Back to the Right Future

Lena is hunched over and bleary-eyed, looking into a microscope as she tirelessly scribbles down notes. She focuses on the sound of the pen scratching the paper and the low hum of the air conditioner in an attempt to drown out the glaringly loud desolation of her private lab. There is also the unrelenting sound of her growling stomach but she tries not to focus on that, even as its hangry protests grow in frequency and intensity. 

Despite her best efforts to go to bed early last night she wasn’t able to fall asleep and decided to make better use of her time working on one of her many projects. That of course meant that she has been working endlessly since three a.m. this morning, not bothering to stop for breakfast, lunch, or even a low-carb, sugar-free power bar. But she’s already gone through two pots of coffee so she figures that has to count for something, right? 

Wrong.

She can almost hear her friend’s words rattling around in her cluttered head. You could not be more wrong Lena! You need food, actual food. Not a boring salad or disgusting kale smoothie but like a big, fat, juicy cheeseburger with extra fries and a strawberry milkshake!

She sits up straight and releases a heavy sigh, craning her neck in a stretch to try and relieve some of the tension. 

Damn, that’d be so good right now. She thinks briefly before her mind settles on the Thanksgiving invitation Kara kindly extended to her earlier this week. It’s not that Lena didn’t want to go, per se, but more like she felt as though she shouldn’t. As though she didn’t deserve to. After everything that transpired between her and Kara, and the unspeakable lows she sunk to in her severely misguided attempt for retribution, she didn’t think it would be appropriate. I mean having lunch with Kara at Noonans and attending a nationally recognized holiday dinner, predicated upon the appreciation of loved ones, are two entirely different entities. Could you imagine what the dinner table chatter would sound like if she were to attend; not to mention when it was everybody’s turn to give thanks? She plays out the scenario in her head as she mindlessly doodles on the edge of her notebook, chin resting in her open hand. 

Kara stands to speak first, eyes dancing around the table before landing on Lena’s apprehensive ones. “I just wanted to say how incredibly thankful I am that we could all be here today and share in this wonderful meal, that I in no way helped prepare. But I just wanted to say that I am most thankful to Lena. I am so incredibly thankful that she pretended to forgive me and faked being my best friend, who in secret was plotting her revenge to ‘out’ me to the world and destroy everything I worked my entire life to protect.”

“Hear, hear!” Alex cheers as she raises her glass to Lena and winks. 

Kara continues, “But most of all I want to thank her for not killing me. Not just once at Mount Norquay but twice, including the time at the fortress of solitude when she encapsulated me in kryptonite laced ice; and left me trapped inside for an undetermined amount of time, knowing full well that I am severely claustrophobic. So, for that, Lena…I thank you.” 

The rest of the guests are teary-eyed, smiling at both the speech giver and its recipient. Alex is the next to jump up from her seat and give thanks. Like Kara she thanks them all for being present, as well as giving thanks to J’onn and their new found adventures with Tower, penultimately giving thanks to her beautiful girlfriend Kelly, and ending with giving thanks to the night’s honorary guest, Lena. 

“I too want to take this moment and give my greatest gratitude to Lena. For her grotesque overreaction to her best friend revealing her most protected secret, of her own volition, might I add. I mean, it took some time sure--”

“--Four years!” Kara is quick to cut her off as she smiles at Lena.

“--Four years, but she finally told you. Without coercion. Without death threats. Just because she couldn’t bear you not knowing the truth any longer. And in return, you heroically tried to control the minds of an entire Earth’s population, all to avoid people’s feelings getting hurt, just like your own. So thank you, Lena.”

The whole table gives a small round of applause as Eliza wipes away tears of joy with a napkin decorated in cartoon turkeys. She couldn’t be more proud of Lena if she was her own daughter. As Alex goes to take her seat she pauses quickly to add, “Oh and one more thing. Thanks for not killing Kara those couple of times. That’s super cool of you to not do that.--”

“--What about all those times in Obsidian’s VR though?” Kelly happily chimes in.

“--Ahh, yes! Well what happens in virtual reality, stays in virtual reality. Amirite?” The table laughs as they all interject.

“I guess you could say that if it happened virtually, then I virtually don’t care!” Nia added with a laugh.

“If it happened in the ether, you shouldn’t worry about it either!” Brainy added with a chuckle.

“If it happened in her mind, we can’t convict her of a crime!” J’onn adds as he laughs harder than Lena has ever heard him laugh. Has she ever heard him laugh?

