Work Text:
“Kara, hi!” Lena stands and meets Kara by the couch in her office, greeting the older woman with a hug. “Thank you for coming.”
They sit together on the couch. “Of course, Lena.” Kara smiles brightly. “You sounded a little anxious on the phone. Is everything okay?”
“Ah, yes.” Lena clears her throat. “Everything is fine. I just,” she pauses to take a deep breath, “wanted your input on something.” She wrings her fingers together in her lap.
Tilting her head, Kara leans her side against the back of the couch to fully face Lena. “You can ask me anything.”
Lena takes a deep breath before looking back up at Kara from where her eyes were intently watching her own hands. “After I read your article, the one about the attacks on alien refugees, I started thinking about… some things.” She pauses to organize her thoughts. “I bought an old building downtown several months ago. I-I had been running through several ideas for it, but… I kept finding myself thinking about you and some of the things you’ve taught me.”
Kara raises her eyebrows in question. Lena speaks before Kara can say anything.
“We were both orphans once.” Lena swallows heavily. “I-I know what’s it’s like to have to start new somewhere, feeling uncertain about how to act around a new family. We were both lucky to have not ended up in the system, but… Kara, I have tried imagining what it must have been like for you.” Her eyes bear into Kara’s. “I know we have had our fair share of discussions on aliens coming to Earth, but I meant it when I told you I don’t think ‘alien’ doesn’t inherently mean evil.” She turns to look out the window across the office. “Not every human child is lucky enough to find a new family after losing one. The odds of an alien orphan suddenly alone in a new world finding a new family must be incredibly low.” Lena continues to look out the window.
Maintaining the silence, Kara watches Lena for a moment. “Lena, I -”
“I want to turn it into an alien orphanage.”
“What?” Kara’s eyes widen in complete surprise.
Slowly, Lena turns back to look at Kara. “The building. I want it to be an orphanage… for alien children.”
Kara can only stare open-mouthed at Lena. “Wait… really?”
Lena nods. “What do you think?”
“I… I think it’s a fantastic idea, Lena.” She throws her arms around Lena.
Letting out a relieved laugh, Lena reciprocates the eager hug that pushes her backward on the couch. Her back hits the armrest. “I’m glad you think so.”
Kara pulls back, but keeps her hands on Lena’s shoulders. “Lena, do you have any idea how much good this is going to do? How many lives you are going to change?” She’s absolutely beaming at her friend. “However I can help… I’m all yours!”
Lena’s eyes are brighter than Kara has ever seen them. “Do you think we can make this work?”
“Absolutely! We can do anything… together.” Kara’s smile turns a little shy.
Biting her lip, Lena looks down a moment before looking right back into Kara’s eyes. “Together?”
Kara nods. “Together.” Her eyes move down briefly when Lena licks her lips. Lena’s heart rate quickens when their eyes lock again. “I… I never noticed before.” Lena gives Kara a questioning glance. “One of your eyes is almost blue.”
That breaks the tension.
Lena lets out a breathless chuckle. “I guess we’ve never been this close before.”
Humming thoughtfully, Kara slowly moves her hands down Lena’s arms from where they were on her shoulders. “I guess not.” She bites her own lip. “So where do we start?”
“Kara, I told you… I want you standing next to me. Not Supergirl.” Lena sets her pen down on the table they are standing next to.
“But who would have an interest in seeing Kara Danvers at the groundbreaking ceremony for the first alien orphanage in the country?”
“I would.” Lena’s tone is so genuine that the breath is taken from Kara’s lungs. She places a hand on top of one of the hands Kara has resting on the table. “This has become as much of your project as it is mine.”
“But -”
“This wouldn’t be happening if it weren’t for you.” She squeezes Kara’s hand. “You, Kara Danvers, inspire me. You inspired this.” She points to the designs on the table. “Nobody deserves to be there more than you.” She smiles adoringly. “Supergirl can make an appearance at the gala if she wants.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. So what’s next on the list?” Kara turns her attention back to the table.
Lena continues to look at Kara’s profile. She squeezes Kara’s hand again, waiting to speak until Kara looks at her with a raised eyebrow. “It’s getting late. I did promise you dinner.”
