Chapter Text
Alex walked out of the room. A smile hung on her face, not a huge one, but it was significantly pleasant.
“She’s resting.” She told me.
“Can I see her?” I asked shyly.
“Not yet. She’s still a little shaken up, but the sunlamps will do their magic,” Alex reassured me. “I know you’re worried, but she’s alright. She sustained small injuries that were easily handled. She’s going to be okay.”
“I know, but I still feel that small twinge of guilt in my chest.” I admitted softly.
“Hey, it’s not your fault, okay? You have done nothing but help us get through this. We all appreciate your effort.” Alex said warmly, rubbing my back. “I know I blew up on you a couple of days ago. I never should have done that. You just wanted to get her back, and so did I.”
“I appreciate that,” I murmured.
“Help me finish the decorations? Nia is running late.”
“Of course.”
“Everyone, calm down. I estimate Kara will arrive with Alex in the next three seconds,” Brainy announced. “And, now!”
“Welcome home, Kara!” We all said in unison.
Kara grinned sheepishly, “Thanks, guys.”
She hung her head low, a bright blush creeping up on her cheeks.
J’onn was the first to greet Kara. He embraced her in a tight hug.
“I don’t know what we would have done if we hadn’t gotten you back.” He murmured into her shoulder, almost in tears.
She then moved onto Brainy, and then Nia, embracing them both. She cocked her head towards me with a smile, almost in a teasing manner. I immediately melted into her arms as she rested her chin on my shoulder.
“It’s only because you’re on the team that I’m here.” She murmured into my ear. Small sobs started to build in my chest. She held me for a few more moments, then let me drift away slowly. I smile, tears rolling down my checks.
I couldn’t believe she was finally home, finally here. I was able to see her, touch her; It still felt like my mind was playing a trick on me, that I was still possessed by a Phantom. I almost had to pinch myself as Kara gazed into my eyes. Something was peculiar about the way she looked at me; It confused me, yet ignited a kindle in me that wished to burn. I struggled to maintain eye contact with her, butterflies swarming inside my stomach. I felt the soft brush of her fingertips against the back of my hand. I shivered at her touch.
She glanced down at our hands and blinked; She then readjusted her posture abruptly, like she was trying to snap herself out of a daydream. Alex looked at her with concerned eyes, but Kara glanced up to meet her with a smile.
“Well, you didn’t think we’d throw you a party without food, did you?” Alex asked in disbelief, easing the atmosphere. Kara’s eyes widen as she realizes behind me sit five boxes of potstickers. She races over immediately, forgetting we ever existed, and starting shoving handfuls of food into her mouth. J’onn laughed, while Brainy shot a displeased look. Nia accompanied him with an amused scoff. Alex shared Brainy’s displeasement.
“Ahem, Earth to Kara. We all have to eat too,” Alex grumbled. “Move over.”
“Hey! That was the last one!” Kara complained.
“And you ate the other twenty-nine.” Alex shot back.
We all laughed at their quarrel as we loaded our plates with snacks. After I pour myself a glass of wine, Nia walks up behind me.
“Is it just me, or is something going on between you two?”
“What?” I asked abruptly, almost choking on my wine. Nia chuckled.
“You know who I’m talking about. Don’t play dumb.” Nia confronted me, looking at me and then giving Kara a quick glance.
Nia and I had become really close lately, but not as close as Kara and I. I almost, almost, thought about telling her that I liked Kara.
“Me, and Kara?” I said, scoffing. “There’s nothing, Nia. We’re just friends.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” Nia murmured.
“Oh, yeah? What makes you think that?” I asked curiously, beating around the bush.
“Kara didn’t even go to Alex when she found the ship. She flew right into your arms.”
“She also hugged Alex.” I added.
“Lena, c’mon. You can’t be serious.” Nia insisted.
“Absolutely nothing,” I said firmly. “Nothing is going on.”
“I will write a ten page essay on how and why there is something,” Nia warns. “I would even turn it into Andrea.”
“Oh god, please don’t.” I laughed sheepishly.
“Nia, come look!” Brainy called Nia over to the table with him and J’onn.
Nia rolled her eyes playfully. “I’m coming, I’m coming.”
I sat with my wine for a little while, sipping and talking to Alex every now and then. I watched as Brainy showed Nia how many marshmallows he could fit into his mouth without swallowing. Kara mostly stood by the food counter with Nia and Brainy. All three of them had a marshmallow competition; Kara won, obviously.
“That was a lot of marshmallows.” I said with a smirk as Kara sat down beside me, holding a beer.
“It’s the Kryptonian metabolism,” Kara said light heartedly, smirking back. “I have to go to the restroom. Make sure they don’t eat all the food?”
