"Will you stop," Sam grumbled as she and Lena made their way up the stairs of Kara's apartment.
"What?" Lena murmured, playing with the straps of her webshooters.
"That," Sam placed a hand over Lena's. "Relax, will you?"
"Sorry,"
Kara opened the door with a wide smile, immediately offering her hand to Sam. "Kara Danvers, we've meet before."
"We have, not under great circumstances." Sam commented, giving Kara a look that made her a little sheepish.
"In my defence, I didn't plan on meeting you there at all."
"That's not much of a defence at all." Sam said.
"Yeah," Kara hummed, opening the door a little wider and motioning inside. "Come on in."
Kara ushered them inside and walking briskly over to the living area.
"This is the gang. This is Winn, James, Clark, Lucy, Brainy, Nia and Alex."
Sam stopped dead when Alex turned to face them, and the look of recognition in Alex's eyes made Lena frown.
"Agent Danvers," Sam greeted with a little smile and it dawned on Lena then just who it was.
"Detective Arias,"
"No," Lena whispered teasingly to Sam, noting the way Kara tilted her head knowingly at her sister.
"Shut up," Sam hissed.
"Alex, you obviously know Sam," Kara said with a little smirk. "But to everyone else, this is Sam and Lena."
"You're Lena Luthor," Winn pointed at Lena as he stood, making his way over to Lena and shaking her hand.
"I told you this," Kara whispered. "And I warned you about acting like this."
"I'm sorry, but you are incredible."
Lena was surprised at this words, giving the mans hand a little squeeze. "Well, thank you, Winn."
Winn grinned widely. "She knows my name," He whispered to Kara, who rolled her eyes fondly.
"I did just introduce you to her, Winn."
Winn grumbled, releasing Lena's hand and moving back to his seat.
Sam moved to sit beside Alex, who seemed considerable less abrasive and standoffish when she was off the job.
Kara smiled softly at Lena as she took a step closer. "I'm glad you came."
"You sound surprised."
"I kind of am," Kara admitted. "I didn't think you would."
"Why?"
"I know you aren't a huge fan of groups of people, especially those you don't now." Kara shrugged. "I kind of thought you would bail."
"I wouldn't bail on you when I told you I would be here," Lena said. "I don't go back on my promises."
"That's good to know," Kara smiled. "Come, sit."
Kara pulled Lena to sit don between herself and Winn, much to Winn's glee.
Alex looked a little miffed that Kara has teamed up with Lena, at least until she realised that meant she would be paired with Sam.
They played charades, which Kara as surprisingly good at, then pictionary, then monopoly.
Everyone grumbled when Lena won, claiming it wasn't fair to have real life experience.
Winn warmed up to Lena immediately, Lucy was somewhat flirtatious, Nia was sweet, Brainy was odd but nice, Alex eyed her any time she spoke to Kara, Clark was unsure but polite, and James made it more than obvious he didn't like. Which was fine, Lena didn't like him much, either.
After the games Lena ended up in a conversation with Winn about previous projects and current projects, then about the idea of a quantum realm and the way the boy was talking, Lena honestly considered hiring him to work in her labs.
The night was only cut short when both Sam and Alex's phones rang simultaneously.
"Oh, that can't be good." Lucy commented.
Lena was inclined to agree, her eyes on Sam as she answered the call.
"I will be right there," Both Alex and Sam said.
"What's going on?" Lena asked, standing as Sam did.
"There is something in the city park."
"Something?" Lena questioned, moving to stand beside Sam as she pulled on her jacket.
"Something, and it's big." Sam said, glancing at the room before leaning closer to Lena. "You need to get out of here, it's not human."
"Okay, I will drive you there?" Lena offered, loud enough for the group to hear, and Sam agreed.
"You're leaving?" Kara frowned.
"I need to drive Sam to the city park," Lena explained quickly, grabbing her jacket and rushing toward the door Alex had all but ran out off.
"Will I see you tomorrow? For lunch."
"Of course, I will see you there." Lena promised, and it wasn't until she was halfway down the hall that she realised she had kissed Kara's cheek before leaving. She stalled in her movement, and Sam gave her a little shove.
"Yeah, that's something we will talk about later."
Sam got into the drivers side while Lena jumped into the back, quickly stripping off her clothes.
"Be careful, okay?" Sam requested, weaving in and out of traffic. "I don't know what this is but if they called in the FBI it is something big."
"I will be, don't worry." Lena assured, pulling on her mask before climbing out of the car window and onto the roof, hitching a ride until Sam parked up, then Lena zipped from lamp post to lap post until she found the commotion.
Lena clicked on her coms. "Sam,"
Sam must have sensed something in Lena's tone. "That bad?"
"Remember Connors? How he had a warehouse full of cross species?"
"Yeah?"
"It's one of those. It is Nattie."
"Nattie? You named them?"
Nattie was looking around wildly, probably searching for a new target, and Lena decided it would be better if that was her.
"Nattie, long time no see." The creature whipped around, slit eyes focused intently on Lena. "I thought you were dead."
Nattie hissed, then took off, and Lena quickly rushed after it.
"Sam, it's running."
