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Lena Luthor has one memory of her birth mother... at least she thinks it's a memory. Lena is little, really little, and she's looking at a picture book. Then a woman scoops her up and begins reading in a soft warm voice. Dark hair falls around Lena, enveloping her, and she runs her fingers through it as she snuggles in closely to the woman's chest feeling warm and safe. Lena thinks it's her mother because that's the only time she ever remembers feeling safe and loved. Unfortunately, Lena isn't certain that it's real. She might have made it up out of sheer desperation to believe someone, anyone, ever loved her. After her mother's death, her life took a darker turn. She remembers crying, alone, hidden beneath her bed in the orphanage. Remembers being alone, constantly alone. It didn't improve when Lionel and Lillian came. Lena was brought 'home' by the Luthor's. Adopted. Brought up in the upper echelon of society and while she learned much about politics and diplomacy, attended the top tier schools - Lena never learned about family. Not really. On good days, Lex would offer a sort of companionship but it was always one sided, always from a distance. Lena doesn't know how to do family like other people which is why, after she and Kara start dating, the Danvers become her unspoken nightmare. 

The first time Lena is supposed to actually 'hang out' with Alex Danvers, secret government agent, terrifying big sister and absolute hero of Kara Danvers, is for double date movie night. Kara has done everything in her power to make Lena comfortable, so Lena makes a show of being completely unconcerned. She brushes it off as no big deal but the day of, Lena spends her day in a nervous tizzy. Jess actually forces her to take a lie down on the couch before she passes out. Jess offers to call Kara but relented when Lena had panicked more at that. Lena paces her office, google searches conversation topics, paces some more, considers having a drink before hand, and finally leaves for the day in search of Alex's favorite beer. Kara had mentioned it in passing and Lena was hoping a case of it would help smooth things over. Of course, she could have sent some one to purchase the beer for her, but there was something about buying it herself that seemed important. 

When Lena arrives at Kara's she stands outside, mouth dry, staring for longer than she would like to admit. There's a quiver in her hands and a small frown upon her face. Lena probably would have stood their indefinitely, looking in mild horror at the door she was normally quite enthusiastic about knocking on, except for Maggie. Lena didn't hear the other woman and jumped when she spoke, 'Are you gonna go in?' 

'What?' Lena turned to see a semi-familiar woman with dark hair and dimples in a police jacket, 'yes, yes, of course! I just...' she faltered. 

'It's your first time meeting the girlfriends family. Your nervous. I get it.' Maggie flashes a dazzling supportive smile. 

Lena makes a half attempt at smiling back and touches her hair, a nervous habit, 'yes. I'm Lena...' Lena falters really not wanting to associate herself with her last name at the moment. 

'Luthor. We've met. I'm detective Maggie Sawyer. Alex's girlfriend.' Maggie smiles again, 'I promise I won't let Alex bite.' She adds a wink and then knocks on the door before Lena can respond. 

Kara opens the door a big grin on her face, 'Lena! Maggie!' Then Lena finds herself being pulled into a tight embrace with her girlfriend and a complete stranger. When Kara releases them, Kara takes the six pack from Lena's hands, 'this is Alex's favorite drink! How did you know?' 

Lena blushes furiously, reaching up to touch her bun, 'you... uh... mentioned it once and... I... uh remembered.' 

Alex stepped forward, 'you're wrong Kara, this,' Alex tugs on Maggie's arm drawing the woman in close and pressing a kiss to her lips, 'is my favorite drink.' Maggie smiles a big bright smile. 

Kara snorts, 'that was bad Alex, really, really bad.' Kara smiles and winks at Lena. 

Alex sticks her tongue out at Kara then turns to face Lena, some flicker of emotion crosses the woman's face but Lena can't read it. 'Alright Lena. Let's get the big sister talk out of the way, follow me please.' She pulls away from her girlfriend and gesture's towards Kara's bedroom. Lena can hear her heart pounding but she keeps her composure, nodding resolutely. 

'Alex!' Kara says in a whiney but adorable way, 'you promised you'd go easy on her.' 

'And I will,' Alex says, her face stoic, 'but we still are going to talk. And you are not going to eavesdrop or I will never buy you pot stickers again.' 

'You wouldn't!' Kara says horrified.

Lena finds herself being steered towards the bedroom, a firm but gentle hand behind her elbow. Lena hasn't been in Kara's bedroom yet, it's cozy. Plenty of windows to let in the night sky, or the morning sunshine, and bright colored clothes and Lena can't help but feel immediately comfortable until she turns and finds brown eyes looking at her in a calculating manner. Lena has been told that she has a similar look and if it instills as much fear as Alex was doing to her right now, she vowed never to use it again. Lena's mouth is dry but she manages to query, 'So....' 

Then Alex does something Lena would never expect. Agent Danvers smiles. Broadly. Warmly. 'Relax Lena. I mostly do this because it gets under Kara's skin. We'll just hang back here for a little bit and then go back out and have a good night. Of course, I would be supremely disappointed if you were to ruin my little game.' Lena sees a flash of brown eyes that settle into a pleading look and Lena has to stop herself from laughing out loud. 

'Of course not. I am thoroughly cowed by you Alex Danvers.' Lena says, the amusement showing in her tone. 

Alex smiles at her, having gotten her way, 'I mean I could threaten you, tell you all the horrid things I would do to you if you hurt my sister but then I realized that you're probably used to that from family.' Alex's smile goes from pleased to sympathetic and Lena wants to look away. She always does when people try to pity her. Alex presses on, holding Lena's attention, 'I do have a laundry list of horrible things I could do, don't get me wrong but Kara likes you. A lot. Like won't shut up about it a lot. And that makes me want to like you too. So as far as I'm concerned, your in.' 

'I'm in?' Lena questions, confused by what she was supposed to be inside of. 

'Yeah. You're in the family. Accepted. Welcome.' Alex pauses letting the words settle, 'and if you ever need a friend, I'm here for you Lena.' 

Lena smiles, feeling confused but warm inside, 'thank you Alex.' 

Alex smiles back and clasps her shoulder, 'alright. Lets go back out. And remember - not a word to Kara.' 

Lena presses two fingers to her mouth and draws in across her lips in a zipping fashion. The action makes Alex laugh and Lena decides that Alex is definitely not what she expected and maybe, maybe, having a second friend in this city wouldn't be such a bad idea. 

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Lena knew that dating Supergirl would require an eventual meeting of Superman. Lena also knew that said meeting was bound to be tense because she had met Superman a few times before, when Lex was trying very hard to murder him and then during Lex's trial. Lena even suspected that when Superman came to town to work with Supergirl for a few days, that the inevitable would happen. What she didn't expect was an unexpected solo visitor to show up on her balcony in the middle of the work day. She turns to the sound of boots landing softly on her balcony, a smile on her face, preparing to greet her super hero girlfriend. Instead she found the Man of Steel and Lena isn't exactly sure what to do. 

'Miss Luthor...' Superman begins, hesitating and the door of her office, 'may I come in?' 

'It's Lena, please,' Lena stands and extends a hand inviting him in. 

Superman nods and then sits at the seat across from her. Lena has seen Supergirl do a thousand more casual things but somehow the sight of Superman sitting with his legs crossed at the seat across from her seems... odd. Lena presses the intercom, 'Jess, I'm in an important meeting. Please do not disturb me and put the rest of my appointments on hold for the day.' When her secretary confirms, Lena mutes the device and gives her full attention to the man. 

Superman smiles warmly at her, 'thank you, Lena. I won't take much of your time.' 

Lena tries to return the smile but her heart is racing and she feels cold inside, 'any time Superman, my door is always open.' 

'I just wanted to say,' Superman begins then stops, clears his voice and begins again, 'it's just... after my experience with Lex I was... quick to judge you.' 

Lena nods, hoping it is somehow a soft and understanding look because she honestly cannot feel what her face muscles are doing, 'it's understandable. He did try to murder you. Countless times.' 

Superman chuckles for a moment but quickly turns serious, 'I just wanted to say... I am proud of you Lena.' Whatever Lena is expecting, it's not that. Her pen drops, bouncing loudly off her desk. Superman is speaking softer now, 'you've done an incredible thing, turning Luther Corp into L Corp and making it a force for good. You've made the Luthor name stand for more than... well you've made it into a force for good.' 

Lena's face is frozen in a look of surprise and shock, she tries to find a response but only manages a few unintelligible sounds. 

Superman chuckles again and normally Lena would be offended by his humor at her expense, 'Kara mentioned that you were worried I might not... approve of you dating so I wanted to set the record straight. You are a wonderful person and I am really glad Kara found someone who makes her so happy.' Superman smiles and Lena just stares. 

Eventually, Lena manages to pull enough coherence to reply, 'thank you, Superman.' 

'It's Clark, actually,' the Man of Steel smiles once more and stands to leave. At the doorway he turns to look at her one more time, 'if you ever need me Lena, I'll be there.' He's gone before Lena can muster a reply. 

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Lena takes ill on a Thursday. Not just some mildly irritating cold that she would work through without giving it a second thought. Violently ill. The kind of ill that forced her to take refuge in her private bathroom and to lay, moaning, on the ground. Lena is vaguely aware of Supergirl's arrival. She is also vaguely aware of Supergirl taking her home (she deliberately avoids trying to remember if she threw up during the flight home or not). After that, Lena is aware of very little - only the sour taste of vomit, the relief of a cold compress pressing lightly to her forehead, and soft hands urging her to drink.

Lena wakes three days later, mid-afternoon, snuggled warmly in her bed. There is a strawberry gatorade (the only flavor she will drink) on her bedside table and Lena is dressed in her favorite pajamas. Her lips are dry, her breath smells horrid, and her head feels... light... was the best word she could think of to explain it. Lena manages to stand and navigate her way shakily to the bathroom to clean herself up. One look in the mirror is enough to convince Lena that Kara deserves the girlfriend of the year award, no of the century. She manages to brush her teeth, wash her face, and drag a brush through the matted mess of hair on her head before a wave of dizziness overtakes her. Lena sits down, hard, on the bathroom floor. The bedroom door opens and then a soft knock comes on her bathroom door. 'Come in,' Lena calls, too dizzy to open it herself and perhaps if Lena were not quite so ill she would have noticed sooner. A lean blonde woman is kneeling before her, speaking softly but it is not her lean blonde woman. 'W-w-who?' Lena stutters, knowing she ought to be alarmed that some strange woman is in her bathroom while she is feeling so horrid but she just can't. 

'Oh, you poor dear,' the blonde woman coos softly, 'I'm Eliza Danvers, Alex and Kara's mom. You've had a terrible go of it.' 

Something in Lena's head is beginning to process this information, is vaguely aware that she is meeting Eliza Danvers her girlfriend's foster mom and that this is so not how that was supposed to happen, but Lena's mouth is not fully there yet. 'W-where's Kara?' Is all that comes rolling slowly off her too dry, too heavy tongue. 

Eliza smiles kindly at her, or at least Lena thinks it looks kind and beautiful, so beautiful, 'she and Alex got called away to a separate multiverse. They won't be back for a few days but Kara was so concerned about you, she asked me to come take care of you.' Lena blinks at the woman, confused. Why would a woman she had never met come to watch a woman she had never met vomit? Lillian had always forced Lena to clean up her own vomit, even when they had servants who could easily have done the task. Before Lena's brain could send an appropriate response, Eliza was speaking again, 'let's get you back to bed dear.' She grabbed Lena firmly under her elbows and lifted. She was surprisingly strong, something she had in common with Kara. Then Lena laughed because that was obviously not how that worked. Eliza murmured something soft and soothing and tucked Lena into bed. Actually tucked Lena in, pulling the covers tightly around her body. 

Several hours later, Lena woke feeling much more lucid. Eliza popped her head in and offered another sunny Danvers smile, 'good, you're up. I'll bring you some soup!' Lena pulled herself into a sitting position and took a drink of her gatorade. The sweet wetness hit her throat and Lena felt exactly how parched she was. She began gulping in the drink, bits of it spilling over her chin and onto her shirt. At that exact moment, Eliza walked in - it had to tie for one of her most embarrassing moments ever. Eliza ignored the dribble and merely set her up with soup, a napkin and a fresh shirt for when Lena was ready for it. 'How are you feeling dear?' The woman asked with a slight frown on her face that Lena could swear was concern, then she pressed a hand gently to Lena's forehead and Lena tried very hard to not pull away. 

'Better, although I admit I am still a bit confused as to how the great Doctor Danvers came to be my caretaker,' Lena sipped at her soup carefully. It was a delicious chicken noodle that Lena swore was homemade. 

Eliza blushed a bit but offered a small smile, 'Kara said you were ill and she had to leave. I offered.' The woman said it casually, as though it were the most obvious thing to do. 

Lena carefully set her spoon down, willing the tremors out of her hand, 'you offered?' 

'Of course sweet heart!' Eliza says with another smile, 'you needed a mother.' Again, Eliza was making simple one of the most complicated things in Lena's life. 

'A m-m-mother?' Lena says, her voice raw. Later, Lena would blame her sudden bought of tears on her lingering illness, but in the moment tears began to fall down her cheeks. 

Eliza Danvers didn't hesitate. She swept Lena's bowl out of the way and promptly wrapped Lena in a hug. Foster mother or not, this, this was where Kara learned to comfort from. Eliza rocked her in the same pattern, running hands through her hair in a soft way, murmuring soft 'oh sweetie's and 'its okay dear's. When the tears stop, Eliza pulls back and looks at Lena softly. Lovingly. And it makes Lena want to start crying again, but she doesn't. 'Better?' Eliza asks. Lena nods, not trusting her voice. 'Good. Let's eat some soup and we can talk!' 

Lena takes the bowl from Eliza and begins to eat again. Eliza talks first, telling Lena stories about Kara and Alex growing up. In time, she starts to ask questions about Lena and Kara and long after her soup is gone, Lena finds herself talking about just about everything under the sun - from her projects at work, to her engineering designs, to her fears for Kara fighting super villains. Eliza listens, laughs, offers counter points - but mostly Eliza seems interested. Genuinely, truly, completely interested in everything Lena has to say. 

That night, Eliza tucks her in again, even though Lena doesn't really need it and Eliza presses a soft kiss to Lena's forehead and turns off the light. Lena's last thoughts before she falls asleep is that this family is crazy because who drops everything to take care of someone else and who listens for hours on end to someone you have nothing to gain from but that maybe, maybe, Lena likes this kind of crazy. 

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Lena gets shot. Not badly. Just a flesh wound. Okay a through one side and out the other kind of wound in her shoulder. More of Lillian's men who had come to teach her a lesson. It would have, and could have, been much worse save the timely arrival of her superhero girlfriend. She just didn't arrive before the bullet happened to bury itself in her right shoulder. Kara had taken out the goons and flown Lena to the DEO for treatment before the shock even began to wear off. Alex had taken care of her shoulder, cleaning and bandaging it up but there really wasn't much that could be done for it. Alex had sent Lena and Kara home with some pretty strong pain medications, fresh bandages, and a sling. 

Unfortunately, being targeted, again, by her sadistic mother had moved Lillian Luthor and Cadmus up to the very top of Kara's hostile list. Lena had never seen Kara so enraged or so determined to catch Lillian. It also meant her super cute girlfriend was in over-protective mode, which Lena wouldn't mind if Kara pulled the shift all by herself. Instead Lena found herself accompanied by various tag-a-longs. Maggie came over the first time Kara got pulled away. Lena hadn't minded because Maggie was the most easy going person in the world, except for Kara. James had come the next, Winn the time after that, then Alex... and so it continued. Which is why when Supergirl gets called away, about two weeks after Lena got shot, Lena is unsurprised to hear the knock on the door. 

Lena opens the door, after checking to see who it is, to reveal the burly form of J'onn J'onzz. He's wearing his customary black button up over black pants, with a utility belt complete with side arm. 'J'onn, please come in. I was just finishing getting ready.' 

J'onn gave his version of a smile, which is actually just a slightly shallower frown, 'Lena. How are you?' 

Lena returned to the couch, where she had been wrestling with a hair brush, and picked the frustrating thing up. 'I'm doing alright, just learning to do things left handed.' She waved the brush awkwardly and watched the damn thing sail out of her hands to crash across the living room floor. Lena frowned at the brush, as if chastising the thing for running away and then added, 'not that I can do anything more than brush it with only one hand anyways.' Lena wiggles the fingers of her right hand that sit useless in her sling. 

J'onn stooped to pick up the brush and came to sit beside her, 'may I?' He asks softly, politely, shyly. Lena is... surprised... but desperate enough to nod. Gentle fingers pull Lena's hair back, the callouses brushing roughly against Lena's sensitive skin. Hesitantly, J'onn places the brush at the bottom of the long dark hair and begins brushing through. Every time he reached a snag, the man patiently and gently works through it. It is kind, kinder than Lena had ever been to her hair. Each time the brush would begin slightly higher than before, until every strand is smoothed. 'I can try to put it up for you, if you have a hair band. I... I know it bothers you when it falls in your face.' J'onn's voice is slow and deep, calming. Lena wordlessly pulls the band from her left wrist and passes it back to him, touched that the man bothered to remember how much she dislikes her hair in her face.

J'onn begins to pull and part Lena's hair and Lena is fairly certain the man is doing a braid. Where a martian learned to braid is beyond her but Lena doesn't particularly care. Alex, Maggie and Kara had all helped Lena with her hair over the past two weeks but there was something different, something special about J'onn doing it. Maybe it's because J'onn is normally so reserved that the gentleness he is showing her is surprising. Or perhaps it is because there is something amusing about the head of the DEO braiding her hair like she's a little girl. But Lena suspects that it's because she always envisioned this was what having a caring father was like. When the man finishes, Lena turns to face him and he winces a bit, 'it's off center, let me redo-' 

Lena cuts him off, bringing her good hand around to touch the braid, protecting it, 'no. Leave it. Please?' 

J'onn nods and looks away and Lena suspects on a lighter skin tone she would detect a blush. Lena feels her own cheeks begin to color. J'onn clears his throat and breaks the awkward silence spell, 'any trouble lately?' Lena shakes her head, tears starting to well in her eyes and if it were anyone else in the world they might think the tears were fearful ones but J'onn can read her emotions and J'onn knows that they're just the tears of a woman who doesn't know how to have a dad. J'onn reaches over and awkwardly pats Lena's hand, 'good, good,' he says, then he lets his finger close softly around hers. 

Later that day, when Lena finally sees her reflection in the mirror, Lena just smiles. She can't help it because the braid is hideously off center and makes her, the CEO of L Corp, look like an awkward teenager again but it was done with love and Lena doesn't care how it looks. Lena won't let anyone touch it for the rest of the day, not even Kara when she offers to straighten it, and Lena, maybe, maybe, sheds a few tears when she goes to take it out before bed. 

Chapter Text

Lillian Luthor is caught, with a mountain of evidence, on a Sunday. Lena finds out before most because Kara calls her almost as soon as Lillian is pushed into the officer's call. Or rather, Maggie's police car. With Alex riding shotgun, her favorite gun pointed at Lillian Luthor's forehead. Of course, Kara doesn't tell her that, Lena finds that out later.

Monday morning, every major news outlet has released their own version of the story, once more dragging Lena and L Corp into a muddy swill. By Monday afternoon, crowds have swarmed L Corp lobby and Lena has received over a hundred different hate filled emails that explain in no uncertain terms what they wish would happen to the Luthor's. By the time Lena gets off work on Monday, she has a throbbing head ache and a hurting heart and the only thing that gives Lena the courage she needs to face tomorrow was the arrival of her favorite superhero offering to fly her home, far away from the prying eyes of the press. When they arrive home, Alex and Maggie have made Lena's favorite food, set out Lena's favorite pajamas, books, movies, and board games and stayed only long enough to give Lena a hug and a promise to be there if she needs anything. Lena may have teared up, in gratitude.

Tuesday morning, Lena fielded calls from lawyers on both sides asking her a million questions about the case and her side of the story. Lena dutifully answered them and was unsurprised when she was called to be a witness Tuesday afternoon. The press, of course, found out and Lena spent her afternoon and evening refusing to comment, time after time after time.

Wednesday afternoon the judge approved an immediate hearing and the case was set to begin for Friday morning. Lena would be one of the first witnesses to be called. Lena ordered the rest of her week and next week to be cleared of all meetings and called Kara to take her home. Kara, thankfully, brought Lena's favorite pesto pizza with her.

Lena spent Thursday deliberately avoiding reading or watching anything about the trial, opting to binge watch on Netflix instead. Lena is two seasons in to Merlin and yelling at the stupid boy to comfort Morgana for having magic when someone knocks on the door. Lena opens the door to find Eliza Danvers smiling at her. 'Eliza!' Lena says softly, 'it's wonderful to see you!' Lena gestures for Eliza to come in, 'what are you doing here?'

'I'm here for your mother's trial,' Eliza says, as if it were obvious, then sweeps Lena into a hug. She pulls away and glances at the couch where Lena had set herself up for the day and says, 'oooh Merlin! I'll make popcorn.' Eliza makes her way into the kitchen and opens Lena's cupboards as though she knows the place, which, Lena reminds herself after days of taking care of her she probably does. Lena decides not to question it and spends the rest of the day snuggled up next to Eliza Danvers, watching Merlin slowly but surely make a mess of everything.

Friday morning, Lena wakes snuggled warmly in to Kara's arms. It's early, the trial isn't set to begin for a few hours, so Lena and Kara take their time getting ready, making breakfast together and sitting on the patio. They drive together to court and it's a much different experience than last time. The press is still lined up at the court house waiting to get a quote or a picture but Alex, Maggie, J'on and several other DEO agents have made a path for Lena. Even better, James has, somehow, positioned his CatCo team to be on the front line, ensuring all the 'best' pictures are run through James before they are published. The opening remarks take hours as the prosecutor lays out all the evidence and her mother's lawyers refute it. Lena sits resolutely listening to crime after crime is laid out before her on the Luthor name. She feels like vomiting but she won't give anyone the satisfaction. Kara sits mutely beside her, holding her hand and rubbing a gentle thumb over her own. Eliza sits on her other side and while Lena wishes Eliza could hold her hand too, Lena knows the press would have a field day. Instead Eliza is sitting close enough for the two of them to be pressed side to side. Alex and Maggie sit directly in front of Lena, blocking most of her mother's view of her, as well as the press. James and Winn sit behind her. J'on is standing near the back, watching everything. Lena is unspeakably thankful for her friends, the people who were there for her, without question.

After a short recess, Lena is called to testify. She tries to sit tall in her chair, tries not to let her lips quiver or her hands tremble. Answering the prosecutors questions was difficult, but bearable. The defense, on the other hand, seemed less interested in asking her questions as in tarnishing her reputation. They played false evidence, only to have it be objected, they asked her questions about rumors, about her company, about things Lex had done, about her relationship with Kara. The only reason Lena was able to keep her cool was because every time Lena was asked a ridiculous question, she saw the looks on her friends faces. This was her mother's last attempt to destroy Lena's reputation and even if Lena lost the trust of the world, the power of her company, she knew that her friends believed in her. When Lena proved to be unflappable, Lillian cried out, 'you are my daughter! How could you do this to your own family?'

Lena felt the sting of the words, the familiar sensation of guilt but then she looked up and saw her friends, the people who treated her like real family, and replied cooly, 'you may have adopted me but let's not pretend you were ever a mother to me.' Lillian let out a feral scream and lunged at Lena. It was a stupid and desperate move because before Lillian had so much as stood up, Supergirl and J'on J'onzz stood in front of her. Alex and Maggie had both drawn their weapons and had them pointed at Lillian Luthor's head. The judge called the meeting to order and called for a recess until Monday but Lena knew - she wouldn't be testifying again. After Supergirl had been thanked and readily photographed, Lena made her way into the crowd where her real family was waiting for her with open arms. In the middle of them stood a slightly taller, blonde haired, blue eyed woman who had changed Lena's life from the first moment they met. Lena smiled and embraced the woman because without Kara Danvers, Lena would never have learned what it meant to have a family.

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Hey you guys seemed to dig this, so let me know if y'all want some one shots or have any prompt requests, I'll consider them! :) Thanks so much for reading, for the kudos and the comments! You guys rock!

Chapter Text

Lena and Kara are eating breakfast at Nooman's when the news breaks - Toyman, the notorious toy designer turned serial killer, has made yet another jail break. Lena sees the story first but quickly points it out to Kara, assuming that her superhero alter ego might need to take care of it. What Lena isn't expecting is for Kara to stiffen like a board and accidentally break their table in two. Kara dashes off without really explaining what was happening, leaving Lena behind to handle the awkward explanation of how their marble table managed to snap in half. Thankfully, a deep wallet stops a lot of awkward questions. 

Lena heads to work with the mystery on the forefront of her mind. Kara clearly has a personal problem with Toyman. A quick search on the internet is enough to find the basics of Toyman's last jail break. A little extra digging and Lena figures it out: Winslow Schott, a.k.a. Toyman, is the father of Lena and Kara's favorite nerd friend Winn Schott, Jr (apparently). Lena stops dead in her tracks, considering for a moment. Supergirl was more than capable of handling Toyman but Lena felt an impulse to call Winn. Lena knew what it was like to have a convict escapee parent and she knew, better than most, exactly how lonely that could be. Lena pursed her lips, her thumb hovering over the call button. It wasn't usually Lena's instinct to jump in to other people's lives. Sure, she was a good friend when people asked but... to just show up, unannounced and uninvited? That was more Kara's thing. That thought made Lena smile because being more Kara like certainly couldn't be a bad thing. Lena pressed the call button. 

Lena is surprised by the cold affront Winn has when he answers, 'What is it Lena?'

'I... I... wanted to see if you wanted to have lunch. I have a new oscillator that I thought you might find fascinating and I could give you a look if you would like...' Lena lets the statement hang in the air. 

'You're only doing this because you found out my dear sweet murderous father has escaped jail, aren't you?' There's something raw in Winn's voice, a pain that echoes deep in Lena's chest because she's been there. 

'Partially,' Lena decides that the truth is best. She always hated when people sympathy lied to her and Winn deserved better than that, 'I wanted to invite you to see the oscillator this week anyways but after the news broke... today seemed...' Lena hesitated, choosing her words carefully, 'well, it seemed like a good day for two children of psychopaths to get together.' 

Winn barks out a laugh, its harsh and crueler than the warm nerd usually effused, 'alright Luthor, lunch it is.' There was an audible click as Winn hung up. Normally, Lena would resent being called by her last name but she understood Winn was relating to the family legacy right now so she didn't mind. When Lena got to work, she told Jess to reschedule any of her appointments after 10 am and to except Winn for lunch. She also sent the order for the oscillator prototype to be brought to her office. She attended her meetings, but kept her eye on the Toyman story, just in case. 

Winn showed up at 11:30. He looked much the same as always except for the hard set in his jaw. If Lena had to bet, she would guess he had been grinding his teeth most of the morning. 'Winn, come in,' Lena said with a smile. Jess took their orders and promised lunch within the hour. Winn sat opposite the desk and began fiddling with the prototype. Lena watched him, saying nothing. If he wanted to speak, he would. 

Winn had practically taken the oscillator apart and put it back together again before he spoke, 'this,' he said pointing, 'is impressive.' Lena smiled, pleased with his assessment. 

'I'm trying to make it three times more effective, half the size, and use materials that leave almost no carbon footprint.' Lena offered her reasoning for the device, 'it should cut operation costs while mitigating the price of an environmentally friendly production.' At that moment, Jess arrived with their food and Lena and Winn moved to the couch. Lena was content to eat in silence, though it did seem odd. Normally, she and Winn could go on for hours debating engineering principals, or scientific theories, or rehashing their favorite sci-fi movies. Somehow, now didn't seem the moment to chatter though. 

Winn didn't seem particularly hungry but spoke at last, 'the last time my dad escaped jail, he went after me. He tried to get me to commit murder, so we could be together again.' Lena put her plate down and gave Winn her full attention. 'He didn't actually care what happened to me, if I went to jail... if I suffered. He just wanted to pretend we were the same.' Lena nodded, knowing exactly what he meant because that was exactly what Lex had said to her. Winn shoved a bit into his mouth and chewed looking thoroughly miserable. 

'Our families are shite,' Lena offers. It is a gross understatement but no less true. Winn smiles at it, so it doesn't really matter. 

'I feel so... angry, Lena,' Winn begins, speaking candidly for the first time that day, 'on one hand I just... I want to go back. I want to try and save him. And it makes me angry at him but more it makes me angry at myself because why? Why do I still think he is worth saving? He's killed so many people.' 

Lena reached out and took one of Winn's hands in her own, 'I know what you mean... we could always blame it on Kara's infectious optimism.' Lena added in a wink and that brought a real laugh from Winn before his face faded back into a frown. 

'I just... I don't know how to outlive his legacy.' Winn whispered, 'and I am so scared that one day I'm just going to snap.' 

Lena squeezed her eyes shut, her own fears pressing in on her, 'I get it. I really do.' 

Winn looked at her with a look of relief on his face, as though someone in the world finally understood, 'how do you know you won't?' 

Lena opened her eyes to meet his. She considered his question, 'I suppose... I don't but... I try to remember that I have a choice. I always have a choice. That I get to write my story, not the Luthors and that helps. You might be Winslow Schott Junior but you are not Toyman Junior, Winn, and there's a difference.' 

Winn gasped, opening his mouth and then closing it. At last he managed a raw, 'thank you Lena.' 

Lena smiled warmly, 'of course Winn. I'm... here for you. We, children of psychopaths, have to support each other.' 

'Could I...' Winn hesitates for a moment, 'could I stay here for a while? I don't think I'm ready to face the world yet.' 

'You're welcome to stay but I also cleared the rest of my schedule for the day and I was wondering if you wanted to do a Star Wars marathon? I may have obtained a copy of The Last Jedi but we both know you'll appreciate it more than Kara will.' Lena offered. 

'You have a copy of the not-yet released new Star Wars film?' Winn asked sounding awed. 

'Friends in high places,' Lena offers with a mysterious smile, 'I also have access to a private theatre if you want to do it the old fashioned way.' 

Winn was starting to look giddy now, 'um heck yes! Can we order pizza? And popcorn?' 

Lena laughed, 'of course Winn. I'll call my driver?' 

Winn was practically bouncing now, 'Lena! You're the best!' It warmed Lena's heart to see the return of 'puppy Winn'. 

Kara, Alex, and Maggie found them, many hours later, in the middle of Rogue One. A quick update on toyman, a second round of pizzas and a call to the rest of their superfriends made for an impromptu movie night. Before Lena could turn on The Last Jedi, Kara pulled her aside to squash her in a hug. 'Lena! I can't believe you did all this for Winn! Thank you, thank you, thank you!' 

Lena smiled, 'why? This is what family does, right?' Kara's eyes welled with tears and Lena felt vaguely proud of herself because for the first time in her life, Lena had done family right. 

Chapter Text

Lena Luthor was in the middle of a rather dry meeting pertaining to permits and zoning clearances. If it were literally anything else, Lena might be better able to pay attention. She cared about her company, deeply, even when that meant listening to privileged white men telling her all the things she was doing wrong. She cared about its inner workings, its future projects, its investments, its charities, all of it. She could sit through endless meetings without batting an eyelash because it all mattered. Zoning permits for a new branch? That was... harder. Not that she didn't care about the new branch, or even the potential impact it had on the environment or the city around it but Lena had already done her homework and knew, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that the new location was ideal for everyone involved. The details of this meeting were some annoying mix between the details her lawyers were responsible for navigating and the pay-to-play game in government. Lena's presence was only required in so far as appearances go. Lena was listening to the fifth presenter on the matter when her phone buzzed, Lena glanced down to see the display name: Kara Danvers. Lena couldn't help herself, well she could have if she tried, but no body had noticed her slipping attention anyways.

Kara: Still up for tonight?

Lena: Absolutely! 

Kara: 8 pm, my place, I'll order pizzas and you can choose the movie? 

Lena: Perfect! Looking forward to it! 

Kara: Me toooooooooo! :) 

The texts were a nice distraction, but as soon as they had settled their plan, time seemed to slow to a crawling stop. Every time Lena checked her watch, she could swear time was slowing down, in fact she half expected time to start moving backwards. By the time Jess told Lena to have a goodnight, Lena felt like it had been ages since she had texted Kara. She left the office early, for once, went home and changed into something more comfortable, and then at last headed towards Kara's. 

The reporter beamed when she answered the door and pulled Lena into a hug, which Lena tried to return. Squeezing back was returning a hug, right? Even if her hands were kind of floating behind Kara's back? And she mostly squeezed with her arms? Needless, Kara didn't seem to mind, or notice, if Lena's hug was not a hug so Lena wasn't worried. 'I got your favorite pizza!' Kara says excitedly, ushering Lena in to the living room, 'what do you want to watch?' 

Lena settled her jacket over one of Kara's kitchen chairs, slipped off her shoes and went to join Kara on the couch. 'Um,' Lena began nonchalantly, 'whatever you want sounds fine.' 

Kara laughs and pushes Lena's shoulder, and it hurts a little but not a lot, 'you have to choose Lena.' 

Lena smiles, 'Oh? I do?' 

Kara flips open the pizza boxes and grabs a slice of her favorite, 'yeah, I chose on our last date.' 

Date? Did she say date? Lena freezes mid-way to grabbing a slice. Her heart is hammering and the blonde reporter who was happily chewing her pizza suddenly feels far to close, 'd-date?' Lena manages at last, righting herself but not able to meet the reporter's eyes. 

Kara stiffens, apparently as alarmed as Lena is, 'yeah...' and if Lena would have looked she knew she would see that tell-tale crinkle between Kara's eyes, 'I thought that's what we were doing.' 

'Oh,' Lena says softly, trying to keep her heart from leaping out of her chest or her breath from vanishing completely. 

Kara sets her pizza down, 'is that not what we're doing?' When Lena doesn't respond, Kara seems to backpedal, scooting away from Lena on the couch. Lena would guess that she had a bright blush on her cheeks and eyes wide but Lena doesn't actually trust herself to look because she really cannot contain the feelings she has in her chest. 'Oh, rao, I completely mis-read this haven't I? Lena, I am so sorry.' 

There's enough desperation in her voice to finally make Lena look at Kara, 'I just...' Lena frowns trying to explain how this was totally okay just that she didn't realize they were dating, 'I didn't know. I thought we were just friends.' 

Kara stood up now, rounding the coffee table putting space between them. Lena tries not to flinch as she waits expectantly for a get-out but when Kara speaks it's not what Lena expects, 'I thought you liked me.' Kara rolls her eyes and then adds, in case it isn't clear, 'romantically speaking. And I like you, romantically speaking...' Kara wrings her hands and Lena can't help but to quirk an eyebrow because Kara is adorable when she's nervous, 'I thought that when you asked me to that museum three weeks ago... well I assumed it was a date.' 

Lena is clutching her hands in her lap, reeling from the revelation because one: Lena does like Kara romantically, a lot; two: Kara just admitted to liking Lena romantically, which is incredible; and three: they had been dating for three weeks and she hadn't even realized it. Lena felt a smile cross her face, and it had to be the most cheesy smile she had ever smiled in her life but she couldn't help it. Lena Luthor was dating Kara Danvers. When Lena had managed to wrestle the inner squee, she asked, 'so this is a date?' 

Kara touched her glasses, pushing the frame back, 'if you want it to be?' 

'I'm dating Kara Danvers,' Lena says a bit in awe. Then she says it again because the first time was for an affirmation but the second time was for the excitement bubbling out of her, 'I'm dating Kara Danvers!' Lena maybe, maybe, even bounces a little as she says it but she will deny it with her last breath because Lena Luthor does not bounce. 

Kara stares as her, a mixture of amusement and concern, 'is that...' Kara looks down, hesitantly, 'a good thing?' 

Lena practically flies from her seat and grabs Kara's hands before she has time to even think about being awkward, 'a good thing? It's incredible! I'm dating Kara Dan - you! I'm dating you!' Kara is definitely blushing now. Suddenly it hits Lena that if they've been dating for three weeks and she hasn't known it, she hadn't done any of the things she ought to have, 'oh no!' Lena says, her face falling. 

'What?' Kara says, whirling to look behind her and seeing nothing, 'what is it?' 

'I didn't do any of the things you deserve. Like pick you up or bring you flowers or hold your hand. You must think I'm a horrible date.' Lena can feel her lips pulling into a pursed kind of frown. That's a pout right? Was she pouting? 

Kara giggles, 'you had your personal driver pick me up and my desk at work hasn't been free from flowers in ages. You were a wonderful date... I just wish you knew we were dating.' 