“I didn’t come over to help for the food, Lena.” Kara’s voice is earnest.
With a smile, Lena releases Kara’s hand. “Still… I’m sure you’re hungry. We’ve been at this for hours, and I can’t be responsible for you going hungry.” She winks at Kara before walking toward the kitchen. “I have some homemade potstickers ready to be fried.”
Kara gasps before catching up with Lena. “You’ve had potstickers this whole time and haven’t told me?”
Lena chuckles. “Us Luthors are fantastic at keeping secrets.”
Laughing, Kara rests her forearms on the kitchen island. “Is that so?” She grins at Lena. “Any other secrets you are keeping from me?”
Lena smirks over her shoulder while she begins cooking. “What’s it to you?”
“Well…” Kara slides her fingers along the countertop as she walks around the kitchen island to get to the same side as Lena. “As a Super, it is my job to uncover any plots you may be up to.”
While the dumplings are simmering, Lena turns to face Kara. They lean back against opposite counters, facing each other. A silent moment passes as they watch each other. “And how exactly do you intend to unmask my secrets, Supergirl?”
Kara purses her lips. “I have my ways.”
“I’m sure you do.” Lena’s voice drops an octave, and she quirks an eyebrow.
With a nervous chuckle, Kara’s gaze turns to her feet as she adjusts her glasses, effectively breaking the growing tension. Lena turns back to the stove, allowing Kara a moment to collect herself. “Lena?” Kara’s voice is softer than it was a moment ago.
“Mmhmm?” Lena hums in question, keeping her focus on the cooking. When Kara doesn’t say anything after a minute, Lena turns around again.
Kara fidgets under her gaze for a moment. “Do you…” She shakes her head. “Anything I can help with?” She gestures toward the stove.
“How about you find something for us to watch?” Lena smiles at her.
Nodding, Kara fixes her glasses again. “I can do that.”
Lena watches Kara retreat to the living room before turning back to the stove with a sigh.
“Hey, Lena!” Kara says with a bright smile. “So… you know that gala coming up? The one we’re both already going to? Um, for the orphanage. Yeah, that one. Well, I know you’re going, and I’m going. Obviously. But, I was wondering if maybe you would like to go together with me like on a date, as my date, as each other’s dates?” Her voice becomes higher pitched as she speaks, and she winces at the utter word vomit. “That…” She sighs. “That wasn’t great, was it?”
Sucking her lips between her teeth, Alex shakes her head slowly. Her eyebrows are nearly to her hairline. “Um.”
Kara begins pacing across the kitchen from Alex. They are on opposite sides of Alex’s kitchen island. She bites at her thumbnail as she paces.
Alex takes a sip of her beer and slowly sets it down on the counter top. She watches her little sister. “Okay.” She stands from her stool. “Wanna come sit with me?” Kara continues pacing as Alex walks to the couch. “Kar?” She pats the back of the couch when Kara finally looks at her. “Sit with me.” Her voice is soft, but there’s no question to it. She levels a glare at Kara until she begins walking toward the couch. When Kara gets close, she grabs her hand and tugs them both to sit on the couch. “Okay.” She pats Kara’s leg in encouragement.
“Is it even worth practicing?” Kara’s head flops onto the back of the couch.
“What do you mean?”
Kara groans. “Even if I get it perfect with you, there’s no guarantee that I won’t get nervous once I’m actually talking to Lena.”
“There’s nothing wrong with being nervous.”
“Except for the fact that I’ve been trying to ask since the groundbreaking ceremony.”
Alex grins with a small shrug. “At least you have two more weeks.”
Kara groans again.
“Lena!” Kara smiles brightly when she opens the door to admit her best friend. “Hi.” She steps back to wave Lena into the apartment.
“Is everything okay?” Lena walks into the apartment with an amused smile, noting the difference in behavior in Kara. She sets her purse down on the counter top and turns to face Kara.
“Yup! Everything is fine.” Kara walks to the opposite side of the kitchen island from Lena.
“Are you sure? When you called, you sounded very… anxious.” Lena’s gaze turns suspicious as she sits on the stool across from Kara.
“Yes, I, uh, wanted to talk to you about the gala.” She touches the corner of her glasses.
