Sometime for Just Love pt 2

The morning sun pierced through the windows, drenching the room in a golden glow as another day began. Kara's apartment, once cloaked in the quiet serenity of the night, was now illuminated, every detail coming into view. Outside, the city bustled with life, unaware of the two superheroes hidden away, still wrapped in the comfort of sleep.

Barry lay sprawled on his back, his head awkwardly tilted across a pillow. His breath was steady, peaceful, until the soft touch of morning light seeped through the blinds, kissing his face and rousing him from slumber. His eyelids fluttered, adjusting to the new day, but as he attempted to move, he quickly realized something—or rather, someone—was keeping him in place.

A few blinks later, the source of his predicament became clear.

Kara was nestled against him, her head resting on his left shoulder, her body pressed warmly against his side. One arm draped lazily over his chest, her fingers lightly curled against his skin, and her expression remained serene, untouched by the demands of the waking world.

Barry let out a small, amused exhale, his lips curling into a soft smile. Even in sleep, she was breathtaking. It felt like a dream, like something out of a storybook, yet here she was—real, tangible, and in his arms.

He carefully shifted, attempting to free himself without waking her. However, the moment he moved, her grip instinctively tightened.

A sleepy mumble escaped her lips. "Going somewhere, Mr. Allen?"

Barry froze, his heart skipping at the sound of her voice, still thick with slumber. Kara stirred slightly, rubbing her head against his chest as if trying to burrow deeper into his warmth before finally peeking up at him through barely open eyes.

"Hey…" she whispered, her voice carrying the remnants of sleep.

Barry grinned. "Hey."

With a sigh of contentment, Kara shifted, tucking her head against the crook of his neck. Barry surrendered to the moment, letting his arm slip around her waist, pulling her closer.

A comfortable silence settled over them before Kara spoke again. "What time is it?"

Barry turned his head slightly to glance at the clock on his nightstand. "Almost eight-thirty."

Kara groaned. "Ugh. I have work soon."

Barry chuckled. "Yeah, me too..." Barry was interrupted by the buzzing of his phone. Grabbing it with his free arm, he squinted at the message from Joe.

"It's Joe. Theres a crime scene."

Kara lifted her head, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Guess that means our morning is officially over."

Barry sighed dramatically. "Tragic."

Kara smirked. "How about we make up for it with a lunch date later?"

Barry's face lit up. "That sounds perfect."

She pressed a quick kiss to his lips before slipping out of bed. "I'll text you about where later."

Barry grinned, watching her move around the room. "Looking forward to it."

With a final shared smile, the two heroes set off to start their day, already counting down the hours until they could be together again.

Barry arrived at the crime scene in a blur, his heart already heavy with the weight of expectation. Joe had given him the address, a modest suburban house tucked away in a quiet neighborhood, now marred by the flashing red and blue lights of Central City PD cruisers. Officers moved methodically around the property, their hushed voices mixing with the occasional crackle of police radios.

As Barry stepped past the perimeter, his eyes immediately caught Joe West standing near the front door, his face set in a grim expression. That alone told Barry everything he needed to know—this wasn't just any homicide.

"What do we have?" Barry asked as he approached.

Joe exhaled, rubbing his temple. "It's bad, Barry. Real bad." He nodded towards the door. "See for yourself."

Barry steeled himself and entered the house.

The living room was eerily still, save for the forensic team carefully gathering evidence. The scent of blood and something else—something unnatural—hung thick in the air. Barry's gaze traveled across the room, taking in the overturned furniture, the broken picture frames, and then, finally, the victims.

The father lay sprawled on the floor, his body twisted unnaturally. His wife and young daughter were nearby, their expressions frozen in terror, as if they had seen death coming but had no way to escape it.

Barry crouched beside the father's body, his mind already working through the possibilities. "What do we know?"

"The dad's name is Micheal Langston; he was one of the names tied to McCulloch Technologies," Joe said quietly, standing beside him. Barry gave him a confused look. "After Carver's death and Eva's downfall, the feds started digging into his old connections. Turns out, Black Hole wasn't just a side project—Carver had top-tier allies embedded in his operation. Langston was one of them."

Barry frowned. "So you think this was retaliation?"

"That's the running theory. But…" Joe hesitated before continuing, "It doesn't make sense. No forced entry. No security alarms tripped. And here's the kicker—there's no sign of a murder weapon."

Barry's brows furrowed. He shifted slightly, glancing at the bodies again. The wounds were precise, almost surgical. No gunshots, no stab wounds. Just… something off. He leaned in, his forensic instincts kicking in as he scanned the scene with a trained eye.

