Chapter 1
“I still get nightmares. In fact, I get them so often I should be used to them by now. I'm not. No one ever really gets used to nightmares.”
― Mark Z. Danielewski, House of Leaves
Four Days before Halloween
Alex and Maggie were sitting at one end of the couch laughing and munching on popcorn as Kara sat scrunched into the other corner, her eyes wide and a bowl of chips sitting forgotten in her lap.
The movie finally ended and Alex got up and turned on the lights, still laughing and carrying on with Maggie. Neither noticed Kara visibly relaxing as the brightness filled the room. “So what did you think, Kar? Was the Shining that scary?”
“No, not at all, it was definitely,” she paused, searching for the right word, “different.”
Maggie laughed, “that’s an interesting description, Supergirl.”
“What can I say, horror movies aren’t really my thing,” Kara shrugged.
Maggie turned her head back to Alex, “I need to get some sleep, you want to escort me home?”
“It would be my pleasure,” Alex smiled back, jumping up to clean up the mess they had made.
“I’ve got this Alex, you two go ahead,” Kara volunteered.
“You sure, Kar?” Alex smiled at her sister, missing the note of worry in her sister’s voice.
“Yeah, yeah. It’s almost Halloween and it’s going to get crazy. Maggie needs to get some rest.” Kara smiled at the police officer.
“My future sister-in-law does too, you’ll probably be busy as well,” she pointed at the blonde. “Get some sleep, Little Danvers.”
Kara was too nervous to even react to the nickname she hated. “I will, night Maggie,” she hugged the brunette tightly and turned to Alex, “text me when you get home.”
Alex wrapped her arms around Kara and hugged her, not realizing how tightly Kara was squeezing her back.
“Love you, Kar,” Alex said as they closed the door.
“Love you too, Lexie,” Kara said, whispering the nickname she used when she was scared. Then she locked the door, including the deadbolt.
After cleaning up the living room, starting the dishwasher, and closing and locking all the windows, Kara moved towards the bedroom. She changed into her pajamas and crawled into bed, cocooning herself into the blankets and resting her head on her pillows.
Three Days before Halloween
Kara’s eyes snapped open as she sat up in her bed. Her hair was a tangled mess and her eyes were slowly returning to their normal blue hue as she got her heat vision under control. She was breathing hard as she looked around the room, searching for the scratching sound she had heard.
She jumped from the bed and moved quickly from window to window, making sure they were still locked and that nothing was outside.
‘Just a dream, a really bad dream,’ she thought to herself, knowing she wouldn’t be able to sleep. “Maybe a quick patrol,” she said out loud.
Changing quickly into her uniform, she opened the window to her bedroom and went to take off. She stopped after a few feet and turned back, closing the glass. Then she started her patrol, circling the city until the sun started to rise.
Kara arrived at CatCo early that morning, settling in at her desk and starting up her computer. There was no one on her floor right now, although she could pick up movement throughout the building, and Cat wouldn’t be here today, since she was on business in Metropolis. After booting up her computer, she quickly typed out an email to Clark, asking what he thought of horror movies. Mere moments after sending it, a text box appeared on the screen…
Kal: ‘I hate them, they aren’t really scary. At least not to me. Except, Children of the Corn, that one gets to me.’
Kara: ‘Just wondering, we watched the Shining last night.’
Kal: ‘You okay?’
Kara: ‘Yeah, late-night patrol.’
Kal: ‘Need any help?’
Kara: ‘You just want an excuse to leave Metropolis because Cat is coming.’
Kal: ‘She flirts with me in front of Lois, every single time.’
Kara: Ewwwww, bye, love ya.’
Kal: ‘Love you too, cousin. If you need me, call.’
Kara closed the chat window and went over her to-do list for the day. Without Cat around, she had a few editorial setups she had to go over and she needed to go over the plans for the November board meeting.
She didn’t realize how tired she was till Lucy tapped her on the shoulder around ten a.m. and she ripped the handle off the drawer she was trying to open.
Kara’s breathing was fast and she closed her eyes, “Hi--Hi Lucy.” She slowed down and took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves, “sorry, you surprised me.”
