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When Lena Luthor first hears of C.C. Grant’s Circus, she finds it laughable at best. A review catches her attention when she’s reading the morning paper with her morning tea. A circus of lost and outcasted aliens sounds ludicrous to someone like Lena, to someone who produces and backs theatre plays.
(So the shows are lackluster in heart or entertainment, but the wealthy have their tastes and Lena obliges and plays her part like a fiddle.)
The first time Lena meets C.C. Grant, it’s after one of Lena’s shows and Lena’s ready to hide from the familiar crowd praising her choice in backing yet again. C.C. Grant strides up to her so confidently, Lena was sure the woman was just going to walk right past her.
“Lena Luthor, a pleasure to finally meet you. This show was your backing, was it not?”
“Yes.” Lena smiles and nods politely. “Hope it was to your liking. I’m sorry, I never got your name?”
“Catherine ‘Cat’ Grant.” Cat replies.
Lena chuckles, “The second C is redundant?”
“Well, not everyone can have a convenient name like E.E. Cummings.” Cat responds immediately, as if she’s gotten this criticism a lot and it bores her more than bothers her at this point.
“Fair enough. What brings you away from your circus?” Lena asks curiously. “The ever-infamous showmaster actually gets a night off?”
“Every once in a while.” Cat tilts her head, her eyes squinting slightly, making Lena feel as if she’s being sized up. “Is the beloved playmaker able to listen to a crazy woman with a vision? Can I buy you a drink?”
“You’re not going to talk me into joining the circus, are you?” Lena almost laughs because it’s time to go home and she really can’t be bothered with the woman running the most controversial show in National City.
Cat starts walking away. “Precisely the plan. Still up for a drink?”
Lena wants to laugh at this whole situation. Instead, she follows the showmaster, curiosity eating at her gut.
(She won’t admit that she’s interested in a reason to get out of this life.)
They arrive at a dive bar, which is surprisingly empty for a Saturday night. But, Lena is thankful for a whiskey especially when it’s neat.
“Cheers, my friend.” Cat announces, raising her glass.
Lena raises her glass but also raises an eyebrow. “I’d hardly call us friends, Ms. Grant.”
“Well, then Ms. Luthor, if that’s how you’ll have it, but my offer is on the table. I need a playmaker as successful and well-liked as you.”
“I’d hardly call myself well-liked. My family practically owns the theatre business here in National City, and as long as I abide by the rules, I can have my inheritance and invitations to every party held by the socialites.”
“That’s enough for you?” Cat knows she struck a nerve, and Lena hates that she can be read so well. “Pandering to the elite?”
“Certainly.” Lena says with a lift of her chin. She tries to shrug as if she doesn’t care. “So thanks, but I think I’m good.”
“Let me ask you, something Ms. Luthor.” Lena gestures for her to continue, taking a generous swig from her glass. “Have you ever seen my show?”
“No.” Lena answers immediately. She probably couldn’t be caught dead there. Luthors aren’t to associate with aliens, as Lilian would tell her. “Although, I admire you.” That catches Cat’s attention. “You’re onto something with that show. Seems...honest. People seem to walk away with joy; they adore your show. They leave admiring aliens, not fearing them. It’s commendable.”
“Doesn’t it sound refreshing, compared to the Shakespearean wannabes you have to sell?”
“Granted, it’s got more heart than the pretentious bullshit I’m used to selling.” Lena sighs, her fingers drumming against the bar table. “But, what would I have to bring to your show?”
“Exposure.” Cat says without hesitation. At least the woman’s honest. “You’re good at pandering to the elites, and then we can go global.”
“Look, no offense, Ms. Grant. But, if I associate with the likes of you, I’d be disowned and I’d be the laughing stock of the entire theatre business.” Lena finishes her drink, hops off the bar stool, and starts gathering her coat. “Thanks for the offer, but I’ll have to politely decline.”
Cat calls out after her, “What a shame. I thought you, out of everyone, would be up for making a name for yourself.”