Then he saw it.

Faint scorch marks on the carpet. The way the bodies were positioned—as if they'd been struck in an instant, without even a chance to react.

A chill ran down Barry's spine. He had seen this before.

But he didn't want to believe it.

He rose to his feet slowly, exchanging a glance with Joe. "I'll take a closer look at the evidence back at the lab."

Joe studied him, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Barry, what is it?"

Barry hesitated. If his suspicions were correct, this wasn't just about Black Hole anymore. This was something worse. Something personal.

He swallowed hard before shaking his head. "I don't know yet. But I'll find out."

Joe sighed, trusting him enough to let it go—for now. "Alright. Just… be careful."

Barry gave a small nod before stepping back, his mind already racing through the implications.

Kara stepped into CatCo the next morning, a fresh pep in her step and a smile she couldn't quite hide. As soon as she entered, the newsroom fell into a brief silence with people all over the office staring at her before erupting into applause. Reporters turned from their desks, some smiling, others clapping in admiration. National City's hero had returned—not just as Supergirl but as their new editor-in-chief. The newsroom was quieter than it once had been—since Andrea Rojas had sold the company back to Cat Grant, the focus had shifted. With Cat once again at the helm and Kara as the newly appointed editor-in-chief, the company was undergoing a transformation. Though fewer reporters worked on the floor, the weight of leadership didn't feel as heavy as Kara had once feared. Instead, she felt lighter, freer, finally embracing her identity as one person, both Kara Danvers and Supergirl, without the need for secrets.

"Morning, Boss!" Nia called from her desk, looking up from her tablet with a knowing grin. "You're in a good mood today."

Kara adjusted her glasses—now worn more out of habit than necessity—and shrugged, trying—and failing—to play it cool. "Just a good day, that's all."

Nia arched a brow. "Has this 'good day' got anything to do with a certain Scarlet Speedster?"

Before Kara could respond, Lena appeared at her side, coffee in hand, smirking as she took in the newsroom's reaction. She had come to see Kara on her first day as editor-in-chief and to witness her back at CatCo with her identity revealed, and judging by the reception, Kara's decision to go public was already making waves. Her sharp gaze immediately zoned in on Kara's expression. "You do seem unusually chipper this morning," she noted, tilting her head. "Something happen?"

Kara took a sip of her coffee, attempting nonchalance. "Nope. Just, you know, a normal day."

Nia and Lena exchanged knowing glances.

"Kara," Lena said smoothly, smirking. "I've known you long enough to tell when you're hiding something."

"I'm not hiding anything!" Kara protested, though her nervous laugh gave her away.

Nia leaned forward, resting her elbows on her desk. "You have the same expression you get when you eat a really good donut. But this is definitely not about food."

Kara opened her mouth to argue, but Lena's voice cut in, teasing yet observant. "Or maybe it has something to do with Barry Allen?"

Kara nearly choked on her coffee. "What? No— I mean, well, Barry did come to the wedding, but—" She floundered, her cheeks heating up.

Nia gasped dramatically. "Oh my god. It is Barry, isn't it?"

Kara groaned, covering her face with her hands. "Why are you guys like this?"

"Because we're your friends," Lena said with a grin, "and it's fun watching you squirm."

Kara sighed, lowering her hands, but there was no hiding the soft smile that remained on her lips. "Fine. I had a really great night last night and the night before. And let's just say things feel… different now. In a good way."

Lena's smirk softened into something more genuine. "Well, it's about time."

Nia clapped her hands together. "Finally! This is amazing! You guys are basically a multiversal power couple."

Kara beamed, unable to hide her joy anymore. "Thanks, guys. Really. I know it's new, but it just... feels right."

Lena gave her a knowing look. "That's all that matters."

When Kara stepped out of the elevator and into CCPD, she immediately noticed the change in atmosphere. Conversations lulled, and a few officers cast curious glances in her direction. She wasn't exactly an unknown face, not after everything that had happened in National City and her public reveal. Still, it wasn't every day that Supergirl walked through the precinct doors in her civilian clothes.

She smiled politely before spotting a familiar face—Joe West. Walking up to him, she greeted him warmly. "Hey, Joe."

Joe, ever the composed detective, gave her a knowing smirk. "Kara. Didn't expect to see you here."

"Yeah, I, uh… need to see Barry," she said simply.

Joe chuckled. "Figured as much." He then pointed to the hallway at the top of the stairs. "Up the stairs, down the hall, second door on the right."