'Me too!' Lena says tugging Kara back to the couch, 'I could have had three weeks of feeling like this!' 

Kara flops in the seat next to Lena with a chuckle, 'yeah you could have,' she murmurs. She leans over and presses a kiss to Lena's cheek and Lena can feel her face heat up. Kara laughs again and returns to her pizza. 'I can't believe I had to tell you, we're dating,' Kara says shaking her head. Lena just smiles because Kara had kissed her. 

Half way through the movie, Kara leans over and murmurs, 'Hey Lena, will you hold something for me?' 

Lena smiles, extending her hands for whatever Kara wants to hand her, 'of course.' 

Kara slips her hand in to Lena's wearing a small smirk. Lena dutifully intertwines their fingers, holding Kara's hand as though it were the most precious thing in the world, which, Lena realizes, it actually kind of is. 

Chapter Text

Lena enters the bar a little before 8 pm. It's a Tuesday night so it's fairly empty, well compared to when the Superfriends usually hang out on Fridays and Saturdays. Lena orders a whiskey and then settles herself into a corner booth to wait. The Superfriends were regulars of the bar and at some point that meant, Lena had become a regular too, which meant that Lena didn't have to deal with hecklers or booty criers. She just nodded to those she knew and sipped delicately on her whiskey.

J'onn J'onzz is a prompt man-martian and walks in precisely at 8 pm. Lena thinks it's the soldier in him. He wears exactly the same thing he always wore - a black button up and black slacks. Lena imagined his closet at home, or in the DEO because to be honest she wasn't sure he even had a home, was a perpetual wall of black identical articles. J'onn narrowed in on her immediately, locating people in the dimly lit bar wasn't a problem for a telepath. J'onn nodded, placed his order, and then came to meet her. Lena favors him with a genuine smile, because somehow through all of his grumpiness, he was still kind of her favorite, 'Thank you for meeting me J'onn!'

J'onn, in response, raised his glass and chinked it against hers. It was as friendly a greeting as Lena expected. 'What exactly are we meeting about?' J'onn asks his voice low and unassuming.

Lena took another sip, mentally reminding herself that she was expecting this. J'onn was not exactly known for his social finesse. Lena is just grateful that, seeing as J'onn is a telepath, the news she is about to share won't completely shock him, 'I wanted to talk to you about...' Lena pauses, rolling the liquid in her cup to calm her nerves, 'I wanted to ask your blessing in marrying Kara.' Lena sets her glass down and meets J'onn's eyes. Lena tends to avoid power plays and staring contests but some things, some things, need to be seen full on.

J'onn smiles, an actual smile. There are teeth showing in that smile, and it looks awkward like it was rarely ever employed, but its a real smile, 'you know you don't need my permission, right?'

Lena clears her throat, 'hmm yes but your blessing....' Lena stops, swallowing the sudden lump in her throat, 'your blessing would mean a lot. To Kara. And,' Lena's voice grows soft, soft enough that J'onn has to lean in to hear it, 'to me.' 

J'onn is suddenly blinking back tears and Lena knows that he must be picking up on her emotions too. How important he is to her, how he is the closest thing to Dad she's ever really had, how she desperately wants him to approve of this. Lena ducks her head in respect, giving the intensely private man time to collect himself, and maybe so she can collect herself too. At last J'onn speaks in a tender tone that Lena will never be able to forget, 'Kara is lucky to have you Lena and I couldn't be happier for the two of you.' 

Lena smiles, tears blurring her vision. She whispers, 'thank you J'onn.' Lena knows that they are both at their emotional thresh-holds but she still has one more question to ask, 'I don't know if we'll have a traditional wedding but...' Lena bites her lip. Putting herself out there, being vulnerable was difficult, she presses on, 'but I would really like for you to be a part of the ceremony, if you're willing.' 

J'onn wipes a tear away with the back of his hand and nods. Lena hears the quiet gulping of air and then, 'it would be my honor Lena Luthor.' Then J'onn is hugging her and Lena is surprised because she has never seen this man hug anyone. The hug doesn't last long but it doesn't really need to. Neither one of them are exactly the expressive types. They spend the rest of the evening playing pool, content to share in each other's company without pressing each other for conversation because they understood each other perfectly. 

Chapter Text

Lena was working late, something that was becoming slightly less usual since she and Kara started dating. However, Kara was in Metropolis helping Superman with one of their hero things so Lena was left to save the world through spreadsheets. Lena was just about ready for a dinner break when her phone lit up, Alex Danvers was calling. Lena answered, mildly panicked, because the only time Alex called was when Kara was hurt. 'Alex, is everything alright?' Lena asked hurriedly.

'Lena, hey! Everything's fine! Or at least, it was two minutes ago when I got off the phone with Kara,' Alex replied.

'Oh. Okay...' Lena waited, she didn't really think Alex was the calling just to chat type.

'Uh, listen,' Alex began, sounding some what nervous, 'tonight is usually sister night and since Kara is in Metropolis and Maggie is pulling the night shift, I was wondering if you, maybe, wanted to hang out.'

Lena's eyebrows arched, even though Alex couldn't see them. Alex was friendly to her but they had never really hung out in a casual kind of way, 'you're inviting me to sister night?' 

Alex was quiet for a moment before she began again, awkwardly, 'yeah... I know it's last minute so if you can't, I totally get it but... I was hoping you'd come watch a horror movie with me. I can't get Kara or Maggie to watch horror films.' 

Lena smiled a bit because she knew Kara wouldn't watch a horror movie for anything, 'sure. At your place?' 

'Yep. My place. I can order us some take out, any requests? I know a great thai place,' Alex offered sounding pleased.

'Sure Thai food sounds great. I'll be there,' Lena glanced at the small clock on her desk, 'before 8. I just need to finish a few things here.' 

'Great!' Alex said quickly, 'see you!' She hung up without saying goodbye which made Lena chuckle because she always hung up without saying goodbye. 

Forty minutes later, Lena was knocking quietly at Alex's door. She had been there twice before for game night, but the prospect of being there alone just her and Alex seemed... scarier. Alex answered, smiling slightly. It wasn't the full bright smile she gave to Kara and Maggie but it was enough to know that Lena was genuinely welcome, 'Hey! Come on in. The food just got here a few minutes ago,' Alex showed Lena in. Bags of take out food sat on the counter, 'I got your favorite noodle dish and that curry one you liked.' 

'You remember my favorite thai dish?' Lena said a bit shocked.

Alex blushed slightly and replied, 'when your sisters with Kara, remembering other people's food preferences is practically a love language.' 

Lena chuckled, because of course she was right. Food was like a gift of the gods to Kara and anyone who spent any significant amount of time with her ended up eating. A lot. 'Fair enough. Thank you Alex, for dinner and the invite,' Lena said as graciously as possible, 'so what are we watching tonight?' 

Alex grinned, 'well I have a fairly large collection so you can choose. There's classics like Halloween, or Psycho, um... The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Exorcist. Or if you want to go with something new, I just got Ouija and Get Out.' Alex stopped talking then, giving Lena a chance to process. 

Lena smiled, clearly Alex was excited to watch something that didn't star the same five actors, 'I haven't seen any of those. What do you recommend?' 

'What! How can you not...' Alex's face fell as a realization dawned on her, 'you don't like horror movies, do you?' 

Lena laughed because Alex couldn't quite pull off irresistible-puppy-dog but she did do adorable-pout pretty well, 'truthfully I don't know. I've never seen one before. Most of the movies I've seen are either sci-fi or with Kara but I'm open to trying new things.' Lena finished loading up her plate, grabbed her chopsticks, and headed to the couch. 

'Okay,' Alex said with a nod and smile, 'then we have to start at the basics: Psycho is like one of the all time best horror movies.'

'Sounds... terrifying,' Lena says with a laugh. 

They were about half way through the movie when Lena decided she did not like horror movies, not one little bit. When Lila enters the cellar, Lena buries her face in Alex's shoulder and hides the rest of the movie. Alex wordlessly slings an arm around Lena, holding her tight. It's almost enough to make Lena feel safe, though she'd feel safer if it were Kara holding her. 

At the end Alex nudges Lena, 'you can look now.' Lena opens her eyes to see Alex grinning at her mercilessly, 'you're even worse than Kara and Maggie!' Alex is teasing, she knows it, but Lena can still feel her heart racing and the hair on the back of her neck is standing on end, so she doesn't really care.

'That was,' Lena can't stop the small shiver from racing down her spine, 'horrid.'

Alex laughed, 'yeah Hitchcock tends to have that effect on people.'  

'I'm never watching another Hitchcock movie again,' Lena vows emphatically. 

Alex laughs again and stands, 'fair enough.' Alex extends a hand to help Lena off the couch, 'come on, you can borrow some pajamas.' 

'Pajamas?' 

'Yeah, I can't very well make you go home alone after you were so terrified, that'd make me a terrible sister,' Alex says with another chuckle. Lena is glad someone is enjoying this. 

'I don't want to inconvenience you.' Lena begins, then another thought struck her, 'And won't Maggie mind?' 

'Sisters are always inconvenient, I'm used to it.' Alex shrugs as if it really isn't a big deal and then tacks on, 'and Maggie won't mind after I tell her how you hid in my side for half the movie.' Alex grins. 

Lena had changed and was using one of Alex's spare toothbrushes to brush her teeth when she realized Alex had called them sisters. Lena couldn't help the foamy grin that spread across her face. She'd never had a sister before but she was pretty sure Alex was a good one. And if Lena had Alex check the closets and under the bed before they fell asleep, well Alex would never tell anyone. 

Chapter Text

L Corp had been a leader in technological advancements for years but under Lena's direction the company was doing more for the good of the environment and the good of the public than any other company in recent history. For the most part, those accomplishments are downplayed by the company which was still trying to outlive the harm it had done under Lex Luthor. When the company's work on a universal translator wins The Presidential Medal of Technology and Innovation, it catapults the company into the spotlight. The public relations team is having a field day with all of the positive attention until it is leaked that the head engineer on the project was none other than Lena Luthor and therefore she was the rightful recipient of the award. The uproar was immediate. The public abhorred the idea that a Luthor could be honored as a citizen of public goodwill. Almost as soon as it was announced, Lena's world was inundated with hate messages. Her social media accounts, which were all run through a separate manager, were flooded with cruel words and article after article about why a Luthor should never have won the award. Her email, which was generally managed through Jess, was flooded with hate mail. After the third straight day of walking in to find her assistant crying at the cruelty of others, she shut her email down. Any important business emails were re-routed through an anonymous account. Her office phone rang off the hook until Lena disconnected it. Thankfully, her private number remained blissfully anonymous. Which left the endless swarms of angry protestors who ambushed her at every opportunity. 

A week before the award ceremony, after Supergirl had to intercept a few rocks which had been hurled at her, Lena made a decision. Her company may very well accept the award but Lena would not. Kara had spent their entire dinner date trying to convince Lena that she deserved the award, that she had created a marvelous thing, and had earned the presidents honor. She had almost succeeded when one of the protestors managed to get past the security at the restaurant and was dragged out hurling insults at the Luthor name. Kara had turned an irate red and only a gentle touch and Lena's pursed lips kept her girlfriend from pummeling the poor man. 

'Leave it Kara,' Lena spoke softly, sadly, 'it's not worth it.' 

'Not worth it?' Kara sputtered, outraged, 'did you hear what he called you? That's unacceptable. You don't just call people... that.' 

Lena shook her head, 'you don't think I haven't heard ten times worse? That was fairly tame, actually.' 

'Arrgh!' Kara growled, visibly frustrated with the whole situation, 'it isn't fair Lena! You're a hero. They don't even know how many times you've saved this city.' 

Lena smiled, still sadly, but touched by her girlfriend's defense of her, 'I'm a Luthor. That is all they want to know. Once all this award business dies down, things will go back to normal. Which is why it's best if I send someone else from the company to the award ceremony.' 

What evolved then was an argument that lasted the whole way home, the rest of the evening, and into the morning. Lena had decided to work from home for the week, avoiding the protestors who were crowded around L Corp at the moment. Kara had left that morning, still upset that Lena was insisting on denying the award. Lena had tried, fruitlessly, to convince Kara that she wasn't denying the award, she just didn't feel the compulsion to attend the ceremony. It wasn't that big of a deal, just a once in a life time award from the president herself. If Lena was honest with herself, a very small part of her believed that maybe the public was right - Luthor's don't deserve rewards. 

Lena expected the fight with her girlfriend to go on, she fully expected to have to defend her reasoning multiple times over the week. She was not expecting Kara to fight dirty. A knock on Lena's door in the middle of the afternoon, revealed a visibly upset Eliza Danvers. Lena was surprised, 'Eliza? It's wonderful to see you, but what are you doing here?' 

Eliza greeted Lena with a hug and a swift kiss on the cheek before inviting herself inside, 'tea dear?' Eliza asked. Lena nodded and watched as the woman made herself the hostess in Lena's own apartment. She loved that about Eliza. 

When there were two steaming mugs before them, Lena asked again, 'not that I'm not delighted to see you Eliza but -' 

'Why am I here?' Eliza interrupts her. Lena nods in affirmation. Eliza sighs, 'Kara called me.' Lena furrows her brow. She knew Kara was mad but calling her mother in to fight her battles for her was unusual. Eliza takes in the furrowed eyebrows and quickly explains, 'Kara doesn't know I'm here. I was just worried about you so when we hung up, I drove up to see you.' 

'Oh,' Lena says. She can't think of anything else to say so she sips her tea. 

'Kara says you don't want to attend the award ceremony,' Eliza begins, prompting. 

Lena sighs heavily, feeling a head ache coming on, 'I have gotten more hate mail in the last two weeks than when Lillian was on trial. It's exhausting and honestly I just want this whole thing to be over with.' Lena folded her arms on to the table and laid her head in the crook of her arms. Eliza began running a warm reassuring hand over Lena's back. 'I knew the public hated the Luthors but... this is overwhelming. I just...' Lena's voice cracks and the tears begin to fall, 'I've done everything I can think of to redeem my name. Nothing I do will ever be good enough.' Lena buries her face and lets the tears fall softly. 

'Well,' Eliza begins and Lena can hear the wryness of her voice, 'you could always change your last name to Danvers.' 

Lena chokes out a laugh sob, she had not been expecting that, 'true but not before the ceremony.' Eliza smiled warmly at her. 'I don't know, Eliza,' Lena continued, 'what if they're right? What if I don't deserve this? I am just another Luthor.' 

Eliza pursed her lips and shakes her head, 'they aren't right. You might be a Luthor but you are also Lena, the CEO of L Corp, a company that is singlehandedly rewriting what it means to be public minded. You are brilliant and kind and the inventor of a technology that will change the way life is done on this planet and sets the ground work for every alien interaction to come. You deserve this award Lena Luthor.' 

Lena bit her lip, Eliza wasn't wrong, 'but that doesn't mean I have to collect the reward. The public would be readily appeased if I sent a representative.' 

'Oh ho,' Eliza said sharply, 'I don't think so missy. I already bought my plane ticket. You have to attend.' 

Lena blinked at the woman, feeling dumbfounded, 'you bought a ticket?' 

Eliza hugged Lena around the shoulder, 'of course I did! I wouldn't miss one of my girls being honored by the president for anything.' 

My girls? Lena flashed back to the endless awards Lillian had never bothered to show up for. Lena's vision began to blur through the tears as she looked at Eliza. Eliza was proud of her. Eliza wanted to be there. Eliza thought Lena deserved this. Lena gasped as Eliza pulled her in to a full hug, 'E-E-Eliza?' Lena manages to stammer out.

Eliza hums warmly above her, her head resting on Lena's, 'yes little one?' 

Lena feels a small surge of panic. She's still not entirely comfortable saying these words to anyone but Kara but she knows she has to learn some time, 'I-I love you.' Lena squeezes her eyes shut, trying to shut out the feeling that she has made a grievous error. 

Eliza squeezes her closer, 'I love you too little one,' she says softly. She kisses Lena's forehead and Lena relaxes in to a mother's embrace for the first time in forever. 

A week later, Lena stood proudly on stage as she accepted the medal and when she turned to face the crowd she caught the sight of the two blonde women who were giving her a standing ovation with tears in their eyes. Then Lena smiled at the two women who loved her so well. 

Chapter Text

'Kara!' James called as the reporter crossed his office, 'can I talk to you for a minute?'

Kara reversed track and entered Cat Grant's old office, 'What's up James?' Kara pushed the frame of her glasses further up her nose out of habit.

James stood and walked around his desk to lean against it, 'I had a question and favor to ask you.'

Kara smiled sweetly, 'sure James. If I can help, you know I will.'

'How's Lena?' James asks, concern evident in his eyes. Kara is slightly surprised. Of all her friends, James was the least taken with Lena. Kara was trying to be patient about it because James had watched the implosion of the Clark/Lex friendship. Lena kept insisting that James's response didn't bother her but Kara had to admit, it kind of bothered her because Lena was one of Kara's most favorite people in the entire world. Kara had clearly been quiet for too long because James cleared his throat and added, 'I know that she got a lot of negative attention for that Presidential Medal and I just wanted to make sure she was okay. And you too obviously.'

Kara smiles, 'yeah. It was a rough couple of weeks but I'm really glad she went. She deserves it.' Kara shifts the weight on her feet from one side to the other, 'so what was the favor?'

'Right,' James said straightening into what Kara had come to think of as boss-stance, 'well I have Snapper working on an exclusive on Lena and the medal.'

'Okay,' Kara let the word draw out, confused, 'you know I can't do the interview - conflict of interests.'

James nodded, 'yeah that's why I gave it to Snapper but I told him a certain super hero might have some strong opinions about how the public responded to Lena.'

Realization dawned on Kara's face at what James was offering, 'you mean you want Supergirl to give a direct quote about her feelings about Lena Luthor and those ridiculous protests?'

James nodded, a smirk on his face, 'I think the public deserves to know that Supergirl was disappointed in their response.'

'You do?' Kara asks, surprised.

James slouches again and crosses his arms, a sure sign he's trying how to figure out how to say what he wants to, 'yeah I do. I know there's some... tension between Lena and I and there probably always will be,' James met her eyes with a look that was vaguely apologetic, 'but she's a good woman and she didn't deserve any of that.' James's look turned steely, 'I just want to honor Lena and give Supergirl a chance to say what she thinks and Catco can do that.' 

Kara grinned, stepping forward to hug James, 'thank you! Thank you! Thank you!'

Kara turned to leave the office, thinking about what she wanted to say. James called after her, 'Snapper will be on the balcony at 5:30 tonight.' Kara waved her hand in acknowledgement without looking back. 

Lena was in the middle of reading the quarterly report when Jess interrupted, 'James Olsen is here for you.'

Lena looked up surprised. James was certainly an unexpected visitor. Lena shifted her reports to the side and nodded, 'send him in Jess.' 

'Yes Miss Luthor also your next meeting is scheduled to start in thirty minutes,' Jess said as Jess waved James in. 

James stepped in to her office and offered a small wave as Lena responded to Jess, 'thank you Jess.' James sat awkwardly across from Lena and Lena had to suppress a chuckle. The photojournalist and her had a complicated, albeit polite, history. 

James cleared his throat, 'thanks for seeing me on such short notice Lena. I just,' James opened his bag and began riffling through it and pulled out a copy of the latest CatCo publication, 'I wanted to deliver this personally. I also wanted to say thank you for being open to doing an exclusive with us.' 

Lena smiled and pulled the magazine toward her, 'well thank you for delivering it.' Lena quirked an eyebrow trying to convey her amused confusion, 'was there anything else?' 

James coughed and Lena could swear he might be blushing, 'Um yeah,' James began fidgeting, 'I know we aren't exactly close but I am your friend and if there's ever anything I or CatCo can do to help, please don't hesitate to ask.' 

Lena wasn't expecting to get teary eyed, 'we're friends James?' 

James winced a bit, 'yeah, I would like us to be anyways.' James looked down at his feet. 

'Me too,' Lena offered back softly. 

After James left Lena flipped open to the article on her. It was relatively short, only composing three pages, half of one page being a picture of her as she accepts the president's medal. The other pictures show Lena in a press conference, Lena talking to Jess, and Lena's favorite was Lena talking to Kara with the medal around her neck. Most of the article was simply fact, what the medal was for, past recipients, a short tidbit on the universal translator Lena had designed. The back page, however, showed Supergirl and Lena shaking hands at one of Lena's past press conferences. In big black block letters, a quote from Supergirl herself said, 'Lena Luthor is a hero for the people of National City, a hero who fights every day to better their lives and she absolutely deserved this medal. I am so proud of her.' A little further down the page, a second highlighted quote read, 'I was disappointed in the response of the people of National City to one of their heroes being honored for her accomplishments and I can only hope that the next time something like this comes along, the good people of National City will look beyond their prejudices and offer kindness instead of hate.' Lena pressed the publication to her chest, eyes brimming with tears. She really did have the best people in the world on her side. 

Chapter Text

Kara says 'I love you' first. This surprises exactly no one. It's your run of the mill Wednesday. Lena had picked up their usual take out for just another of their usual dates. Lena had stepped in to Kara's apartment to just another hug and unloaded their usual orders. Lena had just passed Kara her spring rolls, lo mein, fried rice, kung pao chicken, and mongolian beef when she looked up. Kara was looking at her, somewhat glossy eyed. Lena quirked an eye brow and smiled at Kara questioningly. Lena just thought Kara was extra hungry or something. Instead Kara blurts out, in an almost babbling manner, 'oh Rao, I love you!' 

Lena laughs, good naturedly, 'Kara you love everyone who gives you food.' 

Kara blushes and chuckles nervously, 'fair point but that's not what I meant.'

The butterflies in Lena's stomach came to sudden life and a soft, 'oh,' was all that passed between Lena's stunned lips. 

Kara shifts slightly, rearranging her plate on her lap, 'I don't expect you to say anything back. I mean..' Kara pushed her glasses up her nose, 'I would like you to, at some point. But when your ready. I just...' Kara glanced quickly at Lena. Lena wasn't sure what she saw because her face muscles seemed to have a mind of their own and for once Lena couldn't actually control them, 'I had the worst day and then you walked in.' Kara shrugs her shoulders, 'you make everything better. I've been wanting to say it for a while and today I just couldn't help it.' Kara smiles shyly at Lena. 

Remarkably, Lena feels her face fall into a soft smile, 'Kara,' Lena whispers, her voice hoarse reaching for Kara's hand, 'thank you. I'm... I can't...' Lena scrunches her nose because she doesn't know how to say what she wants to without hurting the blonde woman. Kara looks at her, offering a reassuring smile, her thumb strokes Lena's. Lena takes a breath and tries again, 'Kara, it's not that I don't feel the same way because I do...' Lena bites her lower lip and considers her next words. They come out in barely more than a whisper, 'I can't say those words. Not yet. I'm so, so sorry.' A single tear streaks down her cheek. 

Kara shifts, her plate finding the table. Suddenly Lena is looking into blue eyes that are kneeling in front of her. A soft thumb wipes away her tear. Kara is smiling sweetly, 'it's okay Lena. I want you to take your time.' Lena nods, trying to drink in the understanding look on Kara's face. Kara asks softly, 'can I kiss you?' 

'Yes!' Lena whispers and then soft lips are pressing against hers. Its tender and sweet and caring and for the first time since her birth mother had died, Lena truly felt unconditionally loved. 

After that night, Kara kept finding little casual ways to remind Lena how much Lena meant to her. 'Love' became her pet name. She left post its with it inscribed in hearts scattered about her world.  'I love you's' were slipped in between sentences, tucked safely away in good night messages and between gentle teasing remarks. Kara kept saying it, as though Lena were liable to forget it, which perhaps she was. But the way Kara said it, as though she never expected anything in return, as though love had not been the transactional currency Lena had been brought up with her entire life. It had taken Lena time to adjust, time to let the muscles in her back relax into those words rather than waiting to hear the cost of the love. And somehow, Kara's love settled in to Lena's life. It became the steady anchoring force that tethered her to safety in the midst of crisis. Somehow, Kara's love became a part of Lena's every day life.

In time, Lena found the words living constantly at the edge of her tongue. Found herself wanting to say it, found herself wanting to respond. Kara knew Lena loved her, it was obvious in her actions, her smile, her attention but Lena wanted to tell her. Lena was tempted to make it a big deal, tempted to call in all the stops, all the food, all the flowers, but Lena knew that was her nerves talking. Kara hadn't made it an extravagant thing, it had been simple. And if Lena had learned anything from Kara over the past few weeks about love, it was that, for as magical as love is, it was also every day ordinary. Love given, freely, was an every day thing that you could depend on. 

It's a run of the mill Friday, Kara had picked up their usual take out for just another usual lunch date in Lena's office. Lena had greeted her with just another usual kiss and settled as usual on Lena's couch. When Kara was in the middle of just another one of her usual beautiful laughs, Lena let the words fall from her lips. 'I love you Kara,' she said, her lips curving into a small, shy, completely non-luthor smile that conveyed all of her vulnerability. Kara's smile spread from ear to ear, her cheeks turning pink. Lena leans forward and presses a soft kiss to the reporters cheek and their usual lunch goes on because somehow, despite all of the odds, Lena had found someone to share an ordinary, extraordinary, every day love with. 

Chapter Text

The first time Alex and Kara are pulled away from their respective girlfriends for DEO business, Maggie and Lena inadvertently find themselves hanging out at the alien bar. At first it's awkward because as likeable as Maggie is, she's still the detective who wrongfully arrested her which makes it awkward to hang out one on one but after some trash talk and pool things get easier. The next time, they meet at a soup and salad vegan restaurant that neither Danvers sister will touch and spend the night talking about their girlfriends and their adorable idiosyncrasies. Maggie gives Lena tips on how to get Alex to like her, only half of them being inappropriate bedroom jokes, and Lena tells Maggie story after story about adorable Kara mishaps. For a superhero, she could be quite klutzy. After a while, Lena and Maggie hanging out while their girls are busy saving the world just sort of happens. It's a thing. If Lena were to stop and think about it, she'd be surprised that her second (it doesn't count if Kara and Supergirl are the same person, right) friend in the city is the detective who arrested her but Lena doesn't. She likes Maggie and more importantly, Maggie and Lena have a shared goal: to beat the Danvers sisters at game night. It's no easy task either, as the Danvers sisters were practically an unshakeable force. 

The duo practiced for months. They would spend entire nights not speaking, practicing for Charades. Lena took an art class and would practice quick drawings for Maggie on bar napkins for Pictionary. They went round after round playing heads up, making each other laugh with rough impersonations of pole dancing and horseback riding. If there was a partner game to be played, Lena and Maggie played it. Lena had to admit they actually made a pretty good team. It would never be the same kind of wave length thinking that Alex and Maggie or Kara and Lena shared but a pretty good team. 

It's mid-summer by the time Lena and Maggie feel ready to reveal their little plan. Game night is to be held at Lena's, it usually was these days. Something about the space and her room to room sound system. After everyone had collected their pizzas and drinks, Alex brought out the notebook. The notebook was, honestly, a drab little thing. It's cover was a faded blue and coming off at the seams. The pages were a yellow brown color after someone, Kara, had spilled a beer on it in excitement a month or two ago. But in the notebook was the ongoing score list for every game night over the past few months. Alex's eyes twinkled as she asked, 'everyone ready?' Truthfully? Alex was maybe a little too in to game night. Except when Lena looked at Kara she saw that same competitive gleam. Lena caught Maggie's eye and smiled. 'Last week was our single player game night and, well, well, would you look at that? I won!' 

'Yeah, yeah,' James said swatting the air before taking a sip of his beer. 

'We know!' Winn says in exasperation, 'you're the winner you get to choose the first game.' 

'Team game!' Kara clarifies, 'its team game night.' Winn looked at James, the two almost always ended up partnered together. James just nods. 

Maggie smiles sweetly at Alex, 'I think, hun, I'm gonna team up with Lena tonight.' 

For a moment, just a moment, Alex looks surprised but then she looks at Kara and grins wolfishly, 'alright its a Danvers Domination night!' Kara laughs and Lena rolls her eyes. Seriously? Danvers domination? What kind of name is that? Lena flashes her girlfriend a smile as Kara and Maggie trade seats. 

'You ready Luthor?' Maggie whispers so that only Lena, okay and Kara if she wanted to, could hear. Lena laughs and winks at Maggie. 'Alright Danvers - what's your pick?' 

Alex leans over and whispers in Kara's ear. The blonde grins and nods enthusiastically. Alex smiles, almost sadistically, and drawls, 'we're going with the newlywed game.' From their game crate, Alex pulled out six white boards and six markers. She also pulled out a pre-made list of questions and some dice. Each team would take a turn rolling the dice, then ask the corresponding question and every time would answer. One partner would answer for themselves, the other would try to guess what their partner wrote. Alex and Kara had yet to be beaten at this game, the benefits of growing up together. Winn and James both groan because it's been a very long time since either one of them had done well in this particular game. Maggie quickly volunteered to guess Lena's answers. It was how they practiced the game. Of the two of them, Lena was surprisingly less of an enigma. 

Alex rolled the dice and came up with a 17, she glanced at the list, 'alright if your partner had a superhero power, what would it be?' 

'No fair!' Winn called, 'your partner has superhero powers.' Alex chuckled but ultimately ignored him as she wrote her answer. Lena paused to think for a moment, tongue sticking out before writing her answer. Maggie watched her before jotting down her response too. 

When everybody had their answers, Alex and Kara went first, 'Kara would never give up flying. It's like her favorite.' Kara grinned and turned her board around to show the word 'flying' with a cute little cape doodle. Lena scrunched her nose because her girlfriend is impossibly cute. 

'Ugh. Everyone in this room could have guessed that,' Winn whines. 'This guy,' Winn jerks his thumb over at James, 'asked me to make him an invincible suit so...' 

James frowned and turned his clipboard around, on it was written 'super speed.' When Winn look flabbergasted James said, 'the suit is already invincible. I need to be faster.' Winn just shakes his head. 

'Alright Sawyer, Luthor. What do you have?' Alex asks, a bit of smugness in her voice. 

'Lena's a CEO. The one thing she needs is time control,' Maggie says confidently. Lena laughs, revealing the same answer. Maggie grins and the pair high fives. Alex looks a little defeated but rallies - every one was bound to get a few right. 

For the last question, team Danvers and team girlfriend (that would be Maggie and Lena because in all their practice they honestly hadn't come up with a better name) were neck and neck. James and Winn were playing, barely. Now they seemed to be taking turns coming up with the most ridiculous answers they could think of. It was team girlfriend's turn to roll. Maggie rolls a 3 and reads, 'who is your partners hero?' Lena smiles, not even needing to think about it. Maggie rolls her eyes and answers right away because she knows exactly who it is. Alex however is staring at Kara with squinty eyes. Kara smiles knowingly back. Alex should know hers. She's told Alex enough times. 'Okay. Times up,' Maggie says, 'Lena's hero is Kara Danvers.' Lena blushes but reveals her board with Kara's name in hearts and there may have been some heart eyes made across the room. 

Winn, who was slightly tipsy by now, says nothing but reveals his choice, 'batman.' 

'What?' James asks excited, 'he's totally got it!' James smiles and reveals the bat logo. Winn pumps his fist in the air. 

'Alright Danvers. A chance to tie it up,' Maggie taunts. 

Alex bites her cheek and then says, 'uh Superman?' 

Kara's jaw drops and she shakes her head. She turns her own board over to show Alex's own name written on it. 'Come on, Alex! You've been my hero since day one.' Alex blushes and wraps an affectionate arm around her sister. She doesn't even care that they lost... much. 

'Can we play heads up next? Because even if you lose, we all get to laugh!' Winn smiles at the group and everyone seems amendable. 

By the time the heads up is over, Alex is looking suspiciously between Lena and Maggie. They were spared any odd questions by the arrival of second dinner because of course Kara ordered second dinner. The last game of the night was Lena and Maggie's choice. At the moment, team girlfriend had a pretty solid lead, much to the Danvers sisters' dismay. Maggie ended up selecting Pictionary and even Lena was surprised at how well the two of them did. Blowing the competition out of the water felt a bit like an understatement. Kara pouted, something which Lena quickly fixed by pressing a kiss to her lips, and Alex eyed them both suspiciously. 

'There's something different,' Alex says, eyes narrowed. Lena offers and easy smile and wraps her arm around Kara's waist, snuggling in to the reporter. Alex turned on Maggie who was chuckling in her seat. 'What did you do Sawyer?' Alex demanded. 

Maggie flashed her a dimpled grin and stretched, 'nothing. Nothing. We just gave you a run for your money, that's all.' Alex gawked. 'Double or nothing next time Alex?' The detective taunted teasingly. 

Alex shot Maggie a look, 'you're on Sawyer' and lunged. 

Maggie, who had been expecting it darted out of reach, calling out, 'good game Luthor! See you next time!' Lena chuckled and waved a half hearted goodbye as Alex chased Maggie out the door. 

Above her Kara hummed happily, 'so what did you do? You two were in sync tonight. Not the band. You know what I mean.' 

Lena smirked and looked up into blue eyes, 'we've been practicing for months.' 

'You have?' Kara asks shock showing in her wide eyes, 'when?' 

Lena smiles, 'whenever you and Alex are on a case. It helps pass the time. Plus you two are awful winners.' Lena poked Kara's side. 

Kara chuckles, 'I didn't know you two were such good friends.' 

The words take Lena by surprise. She honestly hadn't considered that over the months the two of them had grown close, had become friends much less good friends. Then a lazy smile crosses Lena's face and she replies, 'yeah I guess we are.' 

Kara squeezes her in a hug, 'I'm so happy for you Lena.' Then she places a kiss on Lena's forehead and Lena just smiles back, content in the moment.

Chapter Text

Lena had a surprisingly, and exceedingly rare, light day. There were only a handful of emails and she only had two meetings slated for the entire day. It was unusual, and Lena suspected that Jess may have intentionally done it, but it was a gift. Which is why, after she had finished her work and just before lunch, Lena ordered Kara's favorite Chinese good and drove across town to have lunch with her favorite person. Lena had made it to the top floor of CatCo before she noticed something was... different. Lena couldn't put her finger on it, there was still a fair amount of scurrying, still people chattering, still TV's looping through every major news channel but the atmosphere was... charged. That was the only way she could think to put it. People moved with a certain amount of gusto, purpose. Lena had paused, mid-floor looking for Kara when she heard someone say her name, someone who was decidedly not Kara. 

'Lena Luthor,' Cat Grant spoke from behind Lena, causing the brunette to whirl to face her, 'this is a surprise.' Her voice indicated very clearly that she was not surprised in the slightest. Lena couldn't help but smile because this was the Cat Grant, queen of all social media, CEO of CatCo, known terror among secretaries, and Kara's mentor. Lena would be tempted to call her a softie but the hard set of her jaw and the fierce gleam in her eye made her think that perhaps the CEO would not be receptive to such a description. 

'Cat Grant,' Lena said in a clear and hopefully friendly but not walk all over me friendly tone, 'it's wonderful to meet you.' Lena shifted the bags in her arms to extend a hand for a handshake. 

Cat glanced at the hand and stepped past Lena, 'might I have a word with you in my office, now, Ms. Luthor.' 

Lena furrowed her brow and tucked the offending limb back in. She hadn't come here to power play with Ms. Grant. 'I brought Kara lunch,' Lena says at last, feet planted firmly. It's an unspoken no.

Cat raised an eyebrow before calling loudly, 'Ms. Teschmacher, please deliver Ms. Danvers her food and inform her that she may retrieve her girlfriend from my office in five minutes.' A small blonde woman had magically appeared at Cat's elbow, nodding furiously. She took Lena's food and left her with no alternative than to follow the queen back to her throne. Lena refrains from sighing and follows the clacking heels. 

Lena had been in Jame's, now Cat's, office a handful of times. Cat entered, approached her desk setting the layouts she held on it mindlessly before turning and leaning against it to look at Lena. Lena settled on the end of the couch. It was a small power play, or rather, it was one CEO's way of telling another - we are equal. Cat made no comment about Lena's seating choice but merely twirled her glasses thoughtfully in her hand. Just when Lena was prepared to walk away, Cat spoke, 'so the great Lena Luthor is dating my protege.' Lena bristles at the tone but doesn't rise to the bait. Cat knows they're dating, had referred to them as girlfriends. Lena says nothing, merely looks at the other woman waiting for the inevitable shovel talk. Cat sighed, her shoulders dropping and some amount of the guarded look in her face. 'I don't suppose you realize how much more cheery things have been around here because of you,' Cat makes a sweeping gesture around the office, 'you've turned the sunny Kara Danvers into something else entirely.' Cat stepped forward and settled on the other end of the couch. Lena blinks, once, twice, in surprise. This was not what she was expecting from Cat Grant. Cat levels her gaze at Lena and says clearly, 'you make her happy Ms. Luthor and that,' Cat takes a deep breath and rolls her eyes, 'that makes me happy.' 