Her sardonic daydreams are interrupted by an alert from her security system. She presses a button on the keyboard to her right and a surveillance screen appears on her desktop monitor. Her eyes widen in surprise as she sees Kara and Alex standing outside the elevator doors. She notices what appears to be a third person, whose upper body is cut off by the security camera frame as said person stands a few feet behind the sisters. Lena notices Kara press something on her cellphone and then hold it up to her ear. Just then Lena’s phone rings and the blonde reporter’s smiling face fills up the screen. She looks back to the monitor and hesitantly answers the phone.

“Hello?”

“Lena, hi! It’s Kara.”

“I know.”

“Right, sorry. Caller i.d. and like voice recognition, duh.”  

Lena dwells on the latter half of Kara’s comment and wants to remark something about never recognizing Kara’s voice and Supergirl’s as being one in the same, but she doesn’t. 

“Is there something you needed?”

“Oh um, not me, but--”

Lena sees Kara nervously fidget on the monitor screen and turn back to look at the person who remains mostly out of frame.

“Look, this is kind of difficult to explain over the phone. I’d rather...well we’d rather discuss it in person. Is it alright if we come down?”

“And who exactly is we?”

“That’s the part we need to explain…”

“I see. And you didn’t stop to think before bringing your sister and this undisclosed ‘we’ to my private, secret lab?”

She can see Kara visibly grimace into the phone. “I know.” She says as she visibly deflates. “I know you trusted me enough to tell me about this place and I’m kind of--no I am--breaking your trust by bringing them here but you have to understand it’s--it’s kind of an emergency. And I wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t absolutely urgent.” Kara then looks up directly into the security camera, somehow managing to stare right into Lena’s soul, and begs.

“Please, Lena. Please just give us two minutes and if you want us to leave we will. Please.”

Lena stares at the Kryptonian’s cerulean eyes, still as bright as the ocean even through a security feed, and presses some buttons on the keyboard. The elevator doors open and Kara looks back to the stranger and then to her sister before looking back up at the camera.

“Thank you, Lena.” Kara says with a bright smile as the trio begins to walk into the elevator, doors closing behind them. 

Lena hangs up the phone and watches the sisters and the mysterious stranger, who seems to be hiding behind the Danvers women. Lena whispers a quiet “you’re welcome” as her eyes focus in on the monitor, wishing that she could get a glimpse of this person before meeting them face to face. 

She breaks away from the screen and glances around her lab and at her work station, getting the sudden urge to “clean up” for her uninvited guests. She hasn’t had company in so long, and she’s not even sure if it’s necessary because 1. her lab is practically sterile and 2. it’s a workplace environment--not her home--but she cleans up what she can anyway. As she rushes to place beakers and instruments back in their proper storing place she looks down at her notebook and stares at the doodles her subconscious mind drew. Her eyes widen slightly in surprise and she feels her cheeks flush with warmth. She stares at the Kryptonian symbol of the House of El in the borders of her notes, along with a beautifully calligraphed signature that reads, Lena Kieran Danvers. She runs her fingers over the dried doodles and quickly snaps out of her daze when she hears the elevator approaching. She hastily closes the notebook and places it in the top drawer of her work station, trying to collect herself before her guests arrive. 

---

“You alright?” Alex asks Lura, noticing the younger woman biting her nails. 

“Hm? Yeah I’m fine.” She says all too quickly as she continues to bite the nail of her index finger.

“Are you sure?” Kara asks, concerned.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?” She replies almost defensively and leans further back against the elevator wall. 

Alex grabs a hold of Lura’s wrist and pulls the girl’s hand away from her mouth. “Because you sound like a beaver trying to chew down a tree to build your dam.” 

Lura’s eyes snap to Alex’s and then move to Kara’s. Kara’s forehead crinkle and scrunched eyebrows suggest that she’s concerned about the younger woman but her pursed lips look like they’re trying to hold back a smile at Alex’s very accurate comparison. The younger woman deflates slightly and releases a sigh.

“Sorry, nervous habit.” She says as she places her hands in the front pockets of her jeans. 

“There’s no need to be nervous, you should be excited. You’re meeting an alternate reality version of your sister! How cool is that?” Kara says as she tries to comfort the girl. 

Kara’s words don’t seem to ease the brunette’s worries, which only makes Alex’s suspicions grow. 