“Are you- If you don’t want to go, you don’t have to. Or if you’d rather have Sup -”
“No!” Lena’s eyes widen at the sudden outburst from Kara. “Um, no. I do want to go. Of course, I do.” She takes a deep breath. “I just… I don’t want to go by myself.”
Lena’s eyebrows furrow together. “Kara, you’re welcome to invite along anyone you would like to.”
Kara shakes her head slowly, looking down at her hands for a moment. “I don’t want to invite anyone else.” Her voice is soft, and Lena only looks more confused.
“Kara, what -”
“I don’t want to invite someone because the person I want to go with is already going.” She meets Lena’s eyes unflinchingly, hoping to see comprehension on the younger woman’s face. “Lena, I- I want to go with you… If you’ll have me.”
Lena’s expression begins to look hopeful. “Kara… What are you trying to say?”
“I’m trying to ask you…” She reaches a hand across the counter to touch Lena’s hands that are nervously fidgeting together. “Lena, would you like to go to the gala together… as a date… with me?”
They both stop breathing for a moment, sucking in breaths at the question. Lena’s eyes soften. “Yes,” she breathes out with a smile forming on her lips.
Kara begins breathing again as she smiles in return. “Yes?” There’s so much hope in her voice.
“Yes!”
“Miss Kara! Miss Kara!” A young girl runs up to Kara after she walks into one of the playrooms at the orphanage.
“Hey, Lily!” Kara bends down to bring the girl into a hug. “What are you up to today?” She smiles brightly at the girl when they pull back from the hug.
“Miss M’gann is coming for a lesson today!” Lily bounces on her toes, clapping her hands.
“That’s so great!” Kara beams and ruffles the girl’s hair. “Your English is amazing, Lily!”
“Thank you, Miss Kara.” She smiles shyly up at Kara. “Miss M’gann said she’s going to teach me about…” She scrunches her eyebrows in thought. “Um, what do you call the other beings like dogs and the ones with the long necks?”
“Animals?” Kara says with a smile to ensure the girl won’t feel self-conscious.
“Yes! Animals! We are going to learn about different animals here.” Her excitement is contagious.
“That’s so exciting!” Kara picks the girl up, bouncing her a little before letting her relax against her hip. “There are a lot of really cool animals on this planet!” She carries her over to one of the tables. They sit down next to each other.
“Do you want to color with me?”
“Sure!” Kara gets a piece of paper from the center of the table for each of them.
After a few minutes of coloring, Lily speaks again. “Is Miss Lena going to come today?” She doesn’t look up from her coloring. “You two are always together.”
Kara smiles fondly, watching the girl color. “She had to do something, but she will be here later.”
“Oh. Okay.” The girl smiles at her before continuing her coloring.
“You like Miss Lena, huh?”
That gets the girl’s attention. “Yes! She’s so funny! And she shows us exploding things!”
“Exploding things?” Kara’s eyebrows shoot up.
“Yup!” Lily goes back to her coloring, leaving Kara without a further explanation. Kara chuckles before going back to her picture.
Several other children join their table by the time Lena comes.
“Miss Lena!” Kara turns her head when she hears children calling out her girlfriend’s name, finding her walking into the room with a bright smile. Kara completely melts at the sight.
After the children greet Lena, Kara finally has room to get to her girlfriend. They both smile into the brief kiss. “Hi, love.”
Lena smiles at Kara. “Hi, yourself.”
“Did you finish your secret project?” Kara pouts slightly at Lena, letting her know she still wants to know what Lena was doing.
“Mmhmm. I did.” She kisses Kara’s pout before walking past her toward the table Kara recently vacated. “Hi, Lily. What are you doing?”
Lily looks ecstatic to see Lena. “I’m drawing a picture for you!”
“For me?” Lena is genuinely surprised. Kara sits next to her girlfriend, placing a hand on Lena’s thigh.
Nodding, Lily slides the finished picture toward her. “It’s you and Miss Kara and the home.” In the picture, two figures are holding hands and standing in front of a building. There are smaller figures spread out around the picture, playing or doing other various activities.
