Fun Before The Storm
Kara had been discharged the next morning, and was now resting before the appointment she had with her neurologist, they had talked about everything that was happening to her when she woke up on the hospital, it wasn't easy, Kara had a hard time accepting it, she was very angry with the whole situation.
She was pretty scared of everything, almost too terrified to go to her appointment, but she didn't want to voice these concerns to Lena, who was pretty clearly very nervous already.
Lena had taken the day off to spend it with Kara and go with her to the neurologist. She had already made various resources about PTE and had a list of questions for the doctor. She liked to be prepared, and especially on this case she needed to be, Kara would need her, she even would maybe need someone to stay with her 24/7, if these episodes were to happen often, they would have to talk about that, Lena knew.
"Are you ready honey? We need to be there at 4 pm." Lena asked Kara, who was getting ready in the bathroom. Lena had tried to help her with the bandages for the cuts, but Kara had refused.
"Just a moment Lee, I'm kind stuck here, the wheel is jammed. Can you help me?" Kara yelled from the bathroom.
Lena rushed back to the bathroom to help Kara. When she got there, the front wheel of Kara's wheelchair was stuck in the corner of the toilet, while Kara was trying and failing to get it free.
"It's ok Kara, I'm taking it out." Lena reassured Kara as she got the wheel out.
"Thanks." Kara couldn't lift her eyes to meet Lena's, it was as if she was embarrassed. Lena didn't want to make a deal out of it, so she just left and called for Kara to follow her.
"Let's go honey, or we'll be late." Lena called from the front door, and it prompt Kara to start moving.
Xxx
The car ride was silent, neither of them said a word. But Lena knew Kara was tense, she had had a shock knowing the diagnosis, and she feared Kara spiraling in her head.
They arrived at the clinic with five minutes to spare, although Lena didn't like being late, she knew that by the time they got to the doctor's office they would be, so she rushed them out of the car, even pushing Kara's chair, something she knew Kara didn't like, but alas she didn't want to be late.
As they arrived at the office, Kara's head turned to Lena with a tense expression, a furrowed brow, she was about to start saying something when the assistant got up to greet them.
"Hi, Mrs. Danvers-Luthor Dr. Williams is waiting for you, can you follow me please." She walked towards the hall and then turned, both of them following her.
"Thank you." Lena said to the secretary as they entered the doctor's office.
They entered the office and Lena sat on the chair facing the doctor's desk, and Kara settled beside her. They both greeted the doctor.
Lena started telling the doctor all that had happened to Kara in the previous week and the episode from the day before. Before saying something the doctor asked to see the test results of the MRI and the CT Kara had taken at the hospital. After a few minutes analyzing it he started writing on his notepad and then addressed Kara directly.
"Mrs. Danvers-Luthor you've oddly quiet while your wife recounted everything to me, how are you feeling about this?" Kara lifted her head and looked to doctor Williams.
"Sorry doctor Williams, I am really tired that's all, and to be honest kind of afraid of all this."
"I understand, and I have to be frank with you, both of you. This is a manageable situation, it can be treated with medication, but it is also a highly risky condition. You'll need to start wearing a bracelet that describes your condition, so if anything happens while you're alone or out of your house, someone knows how to help you. It'll need to have someone with you as much as you can, so you don't have a seizure alone, which would be very dangerous. And I'm sorry for this. Also, you can't stop taking your medicine or you'll have more seizures. But even with the medicine they'll happen." He took a breath and continued.
"I know all you've been through Mrs. Danvers-Luthor, so I know you are a tough one. This is not the end of the world, but it will need your attention. It is natural to be afraid of it, but if there's ever anything you need you can my office so we can talk more about this, and if you need a second opinion I understand. But I do agree with Dr. Talbot's assessment. You do have PTE. And I would like to start you on a treatment with new medications to help manage the number of seizures." Doctor Williams finished his explanation and looked back at Kara who had now a full dread look on her face.
"I'm sorry, I'm going to need a moment to digest this." Kara said while Lena squeezed her hand and leaned in to give her strength.
