A/N: Hello everyone,

my heartfelt apologies for being gone for so long.
First I was sick, then one of my dogs got sick right in time for Christmas and afterwards my motivation
decided to take a vacation without me. *rolls eyes*

I hope everyone had lovely holidays and a great beginning of 2017!

Thanks for all the kudos and the reviews, they always make me smile :)
Much love to everyone!

7 - You saved me

She had no idea where she was.
That was the first thought Lena had when she opened her eyes.
She tried to take a look around, but the light was blinding her and her throat was hurting.

That was when her memories came rushing back.
Someone had grabbed her, had pressed a knife to her throat, her skin had broken.
Her mother wanted her dead.
But she was alive. She was also warm and comfortable.
It didn't make sense.

"Good. You're awake."

The voice was somehow familiar.
When Alex Danvers appeared in her field of vision Lena frowned in confusion.

"Do you remember what happened?" the agent asked and Lena nodded before she rasped out her answer, "Someone tried to kidnap me. My mother hired him to...to kill me."

A sympathetic smile appeared on Alex' face, "He's been arrested."

"How did I get here?"
Lena was glad that they had gotten the guy who was supposed to end her, but it only made her wonder more about what had happened after she had apparently passed out.

"Supergirl."
Alex said it as if it would be the most obvious thing and maybe it was, but Lena couldn't remember seeing her there.

"She was patrolling around the city and she wanted to check on you...that's when she saw what happened. She brought you here", Alex added when she saw the growing confusion on Lena Luthor's face.

"Where am I?" Lena slowly registered that she wasn't in a real hospital although that had been her first conclusion, "Is Kara alright?"

Alex' expression grew serious, "Please, don't let anyone know that you know...that Kara is Supergirl. If J'onn finds out she told someone else he's going to flip. He's already livid that she brought you to the DEO."

Lena nodded, "I won't say anything. Her secret is safe with me, I promise. But what's the DEO?"

"The Department of Extra – Normal Operations. It's where I work", Alex admitted, "The cut on your throat is only superficial. According to Supergirl you must have hit your head when your attacker shoved you into his van, but scans didn't show any sign of brain injury. You should take it slow for a couple of days though as you've been unconscious for a while."

"Thank you, Agent Danvers."

"Don't thank me. I didn't do anything, but put a bandaid on your throat", Alex joked and a small smile appeared on Lena's face, "Then thanks for that. Where's Ka...Supergirl?"

"Doing what she does best...saving people. She should be back soon. She's been worried about you."

The next time Lena woke up Kara was sitting in a chair next to her bed, still in her Supergirl uniform, illuminated by only a night light.

"You saved me."

A smile appeared on Kara's face at the sound of the CEO's voice, "Lena!"

"What time is it?"

Kara shrugged, "It has to be around two in the morning."

Lena's eyes went wide, "What? Why are you still here?"

"Because you are my friend and someone is trying to kill you. Again.", Kara stated matter-of-factly. She waited for Lena's reaction, that would undoubtly come. And she didn't have to wait long.

"I told you before...you can't live in fear. Besides...we all knew it was a real possibility that my mother would send someone after me", Lena tried to play it off, tried to stay strong although the thought of that man doing God knows what to her to have "fun" would undoubtly give her some nightmares.
"Thank you...for saving me. Really. I do appreciate it, Kara. Don't think I'm not grateful, but there might come a day you won't be around."

"I won't let anything happen to you", Kara's determination showed in her voice, "I know you probably think the people in National City won't care if you...that they won't miss you. And they might not, but I do, Lena. I care."
She wanted to tell Lena that she had lost too many people in her life, that all the loss was overwhelming her and that she couldn't lose her too, but Kara was aware that it was neither the place, nor the time.

Lena turned her head away from Kara, afraid that she would start to cry and she felt vulnerable enough as it was, lying in a hospital bed, without make up and completely worn out .
The concept of her mattering to someone was so foreign to Lena, she couldn't quite grasp it and it scared her if she was honest and yet she was so glad that someone did care about her for a change.