Lena stops in her tracks, knowing a checkmate move when she sees one. She turns around and sets her coat on the bar stool. She motions the bartender for another drink. She sighs, “This is going to cost quite a lot. So what percentage of the show would I be taking?”
They agree on ten percent.
Lena thinks this is probably the most wreckless thing she’s ever done. Nonetheless, she follows C.C. Grant to the other side.
***
Lena expects her life to change, but not this way. She expects Lilian and Lionel to pretend she didn’t just run off to the circus. She expects to take the navigator’s seat to this bumpy train ride C.C. Grant offered her. She even expects her contacts to laugh at her when she asks for favors for the circus troupe to meet President Marsdin.
She doesn’t expect Kara Danvers.
She surely doesn’t expect the Green and White Martian named J’onn and M’gann respectively, the siren named Siobhan, the Coluan cybernetic named Indigo, a 5th-dimensional being who goes by Mxy, or even the friendly alien named Brian.
But, she definitely doesn’t expect blue eyes hiding behind glasses or golden hair. Lena swears time slows down, like some lovesick cliché. There’s never been a moment that Lena wished to be some kind of platitude than right now, green eyes locked with blue. Absolutely rendered breathless, effectively in a trance, she can’t seem to form a greeting.
Cat’s voice pulls her out of her reverie as she announces her new business partner, “Everyone! Please welcome Lena Luthor to our troupe!”
Cheers and applause comes from around them. She assumes mostly from the ones that don’t read up on the Luthor household beliefs.
Lena waves meekly beside Cat, who continues to introduce the troupe. “Oh, how could I forget? These two are a crowd favorite. Kara Danvers and Clark Kent. Kryptonians, the superhumans on the earth.”
Kara tilts her head, as if she’s studying Lena. “What’s your act?”
Lena stutters, taking a deep breath and crossing her arms, “I, um, don’t have one.”
Clark bites out as he glares at her, “Everyone’s got an act.”
Lena can guess Clark is privy to her last name and the anti-alien views it holds amongst aliens. She sighs, quickly glancing at Cat before admitting, “I’m just a woman trying to make a name for herself outside of her family.” She looks to Clark, then to Kara. “You understand that?”
Clark remains unmoved, still watching her with distrust in his eyes.
Kara, however, simply nods in agreement. “Yeah.”
Lena pretends her heart doesn’t swell at the gentle, understanding way that Kara looks at her. Her chest surely isn’t ready to burst.
(It does.)
(It is.)
(She doesn’t expect Kara Danvers.)
***
It takes a lot of calls and a lot of convincing, but Lena manages to succeed. She almost runs into the lunch room when she gets to the circus theatre. “Everyone! I have news!”
She feels her cell phone crackle in her hand, and she turns to the culprit. “Indigo, please. No peeking!” She then turns to the Martians. “That goes for you two, as well!”
She gets three apologetic smiles in return. At that point, Cat’s young son named Carter comes running up to her with a hug. “What’s your news, Lena?”
Lena smiles at Carter, placing her top hat onto his head before tapping her finger on his nose. “How would you guys like to meet the President?”
There’s a collection of surprised murmurs, but one outburst eclipses the rest of them.
“You’re kidding?” Kara practically squeals, “Like the Olivia Marsdin?! That president?”
Lena nods in affirmation. “I pulled a few strings.”
(Watching Kara get excited is on top of Lena’s favorite things.)
However, everyone shares looks of skepticism. Clark is the first to voice his. “ Everyone is invited?”
Everyone watches her closely, and Lena nods in understanding. “Well, I guess I’ll have to tell the President that she gets to meet all of us,” Lena pauses to look around the room, “or none of us.”
(Lena pretends she doesn’t see Kara staring at her with the sweetest smile she’s ever received.)
***
Their flight gets delayed. But, Cat does her best to keep morale up. Lena figures it’s probably more for Carter’s benefit than the rest of the troupe’s.
Lena tries to read her book, but Kara sits next to her practically vibrating with her nervous and excited energy-- so much so that even Clark goes to sit next to the Martians. Lena figures they exude a lot of calm energy.
Lena chuckles and turns to Kara. “I’m surprised you haven’t flown yourself to the White House already.”
