Chapter Two
Lena's POV
Pouring myself a strong drink, I leaned against the counter. Kara is Supergirl and she never told me. After all this time she never really trusted me. My stomach churned. And she has feelings for me. Tossing back the rest of my drink, I poured another.
Taking a seat on the couch, I looked at a picture of Kara and I. We had such a good time when this was taken. My chest ached remembering that day.
"You have so many books!" Kara gazed around my home office.
"I've always had more books than friends." I ran my fingers along old leather spines. "I escaped into these worlds when life got hard."
"I did too," Kara breathed. Her focus on the shelves before her. "Eliza would take me to the local library every two weeks and I'd check out a dozen books at a time," she laughed. "Alex called me a book dragon."
"Well, you're definitely not a worm," I teased.
I was pulled from my thoughts hearing my phone vibrate across the glass table. Seeing James' name, I sent the call to voicemail.
I can't talk right now. -L
Is everything okay? -J
Rubbing my temple, I sighed. Of course not! I just found out my best friend has been lying to me for our entire friendship and said friend is in love with me. Worst part is, I think I'm in love with her too. Groaning, I pinched the bridge of my nose. All of my friends have been lying to me. Even James.
Yes. I'll talk to you later. -L
Turning my phone off, I leaned back into the couch. Now I understand why Kara was so hurt when she found out I used and made Kryptonite. My stomach dropped remembering my current Harun-El research. Shit. I've lied too.
Xxx
Unable to deal with any of last night's events, I threw myself into work like I always did. Not wanting to deal with people, I told Eve that she wasn't needed today. That she deserved Thanksgiving off. Locking myself in my lab, I lost myself in research.
Becoming frustrated, I tossed my tablet on a nearby table. I keep hitting dead ends! What am I missing? I paced the lab. Kara is in my head. Now I'm distracted. All I can think about is her and how she betrayed me. Guilt churned my stomach everytime I saw the Harun-El. If Lex or Mother got their hands on this, Kara could die. Thousands could die. Placing everything I had on the substance into the incinerator, I watched it burn. The only trace of either recipe now is in my mind.
Needing fresh air, I locked up and went for a walk. The air was filled with the smell of Thanksgiving dinners being cooked by nearby restaurants. I'm supposed to meet everyone for dinner soon. I don't know if I can stand being in the same room with everyone. All of them lied to me.
"Hey, bitch!" A man called.
"Excuse me?" I turned to see three men in gold masks approaching. Two held bats. Children of Liberty. Backing away, two others shoved me. I'm boxed in.
"You're Lena Luthor," one man spat. "You help aliens."
Squaring my shoulders, I kept my voice even. "So you know I'm a powerful woman. I'm supposed to be somewhere soon. If I don't make it, they'll be looking for me."
"Not like they'd ever find you," another sneered.
All of them rushed me at once. I fought as much as I could but five men were too many. Feeling a bat come down hard on my back, I refused to scream as pain radiated through me. I won't give them the satisfaction. I did my best to get back on my feet but another metal bat cracked multiple ribs. It became harder to breathe the more they kicked and stomped my body.
A metallic taste filled my mouth as I tried to stay conscious. "Supergirl…"
"What did you say?" A taller man demanded. "You dare say that roach's name!" A swift stomp broke my nose.
I coughed up blood. Damn it. I can't move. I can barely breathe. Groaning, I closed my eyes and went limp. Maybe if I play dead they'll leave. I don't have to play for long. "Supergirl," I whispered again. Please come Kara.
"She's going to die. We need to go!" Another yelled.
Hearing boots land, I could feel rage and fear radiating from Kara. Or the person I hoped was Kara. Strong but shaky hands examined me. One brushed bloody hair from my face. "Stay with me." Something wet hit my cheek.
"Kara, I…" I need to tell her in case I die here.
"Sshh. Don't talk. Save your strength."
"I lo…," I tried to murmur before everything went dark.
