Chapter Five

Lena's POV

Kara's hand was warm in mine as we walked through the portal. Appearing in the D.E.O., we were met by J'onn, Alex, Brainy, and a few other agents. "Welcome home," J'onn greeted, closing the gateway.

"Kara!" Alex crashed into her sister nearly knocking them both to the ground. "You're back!" Chuckling, I held out my arm in case the blonde lost her balance. The time away has made me feel things again. Feel things for Kara again. I was about to kiss her if Alura hadn't interrupted us. "Hey," the agent wrapped her arms around me next. "I'm so glad you're better."

"Me too," I hugged the woman back.

Stepping back, Alex looked me over. "Kara was not a pleasant person when we thought you were going to die." Her eyes went wide. "You remember seeing footage of her when she was affected by red kryptonite?"

"Yes, before I moved here." My brow creased. "Why?"

"Alex," Kara whined, embarrassed.

Ignoring her sister's pleas, Alex became serious. "She was going to go red K on them all. I'm pretty sure we would have had to keep her under red sun lamps and sedated forever if you had died."

"Oh." I wasn't sure what to say. Would Kara really do that to avenge me? I laughed seeing how red she was. She cares so much for me.

"So, how does it feel?" Alex regained my attention. "Broke anything yet?"

"Not yet," I chuckled. "Ask me after we recharge. The capsules we used on Argo didn't last long because of the dome. It's like drinking ten espressos at once without shaking."

"Your secret will be safe with us," J'onn chimed in.

"Thank you. I've been gone from L-Corp for nearly two weeks. I'll need to put out some fires before I can start training here."

"I'll help Lena as much as I can until then," Kara added. "Do I even still have a job at CatCo?"

"Yes," Alex nodded. "James said you were called away for something with Cat Grant. Lena's story isn't as clean," she paused. "Some members of The COL boasted about killing a Luthor. When you never came out as alive, the rumor spread."

"Lovely…" I'm sure Mother will have something to say about all of this.

"I'll do what I can on the CatCo front tomorrow," Kara chimed in. "Have you arrested the men who attacked Lena yet?"

"Yes," Alex nodded. "And no Kara, you cannot question or see them." The agent stared down her sister. "Not with how you acted before you left. Understood?" Kara nodded with a huff. "Nope. Say it."

"I promise not to go near them in any capacity unless ordered by you or J'onn," she grumbled.

"Thank you," Alex smirked.

"I won't be the one ordering you though," J'onn folded his arms. "Remember, I'm no longer your boss."

"That's true," Kara shrugged. "You'll help us train though, right?"

"Of course."

"I appreciate you both. I'm sure my voicemail box is full and I'm scared to look at my emails." No rest for business owners. I'll figure out the rest tomorrow. Smiling at Kara, I motioned towards the door. "Food and a recharge?"

"It's a good thing you're rich," the blonde smiled brightly. "Your grocery bill is going to skyrocket."

"I have no doubt." Kara and I gathered my things before leaving the building.

"Pay up. They're totally together. Lena's making heart eyes again."

"Sorry, Alex. They're not together yet. But it won't be long."

"How do you know?" Alex paused. "Mind reading is cheating!"

"I didn't read her mind. I just know."

"How?" Alex huffed. "Fine!"

I sighed as we stepped into the sunlight. Warmth buzzed across my skin. "It seems your sister had a bet going on."

"A bet about what?" Kara blinked in confusion.

"About us. She thinks we're a couple. J'onn not so much."

Rubbing her face, Kara groaned. "I'm sorry, Lena. Ever since she started to trust you, she's been on team SuperCorp."

"Team SuperCorp?" I smirked, amused. "She made a ship name for us?"

"Yeeeaaahhh." Grinning, Kara began to walk. "I hope you're not mad."

"I'm sure Jess has a name of her own," I shrugged. "If we do decide to get involved, I won't hear the end of hers and a few other employee's joy."

"People have never shipped me with someone before. It's kind of funny." I followed Kara into a nearby ally. "Can I give you a lift? Learning to fly, and control it, isn't for the faint of heart."

"Especially for someone who doesn't like to fly," I smirked.