I rolled my eyes, “You’re the one they should be concerned about.”
She laughed, setting her drink down to disappear upstairs.
I watched over the food for her anyways; It felt like a silly, tedious task. Nia asked why I was staring at the food like today was going to be my final day on Earth.
“Kara told me to watch the food. That’s what I’m doing.” I deadpanned.
“You’d do something as ridiculous as that for her.” Nia murmured playfully. I smacked her on the arm, blushing furiously.
“It’s the truth, is it not?” She presumed.
“Oh, shut it.” I muttered, pouring myself more wine.
After a while, I didn't see Kara return. I tried to reassure myself that she was okay. Finally after a good five minutes of my teeth grinding my nails out of anxiety, I decided to look for her.
“Have you seen Kara?” I asked Alex as she walked up to fill her wine glass.
“I think she may be on the balcony. She goes there when she wants to be alone,” Alex said. “Although, I don’t think she’ll mind your company.”
“Thanks.” I murmured sheepishly, making my way up the stairs. I reached the top, Kara’s cape lightly brushing the floor. Her posture seemed somber, but peaceful. I knew she heard me, but she didn’t move a muscle at my appearance.
“Hey.” I murmured softly. She continued to stare out across the city, leaning against the railing with her hands folded. After another long moment, she inhaled deeply and turned to me. Her eyes were sorrowful as her lips stayed into a pressed line.
“Do you want to know what my most frequent vision in the Phantom Zone was?” She asked randomly. I stayed silent; I hadn’t expected such a question from her.
“We don’t have to talk about it if you aren’t re-”
“It was you.” She interrupted. She exhaled heavily, tears threatening to spill over. She clenched her teeth to prevent them from shedding.
“What do you mean?” I squeaked, my voice cracking. I didn’t want to hear her answer, but I knew she was going to give it to me either way. My throat started to close up as my heart beat heavily against my chest.
“It was the night I told you I was Supergirl. In the vision, you didn’t handle it well at all. You had two choices; You could hurt me, or you could forgive me. At Lex’s bunker, you weren’t able to stop the canons from firing. You didn’t want to stop them. You were so enraged, and the only way to get rid of your pain was to root out the source.”
She stopped briefly to gauge my reaction.
“I can’t, stop. I can’t take this.” I whispered. I started to walk away, my fight-or-flight mode kicking in as my heart started to ache.
I really couldn’t have done all those things, could I? Kill my own best friend out of revenge? No. I’m not like my brother. I’m not like my brother.
“Wait.” Kara insisted, grabbing my arm gently and pulling me back. She waited a few moments, staring into my soul once again as she did before.
“It wasn’t you that was horrifying to me.” She started, swallowing thickly. “It was the fact that I hurt you so badly about not telling you who I am. I never, ever want to hurt you again Lena.”
She leaned against the frame of the balcony, arms crossed. Her face was tired with grief. I wanted to reach out to her, to comfort her, despite the situation.
“I encountered a Phantom, too.” I said.
“You did? How?” Kara asked, bewildered.
“When we rescued you, they breached onto the ship, but we were all able to overcome them,” I explained. “My Phantom was my mother.”
“Your mother?” She questioned gingerly.
“She came to me. I was so overwhelmed. I felt that warmth take me over; I was going to give up, until she held out her hand to me. She took me back to that day, and I realized it wasn’t my fault. Her death, I mean. After all the years of grief, I was finally able to let go of my emotions. Just like with you.”
I looked up at her tenderly and smiled a little.
Her mouth was slightly ajar, eyes shining from the glimpse of the sun setting in the distance. It was such a blissful thing to see the awe in them.
“Lena, I-”
“What are you two doing out here?”
Alex skips up the steps, joining us. I cough awkwardly.
“Just talking.” I murmured.
“Was I interrupting something?” She asked, looking at both of us.
“No,” Kara spoke up. “We were just finishing up.”
“Well, we’re gonna play charades soon, if you guys would like to join us.”
“Yeah, sounds fun,” Kara smiled. “We’ll come down in a minute.”
“Alex, get down here! You and Kelly are up first!” Nia yelled.
“Coming!” Alex replied, disappearing as quickly as she appeared.
“Privacy is never a thing with Alex, huh?” I questioned light-heartedly.
“She’s probably just worried about me.” Kara murmured.
“We all are. I missed you.”
“I missed you, too.”
I looked up at her. My heart started to beat out of my chest as I realized Kara had taken my hand into hers.