Lena blushes and looks at her hands in her lap, 'she makes me happy too.' 

Cat throws her head back and lets out a laugh, 'Kara Danvers could make the world happy. All that bouncy infectious optimism in one small woman. She's like a walking prozac.' Lena nods, a smile quirking on the edge of her mouth. Cat looks at her again nodding over Lena's shoulder, 'your girlfriend is here. I just wanted to say, if you ever need an ally in the male dominated patriarchal business world - let me know. Oh, and also, Kara is mine,' as Cat says this her eyes narrow, 'so I better not catch you giving exclusives to anyone else.' 

Lena laughs at this, 'I assure you Ms. Grant - I am a CatCo only source for the conceivable future.' Lena stands to leave, at the door she turns to face Cat again, 'and thank you Ms. Grant.' Cat lazily flops a hand in dismissal and Lena leaves, greeting Kara just outside, a smile on her face. She was almost certain that Cat just given her approval. 

Chapter Text

'Please Lena? Pretty please?' Kara says with that irresistible pout complete with sparkling blue puppy eyes.

'You really want to do this, don't you?' Lena asks, trying not to cave to the pout too quickly. She isn't whipped. She isn't. She just thinks Kara is ridiculously pretty and she just likes making Kara happy. That's all. 

Kara grinned, sensing victory on hand, 'of course I do! It's one of my most favorite people in the whole wide universe's birthday! We have to make it a big deal!' 

Lena waged an internal war within herself. On the one hand, a birthday party thrown by her ray of sunshine girlfriend could be fun. On the other, Lena had never had a birthday party in her life and she felt particularly nervous at the thought of one. What if no one came? What if no one liked her? Lena gave a mental sigh, her inner teenager rearing it's ugly head. Lena tried to quell the shaking in her hands, 'I don't know Kara. It's just a birthday, who would want to celebrate anyways?' 

'Everyone!' Kara blurts out quickly, 'Lena! Everyone wants to celebrate with you!' Kara says it firmly, as though there's no room to doubt it. 'Believe me. Please, Lena, trust me when I say that we all love you and want to celebrate.' Kara looks at her imploringly. 

Lena lets out a shaky breath. It still seemed like a bad idea but Kara had asked for her trust, Lena wasn't about to deny her that. 'Alright,' Lena says at last, 'but only if I can have a kiss first?' 

Kara leans forward and presses her lips quickly and softly to Lena's. After a moment of sheer bliss, Kara leaned back just enough to whisper, 'you're gonna love it Lena, I promise!' She surged forward and kissed Lena again before bouncing away, already planning it all out. 

'Kara?' Lena calls after her. The blonde turns and gives her a questioning look, 'just keep it simple, okay? And no presents?' Kara shoots her a brilliant smile and races away again, leaving a slightly stunned Lena behind shaking her head. When her girlfriend had disappeared from sight, Lena put the birthday party out of mind. She had a whole month before it rolled around anyways. 

The actual day of her birth, Lena had a crazy schedule that started with a 5 am conference call to London. Lena took that from home while Kara slept peacefully in the room next door. By 6:30 am, Lena was headed out the door pressing a soft kiss to sweet still half-asleep lips. By 7 am, Lena was already in her office, working on an offer package for a lead engineer in Metropolis who Lena was trying to post. Jess brought Lena coffee, breakfast and a sweet bouquet of flowers shortly thereafter. Lena had a 10 am board meeting that would last through the lunch hour to discuss company direction and policy. Basically it meant Lena would be caught in a circular debate about why the company needed to make amends from Lex's damage. At 2 pm, Lena had a meeting with a big investor who could help L Corp achieve their sustainable production practices across the nation. At 4:30 pm, Supergirl stopped in for a kiss with a small vase of plumeria's in hand. Lena, who was in the middle of a conversation with the head of her Tokyo division, offered a smile and a mouthed 'thank you.' Jess came in at 6 pm and finally shooed Lena away, reminding the CEO that she had a date with Kara tonight. Lena may have fallen asleep in the car on the way home, not that her drivers would ever tell. 

Lena opened the door to her penthouse. The lighting was soft and there was music playing softly in the background. Lena felt herself smile as she kicked her shoes off and hung up her work bag and jacket. 'Kara?' She called softly. 

'In the living room,' Kara called back. Lena followed her to see the room illuminated softly by candles and Kara wearing Lena's favorite soft sweater and jeans that hugged her in all the right places. 'Hi,' Kara says softly holding her arms out for a snuggle. 

'Hi,' Lena whispers in amazement, tucking herself into the taller woman's body and nuzzling her face into the sweater. Standing there she feels the stress of the day roll of her body. 

Kara smiles and kisses Lena's head, 'happy birthday Lena.' 

Lena pulls back an eyebrow quirked, 'when you said you wanted to throw me a birthday party I definitely thought it would be a bit more... populated.' 

Kara chuckles softly, 'this is a choose your own adventure birthday party Lena.' 

Lena smiled, 'hmmm I like the sound of that.' 

Blushing Kara stammered out, 'it starts with a short movie. After that you can choose: I have Alex and company in an undisclosed location ready for celebrating, or you can take a bath and go to bed early since I know you must be exhausted, or I have dinner reservations for two, or any combination of the above.' Kara smiles softly then added, 'I don't want you to feel pressured in to this whole birthday celebration thing.' 

'Hmmm,' Lena pulled Kara in closely, 'do I have to decide now?' 

Kara shakes her head, 'no, we can watch the movie first.' When Lena agrees, Kara scoops Lena up and deposits her on the couch. Lena giggles at her girlfriend but is content to snuggle in. 'Ready?' Kara asks holding the remote. Lena nods and Kara hits play. 

Lena is expecting a cartoon or some sappy birthday romance movie. She isn't expecting to see Kara. Lena turns to quirk an eyebrow at her real life girlfriend, who is definitely smirking, before returning her attention to her on screen girlfriend. 

'-thday Lena! I wanted to do something special for you because you mean so much to me and since you said no presents I had to get creative. So I recruited Winn's help and well... we made this little film for you. I love you! I'm so happy you were born!' On screen Kara gives Lena a brilliant smile as the video fades to black. Soft background music cues up and words begin to write themselves on screen, 'Happy birthday Lena! We just wanted to tell you how amazing you are! We love you.' Lena can feel a lump forming in her throat and goosebumps rising on her skin.

The video shifts and Alex is on screen now, looking slightly uncomfortable, she shifts the weight on her feet and pushes a errant lock away from her face, 'Lena! It's a little weird to talk to you like this but it is a romantic idea.' Alex scrunches her nose in the way she does when she sees something adorable. 'Alright, so I'm supposed to say what's amazing about you,' Alex glances up, 'I think the thing that amazes me most is how strong you are. You've been through so much and no one would blame you if you were a cruel heartless person because of it. In fact, I think that's what people expect because when you've gone through what you've gone through... it changes you. But you Lena, you rose above it. You made yourself better because of it. You have to be the strongest most generous person I know,' Alex paused a small smile hiding on her face, 'well except for Kara which is why you make the perfect couple.' Alex did another nose scrunch and looked back at the camera, 'anyways, happy birthday Lena, I'm really glad Kara brought you into our, my, life.' Lena's vision went momentarily blurry as her eyes grew damp. Kara squeezed her shoulders softly. 

The camera faded off of Alex and onto Maggie who was smiling with trademark, 'happy birthday Lena! Team girlfriend couldn't have gotten that epic win without you! Kara wants me to say the most amazing thing about you but I'm pretty sure she'd get mad if I said it was your boobs.' Maggie winked salaciously and Lena felt a watery chuckle rise up before Maggie went on, 'I think you've got a lot going for you Luthor. You're smart, you're kind, and you're determined to make a difference in the world. That matters. You matter.' Maggie seemed to hesitate, her voice growing softer, 'anyways we all know I'm not great at this so the point is you're awesome and happy birthday. Drinks are on me during the next Danvers crisis night!' Maggie fades to black and Lena wipes her cheeks with a small chuckle. 

'What's up nerd?!' Winn's face comes on screen with a big dorky grin plastered to it. 'I am so psyched to help Kara shoot and edit all of this. You totally deserve it. So what makes you amazing?' Winn strikes a thinking man pose and Lena snorts. 'Well obviously you have excellent taste, with your love of all things sci-fi. And obviously it's pretty awesome that we can actually have full conversations without me having to explain everything I just said.' Winn's grin shifts from goofy to sincere, 'but I think the incredible thing about you is that you're such a good friend. You've had Kara's back since day one and you've had mine too and thats...' Winn's voice goes up an octave as he says, 'awesome.' Winn clears his throat, 'so happy birthday and hopefully we'll see you later tonight!'

Winn's smile is replaced by James who actually seems genuinely happy on screen. James begins, 'Lena, happy birthday! You know, when Kara first lost her powers she had this moment where she talked these rioters out of hurting these shop owners. She stood there, powerless, hand outstretched, completely vulnerable. And it was the defining moment for Kara. The moment she decided being a hero wasn't about having super powers, it was about your heart. Heroes show up. Heroes do what's right even when it costs them something. Even when they're afraid.' James furrowed his eyebrows, not looking at the camera, 'it took me some time but I see it now. You showed up when your family tried to destroy the world, you stood up for what was right and even though it cost you everything you've been there.' James looked back up and smiled softly, 'you're a hero Lena.' Tears were pouring down Lena's cheeks and her heart felt like it was going to burst. 

Lena is about to ask Kara to pause so she can catch her breath when J'onn comes on screen. Lena grabs Kara's hand, gripping it tightly. 'Wait so you want me to tell the camera what I think about Lena?' J'onn asks.

Off screen Kara answers, 'yeah, we'll make it into a film to play for her birthday.' 

'Hmm,' J'onn replies his fingers tapping the table before him, 'well I'm not great with words but I guess I would tell her to have a happy birthday.' 

Kara prompts the man, 'anything else?' 

The man on screen crosses his arms and looks thoughtfully up at the ceiling, 'after I lost my wife and daughters, I never expected to find another family.' J'onn nodded to Kara, 'you and Alex changed that. You gave me a new family to care for and it only seems to be growing.' J'onn clears his throat, 'I could never replace the family I lost and Lena could never replace the one she lost but I am...' J'onn blinks, and Lena swears there might be tears in his eyes, 'I am grateful that Lena is a part of my new family.' With that J'onn stands and exits the room as the camera fades to black. 

The new shot is of a cozy and familiar kitchen, a smiling Eliza is sitting on a stool with a warm smile on her face. By now Lena's nails would probably have created crescent shapes into Kara's wrists, if Kara weren't indestructible. 'Lena, dear, happy birthday!' Lena can't stop the small gasp from escaping her lips, Eliza goes on talking, 'I am so glad Kara is making this video for you. You deserve to know how amazing you are. Lena there are times,' Eliza purses her lips her voice getting raw, 'I wish you would have been adopted by someone else. You deserved,' Eliza clears her throat, wiping at tears and Lena feels her own eyes leaking, 'parents who loved you, who were proud of you. And while I can't do anything about the past, I just want you to know you have a mother who loves you and is proud of you. Always.' Eliza glances to the side of the camera, 'oh I didn't really answer the question, did I?' 

In the background, a choked up Kara says, 'no, Eliza that was perfect. Just perfect.' The screen fades as she speaks and then Kara's face. 'So,' Kara begins again, 'I asked Winn to edit me in last.' On screen Kara gives the camera this look of utter adoration and Lena finds herself leaning towards the television, heart pounding hanging onto the kryptonian's every word. 'I hope this video made you smile, Lena. I know you were nervous and I think it's because you're afraid that people don't really like you. Now you have video evidence that you can play any time you forget that you're loved and you're special and you matter.' Screen Kara pushes her glasses up her nose. 'Lena,' Kara whispers her name with adoration, 'I love you so much. You've changed my whole world for the better. I could say it's your bravery or your intelligence or your generosity. But it's just who you are Lena. Everything you touch changes for the better.' Kara's voice falters, 'I'm so grateful for you and I love you.' With that the screen fades to black one last time.

Lena turns to look at the woman next to her, 'I can't believe you did all that for me, Kara.'

Kara smiles, 'well believe it. You're worth it.'  Lena buries herself in her girlfriends arms, hiding a tear streaked face in Kara's sweater. Kara just runs her hand soothingly in circles on Lena's back. 

When Lena resurfaces, at last, feelings in control she turns her face up for an adoring kiss. When the two part, Lena murmurs, 'maybe birthdays aren't so bad after all.'

Kara smiles slyly saying, 'so next year I could throw you a surprise party?' 

Lena shakes her head, 'nope, no, definitely not.' 

Kara laughs, 'okay we'll work on it, for now what do you want to do next?' 

Lena doesn't even really have to think about it, she smiles and says, 'lets go find our family.' 

Chapter Text

Sometimes Kara forgets her strength. It's just a fact of life when dating an alien superhero with super strength and indestructibility. It's not long after Lena and Kara begin dating that Lena becomes familiar with their local hardware store. Kara is surprisingly handy. Or perhaps not so surprisingly because she clearly has plenty of opportunity to practice her repair skills. Which is why, Lena is unsurprised to find herself in a hardware store in the middle of one of their game nights. An over excited Kara had been using the restroom when Lena had landed on a James owned, double hotel Park Place effectively bankrupting the CEO. It was a rare day when Lena lost at Monopoly so there had been a resounding cheer and Kara had come running back into the room with a bit of the door in her hand. 

Alex, being the wonderful sister she is, had barely even rolled her eyes before shrugging on her jacket, 'alright Kara lets go to the hardware store.' Kara, who hadn't yet noticed the door in her hand, glanced down and winced when she saw the door handle and splintered wood in hand. 

'Yeah, okay,' Kara says sounding a bit like a glum puppy. 

'I'll go to,' Lena volunteers shooting Kara a smile, 'it's not as if I'm going to come back from that loss.' The rest of their friends laugh. James offers the use of his jeep and the three women are off to buy a new door. On the way, Kara tries to apologize but Lena and Alex both ignore her. When 'One Thing' by One Direction comes on, Kara forgets about the door and puts on a mini-concert to amused giggles from her sister and girlfriend. Neither Lena nor Alex are One Direction fans, after all they had N*Sync and Backstreet Boys and, better yet, Spice Girls but when Kara gets into the song, even they can't completely hate the British boy band. And that is how they end up in a hardware store in the middle of game night. 

Alex is mid-discussion with an employee, helping her choose a door, when Kara picks up a lamp, 'psst Lena!' When Lena glances at her, Kara smiles a big silly smile and says, 'you light up my life.' 

Lena laughs, harder than she should at the horrible pick up line, 'oh, I do, do I?' Kara nods and scuffs her shoes against the floor, the perfect picture of feminine meekness. Lena glances around and finally points upwards where there are spinning blades, 'well, I'm your biggest fan.' 

Kara snorts and giggles. Alex shoots them a dirty look but goes on talking. Kara grabs a color swatch and says with a surprisingly straight face, 'you color my world Lena.' 

Lena stifles another giggle under the glare Alex is shooting at them, she picks up a screw and says, 'screw it, would you like to go on a date?' 

Kara holds up a tape measure, 'only if you're sure I'll measure up.' She wiggles her eyebrows but accidentally drops the tape measure and draws the attention of everyone on the aisle. Lena is giggling too hard to actually help her. 

'Oh, I'm certain you wood,' Lena says when she's regained control of herself. 

Kara has safely returned the tape measure to its spot on the shelf and glances sideways at Lena, 'you don't have to wrench my arm.' 

Lena raised her eyebrows in mock surprise, 'I wish I saw that coming.' 

Behind them, a lift had been brought to lower the door Alex had chosen. They only noticed it because it beeped as it moved backwards through the aisle, Kara grins and says, 'I didn't want you to be alarmed.' 

'How could you?' Lena asks sweetly, 'all you do is lift me up.' 

Kara opens her mouth but Alex cuts her off slinging an arm over Kara's shoulder and saying, 'why don't you two nail each other and just get it over with.' Kara and Lena both blush furiously and avert their eyes, Alex is grinning heartlessly, 'what no horrible comebacks? No darling puns?' When neither woman responds, Alex walks away, following the door being carted through the store. 

Kara grins and holds out her hand for Lena. Lena accepts it and the duo trail behind Alex. Lena can't help herself when they pass the door handles she murmurs, 'I don't think Alex can handle us.'

Kara lets out a loud laugh and Lena almost misses Alex as she calls back, 'I heard that Luthor!' 

Chapter Text

Lena checked the mirror, straightening the red knee length dress. It was form fitting and looked relatively nondescript. She had considered dressing in a more formal federation outfit but the fear of being caught dressed as Captain Janeway  by the paparazzi was enough to make Lena reconsider. No one expected the 'beautiful' and 'cold' Lena Luthor to also be a complete nerd. At least in the dress, she could pass it off as an every day outfit to the outside world. Lena scooped two starfleet communication badges up and put them in her purse and called for her driver. Lena was excited, a bit overly excited considering it was just the Star Trek convention which she had definitely attended before. Unlike before, however, Lena had someone to go with. Someone who wouldn't judge her and who would totally get her references: Winn. Lena had considered inviting Kara but was relieved she hadn't when Kara had asked her what color lightsaber she would bring. Kara was great in so many ways and for so many things but Lena could totally picture her adorable girlfriend mistaking Tribbles for baby Chewbaccas and Lena just couldn't. Winn on the other hand had helped her to combine DEO tech and L Corp tech to create semi functioning communicators that could actually translate, albeit awkwardly, other human languages as well as communicate between each other for a roughly 2 mile radius. He also spoke Klingon and some Romulan which put him in a whole different level than Lena. He also had, perhaps, made Lena a starfleet taser that actually tased its targets but that wasn't for the convention, that was just for self defense... and maybe a little for awesomeness. 

Winn was smartly dressed in a Next Generation uniform and jumping up and down when Lena had picked him up. Winn had wanted to go as Spock but as Lena was dressed as Uhura, the Zoe Saldana version not the Nichelle Nichols version because modern day Uhura had a far more modern look, Lena didn't want to seem couple-y with Winn. So she bribed him, and maybe rewarded herself, with VIP passes to meet all the visiting celebrities. By the time the driver had dropped them off at the convention, Lena wasn't sure who was more excited - Winn or herself. 

The weekend passed quickly, too quickly for Lena's liking. They met the greats - Shatner, Takei Nichols, Stewart. Winn practically drooled on himself when he met Gates McFadden and Lena wasn't much better when she met Kate Mulgrew. Their communication badges earned a special on stage mention for being one of the more impressive creations of the convention. Lena and Winn both cried and held hands during the Leonard Nimoy memorial film and took more than a few photos at the set re-creation spots. Lena may have also purchased a few of the ship models for Winn after she discovered him staring longingly up at them trying to choose one. Of course, she made the caveat that once they were built, Winn had to invite Lena over to see them and for a Star Trek marathon to which he readily agreed. Maybe they would even get Kara to go to that one. 

By Sunday evening, Lena's feet were killing her and her cheeks hurt from smiling so much. When the convention had finally wound down, Lena and Winn had collapsed into the car. 

'That,' Winn said winded, 'was the best.' 

Lena grinned, 'it really was.' 

Winn chuckled, 'I can't wait until next year!' 

'Too long! Let's just quit our jobs and be convention roadies.' Lena teases. 

'Oh!' Winn sits up excitedly, 'the Star Wars convention is coming up in a month or two. Do you wanna...' Winn grows suddenly shy and blushes. 

'Yes!' Lena exclaims, partially out of excitement and partially to reassure Winn that she is definitely up for another convention, 'what should we wear?' 

'I've been told I would make a charming Luke.' 

Lena looks at him, considering for a moment, 'you're right, you do pull off old man well.' 

'Hey!' Winn screeches, 'I resemble that!' Lena laughs so hard her ribs feel like they're going to bruise. Winn watches her for a moment and then asks, quite seriously, 'do you think we could get Kara to dress up as Jabba the hut and you could be slave Leia?' Winn wiggles his eyebrows suggestively. 

'As if,' Lena says with an eye roll, 'Kara is all about the lightsaber. I think she wants a pink one.' 

Winn furrows his brow in confusion, 'but there aren't any.' 

Shaking her head Lena replies, 'I know but don't tell her that. Kara wants what Kara wants.' 

'So you're going to make her one, huh?' Winn asks merrily. 

Lena blushes and mutters back, 'I was thinking about it.' 

Smiling, Winn awkwardly pats her hand, 'you're good for her Lena,' Winn hesitates then adds, 'you're good for all of us.' 

Chapter Text

Lena finds it fitting that the Danvers world comes to a crashing halt on a Wednesday. Wednesdays are truly terrible days. There's contact with Jeremiah and like so many times before, the man slips from the Danvers fingertips leaving behind the devastating sting of betrayal and the suffocating loss of their father yet again. Lena spends Wendnesday night with her arms wrapped so tightly around Kara, her fingers go numb. She spends Thursday trading off take-out and ice cream runs with Maggie as the Danvers girls held each other and cried. Thursday night, Lena fell asleep curled in on herself in Alex's chair and woke with a neck cramp and a back ache to a flurry of activity. Kara was in her Supergirl outfit and Alex was gearing up as well. They both had a somewhat fanatic look on their faces, as though they had found their resolve and were putting it into action before they could lose it again. Maggie was also arming up, a weary look on her face. When Lena raised an eyebrow, asking a silent what's going on Maggie pointed at Kara. 

'The DEO has a lead and we're going to track it down,' Kara supplies, pulling up her boot. 

'We're going to find Jeremiah before the DEO has a chance to hurt him,' Alex adds, slamming her sidearm into its holster. 

Maggie nods encouragingly at Alex, 'and I'm going along as backup.' Of course Lena can read between the lines. Maggie is going along to keep the two grief stricken idiots from doing anything stupid or reckless. 

'I'll probably be spending the weekend at the DEO, crash on one of their beds,' Kara says for Lena only, 'don't wait up for me, okay?' Kara waits for Lena's nod before she leans in for a kiss. 

Then they are gone. All of them, off to save Jeremiah. For a moment, only a moment, Lena wishes she could go to, be useful like Maggie. But the jealousy fades when Lena realizes there's something just as important to do. Lena freshens up, folds the blankets they'd all used last night, and locked the door as she left. At home, she packed an overnight bag and left a note for Kara, in case she came by, and headed for the place she thought she felt she was needed. 

The drive to Midvale was torturously long when you're worried about the people you love. Lena had chewed her lip until it bloodied thinking about the Danvers. When she pulled in to the driveway of the address in her GPS, Lena felt a small surge of panic. She had never been here before and then Lena remembered that Eliza had shown up at her apartment to take care of her, twice. Surely, Lena could return the favor. Lena knocked softly, not wanting to startle Eliza. When it opened a haunted Eliza stood in its frame. Her eyes weren't bloodshot or red rimmed, they were... empty. She held her arms around herself holding her shoulders, looking too small for her own frame. 'Lena?' Eliza asked, voice hoarse from lack of use, 'what are you doing here?' 

Lena felt her heart expand. She knew that face, knew that numb shock. She'd worn it for months after Lex had gone insane. Lena reached out towards the woman but stopped when she flinched and said, 'I came to see you.' 

Eliza whimpered, stepping back and allowing Lena to enter, 'shouldn't you be with Kara?' 

Lena followed the woman and closed the door softly, 'she and Alex are taking care of each other and I realized no one had come to see you. No one was taking care of you.' Lena cleared her throat, 'I'm, uh, not great at the whole comfort thing, not like you,' that got a small smile out of Eliza, 'but I know what its like to be hurt by the ones you love most so I couldn't just leave you on your own either.' Suddenly Eliza was in Lena's arms, tears wracking her whole body as she caved to the pain. Together, Lena lowered them to the floor and held on as the tidal wave of emotion passed over them. Lena tried to do the circle rubbing thing Eliza and Kara did when she cried, it felt a bit awkward but Eliza didn't pull away so Lena just kept rubbing softly. 

Lena wasn't sure how long they sat there, long enough for her knees to ache against the hardwood floor, but it didn't really matter. Eliza needed her, so Lena was here. After ages, Eliza pulled away and murmured in a teary eyed mumble, 'I got your shirt wet.' 

'That's okay,' Lena says with a shrug, 'I brought others.' 

Eliza a teary eyed-smile at that and asked, 'are you staying then?' 

'If you want me to,' Lena offers. 

'That would be,' Eliza takes a deep breath, steadying herself, 'really nice.' 

Lena smiles and squeezes Eliza's hand, 'then I'm staying. Would you like some tea?' Lena stands and offers a hand up. Eliza nods and leads them towards the kitchen. 

They spend the rest of the afternoon talking about nothing in particular and certainly not Jeremiah. At some point, Lena checks in with Kara and tells her where she went but she doesn't expect a response. At sunset they go for a walk along the beach and as they watch the moon rise into the sky, Eliza whispers softly, 'thank you for coming to see me little one. I didn't know how badly I needed it until you showed up.' 

Lena feels the lump in her throat and rather than risk trying to speak, she simply wraps her arms around the older woman in a hug. Lena would never get used to having a mother who loved her, who thanked her, who needed and valued her. She would never get used to hugging and being hugged in return but Eliza gave her the opportunity to have it, whether she was accustomed to it or not. That night, Lena and Eliza stayed up late talking about plans for the future and sharing funny Kara and Alex stories. 

When Lena woke in the morning, it was to the smell of pancakes and bacon. When she went downstairs, she was surprised to find not only Eliza but Kara, Alex and Maggie too! 

Kara was the first out of her seat to greet Lena with a kiss, 'Lena! When we got your text we all realized where we were really meant to be this weekend!' 

Alex stood and looped her arms around Eliza but spoke to Lena, 'yeah Luthor way to show us up on the kid front.' Alex winked at Lena to let her know she was kidding, which was good because Lena was worried she might have angered the older Danvers sister. 

Eliza pushed Alex playfully, 'it doesn't matter, what matters now is that all my girls are here for breakfast.' Eliza lets her eyes linger proudly on each woman in the room, letting even Maggie and Lena know that they were one of her girls. Lena could feel her cheeks grow hot. She might even have been tempted to excuse herself to the restroom but Kara's hand was guiding her to her spot on the table and to the first breakfast Lena had ever had as a family. 

Chapter Text

J'onn's earth birthday is coming up and it takes Alex, Kara, Winn and M'gann a multi-week long secret mission to uncover it. Kara had, had the idea shortly after her own earth birthday and had put a plan together. It took accessing encrypted DEO files (Winn), re-tracing ancient cultural myths (Kara), a sly interrogation (Alex), and ultimately some begging (M'gann) to figure it out. Kara had organized a small surprise party, surprise in that J'onn knew they were all getting together but didn't know they were celebrating because if he knew that he wouldn't come. Lena doesn't really expect it to work, the man is a telepath. He should be able to figure out when a surprise party is happening but Kara tasks Lena with the cake. Lena knows every caterer in the city, could easily have a professional level desert created to her exact specifications. Could probably even demand it be some fantastical creation. Which is why it's so utterly ridiculous that Lena finds herself, the morning of, whisking cake batter in a bowl. Lena can't quite explain it, even to Kara who raises an eyebrow when she walks in, but something about making the cake feels right. Like what a daughter should do. Even if they've never baked a cake in their life.  

Lena is not so crazy that she is making the whole thing from scratch. It's definitely a box mix and she has icing for decoration and sprinkles. She considered, momentarily, trying to create some of those incredible sugar sculptures as one would see on baking shows but realized fairly quickly that was far beyond her skill level. When Lena has the mix ready, it looked like the bowl on the box so that's alright then, she poured it into the pan and set it in the oven feeling quite smug about herself. Maybe she would even bake Kara a cake one day. 

Forty-five minutes later, Kara was having third breakfast when she called, 'uh Lena? Did you want me to turn the oven on?' 

Blushing, Lena called back, 'yes please.' That was normal, right? People forgot to turn on, and off, the oven all the time. 

When the smell of sweet baked goodness fills the apartment, Lena checks on the cake, poking it lightly with a fork just like she saw on youtube. It seemed done and the top had that 'golden' color the box said to look for. Lena shrugs and pulls it out. Now to decorate. Lena turns the whole pan over on a plate and pounds the bottom of the cake hard. When she removes the pan, the cake has crumbled around the edges and large chunks are missing from the bottom now top. It also is sort of... sinking in on itself. Cakes sink though, that's a thing, she's heard. Lena shrugs and grabs the icing. She begins to scoop big globs on and grows increasingly frustrated at the cake crumbles into the icing. Why isn't this working? When Lena has the misshapen square sort of mostly iced, she abandons her attempts for sprinkles. If she puts enough sprinkles on, no one will notice the bits of cake stuck in the icing right? Lena empties the whole bottle over the center and gasps the sprinkles scatter everywhere but the cake. Eventually, Lena gets the whole top of the cake covered. She bites her lips as she looks at the sides, deciding that they're probably a lost cause.

Lena is debating whether to throw the whole thing away when Kara wraps her in a hug from behind. 'J'onn's gonna love it,' she says softly in Lena's ear.

'Are you certain? It's never going to win any prizes,' Lena bites her lip, looking frustrated as she stares at her creation. Lena is big enough to admit it isn't pretty. 

Kara laughs lightly and squeezes Lena a little closer, 'I'm positive. You made it.' 

Relaxing in to Kara's embrace, Lena closes her eyes and wills herself to believe it. J'onn would love his cake because Lena made it. It was a slightly foreign concept to Lena who had never managed to earn a parent's love with anything she had done. In time, she allowed Kara to pull her away and get ready for the party. 

That night Lena had brought the cake to the bar and sheepishly deposited it on the table in front of J'onn. For a moment the group was silent and Lena could feel herself shrinking, waiting for the mocking laughter she was sure to come. Then J'onn spoke, 'you made this? For me?' 

Lena nodded, not able to meet the man's eyes, 'yeah I've never made a cake before... obviously.' 

J'onn reaches toward the cake reverently, his eyes getting misty, 'my last birthday on Mars K'hym and M'yri'ah made me what would be like a cake here. It was K'hym's first time baking.' J'onn's voice cracks and the man stands quickly. 

Lena steps back quickly, expecting the man to leave. She hadn't thought about his daughters. Instead J'onn steps forward and pulls Lena into a hug. The entire group is shocked but avert their eyes when Lena gives her infamous glare. She wraps her arms tightly around J'onn and if they both shed a few tears, well no one else in the group was going to bring it up. 

In the end, the cake was entirely inedible. As it turns out, when the recipe calls for eggs, it doesn't include the shell. Lena thought it was an oversight on the box to not include that bit of information - so much for clear directions. The rest of the group leave their slices unfinished but J'onn diligently picks through his entire slice, avoiding the shells and smiling at Lena fondly. And Lena smiles shyly back wondering how much different her life could have been if she had J'onn J'onzz as a father instead of Lionel Luthor, who she would be if her name were Lena J'onzz. 

Chapter Text

Lena checks the mirror for what has to the the seventh time, prodding at her hair and picking at her dress. She's nervous because dating Kara has resulted in some odd things. Alien invasions before dessert, robot attacks after intimate times, fire rescues before good morning kisses. Lena could handle those, mostly because, handling those things just meant paying the bill and waiting for Kara to come home. Double dating with Superman? The man her brother tried to kill... relentlessly? That, that was odd even for dating Kara. But Clark and Lois were in town and Kara, sweet wonderful excited Kara, was dying to go on a double date with her favorite cousin. Lena hadn't wanted to hurt Kara's feelings so she hadn't mentioned that it was odd to go to dinner with your brother's arch nemesis, even if he was the good guy. She didn't mention that even though Clark had given Lena his blessing, she was still terrified he only saw her as a Luthor. And then there was Lois Lane, infamous Planet reporter who could easily write one piece and destroy Lena's current prospects and L Corp's along with it. Lena sighed, for someone who had so much to lose from associating with reporters, she sure did seem to have associations with a lot of them. 

Kara pops her head in. 'Lena are you ready to -' she cuts herself off as she stares at Lena. 'Wow,' Kara says, her voice squeaking a bit, 'you look,' Kara gulps, 'you look amazing.' 

Lena winks and bites her lip in the mirror before teasingly asking, 'are you sure you still want to go to dinner?' 

Kara, who is still staring reverently, says, 'no.' Then she seems to realize herself, shaking her head, 'I mean yes. Dinner. Dinner with Clark and Lois. Yes. Dinner.' Kara is babbling but her eyes are drinking in every bit of Lena's form. 

Turning, Lena smiles and holds out her arms for Kara. She had known the dress, which was a deep purple to bring out her eyes, and strapless would be a winner. Kara approached cautiously, her own dress a beautiful baby blue, soft and full and perfectly Kara. Lena wrapped her arms around Kara and let herself take comfort in the moment. As long as Kara was there, the night would be fine. 

Lena had gotten them reservations at an up and coming winery that was classy and still a bit fun for 7 pm. When Lena and Kara walked in, at 6:50 pm, she was unsurprised to find Clark and Lois already there and seated. Clark looked dashing in his button up and jacket and Lois was wearing a gorgeous black dress that fit her perfectly. Of course. Lena did her best to try not to feel like an Irish potato in an expensive dress. When they spotted Kara they both stood waving happily. Kara practically skipped to the table, leaving Lena to follow dutifully in her wake. 

Clark greeted Lena with a hug immediately, 'Lena! You look wonderful!' He had a slight blush to his cheeks and seemed genuinely happy to see her. 

When he released her, Lois had a hand out. 'I'm Lois Lane and don't worry, everything is off the record tonight,' she spoke lightly and had a teasing smile. She kind of reminded Lena of Maggie, a bit. Lena was relieved the reporter had left her notepads at home. She still had every intention of avoiding conversation about L Corp but at least now she didn't have to worry about her personal life showing up in the Planet one day. 

Dinner went surprisingly well. Clark and Lois were an engaging couple and they doted on Kara which made Lena like them immediately. They made it safely through ordering, appetizers, and dinner without Lena feeling even slightly uncomfortable. In fact, Lena would almost say she was enjoying herself. And then Clark and Kara made a face. Actually, it was pretty much the same face which amused Lena. On Kara it was the I heard-something-troubling-and-am-about-to-run-out-mid-date face.

Lena glanced at Lois, who shrugged and winked at her, 'go be heroes you two. Lena and I are going to order dessert.' Lois flapped her hand in a shooing motion. Clark kissed her cheek and fumbled for his wallet.

'I've got it Clark,' Lena said teasingly, 'you go save the day.' Clark murmured his thanks and left. 

Kara stayed a moment longer, holding Lena's eyes. 'Are you sure?' she asks softly, Lois is polite enough to pretend not to hear, 'I could leave it to him if you would rather.' 

Lena smiled warmly shaking her head, 'and deny you the chance to work with Clark? I don't think so. Lois and I will be fine.' 

Kara beams at her and presses a soft kiss to her lips, leaving Lena slightly breathless at the joining of their lips. 'Bye Lois! Enjoy dessert!' Kara says as she leaves. 

Lois waves goodbye and then looks at Lena, 'dating heroes is always interesting isn't it?' Then Lois is launching in to story after story of abandoned dates interrupted by bank robbers, gang attacks, aliens, or any number of other disasters. She has Lena laughing for most of the rest of the night as they discuss the particular struggles of dating Supers. They're still talking two hours later when a slightly flustered Clark and Kara return to drag them home. 

Before they part ways, Lois hands Lena her business card with her personal number written on the back, 'just in case you ever need someone who gets it.' She winks and walks out on Clark's arm. Lena smiles at the card, thinking that maybe double dating wasn't so bad after all. 

Chapter Text

Lena was half way through her weekend emails when she looked up from her spot on her couch, tucked in among blankets. Her penthouse, normally, was fairly quiet from the rest of the world. Hovering dozens of stories over the rest of the world had a way of creating a hush that only sirens tended to penetrate. What Lena was hearing was definitely not a siren. Lena set her computer and the blankets aside, standing and listening. It sounded like... singing. Someone was singing. Lena turned slowly, lips pursing, trying to narrow in on the sound. It sounded as if it was coming from her balcony. 

Lena took a few tentative steps, someone was indeed singing on her balcony, or rather, near it as Lena would be able to see them if they were on it. A smile played across Lena's lips because there was only one person who could be at her balcony and singing. Several quick steps later, Lena was opening the door to see Supergirl floating amongst the stars, holding a beautiful bouquet of white plumeria's. Lena pressed fingers to her lips, her heart thumping frantically in her chest. 