Lucy was covering her mouth, stifling a giggle, “It’s okay Kara,” she rested her hand on the blonde’s shoulder, watching her visibly relax, “honestly, I didn’t think it was possible to surprise you.”
“If I’m tired or concentrating, I can block things out,” Kara smiled slightly, trying to hide the shiver she felt from Lucy’s touch.
However, Lucy did notice and it caused her heart to skip a beat, ‘could the girl of steel be interested in me?’ She asked herself, then looked deep into Kara’s eyes, “so which is it?”
Kara’s face went blank, “Huh?” ‘So smooth, Zor-El’ she heard in her head, in a voice that sounded remarkably like Maggie’s.
“Are you tired, or concentrating?” Lucy smiled, dazzling Kara as jade-colored eyes lit up.
“I’m tired,” Kara answered without thinking, “late-night patrol.”
A worried look crossed Lucy’s face, “you okay?”
Kara reached out and took Lucy’s hand, “I’m okay,” then realized what she had done and tried to pull away.
Lucy caught the fingers and held tight, “why don’t we have lunch? My treat.” She smiled, “we haven’t a girl’s day in a while.”
There was no way Kara was saying no those eyes and that smile, “o--okay.”
“I’ll come to get you around twelve-thirty,” Lucy called out as she walked away.
“Hate for her to leave, but love to watch her walk away, huh, Kara?” Winn smirked.
“Shut up, Winn,” Kara smiled, never taking her eyes off Lucy's retreating form.
She actually returned through the door ten minutes later with a large coffee and two cinnamon rolls, which she placed on Kara’s desk, along with the file for Cat she had meant to give the blonde the first time.
Later that evening, Kara returned home to find Maggie and Alex sitting on the couch watching more horror movies. She looked at the TV and took a deep breath, “I’m going on a quick patrol, back later.”
“Love ya, sis,” Alex yelled as Kara changed and shot out the window.
She returned several hours later and they were still there, watching, of all things, Children of the Corn.
Acting braver than she felt, she sat on the corner of the couch, clutching a pillow and closing her eyes at the horror of it all.
Several hours later, Maggie and Alex crashed on her couch, and Kara moved from window to window and closed and locked them, checking her deadbolt twice, then made her way to the bedroom. She curled into her bed and stared at the wall, her brain telling her to go to sleep, but her shaking body and thumping heart saying something completely different. Her eyes were finally drooping closed when she heard a cry for help and changed quickly, exiting the window as Supergirl.
Two Days before Halloween
Kara had arrived early again and was sitting staring at her computer, her eyes trying to focus on the screen in front of her as she read an email from Ms. Grant, letting her know that she wouldn’t be returning until after the weekend, she was going to attend the Daily Planet’s Halloween Charity event.
Kara rubbed her eyes and looked up to see Lucy walk in the door, a smile on her beautiful face and a bag from Kara’s favorite coffee shop in her hand. As she set them down on the desk, Lucy's smile faltered, “another long night, Kara?”
Kara was staring at Lucy, a goofy grin on her face, watching the lawyer’s every move. “Mmhmm,” she hummed as she removed her glasses to rub her eyes again. “You’re pretty, Lucy.”
Lucy blushed and used her fingers to move a loose strand of hair out from Kara’s face, watching as her eyes fluttered at the contact. She moved closer, whispering into Kara’s ear, “so are you, sunshine.”
Kara sat straight up, realizing exactly what she had said, “oh Rao, Lucy, I’m so sorry.”
Lucy took it all wrong and backed away, “me too, Kara.” She retreated from the desk and walked quickly towards the door.
Kara watched her run away, and hung her head, “dammit.”
Kara was walking away from CatCo that afternoon, her head down and trying to make herself invisible. Her eyes were surrounded by dark circles and she was so tired she didn’t notice Lucy coming up behind her as she reached the street.
“Kara! Kara?” Lucy called out.
Kara’s head came up and her ponytail bounced as she saw Lucy headed her way, a smile slowly rising on the brunette’s lips. “Hey Lucy,” she yawned, “you still mad at me?”