“Unless there’s something to be nervous about? Something you aren’t telling us?” Alex asks as she crosses her arms and levels the girl with a questioning glare.

Lura shakes off whatever inner turmoil she seems to be going through and puts a smile on her face that Kara notices doesn’t quite reach her eyes. The young woman lets out a breathy laugh and relaxes her posture to try and put the other two women’s concerns at ease. It’s something that reminds Kara of Lena, as she too has mastered the art of deflection using similar mannerisms. Rao, she must have picked that up from Lena. 

“You’re right, I’m overthinking. I guess I’m just nervous that she, I don’t know--won’t like me or something?” 

Lura’s admittance softens Alex’s demeanor and she tries to reassure the girl. “She might be a Luthor but like you said she’s one of the good ones...for the most part.” Kara rolls her eyes as Alex continues. “I mean don’t expect her to jump for joy or give you a hug when you tell her who you are. She’s still Lena, well I mean our Lena, not your Lena. Our Lena can be a little...distant, aloof, sometimes cold--”

“--Alex.” Kara cuts her off with an exasperated huff of air.

“What? You know it’s true. I’m not saying it’s bad, it’s just Lena.”

“That’s not who she really is and you know it! She just does it on occasion to protect herself. Heck I’d be the same way if I was adopted into her family instead of ours.”

Alex puffs up her cheeks and lets out a huff of air. “Thank God that didn’t happen. Could you imagine, Kara Luthor? Hell, you’d be lucky if Lillian let you keep the ‘K’ instead of switching it for an ‘L.” Alex cringes and shakes her head. “Doesn’t quite roll off the tongue as nicely as Danvers does.”

“I don’t know. I kinda like Kara Luthor.” Lura says with an easy smile as she looks at Kara. There’s something about the way Lura says it, that makes Kara feel funny. Almost as if she is experiencing a moment of deja vu, but not? 

“Pssh, bias much?” Alex says as the elevator finally comes to a stop. Man this elevator is either really slow or this secret lab is super far down. She thinks to herself before stepping out into the entrance hall to the lab.

Kara follows her out into the short hallway, both sisters stopping short as they realize that Lura isn’t following. She hasn’t moved from her previous position in the elevator, except for the fact that now she is nervously biting her nails once again with a distant look in her eyes. Kara walks back into the elevator and Alex remains rooted in the middle of the short hallway. 

“Hey, Lura, what’s wrong?” Kara asks gently.

Lura takes a moment to register Kara’s question and snaps out of her haze but still seems uncomfortable. “Sorry.” She says sheepishly. Sensing the younger woman’s discomfort, Kara gently places her hand on Lura’s upper arm and rubs it soothingly.

“It’s okay. No need to be sorry. But we came here to see Lena because you needed her help, right?”

Lura bows her head and nods as she chews on the inside of her lip, avoiding Kara’s gaze. Kara thinks for a brief moment that the younger woman might be on the verge of a panic attack. As she’s about to duck down and tell the girl to breathe, Lura takes in a deep breath and releases it slowly. Kara nonverbally encourages her to do it again by rubbing her arm and Lura apparently is telepathic because she lifts her head to make eye contact with Kara and takes another deep breath. Her shoulders immediately drop and Kara can feel the tension in the girl’s muscles release.

“Good. It’ll be fine, I promise. Besides if anything you have me and Alex by your side, okay? If Lena can’t or won’t help you, we will.”

“You promise?” Lura asks with big blue eyes and the slightest hint of a pout. It makes Kara think of a child asking their parent if they’re sure there are no monsters under their bed. It tugs at Kara’s heart strings like an angel to a harp. 

“I promise.” Kara says resolutely. Without much thought Kara grabs the younger woman’s hand and begins leading them to the entrance of the lab. As they catch up to Alex, the older Danvers gives Kara a questioning look to which Kara just shakes her head as if to say “not now”.  

---

Lena hears the elevator doors open and takes a deep breath, centering herself. It’s not that she’s nervous but rather, apprehensive. And although her relationship with Kara is on the mend it’s still nothing close to what it used to be. Sure, they occasionally have lunch, and Lena will occasionally drop off a coffee at Kara’s desk when she visits Andrea at Catco but she still hasn’t accepted one of Kara’s movie night offers. Nor has she accepted an invitation to game night despite Kara’s insistence that everybody misses her, even Alex. And they certainly don’t show up to each other’s places unannounced, so this unexpected visit is slightly worrisome. Even if it were a situation they needed help with at Tower, they would still call Lena in advance and await for her response. Lena is pulled out of her thoughts by a voice she hasn’t heard outside of Tower.