Xxx
Kara's POV
What was she trying to say? "Lena?" I listened to her heartbeat. She's alive but barely. Pressing my earpiece, I called for Alex. "I need backup! Lena's been attacked!" Picking up the bloody woman, I flew as fast as I could to the D.E.O. "Find them before I do," I growled.
Landing in the middle of the room, I ran towards the hospital unit. "Brainy, help me! Please! Alex is on her way." My voice shook with every word.
"I can try." He began to examine Lena. "She's as bad off as you were, human wise, after fighting Reign. Earth simply doesn't have-,"
"What happened?" Alex ran towards us. "Lena," she gasped.
"They happened," I growled. "The Children of Liberty did this." James thinks these people are good. They're not. They're dangerous. If anything happens to Lena…
Taking a step back, Alex held up her hands. "Kara, breathe." The blood had drained from my sister's face.
"If she dies…" Tears streamed down my face.
"Supergirl," J'onn warned. "We will find a way. Alex, Brainy, take care of Lena. I'll keep an eye on Kara."
"J'onn, there's not a way.." Brainy spoke.
"Let's go," Alex ushered Brainy into the room where Lena was.
Beginning to shake, I ran to my special room. Once the door closed, I fell to my knees and screamed. She's going to die! All because of me! The whole reason I didn't tell her the truth was to keep her safe. My fist went through the concrete. Now Lena will pay because Earth doesn't have what she needs.
Resting my forehead on the floor, tears stained the concrete. Earth doesn't have what she needs. Krypton might. Getting to my feet, I opened a line of communication with Argo. Please work. "Mother, I need your help. Argo, does it have a healing chamber like before? My friend, a human friend, is in dire need."
Moments later, my mother's hologram appeared. "Yes. However, if they are as bad off as you say, they may not make the trip."
"I can use the transmat portal."
"I will be waiting." The hologram faded.
"Alex!" I rushed back into the hospital unit.
"Kara, Lena's…she's not going to…" Alex stammered.
"I have one chance." I held Alex's shoulders. "Earth can't save her but Krypton might be able to. I need to use the portal to make it in time."
"Kara, Lena may not make it through. For humans…it takes a toll."
"J'onn, there is a 100 percent chance Lena will die here. There is a slim chance she may live if I take her to Argo City. I have to try." I paused, steeling myself. "I'm doing this with you or without you."
Nodding, J'onn agreed. "Okay."
Carefully, I picked Lena up and wrapped her in the blood stained sheet. Her head lulled against my shoulder as I carried her. I've got you. I won't let you die. "Thank you. Once I know more, I'll update you via hologram."
"Good luck," Alex placed a hand on my back. "If there's a way, you'll find it." The portal opened and I walked through it.
Appearing on the other side, Mother and a few other Kryptonians greeted me. In a matter of minutes, Lena's wounds were cauterized or stitched up. After stripping away the, now, bloodied gown Alex put her in, Mother placed Lena in a healing tank. Long brunette hair had been tied back and floated in the blue tinted liquid. The clean gown did the same.
Realizing I was covered in Lena's blood, I changed into fresh clothes. Coming to sit beside me, mother looked towards Lena's healing pod. "Is she the one you mentioned when you were here with Mon-El?"
"Yes." I sighed, putting down the tablet with Lena's vitals. "When she wakes up and realizes what I've done…. That I've brought her here," I shuddered. "She may never forgive me." I ran a hand through my hair. "She still may not forgive me. I told her the truth and she feels betrayed."
"The truth about who you are?" I nodded. "Do you love her?"
I nodded again. "That's why I brought her here. I can't lose her." I bit my lip. "Even if she hates me for the rest of her life." Walking towards the pod, I placed my hand on the glass. "My life changed when I walked into her office for the first time." She looks so peaceful. Like she's sleeping. "I wish I would have told her the truth sooner. Keeping things from her was the one thing she asked me never to do."
"You did it to keep her safe."
"I did but she was still attacked because of me. Every time I tell someone my true identity, they end up in danger. There have been a few close calls," I paused. "I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to her."
"From what you've told me, and what I've seen, she's a brilliant woman." I agreed with a soft smile. "Then one day, she'll forgive you."
