DAY EIGHT
Kara threw another punch in the punching bag. Even with the dampening red lights in the gym, her punch was too hard on the bag and it finished propelled against a wall in a deaf sound. She sighed in defeat. It was the third one this week. Alex would kill her.
She was just putting a new punch bag on the hook when the glass door opened. She turned around and took in the small figure of her daughter. "Hey, bug. Did you have a nightmare?"
Liz nodded shyly, her plush toy under her arm, her little fist scrubbing sleep out of her eye. Kara crouched down and opened her arms wide.
"Come here, inah."
Liz stumbled on her feet and snuggled close to her. Kara kissed her cheek and hugged her tightly. Liz had been having nightmares since Lena had been abducted, which was completely understandable but it didn't help any of her mothers to feel better. Kara knew Lena felt responsible for Liz's trouble to sleep at night. They had vaguely discussed the matter. Kara had tried to reassure her but Liz was always with them so they couldn't really talk without little prying ears. Instead, they tried to comfort their daughter every time she would wake up during the night and join them in bed.
"Do you want to tell me what you dreamt about?"
Liz shook her head. "What does it mean?" She mumbled against her neck instead.
Kara frowned. "What do you mean?"
"What you said." Liz insisted in a small voice.
Kara pondered her last words. The word in Kryptonese had slipped away. "Inah means daughter in my first language."
Liz pulled away to look at her, amused. "You speak weird like Mom do when she works."
Kara chuckled. "I do. It's Kryptonese."
"Can you teach me? Mom speaks to me in French sometimes."
"Really" Kara was impressed. French was one of the hardest languages to learn. She had tried so she knew. She could only order in restaurants in French. "Yes, I… I mean, if you want to."
Liz nodded excitedly. "So that I can talk with grandpa and grandma."
Kara softened. A glint in her eyes appeared but it was just an eyelash in it, nothing more, she swore. "Is your Mom still asleep?"
Liz nodded. Kara had left them sleep in the bed. Lena had been working most of the night in the lab. Kara knew she hadn't had much sleep.
"Let's go eat breakfast, then."
When the elevator doors opened to Kara's loft, Lena was drinking coffee at the table. She was still wearing her clothes from the day before. Her head immediately snapped up as she swallowed her sip. Kara remarked the bags under her eyes. She hadn't slept a lot last night and the worries of the day before were still very present in their minds.
"Hey!" Lena waved to them. "I was wondering where you both were."
"Liz found me in the gym." Kara explained as she put Liz down. The girl ran to her mother and hugged her tight. Kara smiled at them. Liz went then to sit next to Lena as she poured her a glass of orange juice. Kara approached slowly. She didn't know what was considered appropriate for her to do. Should she kiss Lena on the cheek? Was it good to kiss her on the lips? Shouldn't they talk to Liz before that? Or just a small hug? A hand on the shoulder? Kara sighed. They should have talked about it.
Lena seemed to sense her turmoil because she looked at her curiously. Realization crossed her face and she smiled tenderly. She stood up and rounded the table. She opened her arms in invitation. Kara smiled back and stepped in Lena's space. She wrapped her up in her arms, putting her as close as possible, smelling the natural scent of her skin. Lena kissed the side of her neck before leaning away.
"Hi." She said with an easy smile. Her eyes diverted immediately to Kara's lips as the blonde squeezed her hips.
"Hi." Kara replied. Her eyes slid down too, towards the pearly white teeth and the pinky lips. She licked her own. She really wanted to kiss her.
Lena's head motioned behind her. "She's watching, isn't she?" She whispered.
Kara looked above the brunette's shoulder and noticed Liz watching them with confusion on her face. She looked back to Lena and squeezed her hips once more. "She's definitely watching. Should we tell her?" She whispered back.
Lena tilted her head from right to left, as if pondering the pros and cons. There was no good way to do this. Liz already liked them both separately. There shouldn't be a reason why it would disturb her. Parents were supposed to be together, right?
"Can we talk a bit more about it before telling her?" Lena said with a scrunched-up face.
"Of course. We have things to discuss. Let's not rush it." Kara grinned.
"Thanks." Lena said, her relief visible. She kissed her cheek then went back to the table.
Kara stayed there a couple of seconds. She couldn't believe it was her reality now. She had loved Lena for a long time but had never thought possible that they would finally discuss it and be together. She shook out of her trance. She was hungry. Before sitting at the table, Kara went to wash her hands and grabbed the loaf of bread, jam, milk and butter in the fridge, peanut butter on the shelf, a knife, two bowls and spoons.
"Who wants some toast?" She asked, turning around. Mother and daughter looked at her with the same high eyebrows. Liz rose her hand.
"Me! I'm famish!" She said in a strange use of Lena's range of vocabulary. Both women laughed.
"I'm sure you are, love." Lena chuckled.
Kara came back with a plate full of toasts and grabbed one to put peanut butter on it. She gave it to Liz. She then took another one and spread jam on this one for Lena. The brunette thanked her, happily surprised.
"So…" Lena cleared her throat through her bites. "I'm sure I didn't fall asleep in bed." She said. Kara looked out of the corner of her eyes at her, still busy buttering her own toast.
"No, you didn't. Andrea woke me to carry you to bed. You were sleeping on the table." She wanted to show her disapproval but she knew Lena had her reasons not to sleep at night. The tension had not entirely vanished, with all the things they had to plan, all the battles they had to prepare for.
"Oh. Where is she?"
"Gone to Obsidian. She said she'll come back later to see what we've got."
"Aunt Andy is here?" Liz asked excitedly. Lena smiled at her.
"She is. We'll see her later." She leaned towards her. "And Aunt Sam is coming too." She whispered. Liz's eyes lighted up.
"Really?!" She almost yelled. Lena nodded with a huge smile on her face. "I'm so happy!" Liz exclaimed, biting in her toast enthusiastically.
Lena and Kara shared a joyful look. Liz's good mood was contagious.
"Hey, I was about to- What are you doing?" Kara said as she peeked through the door of the bathroom. Lena was in her pants and bra, bare feet. Her bandages had been abandoned on a messy pile in the sink. She was kneading what looked like herbs in a mortar with vigor. The screeching sound was disturbing. There was a salt circle on the flour, candles lightened around it at similar distances. Vials had been scattered everywhere.
"A purifying ritual." Lena replied without looking up.
"O-kay… Weren't you supposed to meet Andrea and Sam for lunch?"
"They're coming here to see Liz."
Kara took on the scene before her. She tried not to stare at Lena's cleavage and perfect breasts cupped in dark red lace. The things around her were more confusing anyway. She had seen Lena practice magic before but not like that. Thankfully, the bathroom seemed big enough. She didn't bother questioning Lena about her choice of doing this in the bathroom in the first place. She must have her reason, and like everything with Lena, sometimes, it was better not to ask, especially when it concerned magic.
"It's a lot of salt."
Lena nodded. "I want to see if I can cancel the charm on my feet and heal quicker or at least be able to teleport us."
Kara's eyebrows rose in synchronicity. "To teleport us to where?"
"To the Fingal's caves."
Kara walked entirely in the bathroom with her brows furrowed. "Why do you still want to go there? We know about the prophecy."
Lena turned to face her, the mortar in her hands. "Yes, but there're drawings on the walls there. I want to see if it explains a way to defeat Other."
Kara sighed. Lena was right. They still had no idea how to do that. And even if they didn't find anything there, it wouldn't hurt to heal her feet quicker. Kara was sick of seeing her wince and grumble under her breath every time she took a step. "Alright. Can I help?"