Come on fly with me, we'll float down in the blue.

Kara floated softly to the patio, setting the flowers on the balcony wall, offering a dazzling smile to a giggling Lena. 

Once I get you up there, 

Where the air is rarefied 

we'll just glide

starry-eyed

Once I get you up there

I'll be holding you so near

You might hear

all the angels cheer because we're together

Lena smiled wryly at her super girlfriend. Kara does a silly dance step, swooping behind Lena, wrapping her arms around Lena's waist and swaying them in rhythm to her song. Lena presses into the softness of her girlfriend, another chuckle escaping her lips when Kara presses a kiss to her neck. 

Weather-wise, it's such a lovely day 

Just say those words and we'll feed those birds 

down to Acapulco Bay 

It is perfect for a flying honeymoon, they say, 

come fly with me, we'll fly, we'll fly away, we'll fly

Kara twirls Lena around softly drawing another soft tinkle of laughter from Lena's lips before she launched into the chorus again, swaying them softly. Her voice grows softer and softer, fading into humming and them stopping altogether. The pair keeps swaying softly and Lena's eyes have long since closed, trusting in her girlfriend and the press of their bodies to keep her safe. Softly, Lena says, 'okay.' 

Kara wiggles in what could only be described as a self-contained bounce, 'really you'll go flying with me?' 

Lena hums her consent. Then in a voice that probably gives away every bit of happiness she feels asks, 'where will we fly to, love?' 

Kara is smiling in to Lena's neck still swaying their bodies, 'any where you want. Any where at all.'

'Venice?' 

'I know an excellent pasta place.' 

'Paris?' 

'I know the best dessert place.' 

Lena laughed, 'always the restaurants, hmm Kara?' 

Kara chuckles, her breath warm against Lena's skin, 'what can I say, I have my priorities.' 

Lena turned in Kara's arms, looking up in to beautiful blue eyes. There is unfiltered adoration shining through Kara's face like sunbeams, illuminating all the darkness in Lena's heart. Lena's voice drops an octave, 'why don't you take me to your favorite place?' 

Kara blinked, a slow smile crossing her face, 'in the whole world?' Lena nods. 'Okay, close your eyes.' Lena does as Kara asks, wrapping her arms tightly around Kara's neck. She can feel her heart rate accelerate as her stomach drops. Lena knows if she were to open her eyes, she would be flying. Lena should feel scared, should be terrified. If something happened to Kara, Lena would plummet to a very painful death. But she could feel Kara's arms holding her tight and that was always the safest place in the world to Lena. They had been flying long enough for Lena to consider taking a peek when Kara slows to a stop. Lena can feel the change in the wind against her body, its now a soft breeze instead of the invisible assault it had been. In another moment, Lena feels solid ground beneath her feet again. 'Open your eyes,' Kara murmurs softly. 

Lena opened her eyes, blinking a few times. She stepped away from Kara, turning to take in their surroundings. She had absolutely no idea where they were. They stood atop a hill, the moon shining down on a field of wildflowers all about them. Beside them, a tall tree stood sentient over the fields. It was beautiful. 'Where are we?' Lena asks, awe leaking in to her voice. 

Kara, who had been watching her the whole time, shrugged a half smile on her lips, 'I don't know.' 

Lena's brows raised, 'I thought we were going to your favorite place in the world.' 

'Yeah,' Kara said softly, 'we're here.' 

'But how-' Lena began confused. Then the realization dawned on her. Tears sprung to Lena's eyes as she watched Kara step forward towards her. 

Kara tucks an errant strand of Lena's windblown hair behind her ear and says as if it should be obvious, 'you're my favorite place in the world.' The look she gives Lena is soft and tender, promising things Lena had never even dared wish for. Lena gasps but Kara doesn't give her a chance to respond, simply covering Lena's lips with her own, infusing as much love as she could in her kiss. Lena bunches one hand in to Kara's cape pulling the woman tightly to her and allowing the other to sift through golden locks. Lena kisses Kara as though she were oxygen and Lena had been drowning before this moment. Desperate and tender and hopeful and full of so many things it makes Lena's heart ache with a good kind of ache. Later, Lena will bury her nose in her sweater, the smell of wildflowers and Kara telling Lena that she is home. 

Chapter Text

Lena whirls when she hears the landing of boots on her patio, a huge smile on her face as there is only one person, okay two technically but one of them almost never did, that could enter that way. Lena and Kara had both had long weeks and Lena had hardly seen her favorite girlfriend for most of it, so the unexpected visit was more than welcome. 'Kara,' Lena says happily as she turns. It is Kara... but not. She's not wearing her usual cardigan covered dresses or her Supergirl outfit. She is wearing the house of el crest but it's adorned to a sleek black suit which definitely accentuated certain curves. It was... attractive but it wasn't Kara. She also was wearing heavy, dark shades of makeup and again it was attractive. Perhaps if Lena weren't so whole heartedly in love with Kara she would even say it was down right sex kitten-esk but something about the look just wasn't Kara. It felt off, wrong. Lena feels her smile falter, 'how are you?' she asks cautiously. 

'Oh Lena,' Kara practically purrs, 'don't be that way.' Kara entered Lena's office and practically stalked up to Lena's desk. 

'What way, Kara?' Lena asks, leaning back in her chair to look up at Kara. Lena thought she saw a flash of red, but she had to be imagining it. Why would Kara have red eyes? 

Kara leaned down, their faces close together. Lena has to resist the urge to press her lips forward into a kiss but she has a very distinct feeling that she isn't going to like where this is headed. Kara lets out another purred, 'don't be so hostile, babe.' Lena grimaces at the nickname. She hates being called babe or baby or anything even remotely similar. Love, darling, dear, honey were all fine but equating Lena to a child? That was a kink Lena didn't share. Then Kara captures Lena's lips and Lena knows because this kiss is wrong. It's hard, domineering, almost painful and so not Kara. 

Lena pushes Kara away, 'ow! Kara!'

Kara growls, actually growls, pressing her body forward again, 'what's the matter babe? Can't take it a little rough?' Lena pushes herself backwards, trying to put space between her and not-Kara but not-Kara is too quick. She grabs Lena's wrists and tugs Lena into a standing position, her fingers leaving bruises on Lena's skin. 

'Kara, you're hurting me.' Lena says, trying to keep her feelings under control. Her normal instinct would be to fight but this is Kara. Kara would never actually hurt her, 'tell me whats wrong Kara, please? I might be able to help?'  Kara's eyes widen and she looks down at their hands. She lets go entirely. For a moment, a hint of Lena's Kara was there, concerned and afraid that she had just hurt Lena. 'Hey,' Lena says trying to get the other woman to meet her eyes, 'what's wrong?' 

Kara laughs cruel and cold. A laugh unlike any Lena had ever heard before and Lena had made it a point to study the Danver girls laughs. 'That's rich,' Kara said cooly, 'you think something is wrong with me?' She laughed again. 

Lena felt her heart break and only years of practice controlling her emotions kept her from bursting in to tears on the spot. Her first instinct was to tell Kara to leave, to get out but that was the old Lena, so Lena tried again, 'this isn't like you Kara. Talk to me,' then she let every ounce of feeling pour into the word, 'please.' 

'Why would I, the scion of the great house of el, want to talk to you, the washed up has-been Luthor? You don't even know who you are.' Kara sneered, a violent and unbecoming look on her normally sweet features. 'I don't know why I bothered,' Kara continues, 'you'll never understand. You're just a mere human.' Kara turned on her heel and left, which Lena was grateful for because she couldn't keep the tears from flowing anymore. Lena stood shocked, in her empty office. Her heart had just been pulverized, her arms hurt, and Lena's heart was breaking. 

Lena didn't stop to think, didn't pause to consider, she just did the one thing she could think of: she called Maggie. 'Detective Swayer,' Maggie said and Lena felt a piece of herself break. 

When she spoke, she couldn't keep the agony from her voice, 'Maggie... It's... Lena.' 

Maggie, not being completely clueless, 'Lena? What's wrong?' 

Lena was gasping for breaths between sobs, 'At... office... Kara... attack... help... please... I don't... know.... what... to do.' 

'Alex and I will be there in 10.' Maggie says softly, reassuringly.

'Tell... Alex... something's wrong... with Kara.' Lena stutters out.

There's muttering on the other side of the phone and then Maggie says, 'we're on the way, Lena. Sit tight.' 

Those ten minutes were the longest of Lena's life. She brushed her fingers absentmindedly against her bruised wrist and relived every word Kara had spoken, sobs racking her body. It was her worst fear, that one day Kara would realize how unworthy Lena was of her. Lena doesn't even hear when Alex and Maggie arrives, doesn't hear the, 'holy shit, Lena, what happened?' She only notices when Maggie is tugging her into a hug and Lena is burying herself in to Maggie, her hands twisting into her shirt, her face burying in to her chest, Lena clings to Maggie like she is the only anchor in her world. 

'Hey,' Maggie speaks softly, rubbing Lena's back, 'I've got you, I've got you.' 

Alex stood guiltily before them, 'I'm really sorry Lena.' Alex looks around as though she were looking for clues, 'can you tell me what happened? I need to find out what's wrong with Kara.' Her voice is gentle, sympathetic and Alex is clearly uncomfortable with the pain her sister caused.  Lena has managed to regain some amount of control on her emotions, so when she speaks it is at least in full sentences even if her voice is gyrating with emotion. She tells them everything she remembers, about Kara's outfit, her words, the way she had grabbed Lena, the flash of red in Kara's eyes. Alex's lips press thinner and thinner as Lena talks. Maggie keeps her arm around Lena, offering a solid wall of comfort as Lena speaks. When she is done, Alex presses her fingers to her temples, eyes closed, 'Lena... I know what I'm about to say is... hard. My sister hurt you and that's unacceptable and I'm not making excuses for her but she-' 

Lena cuts the elder Danvers off, 'I know she wasn't herself. What's wrong with her?' 

Alex meets her eyes, theres gratitude and concern and something else Lena can't identify in Alex's hazel eyes, 'it sounds like Kara was exposed to red kryptonite. It... makes her...' Alex takes a breath and looks up at the ceiling, 'the last time she was exposed she threw Cat Grant off a building and tried to murder me. I have to go after her.' 

Maggie's eyes snap in concern, 'not alone you aren't. She tried to kill you Alex.' 

Alex shook her head, 'I'll call J'onn for back up but this is my sister Maggie. She's already hurt Lena.' Alex looks between Maggie and Lena, 'I have to stop her before she destroys her whole life. Can you stay with Lena? And call me if anything seems amiss?' 

Maggie purses her lips, ready to argue but another sob from Lena draws the fire from her gut. She nods to Alex and pulls the small woman beside her closer. Alex is out the door, already dialing J'onn. 

'I'm sorry-' Lena stutters out after what felt like ages, 'I didn't know who else... who else to call.' 

'Don't worry about it Lena,' Maggie says with full sincerity, 'we're here for you.' 

'What am I going to do? About Kara?' Lena asks, voice cracking. 

Maggie shrugs her non-occupied shoulder, 'I don't know. She was pretty mean to you. You deserve to be hurt about it.' 

Lena nods but whispers, 'it wasn't her fault. I knew it wasn't her when she was here.' 

'Whether it was her fault or not, you get to be hurt and mad Lena,' Maggie murmurs back softly. 

'We love each other,' Lena says burrowing closer in to Maggie as though she could shut away the hurt of it, hiding in Maggie's arms. 

Maggie sighs and readjusts her arms to accommodate her friend, 'yeah you do. And sometimes we hurt the people we love, even when we don't mean to.' 

'I hate that,' Lena whimpers.

Maggie presses a kiss to Lena's forehead, 'me too, Lena.' 

Three days later, after a relatively destructive-less re-capture of Supergirl, being treated for Red K and some time under the sun lamps, Kara was finally released from the DEO. Kara had intended to go first to Lena. Now she lingered in the air high above L Corp, nervously pressing her hands together. What if Lena hated her? Kara sort of hated herself for hurting Lena. It took Kara longer than she would care to admit and several harsh words with herself, including the word coward, but Kara finally floated down to the balcony of the CEO. Lena opened the door and stepped outside.  Lena's wrists were largely healed but Kara could still see the faint shadows of her hand prints. Kara opened her mouth to speak, 'Lena,' and Kara lost it on Lena's name, tears pouring freely, 'I'm so sorry.' 

Lena teared up to, stepping forward. The superhero stepped back from her, unwilling to be touched. 'Kara,' Lena says brokenly. 

'I hurt you. And I am so sorry.' Tears clouded Kara's vision and she shook her head in utter dismay, 'I didn't mean it, any of it. Please, Lena, you have to know I didn't mean it.' 

'Kara,' Lena says again stepping forward. This time the superhero let Lena touch her, 'I know you didn't. I know.' 

Kara leaned in to Lena's hand on her cheek, 'but I still hurt you.' 

'Yes,' Lena whispered averting her eyes. 

'Can I fix it?' Kara asks, not even daring to hope. 

Lena shakes her head, the word leaving her lips, 'no. You can't.' Kara looks down at her feet, Lena grabs her chin and forces Kara to meet her eyes, 'but we can Kara. That's what family does right, they find a way through, stronger together?' And then Lena is holding Kara, clinging to her softly, desperately. 

'Promise?' Kara whispers in to Lena's neck, closing her eyes and breathing Lena in. 

'Promise.' Lena whispers back. 

Chapter Text

Lena settled nervously on Alex's couch. Another late night for Maggie and an unexpected cover scrap for Kara meant that Lena and Alex were on their own, again, and somehow Lena had agreed to watching a horror movie, again. As Alex settled on the couch beside her, Lena lets out a nervous chuckle, 'I don't know how I got suckered into this again.' 

Alex laughs and offers casually, 'probably because you're the only one who still thinks I won't like them if you refuse.' 

Lena chokes on her glass of water, Alex pounds her back - not at all softly. 'That's' Lena sputters when she can breath again,  'that's not entirely inaccurate. You really go for the sucker punch don't you Danvers.' 

Alex grins at her, 'I will, you know, still like you.' 

Lena chokes on water again and Alex pounds her back again, 'are you trying to drown me?' Alex rolls her eyes, good naturedly and hits play. The theme song to Jaws comes on. Lena sinks in to her seat and feels the horror music begin to build tension in her body. By the first shark attack, Lena has surrounded herself with every throw pillow Alex owns and is hiding everything but the top of her eyes under the blankets. She also is keeping her feet tucked firmly beneath her but not because she has an overactive imagination and is afraid of something grabbing her from below. Not at all. 

Alex, noticing Lena's look of utter horror, pauses the film mid-gore. Lena looks guiltily at her companion, eyes wide, and for a moment Alex sees a different little sister staring up at her with puppy dog eyes. Alex refrains from chuckling, only allowing a little cough to escape. 'I have an idea,' Alex begins confidently, talking just like she had to Kara when she first came to live with them. As though Alex knew her idea was brilliant and Lena should be very excited. If Lena weren't scared out of her mind, she might have been offended at the tone but at the moment she was willing to go along with any idea that would keep that wretched movie off the screen. Alex grins, 'let's build a fort!' 

Lena laughs and says, 'alright but I've never built one before.' 

'You've never built a fort?' Alex asks, astonished, 'but you lived in that mansion that had so many things that would have been perfect for fort building.' 

Lena shrugs, 'the Luthors weren't exactly... in to children and their messes.' 

Something akin to anger crosses Alex's face. What kind of stupid family doesn't let kids build forts? When the anger fades, Alex looks at Lena with new found determination, 'alright that's it then. We are definitely building a fort.' 

They spend the next 40 minutes building. Alex doesn't have quite the same supply of blankets that Kara would but she has enough to make a fort large enough to encompass the living room and most of the kitchen with exits leading to the door and down the hallway. Lena's natural genius helped ensure fort stability and Alex was surprisingly good at commandeering common items into useful things. Lena definitely had never considered using a paper clip that way. When the fort was finished and the snacks refilled, the girls settled in to the pile of pillows before the TV. Lena grabs a handful of popcorn, trying to ignore the coming horror when a different theme song came on. Not Jaws but Happy Feet that adorable dancing penguin film Kara and Alex had been arguing about the other day. 

Lena looks over at Alex who is barely concealing an indulgent smile, 'what?' Alex rolls her eyes and says, a smile in her voice, 'don't look at me like that Luthor. You were hating every minute of Jaws.' 

Lena grins back and returns her attention to the movie. After several minutes, Lena murmurs, 'Alex?' Alex hums in response, barely turning her head. 'I love you. You're the best.' And Lena throws her arms around Alex the same way she's seen Kara do a thousand times, with a certain dramatic flair. Alex 'oofs' just the same and hugs Lena back. 

When Lena pulls away, Alex is blushing, 'I love you too Lena. Now shut up and watch the movie.'  

Lena laughs and buries her cold feet under Alex's thigh. Alex grumbles but doesn't shove her away. Half way through the movie, Kara and Maggie join them, laughing at the magnitude and intensity of the fort. And even though Lena is leaning against Kara and Alex is leaning against Maggie, Lena keeps her toes under Alex's thighs because having a big sister is wonderful and novel and Lena just wants to hold on to it a little while longer.

Chapter Text

Kara talks Lena into throwing a fundraising gala after the children's hospital is damaged in another of Kara's epic battles with hostile forces. Kara feels horrible about it and somehow Lena agrees to help fix it. Lena doesn't know how Kara did it... some combination of puppy eyes and promises to wear Lena's favorite dress. Which is all lovely until Supergirl gets called away mid-gala leaving Lena virtually alone amidst the ravenous wolves of National Cities top socialites. Lena is only slightly above pouting which is why she is pressing a champagne glass to her lips and standing at a tall table with a small plate of appetizers, waiting until it became acceptable for the host to leave. Lena had already made the necessary speech and the funds were, hopefully, rolling in to support the children's hospital. At this point, Lena was just a face that was only required for the next, Lena glanced at the elegant watch on her wrist, sixty minutes. 

Lena is about to put another piece of fruit in her mouth when she hears muffled voices behind her filtering in above the music. A group of men, standing not far behind her were having an amusing conversation at Lena's expense, 'can you believe all of this? I can't believe Luthor thinks any of this will make a difference.' 

The group of men laugh and a second voice speaks, 'as if the public could ever forgive or forget.' 

'I don't know,' another voice spoke and Lena felt the slime coming off of him, 'I could forget for a little while with that body.' 

More laughter followed, 'as if she would ever be good in bed,' says the first voice and Lena feels her face turning red. She knows she ought to speak up for herself but she can't bring herself to do it. 

'I dunno, I bet she'd be wild. Bring that Luthor crazy to the bedroom.' Lena gulps, trying very hard to ignore them. If Kara were here, Kara would be all over these pervs. Lena lets out a small sigh and drops the fruit she had been holding, appetite lost. 

'CEO of the company, CEO in the sheets,' the men guffawed and Lena winced. 

'With those...' but Lena was spared hearing which part of her body the men wanted to objectify next by the pert clear voice of Cat Grant.

'Now I know you don't want to finish that sentence,' Cat said slowly, almost lazily. Lena felt a shiver in her spine from the threat of it. 'I know that you certainly wouldn't be degrading a woman who is ten times more powerful than any one of you by objectifying her features, as if any of you could even approach Lena Luthor without being shot down immediately.' 

There was utter silence for a moment and then one of them pathetically tried to make excuses, 'Ms. Grant we were-'.

'Save it,' Cat snaps, 'you are shameful, a disgrace to the business world. How dare you try to minimize the accomplishments of Lena Luthor who has done remarkable things as the CEO of L Corp in such a short amount of time, facing more pressure from sexist pigs,' and the way she said it, Lena could hear her sneer, 'like you than you've ever experienced in your poor pathetic lives. You are going to go make very sizable anonymous donations and then you are going to excuse yourself from the rest of this civilized party.' When no one moved, Cat snapped, 'now.' 

Lena could hear the men preparing to leave and when they were just a few paces away, Cat Grant said loudly, 'and if I ever hear you disparage Lena Luthor or any other woman, for that matter, I will personally destroy each and every one of your lives. You may not realize this but women are the wave of the future and there won't be any place for your chauvinistic attitudes. Figure. It. Out.' 

A moment later, Cat Grant stood by her side. Lena took a small sip from her champagne, trying to work the lump out of her throat. 'Thank you,' Lena whispered.

'For that? Please,' Cat Grant waved a dismissive hand, 'men like that practically take themselves down. Where's Kiera? She certainly knows how to handle sexist men.' 

'Something came up,' Lena murmured softly. 

'Ah,' Cat Grant with a little more understanding in her voice than Lena was expecting, 'of course, she's probably trying to land an exclusive with Supergirl over that apartment fire tonight. Last I heard, Supergirl had singlehandedly saved four children from the blaze.' There's a tint of pride in Cat's voice and it echoes in Lena's heart. Supergirl had been where she was needed most tonight. 

'Yes,' Lena says. Cat knows, Lena knows that Cat knows but it doesn't really matter. They can exist like this, knowing without saying. 

'Well, I suppose I owe it to Kiera to keep you company then,' Cat sets her drink down on the table firmly, 'at least until you can leave.' 

Lena smiles, never in a million years would she expect herself to be keeping company with Cat Grant but in this instance Lena feels utter relief. Cat was an unexpected but not un-welcome defender. 'I would be honored to spend the evening with you, Cat.' 

Cat rolls her eyes, 'don't get soft on me now, Lena. Don't tell me you've been spending too much time with Kiera.' Cat snags another champagne flute. 

Lena chuckles, 'is that even possible?' 

Cat presses her glass to her lips, a small fond smile turning up the corner of her mouth. 'Perhaps not,' Cat offers quietly. 

The rest of her sixty minutes is rather enjoyably spent. Cat is actually quite engaging, regaling Lena with stories of her early reporting and awkward encounters with celebrities. Lena spends most of it laughing and feeling quite charmed. In the end, Cat excused herself subtly, leaving Lena to make a quiet exit. Lena resolved to ask Kara for an appropriate thank you gift later. And if at subsequent gala's, Lena finds herself by Cat's side more often than not, neither CEO says anything about it. 

Chapter Text

Jeremiah is rescued on a blustery day, Kara kissing Lena goodbye in the pre-dawn light and flying off into the gail at someone's summons for help. It's not unusual and Lena thinks nothing of it as she gets ready for her morning, nor as she heads to work, nor even through her boring meetings. In fact Lena would probably have gone on thinking nothing of it for the rest of the day except for one little text message Lena had received just after lunch. 

We've got Jeremiah.

There are a thousand ways Lena could interpret that text and Lena wasn't at all certain how it was intended. Was Kara excited? Nervous? Both? They got him as in rescued? Or captured? Willing? Unwilling? Lena sighed at the absolute lack of information and asked the only thing that mattered:

How can I support you, Kara? Do you need anything?

It was a frustrating five minutes of watching little dots blink on and off her screen before Kara responded at last:

Can you come home early tonight? I just need to see you.

Lena smiled as she responded:

I can be home in twenty minutes. See you soon.

Lena added a heart emoji, which was not something she would typically do but wanted to add a little something extra. Lena packed her things and instructed Jess to cancel her meetings for the remainder of the week. She had no intention of coming back in until Monday. When Lena arrived home, Kara was sitting in full Supergirl regalia, cape tucked around her, a pint of ice cream in her hands, staring blankly at a black screen. Lena grabbed a second spoon and settled in beside her. 

'It was a rescue,' Kara offers before Lena can ask, 'we brought him in willingly. He's pretty busted up but he's talking. He seems to be telling the truth but...' Lena heard the tears before she saw them, 'I thought that last time too.' Lena scoops a bit of ice cream, leaving the brownie bit for Kara on purpose, and says nothing. 'How am I ever supposed to trust him again?' Kara asks, the sound of misery personified, 'Alex wants to forget it ever happened but I... can't.' 

Lena stabs her spoon in to the container and then pulls Kara closer to her. Kara buries herself in Lena's arms hiding her face. 'I think,' Lena begins softly, her hands rubbing small circles, 'that it's okay to have mixed feelings about this.' Kara nods slightly in her chest and Lena continues, 'I think it's okay to be relieved you rescued him and be grateful to have him home and to be angry for what he did and to not trust him for what he might do. I think it's okay to feel all those things at once and to not know where one feeling starts and the next one ends.' Kara breaks down then, sobbing into Lena's chest. Lena holds her, rocks her through it because Lena knows what it's like to feel confused and lost over a family members actions while still feeling grief and love for them. She knows what its like to not trust the people you're supposed to trust most. And Lena doesn't want Kara to feel alone so Lena holds her and rocks until Kara pulls away to use her freeze breath on their melty ice cream, making them both laugh.

It's weeks before Jeremiah is released from the DEO. Weeks of healing and weeks of investigating. Jeremiah had seemed nothing but cooperative, telling them everything they needed to know about Cadmus, enough to even begin making progress on shutting the program down permanently. With Lillian Luthor in jail and his family's life no longer under threat, Jeremiah seems to return to the man he was before. Even so, J'onn only released the man after he agreed to a mind meld to insure Jeremiah was no longer a threat. Of course, it was also on condition that Jeremiah would never be permitted to work for any government agency again. Jeremiah agreed and was released in to Alex's custody. When Kara had told Lena all this, Lena had pursed her lips and said nothing. She wasn't entirely trusting and she really didn't want to see any of the Danvers women hurt, again. 

Alex insisted on a dinner, two weeks after Jeremiah's release. She wanted 'everyone' there and made it clear that absence would be a distinct hinderance to ongoing friendship. Lena balked under the slight bullying but then Lena remembered that Alex had just gotten her dad back after years without him. Of course, she wanted her friends to be happy for her. Most of the super friends had met Jeremiah at the last family dinner, leaving Lena the only to be introduced. Then there was the whole Jeremiah-betrayed-us-right-after-this-dinner-last-time vibe going on. Even Eliza was tense. Lena and Maggie exchanged one look, a plan forming immediately. Maggie immediately put on the extra charming detective dimples persona, drawing reluctant laughter from every one even as her hand never left Alex's rubbing small soothing circles with her thumb. Thank rao for detective dimples. Lena did her best to pick up the pieces. Lena offered commentary, opinions, and gossip as required. And when Eliza or Kara excused themselves to collect themselves in another room, Lena found convenient excuses to slip away and offer a hug or words of encouragement. The night actually became somewhat enjoyable when the super friends began to play games. If anything could raise the spirits of her friends, it was competition. No one else noticed Jeremiah excusing himself, headed for the balcony. 

After several minutes, Lena found herself following. She wasn't really certain why. She tapped on the door frame, 'mind if I join you Mr. Danvers?' 

'Please, call me Jeremiah,' Jeremiah says gesturing for her to join him. 

'It's a nice night outside,' Lena offers casually. She really has no idea why she's doing this.

'Yeah,' Jeremiah says softly, 'so you and Kara?' It almost sounds like a dad interrogating the new girlfriend. 

Lena winces because Jeremiah hasn't really earned that right, she responds in a firm not-to-be-questioned voice, 'yes.' 

Jeremiah shoves his hands through his hair, 'right sorry. I don't have any right to question you. You've been here. I just... is she happy?' 

Turning, Lena looks in where she sees Kara acting out something for charades while Eliza bounces in her seat guessing happily while Alex sits beside Maggie laughing. 'They all are,' Lena offers, 'they missed you. Every family meal, they left a spot for you at the table. But they're all happy.' 

'I probably should have stayed gone,' Jeremiah mumbles angrily, 'they'll never trust me again.' His shoulders drop and his chin rests on his chest, the picture perfect image of warring shame. 

Lena is struck by a sudden surge of sympathy, 'my last name is Luthor. Mistrust and suspicion is practically a guarantee for me in every room I walk in to. They all learned to trust me in time.'

'Yeah,' Jeremiah says with a bit of edge in his voice, 'but as far as I know, you've never actually done anything wrong. I have.' 

A small gasp escapes her lips because Lena wasn't expecting that but he isn't wrong. 'That's true. I guess you'll have to work extra hard then.' 

Jeremiah slams a hand to the concrete wall and Lena jumps, 'it's just so damn hard. It all used to be so easy. I just want things to go back to the way they were.' 

Lena holds her head high, an echo speaking in the back of her mind telling her this is the Luthor family's fault, her fault but she is ignoring it. 'It can't. Even if you had never betrayed them, it wouldn't be the same. They were robbed of a father growing up. The question is will you rob them of a father now because that's the only thing you can control. Who you are, right now. Are you going to be the man who runs away and hides because its difficult or are you going to take responsibility and do everything you have to, to earn their trust?' Lena's voice is firm, not uncaring but certainly challenging. 

Looking up, Jeremiah meets her eyes arms crossed defensively, 'and what kind of man do you think I am?' 

Lena's eyes open wide, surprised the man would care about her opinion. Lena looks him once over before saying slowly and clearly, 'I don't know yet but I know who I want you to be. Who I think you could be.' 

Jeremiah's arms drop and there's a painfully raw amount of hope in his voice when he asks, 'who is that?' 

Lena reaches toward him but stops herself, 'I want you to be the man who did everything he did to save his daughters. I want you to stand up and take responsibility and show up when its hard and to keep showing up every day. I want you to be the father Alex and Kara deserves. I want you to be the husband Eliza deserves. I want you to be the kind of father who makes me re-think my opinion on fathers.' It's honest, more honest than Lena had intended to be.

'I don't know if I can,' Jeremiah says his voice sounding small and broken. 

Lena's eyes narrow in the same way she remembers Cat Grant doing to challenge people to live up to their full potential. 'Please,' Lena says dismissively, 'Jeremiah. You survived a knife wound in the amazon. You survived years under my mother's sadistic reign. You can do this.' 

Jeremiah lets a broken sort of chuckle out, 'you're pretty good at this pep talk thing Lena.' Lena feels her cheeks grow hot and is thankful for the cover darkness. 'Guess I'd better get started,' Jeremiah says patting her shoulder as he passes her. 

A moment later arms fold around her waist and a chin settles on her shoulder. Lena chuckles as she covers Kara's arms with her own, 'you were listening, huh?' 

Kara shrugs, 'I was worried. He's right though, you give a pretty stellar pep talk.' 

Lena laughs again and squeezes Kara's hand, 'I just kept thinking about what I would say to Lex if I had a chance to make it right. If he ever wanted to make it right.' 

'Hmm,' Kara murmurs drawing Lena in tighter. 'Do you really think Jeremiah can do it?' 

Lena closes her eyes, 'for your sake, I want him to but if he can't I'll be here Kara. I'll always be here for you.' 

Kara buries her face in the crook of Lena's neck and Lena is just barely able to make out the murmured, 'I love you.' 

Lena turns in Kara's arms, a chuckle rising in her throat, 'of course Kara, that's what friends are for.' And then Lena tries to wink but they both know she can't wink to save her life and they both end up laughing. 

Kara groans, 'I'm never going to live that down, am I?' Lena shakes her head 'no' but is forced to stop when Kara captures hers in a fierce kiss. When they pull apart, Lena can barely recall what they had been talking about. 'I think, that' Kara gestures toward the living room, 'is what family is for.' Then Kara is kissing Lena again softly. 

Lena's breath catches in her throat, and for once it isn't because of Kara's lips. Kara just called her family and Lena had never felt anything like the feelings blossoming in her chest at the moment. Lena belonged. 

Chapter Text

Lillian, or Lex, or one of their henchmen, or one of Supergirl's enemies, or someone sends assassins after Lena, again. After Lena is cornered by Alex and Maggie. 

'Self-defense lessons,' Alex says hands on hips, conveying authority and that ever annoying big-sister knows all attitude. 

Lena quirks an eyebrow glancing between her friends, 'what about them?' 

'You're getting some,' Maggie says with a flash of a smile. 

Lena nervously chuckles at that, 'I hardly have time-'

Alex puts a hand over her mouth, 'don't even, Luthor. We've already gone through Jess. She happens to agree with us, by the way and kindly arranged it so that Thursday mornings are now reserved for self defense lessons. You start tomorrow.' 

'That's right. Danvers and I are going to teach you a thing or two about staying alive long enough for Supergirl to rescue you,' Maggie says, the dimpled smile conveying more mischief than Lena was entirely comfortable with. Alex removed her hand from Lena's mouth. For a moment, Lena considers arguing but one look between the two and Lena gives it up. 

'Fine,' Lena says resigned, 'where and when?'

Giving a wolfish grin, Alex says, '8 am tomorrow, your place. Wear something you can move in.' The pair exit as quickly as they came, laughter echoing back to Lena. It really wasn't the worst idea in the world and staying alive was to the benefit of the company. Plus Kara would appreciate the effort. 

At 8 am, Alex and Maggie were entering her loft with a big bag per woman. Lena showed them to the room she had, had cleared yesterday for this purpose. Throwing their bags to the side, Maggie lead them through some stretches. Most of them were yoga based so Lena actually had familiarity with them, much to Alex's frustration. They talked as they stretched.

'We aren't going to teach you a lot, just a few moves-' Maggie began.

'That you will practice until you can do them in your sleep,' Alex interrupted. Maggie nodded along. 

'Basic things, how to block, how to punch, how to kick, how to break holds, how to disarm someone,' Maggie continued.

Alex picked up then, 'then when you can do them all perfectly, we'll take turn ambushing you.' 

'Joy,' Lena said dryly. Nothing quite like the promise of future ambushes to make your morning. 

Maggie smiles far more warmly than Lena feels, 'its not like the bad guys are gonna forewarn you.' 

Lena shakes her head because she doesn't disagree but... 'I just want you both to know I have a strong dislike for this plan.' That was probably exactly the wrong thing to say because Maggie and Alex exchanged grins that made Lena squirm as she stretched. 

'Enough stretching,' Alex says jumping to her feet, 'let's see what we're working with. Come at me, Lena.' 

Lena stands warily, casting a glance at Maggie who nods encouragingly. Lena murmurs under her breath, 'this isn't going to go well.' Then she swings at Alex.

Alex blocks, hard. Lena aims a kick for the shins which Alex doesn't even bother to deflect. Lena swings again and this time Alex yanks Lena forward throwing her over her hip. Lena feels her feet leave the ground and the bruising collision of her back against the, thankfully, carpeted floor. 'Again,' Alex demands. 

Lena stands and brushed her backside off, not that it was dirty, it just hurt. 'Weren't you supposed to teach me before ambushing me?' Lena grumbles unhappily. 

'This isn't an ambush,' the pair calls out in sync. They grin at each other and Lena takes the opportunity to punch Alex. She actually lands it but promptly regrets it at the pain shooting in her hand. 

Alex grins, unfazed by the blow, she coaches 'good. Use distractions to your advantage.' Then before she can think, Alex is swinging and her hand rams in to Lena's ribs. Lena goes flailing backwards, the air knocked from her lungs.

'Jesus Alex!' Maggie exclaims rushing to Lena's side, 'are you alright?' 

Alex drops down beside Lena's other side, 'sorry Luthor, I usually duel with aliens and forgot my strength. You okay?' 

Lena grunts as Maggie lifts her shirt to look at Lena's ribs, she offers 'that's gonna bruise.' Gee however would Lena have guessed that. 'From now on, I'll go on attack Danvers. You can defend.' Maggie shoots at Alex, a teasing look on her face.

'Fine by me,' Alex offers her eyebrows still stitched together in concern. 

'Can we... get to the... teaching part?' Lena gasps out. 

'Good idea Luthor. Let's get you some water first though,' Alex replies immediately. Alex helps Lena to sit up, supporting her back with a warm hand. One look at her face and Lena can tell she still feels guilty. 

'Well...' Lena says slowly, 'now I have to learn so I can pay you back Danvers.' 

Alex flashes her a grin as Maggie hands Lena a water bottle, 'you're awfully cocky for someone who just got their ass handed to them Luthor.' 

Lena drinks gratefully before replying, 'I learn fast.'

Maggie grins, 'my money is on Luthor.' 

'What?' Alex cries, 'you are gonna bet against me? How could you?' 

Maggie shrugs and jerks her head towards Lena, 'she'll have me for a teacher.' This brings a laugh from Lena, who immediately regrets it due to the pain in her ribs. 

Narrowing her eyes, Alex says, 'oh it's on.'

It took months but at last Maggie and Alex added ambushes to their regimen so that every once in a while, one of the superfriends (who had been far too eager to volunteer, by the way) would take turns jumping her at unexpected moments. Thankfully, work was off limits. But home, walking on the streets, even dates with Kara were all fair game. One night she had even been jumped at game night, fending off three of them at once while the others cheered. It had been an interesting game night. The ambushes were messy free for alls where Lena could use anything in the environment to disarm and escape from her attacker. It was actually kind of fun, challenging her creativity and intelligence. 