Kara grimaces, “Sorry, am I that obvious? Alex says I need to take a chill pill, and Clark probably wants to put me in a straight jacket.”
“I don’t mind, but if you don’t quit gripping the armrest, they’re probably gonna have to replace this entire row of seats.” Lena points to the malformed armrest that Kara’s been holding onto.
Kara promptly places her hands into her lap, looking like a kicked puppy. “She’s practically my idol. Well, next to Wonder Woman, I guess.”
The brunette smiles, “I wouldn’t blame you. Both amenable and admirable women to look up to.” Lena sighs, “Yes, I mean that even though I’m a Luthor.”
“Lena,” Kara says softly, “I’m not going to attack you about your views on the Alien Amnesty Act.”
Lena can’t help but scoff, “Your cousin sure has his opinions.”
“Well, I’m not my cousin.” Kara says defiantly. “And, you’ve said your two cents on the amnesty act. There are bad aliens, just as much as there are bad people. But that doesn’t make you a bad person. It makes you a realist.”
“What? You’re not gonna ditch me for the Martians?” Lena nods to where Clark’s sitting with the J’onn and M’gann.
“Well,” Kara explains, leaning in to bump shoulders with the brunette, “without you, we wouldn’t be going on this trip.”
Lena opens her mouth to say something, anything, but she decides against it. She instead finds Clark watching her curiously. To her surprise, Clark smiles at her. She smiles back. She dares a look at Kara next to her.
(Kara’s looking at her like she’s made of stars.)
(Lena feels weightless.)
***
The meeting with President Marsdin goes as well as anyone could’ve imagined. Lena has a sneaking suspicion that it mostly has to do with the impending Alien Amnesty Act, but she also imagines that it’s hard to love a group of aliens that love each other as fiercely as this troupe does.
Kara is a bumbling mess when introducing herself, and Clark has to embarrassingly apologize on her behalf. J’onn and M’gann shapeshift into a composed Clark and Kara respectively in attempts to erase any embarrassment on the Kryptonians. It really just results in Clark and Kara turning beet red.
Indigo makes a show of messing with the chandelier lights as well as displaying digital, pixelated hearts on any screen within the room.
Siobhan somehow manages to create a tune out of both the chandelier lights and the arranged champagne glasses in the room.
Brian, unaware of Earth customs, bows. And at that point Cat has to step in and distract President Marsdin from him.
When they break for drinks and a mingling session after their introductions, Lena has a plan to find Kara and makes sure she hasn’t died of embarrassment. But instead, she’s pulled aside by Cat.
“Lena,” Cat whispers urgently, “who is that? I thought we were supposed to be the only acts here.”
“Oh,” Lena says as she recognizes the person that Cat had pointed out. It’s a face she’s seen only when she’s visited Metropolis for theatre business. “Sam Arias. She’s a singer. Supposed to be phenomenal.”
“Introduce us.”
Lena looks at the showmaster incredulously, “Cat, are you mad? I haven’t even met her--how do you expect me to--”
“--just do it.” Cat says as she pulls Lena along for yet another ride.
There’s a look in Cat’s determined, almost ambitious expression that makes Lena quickly believe there’s an agenda here that Lena’s not privy to.
“Good evening, Ms. Lane.” Lena clears her throat. “Huge fan. Pleasure to see you outside of Metropolis. I’m Lena Luthor. And this is--”
“Catherine ‘Cat’ Grant.” Cat finishes immediately.
Lena doesn’t really follow the rest of the conversation, seeing as her part was already played. She instead watches Kara from across the room, laughing bright and refreshing. Lena doesn’t notice Cat talking Sam to performing in National City.
***
Lena’s never been able to sleep on a plane. It’s probably all the engineering conversations she’s had with Lex when she was younger. Her brilliant brother giving her anxiety over anything built by man. She still looks back on those times with fondness. The haunting memories are probably why she can’t sleep on flights ever.
Kara nudges her, and she shakes herself out of her thoughts. “Lena?”
“Yes, Kara?” She whispers in response, “Is my reading light bothering you?”