"It's okay Kar, I'm here for you. We'll go through this together as always my love." Lena was so afraid, but she couldn't show this to her wife, who clearly needed her at the moment.
"I'll give the two of you a moment to talk." Doctor Williams said as he left his office.
"Thank you doctor." Lena said.
"Kar, I know this is scary, I'm pretty scared too, but you have me, I won't let anything happen to you darling, not as long as I'm alive. I'll find a way to help you, I promise you." Kara was full on sobbing right now.
"Thank…you… Lee." Kara said between sobs. She tried to stop, to take a breath, but every time she did the tears would spill again.
"I don't know what to do Lee. My body is broken, I can't … I don't…. know… what can I do?... there is just…" Kara couldn't gather her thoughts coherently.
"It's okay honey, let's just hear what the treatment is from the doctor, then we can go home and just eat ice cream in bed together, as much as you want. And we can talk about this on your time, when you think you're ready okay, is that okay with you?" Lena asked as she gave Kara a peck on her lips trying to calm her down.
"Okay. Can you just stay with me this week, I don't want to be with anyone else?" Kara didn't want a baby sitter, she just wanted Lena with her.
"Sure, darling. I'll stay with you." Lena squeezed Kara's hand for comfort.
Doctor Williams entered the office and sat down on his chair while the couple got ready to talk.
"So I gather you talked about it now. I can explain to you what the treatment you entail."
"Yes, please doctor. Will she really need to have someone with her all the time, or could it be like a trained dog, I've seen it in some cases dogs trained to help people who have seizures." At this Kara perked up. Maybe a dog wouldn't be a bad idea.
"Oh yes, there are dogs that are trained to help people who suffer from this, yes this is an option, although to get one you'll have to go through a process and train with the dog. But down the line, it really is something you should consider. For now, you'll need someone who can help Kara, as the seizures are going to be frequent and the medication takes a while to take effect."
"Can't I just stay at home? It will just be safer?" Kara asked the doctor.
"Well, it certainly is easier, but even so if you fall on something that hurts you, you'll need someone there with you at the same time, it's just safer. But, again it's your life Mrs. Danvers-Luthor, you can chose what you want to do." Kara looked down at this, she knew Lena didn't like that question as the look she gave her now told her everything.
"So doctor, what is the treatment like?" Lena asked doctor Williams and he explained everything to them.
They left the doctor's office possibly in a worse mood than when they got there. Kara especially was sullen. Lena stopped at a ice-cream store before going home, and got all of Kara's favorites. They spent the rest of the day at home, eating ice-cream on their bed. Just being with each other. Kara needed this, and Lena gave it to her. She took the whole week of to be with Kara, and rescheduled their game night to the next week. Kara was in no mood to have one.
Xxx
They had been on the road for a couple of hours when Kara said to Alex she was going to try to sleep for a while.
"Sure Kar, rest up tomorrow we'll have a full day too. I wish I could rest too, I'm so tired." Alex said as a yawn made its way through her mouth.
"I can sleep for a couple of hours then you can wake me up and I'll take the wheel okay? I want you to rest too All." Kara said to Alex as she laid on the back seat of the car.
After a couple of hours Alex was driving and she knew the sleep and tiredness were taking hold of her, she was about to wake up Kara, but she guessed she closed her eyes without realizing. The next thing she knew there was a two blinding lights just in front of her and pain a lot of pain.
She heard the noise of the truck after it had hit them, she sensed something sticking out of her stomach, she couldn't even look down, her head was stuck in something. When she looked up that she realized that it was Kara who had been projected over her seat. She had the roof of the car over her, and it looked like Kara was already unconscious.
Alex knew this was it for her, she was hoping Kara would pull through. She sensed the life leaving her body as she heard a few voices outside the car. She was thankful there was someone there to call for help. She about Magie, and a life they would've shared together. A life of accomplishments with Kara, Eliza her mother, she would miss it all. She loved her life and her family. The last thing she thought was of Kara… I hope she is okay.
"I love…you…Kar…" These were Alex's last words and there weren't anyone to hear them. She died right there waiting for help to get to them.
A few minutes later the help got there, a little too late for Alex, but still on time for Kara. She was taken to hospital in critical condition.