“Hey, Luthor. Working hard or hardly working?” Alex asks to break the tension as she enters the lab.

“The latter, I’m afraid.” Lena says with a wry smile as she turns to face her guests. She glances at Alex before her eyes meet Kara’s, who is gently smiling at the raven haired scientist. Lena can’t help but return the small smile with one of her own before she sees Kara turn her head to the side, whispering something to the stranger cowering behind her. Lena notices that their hands are intertwined as Kara tries to tug the mysterious stranger forward. A feeling she can only describe as unwarranted jealousy flushes through Lena’s nervous system, setting her blood alight. Albeit, it is very shortly lived as Lena finally makes eye contact with this undoubtedly beautiful stranger.

For some peculiar reason unbeknownst to Lena, her chest tightens and her heart aches as she feels a strange pull towards the younger woman. It’s an oddly captivating and all-encompassing feeling. She likens it to the way the moon pulls the tides, or the way the receding waves pull at the sands of the shore. Pliable in its grasp--surrendering to whatever shape its power moulds her into; without a second thought to her own erosion. She’s never felt something so strong or so oddly comforting...well, at least not with anyone else other than Kara--but that of course is a different pull. A much more inescapable and suffocating pull, like quicksand or drowning...but then again, Lena’s always been a bit of a masochist. 

Kara feels the grip on her right hand tighten almost painfully as Lura stares at Lena unblinkingly. She looks between the two Luthors and briefly wonders if they’re having a telepathic conversation because their facial expressions are almost identical. The only difference is the undertone of their eyes. Lena’s eyes look hopeful whereas Lura’s look more sorrowful and filled with desperation. Both women have apparently forgotten all social greeting etiquette as neither tries to introduce themselves. And by the look on Lura’s face and the building tears in her eyes, Kara needs to say something fast before Lura’s grip breaks her hand. Rao, how is she so freaking strong?

“Lena, this is Lura. Lura, this is Lena Luthor.” Both women seem to snap out of their reverie. Lena shakes her head and says “Where are my manners?” She moves to walk towards the younger woman, however,  Lura just bows her head and takes a few steadying breaths as the older Luthor approaches. Lena comes to a stop in front of Lura and extends a hand out for the girl to shake.

“Hello, Lura. As Kara just mentioned I’m Lena. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Lura remains frozen, staring down at Lena’s outstretched hand, lost in thought. Kara notices with concern and not so gently squeezes the girl’s hand before releasing it and giving her a little nudge forward. This seems to work as Lura’s head snaps up and she reaches for the scientist’s hand.

“Hello, Lena. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Lura.” She says almost shyly.

Lena can sense the younger woman’s nerves but she’s not sure how to ease the girl’s discomfort. She also notes that Lura’s grip is firm but gentle, flexing tightly for a millisecond before relaxing comfortably. It almost reminds her of Kara’s handshake, or at least when the blonde tries to measure her own strength and not squeeze too tight. There’s also something about this girl that Lena can’t quite put a finger on. She reminds her of someone but for the life of her can’t recall who. 

Lena is pulled from her thoughts by the sound of Alex clearing her throat. She sees Alex looking pointedly at the young woman she now knows as Lura. Lura however remains focused on Lena, hand still firmly grasping her own. Lena releases her grip slightly to pull away before Lura squeezes just the tiniest bit tighter, signaling she’s not ready to let go. When Alex clears her throat for a second time, much louder and more forced, Lura quickly releases Lena’s hand and looks towards the redhead who is looking at her expectantly. 

“Why don’t you tell her what your last name is?” Alex says as she crosses her arms. 

Lena looks at the older Danvers sister with a raised eyebrow, curious as to what relevance Lura’s surname has...until she hears it.

“Luthor.” Lena’s head snaps back to Lura so fast she’s almost surprised she didn’t give herself whiplash.

“My name is Lura Luthor.” She says with much more confidence.

Lena stares at the girl unblinkingly, mouth slightly agape. She sees it now, the resemblance to herself. Genes passed down from Lionel, not Lillian. But it’s not herself she still thinks this girl reminds her of, but someone else.

“That’s not possible.” Lena says with a shake of her head. “Lionel and Lillian never had any siblings, so you can’t be a long lost cousin. And it was only Lex and I growing up. I know my family is deceptive and keeps secrets better than the DEO but I would have known if we had another--” Lena cuts herself off with a gasp as she covers her mouth with her hand.