"At least you'd survive a crash now," Kara offered with a sheepish grin.

Wrapping my arms around the woman's shoulders, I allowed her to sweep me into her arms. "Up, up, and away."

"I've never dropped you and I never will." Looking skyward, the blonde ascended. "We'll have to go fast since I'm not in my suit."

Landing near my apartment, I straightened my windswept hair. "Would you like to come up? We can soak up the sun on the balcony after ordering food."

"Sounds perfect. Food should be here soon. I ordered it before we left the D.E.O. First super meal is on me."

"Of course you did." Not realizing my strength, I snapped my house key in the lock. "How many keys should I have made?" I smirked, looking at the shard of metal.

"A lot." Pulling down her glasses, Kara used her heat vision to melt the fragment of the key and her ice breath to cool the lock. "I'll go in the sliding glass door." A moment later, the door opened. "Welcome home."

"Thanks." Entering, I closed the door, gently, behind me. It's been less than two weeks since I've been here but it feels so much longer. "It's good to be home."

"I'm sure it is. I'm glad Alex has a spare key so my plants aren't dead by now." Kara's sight moved past me. "Food's here." Stepping by, she opened the door. "Hey! Thank you. Have a good day." Balancing three pizza boxes and two to-go boxes, Kara made her way towards the balcony.

"I'll get drinks." That pizza smells amazing. Closing my eyes, I tried to focus on the blonde, her breathing and heartbeat. It's thudding like a hummingbird. I cringed hearing the squeal of someone's tires.

Stepping onto the balcony, I set the drinks on the table. "Do you need to go?" I asked, sitting on the small couch beside Kara.

"You heard that, huh?" She grinned. "No, not yet."

"I'm a scientist. What do you expect? Of course I tried to test my powers." We ate in a comfortable silence.

Once the hunger was satiated, I stretched my legs out and leaned my head back allowing my entire body to enjoy the warmth. "Now I understand why you always wanted to sit out here."

"Perfect place to get some sun," she chuckled. "Do you need anything?"

"Not yet. I'm enjoying this for now. I'll call Jess and go through all of that later tonight." Shielding my eyes, I looked towards the blonde who also had her head leaned back. "Would you really have killed Lockwood and his men?"

"Yes." Choosing her words, Kara continued. "I love you and there is no line in the universe that I wouldn't cross to keep you safe. I know you don't feel the same way about me but…"

If that's what love is, then I've been in love with Kara Danvers for a long time. "I understand. I do care about you. Even when I was upset at Supergirl, I never wanted to see her hurt." My heart ached when I saw Reign drop her from the building. I shuddered at the thought. It would have been worse if I knew that was my Kara back then. I bit the inside of my cheek. My Kara. Have I already forgiven her? Claimed her as mine?

"Hopefully you can forgive me one day," she murmured.

"I'm getting there. Being away has given me time to think." You have the power to chip away at my armor even without me realizing it.

"I hate that you were still targeted and hurt because of me. That's the reason I didn't tell you sooner."

"I know." Shifting, I wrapped an arm around the blonde's shoulders. Timidly, she leaned into me. "Go ahead," I chuckled. Shifting to her back, Kara laid her head in my lap and tossed her legs over the armrest of the couch. "Comfortable?"

"Yes," she smiled.

Since Kara still had clothes in her drawer, I asked if she'd stay the night. I had gotten used to her presence and wasn't ready to give it up yet. We worked independently on our own projects and started getting caught up on emails and phone calls. Jess was thrilled that I wasn't dead and would be back soon.

"Ooooh, I completely forgot about that." Leaning back, I rubbed my face.

Turning her attention towards me, Kara frowned. "Forgot about what?"

"I sold CatCo." Kara's face fell. "Before Thanksgiving, I sent paperwork to an old boarding school friend of mine. She must have loved the opportunity and signed the paperwork immediately. Andrea should do CatCo well by bringing it into the current era of journalism. She owns Obsidian North, a tech company, and has read the magazine for years. I wouldn't have considered her otherwise."

"Oh….okay." Her brow creased. "I wonder why James or Nia haven't said anything."

"Maybe they don't want to put more on your plate," I offered.