“This is beautiful.” Lena sounds almost breathless. If Lily notices the wetness to Lena’s eyes, she doesn’t comment on it. “Thank you.” She passes the picture to Kara to let her see before pulling the young alien into a hug. Lily wraps her arms around Lena’s neck. Kara watches with an adoring smile.
“You like it?” Lily asks when she sits back from the hug.
“I love it,” Lena stage whispers. “Do you want to see what I made?” Lily excitedly nods.
“What?” Kara looks at Lena in question, but only received a wink from her girlfriend.
“Come on,” Lena says as she grabs Lily’s hand. Kara follows them out of the room. An announcement is made over the intercom for a show starting in the auditorium.
“Lena, what did you do?”
Looking over her shoulder, Lena just smirks at Kara.
“You’re not going to tell me, are you?”
“Nope.”
Lena leads them to seats in the middle of the front row. After the seats fill around them, Lily hops out of her chair and runs down the aisle. “Where is she going?” Kara asks Lena.
Without a word, Lena turns toward Kara and kisses her on the lips. “Show’s about to start,” she whispers as the lights dim.
Shaking her head in amusement, Kara gets comfortable. The curtain opens on the stage to reveal a large, red circle hanging in the backdrop. “Lena, what -”
“Shh.” Lena gets close to Kara’s ear. “Just watch.”
Several of the older resident children walk out onto stage. They begin acting out one of Kara’s favorite stories from Krypton. Lena smiles when she feels Kara’s fingers interlace with hers, and Kara shifts closer to her. Kara is in complete awe throughout the show.
A loud gasp escapes Kara when Alex walks out on stage. Lena squeezes her hand, but they both continue watching the show. J’onn, M’gann, Kal-El, Lois, Lucy, Mon-El, and Maggie all have small parts in the play. Toward the end, Winn comes out to sing a rendition of one of Kara’s favorite songs in mixed English and Kryptonian. The actors silently act out the end of the story while Winn sings. Lena silently hands Kara tissues.
When Winn gets to the second chorus of the song, all of the actors go back out on the stage to sing along with him. Lily comes onto the stage, wearing a red cape with the House of El crest on the back. She stands in the center, and Alex and Winn each put a hand on one of her shoulders. After a few lines, Alex and Winn walk down the steps from the center of the stage, walking right up to Kara and Lena. Winn grabs Kara’s hand, and Alex grabs Lena’s. They tug the couple on the stage. Kara is smiling through the tears in her eyes.
Kara and Lena sing the final chorus in English with everyone on stage. Lena puts her hands on Lily’s shoulders - the young alien standing in front of her. When the song ends, everyone cheers in the audience. All of the children on the stage split to the sides, leaving the adults in the center with Lily. The adults form a half circle around Kara and Lena, who taps Lily on the shoulder. The girl stands behind Lena with a giant smile. Kara looks around in confusion, but Lena grabs her hand to get her attention.
“Kara Danvers.”
Everyone goes silent. Even Kara’s sensitive ears can’t pick up anything with all of the held breaths in the auditorium. She focuses on her girlfriend.
Lena bites her lip, meeting her girlfriend’s eyes. “Kara… You are my best friend.” Kara’s eyes go wide, and her breathing quickens. Lena smiles. “This place,” she gestures with her free hand, “would not have happened without you.”
Kara wants to make a retort about is being Lena’s idea, but she can’t formulate any words over the pounding of her heart.
“We make a pretty great team.” Her smiles turns adoring. “I can’t wait to see what else we can accomplish… if you’ll have me.”
Opening her mouth to reassure Lena, Kara begins to speak. Before any sounds can formulate, she loses control of her jaw when Lena elegantly falls to one knee. Her right hand comes up to cover her gaping mouth, completely understanding why that move is a cliche.
Their eyes never break contact. “Kara Danvers,” Lena takes a deep breath, “will you marry me?”
Kara’s nodding slowly with her hand still covering her mouth, still unable to find words or believe this is actually happening. She takes a deep breath as she lowers her right hand to cover her heart. “Yes.” It’s said on an exhale.
“Yes?” Lena’s hopeful voice is betraying her nerves.
“Of course, Lena!” Kara is happier than she’s probably ever been.