Lena measured her up and down. A smirk spread on her face. A too-knowing smirk. Kara felt uncomfortable under her gaze. "You want to scrub salt on my body while I speak in Latin?" Her eyebrow was cocked in challenge.
"I…" Kara's cheeks took a crimson color but straightened her face quickly and shrugged. "I mean if I have to."
Lena wasn't ready for this reply. She gaped at her and snorted. They chuckled together. "No, I'm fine. I need to do it alone."
"Okay." Kara complied. She stepped closer anyway. "But you're forgetting something."
Seeing the playful glint in Kara's eyes made the smirk spread back on Lena's face. "Oh, what would that be?"
Kara grabbed at her sides gently and pulled her against her, their faces only mere inches away. Lena's skin was so soft under her hands. Her lack of shoes meant Kara was taller. She nuzzled Lena's nose with her own and smiled lovingly. "You need a kiss to achieve the ritual." She murmured against Lena's lips.
The brunette smiled wide, charmed. "Is that so?"
"Hum, it's in the instructions. I've checked."
Lena snorted. "If it's in the instructions." She smiled and closed the gap. They finally gave in in their need to be close. Like two magnets impossible to separate. Kara's hand glided up under Lena's bra. Her nails scrapped cautiously on the skin of her back in their descent. Lena arched into her touch. Her moan was swallowed in their kiss. Kara smiled against her lips and kissed her one last time. She leaned away but kept their foreheads linked.
"I should go see what Liz is up to." She whispered. Lena hummed her response, her eyes still closed. "Maybe she'll want to practice her powers." Kara said but didn't move away.
Lena looked up slowly. Her eyes were glowing yellow. Kara was taken aback by their color for a moment. It was one of the many proofs of her effect on Lena. She secretly loved it.
"Yeah, she needs to practice. Andrea and Sam will arrive around 11."
"Okay." Kara exhaled. She was breathless. The woman in front of her was more than gorgeous. She could stare at her all day. A work of art.
"Kara."
"Uh."
"The ritual. Liz."
Kara's eyes traveled between Lena's without understanding a word she was saying. Lena shook her head but it didn't register either. Then, a cold wet hand crossed her face and now, she was awake.
"Hey! Why did you do that?"
"Why do you think? Get out of here before it escalates." Lena smirked.
Kara huffed and crossed her arms. She turned around, reluctantly quitting the bathroom and the green-eyed mermaid in it. "It's not my fault you're this beautiful." She grumbled on her way. As she closed the door, she totally missed the dream-like stare on Lena's face and her pinky cheeks.
The ritual was a powerful one. She had practiced it many times. It was actually the first thing Florence had taught her. To purify herself and to purify her house. Lena had faith that it would work. And if it didn't, she would have to pay a visit to her half-brother.
Lena walked in the center of the salt circle, completely naked. She placed quartz and crystal stones on the line of salt to form a pentacle. She could feel the energy vibing around her. She sat down and crossed her legs, her fists squeezing two selenite stones. She closed her eyes and focused on the magic swirling in her. She felt disconnected to it. As if she couldn't reach it like she used to.
"Please, Hecate, I implore your help." She whispered.
She took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly through her mouth. The magic in her felt out of her control, undecided, as though it couldn't trust her. She tried to reign it in, to control it with an iron magical fist. She exhaled and inhaled slowly for long minutes. Patiently waiting for her magic to respond. It was useless to rush it. It could hurt her very badly if she did.
Magic was like a wild animal. Lena didn't own it. It wasn't hers. It was something she could use only if it was willing to be used. Like a partnership. It could sense her intentions, sense if she was in a good mood, if she felt confused or furious. A peaceful mind was necessary to approach magic. It wasn't like anything Lena worked with. Magic wasn't like science in this way. It wanted her to be in perfect control of her emotions. And it helped her, truthfully, to manage her emotions as they were. No more little boxes. If she wanted it to work, she had to address her feelings, not deny them.
When she felt like she could finally pass to the second part of the ritual, Lena opened her eyes. Around her, the crystals had formed a blue shield. She was in a blue sort of cage of magical energy. She exhaled in relief. It was working. She cleared her throat.
"Ab omnibus maledictis," She started to articulate. A misplaced word and it was lost. She rubbed salt on her arms while doing so. "Ab omnibus cogitationis malis, ab omni gestu malo me eripio."
The shield around her seemed to intensify. She felt the energy in her veins rocking in strong waves. It was pulsing to reach every one of her limbs until it reached her feet. She winced in pain. She took a deep breath. It would hurt like hell but she had to go through it if she wanted to heal.
"Imploro in me puellam, ut innocentia fluat. Imploro matrem in me, ut mala consilia dimittas. Veteres exoro intra me, ut me ad lucem ducat."
A burst of energy exploded around her. The magic in her feet pulsed harder, stronger. It was hot and painful, as if it was trying to expel the burns out of her skin. She cried out in agony. For long minutes, the magic swirled around her. She kept repeating the same sentences over and over through greeting teeth. It wasn't the time to give up. The salt in her hands was turning into water but she kept rubbing it against her skin, on her legs and her feet.
Finally, the magic calmed down. After a last slow agonizing swirl under her skin, Lena was free to move her feet. She looked at her hands in wonder. Her fingertips were glowing yellow. She could feel it curse through her veins. Like before, if not a bit less powerful. She stood up and tried to summon a fireball. It worked. The ball was not as bright and furnished as she was accustomed to but it worked.
Lena felt reinvigorated. She couldn't draw from the endless pool of magic she was sharing with Florence yet, but there was some improvement. She should've done this quicker. She quickly put her clothes back on and smiled down as she looked at her feet. The burns had almost disappeared. Her skin was still bright red. There were scars in rounded shapes, reminiscent of the blisters she had all over her soles, but it was all.
Once dressed back up, Lena crossed her look in the mirror. Her eyes were glowing yellow too. She smiled, relieved and proud. Now, she just had to check one last thing. Closing her eyes, she thought about Kara's living room, her couch precisely. It was just in the next room. She felt the magic course through her feet, link her to the Earth. She felt the shift. When she opened her eyes, she was in front of Kara's couch.
"Lena!" Kara exclaimed.
Lena turned around. Liz and Kara were sitting on the flour in a meditative pose. She waved at them and winked.
"It worked!" Kara laughed in disbelief.
"It did!" Lena replied, as excited. "I still need to take a shower and fix your bathroom, but... I'm so relieved."
Kara softened and smiled at her in a way that could only say so many things. I'm proud of you. I knew you could do it.
Lena winked again at her then closed her eyes and focused to find her way back to the bathroom. She only had an hour before Andrea and Sam were supposed to show up.
The way their lunch went wasn't what Lena had expected. She had expected a joyful reunion. Laughs, jokes. A bit of questioning concerning Kara. She had even expected Sam and Andrea to gang up on her and joke about the time it took her to let Kara in. It was nothing like that. Instead, it was serious and somber.
Both of her friends had showed support throughout the rest of her pregnancy. Sam and Andrea had been the two pillars in her life for several years now. They lied for her, made sacrifices for her. They were almost as invested in Liz's life as she was. Sam, as Liz's godmother, took her role seriously. She had visited at least twice a year since Liz was born and video called every few weeks to make sure Liz knew who she was. Giving birth to a child who wasn't her own, as she often said, had been a life-changing experience. She was sure to have a special bond with Liz and Lena couldn't deny that. That was the reason why Sam was doubly furious now. The three of them were waiting around Kara's kitchen table for Kara and Liz to come up from the gym to eat lunch. Lena was actually waiting to be chewed alive by her best friend.
"Why didn't you call me? This is our deal, Lena."
"I came to see you, remember?"
