp. The King laughs, "leave the prisoner with me, I will cure him of his delusions!" Everyone laughs except Kara.

Taking the keys from her sister Kara unchains the man and gives him some water. "He has endured enough! If his intention was to kill or defile commander Lane he would have done so! Father he is clearly a Martian who has lost his mind! Send him to the garden instead of the gallows – please father!" General Alexandra rolls her eyes and waits for her father's pronouncement.

"One princess sees evil while the other sees good – what are we to do? Since we have tried torture and his delusions persist, it stands to reason that perhaps the therapeutic perfume of the crystal gardens will do him well" The King pronounces. "Have him bathed and properly attired" the King says to Kara, she nods gratefully. Alexandra glares at her, Kara sticks out her tongue in defiance. "What is your name?" Kara asks the prisoner. This time the prisoner manages to form a word. "James."