Lily taps on Lena’s shoulder, handing her a small box. “Thank you, Lily.” Without looking away from Kara’s eyes, Lena takes the ring from the box and slides it on Kara’s finger.
Kara doesn’t even take the time to look at the ring. She pulls Lena onto her feet and into a kiss filled with all of her love for her new fiancee. Cheering breaks out all around them, and their family comes closer to share in the moment. “I love you so much,” Kara whispers when she rests her forehead against Lena’s.
“I love you, too.”
Kara is admiring the pictures James took at the engagement last week. “These are perfect, James.”
James looks at her with a charming smile. “Thanks, Kara. Let’s be honest, though. There’s no way pictures of that day could have been taken and not turned out perfect.”
Her eyes slide to the ring on her left hand. “Yeah,” she whispers more to herself than to James.
“So what did you want to talk about?” James moves the conversation to less heavy subjects.
Kara smiles gratefully. “We had this idea for the orphanage.”
“I’m listening.”
With Winn designing the website, and James taking photographs of the orphans, their idea takes off beautifully.
Without the threat of Cadmus anymore for several years, J’onn and Alex believes it’s safe for Kara and Lena to publicize the website for the orphanage. Although, the fiancees would have gone forward with the website with or without the “all clear.” The website is to not only publicize the existence of an alien orphanage, but it also offers a network for those willing or looking to adopt. Within the first few months of its publication, 15 adoptions are processed, nearly a million dollars are made, and news of two more alien orphanages in the works gets out.
“She’s so adorable in her little Supergirl shirt,” Kara gushes at the picture on her laptop.
“Can you imagine how she would react if she knew that she talks to Supergirl almost every day?” Lena’s chin is resting on Kara’s shoulder as they sit on their couch.
“I can’t believe there haven’t been any people interested in visiting with her yet. It’s been three months since the website went live.” Kara hears Lena suck in a sharp breath, and she tries to look down at Lena’s face. She narrows her eyes in suspicion when Lena remains still and silent. “Lena.” There’s no reaction from her fiancee. “Lena,” she says a little louder. “What do you know that I don’t?”
Lena taps her fingers on Kara’s thigh. “I did something.”
Slowly, Kara turns her body toward Lena, forcing Lena to remove her chin from Kara’s shoulder. Kara and Lena stare at each other for what feels like an endless moment in a silent battle of wits.
Finally, Lena sighs. “She’s not actually on the website.”
“But I’ve seen -”
“She can only be seen from any of our devices or ISPNs.”
“What? Why? When? How?” Kara is blinking in complete shock.
Lena’s eyes fall to her lap, where she busies herself with fidgeting with her fingers. “I couldn’t see her go,” she whispers without looking up from her hands.
“Lena, wh -”
“I’ve fallen in love with that little girl, Kara.” She finally meets Kara’s eyes.
A soft smile spreads on Kara’s face. “So have I, Lena.”
“This is all so amazing.” Lily asks with wide eyes as she slowly walks around the room, her fingers running over the various pieces of furniture as she walks by them.
Lena is pressed against Kara’s side as they stand in the doorway of the room. Kara’s arm is wrapped over Lena’s shoulders. “What do you think?” Kara asks.
Lily looks over her shoulder at Lena and Kara in confusion. “Me?”
Patting Kara’s stomach, Lena walks toward Lily in the center of the room. She kneels down to get to Lily’s head level. “Yes, you.” She smiles and takes both of Lily’s hands. “Do you like it?”
“Yes, but why are you showing me this?”
Kara comes to join them. “We want you to come live with us. If you want to, this will be your room.”
It takes a long, tense moment before comprehension dawns on the child. Her entire face brightens, and she bounces a little on her toes. “Really?” Her eyes are full of hope, but there’s some apprehension.
Lena knows that look… intimately. It’s the same look she has had with Kara so many times. “Yes, really.” Lena’s smile shows her dimples. “We want to adopt you, honey.”
“You…” Her eyes fly back and forth between the two women. “Me?” She points to her own chest.
“Yes, you.” Kara’s smile is warm and loving. Without warning, Lily lunges at both women, flinging her arms around their necks. “Is that a yes?” Kara laughs as she hugs her fiancee and Lily to her.