"Oh, so you had a visit but I didn't and I am the one living here." Andrea huffed on the side.
Sam didn't acknowledge her. "Yes, but you didn't tell me my goddaughter was supposed to save the world. You didn't even call to say you got abducted. Liz could have been injured too!"
"By her half-brother, nonetheless." Andrea quipped. Lena shot her a glare, which only served to amuse her best friend more.
"I'm sorry, Sam, but I didn't have the time to-"
"Stop, seriously, don't bother. You don't even believe it yourself. I know it happened two days ago but a text doesn't take that much time." Sam interrupted her with a raised hand. She took her glass of water and gulped down half of it, as if to cool herself off.
Now, Lena could clearly see the CEO of the Foundation. There wasn't a lot of people she was scared of, mostly because living in the Luthor mansion had taught her that the most terrifying persons were the ones we knew the most. But Sam and Andrea had the potential to put her in her place. They knew her more than anybody else, had seen her face the biggest struggles of her life and they knew she measured their opinions. Lena didn't want to admit it, but she often counted on them to stop her to do crazy things like fleeing to another country and disappear for seven years. Sometimes, they did and sometimes, they missed the memo.
Looking at Sam's eyes now, Lena knew that she better come clean if she wanted for the rest of their lunch to go smoothly. She leaned forward and took her hand.
"I'm sorry. You're right. I promised to call and I didn't. And then, all hell got loose here and I completely forgot to tell anyone."
Sam put her hand under her chin, sizing her up and down, judging if she would accept the apology instantly or make Lena work more for it. She squeezed the hand in hers and winced.
"I'm just glad you're okay. You must be terrified."
Lena inhaled a sharp breath and took her hand back, as though she had been burnt. Sam could read her so easily that it was scary. But she was right. The only reason Lena had admittedly forgotten to tell Sam and Andrea was because she was terrified of all the things going on around them. Liz's powers. Her abduction. The Purifiers' cult. The discoveries about her first abduction. Kara's marks of love and affection. The fate of them all.
"I'm beyond that point, I think. I don't know." She admitted with a disbelief laugh.
Sam's deep brown eyes were reflecting her empathy so significantly that Lena couldn't keep looking at them for too long if she wanted not to cry. Andrea was abhorring the same gaze, only with the knowledge that Lena didn't like to be pitied. She put a hand on her shoulder and smiled softly.
"You know you can count on us. We'll be there to fight whatever this thing is and Liz will succeed. I'm sure of it."
Sam agreed. "Exactly. You can't get rid of us. We'll stay 'till the end."
Lena shook her head, full of love and thankfulness for her friends. They were the only ones Lena was willing to believe on the spot. Well, now, she could add Kara to this list even if she was still working on it.
"Speaking of the end," Andrea's tone was already taking a playful turn. "I'm glad you ended your celibacy phase and opened your eyes. It was about time."
Lena gasped. Sam laughed and Lena glared at her. A mischievous grin grew on her face. She crossed her arms and leaned them on the table.
"Speaking of celibacy phase," She eyed them knowingly. "What are you two up to? Already engaged or keeping it strictly hidden so that I don't realize my two best friends are sleeping together?"
Both were slack jawed for a minute then Sam started to laugh again. A full belly laugh, almost hysterical. Andrea slapped her gently on the arm.
"Stop it. Don't encourage her."
"Okay, okay." Sam panted, out of breath. "That was just… Your face." Her own face exploded with laughter again but she tried to rule it in. Her eyes were glistening. "I told you she would see right through it."
Lena tilted her head towards Andrea, interested, her arms still crossed, inquiring for explanations. Andrea huffed and crossed her arms defensively.
"There's nothing to say. We're adults. We don't need your permission. It's nothing anyway."
Lena frowned, sensing a tension there. She looked at Sam and didn't miss the hurt in her gaze but they didn't have the time to address it.
"Hey girls!" Kara said while walking in. Liz ran immediately to Sam who caught her in her arms.
"Oh, I missed you so much, my little nugget."
Liz buried herself as close as possible against Sam. She mumbled something only Kara heard, apparently, given she was smiling from ear to ear. Sam hugged her tighter. Lena felt a hand on her shoulder and smiled up at Kara.
"She was really eager to finish our session. They share something special, don't they?"
Lena smiled fondly at her daughter and best friend reunited. "They do. They're the best of friends."
Without any preamble, Liz pulled away from Sam and took her hand to show her Snowflake, then to show her her drawings, and her room. Sam waved to her friends as they chuckled.
"I'll call you for lunch." Lena shouted to them.
"Thanks!" Sam replied.
Lena chuckled one last time then looked at Andrea. "Are you up to show Kara how to make your wonderful quesadilla? I talked about it once and since then, she wants to try it."
Andrea smiled at them both and nodded. "I hope you're not as clumsy as it looks in the kitchen, Danvers." She said while pulling up her sleeves as she walked to the stove.
Kara grimaced to Lena who snorted. "You'll be okay, darling." She tried to reassure her with a pat on the cheek.
"If I'm not back in thirty minutes, call the police." Kara whispered before putting a quick kiss on Lena's cheek and walking away with a dumb grin on her face.
Lena chuckled once more before following them. She loved these new dynamics. Now, she could understand what Kara meant. It was really heartwarming to notice her worlds colliding.
Scotland was windy, even in summer. Especially in the middle of the sea. Lena made them appear right at the entry of the Fingal's caves. Thankfully, Andrea had thought to bring a jacket with her. They all paused to look at the monument. The waves of the Atlantic Ocean were crashing against the huge bloc of basalt bitten by time and erosion. It was impressive. The caves were known to be monumental. A sight to memorize. A place where water echoed on the walls, making music.
"We should hurry, there're tourist boats coming our way." Kara said while putting her cape around Lena's shoulders.
Wonder Woman, who accompanied them to secure the area, agreed. "The Gates are in the back, where the water is the deepest." She said, taking the lead.
They followed her in a cautious procession. The stone ground was slippery due to the amount of water crashing against it. The caves were normally impracticable by foot. The visits were always done by boat. Now, they knew why. Andrea smirked. Since she was bringing up the rear, she noticed Kara and Lena's little attentions towards each other. Kara's hands hovered around Lena all the time, prepared to catch her if she slipped. Lena, always true to herself, made it look like she didn't know Kara was breathing on her neck, but she knew it. Andrea suspected she slipped once or twice just so that Kara could catch her.
"You know," She said loudly to be heard above the noise of water, her voice reverberating against the cave. "This is quite convenient. A Luthor and a Zor-El make a baby and it turns out to be a chosen one. This was totally planned. Lex would go insane just with that fact."
Lena shot her a heated look. "Don't tell his name. It might summon him up."
Andrea snorted. She loved Lena's sarcasm. "Why, because he's the devil?"
"I'm starting to think he might have been possessed by a demon by the age of 22." Lena shrugged.
She liked Lena's sarcasm but sometimes, she didn't know if she was supposed to laugh or take her seriously.
"Are you serious?"
Lena winked at Kara but didn't reply. Andrea huffed and crossed her arms, slipping dangerously on the slippery ground but catching herself at the last moment.
"You shouldn't joke about that."
"I know, Andy. I'm the witch here."
Andrea's only reply was a curse in Spanish. They resumed walking in silence. Wonder Woman never commented on their banter throughout the walk. She just stayed focused, only addressing an amused glance to Kara once or twice. Then, she stopped and turned in a narrow tunnel.
"It's this way."
"I didn't know the caves were this spread." Lena remarked.
"The tunnel is only visible if we know where to search." Wonder Woman replied in a cryptic tone.
