Fall 2016

Kara didn't sleep at all last night. She had told her sister that the rescue of the Venture had exhausted her and pretended to go to bed to avoid talking with her about Lena. That conversation, which promised to be very difficult, could wait until tomorrow. But tomorrow was here and she wasn't more ready today than she was yesterday. Alex knew about Kara's friendship with Lena but she never really met the woman. Alex was already studying in Metropolis at the time Kara went to high school and the whole family moved out to National City right after the final exams, when the Lex's disaster broke out. The fact that Alex knew of Lena mostly through her connexion with the latter's crazy brother didn't help Kara's case at all. Moreover, like the situation wasn't already bad enough, the DEO investigation on the crash revealed that the explosion was provoked by a device manufactured by Luthor Corp. At this point, Kara thought that it couldn't possibly be worse but then, Hank showed up, holding some kind of list in his hand. It turned out that Lena was supposed to be a passenger of the Venture but of course, she never showed up. After all this information was shared at the briefing table at the DEO facility, Kara wanted to disappear somewhere far away where her sister couldn't find her. Ever. Alex's was already glaring at her across the table with that look Kara knew well meant : "Kara, I know you, don't do anything stupid". And then Superman saved the day. Literally.

-"I could go interview Miss Luthor as Clark Kent" her cousin said. "That way we will know her version of what happened and I could take a quick look around her office" he proposed. Before someone could add something, Kara jumped on the occasion.

-"I could come too !" she exclaimed enthusiastically. The look on Hank's face told Kara she needed to be a little more convincing. "I'm a reporter too now so this could be a good first experience..." she tried but judging by Hank's still furrowed brow, she wasn't persuading anyone, she was digging herself. "And two pairs of X-ray vision are better than one" she finally said, smiling awkwardly.

-"OK. You two go" Hank suddenly said, pointing at both Superman and Supergirl. Then, he exited the room making clear that the meeting was over. Kara couldn't believe her luck but she wouldn't push it either. So she left the room as fast as she could without using super speed before Alex got the chance to scold her.

-"Kara !" Clark yelled. "We're going to be late !"

-"One sec', I'm coming !" Kara answered quickly. After the DEO briefing, the two super cousins decided to meet up at Kara's apartment and go together to their interview with Lena Luthor. It was a perfectly simple task until Supergirl realized that she was going to meet Lena in person after all this years. Lena. Face to face. Suddenly, the question about what to wear became really crucial to Kara. She was still in her super suit, debating relentlessly with herself when Clark showed up at her door. Now, there were getting late and she hadn't made any progress. At Superman last cry of desperation, Kara finally made up her mind. She chose an outfit that was casual, her usual style and above all, comfortable. A simple white and beige linen dress with a light pink cardigan. This would do. It had to.

When they entered the big Luthor Corp building, Kara's nerves went back full force. They had settle down during the trip, when she was occupied chatting with her cousin but now, she has nothing to focus herself on beside the insane width of the building. As Clark was asking the receptionist to inform his boss of their arrival, she turned her head towards the "ding" sound coming from one of the four elevators. How many floor this building must hold so there would be four elevators needed ? Kara never got time to assess the question as the first person to exit the elevator was none other than Lena herself. She was everything a CEO was supposed to look like Kara thought : classy, poised and a little authoritative. So far away from the geek teenage girl in jeans, snickers and an oversized hoodie she once knew. Kara smiled at the memory but stopped right away when Lena's eyes landed on her. The CEO halted herself on her way out of the elevator, confusing the man she was talking too. She dismissed him with a few words and wave of her hand, her eyes never leaving Kara's. Lena seemed to wonder if this was really her long time high school friend or just someone who really looked like her but then Kara saw it. The ghost of a smile at the corner of Lena's mouth. It started stretching, more and more as the seconds went on. Lena took a step forward and opened her mouth as if to say something when Clark, who caught sight of her from the reception, passed by Kara to greet the CEO.

-"Miss Luthor" he said startling Lena a little. "I believe we're your three o'clock appointment". This is Kara Danvers from CatCo Magazine" he continued, indicating his cousin with a gesture of his hand. At that, Lena smiled crookedly, glad to have been right about the identity of her charming visitor.

-"CatCo ?" Lena repeated. "It's a publication not known for its hard-hitting journalism, more like high-waisted jeans : yes or no ?" she added smirking. The Luthor's wardrobe may have changed since the last time Kara saw her but apparently some things stayed the same. How could she have forget about Lena's love for teasing ?

