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“Get out.”
Lena stared at Kara with a guarded look in her eyes. It was a look Kara had only seen when Lena was talking to board members or about her family. It had never been directed towards her before.
“I’m so sorry Lena. I just wanted to protect you. I-”
“It’s odd isn’t it?” Lena quirked her eyebrow with a cold smirk on her face. “You wanted to protect me yet you ended up hurting me more than anyone else could.”
A stricken look came across Kara’s face. “I-I-” Kara stutered for a moment and then took a deep breath. “Everyone who knows automatically gets a target on their back and I wanted to protect you.”
A stormy look passed over Lena’s face. “I could believe that if everyone else in our friend group didn’t already know. I understand Alex, James, and Brainy. I mean Alex is your sister for God’s sake, James already knew because of your cousin, and Brainy is from the future. But, Winn, Maggie, and Nia. You chose to tell them. You knew Nia for less than 6 months before you told her. You didn’t even like Maggie when you told her!”
“I’m sorry Lena!” Kara shouted and “I’m sorry, okay? I was selfish. Is that what you wanted to hear? Every time someone finds out about me I’m no longer Kara Danvers or better yet Kara Zor-El. I become Supergirl, an alien with the weight of the world on her shoulders, an alien who could never understand. Every conversation revolves around the latest villain or a new weapon or even my job at Catco. With you I felt human. For the first time since I came to Earth I felt like I fit in. I could talk to you about NSYNC or a cute puppy video or the newest restaurant. I-”
Kara stopped as she watched Lena stand up and stare out the window.
“And how did you feel everytime you argued with me as Supergirl? Did you feel human then too?”
“Lena I-” Kara started.
Lena turned around and walked over to pour herself a glass of scotch. “I think this was very productive, Miss. Danvers. If you could see yourself out, I have another meeting in a few minutes.”
Kara’s eyes filled with tears and opened her mouth to protest, but closed it quickly and jerkly nodded her head. Slowly with her gaze facing her shoes, she trudged out the door.
Lena stared at the glass of scotch in her hand as she left. When she heard the door close, she waited a few seconds and then called Jess in.
“Yes, Ms. Luthor?”
“Jess please revoke Miss. Danvers’ access to L-Corp for the future.”
Jess looked taken aback, but quickly schooled her expression. “Of course, Ms. Luthor”
When Jess left, Lena walked out onto the balcony and took a sip of her scotch. Her mind kept replaying the last moments of her brother’s life. She remembered the shock of seeing Kara take off her glasses and transform into Supergirl in the video he revealed to her. She remembered the shame and embarrassment she felt because she hadn’t realized her best friend was Supergirl. She still felt the weight of the gun in her hand and the curve of the trigger. She still felt the pain in her shoulder from the recoil of the gun as she put three bullets in her brother. She still felt the coldness of his smile as he took his last breath.
She remembered everything about that night. The betrayal was worse than every betrayal that had happened before it and she knew why as much as she didn’t want to admit it. Kara knew her in ways no one else had ever cared to before. She knew about Andrea, Lex, Veronica, Lionel, and Lillian. She knew her favorite food and movie. She thought Kara knew her vision for L-Corp and saw past her last name, however this was a rude awakening. At the end of the day no matter what she did her last name will always be Luthor and that will always be enough reason to be suspicious.
Alex was worried. She hadn’t heard from Kara in a week and Supergirl hadn’t been seen in that time either.
She knocked on her sister’s door and waited. She heard no movement from inside the apartment, but she knew Kara had to be there. She had called James to check if she was at Catco and he had said Kara had not come in this week and she knew Supergirl had not been spotted on patrol. Alex pulled out her key and unlocked Kara’s door, she was met with several boxes of empty takeout containers and used tissues thrown on the ground. In the middle of it all was a Kara sized lump on the couch covered in five blankets peeking at the TV which seemed to be showing Star Wars.
“God Kara, it is a dump in here. Have you just been hauled up in this apartment all weekend?” Alex exclaimed.
Kara’s eyes shifted to Alex with a startled look as if she just noticed Alex had come in. Alex took a silent note of this observation because Kara must have been very distracted in order to not notice her with her super hearing and vision.
“Alex! Did you just come in?” Kara said.
“Yes Kara,” Alex said with exasperation in her voice. “What happened here? No one has heard from you in a week! What is going on?”
Kara’s eyes shifted away from Alex and started to fill with tears.
“Kara?” Alex asked with a concerned look on her face.
With a shaky voice Kara answered “Lena found out that I am Supergirl. I went to see Lena last week,” Kara took a deep breath. “It didn’t go well. I-I really hurt her. She yelled at me. In our entire friendship Lena has never yelled at me or been that cold. She told me to leave and I did, hoping to give her some time to cool off. When I went back to visit the next day they wouldn’t even let me in the elevator. Jess came down to let me know my unlimited access to Lena had been revoked.”
Alex walked over to Kara and sat down next to her. Kara quickly cuddled up to her by laying her head in Alex’s lap. Alex softly carded her hand through Kara’s hair.
“Kar, I think you need to just give her some time and space. Lena loves you. This was just unexpected.”