“Unless, unless Lex had a child.” She says as she takes a miniscule step away from the younger woman. 

“NO! No.” Lura says with wide eyes as she moves closer to Lena.

“No. I’m not Lex’s daughter, that’s--” She shakes her head. “That’s--no, just no. I’m…” She looks up at Lena with a pained expression as if she wants to say something entirely different than what actually comes out her mouth.

“I’m your little sister.” 

Lena’s shoulders drop as she stares at the younger woman in disbelief.

“Lena, I know this must be really shocking and difficult to accept but she can explain, just hear her out.” Kara says as she reaches to place a placating arm on her best friend’s shoulder. 

“I’m from a different reality, a reality in which---we’re family.”

“Sisters?” 

Lura tenses her jaw and nods her head. 

“Best friends.” She says sincerely. 

“But, but how?” Lena asks as she moves to take a seat on a nearby stool. “The multiverse was--”

“--Destroyed when the anti-matter wave hit blah blah blah. Yeah, we know.” Alex says as she tries to move the conversation along. 

“Then how could--” Lena cuts herself off again as she comes to a realization. “Time travel paradox, of course! Every jump could produce a new timeline, an alternate reality.” 

Damn she’s smart. Kara thinks as she’s not surprised they didn’t have to explain it.

“So in this alternate reality I’m your big sister and we’re...close?”

“The closest.” Lura reassures her, moving to stand closer to the older Luthor. 

Lena lets out a deep breath as she mulls over everything she’s been told. “Okay. So why are you here, what do you want?”

Lura rubs the back of her neck before she hesitantly replies, “It’s complicated.”

“Nuh uh. No way. Enough of this ‘it’s complicated’ bullshit. You said you couldn’t explain before and that you needed to find Lena. Well you’re welcome, we found her. So start talking and stop being so evasive. Why are you here and why do you need Lena’s help?” Alex says authoritatively, encroaching on Lura’s personal space.

“Wait, wait, wait!” Lena cuts in. “You brought her here to my private lab without rhyme or reason, without knowing her true intentions, simply because she said she’s my sister from an alternate reality?! Are you insane?”

“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?!” Lura says with an offended expression.

“Whoa, hold on! Okay everyone just cool it.” Kara says as she tries to calm them down before addressing Lena.

“Lena, look. I know it might have been a bit rash of us to bring her here without knowing everything but I assure you her intentions are not malevolent.”

“How would you know? She’s a Luthor!” Lena retorts.

Kara’s jaw drops as Alex hums “mhmm”. Lura on the other hand crosses her arms and glares at Lena with a perfectly raised eyebrow. 

She knows that look. She invented that look. Guess the eyebrow thing is a dominant gene. Lena thinks as she wilts under the younger Luthor’s gaze.

“Okay. I admit that was unfair and incredibly hypocritical of me.”

“Yes it was. But it was also a great disservice to yourself more than anything. In my world being a Luthor is an honor.” She places a comforting hand on the older woman’s shoulder. “I know you’ve struggled--still struggle, with the weight that our family’s name holds. But I promise you, you’re much stronger than you think. I know who you are and I’ve seen your heart. You have been nothing but kind, gentle, caring, understanding, and most importantly--unconditionally loving towards me ever since I can remember. I know you don’t believe that about yourself but I promise you, you will always be those things...no matter the reality.” 

She says it with such sincerity and adoration in her eyes that Lena almost cries. She knows her eyes are brimming with unshed tears, that much she can feel. But staying true to her Luthor name, she blinks back the tears and retains her composure.

“That’s very kind of you to say. You seem like a wonderful little sister.” She replies as she places her hand on top of Lura’s one resting on her shoulder. 

Lura beams at Lena’s response. A megawatt smile that oddly reminds her of a certain blonde reporter. A certain blonde reporter who just happens to be a blubbering mess right now. Interesting.

“That was the cutest thing ever!” Kara says sniffling as she wipes away her tears.

“I’ve heard better speeches.” Alex says with her head turned, clearing her throat and discretely wiping at her eyes. 

Lura just shakes her head at the Danvers sisters and says “Dorks.”

Wanting to break the sentimental tension of the moment Lena asks, “So, tell me about ‘complicated’. I’m good with ‘complicated’.”