Lena looked skeptically to Kara who just shrugged then followed the Amazon. Andrea snorted but followed too. The woman was a veritable goddess. It weighted in the trust balance. The tunnel continued for a hundred of meters until they entered a dark crypt. They paused next to each other. Lena extended her hands in front of her and rubbed them together. The friction caused bright yellow sparks to form in the space between them. She pulled them away in a quick motion. An instant ball of light emerged in front of them. Andrea and Kara gasped in unison. Magic was wonderful. Lena threw the ball high. It bumped on the ceiling of the crypt, revealing a lake in front of them, big enough to be called a lake, but small enough not to be able to sail on it.
"Thank you, Lena." Wonder Woman smiled to her. "The Gates are down there. I'll go check if it's still sealed. You can wait for me or just go see the paintings in the nave."
"We'll wait for you." Kara assured. "You could need some help." She shrugged. Wonder Woman nodded then turned around and jumped into the water in a perfect Olympic dive. They all gasped in surprise.
"This woman is something." Andrea said, drying salt water from her face.
"She's more than that." Kara said, her eyes still glued to the lake in wonder.
Lena scoffed next to her. "You're drooling." She crossed her arms petulantly on her chest. Kara looked at her. It took a good minute before she realized what Lena meant.
"Oh, Lee, you're jealous. That's cute." She cooed. "I don't think about her like that, you know."
"I'm not jealous." Lena contradicted with little confidence.
Andrea rolled her eyes. "You totally are."
Lena gave her a pointed glare. "Shut up, Andy."
Andrea chuckled but said nothing. They all looked around them, contemplating their luck of having a personal tour of the caves. It was massive. What was once a volcanic stone became a beauty for the eyes and the ears. Lena's ball of light formed rainbow halos on the walls. It was gorgeous. It also brought insects to them.
Kara hit her arm hastily. "I hate mosquitos."
Lena looked at her, surprised and chuckled lightly. "Kara Zor-El, mosquito killer."
Kara snorted. "This is the only being I kill."
"You don't squash spiders?" Andrea asked, curious.
"Nope, they can't bite me." Kara shrugged. Lena and Andrea shared a look and frowned.
"Mosquitos can't bite you either then." Lena said.
"No, I just hate the sound they make." Kara shrugged again, too engrossed in dusting off her suit to care about their weird looks.
Lena laughed, shaking her head. Poor mosquitos, they didn't know who they were facing with. They didn't have a chance.
Andrea clapped her hands on her thighs. "So, we're just going to wait here."
"We still could talk about why you didn't tell me you had feelings for Sam." Lena said bitterly.
Kara gasped and whipped around to look at her. "You and Sam, you're…"
"No!" Andrea pointed at her with warning. "We're not. There's nothing to talk about."
"It doesn't look like nothing. You wouldn't be this defensive if it were." Lena said with a cocked eyebrow.
Andrea had this theory that Lena's angular eyebrow had a personality of its own. It could see right through you. It had a third Mexican eye, and a gay radar, and probably a sense of humor, all of its own. It was dangerous. Disconcerting.
"Okay." She sighed. "It's not nothing. But it's not a thing either." She admitted.
Lena and Kara faced her. The blonde had her hands on her hips in her perfect Supergirl stance. Lena had her arms crossed, her foot taping the ground impatiently. They didn't need to reply. Their attitudes were enough. Andrea sighed again.
"Alright, fine! I'll tell you." She started to pace, carefully stepping on the stones. "Sam told me she has feelings for me but I don't know if I can do it."
Kara tilted her head in confusion. "Why?" She just asked, as if it was impossible for her to find a reason.
"Because she's a mother and I don't know if I can raise a kid or not!" Andrea threw her hands in the air in frustration.
Lena chuckled. "Andy, Ruby is 20. I think you're good."
Andrea shook her head. "Sam wants more."
Lena's eyes widen then she choked on thin air and coughed ungracefully. Andrea pointed her reaction with batting hands.
"See! See! This was my reaction too. We're close to 40. Ruby is already 20. Why does she want a niño now? She's finally free! Why does she want one with me? I'm not mother material. I lost my mom too young to know how I'm supposed to do it!"
Her rant was getting louder and louder. She was finally expelling all the fears and reasons she had not to accept a more serious relationship with Sam.
"We don't even know if we fit together. It's too soon. I can't! I just can't!"
Her voice echoed on the walls but it never found another to reply. Lena and Kara were looking at her with sympathy and knowledge, because they had shared this type of dilemmas before. They knew how it felt. How crazy it sounded, to give up on the only person you loved just because of fear and doubt.
As the silence stretched on, shame started to invade Andrea's thoughts. She hadn't meant to share this much. She didn't like the way her friends were looking at her. And she was sure she had betrayed Sam in a way by talking about their relationship behind her back. She had said too much. She didn't even know Kara that much, they were colleagues, mostly, and Andrea wasn't even in charge at CatCo anymore. And Lena was really guarded since she had discovered her lie about the medallion. Their bond had been broken since then, even if Lena had told her she trusted her multiple times. It wasn't like Andrea was used to share her thoughts with anybody, let alone people she wanted to keep in her life, not flee it. She was sure Lena and Kara were thinking she was crazy now.
As if remarking her inner turmoil, Lena stepped slowly to her and grabbed her by the shoulders. "I'm sorry I pushed you to talk."
They shared a look. Lena smiled softly at her then pulled her in, enveloping her in a rare hug. They never shared this much contact. Not since they rekindled all these years ago. It was not the type of friendship they shared. They hugged in rare occasions, like birthdays or weddings or inventions launch that changed the face of the planet. But it wasn't like this. It was never with an emotional purpose. More like a friendly business-rooted affection because they shared the importance of their works. This time, though, Lena wanted to comfort her and Andrea felt like the air had quit her lungs at the moment she had realized it. It was the first real hug they shared since she had betrayed Lena. It felt like the missing puzzle piece had finally been put back in the right slot.
Wonder Woman got out of the water the moment they were pulling away. The Amazon looked at them with confusion but didn't seem she wanted to know.
"Everything's sealed down there." She just said, pressing her hands over her armor and hair to dry herself a bit.
"Good." Kara replied. "We can go look at the nave's walls now." She said while taking the lead back to the tunnel.
Lena shot a small smile to Andrea and followed Kara. None of them addressed the hug but Andrea was sure of one thing. She wasn't the only one who needed it.
"So this is our daughter." Kara pointed the drawing of the rock where a being was glowing with bright purple energy.
"I guess." Lena said. They could hear tourists' voices far away on the water. "But if it represents Liz, this is supposed to be her alter ego." She replied pointing to the figure vomiting fire from its mouth.
Kara shrugged, a pout of disgust on her face. "She's supposed to beat that guy."
"Yeah. This is The Other. The person who defeated us all in another dimension."
Andrea huffed next to them. "Great. I guess we better start training."
Lena wanted to chuckle but really the situation was too serious. They all died because of this monster. Alex, Kelly, Kara, Liz. How could Liz beat it and succeed this time?
"You said it wasn't supposed to happen before several years." Wonder Woman asked Lena.
"It happened in 2038 on Earth 66." Lena replied.
The Amazon looked thoughtful for a minute. They were all contemplating the drawings. Lena and Andrea had found, during the night research, that Scottish legends said the drawings had been made by giants' children while they were walking from one side of the ocean to the other. The whole area was furnished with giants legends. The caves were supposed to be blocks of basalt which had been crashed under their feet as they were traveling. It was interesting in a historical level but Andrea and Lena had concluded that it had nothing to do with the Unique prophecy.