“No, I just keep thinking how insane all this has been.”
“Indeed.” Lena sighs. “I never would’ve imagined this in a million dreams.”
Kara chuckles, “You didn’t dream of being a study and playmaker for C.C. Grant herself?”
Shaking her head, Lena responds. “No, unfortunately. The Luthors had plans for me when they adopted me at four. Take on the family business, follow in Lex’s footsteps, marry an heir.” She says the last bit with a bit of disdain, but Kara looks at her patiently. “And if I had dreams of something like this before that, I don’t remember. But now I get to be whatever or whoever I want.”
Kara tilts her head, “I get to be myself for once. I don’t have to hide who I am. And I can be proud of who I am.” Kara scoffs. “Clark thought that because we could pass as humans, it’d be enough. But even he’s happier these days.”
“Were you...unhappy before?”
“Not unhappy, per se.” Kara explains. “The Kents raised Clark better than I ever could have at 14. And without the Danvers, I wouldn’t have Alex or Eliza. But there’s always a part that needed to be hidden, and for me it turned into a massive void. Like we have to pretend we didn’t lose our planet, our family, our friends.”
When Lena thinks of Kara Danvers, she thinks of sunshine-- of warmth and of care and of gentleness-- but now she thinks it’s even more true. Kara is like the sun, bright but deeply burning with secrets that the world has no clue about. And Lena’d be damned if she didn’t try to fly as close to the sun before her wings melt.
Lena places a hand on Kara’s. “I’m glad you don’t have to hide anymore.”
Kara rests her head on Lena’s shoulder, “I’m glad you get to be free.”
(Lena doesn’t say out loud that that was the first time she was able to sleep on a plane.)
***
Sam performs at the National City Theatre of the Arts. It’s the best theatre in the city, and Cat believed that Sam deserves just this.
Lena can hardly believe it when Cat instructs her to have the troupe stand in the back. Lena doesn’t argue, but it certainly doesn’t sit well with her. There’s an undercurrent of betrayal here, but the show is about to start and she has no time to make fuss. Not in front of the troupe. They need to enjoy this night. She stands with them in the standing room, instead of backstage with Cat.
“I’ve never been to a place like this before.” Kara says as they file into the standing room.
Lena blinks rapidly. “Ever?”
Kara merely shrugs when Cat appears on the stage to introduce the act. Murmurs die down the moment Sam starts to sing with the orchestra.
Lena can feel Kara next to her, feel the warmth of her hand just inches from her own. Without daring a glance at her-- god forbid if she looked, she’d run away-- Lena reaches for her hand. By the time Sam belts the chorus, Lena’s hands are fully entwined around Kara’s.
It feels electric at first, shocks going up her arm and down her spine and radiating all over. Then it feels like fire, like flames keeping her warm from the cold. She can’t place whether it’s from the song or from the exhilaration of having this moment with Kara.
By the time the song ends, there are tears and emotions in her chest. And she looks anywhere but at Kara, afraid to break the moment.
Lena feels eyes on her, and her gaze seeks out the watchful eyes. She recognizes a family friend in the audience looking back at her, glancing where her hand is laced with Kara’s. Like a wretched tremor, she lets go of Kara’s hand.
She swallows the sobs lodged in her throat, ignores the tears burning her eyes.
(It tears her apart when Kara leaves. She can feels the small whoosh of Kara’s refrained superspeed.)
(Maybe she’s not as free as she thought.)
***
Kara avoids her.
(Lena couldn’t blame her if she tried.)
Clark gives her harsh glares from over Kara’s shoulder every time she passes, and she can’t blame him for that either.
Every time she chances a look at Kara, she either gets a cold shoulder or a blank stare. She’s not sure which is worse.
To add insult to injury, Cat walks up to her during rehearsal and hands her a top hat. “I’m going on tour with Sam.”
“Cat, you can’t just leave your troupe?”
“Of course, I can.” Cat seems unfazed by the very obvious statement. “They have you.”
Lena tries to plead with her, “The audiences come to see you.”