“I just need someone to lean onto, you know?” She murmured, brushing her thumb against the back of my hand. Her touch was so smooth, so delicate. She rested her head into the crook of my neck as we stood against the railing.
“I need someone to catch me when I’m falling.” She breathed against my skin.
“Yeah, me too.” I whispered, savoring the moment.
“Are you sure it’s okay that I stay here?” I asked for the fifth time. Kara rolled her eyes.
“Yes, Lena. I don’t mind.” Kara had reassured me again with a chuckle. I still felt like a burden in some way; I ridiculed the thought away as I set a blanket out on the couch.
“What are you doing?” Kara asked me, puzzled.
“Sleeping on the couch.” I said, raising an eyebrow of confusion.
“You’re not sleeping on the couch, silly,” Kara replied. “You’re taking the bed.”
“Oh.” I murmured. “Is that alright?”
“For the sixth time, yes Lena. I don’t mind.” Kara said. She walked into the bedroom for a pillow.
“If you say so.” I mumbled, pulling back the sheets. I crawled into Kara’s bed and layed down.
“Goodnight, Lena.” Kara said tenderly before she turned out the light.
“Goodnight.” I murmured, turning over.
I tried everything I could to slumber. I snuggled deeply into the sheets. I counted sheep. I gazed out the window at the stars. Nothing helped me fall into the equilibrium of sleep. I threw the covers back in frustration. Glancing at the clock, it read 12:47AM. I sighed softly, getting out of bed and heading to the kitchen for a glass of water. After pouring the glass of water and chugging it in one go, I made my way back to Kara’s bedroom. I glanced at the couch.
Kara was fast asleep, the blanket hanging halfway off her body. Her forearm covered her eyes as her chest slowly rose and fell. I decided to ditch the bed. Something told me I wasn’t going to be able to fall asleep without her. I pulled the blanket off of her slowly so that I wouldn’t wake her up, and laid beside her. I rested my head on her chest and wrapped my arm around her waist. Her body heat slowly melted me into relaxation, and shortly thereafter, I was finally able to diminish into a fuzzy, peaceful sleep.
Tranquility flourished in the atmosphere as I slowly came back to the world of the living. Sunlight peeked through the blinds, throwing shadows onto the floor. Warmth flooded my body as I realized where I was; I was snuggled into Kara, my head rested on her chest. Except I wasn’t where I was when I had laid down. Kara’s arm that was covering her face was now around my waist; my arm that was resting on hers laid on her shoulder, my fingertips resting on her collarbone. Kara inhaled deeply, and sighed blissfully. She slowly opened her eyes, staring straight into mine. A smile gradually spread across her lips.
“What?” She murmured, a small chuckle escaping.
“Oh, nothing.” I replied, wrapping a strand of her hair around my finger.
She chuckled, “I could stay here all day with you.”
“As could I, darling.”
Right on cue, Kara’s phone rang.
She grumbled, “Who the hell could that be?”
I sat up so she could reach over and grab her phone.
“The devil herself.” Kara deadpanned. She clicked accept.
“Kara, you’re fifteen minutes late for work! Do you know how precious time is for me?!” Andrea practically yelled through the phone.
“Sorry, I overslept. I'll be up there right away.” Kara murmured.
“Make it fast, or I might just give your desk to William.” Andrea hung up the phone.
Kara rolled her eyes, placing the phone back down on the table.
“Duties call, I’m afraid.”
I groaned, “Can’t Andrea just pin the work on someone else?”
“Apparently she cannot.”
I sighed, rolling off the couch. Kara flew into her bedroom. Two seconds later she came out wearing a button down gray and white flannel with a pair of navy blue jeans and Doc Martens. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail. She was missing only one thing..
“Looking for these?” I asked, grinning. I spun her glasses on one finger.
“My finishing touch.” She teased. I opened the glasses and pushed them over her ears.
I blushed a scarlet red as she smiled.
“Thanks.” She murmured.
“Don’t mention it.”
“Help yourself to anything in the fridge.” She said, pulling a matching blue blazer over her shoulders.
“Thanks.” I said.
“Keys?” She nodded to the counter. I threw them at her; she caught them.
I smiled. “I still can’t get used to that.”
She flushed. “Reflexes. I’ll see you later?”
“Yeah, I’m gonna head to the tower later.”
She nodded, shoving her keys in her pocket. She opened the door and shut it behind her.
And there I was. Left alone to boredom.
I found eggs and bacon in the refrigerator. I cooked myself breakfast and cleaned up afterwards. Bored out of my mind, I searched Kara’s book-shelf for a read. My fingers skimmed over the materials of each book until one stood out to me.
“Wuthering Heights.”