Lena could feel the changes in her body, the callousing of knuckles, the firming of muscles, the change in her stances, her constant awareness of the environment. She still wasn't good enough to beat Alex but that was okay because Thursday mornings had become her favorite. Especially on days when Kara joined them and the foursome would spend the morning bickering and teasing while hitting each other. It was a peaceful time that made Lena feel at home, even as she dodged Maggie's hooks and Alex's front throws. 

The next time someone sent assassins after Lena, she surprised the three men by disarming the first and throwing him over her hip into his buddy and pointing the gun she had taken at the third. Kara crashed through the window a moment later and, after disarming all three and securing them, squealed in delight at how well Lena had done. The next Thursday, Maggie and Alex brought Lena donuts and gave them all the morning off. They were proud, Lena could tell and it made her heart expand a bit because it had been so long since she had made a family member proud. But here were Alex and Maggie wearing matching grins and saying 'well done kid' and all Lena could do was smile. 

It took Lena three years and an extremely lucky hit but she did, eventually, manage to catch Alex in the ribs as payback. Alex happily paid up, never having been prouder of Lena and reasonably confident that she could handle the crazy stuff that life threw at her and Kara.

Chapter Text

'Miss Luthor?' Jess interrupts Lena, as Jess is pulling her jacket on. 

'Yes?' Lena asks.

'R&D called. Kara's present is ready, they sent it up an hour ago.' Jess offers Lena a simple thin box, about the size of a shoe box.

Lena bounds from her seat, 'ooh let me see!' There's perhaps a bit more excitement than there ought to be in her voice but Jess just offers a knowing smile and passes the box over. Lena pulls the lid off and inside sits the hilt for what would genuinely appear to be a lightsaber hilt. It is sleek and silver. When Lena picks it up, it is weighted well. She turns the hilt over in her hand looking for the all but hidden button that would turn the toy on. Finding it, there was the tell tale whoosh and a pink holo-display formed a blade. 

'She really went with pink, huh?' Jess asked, smiling at the CEO and her toy. 

Lena feels a slight blush, she had tried to convince Kara to choose a 'real' lightsaber color but the kryptonian had insisted. 'Yes, she was quite certain.' 

Jess chuckled, 'R&D said they are sending the other two up first thing in the morning.' 

Nodding, Lena swung the hilt experimentally, listening to the swoosh of the blade moving through the air. Of course, in the movie the sound would have been caused by the sonic vibrations cutting through the air. On this toy a tiny speaker attached to a motion sensor controlled the noise. 'Thank you Jess. Kara is going to love this.' 

Jess nodded and offered a grin, 'have a good night Miss Luthor.' 

'Good night Jess,' Lena said in return still admiring the toy as her assistant departed. Lena still had a solid two hours of work to do before she could go home herself but every once in a while she couldn't help pulling the saber out and giving it a spin. It wasn't ground breaking technology, nor particularly useful technology, but the toy was rather impressive. Lena couldn't wait to see Kara's face. 

Two, very long, hours later, Lena found herself headed home. When she got there, the smell of take out food greeted her at the door. 'Kara?' Lena called, putting her things away while tucking the box under her arm. 

'Lena! You're home!' Kara called speeding, super speeding, to greet Lena at the door. 

Lena buries her face in Kara's neck, breathing her in, as the blonde tucks her in to a giant hug. 'Hi,' Lena says amused, 'you're excited!' 

'I missed you!' Kara replies, still holding tight to Lena.

Chuckling, Lena says, 'you saw me this morning.' 

As if in protest, Kara buries her face in Lena's shoulder further. 'Too long,' she grumbles in an almost incoherent manner. 

Lena shakes her head fondly, 'I missed you too love. I brought you a present.'

That certainly does the trick, Kara pulls quickly away to bounce on the balls of her feet, 'oooh, what is it? What is it?' She zeroes in quickly on the box, 'is that it?' 

Lena nods and offers it to Kara before Kara can get snatchy. Snatchy excited Kara tended to cause accidental injuries. 'Perhaps in the living room,' Lena suggests. Kara grabs Lena and super speeds them to the couch, making Lena laugh. 'Alright, open it.' 

Kara throws off the box lid, looking for all the world like a child on Christmas. Then she eeks. Actually, eeks at a very loud volume, 'is this my lightsaber?' 

'Yes, one pink lightsaber, just for you,' Lena smiles at Kara, feeling the full weight of her affection. 'There's a button just... there' Lena points at the button and Kara presses it. Kara's eyes grow wide as the toy whooshes. Lena laughs outright at the look of amazement on her face, 'give it a swing.' Kara leaps from the couch, swinging the lightsaber. Kara laughs freely as she brandishes the toy at throw pillows. 

'Lena!' Kara calls over the sounds, 'this is amazing! I can't wait for the convention! Every one is going to be jealous of my lightsaber!' 

Lena grins, grabbing one of the fortune cookies on the table before her, 'incoming trooper fire,' Lena calls before chucking the cookie at Kara. Kara yells and dodges, starting what has to be one of the greatest all time duels between Supergirl and the Chinese food. 

The convention is wonderful and nerdy. Winn has gone all out in Darth Vadar gear. When Lena hands Winn his duel bladed red lightsaber, he screams and looks like it is entirely possible he is going to pass out. Kara is dressed like Leia but has Rey's hair and staff (which she totally stole from Lena) but keeps saying she is Jyn. At first, Lena and Winn try to get her to choose one but after the 500th time that weekend they decided the woman with the pink lightsaber could be whatever combination she wanted to be. Lena had opted to change at the convention rather than risk being pictured in her costume. She ended up dressing as Rey, complete with a blue lightsaber. 

Lena spends her weekend happily trailing behind two of her best friends in the world. They meet the attending special guests and Winn even manages to impress Alan Tudyk with his K-2 impersonation. He spent the next thirty minutes after that staring widely at the world with a delighted but dazed look. Not having a passing twi'lek who eyed him flirt-ily was enough to draw his attention. Lena ended up doubling back at some point and getting a personalized autograph for Winn that read: 'Winn, the captain says you're a friend. I will not kill you. Alan Tudyk.'

(Lena gives it to Winn for his birthday that year. Winn kisses her, actually mouth to mouth kisses her, prompting Kara to hang Winn upside down outside the window until she's convinced of his regret and he promises to never ever do it again while the rest of the superfriends chuckle at their expense. Lena almost feels bad for Winn but Kara being so jealous is a bit of a turn on so she isn't that sorry.) 

Kara spent half the convention asking what x technology was or x planet was or x alien species was and then refuting the impossibility of it all. There were several times when Lena had to put a hand over Kara's mouth and drag her away before she gave away her secret identity because she was insisting that there were no ice planets in Hoth's region of space. Lena also had to drag Kara away from the recreated death star set which looped through scenes of planet wide destruction. The three of them found a deserted hallway and had a good cry. Afterwards, Lena bought the three of them Bantha Cocoa with extra sprinkles (white hot chocolate with blue food coloring) and arranged mock lightsaber duels, declaring Kara the winner every time until the kryptonian was smiling again. After that, they avoided the dark side entirely. 

By the end of the weekend, Lena and Kara follow a still overly-excited Darth Winn from stall to stall, holding hands completely exhausted. News of the pink lightsaber has spread and more than one person stops them to ask for pictures with it and Kara insists that Lena be in every one with her. Which is how, Monday morning, Lena ends up answering questions from reporters about the convention and the extent of her nerdy-ness. Lena should be annoyed but she finds herself looking at her new screen saver - a picture of Lena, Kara and Winn with their lightsabers drawn and big smiles on their faces (she assumes Winn is smiling, anyways) - and she just doesn't have it in her to be annoyed. 

'Did you have a good weekend, Miss Luthor?' Jess asks that morning with a teasing smile. 

'Marvelous,' Lena replies cheekily, 'and Jess perhaps we should look in to selling the design for the lightsabers?' 

'They were a big hit, then?' Jess asks as she sets a cup of coffee on Lena's desk. 

'Mmhmm,' Lena says, then thinking of something she adds, 'but only if they'll make pink lightsabers too.' 

Jess shakes her head and smiles knowingly, 'of course Miss Luthor.'  

Chapter Text

Kara is sitting upside down on Lena's couch, surveying the living room while Lena is finishing up some emails on a rainy Saturday afternoon. If Lena had looked up, she would have seen the crinkle between her brows and a slight frown. 'Lena?' Kara speaks softly in to the room, not wanting to startle the other woman.

'Hmm?' Lena asks not looking up.

'Why aren't there any pictures in your apartment?' Kara asks, almost tentatively. 

Lena glances up, giving the room a once over with a slight frown. 'I have three Micheal Kenna shots in this room alone, Kara. Plus two Ansel Adams in the hallway, a Geddess, a Leibovitz, not to mention a few amateur shots of my own. It's not an extensive collection but I have photographs.' She returns to her email, her brow furrowed. Should she look in to getting more? Her apartment was a bit sparsely decorated, especially in comparison to the apartment of the reporter lounging on her couch, but she liked to think of it as minimalist. When she glances up again, the reporter has righted herself and is staring at Lena. Lena squirms, feeling exposed, 'what?'

Kara smiles softly at Lena, as if to reassure her. 'One,' Kara says holding up a finger, 'which ones are yours? I didn't know you were a photographer.' 

Lena chuckles, 'I'm not. I just have a decent camera and got a few lucky shots from my travels.' 

'Which ones?' Kara asks again, visibly getting excited. Lena knows that the moment she speaks Kara is going to run to look at them all. 

'Um..' Lena begins, a blush already spreading across her cheeks, 'the one in the bathroom of the couple punting through Christ Church Meadow on the river Thames in Oxford, the photograph of the frangipani at a buddhist temple in Laos that hangs in the foyer, and the landscape of the baobab tree in the savanna that hangs in my office.' As soon as Lena was done speaking, Kara had raced away. Lena remained where she was, feeling vulnerable. No one else knew those shots were hers. Minutes passed before Kara returned.

'Lena those are all amazing. You have a gift.' Kara spoke with slight awe in her voice and wetness in her eyes. It mostly served to make Lena even more uncomfortable. 

'Thanks,' Lena mumbled, 'did you have a second thought?'

'What?' Kara asked, then her eyes widened and her mouth formed and 'o'. 'Right,' Kara said, 'two, I meant why aren't there any photos of you?'

'Do people usually hang selfies from their walls?' Lena chuckles, trying to brush off the thought, 'seems a bit egotistical to me.' 

Kara isn't letting it slide, 'no but they usually have pictures of them with their friends or...' Kara stops herself before she can say the next word but Lena goes on for her. Family. Right. 'You know what,' Kara says suddenly, 'nevermind. Forget I said anything, it's stupid. I'm stupid.' 

Lena purses her lips, 'Kara you're not stupid.' Lena sighs and pushes herself away from her computer, 'I used to have photos of myself with Lex. Even a few with the whole Luthor family but after everything... I didn't really want the reminder. I took them down when I moved and haven't put them up again.' Lena beckons for Kara to follow her, walking to the office. Lena pulls a box down from the top shelf. In it are several framed photos wrapped in bubble wrap, Lena settles on the floor and opens them one by one for Kara. The first one is a picture of a pre-teen Lena, who for the record is unreasonably beautiful for the awkward age of 13, standing arm in arm with a slightly older sandy blonde haired man. He has a roguish smile and dimpled cheeks and warm brown eyes. Kara can't believe that the 20 year old young man in the photo would become her cousins nemesis. The next is a family photo and Kara thinks it must be from shortly after Lena is adopted because Lena is a tiny little kid wearing a red dress with a big bow on the front, her hair combed and laying neatly on her shoulders. She's smiling but Kara can see that it doesn't quite look comfortable. Lex is wearing a suit with red bow tie, his hair combed neatly to one side grinning broadly. Lionel and Lillian are standing side by side and behind their children, dressed in their finest, with smiles on their faces. A Christmas tree sparkles to one side of the family. They almost look happy. Graduation photos, vacation photos, holiday photos all showing a mostly happy family and Kara can't help but feel sad. The last photo is of Lex and Lena. Lex has already lost his hair, marking the start of his vendetta with Superman. Lena and Lex are both in bathing suits, surf boards on either side with big grins on their faces. 

'Did you know yet?' Kara asks softly.

Lena's eyes are glazed, shiney with emotion. When she speaks her throat is raw, 'no. We visited Hawaii two weeks before...'. Lena stops then because what is she supposed to say? Before the man in the photo went crazy and murdered hundreds of innocent people? Before her world flipped upside down? Before she lost the only person who made her family feel real? Before her heart broke in to a thousand pieces? Thankfully, Kara didn't really need her to finish. Kara just squeezed Lena's hand, setting the photo aside. 

'What's that?' Kara says pointing to a manila envelope, desperately hoping it makes for a better conversation topic. 

Lena sniffs and laughs, 'that would be my old school photos.'

Kara's eyes go wide and she lunges for the envelope. Kara is a little envious as she goes through the photos. Not a single one is awkward and for the most part, they all even transcend the awkward generation gap. In first grade, Lena had lost one of her front teeth and so her smile had a little toothy gap but her dimples are precious and her hair is in a perfect braid over one shoulder falling on a simple purple dress that looks too mature for a first grader but still pretty. In 7th and 8th grade, Lena has braces and a big nineties scrunchy in her hair. Her senior photos are breath taking though. 'This is not fair,' Kara pouts shuffling through them, 'you look good in all of these. No one should be this flawless Lena.'

Lena lets out a hallow, 'ha.' Kara looks up at her, searching for an explanation, 'Lillian sent me these after Lex... she said she had no need for them anymore. So flawless feels... less than accurate.'

Kara bit her cheek, refraining from making the comment that Lillian was an uptight arrogant crusty booger of a mother who wouldn't know value if it smacked her in the face.  'Can I have these?' Kara asks when she is certain nothing else will come out. 

Lena gives a watery smile, 'not if you're going to publish them. Lena Luthor's junior high years is not an exclusive I want to deal with.' 

Kara laughs, 'nope. Totally off the record. I just have an idea.' Kara puts the photographs back in the envelope, then begins to re-wrap the frames place them carefully back in the box. When it's packed, she gingerly places the box back at the top of the closet. Kara reaches out a hand, 'thank you for showing me those,' Kara says as she pulls Lena into a standing position. 'How about we go get some kombucha?' 

'Kombucha?' Lena asks unclearly. 

'Yeah,' Kara says, 'you like kombucha and you deserve to have something you like.' 

Lena smiles, tucking herself in to Kara's side, 'kombucha with you sounds perfect.' 

Kara calls Eliza the moment she gets home. 'Kara honey - Hi!' Eliza greets her cheerfully.

'Eliza,' Kara says, her own voice coming out smaller and angrier than she means to.

'What is it honey?' Eliza asks softly.

Kara takes a deep breath, 'Lena's mother is the worst and I hate her so much. She treats Lena like she is a stray dog or worse the unwelcome house pest and she makes Lena feel horrible about herself and I just wish that I could...' Kara gasps taking a breath, 'that I could punch her in the face every time she makes Lena feel that way or that I could somehow show her how amazing Lena is because Lena is amazing and her mother is an uptight arrogant crusty booger of a human being for not seeing that.' 

Eliza hums softly on the other end, 'I know what you mean. What did Lillian do this time?' 

'She sent Lena all of her school photos. Told her she had no use for them anymore. I mean I know she pretty much disowned Lena but that seems extreme even to me. I mean Lena spent 20 years as this woman's daughter and just like that, she has no use for her anymore.' Kara rants. 

'That woman,' Eliza says, barely controlling her own anger. 'Do you think you could get Lena to give me the photos?' 

'I already did. I thought maybe you could display them, next to mine and Alex's. You know, make her feel wanted.' 

'Of course, send them to me. Maybe I can get some of Maggie too. Goodness knows, she didn't get the family she deserved either.' Eliza grumbles something indistinctly but Kara catches the words 'despicable family' and 'undeserving louses.' 

Kara smiles, 'thank you Eliza. For taking me in and claiming me as your own. For never making me feel the way Lena feels.' 

Eliza is silent for a moment, 'Kara I love you. I always have, I always will. You are my daughter.' 

'I love you too Eliza.' Kara says softly, 'and thank you for taking in Lena and Maggie too.' 

'Of course! It's my pleasure!' Eliza says happily. 

Kara hangs up feeling way better about the whole thing, she seals the envelope and addresses it to Eliza, sticking it in the mail. 

Lena forgets about giving the photos to Kara entirely in the next few months. Which is why Lena is stunned when, during a long weekend in Midvale, Lena wanders in to Eliza's living room and finds a picture of herself. Eliza has put the picture of her missing a tooth in the first grade, a photo that Lillian had always flat out refused to put up, on the wall. Next to it is a picture of Kara wearing pig tails and an oversized sweater from junior high. On Kara's other side is Alex dressed in black clothes, wearing goth make up, her hair long and choppy in high school. The last picture is of Maggie wearing glasses and overalls, her hair cut boyishly short, and her tell tale dimples. If Lena had to guess she'd say Maggie was about 10. Lena chuckled looking at it.

'I hope you don't mind,' Eliza says from behind her. Lena shakes her head, suddenly feeling oddly emotional about her school picture on Eliza's wall. 'That one was my favorite, so innocent, so you.' Eliza put an arm around Lena's shoulders, holding her close. 'But they are all in the frame so you can switch it out whenever you want. Alex and Kara change theirs pretty regularly.' 

Lena leans in to Eliza's hold, whispering 'thank you.' 

Eliza stays quiet for a moment, considering her words carefully, 'you deserve a mother who is proud to have photos of you Lena. And since yours is woefully inadequate, I am happy to do it in her stead.' 

Lena turns and buries her face in Eliza's shoulder as though it were the most natural thing in the world. Eliza holds Lena close, letting her sob. When Lena had, had her fill Eliza pulled back and pressed a soft kiss to Lena's forehead. Then she says quietly, letting every word carry their full weight, 'I love you Lena. I'm proud of you Lena. And I am proud of being your honorary mother.' 

Lena nods, tears filling her eyes again. Eliza pulls Lena in close again and it truly is the most natural thing in the world. 

Chapter Text

'Miss Luthor,' Jess spoke from Lena's doorway, 'Detective Sawyer is here to see you.'

Lena looked up then, surprised, 'Maggie?' Jess nods and steps aside for the detective. 

Maggie is dressed casually, so probably not here on business. Her hair is a little tangled, giving Lena the impression that the detective had been combing her fingers through it, 'Luthor, sorry to drop in on you like this but... I need some help.' 

Lena looked Maggie over twice, trying to discern anything further from her. 'You're always welcome here Maggie, although do try not to arrest me this time.' 

'Har, har,' Maggie says with an eye roll flopping herself in the seat opposite of Lena, 'you're so funny.'

'I try,' Lena says airily, clearing her desk quickly. She'd learned, early on, that Maggie and Alex had a habit of carrying evidence on their person and depositing it unceremoniously on her desk no matter how questionable it was or what sort of unmentionable gunk it was covered in. Lena had, had to redo entire stacks of paperwork before. Now, she just cleared space on instinct. 'So,' Lena began when she was done, 'what can I help you with.' 

Maggie leaned forward seriously, her eyes almost frantic, 'first you have to swear on your Carrie Fisher autographed copies of Star Wars that you won't tell anyone, not even Kara.'

Lena's eyes went wide, 'you do realize that Carrie Fisher is... and that I cannot, for any amount, obtain another set.' Rolling her eyes, Maggie nods. Lena considers for a moment, 'for how long, you know I hate keeping secrets from Kara.' 

'I dunno,' Maggie says, leg bouncing, 'a few days.' 

Lena shakes her head, 'if I'm swearing on my Carrie Fisher copies, you're gonna have to be specific.' Lena gives her best 'business negotiation' look. 

Sighing, Maggie says, 'fine. Friday at sunset.'

Lena considers this a moment longer, its only a few days away. She could do that, probably. As long as Kara didn't beg. Realizing there was nothing more for it, Lena swore, 'I, Lena Luthor, do swear on my beloved Carrie Fisher autographed star wars copies to not reveal a single thing about the top secret mission until Friday at Sunset. Satisfied?' When Maggie nodded, Lena went on, 'alright so what is it?' 

Maggie launched from her seat, 'you need to come with me. Now.' 

Standing, Lena eyes the detective again, then as casually as she is able she asks, 'are you going to propose?' 

'You aren't the detective here Luthor. Just, come on,' Maggie says shaking her head. 

Lena smiles, 'you are, aren't you? You're totally going to propose and you need help picking out a ring or planning the evening, huh?' 

'Can it Luthor. Let's go.' 

Thirty minutes later, Lena found herself distinctively not in a ring store. 'Maggie?' Lena asks with confusion. 

'What?' Maggie asks, her fingers at her hair again. 

'Why are we at a pet store?' Lena asks, her eyes browsing the squeaky toys and odd meat-y smelling treats. 

'Alex and I have been talking about getting a dog and I think we're ready but I didn't know how to ask her.' Maggie says sheepishly. 'I was hoping,' Maggie shrugs her shoulders, 'that you would help me out.' 

Lena turns to look in amazement at the detective. She can't help the laugh that comes out of her mouth, 'are you serious Maggie? This is your top secret mission that I swore my prized collection on?' 

Yes?' Maggie says hesitantly, 'come on Lena you're the only sister I have.' Maggie thinks about it for a second, 'well besides Kara but she can't keep a secret from Alex for anything. I need your help.' The last bit comes out a tad whinier than Maggie probably intended and Lena can't help but feel sympathetic for the woman. 

'Okay, okay. You don't have to use the family card geeze,' Lena says. She feels a bit uncertain but Maggie had called them sisters and sisters helped each other with all the stupid little things like asking your girlfriend if she wants to get a dog with you even if you both know the answer will be a yes and there's no reason to actually be nervous. 'Do you want to go for fun, cheesy, or romantic?' 

Maggie looks like she's going to cry from relief, 'I mean it's Alex so all three?' 

Lena nods and begins walking, looking at their options. Well you could make it a themed night. Take her for a walk through that park with the dog park, stop for hot dogs-'

Maggie cuts her off, 'I'm a vegan Lena.' 

Lena lets out a dramatic sigh, 'okay. Go for the walk, come home and watch a dog themed movie like 101 Dalmatians or All Dogs Go To Heaven then serve her pupcorn-' 

'Pupcorn?' Maggie asked confused. Lena stares at her waiting for her to catch up, 'oh you mean popcorn but-'

'With a twist on words, yes. Make bone shaped breadsticks and serve her pupperoni pizza. Then when she gets suspicious, you can drop to one knee and pull out one of these in a velvet box.' Lena points to the display stand with the name tags ready for engraving. 'Then all you have to do, is pup the question,' Lena gives a smug smile, pleased with herself. 

Maggie groans, 'you need to stop with the puppy puns Lena. But overall... that's not a bad idea. Except the pizza.' 

Lena rolls her eyes, 'just order two Maggie. One for Alex that she will like and one that fits your vegan needs.' Maggie picks out a silver bone tag. They pay and put it in the engraving machine. Lena watches over her shoulder, 'are you gonna write the question or something.'

Maggie shakes her head, 'nah. We've had a name picked out for a while.' On one side Maggie puts her and Alex's contact information and on the other side she writes simply, 'Gertrude.' 

Friday night, Lena smiled when she got Maggie's text: 

She said yes!!!!!!

Chapter Text

Jess sat anxiously at her desk, straightening and re-straightening a pile of paperwork. The lunch hour was almost up which meant that Kara Danvers would be exiting Lena's office very shortly and Jess had every intention of talking to the sunny reporter. Jess heard the door open, heard the 'friends' saying goodbye and stood, tugging at the hem of her blouse nervously. When Kara turned around, she offered Jess a bright smile and Jess almost falters. The timing here has to be perfect, she has to catch Danvers before she leaves but after Lena's door closes. Lena would be mortified if she knew her assistant wanted to give her crush the shovel talk but someone had to and goodness knows Lillian Luthor wouldn't be doing it any time soon. As soon as Lena's door closes, Jess calls 'Miss Danvers? A moment, if you please?' 

Kara, who had already reached the elevator, turned around with her signature smile, 'of course Jess. What's up?' 

Jess walked to an empty conference room and ushered Kara Danvers inside, 'thank you Miss Danvers, it won't take long.'

'It's not a problem Jess,' Kara says with a wave of her hand, 'what do you need?'

Jess clears her throat, standing straight, 'you've been spending a lot of time with Miss Luthor lately, Miss Danvers.'

'Oh,' Kara says, face falling, 'has that been a problem for her schedule.' 

Jess covers an exasperated sigh with a cough the woman truly is too kind for her own good, 'no Miss Danvers. It's good for her. The problem is that there are some of us who are concerned about how attached Miss Luthor may be becoming to you and what your intentions are towards her.' 

There's a definite blush on both women's cheeks now and Kara's eyes are opened wide, 'oh... this is the what are your intentions talk isn't it?' 

Jess squares her shoulder and firms her jaw, 'yes it is. Miss Luthor has people who care about her, deeply. We may not be the traditional family one would expect but that doesn't matter.' 

Kara considers her for a moment, her blue eyes taking in Jess's stature, 'I'm glad you're taking care of her Jess.' Kara flashes a smile, 'as to my intentions, the most honest answer is that I don't know.'

Jess feels a surge of anger. That is not the answer she wants to hear, at all. Her voice carries some of Miss Luthor's ice to it when she speaks, 'explain.' Jess crosses her arms, making it clear that she would not be won over easily. 

Kara seems to pick up on it because she stands a little straighter and she meets Jess's eyes with an open expression, 'I want to protect Lena and I like her a lot. But not just... I think... that maybe I like her in a more than friend kind of way... which I've never...' Kara falters off.

Feeling a sudden surge of sympathy, Jess drops her arms, 'you've never liked a woman before?' Kara shakes her head, eyes on her feet. 'Well,' Jess says in an amused way, 'that certainly explains more than it doesn't.' 

'What do you mean?' Kara asks, a crinkle between her eye brows.

'That you're oblivious,' Jess retorts, 'but better oblivious than manipulative which is what I thought was happening.' 

Kara's crinkle deepens, 'you thought I was manipulating Lena.'

Jess meets the innocent blue eyes but refuses to feel guilty, 'yes. Miss Luthor is powerful, intelligent, and rich. Any one in her inner circle gets certain benefits and you would not be the first person who has tried to manipulate her feelings to gain access to such things. I've chased more than a few of them away.' 

'But you gave me unlimited access to Lena...' Kara offers with confusion apparent in her voice.

Nodding, Jess explains, 'I like you, you seem genuine and kind and I didn't want to deprive Miss Luthor of a real friend.' 

'So something changed? Something that made you think I was manipulating her?' 

Jess blushed and said almost apologetically, 'it's been a while and the two of you have been flirting shamelessly but you hadn't made a move. I didn't know what to make of that but now I do...'

Kara's smile erased the crinkle, 'you think we were flirting?'

Jess's hand came to her forehead instinctively, 'you are seriously oblivious Kara Danvers. I've met pre-teens who flirt more subtly than the two of you do.' Kara blushes. 

'What do I do?' Kara asks somewhat breathily, 'I mean should I ask her out?'

When Jess had woken up this morning, she had not thought she would be helping this baby gay (bisexual?) mess come out of the closet. If anything, she expected to do some light threatening to bury Kara's career given her connections and resources through the city if she ever hurt Miss Luthor and leave it at that. 'Do you like her, Miss Danvers?' Jess asks at last.

'Yes,' Kara says confidently. 

'And would you be embarrassed if the whole world knew you were dating?' Jess means the whole world too because you can't just date Lena Luthor and not have the whole world speculating on it.

Kara's eyebrows snap together in anger, 'of course not!' 

Jess nods curtly, 'then do us all a favor and ask her out already.' Jess makes to leave, its a power play Miss Luthor often employs, ending the conversation on her terms. At the door, Jess turns to look at Kara, 'oh and Miss Danvers I assure you that there are some very powerful consequences awaiting you if you hurt her. I also don't think I need to explain why telling Miss Luthor about this conversation would be unwise.' 

The reporter doesn't even look phased. Instead she smiles, 'of course, Jess. It's our secret.' Jess leaves before Kara has an opportunity to read her face. Jess smiles because she's fairly certain Kara Danvers, for all her bumbling, is the real deal and that she has an honest chance to make Lena happy and that makes Jess happy because goodness knows if anyone deserves an extra slice of happy in this life it's Lena Luthor. 

At her desk, Lena is waiting patiently. 'Were you in a conference room with Kara Danvers?' she asks curiously. 

'Yes Miss Luthor. Just exchanging some assistant tips,' Jess lies because Miss Luthor wouldn't understand why Jess feels so protective over her or why so many of her employee's hold her in such high regard. Lena never understood her own worth but Jess did and Jess wasn't above a little threatening to protect one of her favorite people in the whole world. 

Chapter Text

Lena stands on the darkened stage, breathing in silently waiting for the lights to come up. She's nervous, she can feel the small tremor in her hand and the elevated beating in her heart. Being a TED speaker was an honor and while Lena had been asked to talk about L Corp's technology or the creative process or technological innovation, Lena had taken it a bit more personally than almost anyone would be expecting. Except for Kara Danvers. Lena could imagine the smiling blonde reporter sitting in the room, eyes trained on the stage, a small proud smile on her face. Lena exhaled and the lights turned on, highlighting the red circular carpet and the TED symbol stood proudly beside her. Lena knows her name has appeared on screen 'Lena Luthor, CEO of L Corp Technologies' when a murmur goes up in the crowd. It's hard to pinpoint the emotion in the buzzing words but Lena doesn't really need to, she knows from experience. She gives the crowd another moment, allowing it to fall silent on its own while she looks passively and hopefully warmly on. She and Kara had practiced this look for weeks, trying to appear less cold and reserved and more open and warm. 

'I take it you know my name then,' Lena says smiling at her own expense. The joke brings a few chuckles to the crowd. Then Lena begins, trying not to think about how this talk could make or break her company, her reputation, her family. 'On April 19th, 1995, Timothy McVeigh planted a bomb in a federal building in downtown Oaklahoma killing nearly 170 people, too many of them children. On April 20th, 1999, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris opened fire on their school killing 12 classmates and one of their teachers. On September 11th, 2001, 19 members of Al-Qaeda hijacked airplanes and flew them into American buildings killing 2,977 people. On April 15th, 2013, the Tsarnaev brothers bombed the Boston Marathon killing 3. And on May 17th 2014 Alexander Luthor planted several bombs across Metropolis in an attempt to kill Superman, instead he killed 342 innocent people.' Lena pauses, allows the weight of that to carry the room, 'in the months that followed, Lex's trial would reveal that the number of innocents that he had killed prior to that was significantly higher. Which leaves me in a very particular club. A club no one wants to be in and for whom the membership cost is too high. I am the sibling of a notorious terrorist.' 

Lena takes a shaky breath. That was the known part of her story, the part any one with access to google could figure out. The rest, was what the world didn't know. 'I was 21 years old when Lex bombed Metropolis. Two weeks before, we had celebrated my birthday with a trip to Hawaii where Lex taught me how to surf. I didn't know that my big brother had already murdered hundreds. I didn't know then that my big brother had a vendetta with the hero of Metropolis. I didn't know then that my big brother had a god complex. What I knew, at 21 was that Lex was smart, he liked his whiskey neat, and he was a good big brother. The morning of May 17th, I went in to the small start up company that I co-founded, hoping to find a break through that would enable us to cure cancer. I stopped at my favorite coffee shop, ordered my favorite drink, and settled in to work. I was so caught up in my work, I didn't hear the faint explosions that rocked the city. I didn't hear screaming or police sirens. I was blissfully unaware. At noon, my co-founder Jack turned on the news and my world came to a crashing halt.' 

'Most peoples worlds stopped that day,' Lena says quietly. The audience is hooked on her every word but Lena is hardly aware of the room, 'the world stopped spinning for a moment, the terror, the panic was too overwhelming, the grief too great. My world stopped because on the television screen, I saw my big brother fighting Superman. I watched the news roll in that Lex had planted bombs, that Lex had murdered people, that Lex was a villain whose anti-alien rhetoric had torn the very fabric of the city. So I did the only natural thing there was to do - I threw up.' Lena smiled wryly at the audience, the taste of vomit fresh in her mouth. 

'At 21 I wanted to save the world, cure it of cancer, make it a better place. In the same year, my brother did his best to destroy the world. I cannot begin to explain the horror of that. My brothers actions that day left me with some pretty big, important questions. Questions like: why would he do this? And how could I have not seen it? Questions like: what happened to my big brother? And could it happen to me? And if my brother, who I had always believed to be so good, could suddenly go crazy and murder people then what was to stop anyone... to stop me from doing it? And if the questions in my head weren't loud enough, there were always those eager to remind me. Eager to tell me that there's nothing good about a Luthor.' Lena let her head dip at this point, let herself feel the weight and the shame of it all for only a moment before she looked back up, head held high, chin up. 

'And then something happened that forced me to decide who I was going to be and what path I would take. I was named CEO of LuthorCorp. Suddenly, I had the power of a multi-billion dollar company at my hands and let me tell you that at 22 that is an overwhelming inheritance. LuthorCorp had always been about technological innovation but as I inherited the projects and Lex's notes I realized very quickly that Lex had used LuthorCorp to fuel his imaginary war with the aliens. Every thing he had created, every thing he had designed, was done to cause war, pain, and death. Which is why my first decision as CEO of LuthorCorp was immediately shut down all production and sales of every product designed under my brother's multi-year tenure. That, for those of you who are wondering, is not a popular decision with the board of a business.' Lena smiles at her joke, encouraging laughter. 

'LuthorCorp needed to be overhauled, recreated, repurposed for good in the world. And if I am being completely honest, 22 year old me needed to be reminded of what 21 year old me had so firmly believed - that the world needs our best, that people, human and alien, are deserving of all the good life has to offer, and that peace and harmony is worth working together to accomplish. That we can make the world a better place. The tragedy with my brother had drowned so much of my optimism. It made me feel unworthy of doing good in the world - as though every bit of good I did, would forever be overshadowed by Lex's evil. Being responsible for LuthorCorp, however reminded me that it is my joy to make the world a better place. Not as payment for the sins of my family but because doing good is a reward in and of itself. LuthorCorp, and now L Corp, has a global reach and therefore global consequences. The evil and injustice this company does, the evil and injustice it permits has global ramifications. Which is why, L Corp is committed to fair trade practices, working actively to put an end to slavery, unsafe working conditions, and poverty level pay. Every employee, in every country, in every L Corp subsidiary is paid a fair price for their work, in safe working conditions, with benefits, contracts, and employee rights. We also insist every company L Corp works with does the same.' Cheers broke out from the audience, giving Lena a moment to breath. 

'Every piece of technology, every L Corp building, every L Corp product is ecologically friendly, ensuring our impact on the environment is positive and restorative. L Corp also has several subsidiaries working exclusively on problems regarding climate change and environmental disasters and deprivations.' Another cheer went up from the audience. 'Finally, every new technology or product created and sold by L Corp undergoes an ethics review by a rotating board to evaluate possible risks and the likelihood of said technology to be turned to nefarious purposes. Those deemed risky, are removed from consideration.' A gasp went up from the audience, Lena mostly ignores it, 'these are small steps to help solve some of the world's biggest problems: trafficking, poverty, climate change, technological weaponization. We are only one company but our global footprint is large.' There was another cheer. 

Lena smiled at the crowd, preparing to finish, 'at 21, my brother committed an unforgivable wrong that shattered my worldview. At 22, I inherited the keys to the kingdom so to speak and was forced to make a choice about who I wanted to be in this world. At 24, I'm ready to share that answer with the world. My name is Lena Luthor, I am the CEO of L Corp, and with your help I'd like to make the world a better place for everyone. Thank you.' At this the entire audience leapt to their feet, applauding and whistling. Lena waved, smiled and then the stage went black again. 

Lena made her way off stage, heart hammering, adrenaline rushing. She was thrilled and terrified and excited and proud but the only thing she wanted to see at the moment was the smiling face of Kara Danvers. Kara, thankfully, was waiting right backstage. Her face was tear streaked and her smile was proud, 'Lena!' Kara said the moment she saw her, awe in her voice, 'you were amazing! I'm so proud of you!' Lena practically collapsed in Kara's arms, burying her face in Kara's neck and breathing in her Kara scent. Lena barely hears Kara's next words over the polite applause for the next speaker, 'you're my hero Lena Luthor.' Lena whimpers slightly at the praise, pleased but overwhelmed, and pulls Kara closer. Kara holds her tighter and presses a kiss to Lena's temple. Lena closes her eyes and simply allows herself to be loved. 