Xxx
It had passed two weeks after they went to Kara's neurologist. They had rescheduled game night two times now, and Lena hadn't left Kara's side after that day. She was now working from home. Kara hadn't accepted no one else to stay with her. Lena had called Elisa to come to National City, she was due to arrive the next day. She knew Kara was in need of her mother now.
Kara had had three new seizures in the last two weeks. Lena had been right beside her the whole time, and nothing major had happened to Kara because of them. Having Lena there defiantly helped with that. She started looking on having a seizure alert dog, while Lena tried to persuade her to have someone help them at home. Kara was still hesitant about it.
Lena had also altered the L-Corp watch to Kara's needs. She had programmed it to send an alert to her if Kara's vital sign's had any alteration. She was panning ahead, maybe with Eliza home, she could go to L-Corp and work a little, giving Kara a little space as well.
They were getting ready to host game night, Lena was making some appetizers and she had ordered 5 pizzas to everyone.
Brainy and Nia were first ones to arrive, they brought wine and a few sodas for them. Right after them Winn and James arrived with two games that were with them from the last game night.
Winn now worked for Lena, after being poached from CatCo. Only James and Nia remained at CatCo, James being the CFO, after Cat Grant left. Brainy and Winn worked together at L-Corp at the IT department. Sam was the only one who couldn't make it, she was working being the CFO while Lena had to stay at home.
Kara was trying to be more cheerful, but anyone with an eye could see that she was in bad place. She greeted everyone when they arrived, but had hardly talked while they settled down. Only going to the kitchen to tell Lena everyone had arrived.
Both of them went back to the living room, and Lena what they would want to drink, setting down the appetizers on the coffee table.
"I'll have wine, and Brainy a soda. Thank you Lena." Nia gave Brainy a wink and he just giggled.
"I'll have the wine too Lena, Winn will have the soda as well." He too gave a wink to Winn. They'd been dating for a couple of months only.
"I'll have wine as well Lee, thanks." Kara said to Lena. But Lena stopped and looked at her wife, making a puzzled look.
"Kara, I don't think you're supposed to have alcohol." Lena said in a hushed tone only for Kara to hear, but everyone else saw the exchange, even though they couldn't hear it.
Kara gave Lena a murderous look that conveyed everything she was feeling at the moment, and Lena just left. Coming back later with every one's drinks except with Kara's.
"Kara can you help me in the kitchen, please?" Lena asked Kara and went straight to the kitchen not even looking behind once to see if Kara followed her.
As soon as Kara entered the kitchen Lena knelled in front of her and held her hand's within her's.
"Kar darling, we talked about this, you can't mix alcohol with your medication, it's not good for you. Please try to understand that, I don't want you to get worse, please." Lena's eyes were filled with tears, she didn't know what else to say to Kara to make understand this, they were fighting because of the treatment for the last two weeks. Kara was being difficult, maybe this was her way of saying that she would do what she wanted with her life, even wrecking it.
"Lee… just… please?! I need it." Kara was pleading now, she needed to unwind. A tear left her eye and Lena brushed it with her tomb. She pressed their foreheads together and they just stayed there for a moment.
"I love you, you know? I can't let you go this path darling, I wouldn't be a good wife if I did. I just want you healthy. Just… do this for me please and I have a treat for you later." Lena winked and this got a giggle out of Kara.
"Only you could make me laugh after the month I've had." Kara lifted her head and slowly left the kitchen.
Lena stayed there, just thinking about her wife, she was suffering, so much and Lena couldn't bear to witness it again. She had to find a cure for this. She would work only on this from now on, starting tomorrow she would not rest until she had a cure for Kara. She would help Kara have her life again.
As Kara wheeled back to the living room, J'onn arrived with a surprise for Kara.
"J'onn, you came, come in just make yourself comfortable." Kara was genuinely excited that her Editor had came.
"Oh of course Kara, and I brought you something, he had something behind him that he presented to Kara. It looked like a book.
"What is that?" Kara looked intrigued by the book.