Kara whined “Alex you didn’t see her she was so cold. What if she doesn’t forgive me? I need Lena in my life, Alex!”
“I’m sorry, Kara. If I had given you the okay to-” Alex started to ramble.
Kara shot up and looked at Alex. “No, no, no. You gave me the green light over a year ago. It was my choice to not tell her.” Kara’s voice had trailed off as she continued to speak.
“Kar, not that I’m accusing you of anything, but why didn’t you tell her? You begged me for two years to let you tell her about Supergirl and when I finally give you the green light you get cold feet. What happened?”
Kara’s face grows guilty and ashamed. “I was selfish, Alex. Lena became my escape. Being Supergirl is overwhelming and it comes up in every conversation I have with people I know. She makes me feel like I’m on Krypton when I didn't have powers or responsibilities. I also wanted to protect her. Her knowing my identity puts a target on her back and I can’t lose Lena, Alex. But trying to protect her may have lost me her anyway. “
Alex pulled Kara into her arms and said “She just needs some time and space Kar.”
“Miss. Luthor, Detective Sawyer is here to see you. Do you need water?” Jess asked.
Lena chuckled and hit the button to reply. “Please send Detective Sawyer in and no I don’t need water.” Lena could picture Jess with her hand hovering over the button underneath her desk and glaring at Maggie.
Ten seconds later Maggie walked in with a shit-eating grin on her face. “Hey Little Luthor, very tough secretary you got there.”
“Hello Detective Sawyer. What brings you here today?” Lena questioned with a smirk.
“Now, now, now little Luthor, why the formalities? I thought we were finally on a first name basis.”
“Yes, well, that was thrown out the window when I realized the foundation of your entire friendship was built on lies.” Lena threw back.
Maggie’s face grew serious. It was a strange sight for Lena since Maggie was always the one smiling and breaking the tension by cracking jokes.
“Lena,” Maggie started “You know I couldn’t tell you. It wasn’t my secret to share. I love Little Danvers, but at the end of the day it was her responsibility. The last thing I’m going to say about this situation is that Little Danvers is a golden retriever. She doesn’t have a malicious bone in her body. Whatever reason she didn’t tell you about being Supergirl was not because she didn’t trust you. Anyway-”
“Maggie, if you didn’t come to convince me to forgive Kara, why are you here?” Lena questioned.
“You are my friend Lena, one of my best actually. I wanted to check on how you were doing and see if you wanted to go to the bar to grab a drink. As much as I love Little Danvers and hope you make up with her, I don’t want to lose your friendship over this.”
Lena’s face grew contemplative and then softly said okay.
A grin took over Maggie’s face as she said “Great! There is a new bar that opened downtown that I’ve been wanting to go to, but Alex has been busy with the DEO and Kara. Let’s go out tonight. I’ll swing by your apartment at 8.”
“What? No, I have work!” Lena protested.
“At 8 at night? I think you need a break. I’ll see you tonight!” Maggie called over her shoulder as she walked out of Lena’s office, leaving Lena with a dumbfounded look on her face.
At the bar…
Lena and Maggie were sitting in the corner of the bar. The normally refined Luthor was slumped over the table in between them. While Maggie was leaning back with a dopey grin on her face.
Suddenly Maggie leaned forward to look Lena directly in the eye, “Little Luthor, why are you so cut up about Kara? I know she is your best friend, but this is excessive.”
“Everytime I try to love someone, it is only a matter of time before they betray me. I thought Kara was finally going to be the one and I was going to tell her you know. Then Lex and Supergirl happened. Who was I kidding? I was never good enough.” Lena picked up the rest of her whiskey and downed it in one gulp.
“What the f*** are you talking about Lena?” Maggie shouted, suddenly a bit more clear headed. “You have literally saved the world three times, you are working on a cure for cancer, and own a children’s hospital. Anyone who believes that you aren’t a woman with heart of f****** gold can keep their thoughts to themselves.”
“I’m clearly not enough for Kara though.”
“Little Luthor, you are way more than enough for Kara and if Little Danvers doesn’t see that then she is an idiot, okay? Now I need you to settle this bet for me. The L in L-Corp stands for what?”
Lena sent her a little smirk and quirked her eyebrow.
“I freaking knew it! Alex owes me a hand grenade now!” She reached over to give Lena a high five.
The next day…
Lena was nervous as she paced outside the door to Kara’s apartment trying to get the courage to knock. Finally she took a deep breath and knocked three times. Immediately the door swung open and she was met with Kara’s eyes filled with hope.
A couple minutes passed and Kara started to fidget under Lena’s gaze. Just as Kara opened her mouth to break the tension, Lena stuck out her hand for a handshake. Kara was confused, but took her hand nonetheless.
“Hi I’m Lena Luthor. I’m a CEO at L-Corp and I like kale, burgers, and science.”
Realization dawned over Kara, so she eagerly replied “I’m Kara Zor-El. I work at Catco and I sometimes fly around as Supergirl. I love the three Ps: Puppies, potstickers, and pizza.”
They stood there holding hands and staring at each other. They both knew they had a lot to talk about, but they knew they could get through it all together.