“You have been my loyal study and competent business partner. You can put on a great show, playmaker.” Cat says with a confident grin, before strutting away.
When she puts on the red showmaster coat and looks at herself in the mirror, she hardly recognizes herself. But she’s not sure she hates the new identity completely.
(There’s just a terrible, sinking feeling in her stomach that things are probably headed for a downward spiral.)
***
“Hey, Lena!” Clark calls out, taking Lena by surprise as she heads down the stairs. “Do you think we can use our ice breath for a future show?”
“You guys have ice breath?” Lena asks, tilting her head. “Is this new?”
“Well, not for me.” Clark explains, lifting his hand to scratch the back of his head. “But, I think Kara’s almost got a hang of hers.”
“Well,” Lena decides, “only if she has full control of her powers and only after we’ve tested it during rehearsals.” She reminds him, “I’m not quite sure Cat would agree with us presenting anything that could put the troupe or the audience in danger.”
“Of course, Lena.” His is smile is soft, and very unlike his usual hostility towards her. She returns the smile, but when she tries to leave, he stops her. “Um, one more thing...I called a favor with Cat, and she agreed to pull strings to get Kara a ticket for a show playing at the theatre down the street.” He pauses, then sighs. “I also had her get a ticket for you.”
If Lena wasn’t surprised before, she sure is now, “Me?”
“She wouldn’t have agreed if I told her or if you asked, so...” He exhales through his nose, shutting his eyes, “Just go before you miss the show.”
( Go before you miss the girl , she understands.)
She spares him the quizzical look she wanted to give him, and instead heads for will call at the theatre. She hurries as fast as she can down the last block because she can see Kara, dressed up in the most beautiful dress, approaching the booth.
When she gets close enough, Kara’s staring confused at the ticket and asking, “Wait, I only asked Ms. Grant for one ticket.”
Catching her breath, Lena answers from behind Kara. “I think the other one is for me.”
“Lena?” Kara’s eyebrows are furrowed, presenting a crinkle on her forehead. “What are you doing here?”
“Clark sent me.” Lena explains, “He said something about you not coming if you knew.”
Something in Kara’s look softens, and she smiles instead. Kara offers her arm, silent but bashful.
Lena doesn’t hesitate to take it as they enter the building.
“I’ve always wanted to go to the theatre.” Kara breathes out as she looks up at the stairs leading the theatres seats, hesitating.
“Well, then.” Lena smiles, her arm not looped with Kara’s coming up so she can squeeze Kara’s forearm with free hand. “Shall we?”
They make it about halfway up the stairs when Lena hears a familiar voice that makes them both stop.
“Lena?” It’s her father’s voice.
It’s then followed by her mother’s, “Lena, what on earth are you doing?”
At this point, Kara’s dropped her arm and now she knows what it must have felt like the night of Sam’s performance. Lena looks to her right to make sure Kara is still there before she looks up at her parents. She greets them as warm as she can, but her tone comes out like ice. “Mother. Father.”
“What have we told you about associating with the likes of them?” Lionel speaks this time, voice full of disgust that it makes the hairs on the back of Lena’s neck stand on end.
Lilian’s unimpressed voice comes next. “We’ve taught you better! When will you bore of this new fascination of yours?”
The familiar whoosh Kara using her superspeed whips around her. The door behind them shuts.
Lena straightens her back, and goes up a few steps to properly face her parents. “Her name is Kara.” Fury surges strong and sure in Lena’s veins, “How dare you talk to her like that. Don’t you ever talk about her again.”
Lilian looks amused. “Or else?”
“Or else, I’ll leak all of CADMUS’ illegal practices.” She turns to Lionel, “I’ll might even leak all of your affairs. Wasn’t I the product of one of them?”
Anger flashes across Lilian’s face. “You wouldn’t dare…”
Lena braces herself as she feels the contrasting impact of the weight of Kara’s absence and the weightlessness of freedom she’s taking by the horns. “Try me.”
***
When Lena arrives back at the circus theatre, she runs into Clark first. He doesn’t do or say anything, except for give her a look of pity and points her in the direction of the stage.