"It seems to show that they do share a link." Wonder Woman said as her hand followed the line drawn on the wall between the two beings.
"I'm sure they do, but it doesn't mean it's the way to beat him." Lena said.
"What about these symbols there?" Kara said, pointing to a corner.
They all looked up to the corner of the drawing and frowned. There was nothing.
"I think you're the only one seeing them." Lena said.
Kara's mouth formed an O. She looked at the corner again then pulled her cellphone out of a secret pocket. "I should take it in picture, then. So that I can draw it again back home."
"That's a good idea."
"Can you describe how it looks?" Wonder Woman asked.
Kara was already in the air, pointing her phone to the right angle. "It's symbols, like hieroglyphs or even Kryptonese, you know. I've just never seen it, but there're so many different languages on Earth, it doesn't surprise me."
"It must be important." Lena said.
"Maybe the transcription of the prophecy." Andrea added.
"Or a solution to beat the darkness." Wonder Woman said with gravity.
They all nodded and watched Kara eased back down on the ground. They looked at the walls a bit longer. Lena took closer pictures of the drawings, missing her step once or twice but Kara always managed to catch her at the last moment.
"I think we're good." Kara said after the last time she had caught Lena in her arms.
"Right."
Lena straightened up and they all took each other's hands to form a circle. As Lena closed her eyes to teleport them, they all felt the jolt of electricity at the same time. They pulled away in a panic. Lena stumbled on her feet, exhausted. "I can't do it. I've used too much of my powers."
Kara caught her on the side. "Woah, easy there. Want me to fly us back to the Tower?"
Lena looked around and frowned. She was pale, her eyes glassy, as if magic had quit her body. "No, just to my house in Ireland. It'll be too long to go back to the States. I need to recharge."
"But what about Liz?" Kara asked, a bit of surprise in her voice.
"She's with Sam. There's no safer place. Don't you trust her?"
Kara bit her bottom lip in embarrassment. "I do. She has a daughter after all. I just don't want Liz to think we left her."
Lena just sighed and seemed to melt more into Kara. "She'll be fine. From what we'd just seen, she'll need to start training soon. Let her enjoy her childhood a bit longer and spend time with her godmother."
Kara scrunched up her face and looked up to the other two women. "Yeah, right. So, to Ireland?"
"I'm needed in Washington. I'm going back." Wonder Woman said. She turned towards Andrea. "Do you want to join me?"
"You fly too?"
"I do." Diana smirked. "Are you scared of flying?"
"No." Andrea frowned. She turned towards Lena and Kara. "Is it okay if I go back too? I have an early meeting in the morning."
"Of course. Go, Andy. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Sam is staying in town anyway. We should grab lunch or dinner even." Lena said with a tired smile.
"She didn't tell me she was-"
She didn't have the time to finish her sentence. Wonder Woman had jumped in the air and flew quickly above the clouds. Kara and Lena watched their tiny dot in the sky, trying not to laugh.
"She'll be mad." Kara said.
"She'll be so mad." Lena agreed. They burst out laughing anyway. Kara kissed her on the cheek, still chuckling.
"Let's go."
The house was exactly like they had left it in their previous visit. Lena looked through her mail rapidly but decided it could wait. She just wanted a glass of wine and some dinner before going to bed. Kara followed her in the kitchen as she poured them their drinks. It wasn't heavy between them, per se, but there was something hanging. It was the first time they were totally alone since they had shared a kiss in the Fortress. Lena missed Liz already but she knew they needed this time to talk. Really talk. Just the two of them. Without interruption.
The house was silent. There was no car or urgency or people talking around them. The garden was secluded but inviting. They decided to watch the sunset while drinking their glasses on the terrace. Lena had a table and four chairs in the lawn but Kara decided to sit in one of the two deck chairs. She gave her hand to Lena, asking wordlessly to sit with her. Lena already knew she couldn't fight the invisible force that was always pulling her to Kara. She took her hand and let herself be guided to the deck chair. She sat in between Kara's legs, the blonde enveloping her in her arms.
It was like they were made to fit together. Lena leaned her head back on Kara's shoulder and sighed. She had never felt this type of belonging before. She had hugged Kara a hundred times, in different circumstances. Kara had often shed her tears and showed her support through affection. But now, it didn't feel the same. Their hugs hadn't the same meanings. The same intensity. It was as if the love they felt for each other had been converted in sparks of electricity, cursing through their skins and between them, pulling them together, irrevocably.
Lena could feel so much, just by being close to Kara. The blonde's warmth was surrounding her like a true winter blanket. Kara had her chin on her shoulder, their cheeks brushing from time to time, making Lena stiffen for a second, only to melt immediately after at the comfort it brought her. Kara was breathing calmly against her. Lena swore their breaths were synchronizing involuntarily. She could almost fall asleep in this daze between quietness and desire. Kara's natural greedy smell of vanilla and cinnamon didn't help.
"I really like to hug you. You fit perfectly." Kara whispered in her ear. She was met with deafening silence and tensed. Lena realized she hadn't replied soon enough. "Sorry, that sounded weird and clingy." Kara added.
"No, it's…" Lena sighed through her nose and grabbed at Kara's hands on her belly. She was tired but, in her house, surrounding by her ancestors' energy, it felt less taxing and she could really enjoy Kara's affection like she should. "I like it too. Very much." She admitted. Her eyes closed, she inhaled to admit the biggest part. "I just never dare ask for it so, please, do it as much as you want."
Kara didn't reply at first. She squeezed her tighter. Lena's lack of affection during her childhood was a topic neither of them liked to broach. Lena didn't like to talk about it because it sounded childish and needy and was painful. Kara didn't like to talk about it because it made her so angry she could go to the Phantom Zone just to put two laser holes in Lex's brain. So, they never addressed it. Instead, they usually brushed the topic away with humor.
Kara chuckled against her and Lena felt it all in her body. "Oh, you'll regret that, you know."
"I don't think so." She whispered with a soft smile.
They stayed silent for some time, enjoying the world around them. The birds and little squirrels were living in the trees around them. The sky was slowly turning from light blue to deep purple. The Moon was even visible in a strange moment between day and night. She couldn't wait to see the stars and show the constellations to Kara. It didn't take long for the sky to turn entirely purple then navy blue with little sparkling white dots forming shapes only the biggest imaginations could see.
"So beautiful." Kara said in wonder.
Lena finished her glass of wine quietly then leaned back against her. "What's your favorite? The Moon or the stars?"
It took Kara a moment to reply. At first, Lena had thought it was maybe a painful subject because it reminded her of everything she had lost. Or maybe Kara needed a little bit more time to choose, because she always took this type of questions seriously. It was none of that.
"Nothing compares to your eyes."
A deep blush spread on Lena's cheeks and neck. She should have known better. She should have expected it. Kara was a romantic at heart.
"Yours remind me of the Atlantic Ocean seen from the French coast." She said without thinking. She felt Kara's smile against her cheek.
"Yours are the color of the lake we used to go fishing with Jeremiah."
Lena pulled away to look at her with a playful glint in her eyes. "Oh, so they look like dirty water."
"No!" Kara exclaimed immediately. She circled her in her arms to pull her back against her. "It's just that sometimes they're green and sometimes they're blue, depending on the light and the season, and it reminds me of when we were in the middle of the lake on our boat and the sky would meet the water. The blue and the green were mixing into each other. Your eyes look like that. When the sky meets the water." She rambled.
Lena's stomach was dancing at the admission. She didn't know Kara had analyzed her eyes that much. She could only reply with good old humor as her defense mechanism. "You know, I'm already hooked. You don't need to be this charming."
Kara looked down, blushing. "I just speak the truth. It's my job to remind you how beautiful you are."