"Well, this is the commemorative edition of your first book, that just hit 10 million copies sold worldwide. I would like to give you the first one, this is special for you, and the hems are sewed with gold lining." Kara was speechless.
"What?!... I didn't…. even… what…did you know about this Lee?" Her wife had just rounded the corner giving her a smirk.
"Yeah, I kind knew, J'onn wanted to make a surprise to you and I thought you'd like it." Lena had a wide smile on her right now. Just seeing her wife happy for a moment was everything she needed. And she had J'onn to thank for that.
"Of course, I love it. Thank you J'onn, I don't even know what to do. I didn't know it had reached so many copies. That's so great, I'll find a place to put this. Thank you." Kara gave him a tight hug and they settled on the couches, Kara showing her book to everyone, for a moment she was very happy.
Lena approached J'onn for a second before they started the games. "Thank you so much J'onn for this, she was really needing some good news. It has been a tough couple of weeks." Lena gave him a sad smile.
"It's my pleasure. I love seeing her happy too. I gather things aren't easy though. If you need anything you just have to say it Lena." J'onn was ready to help just as always.
"Thank you, but right now there's nothing anyone can do. Eliza is coming tomorrow so she'll help Kara improve her mood. But if I need anything I'll tell you. Thanks." Lena and J'onn were just finishing talking when the pizzas arrived. Lena paid for them and put them on the dining table for everyone to serve themselves.
After everyone ate their pizzas, they decided to start with charades. As J'onn was without a partner he was on Kara and Lena's team helping them.
Winn and James won the first two rounds and then Nia and Brany the next four. Lena and Kara seemed to be off sink and J'onn wasn't great either on charades.
They started monopoly and that was Lena's favorite game, other than chess of course. Winn gave her a round for her money, always the most competitive ones.
Kara was the first one to go bankrupt, followed by J'onn and Nia. James was next, leaving Brainy, Winn and Lena to finish the game.
Kara was stuck in her own thoughts when everyone looked at her and she was confused, were they talking to her, or did she have something one her face.
"What? Do I have something on my face?" Kara asked as everyone was now looking at her.
It was Nia who answered. "No Kara, we're just asking you what do you want to play next, jenga or cards against Humanity?" Kara hadn't even realized the game was over.
"It's 3 to 1 for jenga." Brainy said to Kara, hoping that she would pick cards against humanity.
"Go with cards Kara, we played Jenga last time remember." Winn said to her.
"Oh you can't influence her Winn, you know game night's rules." James reprimanded Winn for his attempt.
"Jenga is fine." She said in a monotone to Nia. She could hardly care what they were playing next.
"Okay Jenga it is." Nia announced after J'onn chose cards against humanity, but then it was a moot point.
Lena saw how Kara was, even from the other side of the room. Kara hadn't wanted to seat next to her for the first time in a while during game night.
They played a few rounds of Jenga, and then Cards against humanity. Lena even thought that Kara was enjoying herself, but from time to time she would at her and Kara would have a dead look on her eyes. She knew Kara needed help, more help than she could give her. It was time for her to go back to therapy, Lena knew that.
They half way a round of cards against humanity when suddenly Kara just stopped during her turn, she stopped talking and moving. Lena just leaped from her place on the other side of the room. She jumped just in time to catch Kara before she hit the floor. She knew the telltale signs by now. Kara was having another seizure. Good thing she didn't hit the coffee table, but it was a close one. Everyone tried to give them space helping get things that could hurt Kara out of the way.
Lena disentangled Kara out of the chair, asked Winn to time the seizure and put a cushion under her head. They were all scared by what they were seeing, none of them had witnessed it before only J'onn had.
After the seizure stopped she asked James to carry Kara to their room, so she could rest. Lena was tense, but she knew that this was now normal for them. They all helped her clean the house and offered to help any way they could. Nia said that if she needed she could stay with Kara anytime. Lena was very thankful for everyone's help, and although Kara was okay now, the night had clearly been put to end. So everyone left after they cleaned up.
Lena was beyond tired so after everyone left she took a shower and went to bed.