"Where?" Sam asked just as Nattie disappeared down one of the drains.
"The sewers,"
"It wants water," Sam said. "You can't beat it in water, Spidy."
"Then find a way to drain the water," Lena said, dropping down the drain and webbing herself to the wall before else hit the murky water. "I can't let it roam free, Sam."
"Look what happened the last time, Spidy, it almost killed you."
"But now we know how to beat it, turn off the water, it has no leverage."
"The boys are on it, but can't you wait for them?"
"I can't let it slip away." Lena said. "Don't worried about, Sam, I-"
Before Lena could finish telling Sam she would be careful, Nattie sprung out of the water, its long nails digging into the back of her neck as it dragged her under.
Lena could hear Sam called for her down the her coms but she couldn't reply, she could only struggle to try and get out of the claws that were about five inches deep in her shoulder and stomach.
Lena struggled, taking in a deep breath when the air bubble function in her mask finally kicked in (a function Sam added after her last battle with Nattie), but that only allowed her to breath, it didn't give her any other kind of help fighting under water.
"Looks like your scuba function works, Sam." Lena said in a pained voice, a painful groan leaving her lips when Nattie dug his claws into her abdomen and up under her ribcage .
"Get out of there, now."
"I can keep it occupied for now." Lena assured, a muffled scream of pain leaving her lips when Nattie sunk his teeth into her shoulder, tearing the flesh there. "Just hurry it up."
"I swear to god if you survive this I'm going to kill you."
"I missed the days you used to say you would kiss me if I survived." Lena quipped, laying a few punched into Nattie to finally get herself free, blood leaking from all of her wounds as she tried to fight her way to the surface.
But Nattie had her leg, its claws sinking into her thigh and its teeth enclosing around her calf, so Lena kicked and kicked to try and get it off but it just climbed its way up her body, its teeth bared, and Lena was sure she was about to have her throat torn out.
"You know, I don't think I've ever told you this." Lena said through gritted teeth as she pushed at Nattie's head as it snapped its jaws as her. "But never let my mother near my company."
"That's a given," Sam said. "They've almost got it, hang in there."
"Trying," Lena moved to the side when Nattie snapped at her again, smashing its face against the wall.
She only got a few seconds respite because Nattie was on her again, using the wall to propel himself at Lena, its claws embedding in Lena's ribcage.
Lena could feel herself being overpowered when there was a popping sound and the water slowly began to drain out.
"Finally," Lena whispered, bouncing on her toes when she was finally on the ground again.
Nattie was just as brutish as she remembered, charging Lena with power only rivalled by rhino, and it got her a few times, breaking a few ribs and probably her pelvis.
But Lena fought, getting hit after hit in on the piranha hybrid, webbing it to the wall when it was weak enough.
Lena hopped out of the sewers with the last of her energy, stumbling and almost crumbling to her knees when Sam caught her.
"You stink," Sam commented and Lena let a little laugh escape her lips. "You're really hurt, Lena."
"Take me home?" She requested breathlessly.
"Of course, the FBI are taking over here, they are bringing in their meta-human task force." Sam assured, slinging Lena's arm around her shoulder and carrying her body weight as she walked.
They walked past Alex, who eyed them.
"I'm taking her home," Sam explained and Alex nodded, looking from Sam to Lena.
"Thank you for this," she said, eyeing Lena's bloodstained and torn suit. "I've never- thank you."
Lena nodded sluggishly. "It was easy," she said gruffly, even getting a little grin from Alex.
"Keep me posted?" Sam requested.
"Sure," Alex agreed, smiling softly at Sam.
"You get her number?" Lena asked, just barely able to keep her head up.
"I did,"
"You go, stud," Lena slapped Sam's stomach, groaning at the sharp pain in her side.
"You deserved that," Sam murmured.
Sam took Lena back to her place, stripping off Lena's suit before softly lowering her down onto her bed.
"How is the compressed suit coming along?"
"S'getting there." Lena murmured sleepily, her eyes slipping closed as she sunk into Sam's mattress. "Keeps blowin' m'up."
"That's an issue." Sam hummed, skimming her fingertips over the slowly healing wounds covering Lena's back and side. "You're going to get yourself killed one day."
"'Veryone dies eventually," Lena's voice was muffled by Sam's pillow.
Sam sighed, and the last thing Lena remembered before she passed out was Sam kissing her temple and whispering. "I love you, Lee."
—
Lena woke up with a start the following day, jumping out of the bed and whipping around wildly before it dawned on her where she was.
She looked down at herself, her puncture wounds and gashes healed over but were still an after red against her pain skin, including the gashes down her cheeks.
Lena grabbed pair of sweats and Sam's old National City U sweater before making her way out.
"Ah, welcome to the land of the living, idiot." Sam greeted, holding her cup of coffee up at Lena. "You almost got yourself killed last night, I hope your happy."
"Not right now, Sam, please." Lena sighed, her wounds may be healing but her entire body still aches. She sat down across from Sam at the table, then it dawned on her.
Kara. Their standing lunch date.
"Shit," Lena whispered, but before she could move Sam was up, placing a hand on her shoulder as she walked past.