"Oh, is that so?"
"Uhuh." Kara leaned to whisper in her ear. "In case you'd forget it."
Lena sucked in a sharp breath, her skin erupting in goosebumps. "I forget many things when you're this close, Miss Danvers."
Kara snorted lightly and closed the distance to put a tender kiss on her cheek. "I can't believe I can do this now." She said when she pulled back with a lovesick grin on her face. Kara looked so in love at this moment that Lena wondered how she could have been this oblivious this whole time.
"You'll get sick of it."
"Ha, not a chance." Kara countered.
"We'll see. I'm sure you'll get sick of my tantrums." Lena countered, sitting sideway on Kara's lap.
"Uhuh."
"And my panic attacks." She started to count on her fingers.
Kara frowned, concerned. "Didn't know you still had those."
"And my control freak attitude." Lena continued, unbothered.
"I'll loosen you up." The blonde smiled suggestively.
"And my trust issues."
"Well, I think I already passed that test."
Lena snorted, agreeing. "Yes, you did, darling." She enveloped her arms around Kara's neck. The blonde seemed delighted by the rare gesture of affection. Lena was slowly losing her inhibitions. She could feel her walls crashing down the more she spent time with Kara. Just like it had happened thirteen years ago when she got first to National City, swearing she would not befriend anybody again.
Kara put a finger under her chin, mistaking her glassy eyes for doubt or distrust. Their eyes met and Lena smiled instantly. "There's not a thing," Kara said emphasizing every word. "I don't love about you, Lena Kieran Luthor. Even your stubbornness is charming."
Lena scrunched up her nose, her fingers caressing the little locks of hair at the base of Kara's nape. "I think it'll be less charming on a daily basis."
Kara tilted her head with a fond smile. "Does that mean you're ready for us to be together?"
"I am." Lena nodded. "I think I stayed away because I didn't know how to explain why I wanted a baby that was made with my best friend's DNA. I don't think I was ready to tell…" She sighed. "I wasn't ready to accept my feelings."
"And what about now?" Kara questioned gently. Not pushing, not judging. Just listening.
Lena looked at her. Truly looked at her. Kara was kindness personified. The Paragon of Hope. Supergirl. But she was also all the little details that made Lena fall in love with her. Her endless appetite. Her quick and witty humor. Her protectiveness towards her friends. Her dorky sides which liked to come out to make people feel better. The wonder in her eyes when she discovered something new. The affection she was demonstrating so easily to anyone who she judged deserved it. The love she only reserved for Esme and the one special love she reserved for Liz. Her way to always see the good in people, even when their name was Luthor and that they had proved multiple times they couldn't be trusted. Kara had been her unconditional support and she would have stayed so if Lena hadn't run away to Ireland because she was too scared of her feelings. No, now, she was ready. She loved her and she was ready to show it.
She pulled a bit on her arms to close the gap between their foreheads. "Now, I really like where I am." She smiled lovingly. "Even if there's still a part of me that thinks I'm going to crash this up because that's what I do."
Kara shook her head against her own. Lena could only see her pinched disapproving lips. "Alright, I correct my statement from earlier. I don't like your cynical persona."
Lena snorted and pulled away in excitement. "Ha, you see. It's just the beginning."
Kara shook her head, amused but forced Lena to stay serious. "Honestly, though, I don't see myself with anybody else other than you, Lena. I know it can be scary but I'll be there with you. We'll do it together."
Lena smiled, ignoring the effect those words had on her heart. "I know, love. I'm ready. I apologize for the time we lost because I had cold feet. I was so scared of the damage I could do. Of the damage you could find in me. Now, I'm all in this with you. I'm ready to move forward."
Kara seemed to ponder her last words. She nuzzled Lena's nose affectionately. "I like the sound of that." Kara said. She held Lena closer to her and leaned to slide soft kisses in her neck. Lena's breath got unsteady without her consent.
"I like the feeling of that." Lena sighed appreciatively.
"You do?" Kara whispered against her skin. Lena felt the vibrations spread all over her pulse point.
"Hum."
Kara's feather touch traveled on her skin. Along her arm. Past the peak of her elbow. Around her wrist. In the palm of her hand. Until the last bit of her finger. Lena arched under her touch, shivered under her fingers. Kara's mouth continued to nip at her pulse point. Lena was warm everywhere. She felt like she was suddenly conscious for the first time of every atom that was forming her body. She felt alive. Important.
Lena turned completely in Kara's arms to sat on her lap, bracketing her with her legs. Kara's face was the epitome of affection. Lena looked down at her lips through half-lidded eyes and licked her own on impulse. Kara grinned too widely to be innocent. Nothing was stopping them, now. Not even the little wings of butterflies in Lena's stomach. She leaned forward and captured Kara's lips with intention. The connection was instantaneous. The blonde moaned and replied with the same intensity. It felt like breathing for the first time. Her hands stayed on Lena's hips, locking her against her. And then, they slid under Lena's shirt and the brunette felt like she was graced by the Sun itself.
Kara was warm and so soft. She was grazing the skin on Lena's back so tenderly, like she wanted to take care of every inch of skin on Lena's body. It was relieving. Soothing. Like the summer breeze on tan sweating skin. Lena was melting in her arms. Their tongues were dancing against one another in a delicate waltz. The silence around them was only broken by long sighs and high moans. As Kara's full lips slid from her mouth to her jaw then from her neck to her collarbone, a sharp inhale moved Lena's entire body before it was replaced by a deep moan. Those lips were intoxicating. Lena was barely aware of her hands tangled in Kara's blond locks or of her hips rocking sensually against hers. She had never needed someone so badly in her life. It didn't feel close enough. As if sharing her mind, Kara's hand caressed up her back, passed under the strap of her bra, stayed there, caressed the tender flesh but didn't undo it. It slid back down her back, her nails scrapping the skin gently on the way. Patiently waiting for the right moment. Dragging the instant. So that they could stay in their cocoon a little longer. But Lena had waited enough.
"Inside." She mumbled against Kara's lips before standing up clumsily from her lap. The blonde opened confused eyes. She didn't seem to have heard. She was adorable. Lena gave her a hand and smiled flirtatiously. Her eyes were saying all it had to be said.
Kara had seen Lena in an immeasurable amount of revealing dresses. She could exactly remember the ones she had preferred and the ones in which Lena had looked the most powerful. She could pinpoint the thin lines of her favorite. It was the black dress Lena had worn at Morgan Edge's launch. The short sleeves had barely covered her biceps, letting anyone admire the angular and sensual structure of Lena's creamy collar bones and neck. Letting anyone admire her generous cleavage, reminding everyone they could see it but not touch it. To Kara, this was the dress in which Lena had looked so beautiful and confident and inviting. But none of those dresses had done her justice. They had hidden enough to spark the imagination of what it could feel like to run a hand on these curves, to trace a wet tongue down this navel, to feel these toned legs loosely circle around a waist. They had done a good job because the reality was not close to anything Kara had ever imagined. There was not any word that could summarize how Lena's beauty was striking. Kara would probably need her whole life to find the right words – and she knew plenty, thank you very much. But she would do it, only to see Lena smile like she was at the moment.
So natural and noticeable and bare. Lena's usual aristocratic stance had been replaced by loose muscles and clumsy gestures. She was all soft and strong, wanting everything all at once but not knowing where to start. She was grabbing Kara's shirt in tight fists, then scrapping her nails on Kara's back, then pulling at her neck with one hand and tangling the other in her hair. She was smiling and laughing and kissing and moaning and loving. Rao, Kara could swear that she had fallen all over again just seeing her this free. Only deeper, stronger. Intensely.