"I'm going to stay here with you tonight and we'll talk about the rest in the morning", Kara announced and didn't leave any room for discussions, "Before you try to say 'no'...it's not negotiable."

Alex and Kara had driven her home in the morning although Lena had insisted that she was fine and that she could go to work, but neither one of the Danvers sisters had even bothered to hear her out.
They had blatantly ignored her all the way to her loft and once they had arrived there they had explained their plan of action to her.
Needless to say Lena hadn't liked it one bit, but she had found out quickly that while Kara could be easily swayed or distracted, Supergirl couldn't. She was way too confident and determined, and stubborn as well, and Lena had lost the argument before it had even started.

And so Supergirl had escorted her to and from work the next couple of days and some special agents had been added to the security staff of L-Corp.
One of them had stayed with Lena at all times and she had gotten quite frustrated by the lack of privacy.

The highlight of her days had been her few moments with Supergirl, simply because the knowledge of Kara caring so much about her had made her feel that she was worth something for a change.
But Kara, or better Supergirl, had been extremely busy protecting the city the closer Christmas had come and Lena had spent most of her time in solitude as usual.

And that was why she was sitting in her office on Christmas eve, doing what she always did during holidays – she kept herself busy with work while one of her new "bodyguards" sat on the couch motionlessly.
She knew he had to be grumpy or even angry, because he had a wife and kids and he shouldn't be here and neither should she and while she didn't look forward to sitting in her loft all by herself she felt sorry for the man, who hadn't done anything to deserve this.
It was the reason why she told him to bring her home in the end.
She was one of the good ones after all.

Kara was sitting at the dinner table, watching her friends chat and eat, smiles on their faces, but she couldn't bring herself to join in.
She didn't even feel hungry and that was what got Alex attention in the end.
Ever since Kara had come to live with them there hadn't been a single day where she had moved her food around on the plate like she did now.
Something had to be wrong and Alex was pretty sure that she knew what it was.

She got up and dragged Kara with her into her sister's bedroom while Eliza stared after them in worry.

"What's going on?"

Kara tried to avoid Alex' eyes, "Nothing."

"Just go and I'll tell them you are out on Supergirl business or something", Alex offered, but Kara shook her head, "I can't just...it's Christmas eve."

"Exactly. And we should be with the people we want to be with", Alex countered, causing her sister's eyes to go wide.

"Don't think I don't want to be here! It's just...she's alone and she shouldn't be. But with everything going on I forgot to talk to Eliza...and now...I didn't invite her over either. I don't even know why I didn't...I should have", Kara let herself drop to her bed with a sigh, "Look at the boys...they are having a great time and we all know it wouldn't be the same if Lena would be here because they're all so reserved whenever she's around. I don't want to ruin Christmas for anyone...after the year we had."

"Kara", Alex sat down next to her sister and hugged her close with one arm, "Lena is your friend and she's having a really hard time. You're right...she shouldn't be alone. Go...at least make sure she's alright. I'll talk to Eliza. I'll explain the situation to her. I'm sure it will be alright. Convince her to come over tomorrow and if she survives a Danvers Christmas I might consider trusting her."

Kara had to laugh at Alex' comment and hugged her sister back, "Thank you, Alex. You're the best, really. I love you."

"I love you too. Now go and let me deal with the rest of the squad."

She was glad to see that Lena's office was dark when she flew by, but as soon as she landed on the balcony of the CEO's loft Kara's heart broke.

Lena was sitting on the couch of the living room, wrapped up in a blanket, a bottle of whiskey in one hand, an old photograph of her and Lex in the other.

Kara's initial plan of just dropping by vanished into thin air at the sight, because Lena really shouldn't be alone tonight.
She knocked on the glass door, careful not to smash it and watched as Lena jumped at the sound.

It took a moment for the CEO to collect herself and get to her feet and Kara winced as she saw her stumble, but as soon as Lena opened the door and Supergirl entered the loft a smile spread on both of their faces.

"What are you doing here? On Christmas eve no less", Lena wanted to know while Kara scanned the loft, "Lena, where is..."