Lily sits back to smile at both women with tears streaming down her face. “Yes!”
All three of them smile even wider as they let the tears flow freely. Kara picks them both up, twirling them around in her arms.
“Can I help Uncle James take pictures?”
Kara and Lena turn their attention from the wedding plans on the coffee table in front of them to Lily coloring on the floor. “At the wedding?” Kara asks.
Lily smiles up at her mothers. “Yes.”
Turning back to Lena, Kara sees her fiancee shrug slightly. Lena smiles down at their daughter. “We’ll ask him if he doesn’t mind an assistant.” Lily beams and returns to her coloring.
The mothers exchange a look before Kara turns back to Lily while Lena closes the book they were going through. “Hey, Lily.”
“Yes?” Lily turns her attention back to the women on the couch.
“Come sit with us for a minute.” Kara pats the space on the couch between her and Lena.
To Kara’s and Lena’s delight, Lily is eager to meet the little boy they want to add to their family. She insists on helping decorate his room before they bring him home the next week.
“This itches.” Elcxar tugs at the collar and bow tie around his neck.
Smiling softly, Lena kneels down to adjust the offending material. “Is that better?”
He smiles crookedly and nods. “Thanks, Mommy.”
Lena’s breath gets stuck in her throat, but Elcxar doesn’t notice since he’s focused on his reflection. Her smile brings her dimples out completely. “You’re welcome.”
Kara and Lily come out of the changing room. While Lily joins her little brother at the mirror, Kara walks up to Lena to pull her into her arms. “Hey, love,” Kara whispers.
“He called me Mommy,” Lena whispers back.
“I heard.” Kara kisses Lena’s cheek as she pulls back from the hug and turns to the children giggling in front of the mirror. “What do we think?” She smiles at Lily and Elcxar as they turn to face their moms with large grins.
Lena wraps her arm around Kara’s waist. “I think they’re ready for a wedding.” She kisses Kara’s cheek. “Now it’s our turn.”
“Kara?”
There’s no response.
“Kar?” Alex stands to walk over to her sister’s side. She meets Kara’s eyes in the mirror.
Taking in a deep breath, Kara allows a wistful smile to overtake her face. “This… This is it.” She looks at the dress in her reflection. “This one,” she whispers.
“It’s perfect, Kara.” Alex smiles lovingly at her sister.
“Mama! Mama!” Kara and Alex look over their shoulders toward the source of the voices that broke the sisterly moment.
“Woah! Hold up, munchkins!” Alex squats down to catch Jayme and Elena in her arms before they could jump at their mother and her soon-to-be wedding gown. “Let Mama take her dress off first.” She laughs at the youthful protests from her nieces.
Kara laughs at the sight before her. “So what do you think, girls?” She holds her arms out from her sides and twirls around in her dress.
“So pretty! Mommy’s gonna love it!” Elena’s nose crinkles with her smile.
“Where is Mommy?” Jayme’s pointed ears move as she speaks.
Alex ruffles Jayme’s hair. “Your mom is with Aunt Maggie trying on dresses, too.” She leans closer to stage whisper to the girls. “They want to keep their dresses a surprise for each other.” She winks before looking over her shoulder at Kara.
“That’s right!” Kara smiles at her daughters. “So… who’s hungry?”
“Mama is!” Jayme raises her hand and jumps on the balls of her feet.
Alex throws her head back in laughter and has to stand to keep from falling. Elena joins in on her laughter, and Kara playfully crosses her arms with a glare. Alex pats her sister’s shoulder. “Two-year-olds don’t lie.” She winks at Kara, who rolls her eyes in response.
“I’m going to take this off. Figure out where they want to eat.” Kara shakes her head as she walks back to the changing room. Alex’s and the girls’ laughter hit her ears as she leaves.
The newlyweds return from their honeymoon to a surprise welcome home party at their penthouse. The penthouse has extended to the top three floors of the building in the past six months to allow them more space, so each child can have their own room.
“And who’s this?” Lena smiles at the teenage girl trailing behind Maggie.
Maggie steps to the side, gesturing for the girl to step forward. “This is Mithe.” She smiles encouragingly at the alien girl. “She’s been spending some time with me, shadowing me, you could say.”
