Chapter Fifteen - The Fortress of Solitude

Lena had not expected Kara to land on her balcony that lunch time but when she heard the tell tale whoosh of her cape and thud of her boots she turned around to face her with a smile already spreading over her face.

"Kara!" she greeted as she stood but before she had taken even one step she had her arms full of Kara who seemed to be trying to make a full body hug a sport. "Are you ok darling?"

Kara leaned into her and dropped a soft kiss on Lena's lips that Lena enthusiastically returned before Kara replied, "There's been so many times I wanted to greet you like that ..." Kara drawled with her crooked smile. Lena reached back for Kara and deepened the kiss. She wrapped her arms around Kara's shoulders and gasped into Kara's mouth when she lifted her suddenly causing her to wrap her legs around Kara's waist. Kara walked a few steps before she gently lowered Lena onto her desk. Lena, however, did not loosen her legs from around Kara's waist and kept her close, continuing the kisses until she eventually had no choice but to break apart to take a few deep breaths, as well as to remind herself that she was at work and Jess could walk in at any moment.

"I'm sorry I didn't plan on ..." Kara started as she tried to move away but Lena tightened her grip with both her legs and her arms preventing Kara from moving. Realistically Lena knew that if Kara did want to move away that there was nothing that she could do to prevent it but Kara just settled back against Lena.

"You never have to apologise for kissing me like that." Lena told her as she rested her forehead against Kara's.

"I missed you." Kara sighed, "Is that weird? It's only been a few hours but I really did."

Lena just smiled and gave her a soft kiss before finally untangling her arms and legs from Kara and they broke apart. Lena slid off the desk and stood in front of Kara who took her hand in hers with a small squeeze. "Not that I'm not really glad to see you but why am I seeing you now? We didn't make plans for lunch, did we?"

"No Zhao," Kara gently shook her head. "After our conversation this morning, I couldn't stop myself, so I've been to The Fortress and made the necessary adjustments to the security measures so Kalex will allow you access to the full archives."

"Kara ..." Lena started but Kara jumped in quickly.

"You have access and I will not revoke it so it's up to you now. I'd like to take you there myself right now so I can show you if you have some time free?" Kara looked so nervous that any doubts she had about Kara giving anyone access especially herself faded away.

"Of course, darling, just let me let Jess I'll be away for a while and then we can portal over there."

"Or I could fly us?" Kara said hopefully.

"As much as I love being in your arms there are certain things that the portals are better for, like travelling long distances through arctic weather." Lena headed to the office door and gave Jess quick instructions that she would be gone for a while and to make sure she too had lunch before she locked the office door and retrieved the portal watch.

"Why don't you wear that watch all the time?" Kara asked as Lena quickly programmed the destination and opened the portal.

"Because I prefer to wear your signal watch and besides I need to build one of my own from scratch so I never have anything Lex produced on my person. I just haven't found the time yet."

"But this would give you a quick escape if anyone tried to ..."

Lena chuckled, interrupting Kara. "Darling, as if you wouldn't be there faster than I could open a portal and get through it."

Kara's expression softened as this, "Always." She replied. Lena took her hand again and they walked through the portal into the Fortress.

"Please identify." Kalex came swooping towards them as they crossed the threshold.

"Kara Zor-El, of the house El." Kara stated as Kalex scanned her.

"Identity confirmed, welcome home Kara Zor-El." Kalex said before turning their scan on Lena. "Please identify?" it said again.

"Lena Luthor." She stated.

Kalex completed the scan, "Identity partially confirmed, please state identity."

"I forgot to tell you." Kara said quickly, "You need to state your name and that you are my betrothed for the access."

"I ..." Lena started but Kalex repeated.

"Please confirm full identity, failure to do so and the system will engage the anti intruder protocol."

"Lena Luthor, betrothed of Kara Zor-El of the house of El." She quickly stated.

"Identity confirmed. Welcome home Lena Luthor." Kalex hovered near them both, "May I be of assistance today?"