Chapter Text

Lena Luthor is not a jealous girlfriend. She is much too mature, much too proud for such feelings. She is a Luthor, after all. So the feeling she feels deep in her belly as Kara talks about Lucy Lane's arrival is not jealousy, it must be indigestion or something. She's above that petty emotion. Except then a woman on a black motorcycle wearing a skin tight leather suit rode up, all sleek and sexy and Kara is squealing Lucy's name and a small beast is unfurling in Lena's belly. And yeah, okay, she's jealous. 

Lucy removes her helmet and shakes out her perfect chin length hair cut. Lena feels Kara's hand slip from her own to hug the other woman and Lena tries not to grind her teeth audibly. 'Kara,' the other woman says in a perfectly beautiful voice, 'it's great to see you!' 

'I'm so glad you're here Lucy!' Kara says actually bouncing up and down beside Lucy, 'we've got so much to do! We have dinner upstairs because I thought you might be hungry and even if you aren't, I am. Then we have board games or we can go out on the town and by then Alex and Maggie will be able to joining us. We know this awesome alien bar that you would love. And tomorrow I'm making pancakes for everyone. Then we can have an epic game night! It's going to be -'  

'Kara-' Lucy interrupts with a smile, 'you're babbling.' When Lena sees the obvious fondness in Lucy's smile, Lena has to resist the urge to wrap her arm protectively over Kara. It's not as if Kara belongs to her, Lena doesn't have the right to get territorial. Lucy directs her attention to Lena, 'Luthor - Lena, right?' She's extended a gloved hand and Lena is not wont to take it but then she catches a glimpse of Kara's face, simply glowing to have her friend there and Lena accepts the hand because she knows it will make Kara happy. 

'It's good to meet you Lucy, I trust your drive wasn't too difficult.' Lena offered as friendly as she could muster.Lucy seems to sense that Lena's words aren't overly welcoming because her eyebrows raise in question, a question Lena ignores. It isn't Lucy's fault that Lena suddenly had been attacked by a case of feelings. 

'So since the introductions are over, dinner?' Kara asks, slinging an arm around each woman's shoulder, blissfully unaware of the tension she had just broken. 

'Yes, please!' Lucy says, 'I'm starving!' 

They end up going out after dinner, meeting up with Alex and Maggie at the bar. It's almost fun except Lena can't stop herself from analyzing whether Kara was laughing harder at Lucy's jokes then any one else's. Every once in a while, she catches the major's eyes and there is some kind of hidden communication there. After the fourth time it happened that night, Lena excuses herself to the restroom. She isn't entirely surprised when Lucy enters after her. Lucy evaluates the small room quickly, probably a professional habit, before she asks, 'look I think I know what all of this is about?' 

Lena quirks an eyebrow, 'this what?' 

Lucy crosses her arms and raises an eye brow right back and Lena almost smiles, almost, 'I'm an expert at reading body language Lena. It's clear you aren't comfortable with me.' 

'Well,' Lena says, gesturing vaguely with her hand. She wishes she had a scotch to swirl, 'you are the expert, aren't you.' 

A small huff escapes Lucy's lips, 'if you're worried I'm going to judge you because you're a Luthor, you don't have to worry. Kara and I have spoken and I know she trusts you and I trust her so as far as I'm concerned, we're good.' 

Lena steps back, gripping the edge of the sink tightly, 'I actually hadn't even considered that.' 

'Oh,' Lucy says, confusion settling on her face, 'so why...' 

Lena can feel the beast in her belly again. She's tempted to take the moment and throw it in Lucy's face, tempted to let the other woman know who Kara was dating but then Lena saw the small wrinkle on the other woman's forehead. If Lena didn't know better she would say it was a hurt wrinkle. Lena sighs, the fire going out of her belly. It takes every ounce of humility Lena possesses to say this, 'I'm jealous.' 

'Jealous?' Lucy says, clearly surprised, 'of me?' 

Lena nods, looking at her feet. 'I know it isn't your fault but it's not an emotion I am particularly familiar with and I'm afraid I am not handling it very well.' 

She expects Lucy to laugh at her. Expects the sudden admission to be held over her head. Instead, a soft hand spans the space between them and Lucy squeezes Lena's shoulder, 'I don't know why you're jealous of me. The only thing Kara has talked about since I got here is you, Lena.' 

Lucy's eyes are warm and soft when Lena meets them. 'Really?' Lena asks.

'Really.' Lucy says smiling, 'it would almost be boring except it's just so good to see her happy. Because she is, she's so happy Lena and that's not because of me. It's because of you. You have nothing to worry about, even if I were interested in Kara - which I'm not - she wouldn't even notice me.' 

Lena resists the urge to cry, she has just met this woman. She will not be caught crying. She does allow herself a sniffle, 'could we start over Lucy?' 

Lucy's smile was even bigger than before, 'I'd really like that Lena. I think we could be really good friends if you'd let us and I don't know about you, but I could really use more friends because Kara and family are like the only friends I have.' 

There's a smile, a genuine smile, on Lena's lips this time. She extends a hand and says, 'Hi, my name is Lena Luthor.' 

'Lucy, Lucy Lane,' Lucy shakes her hand. 

'Can I buy you a drink?' Lena asks. 

'Absolutely. I have some seriously embarrassing stories about Supergirl that you might be interested in.' Lucy says, opening the door for the both of them. 

Lena raises her eyebrows, 'and you think I'd be interested in them because I'm a Luthor don't you?' 

This brings a small laugh from Lucy's lips. It's wry and warm, 'something like that, yeah.' 

They settle at the table, Lena settling in to Kara's side, and Lucy launches in to a story about one time at the DEO when Kara had gone to battle with a bat and lost forcing Lucy to rescue the great Supergirl from a storage closet where she had locked herself to avoid the small terrifying winged creature. By the end, Lena had choked on her drink once and Kara was roughly the color of a tomato. 

That night, Lena lay tucked in facing Kara. 'Is everything alright with you and Lucy?' Kara whispers in to the darkness. 

Lena smiles at the blonde in the moonlight, 'yes. I was a bit....' Lena falters, not entirely sure she wants to admit it. 

'A bit what?' Kara asks softly. In that way that Lena knows means she isn't going to push or pry but that she's there to listen if Lena wants to talk. 

'Jealous,' Lena whispers in to the darkness before burying her face in Kara's chest. 

'Of Lucy?' Kara asks, amusement in her voice. Lena opts to nod rather than speak. Kara instinctively pulls Lena tighter, 'you don't have to be jealous of anyone Lena. You're the love of my life.' 

Lena pulls back, 'okay but Lucy Lane is hot and she rides a motorcycle and you were so excited to see her.' 

Chuckling Kara teases, 'maybe I should be the jealous one here.' Lena shoves Kara's shoulder. Kara acts hurt for a moment before breaking in to a smile. 'You know you don't have to be jealous of anyone, right?' 

Lena settles back in against Kara's chest with a content hum, 'yes. I just forgot for a bit tonight.' 

Kara runs her fingers through Lena's hair, 'but you and Lucy worked it out? Right? It was really hard not to eavesdrop.' 

Lena smiles against Kara's skin. She had wondered if the super hero would be able to resist the temptation. 'Yes,' Lena murmurs, 'we worked it out and I'm pretty sure we both found a new friend.' 

'Good,' Kara whispers kissing Lena's forehead, 'I love you.' Those are the last words Lena is aware of before she slips in to the world of sleep, cushioned by her girlfriend's arms.

Chapter Text

Lena tapped her foot nervously against the carpeted floor as she stared at the multi-colored cards in front of her. Mother's day was approaching fast. It was the first mother's day Lena had ever felt motivated to celebrate. Normally, Lena sent Jess out to choose a new piece of jewelry or a fancy bottle of winer for Lillian and called it a day. Lena didn't even bother to call Lillian on Mother's day because, as far as Lena could tell, not talking to Lena was Lillian's preference. Neither of them were overly eager to remember the pretend bond they shared. Which is why Lena found it odd that Lena found herself standing in a card shop, staring at the Mother's Day display. Except it wasn't Lillian that Lena had in mind, Lillian would scoff if Lena had spent a few dollars on a card. This mother's day Lena had Eliza in mind. Lena had entered this store on a whim, two and a half weeks before mothers day. She had left without buying anything and returned every day since, staring at the array of pinks and purples and reds and blues with cartoon figures and multi-colored flowers. Lena tried to make herself choose one. Told herself, it was the thought that mattered and Eliza would appreciate it no matter what Lena got her. But no matter how hard she tried, she could not cajole her body in to motion. She stood there, paralyzed and terrified until Lena finally seized enough control to walk away. Lena had been tempted to send Jess to buy this card too but there was something personal about Eliza's gift that demanded Lena's attention in a way Lillian's never had. 

'Luthor,' a familiar voice spoke behind Lena, causing her to jump and turn around. A dimpled detective stood a few feet away.

'Maggie!' Lena says, feeling a bit like the child caught with their hand in the cookie jar, 'Hi! What are you doing here?' Her voice is falsely cheery and judging by the way Maggie's eyebrows shoot up, the detective can tell. 

'Getting a mothers day card,' Maggie says as though it were obvious, which now that Lena is thinking about it, it is. 

Lena blushes and murmurs, 'right.' She returns to face the display and Maggie steps up beside her. 

'I didn't figure Lillian for a card woman,' Maggie offers, casually grabbing a card to flip it open as though it were the simplest thing in the world. 

'She's not,' Lena says shaking her head. She doesn't elaborate but instead grabs a card with a cute cartoon elephant surrounded by hearts on it. 

Maggie puts her card back and grabs another, 'right, so this would be for Mama Danvers then?' Her tone is teasing but kind. 'Me too. Danvers said that Mama Danvers likes cards. I thought...' Maggie trails off. 

For the Grandma with the biggest heart I know! Lena's nose wrinkles as she closes the elephant card and puts it back. 'Yeah,' Lena says in a non-committal way grabbing another card. When she opens it, the word Aunt at the start turns her off. 'Aren't these supposed to be for mothers?' Lena asks slightly frustrated. 

Maggie glances at the card in her hand then at Lena, 'you've never chosen a card for someone, huh?' 

Heat is rising in Lena's cheeks. She squeezes her eyes shut and forces herself to calm down, 'no. I didn't realize it would be so difficult or overwhelming.' 

Maggie has put her card back and is staring at Lena now. 'How does someone get through 24 years without ever having chosen a card before?' Maggie asks. Lena doesn't hear any judgement in her voice, just kindness and curiosity.

Lena opens to her eyes to meet Maggie's eyes, 'Luthors exclusively give expensive gifts and when required we have personalized stationary to compliment it.' 

'Ah,' Maggie says flashing Lena a warm smile, 'the quirks of the filthy rich then.' For a moment, Lena is almost offended but then she catches Maggie's wink and Lena chuckles. 'Well,' Maggie begins, 'choosing a card isn't too hard. They are roughly broken up by event.' Maggie gestures at the large print above the display. 'Then, they break down in to who they are for.' Maggie points at the card stock that sits in each little compartment behind the cards. 'Usually,' Maggie continues, 'cards break down in to one of four categories - blank for you to write your own message, vague either for writing space or to save you from appearing overly intimate with acquaintances, sappy to say the things we're actually pretty bad at saying in some overly sentimental way, and my personal favorite, funny because every one needs a laugh.'

Taking in the information, Lena reaches for another card that has 'for a friend' on the cardstock behind it. 'That actually makes sense,' Lena says. She immediately puts the card back and scans the 'for' cards. 'So, here's a question for a card expert,' Lena teases. 

'Shoot,' Maggie says grabbing a card and envelope. 

'What kind of card do you get your girlfriend's foster mother who has also pseudo adopted you because your own mother is a psychopath? I don't suppose they make a substitute mom card or an it's complicated card?' 

Maggie laughs, 'not at hallmark, no.' 

Lena straightens and grabs the card from Maggie's hand 'what did you get? Maybe I'll get the same one.' The front of the card is covered in vegetables which is a little too vegan even for Maggie causing Lena's eyebrow to raise. 

'No way Luthor. I call dibs on this one. You have to get a different one.' Maggie says, a slight rise in her voice indicating she was probably blushing. Mom, I eat my vegetables (and I love them)! Happy Mother's day. 

Lena can't help the laugh that echoes forth, 'you're right, that one is all yours.' 

Taking her card back, Maggie chuckles, 'I just wanted to tease all three Danvers about their eating habits.'

'Fair enough,' Lena says returning to the problem at hand, 'but that doesn't really help me.' 

Maggie shifts the weight on her feet with a hum, 'I think the best cards are the ones that incorporates both the sender and the recipient. So try to find something you and Eliza have in common and go from there. I can wait with you, if you want.' 

Lena nods, fingers skimming over cards. At last she finds one that might work, it's chalkboard black and on the front is a calculous problem whose solution is 'i <3 u.' The inside is simple with a Happy Mother's day! 

Maggie, who has been watching Lena smiles, 'that's perfect Luthor!' 

Lena smiles and tentatively grabs the envelope that goes with it. They walk to the register to pay together and Lena ignores the odd look the sales person who has watched her for the last two weeks gives her. Outside, Lena smiles at the other woman. 'I'm really glad you came along when you did, Maggie. Otherwise I might have walked away without getting anything. Again.' 

Maggie's dimples show again, 'hey I get it. It's been a really long time since I've had an excuse to send anyone a mother's day card.' 

'Do you think you could help me get a father's day card at some point too?' Lena asks shyly. 

Maggie slings an arm around her shoulder, even though Lena is taller - especially in heels, 'of course Luthor. Do you have any dinner plans?' Lena shakes her head and Maggie smiles, 'great cause theres a new vegan place I really want to try.' Lena laughs and allows herself to be pulled in that direction. 

Alex, Kara, Maggie and Lena spend that weekend in Midvale with Eliza. They spend most of it eating and laughing and watching the waves roll in on the beach, even building a bonfire Saturday night. On Sunday morning at breakfast, Eliza opens four cards with a beaming smile and teary eyes. All four cards are placed lovingly on the mantle, across from the wall of pictures, where they remain until the next year - a proud display of just how much Eliza loves her daughters, all four of them. 

Chapter Text

It had taken Lena time to figure it out - the significance of thirteen. She had spent months trying to figure out why that number, that multiple had been so important. Why Kara bought thirteen donuts or roses or potstickers instead of the even dozen, why Kara always chose the number thirteen as her lucky number - to the point where the superfriends had to ensure any number range included it if they expected Kara to play by the rules. Why Kara was more snugly on the thirteenth, or why she insisted on planning their thirteenth date. Lena probably could have asked Alex or Eliza. They probably could have told her but Lena relished the challenge. 

Lena had gone through every known resource available to her and had even pressured Alex in to letting Lena review some of the DEO's files. Lena had searched high and low, she thought it might be a birth date but after cross referencing what was known of kryptonian birthdays and their group of friends she had come up wanting. Then she thought it might have some kind of relation to Rao but fairly close examination had revealed that to be a dead end. When Lena finally did figure it out, it was shockingly obvious. 

She realizes it because of something Kara says, off hand, one night while they are discussing Nsync for what has to be a thousandth time, not that either woman minds. 'Thirteen year old me thought Lance Bass was the cutest thing to walk this Earth. I mean preteen me thought he was an actual god.' Lena says exaggerating her words as she chops vegetables. Kara laughs as she stirs one of the pots behind Lena. 

'Didn't Lance Bass come out as gay?' Kara asks teasingly, 'no wonder you connected so deeply.'

Lena laughs and then pouts, 'hey we could still be soul mates. Besides he had style. So who was your celebrity crush?' 

Kara kisses Lena's cheek as she reaches for a recently chopped carrot popping it in her mouth. 'I honestly didn't have one. I had just arrived here and thirteen on earth is SO different from thirteen on krypton. It took me a while to figure out the whole crush thing,' Kara shrugs sheepishly, 'but when I did I totally had a thing for Zac Effron. And maybe also Hilary Duff.' Kara grabbed for another carrot, heedless of the knife Lena was wielding because it isn't like the knife could hurt her anyways. 

Normally, Lena would chastise her girlfriend for the carelessness, even if she couldn't be hurt by it, but something had struck Lena. Thirteen. Kara had been thirteen when her planet had died, when she had been thrust in to a pod and sent across the galaxy. Thirteen when her life had changed entirely, by galaxies and cultures and languages and in every imaginable way possible. That was the significance. 

'You okay?' Kara asks, frowning slightly at Lena as she pulls Lena from her thoughts, 'I mean I know Effron is a little cliche but...'

Lena takes a breath, 'yes, yes I'm fine. You just helped me solve a problem I've been working on for months. So Hilary Duff hmm?'

It probably should have been odd, would have been odd, but Lena was often doing this to Kara. One of them would say something and it would solve a problem or give Lena a sudden idea. Sometimes Lena would dash off to find the nearest paper and pen and other times Lena would just smile and relax in to the conversation, an unknown weight lifted. So Kara just shrugged and went on to explain how her crush Duff had largely been because the things that happened in Lizzie McGuire's head and life made Kara feel less awkward. Lena laughed and added that she may have had a small crush on Lalaine because hair. Dinner was an enjoyable affair and that night as Kara was in the bathroom getting ready for bed, Lena scrolled through her calendar looking for when their thirteen month anniversary would be, marking it and setting reminders, already formulating a plan. 

Over the next few months, Lena finds herself counting in groups of thirteen too. She's not sure when she started doing it or whether Kara has noticed but Lena finds herself ordering thirteen potstickers and buying Kara thirteen flowers and when Jess asks her on a scale of one to ten Lena replies automatically with thirteen. It's normal, Lena reasons, to pick up the habits of those closest to us. Kara has begun raising her eyebrows more and Lena is fairly certain that is her own influence. It's quaint, domestic - happy. It makes Lena happy, happier than a silly habit ought to but it makes Lena feel like some part of her belongs with Kara. As though, Lena too was a part of Kara's thirteen.

Their one year anniversary passes with relatively little pomp. Kara surprises her by taking her for a picnic in 'their' field of wildflowers and it's beautiful, memorable but simple. Mostly, it leaves Lena eager for the following month. Lena falls asleep in Kara's arms that night, a small smile on her face. 

'You know I could just use my x-ray vision through this right, Lena?' Kara asks. She's blindfolded and Lena is leading her carefully down the aisle of the planetarium. It had taken several astronomers, nearly impossible calculations, and the assistance of a certain kryptonian hologram to accomplish Lena's surprise for Kara. 

Lena smirks at Kara, knowing her girlfriend was barely containing her excitement. 'I know you could but you won't because you love me.' Lena helps a pouting Kara to sit down in the front row. 'Now,' Lena whispers pressing a soft kiss to Kara's hand, 'stay put and don't peek. I just need to turn it on.' 

Kara whimpers when Lena's hand leaves her own but waits patiently. It isn't long before she hears Lena settle in to the seat next to her. Lena leans over and gently unties the blindfold. Kara gasps. The planetarium is dark save for the ceiling which is illuminated by the night stars. Lena intertwines their hands and stares up at the displayed sky waiting for Kara to speak. Kara is mesmerized, taking in the whole thing. It's the moons that hold Kara's attention. 'Lena?' Kara whimpers softly, her voice raw with emotion, 'this isn't our night sky, is it?' 

'No,' Lena whispers back, her eyes now on Kara, 'it's our best approximation of Krypton's night sky as it might have looked in 1979.' 

'The year I left,' Kara whimpers, her head settles on Lena's shoulder and if she cries a few tears, Lena doesn't mind. Lena just strokes Kara's hand with her own thumb and stares up at the sky, her own cheek resting on the top of Kara's head. Lena would be happy to spend the rest of the night just like that, content to give Kara this small piece of her past back. 'How did you do all of this? Why did you?' Kara murmurs at last. 

Lena chuckles, bouncing Kara's head a little, 'I noticed that you have a slight affection for the number thirteen. It took me time but eventually I realized why - you left your planet at thirteen. You lost everything and gained a whole new world at thirteen. Then I thought that we should celebrate our anniversary on the thirteenth month, not that the wildflowers weren't wonderful.' Lena shifts then, forcing Kara's head off her shoulder and pulling her hand back to rummage through her pocket. 'Then I thought about how we could celebrate every thirteenth month for the rest of our lives.' Lena turns in her chair, to look at Kara face to face. Lena's voice drops lower to a hushed sort of whisper, 'then I thought about how I wanted to spend the next thirteen months with you, and then the thirteen after that and the thirteen after that and infinite multiples of thirteen after that. I needed you to know how deeply I love you Kara Zor-el. So I created this, a place that could be a bridge between your two homes. A place where you could come and you could stare up at a night sky that is so familiar.' Kara's eyes have teared over and her hands have come up to cover her mouth. She's nodding and Lena smiles as she pulls the thing she's been playing with out of her pocket. 

Lena pulls out a small key and that... is not what Kara is expecting. Lena can see it written on her face. Kara is disappointed and Lena almost second guesses herself. Instead she presses the key in to Kara's palm. 'I wanted to give you a home, Kara, so I bought you a planetarium.' Lena smiles sheepishly. 

Kara can't help but laugh because, okay for a moment she thought Lena was going to propose, but only Lena Luthor could say something as ridiculous and endearing as 'I wanted to give you a home so I bought you a planetarium.' Kara squeezes the key and then launches forward to pull Lena in to a long hug. 'Thank you,' Kara whispers, 'for buying me a planetarium, for creating my night sky, but mostly for being with me. I love you Lena.' 

Flushing, Lena returns the hug and murmurs, 'I love you too Kara.' When they pull apart, Lena points at the computer and says, 'the program is on there - go try it out.' 

Kara stands and walks to the computer, Lena a few steps behind her. 'What do I do?' Kara asks, staring at the buttons around her. 

Lena wraps her arms around Kara, resting her chin on Kara's shoulder and points at one, 'press that one.' 

Kara does as instructed and the screen lights up softly, taking in to consideration the operators dilated eyes. On the screen was only one folder labeled 'For Kara.' Kara clicks it and the night sky comes to life, with meteors shooting across it. Kara gasps. Slowly, the stars begin to shift until they are forming a phrase in Kryptonian - a question. She spins around to look at Lena who merely arches an eyebrow. Kara looks back up. The stars have finished writing and Kara gasps because in the night sky of her home planet, in her native language Lena has written Kara Zor-el will you marry me? Lena presses a kiss softly to Kara's shoulder and whispers the same phrase, her accent cute and jilted but clear. 

Kara whirls around so quickly she's afraid she might have broken something but Lena is there smiling, a single ring in her fingers. Kara is having trouble taking it all in, not able to find the words so she nods and gives Lena her left hand. Lena grins, her own eyes watery, and gently places the ring on Kara's hand. Kara's arms engulf Lena, clinging to her tightly as Kara tries to retain some semblance of control. At last, she manages to say, 'I can't wait to spend all the rest of our thirteens together.' Then she pulls back, her ringed hand reaching up to cup Lena's cheek and the pair are sharing their first kiss under the stars of Krypton. 

Chapter Text

Lena Luthor is a fiercely independent woman who is capable of running her own business, of building innovating technology. She has survived abuse, failure, disappointment, loss... but sometimes, sometimes Lena just really needs her mother. She needs someone to tell her that everything is going to be okay, that they're proud of her, that they love her. Sometimes Lena needs hugs and non-judgmental hands and forehead kisses. Of course, never truly having had it met when Lena was a child, she often is incapable of recognizing that need. Which is why, the week of the third anniversary, Lena finds herself buried up to her eyeballs in busy work, diligently avoiding reporters and internet haters alike. She does draft a statement for the company to release, once again, apologizing for the loss of life and terrible destruction. She arranges to pay for a rather large memorial in Metropolis. Then she pushes the memory, the pain, the hurt far, far away - doing her best to forget the whole terrible ordeal for a little while. It almost works too until Lex Luthor sends another set of goons after Lena. Of course, Kara has been spending her every free moment in Lena's office for the week. Lena isn't sure whether her super girlfriend is protecting her or keeping her company, admittedly it is probably a bit of both. Regardless, the goons certainly aren't expecting Supergirl to be in the office with Lena at their exact moment of arrival. They're wrapped up before Lena has even walked from behind her desk. Unfortunately, they also happen to let 'slip' that this was just the first of many attacks for the week. Which is why Lena now finds herself, hurtling through the sky to Midvale with only her work bag. Kara promised to return with a suitcase for her after she's made sure Lena is safe. Lena fights it, of course. Insisting that she'll be fine but then Kara brings Jess in to the loop and even Lena, fierce independent woman that she is, cannot resist the combined pout power. So, officially, Lena will be working remotely for the remainder of the week and part of the next to help minimize the stress of the anniversary on the company. 

They arrive in Midvale just after the sun has set. The lights are shimmering softly, welcoming Lena. Kara lets out an affectionate sigh as they land, clearly happy to be home. Or perhaps to have Lena a safe distance away. Lena isn't entirely certain. Kara lets herself in and calls, 'Mom! We're here!' Lena enters the foray and the whole house smells incredible - like freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and beneath that it smells like Eliza. Like lavender and honeysuckle with just a hint of antiseptic, it's weird but it works for Eliza and Lena secretly loves it. 

'In the kitchen dears!' Eliza calls back and Kara bounces off down the hallway leaving Lena to trail behind. Lena almost feels out of place because, sure, she had been to Eliza's before. Even unexpectedly but now she was just showing up expecting refuge as though she had any right to expect Eliza would shelter her from the chaos and cruelty of her own family. 

Eliza was settling a large plate of cookies on the table with three mugs of steaming goodness. Kara bounded to Eliza, enfolding her in a giant hug, 'Eliza! You made chocolate chip cookies?! You're my absolute favorite in the whole world!' 

Laughing, Eliza hugs Kara bet and replies, 'didn't you say the same thing to the potsticker delivery boy the last time I was visiting?' 

Pouting Kara draws back, 'yes but that was then and this is now and right now you're my absolute favorite!' Kara picks up two cookies and shoves them both in to her mouth in one giant bite. 

Eliza shakes her head but turns to Lena, spreading her arms for a hug. Lena hesitates for a moment before stepping forward in to the embrace. 'From what I've heard,' Eliza murmurs softly, 'you've had a horrid week.' Lena nods in affirmation, not trusting her voice. 'Well, I think cookies fix most things in life so I made you some,' Eliza says as she releases Lena. 

Lena nods again, knowing she should say thank you or offer some kind of explanation. Instead she finds herself ushered in to a seat by Kara and cookies being pressed in to her palm. She takes a slow bite and the delicious rush of chocolate and sugar hits her tongue and Lena finds tears in her eyes because she's never had this. Never had a mother who made her homemade cookies just because she was sad. Or at all, really. Lillian wasn't exactly known for her culinary skills... or her care. Lena must have sat there for quite a while because the next thing she's aware of, is Kara pressing a kiss to her cheek and promising to be back soon with clothes for Lena. Lena must nod or grunt or something because then Kara is gone and its just Eliza and Lena. 'Thank you... for... having me,' Lena says at last. 

'Oh sweetie,' Eliza says, her voice soft and breaking and it strikes Lena that Eliza is broken for her. Eliza was hurting because Lena was hurting. It was a slightly foreign concept. 'You always have a home here Lena. Always.' That does it. That breaks the facade and Lena is ugly balling in Eliza's arms, a mess of tears and snot and ragged gasping breaths. Eliza holds her steady, kissing her head and murmuring 'it's okay sweet heart, everything is going to be okay.' And after a while, it is okay. Not because what Lex had done or was still trying to do was okay or because the Luthor family was okay but because Eliza and the rest of Kara's family were there. They believed in Lena, they loved Lena and even when everything was not okay, it would be... in time. It was okay because Eliza was there holding her, telling her it would be and that was enough. 

The rest of the week is actually relatively pleasant. Lena gets a fair amount of work done but Eliza is there to offer support and advice, and food, whenever Lena needs it. They spend time on the beach, reading side by side in the sand. Kara stays the nights the three of them play board games and watch movies. Lena doesn't forget the anniversary of her brother's betrayal, she doesn't ignore it, but with Kara and Eliza there it doesn't seem as big or scary anymore. Lena can face it, she can move forward. She can build a new life with a new family who loves her, the way Lena had always longed to be loved. When Kara and Lena are ready to leave, Lena presses a quick to Eliza's cheek and whispers softly, 'thank you mom.' Lena smiles, trying to control her blush. Eliza just smiles in a pleased way and waves as she and Kara fly away.

Chapter Text

Lena was pouting, or rather, was doing her best approximation of a pout. Pouting didn't come naturally to the business tycoon. 'Please,' Lena put on her best sad face voice, 'just this once? Just for me?' Lena has to resist the urge to smile at her own silliness because there was no way this would work on anyone, ever, except for the ridiculously kind Kara Danvers. 

The blonde falters, her eyebrow crinkling as she looks at Lena. Lena can almost see the exact moment the reporter relents, 'fine but if I hate it or am still hungry at the end you have to promise we can stop by that taco truck at the city park.' 

A quick grin bursts on Lena's face, 'of course! You make us stop there most weeks anyways!' 

'Hey!' Kara says crossing her arms defensively, 'is it my fault that their tacos are addictively delicious and should practically come with a substance dependence warning?' 

Lena rolls her eyes, 'I promise you're going to love this place. It's super delicious.' Lena emphasizes her word and tries not to be overly obvious as she watches Kara for signs of a reaction. 

Pushing her glasses on, Kara is just slightly pink from a small blush. 'That's... that's...' Kara looks around for the right word but just settles on, 'super.' 

'Great!' Lena says grabbing her jacket, 'it's just a short walk from here. Do you mind?' 

That grabs a smile from the reporter, 'nope. That's perfect Lena!' Kara holds open the door for Lena as they walk out. 

Lena waves a quick hand at Jess who smiles and waves back. 'This place is great Kara,' Lena says, 'they serve all of these super foods. Have you heard about super foods or are you too wrapped up in pizza to have heard?' 

Kara's hand is back at her glasses and Lena thinks her eyes might have widened for a second. 'Uh, I think Alex's girlfriend has mentioned them once or twice but I was a little busy eating potstickers to pay much attention.' 

That makes Lena chuckle, 'excellent then I will have to educate you on the importance of super eating won't I?' 

'Why do you keep saying it like that?' Kara asks, stopping for a moment. 

Lena stops and raises an eyebrow, 'saying what like what dear?' 

There's a much brighter blush on Kara's cheeks now and Lena almost caves and tells her but then Kara is stammering, 'nothing, I must just be sensitive because...' Kara gestures placidly, 'because its about food and you know how much I love food.' 

'Well,' Lena says hooking her arm in Kara's familiarly, 'we can always stop at the taco truck on the way back.' 

'Right,' Kara mumbles something indistinctly, 'so tell me what makes these foods super.' 

It's almost too easy, 'oh it's simple, really. They're all hand grown by Supergirl. Obviously, her day job is as a farmer.' Kara snorts and shakes her head. 'What?' Lena lets out a mocking gasp, 'you don't believe me? I'm hurt!' 

Kara grins, 'no, no. You're right. Obviously Supergirl is a farmer. When she's not out there busting bad guys she's sitting on a tractor plowing her fields.' 

'I hear that skepticism Miss Danvers,' Lena teases, 'you've clearly been in journalism for far too long. But since you're so sure, what profession do you imagine is befitting our super hero?' Lena has to stop from giggling as she predicts the exact moment Kara's hand would reach for glasses. 

Shrugging, Kara smiles in what is supposed to be off handed but is really more like the smile of kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar, 'I don't know. Obviously. Because secret identities are, you know, secret. But I bet it's something really cool, something like admirable and stuff.'

Lena hums and lets the subject drop as she opens the door to the restaurant. When they are both seated at a table, Lena watches Kara as she scans the menu. There's a pout developing on the reporter's delicate features and the tell-tale crinkle in between her brows is back. 'Might I recommend the kale salad with salmon?' Lena offers. 'It's full of super foods. Kale, hemp seeds, goji berries, salmon. Or if you want something lighter, there's always the acai bowls. Another delightful super food.' 

Kara sets the menu down with a frown. 'I'll just have whatever you're having. And we are so stopping by that taco truck, by the way.' 

Setting her own menu aside, Lena smiles at Kara's frown. 'I promised this would be super delicious Kara. You haven't even tried it.' 

'It smells weird,' Kara says folding her arms and sinking in to her chair looking miserable, 'and you keep saying that word.' 

'What word?' Lena says, affection filling her every feature. Kara grumbles indistinctly again but is saved from further questions by the arrival of the waiter. Lena orders them both a salad and an acai bowl because she knows that Kara will still be hungry, no matter what. Lena lets the conversation stray from food as Kara catches her up on the latest 'Sanvers' gossip. She gives Kara a small break but when the waiter brings their food, Lena pounces. 'So did you want to know the real reason they're super foods?' 

Kara's face falls for a half second before she masks it by shoveling a pile of kale in to her mouth. Lena laughs outright at the face she makes. 'Is it because they're super disgusting?' Kara asks sarcastically.

'No,' Lena chuckles, 'it's because they are super healthy for your body. They make you super strong and make sure you're getting all of those super vitamins.' 

Kara rolls her eyes, 'this body is in excellent condition without this super disgusting food.' 

'I'll say,' Lena says letting her eyes wander for a moment, before realizing she said that out loud. Kara's cheeks are a bright red now. 'I just mean, for someone who never eats super food, you certainly seem to be in good shape.' It's weak and Lena and Kara both know it is but Kara doesn't question it. 

Kara shrugs, 'I... work out.' Another weak statement and they both know it. 

Lena lets it pass and says, 'you must do yoga. I've heard that's super healthy too.' 

Kara drops her fork, letting it clatter on her amazingly still half-full plate. Her eyes narrow, 'you know.' Lena's eyes are twinkling. She nods, saying nothing. Kara pouts, 'for how long?' 

Lena shrugs her shoulders, an affectionate smile on her lips. 'You both have this adorable scar,' Lena points at the space right beside her left eyebrow, 'its one of my favorite things about you and I noticed it pretty much right away.' 

Kara immediately reached up and touched the scar. 'I got it playing on Krypton with my aunt. She was teaching me to ride the equivalent of a bike and I sorta pinned balled around the park until I crashed and cut open my forehead.' She spoke softly, as though she were still hesitant to confirm Lena's assertion. 

Lena smiles softly back, 'well I love it.' 

Kara smiles faintly at her, 'Lena?' 

'Yes, Kara?' 

'You know what my life depends on?' 

Lena looks at her for a moment, trying to read Kara's face, 'on my not telling any one under any circumstance what-so-ever?' 

Kara shakes her head, 'no, well yes, but no. My life depends on you never, ever asking me to eat Kale ever again.' 

That makes Lena laugh. 'Alright Kara, lets settle the bill and go get you some tacos.' 

If Lena had doubted Kara's super speed before, her response to that statement is all the confirmation Lena would need. When Lena had paid and joined Kara outside, Kara looped her arm through Lena's. 'I'm really glad you know now Lena,' Kara says with a small smile. Lena quirks an eyebrow and Kara chuckles and amends, 'okay, I'm really glad I know that you know now.' 

Lena smiles sweetly, 'me too Kara. I don't know how much longer I could have talked about super food.' 

Chuckling, Kara swats playfully at Lena, 'you're a meany head.' 

Lena laughs, 'indeed. To the taco truck?' 

Kara beams at Lena, 'to the taco truck!' 

Chapter Text

Alex's 28th birthday is fast approaching and Kara is in full party mode. Lena listens patiently through endless ideas, unnecessary worries, and minute details. Lena, having known Alex for the last few months, is fairly certain that Alex could care less about the details of the party and more that her favorite people are there... and her favorite scotch. But Kara is relentless. Parties are a big deal. A really big deal. A really, really big deal. Or so Kara reminds Lena every time the CEO tries to remind Kara to relax. When Kara finally settles on a plan of action, Lena has to admit that it is pretty much perfectly tailored to Alex. The morning was to be spent with Maggie, who had her own plans for the elder Danvers. Kara seemed to think that Maggie had some intention of out-doing Kara's own celebration and was, perhaps, a tad jealous but Lena had witnessed the slight blush on Alex's cheeks and she was fairly certain that neither woman planned on going out to do anything. Of course, Lena isn't entirely certain how to tell Kara that without bringing out Kara's inner middle schooler so she doesn't. 