“Is that so?” Lena asks the girl with a smile.
She nods, but doesn’t speak. Maggie nudges her gently with a smile. “I- I want to be a detective, too.”
“Well,” Lena holds out her hand for Mithe to shake, “it’s nice to meet you, Mithe. I’m Lena.” She throws a slight wink at Maggie. “You’ve found the perfect role model here, if you want to be a detective.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” Mithe’s voice is shy, but she smiles at Lena.
“I have to go find Alex.” Maggie pats Mithe’s shoulder. She smirks at Lena, who shakes her head in amusement.
“Hopefully, you can learn to be more subtle than her,” Lena tells Mithe. The girl giggles a little, but she seems surprised by the sound that comes out of her own mouth. Lena smiles softly with a tilt of her head. “How long have you been shadowing Maggie?”
“Um.” She shuffles on her feet. “A few days. She, uh, found me.”
“That’s lucky.” Lena looks away at something for a moment. “Are you hungry?”
The girl raises her eyebrows in mild surprise. “Um, yes.”
“Wondering how I knew that?” Lena asks as she begins walking and waves at Mithe to follow her.
“I thought you were human.”
Laughing, Lena looks at her over her shoulder. “Don’t worry. I am.” She leads them to the patio, where the food is. “I can’t read minds, but I know a hungry Kryptonian when I see one.”
Mithe freezes in utter shock, staring at Lena as they stand next to a table of food. Her mouth hangs open, but she’s unable to grasp onto any words.
“If you’re wondering if anyone else knows, I don’t think so.” She begins pouring herself a drink. “Help yourself.” She gestures toward the food on the table. When Mithe doesn’t move, Lena sets her drink down before facing the girl. “Two things.” Her lips quirk slightly. “Your name. Mithen was one of Krypton’s moons, the one that wasn’t exploded by Jax-Ur.” Mithe tenses, but Lena chooses not to comment. “I knew before hearing your name, though.” She holds up her watch. “See this? It’s made from a mineral that magnetizes Kryptonian matter. I adapted it to notify me as opposed to magnetizing.” She holds her wrist out for Mithe to see.
After a moment, Mithe breaks eye contact to look at the watch. It’s flashing. She swallows the lump in her throat before speaking. “Are you going to turn me in?”
Lena’s smile turns sympathetic. “You don’t have anything to worry about.” She purses her lips. “How long have you been on Earth?”
“Two years.” She fidgets with her hands, eyebrows furrowing together as if she’s in pain. “But, um, I guess I’m from the future.”
“Are your parents from the Phantom Zone?” Lena’s tone holds no malice, only curiosity.
Mithe nods. “They, um, escaped before the prison ended up here. I was born on a planet they took over. Superman sent them through a black hole while my mother was pregnant with me. They ended up separated. My mother landed on Rokyn shortly after Kandor was enlarged. All she cared about was finding her way back to… him. When she was able to make a tear in space, she sent me through it with a tracking device.”
“How old were you?”
“12.” She takes a deep breath. “I ended up in the Fort Rozz of this time. There were people in suspended animation there, but I was alone. My mother gave me something to use if I ended up in there. It would allow us to use the portal.” She looks down to hide the tears. “I broke the tracker and used the portal. I didn’t even care where it took me.” She meets Lena’s eyes again. “I ended up outside of National City.”
Lena became more and more shocked as Mithe spoke. “Have you been out there, on your own, since then?”
Mithe shrugs. “I’ve done alright. I jumped around between a few alien refugee hideouts.”
“Are you staying at the home now?”
“No.” Mithe looks down at her feet. “Well, not exactly. I go there to help sometimes. It can get a little overwhelming.”
“Do you ever use your powers?”
She shakes her head. “I don’t know how Supergirl does it. I can’t even begin to imagine having enough control over my emotions like that.”
“Perhaps she can help you with that.”
The fact that Lena knows Supergirl doesn’t seem to surprise Mithe. “Detective Sawyer told me you would say something like that.” She smiles in relief.
“In the meantime… my wife and I would be happy to allow you to stay here. As you can see, we have plenty of room, and the sounds of the city don’t really reach us up here.”