Kara nodded her thanks, but as she started down the hall, she hesitated. Curious, she let her x-ray vision activate, scanning the building until she spotted Barry hunched over a desk in his lab. A small smile tugged at her lips. However, as she looked around, she quickly realized she had no idea where she was actually allowed to go. The last thing she wanted was to accidentally walk into a restricted area.

After a brief moment of indecision, she stuck to Joe's directions and made her way down the hall the normal way.

Barry sat at his desk in the CCPD crime lab, eyes scanning the autopsy report from the crime scene that morning. His mind was still tangled in the details—the scorch marks, the unnatural precision of the attack. He exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of his neck, when suddenly, the door swung open.

"Kara?"

Standing in the doorway, dressed in casual but professional attire, was Kara. Her bright blue eyes sparkled with amusement as she stepped inside, taking in her surroundings. "Surprise!" she announced, grinning.

Barry blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "Wait—I thought you were going to text me?"

Kara shrugged playfully. "I figured I'd just show up instead. Plus, I've actually seen your forensics lab."

Barry chuckled before holding his arms outward, gesturing around the room. "Not as fancy as the DEO or the Fortress of Solitude or the Superfriends Base, but it gets the job done."

Kara walked further inside, her gaze flitting over the forensic equipment, whiteboards filled with scribbles, and stacks of files. "It's got a certain charm to it," she mused before turning back to him. "You've spent a lot of time here, haven't you?"

Barry nodded. "Yeah, pretty much since I became a CSI. And after the lightning strike… even more." His expression softened as an idea formed. "Actually, stop for a second."

"What?" she responded

Barry started to gesture her to move by a spot that was, to him, a very familiar spot in the middle of the lab.

He held up a hand, stopping her in place. Then, with a small nod, he held his hands out. "Right there."

Kara arched a brow but complied, stepping into the exact spot he indicated. She glanced around, then back at him. "Okay… What's so special about this spot?"

Barry exhaled, his voice quieter now, almost reverent. "This is where it happened."

Kara frowned slightly. "Where what happened?"

Barry gave her a small, nostalgic smile. "Where I got struck by lightning."

Kara's eyes widened slightly as she turned her full attention to the sky light. "Right here?"

Barry nodded, his gaze softening as he recalled the moment. "Yeah, right here. I was just getting back from Starling City after meeting Oliver, Felicity, and Dig. And I was late for the particle accelerator turning on. I remember being on the phone with Felicity before I saw the glow from STAR Labs," he started.

"I tried to close the skylight to keep the rain out, then the lightning struck," he finished with a smirk at the end.

She looked at him with awe. "And now, here you are. The Flash."

Barry exhaled, glancing around as if replaying the moment in his mind. "Yeah. But, you know… It's not just about the powers. After that night, I met amazing people. People who changed my life. Cisco, Caitlin, Wells—well, the first version of him, anyway—Joe. Iris. And…" His gaze met hers, warm and sincere. "You."

Kara felt her heart skip a beat at the way he looked at her. She stepped closer, reaching for his hand. "Barry…"

He smiled, squeezing her fingers gently. "I guess what I'm saying is… as crazy as that night was, I wouldn't change it. Because it led me here."

Kara's breath hitched slightly, and before she could overthink it, she leaned in. Barry met her halfway, their lips meeting in a slow, heartfelt kiss, right there in the very place his life had changed forever.

Their moment, however, was abruptly interrupted by the unmistakable voice of Captain Joe West clearing his throat. "Am I interrupting something?"

Barry and Kara broke apart, Barry groaning as he turned to face Joe, who stood a few feet away with an amused but expectant expression.

Kara smiled nerviously. "Hey, Joe."

"Kara." He nodded at her before looking at his son, keeping his smile. "Barry, you got that autopsy for the murders from this morning?"

Barry sighed, running a hand through his hair before walking over to his desk, grabbing the file, walking back, and handing over the file. "Yeah, yeah. Here you go."

Joe took it, glancing between the two of them. "Appreciate it. And, uh… maybe find a better spot next time?"

Barry groaned. Kara just laughed. "Noted."

Joe shook his head before pointing at Barry. "The new guy comes next week, by the way," he told him before he walked away. Once he was out of sight, Barry turned back to Kara with a sheepish grin. "Well, that was embarrassing."

Kara shrugged while grinning. "Eh, I've had worse."

Barry chuckled, shaking his head. "Come on, let's get out of here. We still have a lunch date."

Kara linked her arm through his. "Lead the way, Mr. Allen."

With a shared smile, they left CCPD behind, ready to steal whatever time they could together before duty called once again.