"I can only hope." Running a hand through my hair, I sighed. Lena's rubbed off on me. I keep messing with my hair when I'm anxious. "There's nothing to do but wait."
"You should contact your friends back home. Give them an update."
"I'm not leaving her side." My words came out sharper than I intended. "Sorry…"
"It's alright. I meant with the hologram. I know you're not leaving this room anytime soon," Mother stood. Placing her hand on my shoulder, she squeezed.
"Okay." Turning my attention back to Lena, I held back tears. Please come back to us. I need you to live. Even if you hate me.
"Can you hear me? This is Alura Zor-El. I'm here with Kara and Lena."
"They made it?" Alex asked. "Are they okay?"
"Kara is physically okay," Mother paused. "Emotionally, not so well. Lena's vitals are touch and go. She is currently in a healing chamber and stable. All flesh wounds have been treated."
"I'm glad Kara is safe. I know she won't come back until Lena can travel. Please, let her know that we'll do whatever we can here to keep everyone safe."
"Thank you, Alex," I called over my shoulder.
"Keep us posted on Lena's condition."
Xxx
Days passed and all of Lena's injuries healed. With Mother's help, we transferred her to a regular bed. "Since she's stable, we should run a full body scan to make sure we haven't missed anything."
I watched the projection as Mother ran a handheld scanning device over Lena. My brow creased seeing something on her brain. "What's that?" I zoomed in on the image and studied it.
"I'm not sure. It's so small." Standing beside me, Mother looked on with me. "Does she have any brain damage that you know of?"
"No. Last I knew, she was completely healthy," I paused. "Minus a caffeine addiction and possibly drinking a bit more than a woman in her twenties should."
"I'll run more tests. It might be that we found something Earth technology can't pick up yet."
"If they can't pick it up, then they can't treat it." My stomach lurched. What if all of this was for nothing and I still lose her? "If it is something, do we have any way to treat her?"
"We won't know until more tests are done." Groaning, I rubbed my face. "Get some rest, Kara. You've not been sleeping. Once I know more, you will be the first one I tell."
Leaning against a nearby wall, I leaned my head in the corner. "Thank you."
Hearing someone humming, I followed the sound. A few yards away, a brunette dressed in a flowing purple dress tilted her head back to soak in the sun. She let her fingertips touch the nearby flowers. "Lena?"
The woman stopped. Turning, bright green eyes settled on me. "Kara," she smiled.
"You're here. Alive." Running towards her, I wrapped the shorter woman in my arms. I spun us gaining a joyful laugh. Nuzzling my face in Lena's hair, I breathed in her warm scent. "Oh, I missed you! I'm so sorry for everything. Please forgive me."
"What are you talking about? Of course I'm here." Leaning back, she met my gaze. "Where else would I be?"
The ground shuddered beneath us and began to crack. We fell as a giant chasm opened between us. "Lena!" I reached for her.
"Kara!" She did the same.
Before I could reach her, the ground disappeared. I watched as the woman I love was swallowed by darkness. "Lena!"
Startling awake, I saw my mother's expression, a crease between dark brows and a flexed muscle in her jaw. Something I hadn't seen since I was a child. That look. Something is wrong. "No," I shook my head. Nausea churned my stomach as dread held a vice in my chest.
"I have an analysis on the spot we found." Her voice was steady.
The worry in my mother's eyes broke my heart all over again. "No," I refused. "No. She has to be okay."
"I'm sorry, Kara." Mother cupped my face. "It's cancer."
"Lena has…brain cancer." My eyes started to burn with unshed tears.
"It seems to be fast growing."
A sob ripped up my throat. "There has to be something we can do." I searched my mother's eyes. "We have to save her."
"Kara, I don't see a way to do it. Even Kryptonian technology can't get to it."
Rage and panic started to fill me. "I'm not giving up on her that easily. I won't give up until her heart stops."
"You won't give up on her even then," Mother sighed. "If there's an answer, it will be in your Father's library." She took my shoulders, focusing me. "If anyone can find a way to save Lena, it's you."