It was a classic romance novel; I myself had read it many times. So why did it find the book peculiar? I noticed the book was more damaged than the others. The neck of the book was curled at the top and bottom; I opened the book to stained pages. I realized now the condition of the book as I read the words, “To my Kar. Hope you find comfort in this book as I did when I first woke up here.”
Mon-El signed his name below the words. I immediately closed the book, feeling as if I invaded Kara’s privacy somehow. I placed the book back where it sat, and grabbed another classic, “The Great Gatsby.”
I took the book and sat down on the crouch cross legged. I pulled a blanket over my legs and attempted to speed-run the book. I already read it multiple times, but I always found comfort in the romance of it. After a while, Alex called my phone.
“We need you at the tower.”
“I’m on my way.” I murmured, hanging up. I dressed into a casual gray t-shirt and black skinny jeans (thanks to Kara’s immaculate closet), and drove to the tower. I rode the elevator up to the top floor; the door opened to a frantic Kara, hunched over the table. I walked over to her, rubbing her back.
“What is that?” I asked in bewilderment.
Kara held what looked like a gemstone; she tried to laser into it but it didn’t move or break.
“It’s a gemstone. I found them in the Phantom Zone but… they can’t exist here. This must be destroyed.” She said firmly.
“Where did you find it, exactly?”
Alex asked as she emerged from the laboratory.
“I found it on a random guy I was stopping.” She muttered dismissively.
Alex looked over to me with concern.
“Can I take a look?” I asked, almost prying the blue rock from her hands.
“Just don’t activate it, please!” She insisted.
“I won’t,” I chuckled behind me. “I’m a scientist, remember?”
I walked into the laboratory and propped the gem onto some metal stencils to hold it in place. Alex entered the room hastily.
“Why is Kara so concerned about this damn gem? I think something happened in the Phantom Zone that she didn’t tell us about.”
“I’m not sure, but this isn’t like anything I’ve seen before.” I murmured as I examined the gem under a magnifying glass.
“The gem isn’t made of minerals, it has more of a gas structure to it. But it’s hard as a boulder.” I tapped it to be sure.
“How is that even possible?” Alex asked in amazement.
“I have no clue. But maybe try to pry that information out of your sister?” I teased.
“No promises.” She chuckled as she left the room.
Later, I went back to Kara’s place after thoroughly trying to match the gem’s chemical make-up with every mineral I could find. I still came up with empty answers. I sighed as I flopped down on the couch. Defeated, I decided to finish reading “The Great Gatsby.”
Shortly after I was done with the book, Kara opened the door and happiness washed over me. She set her keys and bag down on the table and flew over to me. I whipped my head around; she sat beside me on the couch, smiling.
“How was your day?” I asked nonchalantly.
“Finished two articles for Andrea and stopped a casual bank robbery,” She said with content. “Did you die of boredom?”
“You know, I have other things I like to do in my free time other than give you attention.” I teased, grinning.
“That’s fair.” She murmured with a smirk.
“I still wasn’t able to find out what the gem is made of. Are you sure you found it on a stranger?” I asked curiously.
Her eyes shifted with dread. “Look, it just needs to be contained. We need to find out as much about it as we can.” She said vaguely.
“I don’t think there’s much I can do, considering the thing glows and looks like it’s from a different dimension.” I joked light-heartedly.
“Well trust me, it’s dangerous.” She murmured grimly.
“Is there something you need to get off your chest?”
Kara sighed, staring off into the distance.
“When I was in the Phantom Zone, I found someone else other than my father. Her name is Nyxly. She’s a fifth dimensional imp who can wield large amounts of power. Magic, it is. As I was trying to escape the Phantom Zone, we discovered those gems in a cave. She touched one and it gave her power, but only for a moment. I agreed I’d let her have them if she sent us home. She betrayed us; I destroyed what I could of the gems so that she couldn’t escape into the real world. I guess the gem I found today escaped with me. I became paranoid that she got out, so I searched National City over every ten minutes. She’s not a force to be messed with.”
Kara’s face had gradually regained color as she told me the story. She let out a breath of relief.
“That was quite a lot. But hey,” I took her hand in mine. “If she does come here, we will put her back in the Phantom Zone, okay?” I reassured her.
She nodded slowly.
“Do you believe in magic?” She asked randomly, looking up into my eyes.
I thought her question over for a moment. Could magic really exist in a world of superheroes and aliens?
“I believe in you.” I said finally. She flushed, scooting closer to me. She laid her head in my lap as I played with her hair. We sat in comfortable silence as a rerun of Friends played in the background. Soon, we fell asleep on the couch again peacefully, embodied in each other’s warmth and comfort.