After Maggie's morning plans, Lena, Kara, Alex, and Maggie were meeting for lunch at Alex's favorite junk-filled arcade where they were going to play laser tag. Lena has to admit, she's excited about the prospect. Mainly because team girlfriend has already decided that the Danver's sisters were going down. After they would meet back at Kara's where everyone else would be with Alex's favorite foods, games, and drinks. Kara had also wanted to do presents but Alex had put her foot down and when Kara pouted, Alex used the it's-my-birthday-and-I-should-get-what-I-want card and even Kara had to relent. Instead everyone had prepared something. Kara hadn't given explicit directions but she and Winn had planned a duet and Kara had made it clear that every one else either come prepared to say something kind to Alex or to perform or both. Kara had strongly recommended the both option. Lena had agonized over that bit for ages. Pretty much from the moment Kara had decided on it. 

Luthors gave expensive gifts. Luthors wooed with money and influence and power. Luthors performed with utmost dignity. Luthors did not put on a private performance of 'I've Got a Friend in You'. Not that Lena was going to sing. In fact, Lena not singing was a present in and of itself. Lena did not share Kara's gifting. Lena had tried to get advice from the Superfriends but Maggie had said she intended to do a strip tease (and dear Lord, did Lena hope that would be part of their morning and not a group performance) and James had this incredible photo album of Alex and the rest of the Superfriends from the last year. There was even a good shot of Kara, Lena, Alex and Maggie all snuggling on the couch with smiles on their face, blankets heaped over them, popcorn. Lena had to wipe her eyes before she asked James for a copy of it. (It wound up being the second photograph to go up in Lena's apartment. The first one being Lena kissing Kara's cheeks which are puffed up with air and her eyes are squeezed tight in a goofy expression.) Eliza had broken Alex's no present rule and had gotten Alex tickets to a science convention they had both wanted to attend, saying mother's got to break the rules. J'onn had grumbled something about 'figuring it out' and Lena was fairly certain he had even blushed. Which pretty much meant that Lena was on her own. 

The day of turned out quite well. Maggie and Alex showed up only fifteen minutes late to lunch and if they were walking slightly funny, Kara didn't notice. Lena smirked at Maggie who winked back. Laser tag was even better. Maggie and Lena managed to sweep the Danver's sisters two out of their three games before Alex demanded they switch teams. Kara glared at her sister when Alex pointed out the difference on their score sheets. Lena managed to restore her girlfriend's mood by trapping Kara in a dark corner and kissing her pout away and considering neither of them were shot in the process, Lena assumed Maggie and Alex were doing something similar in a different corner somewhere. None of them bothered to collect score sheets for their fourth game. 

 Kara's apartment was full of food and friends, just the way Kara liked it. There was pizza, ice cream, donuts, coffee, scotch, beer, homemade Eliza cookies, birthday cake, chips, chicken wings, french fries, even a small pile of hamburgers - the only thing that was conspicuously absent were vegetables. Lena would be amazed by the sheer amount if she hadn't been inoculated by game night. When everyone had a plate full of food, they settled in the living room, putting Alex in the middle of the couch, Maggie on one side and Eliza on the other. Kara and Lena settled in to a shared oversized chair. Winn, James, J'onn and M'gann all settled in on the remaining couch and bean bags. Then the performances began. 

Winn and Kara, true to their word, performed a duet. Lena had expected something ridiculous and cheesy and the duet certainly delivered. They performed, what could possibly be labeled the worst rendition, of 'Barbie Girl'. To make it even more awkward, they physically removed Alex from her seat and proceeded to awkwardly dance and sing for her alone. Lena's ribs burned from laughing so hard. Later, James would send out a copy of the video he recorded and Lena played it whenever she needed a reason to laugh. Maggie was in actual tears and Alex could have given a tomato a run for it's money. Even J'onn had been caught with a goofy grin on his face. James went next, quietly displaying his album to the 'ooh's and ah's' of the group. The group made him promise to send digital copies to the rest of the group as well. 

Eliza made a sweet, and slightly sappy, about how Alex had entered the world and changed her life. About how proud Eliza was of Alex and how much she loved their shared interest in science. The convention tickets were a big hit. Maggie proudly told the group, with a blushing Alex beside her, that she had 'performed' her piece earlier. Kara went to open her mouth, more than likely to ask what she had done, Lena leapt to her feet saving the entire group from a seriously awkward conversation. Poor oblivious Kara.  

'Alex,' Lena cleared her throat, 'I haven't really ever done anything like this before. Usually, I would buy you a bottle of high end scotch.' Lena lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, 'don't worry, I still did. It will be delivered tomorrow.' Lena winked at Alex and shot her girlfriend, who was pouting slightly, a smile. 'But Kara wanted a performance. Of course, if I were to sing I probably would traumatize you even more than that Barbie rendition did. I considered performing a basic chemistry experiment but, of course, we both know we could make way bigger explosions at the DEO. So instead, I...' Lena feels a blush on her cheeks because she's never done this. And it might be the most embarrassing thing she's ever done, 'I wrote you a poem. Being a Luthor, sorrow and loneliness and despair are... were near constant companions.' Lena turns to smile at Kara as she speaks again, 'Kara brought me in to her world and she taught me so much about love, about friendship and loyalty. About being protected and cherished.' Kara is teary eyed and if Lena keeps looking at her, Lena is going to cry, so she returns to Alex, 'but you gave me something Kara couldn't. You gave me hope. Hope that I could be loved and accepted by others. That I could have friends and even a family. Hope that I could be a part of something I never imagined - a real family.' Alex's eyes are glistening, Winn is openly crying and Eliza is blowing her nose. 'So... here goes:' 

There is a weight to hope, 

the heavy mantle of choice. 

 

Despair. Pain. Grief. Sorrow. 

They settle firmly on the shoulder

placed, a yoke, not taken. 

 

But hope? Hope is that heavy choice 

which dares not to yield, 

bending to the weight of circumstance.

Fleetingly easy to lose

but unfailingly difficult to quash. 

 

It is the bold press into such things, 

the daring surge forward, 

the constant, tiresome belief 

that there is meaning to be had

and good to be found 

and life to be lived. 

 

There is a weight to hope,

it is the heavy mantle of choice, 

a choice worth making. 

 Lena paused for a moment. Had she looked up, she would have noticed that there wasn't a dry eye in the house, even J'onn's were mysteriously damp. 'Alex you have taught me that being a part of a family is rarely easy. That it requires sacrifice, that it is scary and overwhelming at times. But more than that, you have taught me that being a part of family is worth it. You have taught me the meaning of hope.' At last, Lena looks up to meet Alex's eyes. Lena smiles shyly, 'I hope you liked it.' 

Alex gulps, stands and engulfs Lena in a hug. It's only a moment before Kara is jumping in. Eliza and Maggie join in almost the same breath and after that Lena doesn't keep track. She just knows that she's been surrounded by teary-eyed people who love her. When the group hug breaks up, it's just Kara and Alex standing with Lena. 'That,' Alex says, voice raw with emotion, 'was amazing Lena. You're a really good writer.' Kara nods enthusiastically. 

'So?' Winn says breaking the mood, 'who wants to follow that?' As if in unison, the group breaks up with a chuckle, searching out a second helpings. 

'You guys really liked it?' Lena asks looking incredulously between Alex and Kara.

'Duh,' Kara says, 'that was incredible Lena! Everyone loved it.' 

Alex nods softly, squeezing Lena's hand. Her brows furrow together and she says softly, 'Lena you... you mean a lot to this group. To me. We... I love you. You're worth it.' Alex nods again, this time with a decisiveness to it, as if she has said what she needed to. She walks away to join the rest. 

Lena feels a vague sense of fuzziness inside her chest and in the hand Alex had squeezed, 'I'm worth it?' It's a murmur, an acknowledgement but layered in disbelief. 

Kara shifts her feet, looking at Lena with a kind of tenderness. 'You didn't know that before?' she asks. 

Shaking her head in an almost instinctive way, Lena asks, 'and they all think that? That I'm worth it?'

She doesn't notice the hush in the room or the way the others have shifted their attention to her. So she jumps slightly when the group answers for Kara, 'yes!' Then Lena is dissolving in a puddle of tears in to Kara's chest because its one thing to write a poem about hope, to stand in front of a room and say you have hope for belonging to a family, but its another thing entirely to have that family claim you belong to it.

'That's it, Luthor!' Alex says after a moment, 'it's cake time. You need more happy things in your life.' And Lena isn't entirely certain how it happens but somehow Alex has managed to shove a bit of cake in Lena's face, missing her mouth and mostly just spreading icing about messily. Before Lena has registered what has happened, Maggie is doing the same to Kara and suddenly, there's a full on food fight in which Kara tries valiantly to defend Lena's honor and somehow the entire crew ends up with smears of colorful icing on faces and clothing and in their hair. James collects everyone for a group photo and it's the third photo to go up in Lena's apartment, prominently displayed in her living room, grinning faces reminding Lena that she belongs. 

Chapter Text

Soft brown eyes looked longingly up at Lena as Lena does her best to try and ignore the pout. The world was drastically unfair for giving Lena two pouting puppy faces she couldn't resist. She spins her chair around to ignore the pout and tries to focus on her investor's words on the other end of the phone. Except then she hears a small whimper and it breaks Lena's heart and she turns back around to see the cutest little puppy head laying on the cutest little puppy paws with the saddest puppy look she has ever seen in her life. Lena sighs, knowing she's lost the battle. She switches her phone to her headset, grabs her tablet and heads for her couch. There's a tell-tale clacking of claws against her office floor and a slight panting as the puppy follows her. When she's settle the puppy jumps up beside her, laying out across the rest of the couch and placing its big, slightly drooly, face on Lena's lap and closing its eyes in complete contentment.  Lena scratches the pup behind its ears and finishes her call. 

When Maggie had asked for Lena's help to pup-pose to Alex, Lena had imagined something practical. Something small that could be happy in an apartment or a companion dog that could be trained to work with the two women. What they got instead was... well, Gertrude. A puppy who weighed 45 pounds at 6 months old. Gertrude was some combination of Bernese Mountain Dog and Great Pyreneese. In other words, she was completely impractical for a city dog but both Maggie and Alex had insisted she was the 'one' and had brought her home without a second thought. When the dog ran through the couple's apartment it was like a small elephant stampeding and she was almost entirely incapable of stopping her puppy enthusiasm so she was often crashing in to furniture and people. The only person who had yet to be knocked down by the over eager pup was Kara. Kara who would stand there and let the pup jump all around her, licking every bit of Kara she could reach and bark happily. Lena had to admit, Kara and Gertrude were pretty cute together. 

Lena liked Gertrude but in that from-afar-because-I-have-never-interacted-with-an-animal-in-my-life kind of way. The Luthor's had many rules for how to go about life but one of the highest on the list was no animals. They didn't even have a single charitable cause for animals that they donated to, which was astounding because they gave to almost everything else. It was a problem Lena had corrected almost as soon as she had acquired the company. Now L Corp was the main sponsor of National City's Humane Society but ordering her people to write a check and actually interacting with a living animal was different. Gertrude would greet Lena excitedly when they saw each other, offering a few tentative sniffs before bounding off after a toy. (Gertrude liked to bring all of her visitors a toy to play with her with.) When she had placed her chosen slobber covered toy in Lena's hands, Lena would either toss the toy for Gertrude to fetch or Gertrude would move on to the next person. Lena would call it a polite exchange but it was certainly not the exuberant greeting Kara got. 

Which is why it's surprising when Alex bursts in to Lena's office one Tuesday, Gertrude trailing in her wake with her tongue lolling out one side of her mouth. 'Lena!' Alex says, 'something's come up and I need you to watch Gertrude for a while.' 

Lena's eyebrows might have flown off her face given how far up they flew. 'Wh-what,' Lena stutters completely caught off guard.

'Alien attack. Supergirl called. No time to drop Gert off,' Alex says dropping the leash and leaving as quickly as she had come. Gertrude makes to follow but Alex closes the door in Gertrude's face. The puppy whimpered and that forced Lena in to action.

'Gertrude?' Lena says softly. 'Come here, girl.' The pup turns tail tucked and comes to Lena. Lena pets the dog sympathetically, not entirely certain what she's doing. 'She'll be back soon. Until then we can get to know each other better.' Lena slips the leash off the dog and sets it aside, then she sends Jess out to get toys, treats, and a water bowl for the puppy. It's probably what Kara would call 'extra' because it's not like it's going to become a common thing. Having Gertrude in her office but Gertrude gives her those sad soulful puppy eyes and Lena can't find it in herself to care. Jess comes back with a small armful of things and lunch for Lena, half of which Gertrude gets because Lena really has no defense against those damn eyes. 

After Lunch Lena and Gertrude play. It's not quite the rough romping that the pup and Kara do but Gertrude seems to understand that she needs to be gentler with Lena. Instead they play tug of war and fetch. Gertrude rolls on Lena's lap seeking out belly scratches from Lena with her tongue lolling. At some point Jess gets drawn in by puppy eyes too and the two spend their afternoon in fits of smiles and giggles. By the time Alex returns, several hours later, Lena's pristine office is covered in dog fur, dog toys, and flecks of water from Gertrude's messy drinking and neither Lena nor Jess had gotten any work done. 

'Shit! Sorry Lena,' Alex says, eyeing the mess, 'I didn't know what else to do!'

Lena waves a dismissive hand, brushing at the dog fur on her dress to no avail, 'I didn't mind at all Alex. She's welcome back whenever.' Lena means it too. Which is why every once in a while, Maggie or Alex will drop Gertrude off unannounced. This morning it had been Maggie and Gertrude had bounded in to the office, dragging the detective with her because Lena's office was clearly one of Gertrude's favorite places. They had spent the morning playing but when Lena absolutely had to take a call, the dog had pouted. Work was certainly ten times better with a dog, Lena decided. Even an over grown, drooling, hairy and hopelessly enthusiastic one. Especially that kind. 

The next time they have game night at Alex and Maggie's Gertrude sidles up to Lena and quickly lays claim to the CEO, refusing to leave her side for anything other than dinner. Its a gesture that makes Lena a little sappy and Kara a little jealous but only in the best way possible. 

Chapter Text

There are very, very few things that Lena is proud of her family for. Mostly her feelings about the Luthor's are a swirling vortex of shame, guilt, disappointment and heart breaking longing. Their donations to the children's hospital, however, is one of the things she's most proud of. Of course, when Lena takes over as CEO the donations go from donations for wards and medical research to all out funding the hospital. Now every child, every family, admitted to the Luthor Children's Hospital has their treatment paid for in full. The hospital has state of the art technology, world renown doctors and surgeons and researchers, and has been ranked number one for patient care ever since. Lena reviews every request for funds personally, approving far more of them than not, and she spends a few hours every other Saturday visiting different wards to read books, do science experiments, and generally cheer the children up. It cheers Lena up too.  

Lena's favorite ward is the long-term care ward. These children have been around long enough that Lena knows a number of them by name. She can tell you that there's a six year old boy named Liam whose favorite book is Dragons Love Tacos. He smiles when Lena exaggerates the 'oh no' with a silly voice and giggles every time Lena pretends to be a dragon breathing fire. There's a ten year old girl named Zoe who loved it when Lena brought a miniature chemistry set and taught them all about the different types of chemical reactions, combustion being the overwhelming favorite. Lena had to bring a peace offering to the nurses for the mess they made the following visit and promise that all future experiments would be done outside. Zoe had told Lena that when she grew up she wanted to be a chemist and from then on Lena had brought her book after book on notable female chemists and basic chemistry principles. There's a four year old girl name Harper whose favorite outfit was a purple tutu with a camouflage shirt and who preferred it best when Lena made up stories. Usually they involved Supergirl which made Lena smile and the rescuing of some animal or another, all of whom could talk because Harper insisted on it. The only thing Lena couldn't tell you about of them was what they were diagnosed with. Mostly because they didn't want to talk about it, because Lena was a chance to escape the treatments and the pain and to just be kids, so Lena rarely asked and the kids rarely told them. 

On occasion though, Lena had to know. The first time had been because one of her favorite children, a little boy of 5 named Everett whose adoptive mums were from the UK, wasn't there. Lena had brought a new book The Queen's Knickers that she thought he might particularly enjoy. The nurse on duty gave Lena a sad look and explained that Evers had something called Rhabdomyosarcoma. His cancer had been fairly wide spread and that while the doctors had done everything they could for the boy, he had died the week before. Lena had sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. When she got home, she set aside The Queen's Knickers and hadn't been able to read it since. On another occasion, Lena had to ask after a young woman named Elizabeth who had asked Lena for help on her math homework every visit for the last three months. Elizabeth had been declared in remission and was sent home. Lena hoped she would never see Elizabeth in the hospital again. 

This Saturday was different, though. This Saturday, Lena was bringing Kara along (and if Harper got to Kara first, Supergirl would probably be making an appearance as well). It's also only a few weeks from Christmas which means Lena was bringing along gifts and toys for all the boys and girls in the long-term care ward. She had gotten their wish lists from their parents and had carefully selected a present for each child. So Lena was nervous. She had no reason to be, she knew, after all Kara would love these kids and the kids would love Kara - but still it felt like a big important moment. Seeing whether Kara could integrate herself in to such an important part of her life. These kids opinions mattered more to her than just about anyone else so in some strange fashion, this was Kara's meet the family moment. 

Lena wore the only holiday sweater she owned with a fluffy white snowman holding a cup of steaming hot chocolate on it. She brought The Polar Express, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins, Oskar and the Eight Blessings, and of course, Frosty the Snowman. She also brought hot chocolate and all of the presents neatly wrapped by Jess and herself with ribbons and bows and neatly addressed to each child. Lena thought she looked rather festive. And then she saw Kara. Kara took festive to a whole new level. She had on a Santa hat, wrapped in holiday lights, a bright blue sweater with a menorah on it, wearing a tinsel scarf and bright green leggings complete with elf shoes. Lena wasn't sure whether to laugh or to kiss the woman when she saw her. Kara made up her mind for her when she walked towards her and her shoes jingled, actually jingled. Lena couldn't help but laugh. 

'What? Too much?' Kara asked, the pout on her lips in direct contrast with the sparkling lights and the glimmering tinsel. 

Lena tried to catch her breath but then Kara started tapping her foot and Lena started laughing all over again. When she could manage a breath again, Lena pressed a kiss to Kara's cheek and managed a 'you look perfect,' before giving in to another fit of giggles. If Kara thought Lena was bad, she certainly wasn't ready for the roar of delighted squeals and laughter when they entered the children's ward. 

Presents were dolled out, hugs were given, games were played, and books were read. Lena would find herself glancing up every once in a while to watch Kara interact. She had let Kara read Liam Dragons Love Tacos and when Kara breathed fire she made the boy giggle by tickling him mercilessly. She also overheard the conversation between Kara and Harper. 

'Miss Lena says you know Supergirl,' Harper says with a slight lisp hands on her hips. 

Kara's lips quirk up in a smile, 'maybe, why?' 

Harper breaks in to a grin, 'because I love her. I'm going to grow up to be her one day. Only instead of wearing red and blue, I'm going to wear purple! And camo!' 

This makes Kara laugh and wrings Lena's heart a little bit. Kara says, 'I'm sure you'll be an excellent Supergirl.' Then in a conspiratorial whisper Kara leaned down and said, 'would you like to meet her?' Squealing out an enthusiastic 'yes,' Harper jumps from foot to foot. Kara beams and whispers, 'I'll ask her to visit you tomorrow, okay Harper?' Lena thinks Harper might just pass out from joy. 

By the time lunch rolls around and it is time to leave, Lena has forgotten her worries completely. The children adore Kara and Lena is fairly certain their visits just went from being an every other week thing to a weekly thing. Kara slips her hand in Lena's as they walk out of the hospital the gentle tingle of the bells in her shoes escorting them through the hallway and this? This is what the perfect holidays are made of. 

Chapter Text

Harper Leigh Adler was sitting very still staring out the window in the hospital. She wore her very best tutu, the one with every shade of purple and the special sparkles that caught the light in a beautimous way when she spun. She was also wearing her most favoritest camouflage shirt. It was brown and green and had a Supergirl S on the front. Her older brother Theo had told her that it was a boys shirt and that meant the S was for Superman but Harper had told him that this was Supergirl's city so every S belonged to her even the ones on boys shirts. They had fought until their mommy had stopped them and made them hold hands. Harper hated holding hands with Theo. Especially after they fought. 

Yesterday Miss Lena had visited. She had read Harper her new most favoritest books, Miss Lena always had the best books. Better yet she brought Miss Kara and Miss Kara knew Supergirl! Miss Kara had said Supergirl would visit Harper! Today! In this hospital room! Which was why Harper had to look her absolute best because one day, when she had beaten Luke and Mia (that's who the doctor's said were making her feel so yucky all the time), she would grow up to be Supergirl! And this outfit, this exact one with the purple tutu and the camouflage S, was what she would where to beat up any one who made children sick. Harper didn't know when Supergirl would get there. Or if she would use the door like Miss Lena did or if she would crash through the wall like Harper had seen on the television. So she settled for looking out the window, that way she could see Supergirl either way. Then she tried very, very hard to sit very, very still because sometimes when she moved too much she made her clothes messy and she didn't really mind the mess but she really, really wanted Supergirl to see her bestest outfit. 

Harper gasped and tried very hard not squeal (the nurses were always telling her to use her inside voice as if her inside and her outside voices were different) when she saw the red and blue woman flying towards the hospital and land outside the door. Harper tried not to be too sad that she was going to use the door (because maybe if she showed how well behaved she was, Supergirl would use the wall to leave). Then Harper began to count. She isn't very good at counting. She sometimes forget where eight goes so she usually puts in a few of them, just to be careful, and she doesn't remember what comes after sixteen but whenever she gets really, really excited or mad her daddy always told her to count as high as she could and take a deep breath until she felt calmer. Harper didn't know if counting really helped or if counting just made things happen faster but Harper thought she should try, just in case. 'One, two, three, four, five, six, eight, seven, nine, ten, eight, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, eight, fifteen, sixteen,' Harper could feel her eyebrows get sad as she stared at the door waiting for Supergirl. She decided to start over, 'one, two, three, four, eight, five, six, seven, nine, eight, ten, elven, twe-.' Harper never finished counting to twelve because at that moment the most beautimous person Harper had ever seen, aside from her mommy, was standing there. She had pretty hair and pretty skin and a pretty face but the thing Harper loved most was her cape! Supergirl, in her cape, was standing there smiling at Harper. 

'Is there a Harper here?' Supergirl asks of the room. Every other kid is quiet, pointing silently to Harper. 'Thank you good citizens,' Supergirl says. Harper doesn't know what a citizen is but adults have lots of funny words for kids so she doesn't question it. 'Harper? Miss Lena and Miss Kara said you wanted to meet me?'

For once, Harper doesn't have words. Well she has them but they are all running too fast in her head for her tongue to catch them but Harper's fast too so she just picks one and starts, 'I'm going to be Supergirl too. My brother says my shirt is a boys shirt and that this S is for Superman but I told him that this is your city and every S is yours and one day when I have beaten my anemone Luke and Mia it is going to be my S too and every one will want to wear a purple tutu just like me.' Supergirl does that thing that adults do sometimes when they think a kid is being 'too cute' and brings her hand to her mouth with a giggle. Harper knows because adults do it to her all the time. (Theo doesn't know what look she's talking about so Harper thinks that maybe her words are prettier than Theo's and that makes Harper feel all full inside). 

'I think,' Supergirl says bending down, 'that you are absolutely correct. This S,' Supergirl points at Harper's shirt, 'stands for Supergirl. But not for me Harper, for you. And as soon as you've beaten Luke and Mia I would be honored to have you on my team.' 

'Really?' Harper says because sometimes adults say things and they don't mean them or they mean them but they forget they mean them. 'Do you promise?' 

'I promise,' Supergirl says with a smile, 'that one day you will grow up to be super. Yes.' 

Harper doesn't know how long they spend together but she does know that she doesn't want the super hero to leave. Supergirl says she's needed, that its an emergency but that she would come back and visit Harper some time. Before Supergirl leaves, she pulls out a small present. When Harper opens it she finds her new most favoritest thing in the whole big wide world. It's a shimmering purple cape and right in the middle of it is a super S in camouflage. Harper tries to say thank you but Supergirl is gone before she can catch the words. 

That afternoon Harper has to go to the room where the doctor says she gets her medicine. Harper doesn't like the medicine room. It makes her feel tired and sick and every thing she eats wants to come back out after wards. It's hard to go to the medicine room but today Harper is wearing her Super outfit and she has her Super cape and Harper knows that she can face anything. 

Chapter Text

Lena and Kara are sitting in a deserted parking lot at 8 in the morning on a Saturday. The sun is bright and warm, beating down on their faces and Lena can't help but to steal a glance at Kara. Her face is up turned towards the sun, the rays of light bouncing off her golden hair causing her to glow slightly. Or maybe it was just Lena - Kara always seemed to glow to her. Kara was wearing leather pants. Not overly tight, she still had to be able to move, but tight enough to make Lena's throat run dry. She also had a leather jacket but that was slung to the side and it left her in just a tank top. For once, she wore her hair down and Lena was fairly certain she'd take off the glasses in a little while. Lena was dressed fairly similarly, wearing her own leather outfit and heavy boots however Lena had pulled her hair back in to a loose pony tail, leaving her shoulders exposed. A fact which Kara didn't fail to notice, pressing a soft kiss to Lena's shoulder and causing a shiver to run along Lena's spine. 

The roar of engines brought Lena and Kara out of their sun bathing reverie. Alex, Maggie and Lucy pull up on their motorcycles bringing a wide smile to Kara's face. Today was the day. Alex had finally relented and promised to teach Lena how to ride a motorcycle provided the CEO buy her a new one if Kara broke it (it had happened before, when Kara was learning) and bought whatever non-vegan lunch Alex wanted. Maggie and Lucy had thought it sounded fun so they came along for the ride. Alex and Maggie hopped off Maggie's bike and Lucy dismounted from her own, pulling off their helmets and shaking out their hair. To Lena it almost would have been a way more hot, way more bad ass version of Baywatch. They also shed their leather jackets, it was far too warm to wear them if they weren't riding. 

'Alright Luthor,' Alex said passing her the helmet, 'it's time. Jacket on, helmet on, and I'll walk you through it.' Lena may have squealed, just a tiny bit. This was only a minor fantasy of hers. 

'Maggie can I borrow your helmet?' Kara asked, 'Lucy and I are gonna do circles.' Kara shoots Lena a playful smile which Lena is too busy being excited to notice. 

'Sure little Danvers,' Maggie says tossing her the helmet. 

Kara and Lucy are off, the roar of the engine animating the bike. For now, Lucy is driving and Kara's riding pillion but if Lena know's Kara they'll switch it up a number of times. Maggie settles on the pavement, shades on, laying back on the jackets, and looking very much like she's going back to bed. 

'Right - so here's the basics,' Alex says walking Lena around the bike pointing out the important features - brake, throttle, gas, kickstand, lights, etc. Lena commits them all to memory. 'Right so hop on, let's see your balance. This particular bike is a little on the heavier side, so don't be too surprised.' Lena settles on the seat and pops the kickstand up. The bike immediately begins to wobble but Lena is able to hold it steady after a moment. It's heavy but Lena likes it. 

'I like it, Alex,' Lena says grinning through the helmet. Her voice is muffled and funny sounding in her own ears but Alex hears her and gives her a thumbs up. 

'Turn it on. We'll start slow and I'll walk right beside you,' Alex says. Lena does just that. 'Right, now the key is nice flowing movements. Don't try to jerk anything. It may take a few tries.' Sure enough when Lena pulls the throttle the bike jolts forward, unsettling Lena but Alex is ready for it, with a grin. 'Come on Luthor,' Alex teases, 'I said finesse, caress it don't force it.' 

'That's what she said!' Maggie calls and Alex's grin says that she totally saw that one coming. 

Blushing Lena tries again, being softer on the throttle. It's better but still not quite right. It takes two more tries before she can start and stop with relative smoothness. 'Good,' Alex says, staying right by Lena's side, 'let's try moving forward and then turning, preferably away from me.' 

Kara and Lucy drive by, circling Lena and Alex, Kara gives Lena a thumbs up and Lena returns it. Lena moves forward, turning the bike and her balance is definitely off. Alex has to grab the handles before the bike tips. Lena smiles gratefully because while she definitely wasn't going fast, she really didn't feel like being pinned by the large bike. 

By the time Lena has mastered the right turn, she's worked up a good sweat and Alex calls for a brake. Lucy and Kara had finished their joy ride, visited a store for refreshments, and were lazing by Maggie. 'Not bad Lena!' Kara said when they joined with an infectious smile on her face! 

Lena ditched her jacket and the helmet, feeling every bit of the heat clinging to her body. She smiled back at the group, 'that was amazing!' They spent most of the rest of the afternoon chatting and taking turns riding. Lena's favorite was when Kara took Lena for a ride - Lena pressed herself close to Kara and giggled when Kara started doing figure eights. By the time lunch rolled around, it was officially too late and too hot to stay out any longer. Alex chose a Mongolian barbecue place that actually had a few healthy choices, much to Lena and Maggie's relief. 

They were half way through their meal when Lucy asked, 'so, Lena, are you thinking of getting your own bike? Cause I would totally love to go shopping with you!' 

Lena grinned, the thought honestly hadn't crossed her mind but if she bought her own bike, she could see Kara in leather far more often. Something on her face must have given her away because Alex groaned, 'stop fantasizing about my baby sister Luthor!'

Lena blushed and hid her face with a shrug saying, 'I might buy my own.' 

Kara grinned and said, 'I definitely wouldn't mind seeing that every day.' That was enough for Alex who tossed her napkin at Kara and the whole table erupted in to laughter. Lena laughed along with them and if she was hypothetically already planning entire wardrobes and which kind of bike to get, well no one else needed to know. 

Chapter Text

Kara gets hurt. Badly, hurt. Lillian Luthor has sent a not-so-small raiding party after Lena and Kara blows out her powers protecting her. She gets shot, twice, after she had lost her powers and hits the ground hard. Kara looks pale, small, vulnerable as she bleeds on the ground, on the operating table, under the sun lamps. Lena hates it. Hates seeing Kara hurt, hates knowing its her fault. That if Kara had just... Lena doesn't leave Kara's side until Alex makes her. Lena finds herself wandering. Lost. She should go home but she can't. She won't give herself the luxury of sleep, not when Kara is still... not until Kara is there. She doesn't mean to, doesn't even realize it until the elevator dings open at CatCo. 

Lena's not sure what she's going to do so she just moves. Lets her body carry her forward. Lets her feet draw her inevitably in to Cat Grant's office. 'Lena?' The queen says sounding surprised. 'Are you alright?' 

Lena registers the alarm on her face, realizes she hasn't changed since... that her hair is a mess, her make up is running, and that Kara's blood is on her clothes. Lena sits, hard, on the pristine couch. She'll have to offer to replace it later. 'Supergirl got hurt.' Cat Grant steps quickly around Lena, closing her office door. 'She got hurt protecting me from my family.' 

Cat turns to face Lena, 'will Supergirl be alright?' It's genuine concern. 

'I... think so...' Lena says burying her face in her hands. If Lena were looking she would see Cat's face wrinkle, uncertain how to deal with the sobbing woman before her face. Lena doesn't though, she just needs a moment to fall apart. Then she can pull the fraying pieces of herself back together. 'I just... I can't keep putting her in danger.' 

'Why?' Cat's voice has an edge to it, 'because you're a Luthor?' 

Lena looks up at her, tears still flowing and eyes rimmed in red. 'Yes,' is all she says because isn't it obvious? A Super and a Luthor?

'That's ridiculous Lena and frankly I'm a little appalled by the dramatics,' Cat says walking to her cabinet and pouring two glasses of water. 'You're the CEO of a multi-billion dollar corporation who has survived countless attacks on your life ordered by people in your very own family. I would have thought you could be a little more rational about this.' 

Lena hears the barb, it goads her, forcing her to sit up straighter and to dry her eyes. 'You're right,' Lena says accepting the glass offered to her and taking a small sip. 

'Supergirl is going to get hurt no matter what. It's part of what she does, putting herself on the line. She's also going to protect you no matter what. Partially because of your unique...' Cat eyed Lena over the rim of her water glass, 'relationship but mostly because she sees the good in you. I hardly see how Supergirl doing her job and getting hurt is your fault. Did you hire those men?' 

'No but-' 

'And did you physically hurt her?' Cat interrupts.

'No but-'

'So you didn't physically hurt her nor did you employ the men who did,' Cat speaks over her again. 

'No but-' 

Cat raises a hand, 'I'm still talking. The simple fact of the matter is it was not your fault. I don't know why you deemed it important to come to my office but if you are under the impression that I am going to support whatever asinine idea you've come up with that will leave a gaping hole in the heart of both you and my protege then you are sadly mistaken. You don't get to decide to end things because they get hard. Your family doesn't get to determine whether or not you are worthy of love and belonging. So I suggest that you go home, take a shower, burn those clothes, get some rest, and bring Supergirl some potstickers because neither of you is going anywhere.' 

Lena eyes the older woman who is looking rather fierce. 'Thank you, Ms. Grant,' Lena says in barely more than a whisper. 

'Shoo, up, up and away,' Cat says flapping her hand. 

Kara's powers, and therefore her health, returned a few days later. Lena returned to work the day after and found a beautiful bouquet of plumeria's on her desk. The note was simple, 'Lunch soon? Please tell Kara to take the next week off. - Cat.' Lena was impressed, the woman truly was a softie. 

Chapter Text

Lena hurts her foot on a Thursday. It really isn't a big deal, just a small fracture. Sure, she'll have to wear a boot for a few weeks but really no big deal. Especially since this injury wasn't a result of stampeding aliens, hired assassins, or other terrifying 'Luthor' experiences. No this had been a pure, simple, klutzy accident. Lena had, had one glass of wine too many and had tripped, seemingly on air. For Lena it had actually been rather gratifying to know she could do things the 'normal' way, to get hurt like a normal every day person whose family wasn't abusive or crazy or have vendettas against every other species in the galaxy and specifically the sworn heroic protectors of Earth. For Lena it had simple been a happy accident. 

Kara had been slightly less thrilled than Lena. When Alex had confirmed that Lena had a small fracture, the kryptonian had gasped and recoiled. Lena almost expected her to burst in to tears then and there. Kara had spent most of Friday trying to carry Lena every where and do everything for Lena. It was cute until it became annoying. Lena tried to remember that broken bones that lasted were a complete mystery to Kara. When Lena felt she was going to snap she called Alex and had Alex explain that Lena could still walk in a boot and do things on her own and for the love of Rao to let Lena be. 

That Saturday was their usual visit to the Luthor children's hospital. All of the children are concerned when Lena walks in, boot on foot. Even the parents and nurses are cooing sympathy and asking what happened. Lena is just beyond finished telling the story when Harper and Liam tag team to beg the nurses for stickers. 

'Ms. Lena's foot isn't gonna feel any better until we make it beautimous!' Harper declares loudly. Lena blushes and laughs. None of the nurses cave, much to Harper and Liam's disappointment, saying stickers were for arts and crafts. Of course none of them see Kara sneak away. 

Lena and Zoe are in the middle of a discussion on Marie Curie and her contributions to the scientific community when Kara returns. Lena glances up to see the tell-tale smirk that signals mischief. Lena stands to inquire when Kara announces, loudly, 'look what I got!' In her hands are sheets and sheets of stickers. There are Supergirl stickers for Harper, dragon and taco stickers for Liam, and even periodic element stickers for Zoe. In fact, from what Lena could tell there were sheets of stickers for every child in the room, catered to their preferences. 

Lena shook her head wryly, a small smile on her face. Kara doled the stickers out before joining Lena. 'What are you doing Kara?' Lena asks softly. Its not that she's opposed to the stickers, per say, it's just she has to spend the next six weeks in this boot. Everything from hospital visits to investor meetings. 

Kara's pout is instantly, 'Harper said your foot wouldn't feel better until it was beautimous. I can't have that looming over my head.' 

Lena shakes her head, a laugh on her lips, 'Kara you realize it doesn't work that way, right?' 

'I don't know Lena,' Kara says in full pout mode, 'Harper is pretty smart about this hospital stuff. What if she's right?' 

'Fine!' Lena says throwing up her hands in mock defeat, then facing the room, 'you can decorate the boot.' 