“Kara, I wasn’t mad,” Lucy said, coming to a halt and biting her lower lip. “I overstepped, I--I shouldn’t have…”
Kara held out her hand, stopping Lucy from finishing the statement, “Lucy,” the blonde started, suddenly fascinated by the color of Lucy’s lipstick, “Lucy.” She paused again, her sleep-deprived brain trying to understand what she wanted to say.
“Kara, are you really okay?” Lucy was worried now.
“I’m just tired, but I want--no I need to tell you something,” she started, then her head turned as she heard a sound coming from the other side of town.
“I know that look,” Lucy smiled, “go get them Supergirl.”
Kara frowned back, she whispered, “I’m sorry.” Then she was gone.
Later that evening she returned home and found Alex and Maggie once again on her couch watching another horror movie. “By Rao Alex, don’t you have a TV at your apartment?” She snapped as she moved towards the fridge.
“Kar?” Alex looked towards her, “what’s wrong?”
“Nothing, sorry Al, just tired,” she answered from behind the door as she grabbed some leftover pizza. She tossed it on a plate and threw it in the microwave, listening to the movie in the background. She sat at the bar for a few minutes until one bloodcurdling scream caused her to toss her uneaten pizza onto the plate and walk to the bedroom. She changed once again and sped out the window.
One Day before Halloween
Kara didn’t even try to go home that night and get any sleep, she could hear the scream every time her eyes closed throughout the night. She was sitting at her desk, staring at an empty, black screen when coffee and two cinnamon rolls appeared on her desk, delivered by a certain brunette with green eyes.
“Thanks, Luce,” Kara smiled, her eyes drooping, “can I ask you something?”
Lucy tilted her head to the side, “only if you promise to go home and try to get a nap. Cat is gone till Monday, and everything else is on schedule. Promise and you get one question.”
Kara looked up with a dopey grin on her face, “okay, I promise.”
Lucy smiled back, green eyes soaking in the pretty blonde and wishing she had the guts to ask her out, “now, ask your question?”
“Will you go out with me?” Kara asked, her fingers suddenly twisting into knots on her desk.
Lucy’s eyes popped open, and her breathing stopped, “Kara? Do you mean that?”
Kara nodded, her eyelids seemed to be getting heavier, “uh-huh.”
“Yes,” Lucy leaned in and kissed Kara’s cheek, “now, go home and get some sleep.”
“Oookay,” Kara smiled, “her hand finding the spot on her cheek where Lucy’s lips had landed.
Kara never made it home, between a bank robbery and an all-night Alien hunt, she staggered into her apartment at lunchtime on Halloween.
Kara was stretched out on her couch in her sweats and a Wonder Woman t-shirt trying to doze off when there was a knock at her door. She sat up slowly and headed towards the door, grabbing a bowl of candy as she turned the knob. Alex jumped from the edge of the door, wearing a mask like the one from the movie she’d been watching the night before and Kara jumped back, dropping the candy and breathing hard.
Alex and Maggie came into the apartment, stopping to help Kara pick up the candy, both of them laughing at Kara’s reaction.
“Kara,” Alex said, “you should have seen your face.”
Kara refused to lift her head, afraid Alex would see the dark circles and sunken eyes, more afraid that she would ask why and then laugh at her, “yeah, you got me good, Al.” She moved to the bar in the kitchen and started to straighten up, rinsing dishes and wiping down the counter, as Alex and Maggie asked her if she wanted to go to a Halloween Party with them.
“No, I’m fine, yesterday was a long day and I’m going to head to bed soon,” Kara lied.
“C’mon Kar, it’s Halloween. It’s the best holiday ever,” Alex smiled, looking at Maggie.
“Let her stay in Alex, she’s tired, and needs a night off,” Maggie said, seeing Kara’s eyes. “Let’s go.”
They made their way to the door, and Maggie looked back, waving as Kara whispered, “thank you.” The Kryptonian then made her way around the apartment, closing and locking doors and windows.
She crawled into bed, exhausted, and rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling. Her eyes were almost closed when she heard the scratching sound again. She sat straight up and started looking around the apartment, walking from window to window, looking for the source of the sound. She finally gave up and walked into the living room, dropping heavily onto the couch, holding her head in her hands.