Lena steps out onto the stage, slowly approaching Kara. She would announce herself, but something tells her Kara heard her coming from the moment she walked into the building.
Kara turns around, donned in her blue and red Kryptonian outfit, her glasses forgotten on the side of the stage, and smiles forlornly. “Lena--”
Without giving her a chance to finish the sentence, Lena steps into her space and it forces Kara to practically stop breathing. “--I want you.” Lena declares effortlessly, breathlessly and fiercely. In a softer tone, she admits, “It’s not a secret I try to hide.” She takes Kara’s hands in hers, lifts them so she can brush her lips against Kara’s knuckles. “And if I’m wrong, then this will be the last time I ever bring this up, but I think the feelings might be mutual here.” Lena swallows her nerves before looking straight into Kara’s blue eyes. “But if I’m right, please stop pulling away from me.”
Kara lets out a soft gasp. “How can I stop when everyone’s pulling me away from you, anyway?”
“Why does everyone else matter?” Lena almost doesn’t recognize her voice when she asks the question out loud.
Kara reaches to adjust her glasses, only to find she’s not wearing them, but remains determined to look anywhere but at Lena, “I’ve spent my entire life wanting to be accepted for all of me.”
Lena waits for Kara to look up again, following her gaze until Kara dares enough to match her gaze. “So have I.”
Kara reaches out to touch Lena’s cheek, trace her jaw with her fingers. “It’s so easy for us to be like this when we’re here. But the moment we go outside these walls, everything changes. The world won’t see you and me. They’ll see a human and an alien, and Rao, the things they could--” Kara chokes on her words.
“--what things? What would they do? What would they say?” Lena asks, trying to be patient. “ they don’t get to decide that for us. It’s not like they wouldn’t accept you, anyway. Doesn’t the show help with that?”
“Only if I don’t hurt people.” Kara explains, a little helplessly. “They come for entertainment but the moment someone gets hurt, I’ll be put back into exile. And people could hurt you because of me. And I can’t have that.”
“I’m fairly capable of handling myself. I’m a Luthor, remember?” Lena scoffs, “As if I don’t know what it’s like to be made scapegoat.”
“But people will still accept you, Lena. You’d be scapegoat at worst, but there’s not a part of you that would kill someone if you aren’t paying attention. There’s not a part of you that’s dangerous. There would be no tangible evidence of your guilt.”
Lena barks out a laugh. “I was afraid I’d turn out like Lionel or Lilian, or hell, have raged war on aliens just like Lex.” Lena’s jaw hardens before she continues, “That’s actually my biggest fear, you know. It’s why I chose the theatre business rather than science or corporate.”
“Lena, you wouldn’t. You’re not like them. You’re too good and too smart to ever turn out like them.” Kara declares with such conviction, Lena almost believes it.
“You can’t be afraid to lose this planet, too.” Kara looks away, but Lena wants to be heard. “If I’m good enough to defy them, couldn’t we be good enough to defy the stars? Write our own destiny?” Lena asks, cupping Kara’s cheeks with her hands and resting their foreheads together. “What’s the good of flying if I’m not flying with you?”
“I’m just trying to protect you.”
“I’m not asking you to.”
Kara presses a soft kiss to Lena’s temple, “I’m so sorry, Lena,” before pulling away, walking off stage, and leaving a tearful Lena behind.
***
To no one’s surprise, C.C. Grant’s Circus has attracted the most visceral anti-alien protesters outside the theatre.
Ever since Cat left for tour, the protesters started moving into the stands. On any other night, they would leave and go back to their lines in front of the theatre.
But on this night, Lena asks them to leave and they flat out refuse.
“Alright, gentlemen, I’m going to ask one more time for you all to leave.” Lena says calmly and firmly.
She’s got Clark and Indigo flanking her, and this must’ve spooked the protesters. “Or else what?”
Clark answers by throwing the first punch at the closest jaw he can make contact with while Indigo uses her power to shock the offenders who have an electronic device on them. Soon enough, Lena finds herself throwing punches herself. A full brawl breaks out right there in front of the stands and it goes on until one of the protesters finds a gas lamp.