Mithe looks skeptical. “I basically just told you that I have powers I don’t have control of and that both of my parents were criminals that fought against Superman… You’d really let the child of super villains into your house, around your family?”
Lena surprises Mithe by laughing. Mithe looks startled, but Kara walks up before Lena can catch her breath to offer an explanation. “Hi.” She smiles at Mithe. “I’m Kara.” She shakes the girl’s hand. “You’ve come to the right family.” With a wink at Lena, she releases Mithe’s hand.
“Hello?” Lena cradles her cell phone between her ear and shoulder as she types on her laptop.
“Um, hey, Lena.” Mithe’s voice sounds in Lena’s ear.
“What’s wrong?” Lena focuses her attention on the worried tone of voice.
Mithe sighs. “Koriand’r ran away again.”
It’s Lena’s turn to sigh. “Where are you?”
“The home. I called you right after I found out.”
“Okay, I’ll call K -”
“No.” Mithe hesitates. “I can go find her.”
“Mithe -”
“I can do this. She trusts me.” She sounds so determined. “She’s my age. I under -”
“Okay.”
“We are… Wait. What did you say?”
Lena lets out a breath. “Go find her.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, I’ll find her!”
“And, Mithe?”
“Yes?”
“Take her home.”
“Yes, of course. Miss M’gann -”
“No. Take her home, Mithe. I’ll meet you there.”
“Oh.” Understanding fills Mithe’s tone. “Okay.”
The call ends. “I love you, kid,” she whispers with a smirk.
“Where’s the terror trio?” Lena asks as she sits beside Kara on the couch in their main living room.
Kara snorts out a laugh, wrapping an arm around Lena’s shoulders. “Do they know you call them that?”
“They’ve embraced it.” Lena laughs. “Ever since Jupiter introduced Toni to us, those three have been inseparable… and insufferable.”
“Loren Jupiter is just jealous that he’s only a millionaire, and you’re a billionaire.”
Lena’s head falls against the back of the couch as she laughs. “Oh, so are you saying Antonia only agreed to stay with us because of our money?” Lena teases.
Kara chuckles, kissing Lena on the lips. “Toni Monetti couldn’t care less about the Luthor money. She’s here because of Mithe.”
Lena groans. “You noticed that too, huh?”
“Ha. Yeah. I don’t think Mithe has though. She’s been too obsessed with all of the training Alex has been giving them. Kory has gotten really good at staff fighting.”
“Is that where they are now?”
“No, actually. Kon-El stopped by earlier, asking them to hang out. They flew off a couple of hours before you got home.”
“What?”
Kara shrugs. “They’re all 18. Well, Kon-El is 20, but still… they aren’t exactly kids, Lee.”
“Connor has been spending a lot of time with them lately.” Lena purses her lips.
“Mmhmm.”
“Do you think they’re up to something?”
Kara shrugs. “As long as there’s nothing on the news showing up about them… I’m good.”
Lena shakes her head in amusement. “So…” she drags out the word as she runs her fingers down Kara’s thigh. “All the little ones are playing at the home…” She straddles Kara’s lap. “The superheroes in training are off probably in some isolated desert…” She slides her hands down Kara’s arms. “All of our children, adopted or honorary, won’t be home for at least a few hours.” She kisses Kara’s forehead. “Nothing is going on at L-Corp.” She kisses Kara’s cheek. “The city isn’t under any threats.” She kisses the other cheek. “It’s a calm Saturday in National City.” She kisses Kara’s nose. “And we have the house all to ourselves.” She finally kisses Kara’s lips.
“Hmm,” Kara hums against her lips. “All to ourselves, huh?”
Nodding, Lena hums in affirmation. “That’s right.”
Kara smirks. In the blink of an eye, she has Lena on her back on the couch, hovering over her. “I like the way you think, Mrs. Luthor.”
“Is that so, Mrs. Luthor?” Lena locks eyes with her wife.
“Very much so.” Kara’s words hit Lena’s lips. Lena stretches up to catch Kara’s lips, but Kara moves out of reach with a smirk. “Want me to show you?”
“I thought you’d never ask.”