:::

Eliza is cleaning up the last of the dishes from their ruined dinner. Kelly had offered to stay and help her clean but Eliza insisted that she go with the others, assuring her that she had everything covered. Afterall, she raised a ravenous Kryptonian teenager with no dishwasher (Kara had accidentally broken theirs when trying to help). Her mind replays the day’s events as she keeps thinking about the young woman that bears a striking resemblance to Lena Luthor--but with eyes and mannerisms that match her Kryptonian daughter’s. She knows. A mother always knows. Whatever reality Lura comes from, she’s not Lena’s sister but rather her daughter. Apparently her and Kara’s daughter. The thought makes Eiza smile and fills her with hope that both girls will come to their senses soon and realize what they both truly mean to each other. 

She has just finished drying the last dish when there’s a sudden knock on the front door. She dries the remaining water on her hands and makes her way over to the door, pulling it open. On the other side of the door is a tall, dark, admittedly handsome man that she’s never seen before.

“Hello! These are for you!” He says with a British accent as he hands over a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of wine.

“Oh, thank you! And uh, who might you be?” Eliza asks ,confused, accepting the gifts.

“Right! Beg your pardon, where are my manners?” He extends out a hand for the blonde to shake. “I’m William.”

Eliza looks at the man quizzically. “William?” she replies as she shakes his hand, other hand juggling the wine and flowers.

“Yes, Kara’s friend.” He looks at her expectantly.

“Kara’s never mentioned a William.” 

His eyebrows raise slightly in surprise.

“William Dey?”

Still nothing. His face drops in disappointment as his name doesn’t register with the eldest Danvers.

“I’m a friend of your daughter Kara. I work with her at Catco.”

“Oh! Well come on in then.” She waves him in. “If you’re looking for Kara she’s not here I’m afraid.” Eliza says as she sets down the wine and fills a vase with water to place the flowers in.

“Oh, really? That’s odd.”

“Did you need something from her? Was it work related?” 

“No, she um, she actually invited me over for Thanksgiving dinner.” He says as he looks around the apartment finding it empty of anything resembling an American holiday. 

“Really?” Eliza asks in surprise.

“But I’m guessing that’s no longer happening, or perhaps it already happened?” He glances at his wristwatch. “I know I told her I’d be late but I didn’t think I would miss it altogether.” 

“Oh no, actually you didn’t miss anything. Well--” She cuts herself off contemplatively. “--Actually that’s not true, you missed quite a bit. Unfortunately our dinner plans were interrupted by an...unexpected emergency.”

“That’s terrible. Is everything okay? Is everyone alright?” He asks with genuine concern.

“Just fine, nothing to worry about. Just something urgent that came up at Alex’s work that she needed Kara’s help with. Some new findings about an old case Kara once investigated. Something time sensitive?” She lies easily. 

“Oh, well glad everyone is alright.”

“I can’t offer you much in the way of food but if you’d like you can stay for a cup of coffee?”

“That’s very kind of you but I should probably use this unexpected free time to catch up on some work myself.”

Eliza smiles at him before replying, “Suit yourself.” She leads him towards the front door before extending her hand for him to shake, once again. “Well it was nice meeting you William and I will be sure to tell Kara you stopped by.”

He politely returns the farewell and leaves. Eliza walks over to where her purse is located on the counter and pulls out her phone to call her daughter.

---

“Okay, let me get this straight. You travelled here from your reality to ask our Lena to help you find this, this..” Alex struggles to remember the name of the device.

“--Quantum Dimensional Extrapolator.” Lena reminds her.

“--That...because you need it in order to stop something, and I quote, ‘really really bad from happening’?”

“Correct.” Lura replies with an affirmative nod. 

“But why? That still doesn’t answer why you think our Lena can help you and not yours.”

“Because of Lillian.”

That takes all three women by surprise.

“Lillian? Don’t tell me she has something to do with this really really bad thing that happens in your world?” Lena scoffs as she crosses her arms and sets her jaw. “Typical.”

“No actually, just the opposite. I think she can help us stop it.”

Now that really takes all three women by surprise.

“How so?” Kara asks.

“The Extrapolator was created by Lex--”

“--Why am I not surprised.” Alex says casually.

“--As you know most of his research was destroyed when the DEO collapsed. The only research and projects that remain are the ones he mentioned in his journals. The ones he said he kept at--”

“--his secret lair.” Lena finishes, remembering reading it in his journal.