-"I'm... I'm just tagging along today" Kara finally managed to respond, adjusting her glasses nervously.

-"Right" Lena said, proud that her teasing still had effect on her long-time friend. "And who are you exactly ?" she added, turning toward Clark.

-"I'm Clark Kent, from..." Clark started to say when Lena suddenly cut him off.

-"The Daily Planet" she finished for him.

-"That's right" Clark confirmed. "We were going to do an interview about the Venture" he went on, smiling. Apparently, he didn't notice the effect his name had on Lena. She stopped smiling immediately after he said it and something changed in her eyes. There were suddenly cold and, if Kara dared to admit it, a little dangerous.

-"I was on my way to my office" the CEO said. "Follow me and let's do this interview" she added and started walking, not waiting for a response.

After a quick walk in a maze of hallways, stairs and doors, they finally reached Lena's office.

-"There's a perfectly reasonable explanation for why I wasn't on board of the Venture yesterday" Lena started explaining while entering her office and hanging her coat.

-"I had an emergency meeting regarding the planning for the ceremony I'm holding tomorrow about renaming my family's company so I had to cancel" she continued putting down her bag.

-"Lucky" Clark said in an awful cynical tone. Kara didn't really understand what was going on between her cousin and her friend but it wasn't pleasant to watch at all.

Lena laughed sarcastically. "Lucky is Superman saving the day".

Clark returned her laugh. "That's not something one expects a Luthor to say" he said smirking.

-"Can we just speed this interview along ? Lena asked impatiently while pouring herself a glass of water. "Just ask what you want to ask Mr. Kent" she continued, sitting behind her desk. "Did you have anything to do with the Venture explosion ?" she finished, grabbing a pen and opening a file on her desk.

-"Did you ?" Clark asked seriously, his eyes never leaving the CEO's.

-"You wouldn't be asking me if my last name was Smith" Lena replied, squaring her jaw.

-"No but it's not. It's Luthor" Clark continued, smirking.

-"Some steel under that Kansas wit" Lena said with a devilish smile.

This interview was turning into a wrestling match and Kara couldn't do anything but to watch from the sidelines, hoping none of them would decide to rip the other's throat. She would hate having to choose between the two of them. Fortunately, her cousin decided not to respond at his opponent's last verbal provocation.

-"It wasn't always" Lena spoke again, suddenly very serious. "I was adopted when I was four" she added, this time looking directly at Kara instead of Clark. It was as if Lena wanted to be sure, by looking into Kara's eyes, that the latter still remembered the intimate things they had once said to each other about their lives. Kara couldn't have forget that part of Lena's story. It was what brought them instantly close : both adopted girls with an adoptive older sibling they loved like their family of origin. In fact, Lena was talking to Clark about her brother now, how he made her feel welcomed in the Luthor family. Kara remembered that part very well too. But this time, her friend's tone was different from the one she used with Kara when she told her. While before it sounded happy, it was now sad and tinged with nostalgia. Kara wanted to say something, show Lena she cared but instead, she chose to take a quick look around the office with her x-ray vision while the CEO was looking through the window. Better to stay occupied than say something that might betray her cousin involvement in Lex's downfall. Nothing was out of place as expected. Kara had trusted Lena that first day of school with her locker and she was right to do so. She won't stop now. Not after letting her down that awful summer many years ago.

-"I'm just a woman trying to make a name for herself outside of her family" Lena said, pulling Kara out of her deep thinking. "You understand that ?" the CEO continued.

-"Yes !" Kara responded a little too enthusiastically. She knew that feeling very well. When she landed on Earth for the first time and discovered that her little cousin she had vowed to protect was, in fact, all grown up and above all, had become the earthlings' superstar, she felt it distinctly. Clark noticed her little outburst but decided not to act on it beside a quick sideways glance in Kara's direction. After that, Lena stood up and retrieved a flash drive which contained all the plans on the part that exploded on the Venture and gave it to Clark. She asked him to give her a chance at a fresh start but Clark didn't answered and threw a cold : "good day Miss Luthor" at her before turning his back on her. And like that, the interview was over. Kara didn't want to go. There was so much she wanted to say to Lena ! But now was not the time. The Luthor wasn't aware of Kara's and Clark's blood connection and every second spent together in front of the CEO increased their chance to betray themselves. So instead, Kara opted for a quick "good day" and exited the office behind her cousin with her head bowed.