"I sent him home."

"Lena!"
She might be dressed as Supergirl, but in that moment she didn't feel strong or confident or anything other than scared for her friend, "He was supposed to make sure that you're safe!"

Lena scoffed, "A single man can't keep me safe, especially not from my mother's people. We both know that. And he deserved to be with his family...it's Christmas eve after all. Which brings me back to my question...what are you doing here?"

"I came to check on you", Kara explained, "And...and to invite you...to spend the day with us tomorrow."

Lena's eyes went comically wide, "W-what?"

"We're having a big Christmas breakfast at my place...the guys will be there...and Alex and Maggie, my mom, J'onn..."

"And you want me to come too?" Lena tried to wrap her head around Kara's question, but it made no sense to her. Why would Kara want her there?

"Yes."
There was no hesitation on Kara's part, no sign of doubt and it made Lena's heart flutter to know that she was wanted somewhere for once.

She nodded and watched a huge smile appear on Kara's face, "Awesome!"

Used to Supergirl's short visits Lena prepared herself for the inevitable, "Thanks for coming by. And for inviting me. I'll see you tomorrow morning then. When should I be there?"

"I'm not leaving."
The words were out of Kara's mouth before she could have thought better of it, "I mean...I can go if...if you want me to go. Then I'll fly circles round the block all night 'cause I'm not leaving you here by yourself."

"Do you really think if my mother has sent someone else...that they would strike tonight?" Lena eyed Supergirl expectantly and Kara shifted her weight from foot to foot uncomfortably, "How do you usually spend the holidays?"

"By myself. In my office, working. Why?"

"Exactly my point", Kara argued, "And your mother knows that, doesn't she? Hell, I half expected you to be at L-Corp..."

Lena dropped her gaze somewhat sheepishly, "I was. But then I felt so sorry for my bodyguard...so I made him bring me home and go to be with his family."

"You should have called me!"

"Kara, you deserve to spend Christmas with your family, with your friends...there's so much going on in your life all the time with you being Supergirl...you should be with the people you want to be with, not babysit me."

Hands on her hips Supergirl met Lena's gaze, determination written all over her face. In that moment she was every bit the girl of steel, strong and invincible, "And what makes you think I'm not exactly where I want to be? Because the way I see it, Lena...I didn't have to come over here tonight...and yet here I am. You didn't ask me to...I came because I wanted to. It was my choice."

Lena didn't know what to say to that, so she simply sat down on the couch while her mind raced a mile a minute.
Nothing and everything made sense to her at the same time and she wondered how long this newfound peace would last, because clearly it wouldn't be permanent.
Her brother wanted her dead. Her mother wanted her dead. The people of National City hated her.

But in this moment she didn't care, because it was Christmas eve and for the first time in years she wasn't alone.
And not only wasn't she alone, she was with a friend. With someone who truly cared about her, who protected her and who trusted her.

When Kara sat down next to her and reached out to squeeze her hand encouraginly Lena couldn't help, but smile again.

"Take out and movies?" she asked and Kara nodded enthusiastically, "I already ate dinner, but I could do with some potstickers...in case someone delivers on Christmas eve."

Lena chuckled, "They deliver to me."

"Great!"

She wasn't sure how it had happened or what she had done to deserve any of this, but when Lena found herself eating potstickers and watching The Polar Express with Supergirl on Christmas eve about half an hour later she was sure it had to be her best one so far.

They had shared some good memories of their childhood while they had waited for their food to arrive and now that they followed a children filled train to the North pole the reality of the situation hit her with full force.

They shouldn't be friends, they should be enemies.
And yet here they were like it had always been meant to be this way.

She was still dressed up in her work clothes, including her heels and yet she didn't feel like a Luthor at all.
And if the gleeful expression on her face was anything to go by Supergirl was really "just" Kara in this moment although she was still wearing her cape.

Against all odds they had become allies and friends.
Most importantly though they were so much more than a Luthor and a Super.
Right then they "simply" were themselves.
Lena and Kara.
They could be that with each other.
And that was all that really mattered.