“But didn’t the FBI already raid his secret lair and confiscate all his work?”

“That was the other secret lair.” Lena replied nonplussed. 

“He had another secret lair?” Kara asks in disbelief.

“Wonderful.” Alex says sarcastically.

“Yes but that’s it. He mentioned the second lair in his journals but its location was encrypted, a cypher I couldn’t even make sense of.” Lena replied. 

“Okay, so what the hell does all of this have to do with Lillian?”

Before Lura can answer Lena says, “Lillian knows where it is.” Lura simply nods her head in response.

“How can you be so sure?” Kara asks.

“Because Lex was nothing if not a mother’s boy. There was nothing too depraved or villainous that Lex wouldn’t share with Mommie Dearest, especially if it was a feat of science and technological innovation. All so she would tell him how proud she was of him.” 

“And you need Lena to pay a visit to Lillian in max. so she can convince her to give us the location to his lair.” Alex infers.

“Yes.”

“And you guys couldn’t go to Lillian in your world?”

Lura shakes her head as she stuffs her hands into the front pockets of her jeans. “There is no Lillian.” All three women look at her curiously before she explains, “She’s dead. She died when I was twelve.”

Lena’s eyebrows raise in surprise as Alex’s face hardens and Kara’s fills with empathy.

“Okay.” Lena says calmly.

“Okay?”

“Okay, I’ll help. Let’s go pay Mother Dearest a visit, shall we?”

Lura sighs a deep breath of relief and says, “Thank you.”

Suddenly Kara’s phone rings, startling the pair of “sisters”. She steps a few feet away from the others and answers the phone. Alex and Lura help Lena gather her things, preparing to leave the lab.

“Eliza, hi! Is everything okay?” Alex’s head turns towards Kara at the mention of their mother’s name.

“Everything is fine dear. I’m just calling to let you know that your friend William stopped by. Apparently he was under the impression that he was invited to dinner?”

Alex sees Kara grimace into the phone once more as she squeezes her eyes shut and makes a weird noise.

“What is it?” Alex asks. Kara only waves her off and let’s her know nothing is actually wrong. Alex shrugs her shoulders and helps Lena put on her jacket as Lura goes to hang up the scientist’s lab coat. 

“I’m such an idiot, I completely forgot!”

“You forgot to tell me that you invited this man I don’t know to Thanksgiving? Or you forgot you invited him?”

“Both?” She says embarrassedly before continuing. “And you do know him, I’ve mentioned him before! I went on a date with him, remember?” 

At the mention of a date Lura snaps her head towards Kara and glares at the phone in her hand. She tilts her head slightly and a look of concentration comes over her face.

“You okay there, Lura?” Alex asks as she nudges the younger woman. Physical contact coming naturally to the two of them for some reason.

“Yeah, why?” She asks as her face returns to its neutral expression.

“ ‘Cause you looked constipated.” Alex jokes.

“Well maybe that’s because I have to put up with your shit.” Lura retorts as Lena chuckles at the younger Luthor’s joke and Alex makes a mocking face.

“Sweetheart you have never mentioned him, not once. Let alone told me about any date. I thought you tell me things.” Eliza says that last line a little sadly.

“I do! I tell you everything! I guess it just kinda...slipped my mind?”

Eliza hums pensively into the phone before saying, “Well then I suppose it wasn’t that great of a date if it slipped your mind enough to not even tell your own mother.”

Kara reflects on what Eliza says before agreeing. “Yeah I guess it wasn’t. To be honest the whole time I was on the date with him I was thinking how much more fun it would be to be cuddled up on the couch, eating ice cream, and watching The Office.”

“With a certain green eyed Luthor, I’m sure.” Eliza says knowingly. 

“Mommm.” Kara quietly admonishes into the phone.

Alex sees a giant smirk cross Lura’s face. Unbeknownst to her that the young woman is actually eavesdropping in on the blonde’s conversation. 

“Okay now I’m convinced you just farted. That is clearly the smarmy look of pride on a farter’s face.” Alex says as she walks away from the Luthor sisters and over to her own sister.

Lura laughs at the redhead’s joke before looking over at Lena seriously and assuring her she did not. The Luthors hear Kara say goodbye to Eliza and hang up the phone before walking over to join them.

“What was that about?” Lura asks.

“Oh, nothing. Just me being a bit of an idiot.” The blonde says as she fiddles with the glasses on her face.