Her senses were on a high. Kara felt drunk. Drunk on Lena's natural perfume. On the obscene sounds that were escaping her mouth. On the touch of the smooth cream skin of her breast. On the love reflecting in her vibrant green eyes. Drunk in love. She wanted to cherish every inch of skin, wanted to soothe every wound in Lena's heart, wanted to glue back every broken piece and tell her that it would never break again. Not under her care.
They shared a long look, both naked under the sheets in Lena's bedroom. Kara's eyes fell on the Platinum Kryptonite hanging from her neck. She grabbed it and pulled it up her head. It wasn't a hard decision, really. Lena needed to be safe if they wanted to do this. She pulled Lena up against the pillows to glide the necklace around her neck. Lena sucked in a sharp breath at the contact of the cold stone on her skin right between her breasts. She leaned back against the pillows and slid a lone nail along Kara's shoulder blade. The blonde winced in pleasure, her hips jerking up on impulse, eliciting moans from them both in the process. A glint appeared in Lena's eyes. Now, they were even.
For a moment, it was just the two of them. The sheets were silky soft on the small of Kara's back. The air was cool on her bare chest. Birds were chirping in the trees around the mansion. But Kara was only seeing Lena. She had her thighs wrapped around her hips. Her eyes were telling Kara how much she wanted them. She looked so vulnerable. It was striking.
"I love you." Kara exhaled in her dreamy contemplation. She kissed Lena's open mouth only to realize she wasn't kissed back. She stopped and looked at her. Lena was staring at her with a fixed gaze. She had tears in her questioning eyes, her face the pure expression of fear and doubt. And then, realization and acceptance. Kara knew this face. Lena never dared asking to be loved, as if considering herself not worthy of it, but oh, how she needed it. Lena craved that love, that affection, and Kara could see it right in her green eyes. She would be a fool to refuse her that. She deserved so much more. It had happened too fast, the day before. So fast, that neither of them had the time to ponder what were the consequences of their kiss. Now, Kara had the time to prove her what she meant. To prove to her that she had been honest. That she hadn't made promises she wouldn't keep.
Kara cupped her face with both hands and plunged her eyes in hers, planting the seed of trust, watering it. "I love you, Lena. I love you." She emphasized each word determinedly, confidently, her voice never wavering. "I will love you as long as you allow me to."
Lena blinked briefly, her tears escaping on her cheeks. Kara kissed both of her cheekbones then slightly pulled away. "Let me love you."
Lena closed the gap in a wet whimper, her head nodding. "I love you too." She whispered against Kara's lips. The weight those words were carrying wasn't lost on them. Lena finally trusted her. Kara smiled through their kiss and enveloped her closer, snaking her arms all over her back and waist. Lena wrapped her legs around her waist, pushing Kara's hips to her with her heels. They both moaned at the contact.
"I want you." Lena croaked out, her cheeks damp but her smile radiant.
"You're sure you want to do this now?" Kara asked innocently and Lena cursed under her breath at the reminder of innocent-little-journalist Kara Danvers who wore glasses and was clumsy just for show.
"Don't you want to wait?" Kara inquired again but her lips were on Lena's pulse point and her tongue was flipping the skin there so expertly that Lena felt like her whole body was on fire. She pushed Kara gently on the shoulders to look at her.
"I love you." She said as an explanation, more confident than the first time she had said it. "We've waited long enough." And with that, she pulled Kara down and kissed her sensually.
Lena had multiple tattoos. Kara had seen them all now. The one on her back was her favorite. She had kissed and caressed the word Virtuous with intention and honesty. The big bold letters on the small of her back were so rebellious and out of character. It defined Lena now, but Kara was sure it must have been really entertaining to be in the Luthor mansion when Lena had come back with this one.
Kara also liked the little Roman date on her collar bone. Liz's birth date. Right above her heart, where Liz belonged. She liked it so much that she even thought what it would look like on her. She had never really felt the need to be tattooed before – the only things she wanted to remember that way were her parents' names and faces but she couldn't put them on her skin permanently and stay discreet about her identity at the same time – but now, she understood the need. She wanted to show Liz was hers and that her love was only Liz's. She wanted everybody to know and she wanted the reminder everyday in the mirror. She would talk to Alex about it, to see if it was possible with a very good needle.
Lena's third tattoo was an enigma. Well, not really because Kara could clearly see what it was. She just couldn't guess what it represented for Lena. It was an owl, with its black and white feathers forming a heart around its head and deep black eyes watching. It seemed like it was following you around. Lena had it on her ribs on her left side. Kara had never seen it before, but it looked quite old, like the one on Lena's back. She promised herself to look the symbolism behind owls later.
Kara was caressing the tattoo on Lena's wrist. The last one. It looked old but was new to her. All black with gross curves and lines. From afar, it looked like a child had drawn on Lena's skin but now that Kara was closer, she could see it formed something. It looked like a goat captured in a shield shape frame. The creature had corns and wings and a female torso and was sporting a defiant smirk. It was sitting like a yogi in the middle of what looked like little demons with their spiked ears and teeth. No doubt it looked weird from afar. There were too many details in it to be beautiful on a wrist. Too many not to look ominous.
"It's new."
Lena looked down calmly and hummed. "Yeah, it's a coven mark."
The dim light of the lamp on the bedside table was forming yellow halos on their naked bodies. It reminded Kara of the sunset in Midvale. She rose her head from Lena's chest, her eyes demanding more explanations. She let her chin lean just above Lena's right breast. It was curiosity more than judgment, really. Lena never spoke about magic so Kara was desperate to know more. She had seen a lot of weird supernatural things in her life but magic was an unknown territory.
"It had more use during the trials but it's still useful. It's a link. If something happens to me, Florence will know immediately." Lena's voice was sore and raucous. Her heart was beating tiredly. Kara knew she was comfortable to talk about it so she took the opportunity to keep the discussion going. She had been desperate to learn more about magic for years now.
"Trials? Like in Salem when they…?"
"Yes." Lena winced and brushed her fingers through Kara's hair with a loving smile. "The witch hunt happened all over the world in different times and places. In UK, it started in the 16th century, mostly. The covens were more spread than now and a lot of witches felt the need to protect themselves. They cast the mark upon themselves as a warning. It helped them flee in case of an attack on one of them."
"Each coven has its own mark?"
Lena chuckled lightly. Kara thought it was beautiful. "No. We all have this ugly Beelzebub representation. I didn't want to have it at first but, with time, it became a rite of passage, meaning you were entirely welcomed in the coven. So, Florence convinced me, saying it'll reinforce our link and our magic. Meaning I could protect Liz better. So, I accepted."
"Do you feel the link?"
"I do." Lena nodded. She pulled the sheets higher on them. Kara tangled her legs with hers. "When I use my powers, it's like I can take it from this enormous pool of magic. It feels infinite."
Kara contemplated what she just learned. She kissed Lena's tattoo on her collar bone. "Liz will have the mark too someday."
Lena shrugged one shoulder. "I'll give her the choice but I'd feel better if she had it."
"You don't need it to have a bond with her." Kara remarked. She couldn't help the disappointment showing on her face. It still felt like Liz was closer to Lena, which was logical, knowing she only knew Kara for a week.
Lena cupped her cheek gently, her thumb caressing her cheekbone. "I know. We have a connection." Kara smiled sadly. "But don't look so dejected, she has a bond with you too. I can't understand everything about her."
"And I can't either. Magic terrifies me a bit, I admit." Kara winced. "Since Nyxly, I always wondered how it was possible that beings this powerful weren't already running the world with iron magical fists."
