Chapter Text
Every day was the same. More or less. Get up, save some people, smile for Nia and J’onn, convince Alex she was doing okay, get back to bed, repeat. She managed to fit reporting somewhere in there, but the days were such a blur Kara couldn’t remember when she was at Catco in a button-up or the DEO in her suit. It didn’t matter, though, she started to grow fond of the blur. If she slowed down, if the blur faded back into heart aching clarity, she’d have to think about Lena. Or lack thereof.
She was doing good. They were doing good, but Lena’s trust was fragile and Kara’s lies piled up. It was one big train wreck that Kara couldn’t jump in front of to stop. Lena had packed up all her stuff while Kara was out, but how could she say she was saving a man in a burning building? Of course, Lena assumed she was cheating, and honestly Kara didn’t blame her. She was a liar, she was just as bad as a cheater. She knew Lena had been broken before, how delicate their love was, but she still couldn’t bring herself to tell her the truth. She wanted to say it was for Lena’s safety, but knew that wasn’t true anymore, not after two months of dating, and an even longer friendship.
Kara flew blindly around the city, trying to maintain the blur she’d kept up for the few weeks since Lena left her. Still, green eyes managed to fight their way into the front of her mind and the blonde had to suddenly veer right to avoid a building. This wasn’t working. With Lena, things worked… didn’t they? Kara kissed Lena goodbye in the morning, but then Supergirl would argue with her over how to protect the city. It felt like two different worlds, and it almost was. She wanted Lena back, but would she even want Kara if she knew the truth?
“Kara, do you copy?” Alex’s voice suddenly pulled Kara back to Earth.
“I’m here.” She responded, slowing to a hover as she awaited her sister’s update. Kara thought she heard a twinge of hesitation in Alex’s voice, but hoped she was imagining it.
“There’s a break-in. Definite hostile alien activity.” Alex still seemed to hesitate, making Kara’s stomach do those awful flips that always happened when she heard something she didn’t like.
“Okay…? Where?” Kara didn’t wait for Alex’s answer, closing her eyes and tuning into the city, listening for anything that would-
A scream cut through everything else. A scream Kara was all too familiar with.
“LuthorCorp.” Alex answered, but Kara was already there, landing on Lena’s balcony with a crunch of concrete she’d remember to apologize for later. A large, reptilian-looking man stood in the Luthor’s office, and as Supergirl entered, she saw Lena on the ground, eyes widening in what Kara hoped was relief at the hero. The blonde felt her persona fumble slightly, the last time Lena looked at her it was full of hurt and anger, but she quickly pulled herself together, for Kara’s sake more than anyone else’s.
“Step away from Ms. Luthor.” Supergirl boomed, hands on her hips, making the reptile man spin around, lips curled in anger. He took a step forward with a clenched fist, before his expression changed, listening. After a pause, he grinned. “I guess we’ll talk later, yeah?” He laughed before shoving something in his pocket and bursting out the window, glass shattering. Supergirl flew to the balcony, but he was already out of sight.
“Alex, I lost him.” Kara grumbled miserably into the comms, a tap on her shoulder making the superhero jump more than she’d care to admit. She turned, face to face with the woman who broke her heart just a few weeks prior. Except now, the brunette had a grateful smile on her lips, cheeks flushed red with adrenaline. “Are you okay?” Supergirl blurted out, internally wincing at the worry tinting her voice.
“Oh, yes, I’ll be fine. I can handle a thug or two.” Lena carelessly shrugged, like the near-death experience moments before was just a part of the work day. Kara missed her so bad.
“Any idea what he was after? What did he pocket?” Supergirl questioned, thinking back to what she assumed was a flash drive. An emotion Kara couldn’t quite pin down flashed across Lena’s face, before she gave another nonchalant shrug, crossing her arms.
“He stole some bank records. My guess is he’s just trying to make a quick buck, but I’ll have the money transferred and accounts frozen before he can even catch his awful smelling breath.” Lena said with a wrinkle of her nose. Kara’s heart clenched at the casualness of their conversation.
“Still, someone that wanted to make a quick buck wouldn’t target such a high profile woman as yourself.” Kara furrowed her brow in thought, looking back at the shattered window. “And did you notice how he moved to attack me, but stopped? It looked like there was someone in his ear, telling him to fall back-”
“Supergirl.” Lena cut Kara off, the blonde’s head whipping forward. Lena played with her hands in an awkward way Kara had only seen a few times before, one being when the brunette asked her on their first date. The memory hurt like hell, and Kara had to fight the emotions from showing on her face. “I just...wanted to say thank you.” Lena cleared her throat, looking back up at Supergirl with a pained smile. “I know you’ve saved me countless times before, and this one didn’t even require a fight, but these past few weeks have been really hard on me.”
“O-oh?” Was all Kara could manage out, trying her hardest to keep the thickness out of her voice.
“Yeah, I don’t want to bore you with the details, I know you’re a busy woman,” Lena gave a half-hearted chuckle. “But even though we haven’t always gotten along, you’ve been there when I needed you. I can’t say that for everyone in my life.” Her face darkened slightly and Kara felt like throwing up. “So thanks, Supergirl. You’re my hero.”
Kara leaned back, inhaling sharply and shaking her head. This wasn’t right. Kara Danvers was supposed to be her hero. Kara Danvers was supposed to be there when she needed her. She felt an odd wave of jealousy for Supergirl, how she got to stay in Lena’s good graces somehow when Kara was left by herself.
“No. Lena, I’m sorry...no.” Supergirl choked out, Lena’s eyes now full of the concern she once held for Kara.
“Sorry? What are you sorry for?” The Luthor asked, her voice laced with nerves. Kara shook her head again, turning around to face the city and gripping the railing of the balcony so hard the metal bent like putty. Supergirl hung her head, letting out a shaky sigh as tears swarmed her vision.
“Lena...I have something I need to tell you.”