"Possibly…"

Hearing a loud rumble, I looked down at my stomach. "Now I see why you always have snacks on you."

Kara laughed. "I have a huge snack drawer at CatCo. You'll get used to it soon. Once your body regulates, you'll be able to go longer without feeling like you're starving to death."

"Thank goodness." Entering the kitchen, I warmed up some pizza. "Would you like some?"

"I'll never turn down pizza."

Xxx

The sun warmed my body as I relaxed in a hammock by the ocean. "Enjoying the sun?" Kara asked with a smile in her voice.

"I'd enjoy it more if you were in this hammock too," I grinned. Pulling down my shades, I raised an eyebrow. "Care to join?"

"Always." Cuddling beside me, Kara laid her head on my shoulder and wrapped an arm around my waist. "This is nice."

"It is." Sighing, I enjoyed the woman's closeness. "I wish we had done this sooner." Shifting, I positioned myself above the blonde. "I love you, Kara Danvers." Dipping my head, I captured the Super's lips in a passionate kiss. Her breathless moan drove me to deepen it. Kara squirmed as I explored her curves.

I woke to a fire in my stomach and a strong arm wrapped around me. Looking over my shoulder, I saw golden locks. I wonder how long she's been holding me. Placing my hand on hers, I smiled. I don't mind this. She always makes me feel safe. That dream. I shivered remembering the kiss. Her sounds. My subconscious is clearly trying to tell me something. Reaching over, I turned my alarm off. Laying there, I enjoyed the soft rise and fall of the Kryptonian's chest against me. "Kara, it's time to get up."

Mumbling something against my back, Kara tightened her grip. "I don't want to."

"So, you want to stay in bed snuggled up behind me then?" Or in a hammock on a beach somewhere.

"Mmhmm."

She's so cute. I drew lazy shapes on the back of Kara's hand. "I'm hungry." Starving actually. "And we both have work."

"Fine." Rolling over, Kara stretched. Freezing, her eyes shot open

"I wondered how long it would take to dawn on you," I smirked playfully. Leaning on my elbow, I looked down at the mortified woman. "At least I already knew you liked to snuggle."

"I'm sorry," she squeaked.

"It's okay." I enjoyed it. The softness of Kara's gaze made my heart ache. I fought the urge to lean down and kiss her like I did in my dream. I wish we could stay together all day.

"Is everything alright?" Kara whispered.

I've been staring too long. "Yeah." Yawning, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. "Until I learn to speed cook, would you make breakfast while I shower?"

"Sure." Sitting up, Kara stretched again. "Can I get ready here after breakfast?"

"Of course. Everything is still where you left it." Gathering clothes, I could feel the woman's eyes burning into me. "Yes?"

"You didn't get rid of anything of mine?"

"No. I couldn't bring myself to do it." I paused, sifting through my closet. "I hadn't thought about it. Then everything else happened." I should tell her about my research. That I destroyed all of it. "We need to talk about the research I was doing before you saved me."

"Was it kryptonite related?" Kara's voice shook with uncertainty.

"Harun-El to be exact." I turned to face Kara. "I burnt it all. Everything I had that dealt with kryptonite has been incinerated. Black and green, it's all gone."

"You made more black kryptonite?" Her brows creased. "You said you gave everything to my mother."

She's devastated. "I did. Researching the properties, I thought it could be used to cure cancer or other ailments. When I kept hitting dead ends after finding out your true identity, I burnt it all. I didn't want to continue with it. Especially now that I know how painful some forms are to you."

"To us," she corrected. Getting to her feet, Kara retrieved her own clothes and set them on the bed. "Thank you for being honest with me." She kept her back facing me. " And burning it all."

"You're welcome." She's hurt. "If you want to le-,"

"I'm not going anywhere." Turning, Kara sat on the bed. "I'm upset but I'm glad you told me and burnt it all."

Thankfully she's different than I am. I basically threw her out when I was angry. "The only traces of it are in my mind now."

"Good." Pulling her hair into a messy bun, Kara stood. "I'll make breakfast while you shower." She paused at the door. "Oh, if you feel a sneeze coming on, put whatever is in your hand down and try not to blow too hard," she paused, her shoulders shaking with a laugh. "Trust me."