Kara leads the cheer and suddenly Lena is settled in a chair, boot raised, swarmed by children eager to plaster stickers on. By the end of their time together, Lena's boot is covered in stickers. She has a ring of Supergirl stickers around the rim, dragons having a taco party on her calf, puppies and kittens on her shin, and Zoe's favorite elements on her toes (Helium, Radium, Tellurium, Manganese, and Plutonium). Kara and Lena both are sporting stickers on their sweaters and grins on their faces. Kara has a puppy pressed to her cheek and Lena is fairly certain she has an element on her forehead. Neither of them notice the CatCo photographer, having completely forgotten James had wanted to publish a piece on Lena's work with the hospital. 

Lena spends the next two weeks ignoring odd stares at her boot until CatCo publishes a fluff piece on Kara and Lena, National City's 'cutest' couple, complete with photos from the hospital visit. The entire thing is candid and adorable, filled with quotes from the children and family that Lena has been visiting for forever about how incredible Lena is and how kind Kara is and how they hope they get married. Harper, in particular, seemed to have planned out an entire wedding for the two of them, complete with Harper as the bridesmaid or the ring bear - she hadn't decided yet. Lena has the article framed and hanging on her wall before lunch that day. The article also served to answer her investors and business associates questions about why, exactly, Lena was sporting a deco-collage boot meaning that for the most part Lena got sympathetic and even kind smiles. For the few investors who happened to mention her 'professionalism,'  Lena found them easier to ignore because if Lena had learned anything from her time with the children and with Kara it was that love was worth it and sometimes you just have to ignore the opinions of others. 

Chapter Text

Lena was procrastinating reading the latest reports when her phone rang. When she saw it was Winn, her heart rate immediately sped up. She had received one too many 'warning' calls from the super nerd not to. 'Hello Winn,' Lena answers calmly, trying desperately to not convey her fears, 'to what do I owe the pleasure?' 

'Lena!' Winn says, almost sounding surprised Lena was the person on the other side of the phone. As though he hadn't called her. 'Hey! How's it going?' Winn asks, clearly nervous. 

Lena chuckles slightly, so not a Supergirl-is-injured nor a quick-hide-your-crazy-family-sent-bombers call then, 'to be honest fairly dreadfully. I'm neck deep in paper work with no motivation to crawl out. How are you doing Winn?' 

'Good. Good. I'm good. I'm great.' Winn says too quickly to be believable. 

'Mmmhmm. And for the sake of the argument, let's say I believe you. Then I would naturally ask, were you calling for something in particular?' Lena says her voice not unkind, she hopes, even if it is dripping with sarcasm. 

'Ha! You got me. You figured it out. You get the grand prize!' Winn says dryly, so dryly Lena has only ever heard him sound so wry once before and suddenly it all makes sense. 

'So...' Lena says casually, softly, 'anniversary or birthday?' 

There's a muttered curse on the other end of the line and then a deep sigh. 'It's my dad's birthday. I... I didn't know what to do,' Winn says at last. Still bitter but the soft kind of bitter, the kind that speaks more of hurt than anger. 

'I understand,' Lena replies softly. Her own sadness shining through. 'Do you want a distraction? Someone to listen? Someone to remind you that you aren't him?' 

Winn's voice cracks a little as he speaks, 'I was thinking of visiting him actually. We haven't celebrated his birthday together since...' Lena hums soothingly when his voice trails off. After a moment Winn clears his throat, 'would you mind going with me? Or talking me out of it? One of the two.' 

Lena smiles sadly, 'I can't make this decision for you Winn but I can stand beside you whatever you choose. And afterwards we can go to that place you like where they make all the food right in front of you and we can make every known Star Wars and Star Trek and Star Gate reference known to man.' 

There's a soft chuckle on the other ends, 'thanks Lena.' 

'Of course. Where are you? I'll send my driver to pick you up while I finish a few things up at the office.' Lena says, shifting so she can send her driver a quick text. 

'I'm outside, actually. I was coming to see you... and then I thought I should call. I didn't want to interrupt.' Winn says sheepishly. 

'Oh,' Lena says, 'you are always welcome, with or without advance notice. Come on up. I'll need twenty minutes or so.' 

It doesn't take Winn long to arrive. Lena greets him with a hug and offers him the blueprints of her latest project to review while she finishes up. She doesn't want him stewing if he doesn't want to. When the last of her work had been set aside, Lena sent Jess home for the day and stood to leave. Winn is right behind her. The drive to prison is a quiet one. When they stop, at last, Winn sits staring at the barb wired fence. Lena takes his hand and hers and they sit. Waiting. Ten minutes, twenty minutes, an hour. 

'I'm sorry,' Winn says, at last, 'I know we should just go in or leave but...' 

Lena shook her head, hard. 'It's okay Winn. It's a hard decision. Take your time, we have the whole day.' 

Another ten minutes pass before Winn speaks again, 'my dad loved his birthday. I think he liked how child-like birthday's were. So full of excitement and new things. When I first heard what my dad had done... I kept thinking about how at his last birthday he had laughed and laughed and laughed while we sang him happy birthday in a silly voice and how my dad, that guy who loved birthdays, could never do what they were saying. He wouldn't rob other people of their birthdays.' Winn was crying now, tears streaming down his face. Lena rubbed small circles on his hand. 'That's one thing they never tell you about, on the news. How human they are. How normal they can be. My dad is Toyman - mass murderer - birthday lover.' Lena nods. No one ever talks about Lex's love of surfing or how he had taught her how to play chess or the fact that his favorite ice cream was mint chocolate chip. 'Can we leave? I don't want to do this anymore?' Winn says softly. He still sound broken but a resolved kind of broken. 

'Yes, of course.' Lena replies. She quickly tells her driver to head to the restaurant and before long the prison can't even be seen from the rear view mirror. 'If you want, need to do this next year... or if you ever want to talk about the human-ness... I'm here for you Winn.' 

'Thank you,' Winn whispers, 'I'm here for you too. On the birthdays and the anniversaries.' They share a knowing smile because they're both a part of a club they never wanted to be in. A club fraught with highs and lows and for once it was nice to have someone understand. To have someone else remember that their nightmares loved birthdays and mint chocolate chip ice cream and they used to be human too. 

The rest of their afternoon passes in relative happiness. They order samples of almost every thing on the menu and discover that their chef is a rather avid Star Wars fan himself. The chef even makes them a plate of 'bantha fodder' that was actually just kimchi with shrimp but it made them smile anyways. That evening Lena calls an impromptu game night and the whole gang stays until Winn is positively exhausted. Too exhausted to think or to feel anything else and is safely on his way to bed. Being part of the child of psychopaths club was a rather horrid thing but Lena was grateful she and Winn had each other to look out for and take care of. 

Chapter Text

Clark Kent sits patiently across from her at their lunch table. He isn't truly looking at Lena, more like seeing through her (not in a x-ray kind of way just the unfocused kind). He taps a finger absentmindedly on the table and hums softly beneath his breath. Lena glances at her phone for what has to be the hundredth time - nothing. They were supposed to be meeting Kara. Supposed to be having lunch together but Kara had texted that she was running late... an hour ago. That was definitely not how it was supposed to go. Lena and Clark were good, on a peripheral kind of way, but there was a lot of complicated history between them to make having a solo lunch together anything but awkward. 

'Perhaps,' Lena begins breaking the other Super from his daydream, 'we ought to order.' 

'Hmmm?' Clark says his eyes slowly refocusing on Lena, 'what was that?' 

Lena offers a polite smile, 'I said perhaps we should order. I can certainly order for Kara and ask the waiter not to bring her food until she arrives.' 

'Did you know that you some times have an Irish accent?' Clark asks, seemingly out of the blue. 

Her smile is flustered, Lena can feel the heat of it on her cheeks, 'I was born in Ireland before....' Lena trails off because the last thing she wants is to talk about her adoptive family with the Super her family had a very intense vendetta with. 

Superman is surprisingly oblivious to her discomfort because he runs headlong in to the topic with all of the subtlety of a semi-truck, 'before the Luthors adopted you. How old were you again?' 

'Four,' Lena says without further explanation. 

'And Lex was the one to make you feel at home?' Clark asks. Lena closes her menu, her appetite disappearing the longer they talk. Lena purses her lips and considers ignoring the question. Before she has decided how she even wants to respond, Clark is speaking again, 'Lex was good at that. At making you feel welcome, feel wanted, feel at ease.' There is sadness in his voice the kind of sadness that rolls around in your chest and comes out sounding hollow and frail all at once. The kind that leaves no room for questions or for hope but speaks of something akin to acceptance. 

'He liked people. He liked making people feel welcome...' Lena says, her own sadness echoing in her chest. 

'He was one of the few people to make me feel that way.' Clark trails off, not able to say more. 'Some times I wish I could go back to his office and just talk to him.' 

Lena blinks, her eyes getting misty because she can picture it. She can recall in perfect detail the look and smell of Lex's office, how it felt to sit opposite of him. Comfortable. Familiar. 'Me too,' is all Lena can say. It comes out soft. Too soft for human ears to pick up. 

Clark stares at a spot to the side of Lena's left ear. 'Do you ever wonder if you could have done something? Could have seen it coming? Could have changed how it all turned out?' 

Reaching across the table, Lena captures one of Clark's big hands. 'Yes but you tried more than most Clark. You were always trying to give him the benefit of the doubt. Trying to save him.' Lena blinks at the tears flowing from her face. 'I was there, I saw you try time after time after time. I was so,' Lena's voice cracks, 'grateful. To know someone else loved my brother like I did. Wanted to save him like I did.' 

Clark squeezes her hand, gently, and nods. He is battling his own tears and Lena is grateful for the moment of quiet in which to compose herself. After several long moments, Clark murmurs softly, 'did I ever tell you about the time he convinced me, Clark, to sing a pirate's shanty with him at the top of the president's memorial in Metropolis?' 

Lena snorts and its mostly happy, albeit a bit wetter than normal, 'no.' 

Then Clark begins to speak. He tells Lena of another time, another life, when Lex had been the happy kind of crazy. The kind that sang pirate shanties with his best friend. In return Lena tells Clark about Lex teaching Lena how to mattress surf down the stair case when their parents were out and where all the candy was kept. It was almost normal. Almost happy. And if Lena doesn't think too hard, doesn't remember too much, it's easy to pretend that Lex is running late to lunch to. Like he'll be joining them with a big grin and some kind of exaggerated story for them. It's easier to laugh like this.

When they come to an obvious pause, Clark slips his hand away and murmurs softly, 'thank you Lena. It's nice to talk to someone about this sort of stuff. To someone who....' Clark trails off but he doesn't need to finish. Lena knows, she feels it to. There's someone else who remembers what its like to have Lex Luthor as a brother. So Lena just offers a small sad smile. 

Kara bursts in then, hair windswept and disheveled. Her cardigan is inside out and her face is a bright pink. 'Oh Rao! I am so sorry I'm late,' Kara begins babbling. 'Snapper had this assignment he wanted me to finish before work but then he had me rewrite the darn thing twice because he said it was sloppy and rushed and I just really wanted to be here with you guys but he just wouldn't let me go and he kept calling me ponytail and -.' 

Lena knows from ample experience that Kara will go on so she holds up a hand for Kara to stop. Lena smiles fondly at her girlfriend, 'it's alright love. This has been nice. We haven't even ordered yet.'

'Oh! Good!' Kara smiles and presses a soft kiss to Lena's cheek before settling in to the seat next to Lena, 'I'm starving!' 

Lena laughs and leans over to whisper softly in Kara's ear, 'your cardigan is on inside out Supergirl.' Then Lena pulls back with a smirk. 

Kara blushes and uses human speed to right her cardigan with a muttered, 'oh rao!' Lena and Clark trade a small smile. 

Chapter Text

Kara isn't entirely certain how it started, it isn't exactly easy to scare a kryptonian after all, but somewhere along the way, Lena and Kara had started a small scare game. They would take turns hiding in closets and hampers and behind shower curtains before jumping out and sending the other person through the roof, usually just figuratively. Most recently, Lena had convinced Alex to allow Lena to hide in Alex's coat closet before sister night so when Kara hung up her jacket, Lena could pop out and give Kara a minor heart attack. Kara felt certain that using Alex I've-worked-for-a-government-secret-agency-my-entire-adult-life-and-can-play-poker-with-professionals Danvers is cheating but that might be because the last time she had recruit help Kara had recruited Winslow I-can't-keep-a-secret-to-save-my-life Schott. He had given her up in a matter of milliseconds under Lena's gaze. Kara is fairly certain Lena didn't even have to ask, she just saw Winn giggle and followed his line of sight to the cupboard that Kara had crammed herself in to. But today, today Kara had a fool proof plan to scare Lena. She just had to make it past I-never-leave-my-desk-even-for-a-bathroom-break Jess undetected. 

Kara had orchestrated the whole thing perfectly. She had gotten Lena's schedule weeks in advance and had timed her arrival to coincide perfectly with Lena's departure for a meeting. Kara had coffee delivered to Jess thirty minutes prior in hopes of a bathroom break. Now, an hour in to waiting, Jess had finished her first cup of coffee, her second cup of coffee, and was half way through her water bottle without showing so much as an inkling of needing to use the facilities. Kara was beginning to wonder if there were aliens with the ability to never urinate or if Lena had finally broken down and built a real life android as a personal assistant because, seriously, even Kara had to pee after watching Jess consume so much liquid. Kara checked her phone for the time for the thousandth time that hour. Lena was due back in five minutes. It was time for plan B. It was time to enlist Jess's assistance. Kara thinks Jess can be trusted more than Winn. She keeps a fair number of Lena's secrets. Of course, Kara has never tested Jess's ability to keep a secret from Lena but surely it can't be that hard. 

Kara approaches Jess's desk, a hopefully innocent smile on her face. 'Jess! Hey!' 

'Miss Danvers,' Jess says cheerfully, taking a long drag from her water bottle. Kara has to stop herself from clutching her own bladder. 'Miss Luthor should be back any minute.'

'I know,' Kara says, 'but I was hoping to surprise Lena. I was going to slip past you when you went to the bathroom but you must have a bladder of steel. I don't think even Supergirl could hold it for that long.' Kara laughs nervously, she's babbling. 

Jess's eyes widen in surprise and then narrow ever so slight, she's suspicious, 'what kind of surprise? If you have flowers or a gift I can leave them in her office?' 

'Uh,' Kara says searching, 'me! I'm the surprise. So if you could just let me in.' 

'You're the surprise Miss Danvers?' Jess asks, this time she doesn't even try to hide her suspicion. 

Kara drops the paper clip she's been fiddling with, blushing. 'Yeah. Yep. Yes. It's me. I'm just full of surprises.' 

Jess isn't buying it. She crosses her arms and raises an eye brow and Kara could swear that Jess picked that up from Lena, 'this isn't one of those surprises where you're wearing some kind of sexy lingerie and you're going to pose awkwardly on her desk in a suggestive manner that will traumatize all three of us when I let her in, is it?'

Kara's cheeks are burning and she stoops to grab her paper clip, 'what?! Jess! No! I... It's nothing like that. Totally innocent, you know me. Kara Puppy Danvers.'

'Right,' Jess says in a voice that is completely disbelieving. 'How about you wait here to surprise her and then the two of you can do whatever while I take my lunch break? Her driver just texted that he just dropped her off.'  

Kara panics. She did not put all this forethought and planning in to this to have one stubborn assistant stand in her way. 'Look Jess,' Kara begins in a panic, 'Lena and I have been taking turns scaring each other and Lena has caught me the last three times and I just really need to get in to her office so I can yell boo at her when she sits down or else I start to look like the completely incompetent scare partner and it will be the actual ruin of me, so for the love of all things merciful, just let me in her office already and whatever you do, don't tell her.' 

Jess sits stunned for a minute at the amount of verbal vomit that Kara has just spewed at her. Then she stands and opens Lena's door. 'I think it's time for a bathroom break after all,' is all Jess says, walking away. Kara darts inside, closing and locking the door behind her. Kara's eyes dart about the office. It's an open room with exactly zero places to hide except the desk. Kara can hear Lena outside the door as she makes a heroic dive for the desk. Tucking her limbs in she hears the lock click open and the tell tale click of Lena's heels. Kara does her best to wait patiently for Lena to round the desk, convinced she was finally going to get her girlfriend back.

The chair is pulled out and Kara is ready to pounce. Suddenly Lena is looking under the rim of her desk, an amused smile on her face, 'hello dear.' 

Kara's face falls, lips forming an all out pout, 'Jess ratted me out. That traitor!' 

Lena laughs and offers Kara a hand out of the squished space, 'I didn't even see Jess on my way in.' 

This makes Kara pout harder, 'then how did you know?' 

Lena leans forward and presses a kiss to the crinkle in between Kara's eyebrows and it's sweet enough to make Kara's pout lessen, a little. Then Lena says with a barely contained chuckle, 'you were particularly giddy this morning. It's your tell, dear.' 

'I could have been giddy about the muffins,' Kara says the pout back with full force. 

'They were bran,' Lena counters. 

'Hmmph,' is all Kara says in reply. 

Lena smiles fondly at her adorable pouting girlfriend, 'since your here, how about we grab some lunch together? Your choice?' 

Kara breaks in to a grin, 'really? My choice?' When Lena nods, smiling, Kara seizes her girlfriends hand and pulls her back toward the door. Kara all but forgets her failed attempt after her first potsticker but Lena resolves to let Kara win the next one, especially considering what Lena has planned for their next game night. 

Chapter Text

Father's Day for the Superfriends was not a cheerful holiday. Unlike Thanksgiving or Mother's Day, there just wasn't the same enthusiasm. Perhaps that was because half of the group's father's were dead, one of them was a serial killer, one of them had disowned them, and one of them was currently in an unknown status between captured and traitor. However, this Father's Day, Lena felt like she needed to do something to mark the occasion or rather she felt like she ought to do something to celebrate J'onn. Lena had never loved Father's Day, even when Lionel had been alive. Lionel, as fate would have it, might have been the sane one in her family but he wasn't kind or loving. Lena hadn't realized the difference until she met J'onn. 

Lena had visited the hallmark store several times in the past few weeks. She had thumbed through just about every Father's Day card available, but none of them felt right. She had even found a small cache of Foster, Adoptive, and Substitute Father's Day cards, a sweet gesture but none of those felt right either. Lena had gone home frustrated and flustered, it was just a card - how hard could it be to pick one? Except they didn't exactly make 'Hey I'm sorry your daughters died on Mars but I'm really glad you're here because you've shown me what it means to have a kind, loving, invested father even though you're grumpy and never smile' cards. Lena settled on making a card, which felt quite possibly like the most childish thing to do, but in the end it just fit best. Lena had chosen a large poster board, folding it in half, and then had put her handful of college art electives to use. At first, Lena had debated sketching images from Mars - Victoria Crater, Olympus Mons, or Valles Marineris but Lena quickly realized she didn't know the significance of those places. What if one of them had been the location of his concentration camp? Better to stick with Earthly things, Lena realized, and that's exactly what she did. She sketched a view of Earth from orbit, overlooking the moon and Mars. It was joining, much like J'onn of two planets, two people, two families, two homes. Lena debated writing something cheesy on the inside like 'of all the dads, on all the planets, in all the universe - I'm glad you're mine.' The sentiment was true enough. Learning about Krypton and Daxam and the hundreds of other species out there, Lena had come to realize just how many parents and families there were. J'onn was special beyond even that but it wasn't her style. Lena had set the card aside, debating what to write for another two weeks. 

Finally, Lena settled on an idea and brought the card to game night. While the group could readily agree that Father's Day was not a favorite, they also could agree that J'onn was definitely a favorite. Having all of J'onn's surrogate kids sign the card felt right. Kara sketched an image of what Lena guessed was Supergirl and J'onn J'onzz together and wrote a sweet little blurb thanking J'onn for being her mentor and helping her be the best super hero she could be. Maggie wrote a sentimental sentence about how much she appreciated J'onn's acceptance of her. Alex drew pictures of guns, lots of guns, and what appeared to be a few grenades. When Lena asked if she wanted to write anything Alex got a little misty eyed and looked away, shaking her head. James wrote a quick note about how much J'onn meant to him, to them, and promised to give Lena a framed photo of the Superfriends later to give with the card. Winn took the longest, staring hard at the card and occasionally wiping tears while the rest of them diligently played Uno in the background. Lena, who was sitting closest to Winn, gave him an awkward pat on the knee, breaking whatever spell was on the man. He ended up writing the most out of any of them, starting with the words 'Papa Bear' and then proceeding to write a message that made them all a little teary eyed. Which left only Lena, it was a struggle to put her feelings into words and onto page but she managed in the end.

Father's Day itself was fairly busy - a giant fire had broken out at the warf, trapping dock workers. Supergirl and the Martian Manhunter had been swooping, rescuing, and blowing freeze breath for the better part of the day. They returned to the DEO tired, hungry and ashy where the Superfriends had gathered for a makeshift party. Lena had brought a homemade cake, this one egg-shell free, and her card. James had his framed picture. When the pair landed, the group yelled 'surprise!' more for effect than anything else. J'onn eyed them warily but even the stoic soldier couldn't resist the smiling faces, offering a small grin in return.

The group had elected Lena to speak for them so she stepped forward, 'J'onn we all struggle with Father's Day for different reasons but we couldn't let today go by without letting you know how much we appreciate you. You've been a surrogate father to all of us, encouraging us and protecting us. You've taught us what it means to be heroes, agents, and the best we can be. So we wanted to say thank you.' By now Lena's voice was cracking so she stopped talking. J'onn met her eyes, moisture in his own and nodded. 

'Thanks Papa Bear!' Winn says dashing forward to hug J'onn. That did it for the rest of the group as they piled in for a group hug. From somewhere near the middle, Lena could hear J'onn chuckle. Lena grinned, feeling accomplished.

Later, after the cake had been eaten and everyone had gone home, J'onn carefully hung the giant card and picture on the wall of his office and beamed at his Earth family. He was a lucky man, the universe had given him six amazing daughters and two incredible sons. 

Chapter Text

'There!' Maggie exclaimed through a mouthful of bobby pins. 'What do you think?' 

Lena looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair had been curled and twisted around a crown of wildflowers from their field which Kara had picked and woven for her specifically. It flowed softly around her face and over her shoulders. Her make up was subtle and natural, bringing out the green of her eyes. Lena saw, for a moment, what she hoped Kara saw all the time. A soft kind of beauty. 'It's beautiful!' 

Maggie beamed at her, 'you're beautiful Lena!' Lena smiled back, grateful Maggie was here. 

Alex's voice interrupted them, 'can I come in?' The elder Danvers sister had been getting ready with her mother and sister. Lena was surprised she had stopped by at all. 

Lena nodded and Maggie let the other woman come inside. She was completely ready. Her hair had a soft wave to it, pinned back from her face. She wore a thin strapped, simple green dress that looked beautiful on her. Natural. Comfortable. Lena was glad that she and Kara had decided to go with a smaller and less planned wedding. Lena hadn't had the heart to try and pull off the kind of event Lillian Luthor would have expected of her. She definitely couldn't imagine Alex in some horrid bridesmaid dress. Lena smiled at Alex. 

'Lena!' Alex exclaimed, 'you look beautiful!' She smiled warmly, her eyes misting a bit, 'I can't believe you officially become my sister today!'  

'Alex,' Lena began, her voice breaking with emotion, 'if you start crying, I'm going to cry.' 

Alex shook her head and wiped at her tears with the back of her hand. 'I won't, I won't. Kara wanted me to check in on you, make sure you were doing alright.' 

Lena smiled a watery smile, 'It's our wedding day, how could I be any more perfect?' 

Alex smiled back at her and gave her a firm hug. 'Love you Lena!' Alex murmurred softly in her ear. She pulled away as another knock sounded at the door. 

'Can I come in girls?' Eliza Danvers asked. 

'Come in,' came three calls. 

Eliza gasped when she saw Lena. 'My beautiful girl!' She let her tears fall happily. 'I'm so proud of you Lena!' She swept Lena in to a crushing hug. Lena took several steadying breaths trying to calm herself in Eliza's presence. Something about being mothered with kindness still got her every time. When Eliza pulled away, she smiled and said, 'I brought you a gift.' 

'Eliza you didn't have to-' Lena began. 

'I wanted to.' Eliza replied firmly. 'I have something for all you girls on your wedding day but these two will have to wait for theirs.' She nodded at Alex and Maggie who both looked studiously at the floor with matching blushes. 'I just gave Kara hers and now I want to give you yours.' Lena gulped and nodded. 'My mother gave me these at my wedding.' Eliza pulled out a small box holding pearl earrings inside. 'I was hoping you would wear them today as your something old. Either way, I wanted you to know you're part of the Danvers family, part of our legacy. A piece of us, of me, will always be with you. And I gave Kara the matching necklace because you're a perfect pair.' 

Lena accepted the earings with shaky hands, whispering a soft 'thank you Eliza.'

'Bet she gave Kara the necklace because nothing can pierce Kara's ears,' Alex muttered to Maggie. It startled a laugh out of the emotionally tense room. 

Eliza and Alex left, leaving Lena to put the earrings in with a smiling Maggie.  

Lena met Jon just outside of the room. It had taken many potsticker and pizza bribes but Kara had finally relented in letting Jon walk Lena down the aisle. Kara decided to walk with Clark to wait at the alter.

'Lena' the martian began, clearing his throat, 'you look beautiful!' 

Lena hugged the man, grateful he was a man of few words. 

Alex and Winn stood waiting in front of them. Alex was Kara's maid of honor. Winn was Lena's 'nerd of honor.' When the music played, the pair entered the room. After a few beats, Jon and Lena followed. 

The room was beautiful. Simple, elegant, decked in flowers. Clark Kent stood in a formal outfit that Lena knew was Kryptonian. Lena took in little beyond that as her eyes found Kara's. She was beautiful. Gorgeous. Breath taking. Lena felt her heart explode in joy. Kara. Her Kara was waiting for her. Her hair was braided with wild flowers, her eyes were shining with unshed tears. Her smile was infectious. Lena supposed she was wearing a dress but Lena couldn't tear her eyes off Kara's face long enough to say for sure. 

When they reached the alter, Kara took her hand and whispered her name, 'Lena!' 

If only Lena could hold on to that moment forever. That shining happy moment. 

Instead, almost every phone in the room pinged. An emergency alert. A super alert. Lena felt her heart drop. Kara looked at Lena guiltily. Then Clark was whispering in Kara's ear. Kara nodded and her cousin left, Lois following quickly behind him. Alex shot Lena a look, a silent apology before grabbing Maggie's hand and leaving. Winn touched her shoulder and followed Jon out without a word. Kara stood still, looking at Lena through it all. 

'Lena?' Kara said, her voice broken, 'this is big. I don't know if they can do this without me.' 

Lena closed her eyes, willing herself to let go. 'Go, Kara.' 

Kara murmurred a soft apology before she vanished. Lena didn't even see her go. After that every one had filed out in a small groups, leaving Lena standing at her wedding alter. 

'Lena? Sweet heart?' Eliza asked softly, 'are you okay sweet heart?' 

Lena nodded, willing it to be the truth. 'I'm fine Eliza, you should go.' 

'I don't have to go anywhere,' Eliza began. Lena shook her head hard. 

'Please, go. I can't...' Lena broke off, her heart throbbing. 

'Lena,' Eliza said, heart breaking for her daughter. 

Lena shook her head and sat down hard on the closest chair. Her ears roared. Her heart throbbed. Eliza had held her for a time. Lena felt certain of that but it didn't breach the hurt she felt in her heart. And then Eliza had left. And Lena remained. Lena didn't know how long she sat there for. Lena sighed, fighting the desire to cry. She should be dancing with Kara right now. Happy. A legal Danvers. Instead, she sat alone in the ruins of their wedding, still a Luthor. Watching everyone file out of the room, casting apologetic looks, hurt more than Lena wanted to admit. Lena felt deflated. Adrift in the world. 

'Lena!' Kara's voice broke through her storm. Lena could see that night had fallen, 'Lena!' Kara said more forcefully this time. Kara's face swam in to view. 

'You left,' Lena whispered horrified, 'you left me at the alter.' 

'Lena,' Kara whispered horrified, 'I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking. I never should have left.' 

'You were needed,' Lena replied numbly. 

'Yes,' Kara replied softly, rubbing her thumbs over Lena's cold hands. 'I needed to marry you.' 

That broke Lena. Sobs poured out of her. Kara pulled Lena in, cradling her softly in her arms. 

'I'm so sorry Lena. I love you. I want to marry you.' Lena could hear the fear in Kara's voice, 'we can still make this wedding happen.' 

Lena sniffed, burying her face in Kara's shoulder. 'No we can't.' 

Kara whimpered, 'yes we can Lena. I promise. I can get every one back here. We can... we can still make it happen.' 

'No, I don't want that wedding.' Lena replied. 

'Oh,' Kara whispered, sounding defeated. 'I get it Lena. I'm always going to be leaving. Always going to have another super-thing. I... understand.' 

Lena took a shuddered breath. 'Yes, you will.' 

'So,' Kara said shaking in Lena's arms, 'that's, that then.' 

Lena shook her head. 'I don't want a wedding Kara.' 

'Okay.' Kara replied, 'I'll do whatever you need Lena.' 

'I want to be your wife. I hate when you have to leave but you coming home to me is the only thing that matters.' Lena replied pulling away to look at Kara. 

Hope blossomed on Kara's face. 'You still want to marry me?' 

Lena nodded, tears threatening once more, 'yes. More than ever.' 

Kara pressed a kiss to Lena's lips. 'Give me thirty minutes, okay? I have an idea.' Lena nodded. 

Kara speed cleaned the room, giving Lena time to pull herself together. When they both finished, Kara asked Lena to go flying.Lena nodded, and held tight to Kara. 

When they landed, it was in their field of wild flowers. All of their friends and family were there. Clark stood in his super suit in the middle of the field. Kara turned to Lena, 'marry me here? Now? Be my wife? My home?' 

Lena gasped and nodded. 'yes!' She kissed Kara desperate to hold on to her. Their friends chuckled. 

Clark cleared his throat, 'you're supposed to wait for me to prompt the I do's.' 

Kara beamed at Lena, 'hurry up then!' 

The ceremony was simple. Quiet. But the joy Lena shared with her friends in a field of wild flowers under the light of the stars was real. And when Clark asked, Lena had no problem signing away the Luthor last name. Her name was Lena Kieran Danvers and she had a family at long last. 

Chapter Text

Hello Readers! 

I have recently begun a new SuperCorp fic and wanted to give you all a bit of an excerpt in case you're interested in reading. It's called Lightyears and Light Bonds and it is a Soul Mate AU! 

Thank you all so much for reading and supporting! Hope you're all well! 

<3 Lil_Leels

‘Checkmate!’ Lena says, her voice betraying her sense of confidence. 

Lex scowls, examining the board, searching for an escape. ‘That’s,’ the older boy stutters, ‘that’s not possible. You’re five.’ 

‘Six,’ Lena corrects her older brother. 

‘Whatever,’ Lex says running a hand through his hair in the way he did when he was trying to look cool. Lena stifled a giggle at her brother’s expense. ‘I can’t believe you beat me,’ Lex says in a huff. Then he grins at Lena a wicked, daring grin, ‘wanna go again?’ 

‘Yes!’ Lena says excitedly. 

Lex grins and begins to pull the pieces off the chess table, ‘alright but this time we’re playing without the pieces.’ 

‘Without the pieces?’ Lena asks, her eyebrows furrowing, ‘how can we play without the pieces?’ 

Lex chuckles, ‘you’ll have to focus. Remember. Hold it all in your mind. Set the board up in your mind. I’ll be white.’ Lena frowns concentrating at the board. She could sort of see it. The pawns lined up in their second rows, the King and Queen in their places in the center back. ‘Have you got it?’ Lex asks her. 

‘Yes,’ Lena says, because she can see how the pieces start. 

‘This,’ Lex says pointing to his right side white rook’s position, ‘is A1.’ Lex moves his finger across the board to his left rook, ‘this is e1. What are your rooks?’ 

Lena consider’s Lex’s question. The chess board was a grid and Lex’s rows were the same, which meant Lena’s would correlate. Lena points to her first rook, ‘A8.’ Lena slides her finger to the opposite rook ‘E8.’ 

‘That’s great Lee!’ Lex says with a grin, ‘see you’re going to figure it out in no time.’ 

Lena grins at her older brother’s praise. He was always doing things like this, testing Lena. Lena loved and hated it. She didn’t understand why they couldn’t play with the pieces. They were right there. But Lena loves making Lex proud. She loved impressing him. Even when that meant playing a game of chess without any pieces at all. ‘You go first,’ Lena says quietly, a warm blush on her cheek. 

The first few turns Lex taps the piece he’s moving with a finger before tapping that pieces ending place as a visual for Lena. Lena does the same, trying to remember exactly where all the ‘pieces’ were. 

‘You can’t move there,’ Lex says quietly after a few rounds, ‘my pawn is there.’ 

Lena frowns. She replays the match in her head. Tries to recall where all the pieces are but they’re going fuzzy. Her lower lip quivers. ‘I’m sorry,’ Lena whispers sadly, ‘I can’t do it.’ 

Lex chuckles, ‘honestly Lena? You did better than I expected for the first time.’ He hands her, her pieces. ‘Set them up, we’ll see how much you did remember.’ Lena tries, really tries. In the end, Lex corrects only a few spaces. Then he pats her head and tells her she did well. Lena grins at the praise, her glimmer flaring. Lex’s teal swirls wiggle and shift in a happy dance under her skin. 

‘What’s this?’ Lillian’s voice cuts through the room. Lena’s grin disappears. 

‘We were playing chess mother,’ Lex says politely with a wink to Lena. 

‘She should not be playing. She needs to be studying.’ Lillian says gesturing at Lena without so much as looking at Lena. Lena shrinks further into her chair, willing herself to disappear, as she always did in Lillian’s presence. ‘And you, you have exams to be preparing for.’ 

Lex rolls his eyes, ‘you’re right Mother. We were simply taking a break.’ 

‘A break?’ Lillian says, voice dripping with disdain. It was Lillian’s specialty. Lena hated it. ‘Luthor’s do not get breaks. Luthor’s work twice as hard as anyone else in the room to be four times better.’ 

Lex sighs and nods biting his tongue, ‘of course Mother.’ 

Lillian’s face softens for a moment looking at her son, ‘you know I only want what is best for you Lex.’ 

Lex offers her a sad smile, ‘I know Mother. Come on Lee. We have studies to get to.’ Lex holds out a hand to his little sister. Lena takes it, grateful to not be left alone with Lillian. 

‘Lena,’ Lillian says as they reach the door. Lex and Lena pause, looking back at Lillian. ‘I expect you to make yourself more presentable for dinner.’ She gestures at Lena’s school uniform which Lena had thought was impeccable. ‘There’s nothing to be done about your morose looks but you could at least appear to care how you look. You are a Luthor, afterall. You must take care how you present yourself. Your poor image reflects on the rest of us, dear .’ 

Lena feels her lip quivering. Lex squeezes her hand and offers her a reassuring smile. ‘I’ll help her,’ Lex tells his Mother solemnly, ‘I’ll take care of it.’ 

Lillian lets out a small sigh, ‘I will never understand why she insists on shaming this family. After all we’ve done for her.’ 

When they’ve left the room, Lex tugs Lena into a hug, ‘don’t listen to her Lee. She’s having a bad day. You’ll be the greatest Luthor of us all.’ 

Lena sniffs and buries her face in her brother’s side. ‘Do you really think so?’ Lena asks sadly. 

‘I know so,’ Lex says with a grin down at his little sister. 

‘How?’ Lena asks looking up at her big brother, eyes wide with adoration and hope. 

Lex laughs, his green eyes sparkling in amusement, ‘because you’ll have me guiding the way!’ 

Lena laughs then too. Lex was right, he’d look out for her. He’d show her how everything she needed to know. He’d never lead Lena astray. ‘Thank you Lex,’ Lena says. She means I love you Lex but that wasn’t a Luthor approved statement. 

Lex ruffles Lena’s hair lightly, ‘you betcha Lee.’ Another not quite I love you but Lena could see it on his face, unspoken in his words. ‘Now,’ Lex says with an impish grin, ‘do you think ice cream will help us study better?’ 

Lena considers his question for several seconds. Then she grins at her brother, ‘yes it will. Ice cream makes everything better.’ 

Lex sets her up with a bowl of her favorite cookie dough and scoops himself some mint chocolate chip. Lena works on her math homework while Lex reads from a textbook that weighed as much as Lena did. When Lena got stuck, Lex would talk the problem through with her, sucking on his spoon when he was listening. Lena tried to do the same for him. Even if she didn’t understand half of what he said but Lex always said she helped and Lex was her big brother. Lex wouldn’t lie to her. If there was one person Lena could trust in the whole world, it was Lex.