Lena scowled. "Ah, so what? Do you think we're no use?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean the role of a coven is to link witches together so they can fight against evil threats."
Kara frowned. "Yeah, but demons and all that stuff don't exist right? We're not in Charmed or something."
Lena cocked an eyebrow and gave her a pointed look. "You can fly. How is it weird for demons to exist? I exist too and I'm a witch."
"I know but it feels so impossible and far-fetched."
"I can tell you it's not. The threats are real." Lena insisted with raised eyebrows.
"Did you fight some?"
Lena's sheepish expression said it all. Kara jumped on her in excitement, shuffling the mattress under them. "Oh my god! You're like Buffy, or, or, I don't know, Hermione Granger. A mix of them!"
Lena chuckled and grabbed at Kara's face to kiss her quickly. "I'm sure, even if those two are beautiful women, you still prefer me being Lena Luthor."
"I… yeah, I wouldn't change you for anyone." Kara concealed with a shy smile. They kissed for a while, enjoying the quietness around them. Lena used her new acquired powers to balance them, intertwining their fingers to pin Kara to the mattress. Kara frowned.
"I have a question though." She said through kisses. Lena looked back at her, questioning. "Isn't Beelzebub a representation of the devil?"
Lena hummed and eased her head down on Kara's chest to hug her. The blonde immediately smoothed her fingers through the strands of her dark hair without thinking twice.
"He is now." Lena admitted. "At the time, it was mostly a magical creature. Witches used his scary representation to push curious eyes away."
"I thought he represented black magic. Like some sort of a divine icon for people using black magic."
Lena shook her head, her face serious. "No there's not really such a thing as white or black magic. There's just good or… not so good intentions." She shrugged.
Kara scrunched up her face. "This is a bit terrifying."
Lena laughed. "This is what terrifies you?" She chuckled some more as Kara nodded. "You can be terrifying too. Not because you have powers and can lift two buildings at once or do a round of the Earth in 5 minutes."
"That was 4 minutes and 47 seconds but I'm closer to 3 minutes and a half now." Kara chipped in cockily. Lena slapped her lightly on the shoulder, making Kara giggle and glide her hand on her ribs, enveloping her in a protective embrace.
"I'm serious. You terrify me." Lena said with a more intense tone. "Because you're the only one who's ever seen through me. Behind the lipstick and the neutral demeanor. You saw through the damaged woman, the fragile little girl. And I thought a lot about that, you know. How you were so perceptive, so aware of what I wanted to hear, what I needed. It was really, just, terrifying." She finished in an exhale.
Kara looked at her with softness in her eyes. "You're wrong." She kissed her nose. "I never saw you as fragile. I don't see you as damaged. You are scarred for sure but it makes you who you are." She shrugged. "I don't see you as a problem to fix. I see a brave woman. And after seeing you with our daughter, knowing you gave birth to a half Kryptonian being, and raised her to become this wonderful kid, I have so much respect for you. You have no idea how you're actually glowing in my eyes. I never thought I'll be able to have a family and you gave me one. I'll be forever grateful to you for that."
Lena gulped, trying to keep the tears at bay. Since they had arrived in Ireland, they kept talking about their feelings and revealing what they wanted, what it all meant for them. It was reassuring. The control freak in her liked to know what she was up for. But it was no less taxing. They were the roller coaster specialists of emotions. One minute, they were laughing, the next, they were tearing up. The other, they were kissing passionately. And then, they were circling back to serious talks. It was disturbing but Lena loved it. They had so many things to tell each other, so many things they had kept hidden for too long. They could share everything now.
"I could feel it, you know." Lena whispered. Kara frowned. "The way you were looking at me. The way we would be attracted to each other like two magnets. I felt it. I knew you were about to say something, do something about it. I wasn't just brave enough to accept it."
Kara softened. "But you are now." There wasn't a question in her tone. She believed in what Lena had told her earlier. She was in this for good.
Lena nodded. "I don't usually talk about my feelings. You know that." Kara complied silently, a no-kidding glint in her eyes, but she stayed silent, patiently waiting for Lena to elaborate.
Lena cleared her throat. "People always wanted something from me. They came close just to be in the spotlight for a bit, or because they wanted a business agreement or sometimes, just… sex." She rubbed at her nose shamefully. "But they always leave at a certain point. You didn't." She looked directly into Kara's eyes. "I never understood… I never found what you could possibly want from me. I always thought you would leave at some point, just like the others but you never did."
Kara's fingers formed endless circles around her belly button. She leaned a bit to kiss her shoulder, as if to comfort her. It was as easy for her. To show her love. Touches and kisses. That was how she showed her presence. How she showed that she was here to stay.
"James was fine. He was gentle and he listened, which is awfully rare nowadays." Lena snorted. "But he always looked at me like I needed to be fixed. Like I was a fragile damsel, and you and I know how it's infuriating."
They shared a knowing look. They both had met resistance when it had occurred to men around them that they were more powerful without them. Both knew how hard it was to be a woman in a man's world.
"I guess, what I mean to say is that I know my heart is safe with you. I'm just scared of not being enough. You're Kara Danvers. The loving sister, the caring friend. You always give so much and…" She sighed shakily, her eyes filling up with tears as she exposed her deepest fear. "I just want to give you as much as you give me."
Kara huffed and pulled her by her hips. She wrapped her in the most reassuring hug Lena had ever had. And she had known Kara for a long time. In her arms, it was finally possible to breathe normally. Like earlier, her heart was synchronizing its beating with Kara's, and she could push away the panic that was just hiding beneath her dismissing exterior.
"Do you have any idea how much I love you?" Kara whispered in her ear. The question hit deep. Lena felt a blush cover her entire body and could only hide it by diving her nose in Kara's neck.
"It's… I can't even fathom sometimes." Kara chuckled lightly. "I've seen a lot of things, I've been through space. Rao, I even went through different dimensions, but what you do to me, Lena, I've never felt like this before." She confessed tenderly in her ear. "I could tell you how much you deserve this. How much you're worthy of it, but you won't believe me."
She pulled away but stayed close enough for their noses to touch. Their eyes locked. Time seemed to stop.
"I can only promise you that I am happy with you and that you are enough." She smiled lovingly. Lena's stomach did a somersault in her abdomen. "I'll show you so as long as you let me."
A lonely tear slid down Lena's cheek. Kara kissed it then kissed her lips tenderly. Lena whimpered against them. Their legs tangled in a mess of sheets and flesh. Her hips were already moving to their own accords. The seriousness of their discussion was vanishing into thin air. Desire and love were replacing it. Too eager to share love and affection, to show it. Once again, their very own roller coaster.
"You better stay because I won't bear losing you again." Lena mumbled through kisses with a slight threat. Kara giggled and kissed her deeper. She bit a lower lip lightly and pulled on it. Lena gritted her teeth to avoid moaning too loudly.
"As if I could stay away from you." Kara simply replied as she glided her hand on smooth abs and through soft folds. "You're addictive."
Lena whimpered under her touch as her fingers entered her carefully. Very slowly. Then stopped. She gasped for air a couple of seconds and met Kara's eyes. A smirk grew on her lips.
"I love you too, darling."
A/N: Hey! Thank you all for the response on this fic, this is amazing. Shorter chapter this time. Here, this is mostly Kara and Lena discovering each other. The last scenes have been written a long time ago and are probably my favorites so I hope you liked them too.
What do you think they should do about Liz? Tell her or act like nothing has changed or just show their relationship slowly to her?
As always, thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts on the story. It's a pleasure to read your comments.
You can reach me on Twitter here: MGoemaere27
Have a nice Sunday, guys!
Take care.