The place is lit aflame within minutes.
Clark and Lena help struggle to get everyone safely out the building. When Lena helps Siobhan out into the safety of the street, Cat appears and asks if everyone’s been accounted for.
Lena takes a quick tally, and realizes someone’s missing. “Kara! Where’s Kara?!” All logic leaves her when she makes a quick dash into the burning building, despite everyone’s protest. Clark must still be in the building because he wasn’t there to stop her.
“Kara!” She screams out into licking flames and billowing smoke. “Kara! Kara, please!”
It doesn’t take long for her to start suffocating on smoke. It takes only a second longer before she passes out.
The last thing she can remember seeing is orange flames.
***
When Lena stirs awake, the first thing she notices is her head aching and her entire body sore.
The second thing she notices is that she can barely feel her right hand.
Her eyes open and she finds a tearful Kara at her side, smiling at her and almost crushing her hand. Kara’s hand leaves hers, in favor of cupping her face and kissing her.
Despite the pain, Lena wouldn’t trade this for the world.
“Thank Rao, you’re alright.” Kara says when she pulls away. She doesn’t move very far, though, her forehead is still resting against Lena’s. “I thought I wasn’t going to make it in time.”
Lena wraps her hand around Kara’s wrist, weakly squeezing. “I thought you were still in there, and I wasn’t thinking.”
“Shhh.” Kara says, pressing her lips against Lena’s forehead. “What you did was stupidly brave, but did you forget I’m almost invulnerable on Earth?”
“I couldn’t stand the thought of losing you again.” Lena admits, guilty but honest all the same.
“Well, lucky you,” Kara says, settling onto the hospital bed as soon as Lena scoots over to make room. “You’ll always have me. I’m not going anywhere.”
Lena lets out a shaky laugh, as Kara puts an strong, protective arm around her. “Promise?”
“I promise.” Kara whispers. “Besides, what’s the good in flying if I’m not flying with you?”
Lena barely has the strength, but she kisses Kara like she’s worth rewriting a million stars.
***
When Lena’s cleared from the hospital to go home, Kara takes her by the hand and they walk to the burned rubble that used to be the C.C. Grant Circus theatre. They take their time, and sneak glances at each other every few yards. Kara occasionally lifts their joined hands to kiss the back of Lena’s hand.
When Cat announces that no bank will lend her any money, ever, Lena looks around and sees a family that she never thought she could have. “Well, since I was smart enough to keep my share of the profits, that should be enough to put us back in business.”
Kara wraps an arm around her shoulders, and Lena doesn’t even hesitate to wrap an arm around her waist. Everyone cheers and claps, and it reminds her of the night she met everyone.
Cat looks at her like she did the night she offered her the job. “Here we thought you were only good for pandering to the elite.”
“I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve. I am a Luthor, after all.” Then she sighs as she looks at all the debris, “Except, I’m pretty sure we can’t afford the building.”
Cat nods slowly, lips pursed. “What if we don’t need a building?”
***
If Cat’s brilliant for coming up with the alien circus, then she’s a genius for only requiring a tent to run her show.
If Lena’s crazy for agreeing to indulge a crazy woman with a vision, then she’s even crazier for letting the crazy woman retire and taking the reigns herself.
“I can’t take this, are you crazy?” Lena shouts at her behind the stands as C.C. Grant herself hands Lena Luthor her beloved top hat.
“You’ve earned it, my friend.” Cat smiles at her. “I think I’m going to enjoy watching Carter grow up.” She adjusts what is now Lena’s hat. “Never stop dreaming, kid.”
Lena’s cue goes off, quickly tipping her hat to C.C. Grant, before rushing onto the stage to join the rest of the troupe.
At the end of the finale when the confetti cannons have gone off and the crowd has gone wild, Lena takes Kara in her arms and kisses her for all the world to see.
And in that moment Lena knows something they’ve been fighting from the beginning. She had expected a lot of things, but she never expected falling in love with Kara Danvers.
Maybe they can rewrite the stars, fate, or Rao itself. Maybe their world belongs to them, and them only.