SuperCoffee Returns 8: Eight Texts of Hope

National City, Earth-36 - 2011

Kelly was sitting by the window sill in her apartment. It was the two year anniversary of the day they met. So a celebratory drink was in order. Alex had texted to say she was on her way over. They were going to meet at the bar but she had something she wanted to say first.

Alex knocked before entering, because it was only polite. She was nervous, this was a big night for both of them. The ring box was sitting in her jacket pocket minding its own business. She anxiously touched every few minutes just to check it hadn't disappeared. And her hands were sweating. Kelly opened the door whilst she was mid-check and she had to drop her hands and make a face that looked suspiciously awkward. "Come in," the brunette said lightly, cocking an eyebrow at her girlfriend but not raising it.

Alex walked inside the apartment and leaned against the counter. When Kelly handed her a glass of wine she chugged it. It was bad. "Alex are you okay?" She asked, trying to brush off her worries and concentrating on what she wanted to say.

"Yeah no, I'm fine. Totally absolutely fine." Her panic face was enough to make Kelly sceptical. That and Alex was waving her hands around like a crazy person.

"What is it, babe?" Kelly stood in front of her, a serious expression on her face. She managed to catch Alex's eyes and made her focus, stop avoiding the question.

"No, you wanted to talk. You talk," she said graciously. Looking into Kelly's eyes was a cure-all for calming her down. She put the ring to the back of her mind and just listened to the love of her life.

"Alright, but we are coming back to you later." Alex nodded, Kelly took a deep breath, smiled and braced herself for saying what she had to say. She took Alex's hands, she wanted to do this here, just the two of them. "Alex. I love you... more than I ever thought I would. When you're there for me, you're there for my whole heart. And I know that you're young and you have so much more you wanna do before settling down but-"

"Oh no." Alex said out loud. Cutting Kelly off, and making her face turn into a twist of confusion. She hadn't meant to say it out loud. But this was not how she saw this going. Before she could think anything, a tiny piece of relief followed by immense panic, washed through her.

"Alex, what? What's oh no?" Kelly said, her eyebrows knitting together, her frown lines pronouncing as she stood back a little. This wasn't going how she'd planned it either.

"It's nothing. It's not you, I promise. I just have to-" she reached into her pocket and pulled out the small ring box. Kelly's face melted from a pot of crinkles into a blush of excitement. Relief flooded through her too. "I had this whole thing planned with the ring, at the bar. But-" Kelly cut her off with an unexpected kiss.

"Yes." She said before Alex even had the chance to ask the question.

"No wait, let me say what I was gonna say." Alex replied, opening the ring box, the silver band shining in the night. "Kelly you are the love of my life. And yeah there's still a lot that I want to do with my life, but I can't do any of it without you by my side," she was almost crying now. "Kelly, will you marry me?" She didn't bend down on one knee. She didn't need to.

Kelly's face was bright and bursting like a firework. "Yes, of course." They kissed. Alex slipping the ring onto Kelly's finger. "Were you in any doubt?" Alex shook her head and smiled as they kissed again.

Kara was in hopeful despair. She had doubts that her plan would fall through. That it wouldn't be enough. That Lena would always hate her. But she had to try. Alex and Kelly were having a party next week to celebrate their engagement, so she'd set a goal for that. She wanted Lena there with her, it was the perfect place to meet and talk because it wasn't all about them. If Lena wanted to leave she could. If she wanted to fly home and cry, it was okay because it wasn't her party. Though she was hoping that wouldn't happen because she really didn't want to ruin Alex and Kelly's day. She had her fingers crossed.

On the first day her text read; you'll find me between the shadow and the soul, locked in bathroom. Poetry she'd picked out of a book, she hadn't told Alex what she was going to write in each one. That seemed like a violation of privacy. Everyday she was going to send one and hope for a reply. She'd already invited Lena to the party without getting a response, so this was the last hope.

I miss you. Was day two, followed by day three's; you don't know how sorry I am for keeping it from you. I never meant for it to come between us. And day four's; I was enchanted to meet you.

Day five was a bit different, it was a link to one of The Daily Planet's articles about Superman visiting sick children on a ward the Luthor family had paid for. Alongside the caption, a Super and a Luthor working together.

Each time she left the messages sit on her phone, unread and unanswered. Knowing that maybe Lena was reading them anyway. Maybe she didn't know how to reply. On day six, Kara wrote; I think of you everywhere. And on day seven, as her hope was starting to dwindle and Alex was reminding her about the food for the party, her message, I hope that hope is not lost, that we can spring back from this, that we are stronger together, that I will cherish you and never keep things from you. Recieved that gleeful message of READ.

She sent the last text from a table the night of the party, her dress rubbing against the chair and her shoulders chilling in the open air weather. Kelly and Alex looked so happy dancing together. She wanted that, she wanted to be that happy. She just hoped she was doing the right thing here. Would Lena ever forgive her?

It was one simple line. I love you.