3
Kara ran a hand over the island counter, tracing a memory with the tips of her fingers.
She imagined flour and colored sugars sprinkled over the marbled countertop with most of the flour on everything but the dough.
A small smile pulled at the corners of her mouth.
With only two weeks until Christmas, she and Lena had made Christmas cookies.
Kara stopped on the other side of the island, her hand settling over a small chip in the glazed surface. She'd never forget how beautiful Lena looked that evening. She'd been dressed down in leggings and a large cream sweater, but even fresh-faced, her eyes had sparkled in the light. She'd looked so at home in the holiday-decorated house with the pine tree dressed in fake snow and white lights that matched the room's modern interior.
Kara inhaled. She could almost smell the sweetness of the cookies, the bitter notes of brewing coffee, the subtle tones of Lena's perfume. They were reminders of home—something Kara had not experienced in 18 months.
Everyone—not just those in National City—thought Supergirl was dead. That Kara Danvers was dead. Her family—those at the DEO, Alex, her wife—they'd given up hope a long time ago, Kara knew. She understood. It's hard to continuing thinking someone isn't dead when all the evidence says otherwise. For a while, even Kara doubted she was alive. But after she was saved—that was a story for another time.
Right now, the thought of seeing Lena again nearly consumed her. She hadn't been to see Alex yet. She needed to see her wife, kiss and hug her, feel her skin and know that she was indeed real. Kara needed to know she hadn't awoken in a dream instead of reality. For the longest time, she hadn't been able to tell the difference between the two. After a while, she'd been able to tell hallucination from reality because the fabricated dreams ended with Lena by her side. Waking up to a world without her had been the terrible truth of Kara's new reality. For all she knew, this was another hallucination induced by the drugs injected into her weakened body, but a small part of her fought that lie. She knew this was real. This was her house just outside of National City, she was on Earth-38, and if she rounded the corner, she'd find Lena hunched over her desk sorting through paperwork from L-Corp. Kara told herself that over and over as she moved away from the island counter, her hand falling to her side.
She crossed the living room and peeked into the spacious office, the blue morning light filtering through the white curtains. Kara swallowed, her fingers tugging at the strings in the holes of her jeans. She'd dressed simply—in jeans and a crop top—the first normal outfit in nearly two years. She'd wanted Kara Danvers to come home to her wife, not Supergirl. The last thing she wanted Lena to see was the House of El crest when Lena was her home now, not Krypton.
Kara had been right, though, and her small grin widened slightly at the sight before her. Lena sat bent over her desk, her head bowed, an idle hand stroking the frame of a picture: her and Kara on their honeymoon.
They both had just woken up, bedheads and all, but the sun was beautiful, and in that moment, Kara had wanted to capture it—capture her in all her glory. Lena lay snuggled up against Kara's body, her head under the soft part between her jaw and shoulder. A soft smile tugged at the corners of her lips as Kara placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.
She never wanted to forget that moment, that feeling of peace. Never wanted to forget the love that had all but incapacitated her. Lena was not her Kryptonite—she was her yellow sun, her strength, her reason to heal. And now she was here, beckoning Kara to come envelope her with every ounce of her love.
Kara opened her mouth, a hand rising, but she paused. She took a steadying breath and tried again, this time bringing a fist to her mouth and clearing her throat as softly as possible.
Lena whirled around, fear in her eyes, and, as if someone had paused a video, she just…stopped. Then, slowly, a hand crept to her face, covering her mouth. Tears welled over the disbelief which widened her eyes. Disbelief and…relief, perhaps.
Kara didn't know what it was at first—the sound that escaped Lena. Only when Lena crashed into her, her arms crushing Kara's neck, did she realize it had been a sob. Kara picked her wife up in both her arms and spun her around, her face buried in her hair, her scent. She wanted to drown in Lena's scent, wanted to be completely and utterly consumed by it. She cupped Lena's head with a hand and finally let go. Her whole body shuddered as she released the months of sorrow, grief, and anger as it all turned to undiluted love.
At last, Lena pulled away, her eyes puffy and red. Her hands traced Kara's face, her slim fingers lingering at her jaw. "It's really you?"
The sound of her voice nearly broke Kara's heart.
Kara lifted a hand and wiped the tears from Lena's face, surprised at the softness of her skin against her calloused palm. The flush of her cheeks wasn't make-up, but natural color, and for some reason, that lightened Kara's heart to know her wife hadn't lost herself. Of course she hadn't—Lena was strong to a fault, and she didn't depend upon Kara to function. Lena had chosen her, which made Kara love her all the more strongly. She wasn't needed by Lena—she was wanted.
Kara took Lena's hand by her jaw and pressed a soft kiss to her palm. "I've missed you," she whispered into her skin, her voice heavy unspoken words.
Lena searched her face, her mouth open as she blinked multiple times, seemingly struggling for words. More tears fell, and she hiccupped, the back of her hand pressed against her mouth. Despite the heave of her shoulders, despite her body being racked with sobs, a smile bloomed behind her hand. "You're alive," she sniffled.
"I'm alive," Kara nodded, unable to hold back the smile that had formed inside her. She placed her hands around Lena's neck, cradling her face. "I'm alive and I'm home," she whispered, her lips a hair's breadth from Lena's.
Lena's hands wrapped around Kara's wrists, and before Kara could register how her touch affected her, Lena's lips were on hers.
She tasted like honey and scotch and sunlight after a rainy afternoon.
She was sweet like peaches, comforting like being wrapped in a blanket, and calming like the feeling during an evening blue hour.
She was a drug Kara wanted to overdose on because no matter how much she tasted, it left her wanting more.
Lena was dangerous, beautiful perfection.
"I love you," Kara breathed on her tongue. "I love you more than anything in this universe."
"I didn't realize how much I need you," Lena whispered, "until you were gone. I didn't realize how much I need your smile, your laugh, your voice—" Lena kissed Kara, leaving her breathless. "—your lips. You are my other half, my wife, my soulmate, and I love you, Kara. I love you with everything that I am."
Kara's lips parted into a grin against Lena's mouth. "And here I thought you didn't need me."
A chuckle shook Lena's chest. "I will always need you," she said, "but I will always want you, too. You are my choice, Kara Zor-EL, from now until the end of it all."
Kara lifted Lena into her arms, her legs wrapping around Kara's middle as she walked toward the bedroom. She stared into her wife's emerald eyes, her expression conveying everything. I am yours and you are mine, Lena Luthor. "Until the end of it all."