“You’re not an idiot, you’re incredibly intelligent.” Lura responds quickly and so firmly that Kara is a bit taken aback by the young woman’s kind words. 

“Th-thank you. And I just forgot that I had invited a friend to dinner and then also forgot to tell him it got cancelled.”

“William?” Lura asks as if she already knows the answer to that question.

“Yeah, how did you--”

“--You invited William and then forgot about him?!” Alex asks incredulously.

“The same William you went on a date with?” Lena asks with an expression on her face that Kara can’t read. 

“Yes. He obviously doesn’t have any family here and this would be his first Thanksgiving in the States and I thought it might be nice if he had some people to share it with. And well since, you--” She gestures towards Lena. “--couldn’t make it, we had an extra chair.” She finishes with a shrug.

“That was very kind of you, Kara.” Lena says quietly, unsure if she’s referring to her own invitation or William’s. A small smile spreads on Kara’s face in response, certain that Lena was referring to both. 

“Well we really should get going. I’m not sure what the visiting hours at max. are, not that that really matters, I could probably get us in but the sooner the better.” Alex says as she gestures towards the elevator. They all hop into the elevator and begin to make their way back up to ground level. When suddenly there’s a loud rumbling sound in the elevator.

“Oh disgusting, Lura! I was only kidding before!” Alex says as she moves to cover her nose with the collar of her jacket.

“That wasn’t me, I swear!”

“Actually that was me. And thankfully it was just my stomach rumbling. I haven’t had much to eat today.” Lena replies sheepishly.

“Okay it’s settled. We’re stopping at Big Belly Burger first to grab some food.” Kara says.

“Oh no, that’s not necessary.” Lena tries to say but just as she finishes, Kara’s stomach lets out a growl ten times louder and more demanding than Lena’s. 

“You’ve awakened the Kraken.” Kara says seriously as Alex just rolls her eyes while the Luthors laugh.

:::

William walks into Al’s Bar and takes a seat at the bar. He actually did try and go into the office and get some work done but not to his surprise there wasn’t a single soul in sight. And he’d rather not be completely alone on the holiday so he figures an alien bar is as good a place as any to celebrate. As he takes off his coat and looks around he sees an alien sitting at a booth in the corner looking at him. The alien turns his head after a few seconds and looks around at the other patrons, nervously tapping his leg. If William didn’t know any better he’d think that the alien looked rather nervous, anxious even. But why? Al’s Bar is a sanctum for their kind. William brushes off the thought before ordering a beer. 

After a few beers William gets the urge to use the bathroom so he gets up and makes his way towards the back of the bar. He accidentally bumps into the alien he saw sitting in the booth earlier. He thinks he must be more tipsy than he previously thought because the alien’s face appears to glitch momentarily. A millisecond of a human looking face flashes before pixelating back into the blue skinned, yellow-eyed alien he’d seen before. He shakes his head before excusing himself.

“Sorry ‘bout that mate. Guess the beer’s a little stronger than I remember.” He says as the alien just grunts in response before walking past him. William just looks at his retreating form before making his way into the restroom to take care of business.

When it’s time to leave William pays his tab, throws on his coat, and walks out of the bar and out onto the street, heading home. Along the way the temperature drops, since night has fallen, and so he slips his hands into his pockets. He comes to a halt when he suddenly feels something cold and metal in right pocket that wasn’t there before. He pulls it out and looks over the strange object he’s never seen before. It looks like a highly modified clunky watch. It looks extremely well made and when he turns it over he sees “L.L” engraved into the back. He turns it back around to get a better look at the face of it when he sees a tiny button on the side that appears to be flashing. 

He decides to press it and once he does a swirling storm of indigo lightning appears before him. He rubs his eyes and looks around trying to be certain of what he sees. No one else on the street seems to be aware of the swirling mass of ominous lightning and dark clouds that appears before him. He looks back down at the watch that has a bright green “88 m/hr” flashing across the screen. As he squints his eyes to look closer he hears his name being called from within the storm. It sounds almost like a stage whisper, too loud and sinister for anyone to ignore. He hears the voice again but this time it says something more than just his name.

“We’ve been expecting you, William. Ahead of schedule but not to worry. The early bird always gets the worm.” The mysterious voice echoes as he steps closer. “Or in this case...the Kryptonian.” Just then William is pulled into the swirling mass of lightning and disappears with the storm just as quickly as it appeared...

Well that’s one way to have a memorable first Thanksgiving in the States.