She lifted her phone and stared at the screen, there was a text message from Lucy, so she tapped the app and opened it up. ‘Call me, please?” The message said and was timestamped from much earlier in the day. Kara bit her lip and tapped on Lucy’s information, clicked on her number, and waited for her to pick up.
“Hey sunshine, did you get any rest?” Lucy asked; her worry apparent over the phone.
“Hi Luce, can--can you come over, please?” Kara practically begged. “I need some company.”
“Kara?” Lucy’s voice sounded panicked, “I’m leaving now, I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
Ten minutes later, Kara heard a knock at her door. She stood and quickly made her way across the room, using her x-ray vision to make sure it was Lucy, then quickly opened the door and tackled Lucy as she entered the apartment, “thank you, thank you so much for coming.”
“Kara, sunshine, what’s going on?” Lucy asked, checking the taller woman’s eyes, seeing the fear, the exhaustion, and embarrassment in the woman’s features.
Kara tried to hide her eyes behind her hair and she hung her head. “I haven’t been sleeping. Promise not to laugh,” she mumbled.
“Of course,” Lucy answered gently, sliding her hand down Kara’s arm and slipping her fingers between the Kryptonians, “scout’s honor.”
Kara led her to the couch, curling up in the corner, one arm wrapped around her knees, the other still grasping Lucy’s hand with her other. “Three nights ago, Alex, me, and Maggie watched the Shining, and I haven’t been able to sleep since.”
Lucy looked for some sign that Kara was lying, trying to hide the real reason, and realized she was scared. “Oh, sunshine, why didn’t you tell Alex?”
Kara looked away, “Halloween is her favorite holiday, and Maggie’s too. I didn’t want to spoil it for them.” She looked back and saw Lucy staring back at her, “I’m a wimp, right?”
Lucy smiled, pulling herself closer and kissing Kara’s knuckles, ‘no, you're not a wimp,” then and the impish grin grew on her face, “to be honest, I don’t like them either, give me a Disney movie any day.”
Kara looked over her knees, “Really?”
“Yeah,” Lucy leaned in closer, “give me music and dancing animals over blood and gore.”
“It’s the screams,” Kara whispered, “it’s like listening to Krypton die again and again.” She was reliving her horror right in front of Lucy, then the scratching started again, and Kara tensed more, pulling away and backing into the corner of the couch again, “you hear that, right.”
“Yeah, I hear it,” Lucy responded, standing slowly and moving towards the direction of the sound, she peeked out the window and saw the source of the noise, a small calico cat. Slowly she opened the window and coaxed the little creature to her, cradling it gently.
She walked back to the couch and sat down placing the animal in Kara’s hands. Kara smiled and rubbed the small creature’s head, listening as she started to purr. Kara looked up and smiled brightly, her exhaustion was completely forgotten for a few moments and her shoulders started to relax.
“There’s my sunshine,” Lucy smiled back.
“Why do you keep calling me that?” Kara asked, perplexed.
“Because you brighten everyone’s days, sunshine.” Lucy smiled, sliding closer.
Kara set the cat down for a moment, watching her curl into the pillows, then turned to look at Lucy, licking her lips and pulling the small brunette closer. Lucy tensed for a moment, then felt soft lips on hers. Her arms moved of their own accord as they wrapped around Kara’s neck and Kara pulled her closer as her arms wrapped around Lucy’s back. The kiss lasted just a minute, but when both women lifted their lips from each other, their forehead touching, there were breathless smiles on both faces.
The cat meowed and both women turned, “she needs a name,” Kara smiled.
Lucy’s hand slid into Kara’s, “how about, Destiny.”
Kara’s apartment door opened and Alex and Maggie stumbled in. The small cat stretched and looked at them, then hissed. Maggie giggled, but Alex stopped and stared, Kara and Lucy were curled up on the couch, Lucy’s arm protectively holding Kara, sound asleep, the calico sitting on Kara’s hip, staring at her with wide jade green eyes.
“When the hell did this happen?” She asked.