"I called her, told her you weren't feeling great and couldn't make it." Sam explained. "I have cold pasta in the fridge, I will heat it up for you."
"Did they get him?"
"They did,"
"And how is he still alive? I thought they were all exterminated?"
"We did, too." Sam hummed. "But the extermination was never overseen by anyone, it was just entrusted that they were exterminated."
"So, all of those cross species could potentially be held somewhere, just waiting to be released." Lena slid down in her chair, her hand covering her face. "I barely came out on top with Nattie, if there is more than one, I don't-"
"We will figure out what's going on," Sam assured, pulling the plate in the microwave and moving to place a hand on Lena's shoulder, giving it a little squeeze.
Lena swallowed, springing to her feet when Sam turned to leave, quickly grabbing the crook of the girls next and spinning her around.
Sam seemed a little surprised when Lena wrapped her arms tightly around her waist but she quickly reciprocated the hug, wrapping an arm around Lena's back, the other moving to cup Lena's head, holding her tight against her.
Lena tucked her head under Sam's chin.
"You're incredible, Lena." Sam whispered against her best friends temple. "What you do, it is way beyond anything ever expected of you. It is infuriating sometimes, just how little value you put on your own life. But you are amazing, I hope you know that."
Lena probably would have cried if she wasn't so exhausted.
Sam has to leave for work not long after that, but Lena tucked herself up on Sam sofa, cocooning herself in the duvet as she watched TV.
It was almost five when there was a soft knock on the door, and Lena stood unsurely, glancing at herself in the mirror as she headed for the door, noting that the cuts on her face were essentially none existent, apart from the redness in her cheeks, which could very easily be passed off as redness of her cheeks from being 'sick'.
And she was thankful that when she opened the door to a unsure looking Kara, holding a Tupperware.
"Lena, hey," Kara greeted in a soft voice, and Lena felt herself swoon a little at Kara dressed in sweat pants and a crew neck sweater, the sleeves pulled down over her hands as she held the Tupperware.
"Kara," Lena breathed. "Hi."
"Sam said you were sick, so I made Eliza's special sick soup. A soup for when you're sick, not a soup of sick." Kara clarified, and Lena smiled fondly at her. "I asked Eliza for the recipe this morning when I found out, so I didn't really have enough time to make it like she would, but hopefully it's good."
Kara thrusted the Tupperware out toward Lena.
"Thank you," Lena accepted the soup gratefully, touched by the gesture.
"Sure, no problem." Kara waved her hand before fixing her glasses. "I knew something had to be wrong if you didn't make lunch today, you never break your promises, so when Sam called it all made sense."
"I'm really sorry I couldn't make it,"
"That okay, you're sick."
"Do you- I mean, I'm only watching David Attenborough stuff but, if you aren't busy, do you want to come in?"
"If you don't mind?"
"Of course not, we can share the soup." Lena stepped aside and nodded for Kara to enter.
"Are you feeling better after sleeping it off?" Kara asked, setting the Tupperware on the counter and turning to Lena.
"I am, I feel so much better."
"You still looked flushed," Kara commented, touching the back of her hand to Lena's cheek. "Do you have an appetite?"
"Not so much right now," Lena said apologetically. "But if you are hungry you should make food."
"I'm okay," Kara lifted up onto her toes, her hands clasped in front of her.
She was nervous, and it took a while for Lena to realise why.
"Kara," Lena started. "About, last night, I'm sorry about kissing you."
"Oh," Kara blinked. "I mean, that's okay, I get that it was a spur of the moment thing."
"It was, and I should have asked you before doing it."
"Ask me?"
"Well, yeah, I shouldn't have invaded you personally space."
Kara nodded, playing with her sleeve. "It's okay, no harm."
"Let's go get comfortable,"
They settled on the sofa, Lena offering to share the duvet with Kara, their knees pressed together.
"Winn really enjoyed spending time with you last night." Kara commented.
"I really enjoyed spending time with Winn. He is exceptionally clever. I enjoyed spending time with everyone else, too."
"Except James," Kara said, shaking her head when Lena went to defend herself. "I saw how he treated you, Lena. I gave him an earful for it when you left. You know, maybe he got you sick, he has been sick on and off for months now."
"Maybe," Lena hummed.
Kara stayed for a few hours, only leaving when Sam came home, prompting both girls to get ready and head home.
"Text me when you get home, okay? And let me know if you're feeling better." Kara requested.
"Okay, you too, the home safe part."
"I'm two buildings over, I'll be okay." Kara motioned over her shoulder, a soft smile on her lips. "Goodnight, Lena."
"Goodnight, Kara." Lena turned to leave before she could do anything stupid again, only getting a few steps before turning back to Kara.
"Hey," she started, stopping in her tracks when she noticed Kara was just watched her leave. Kara looked a little flustered when she realised she had been caught. "Give Winn my number? I want to talk to him about working for me."
"Oh, he will be really happy about that, I will text him as soon as I'm home."
They went their separate ways after that, Lena taking her time as she strolled through the National City streets, taking comfort in her feet planted firmly on the ground and her having nowhere to be.