"I'll keep that in mind." Even with Kara's warning, I still squeezed the shampoo bottle too hard and most of it ended up on the ceiling above me. Thankfully, I don't have popcorn ceiling.

Once dressed, I joined Kara who had everything ready and set out on the bar. "This smells and looks fantastic." Taking a seat, I marveled over the spread.

"Thank you," she smiled, taking a bite of bacon. "I packed your lunch and some snacks from my cabinet. It's in the fridge."

Placing my hand on hers, I squeezed. "You're incredible."

"Naaahhh," she blushed with a grin. Leaning across from me, Kara began to eat.

"Whatever," I teased. "So, I heard you laugh after the little bathroom explosion…."

"I couldn't help it. I heard you cuss and imagined the smirk on your face. Believe me, you will get used to your powers." Something flashed across the woman's face and she bit her lip.

"What? What's that look for?" Kara shook her head. Smirking, I narrowed my gaze. "Kara, if you don't tell me, I'll fill in the blanks on my own."

Panic flushed the Super's face. "I thought of my glasses and how they helped me. That led to you wearing glasses…"

"Safe to say you think I'd be sexy in them?" My grin widened the redder Kara became. I'm flirting with her more than I used to. Becoming serious, I pushed around my eggs. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't talk to you like this. It's just so easy and I don't realize I'm doing it until afterwards."

"I'd rather you do it then constantly be guarded and it be weird between us." Becoming sheepish, Kara shrugged. "I like it too."

I seriously tried not to fall for you again but this past week hasn't helped. Especially the last twenty four hours. "I like doing it."

Xxx

Exiting the elevator, Jess' face lit up when she saw me. "Miss Luthor, you're back!"

"I am. Thank you for keeping the peace while I was gone." Carefully, I opened my office and was relieved when the key didn't snap. Before walking in, I turned my attention towards Jess. "Would you run an errand for me?"

"Of course, Miss Luthor."

"Will you get a few copies of this key made?" Taking my spare house key off the ring, I gave it to my assistant. I can give one to Kara. "I should only need three made."

"Yes, Miss Luthor. I'll take it shortly."

"Thank you. I believe my first meeting isn't until 10:30, correct?"

Glancing over my schedule, Jess nodded. "Yes, it's with Mr. Jamison."

"Excellent."

Entering my office, I realized quickly that I didn't have a place for a snack drawer like Kara or a mini fridge to keep my lunch in. Getting settled, I felt at ease being behind my desk again. So many things are out of my control right now but this I can control. Before I started working, I placed a delivery order for a discrete mini fridge with a drawer above it and some snacks. Some for me and some for Kara.

Everything was delivered within an hour. As I finished organizing, there was a light knock. "Come in."

"You're back," James smiled, wrapping me in a strong embrace. "I missed you." Leaning back, he tried to kiss me but I turned my face away.

You're acting like we didn't have a fight and broke up before everything happened. "We need to talk."

His arms fell away. "Oh, okay."

"I will admit, we had chemistry but my feelings have changed," I paused. "The past two weeks have put a lot of things in perspective for me."

"You're breaking up with me?"

"Yes." Folding my arms, I prepared for whatever was going to come. "Although we, technically, broke up before I was attacked."

"We fought, yeah, but…" he paused. "Is there someone else?"

I want there to be. Eventually. "Not at this moment."

"Is this about what happened on Argo?" James kept his voice low.

"Partly, yes. I also need to be with someone who understands me better than you're willing to do."

"Excuse me?" James smirked, folding his arms.

"I have a lot of walls built up and you don't have the patience to work with me while I deal with them." You also have a chip on your shoulder and it's infuriating. "I need to be with someone who understands that if I do something, it's for a reason and because I care."

"I care about you." James deflated a bit.

"I'm sure you do but there's always going to be the "she's a Luthor" bell in your mind."

"But you are a Luthor."

"You know what I mean, James," I bristled. Taking a deep breath, I heard footsteps approaching. "My next appointment is here."

"Fine," he scoffed. "Oh, thanks for the heads up about Andrea, by the way. Real professional." Storming out of my office, James nearly collided with Mr. Jamison.