Kara had been sleeping for an hour already, she looked peaceful, but Lena knew that Kara was reliving the hell she went through with the accident. She needed to help her wife with that. She hoped Eliza would be able to help her put some sense in Kara. So Lena tried to sleep.
In the middle of the night Lena woke up with a scream. It was Kara's, she was tossing and kicking. Lena just embraced her and softly said on Kara's ear. "You're okay darling, I'm here with you. Just hold me tight. I love you." And that's how they stayed the rest of the night, entangled with each other.
Xxx
When Kara woke up she was on her bed and it was already morning. There was someone beside her, but the person had blonde hair, it couldn't be Lena. She started to panic, who was it beside her, she tried to sit up to leave the room, but her chair wasn't beside her, she was considering crawling when the person turned to her and she saw her mother. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and the tears just started running down her cheek.
Eliza saw her youngest daughter look at her with panic in her eyes, she hadn't considered that Kara would be scared to find her sleeping at her side, but maybe she didn't know it was Eliza. Kara started crying so Eliza just embraced her, she gave the young blonde all of love through her hug, if everything Lena had said was right Kara was in much need of it.
"Oh honey, it's me sweetie. Lena had to go to work, so when I got here she left me here with you so she could go." Eliza was trying to reassure Kara, who still seemed a little distraught.
"I… love... you… mom." Kara said between hiccups.
"I know sweetie, I love you too. I'll stay here as long as you need me okay. Mom is not leaving anytime soon." They stayed like that for a long time. Eliza sensed Kara needed motherly love right now, she was in desperate need of it.
After hugging and being cared for by Eliza, her stomach growled and they both laughed. So Eliza decided to make something for them to each.
"Now let's go to the kitchen and help me something for us to eat, after that we'll talk a little Kara, if want that, that is." Eliza was already standing up to leave when Kara asked her to retrieve her wheelchair, she didn't know where it was.
"I don't know where I left it, can you find it for me?" Kara asked with a muffled voice, so small, it didn't seem like the confident Kara everyone knew.
"Of course honey, I'll get it for you, just a second." Eliza knew that after the accident Kara had needed a long time to come to her own again, maybe that's what was happening here again.
After Eliza brought her the chair, they left for the kitchen to make breakfast. Lena had already left coffee for them, but then Eliza made Kara her favorite pancakes ever. She made bacon and they had a pleasant breakfast, Eliza telling her about the hospital, and her work.
It was almost noon, and Lena has just called to know how Kara was, after she talked a bit with Kara and Eliza over the phone, she told them she would get home be late today.
Kara and Eliza spent the day together. Kara didn't want to talk about hard things so Eliza just let her come to her on her own time.
Xxx
"Hey, I was just on the other side of the room, and I saw you. My name is Kara Danvers and what is yours?" Kara went straight to Lena, after admiring her from afar. Kara was not afraid to go for what she wanted. And she wanted Lena. Alex just stood back watching to see if Kara would be lucky or not.
As soon as the tennis goddess got closer to them Sam gave Lena a bit of space, so they could talk alone, though she was eager to know how things were going.
"Wow, you just say what you want. I know who you are, of course Kara Danvers, this party is to celebrate your championship isn't it after all?" Lena said as she smirked playfully with Kara. She liked her, but she didn't need to make it obvious.
"Hum… sure you're right. So everyone here is to celebrate me, so you could at least tell me your name so I could invite you for the next one of course." Kara was smirking at Lena too. She got the feeling that the brunette liked her too and wanted to be courted by her. So she would do just that.
"Lena Luthor, pleasure." Lena said and excused herself going to the bathroom. That left Kara dumbstruck watching her leave.
Oh Kara really liked that brunette teaser.
Xxx
Lena was so glad Eliza had come to help them, not only Kara needed her, but Lena too. She considered Eliza more her mother than Lillian had ever been, so she was happy she was there for both of them. Kara was safe with her, and Lena had the time to work on the project she was obsessed now, using her previous project aimed at the pain relief, she adapted the project to make a cure for Kara's seizure problem, this was urgent, because she sensed Kara getting worse every day. She couldn't let her wife stay like this. She was actually only working on this. She asked Sam to keep covering for her while she worked solely on this for now.