"No thank you Kalex, I am here to show Lena the archives. Please ensure that you give her full access whenever she is in The Fortress. If she asks for anything you should treat the request as though it comes directly from me."

"Understood Kara Zor-El." Kalex zoomed away.

"Your betrothed?" Lena asked with her signature eyebrow raise.

"I ... well on Krypton ... the thing is ... to get you access I just ..." Kara stammered.

As adorable as Lena thought Kara was when she rambled she chuckled and squeezed her hand that she still held. "Come on 'betrothed'" she stressed the word, "Let's have a look at these archives."

Kara nodded and led her to a closed door towards the rear of The Fortress. "The control panels over there," Kara pointed to the panels they always used when they were at The Fortress, "Are sort of like an access terminal rather than the main terminal so through here ..." Kara paused as a beam from just above the door scanned her and Lena and then the door opened, "Is where the main access point is."

Lena and Kara stepped through the door into a room that had a bridge leading to a sort of island in the middle of the room. This island was surrounded by a sharp fall on all sides with the bridge as the only way across. Kara pulled her by her hand across the bridge to the structure on the 'island'.

"How did ..." Lena asked as she looked down as they crossed.

"It was part of the programming for The Fortress that the archive is protected. The ravine was drilled by crystals and the only entrance is that door which has what we would know as DNA scanners which have the same anti intruder protocols as Kalex. Even if you were to enter undetected, the console itself is designed with certain fail safes so that it's impossible to hack, unlike the outer console which Lillian accessed with my blood. This is linked to your very being, heart rate, DNA profile, voice, retinal ... every security measure you can think of it takes in one fell swoop."

Kara hesitated before reaching the console. "The first time anyone other than Kal or myself accesses this has to be with one of us. We have to give our own access details plus the main access."

"Main access?"

"The system has sort of a master password so to give you access I have to grant it with you here. Place your hand on the console there." Kara pointed to a hand shaped section, she did and watched as Kara reached for an identical section with her own hand. A glow came from the whole console and a voice erupted saying something Lena could not understand. "It's Kryptonian, one second." Kara replied in the same language. The next time the voice erupted Lena could fully understand.

"State your access and personal access code."

"Kara Zor-El ... Lena Luthor my Zhao." Kara stated, with half a look at Lena, a slight blush on her cheeks.

"Oh Kara." Lena couldn't help herself. She wrapped her free arm around Kara's waist and rested her head on Kara's shoulder. "How long has that been your password?"

"... a while." Kara admitted.

"I've been meaning to ask this for a few days since I first hear it, what does Zhao mean?"

Kara paused before turning to look at Lena. "The literal translation is 'my love'. There were many words for love in Kryptonian just as there are many types of love but this is probably the oldest as well as the most sincere form of the term for love, it was usually used for the romantic version of 'I love you' or for as close to true love or soul mate as a pet name."

"I love you." Lena replied, she had many other responses she could have given but this seemed like the only one that really mattered.

"I love you too."Kara grinned. "Now I will ask for you to be given full access. You'll need to repeat the main access code which you will already know and I'll remind you of when I give it and you'll need your own password?"

Lena thought about it for a few seconds but she knew in her heart the one she wanted to give. She nodded at Kara who turned her attention back to the console. "I, Kara Zor-El, give full access to Lena Luthor."

"Personal access code." The voice said.

"Lena Luthor my Zhao."

"State Main Access Code"

"El Mayarah"

"Access granted. Lena Luthor, state your personal access code."

Lena looked to Kara before she spoke, "Kara Danvers, my darling"

"State Main Access Code"

"El Mayarah"

"Full access granted, welcome Lena Luthor."

Kara wrapped her arms around Lena and pulled her into a tight hug, "Thank you." She whispered.

"You never have to thank me for loving you. I do that anyway."

When Kara pulled away she spent a few minutes explaining to Lena how to access what she wanted to see before she looked off to the distance, "I'm sorry Lena I have to go, there's an emergency at NASA. When you're done use your password to lock the main door. I love you."

"Be safe."

With that Kara had whooshed away.