The Corner

“I think I got what you’re looking for. My partner picked it up last week at an estate sale upstate. It’s old, maybe from the early 1900’s. It’s a square cut emerald, might be one and a half carat. I haven’t graded it yet. But, you’re a good kid. You come here every week, look, but don’t touch and you don’t ask dumb questions. I like that.”

“Thanks, Danny.” I let out a slow breath as the gruff old jeweler slid a black velvet box across the glass display case. My hands were sweaty, shaking as he popped the lid back. The hinges creaked as if it had been a solid century since it was last handled.

“I mean, you’ve looked at every damn ring in this place. My cousin, Bobby, told me you spent half a day in his full price dump on fifth and found nothing. I keep trying, Kara. I tell my boys when they hit garage sales or estate sales, snatch up the fanciest oldest rings they can find.” He grinned, leaning on his elbow as I stared down at the ring.

I let out a slow breath, still smiling, desperate to hide the nerves as I reached for the ring. My heart raced at first glance. It was everything Lena had described to me. The ring she always dreamed of if she ever got married. Emeralds because it reminded her of home. Square cut since everyone the world had to have princess cut, oval, or some silly other cut. I gently picked up the ring, running my fingers around the old band, feeling the delicate etching of intertwining lines cascading up to frame the stone. It was perfect, exactly everything Lena described during our movie nights. Snuggled up and sleepy, dreaming of what came next. “What size is it?”

“It’s a seven and a half. I can make it bigger and still match the old silver.”

I grinned, my heart racing as I began to picture it on Lena’s finger. “I’ll take it.” I set the ring back in the box, wiping my hands before I grabbed my wallet. “I can put some down now. I’ll bring the rest in two weeks.” I was beginning to panic at how much this ring would cost, too excited to ask, only knowing I had to have it.

“You really love this girl, don’t you?” He had a huge grin on his face.

I looked up at Danny, wide eyed. “Uh, I, yeah.” I tipped my head down embarrassed.

He nodded, grabbing his notepad, scribbling. “Good.” He tore off a sheet and slid it across the case to me. “Five percent markup on what my partner picked it up for at the estate, cover his gas and lunch.”

I glanced at the price, my eyes growing wider. “Are you sure? I have more money, I don’t want to…”

“Shut up, Kara. You’re in love. Like real honest love. I don’t ever see that anymore.” He closed the ring box, dropped it in a plastic bag. “I make enough money off the dummies buying the ugly pawned diamond rings.” He set the bag down as I handed him the money. “Just maybe come back for the wedding bands? Or send your lady to me to buy your engagement ring.”

I chuckled, blinking back tears. “I will. Maybe I’ll even invite you to the wedding.”

I huffed, shaking my head, I was such a foolish kid. I walked out into the chilled air outside of Dulles International Airport, shrugging my bag over my shoulder. It was cooler than when I left National City, making me glad I grabbed the old worn sweater I tossed in my closet. It reminded me of nights, shivering under a Russian moon, but it also comforted me. Calmed me.

I flagged a cab down, turning my phone on, watching it light up with messages and missed calls. Most of them were from Alex. I hit Alex’s number, waiting for the yellow cab to stop at the curb.

“God damnit, Kara.” She was angry, holding it in, trying so hard not to yell at me.

“Alex. I’m not running. I just had to do something. Take care of something.” I bit my bottom lip, throwing the bag into the backseat of the cab.

“You call me in tears. Sobbing, hard tears. And by the time I can get to your place, it’s empty. Nothing but a stupid note on a full bottle of my favorite whiskey.” She paused. “Do I have to make a certain CEO disappear?”

I smiled at my sisters protectiveness. “No. Leave her alone. This isn’t her fault.” I ran my hand over my messenger bag, palming the corner and the old box I tucked there. “I did something stupid. A long time ago, and this afternoon. I’ve realized I’ve done a lot of stupid things and left them. I need to start fixing things.”

“You know you didn’t break anything, Kara.” I could hear Alex pacing.

“I know, but I didn’t fight for anything.” I cleared my throat, looking out the window as the airport drifted away, leading me into the heart of the nation’s capital. “I’ll be home tomorrow, Alex. If anyone asks, tell them I’m following up on a story. That’s what I told Catco after I sent them a few paragraphs of the Afghanistan story.” I chuckled nervously, pushing my glasses up. “I guess telling them about winning a medal has given me all the leeway I need. I bet I could move to the Amalfi Coast and work remotely until the day I retired.”

Alex was silent for a heartbeat. “What happened with Lena? I couldn’t understand your blubbering sobs. I can translate you with a mouthful of food, crying over a Disney movie, ranting in excitement, but blubbering sobs. I’m still learning, and you scared me. Lena isn’t answering my phone calls, texts.”

I hesitated telling her. “She found the ring. I got scared. The past rushing back faster than I could stop it. I panicked, I asked her to leave. I broke down, and then without thinking, I was packing a bag. Booked a flight to D.C. and now I’m here. I’ve probably fudged everything up beyond repair with Lena.” I sighed. “I just realized I never fought back. I took everything with a smile, getting back up and brushing the dirt of my knees.” I looked inside my messenger bag, the wrinkled edges of a very worn letter. “I never hit back.”

Alex hummed. “Okay.” She paused. “Tell Lillian I said hi, and try not to hit her. I can’t fly down to bail you out.”

I felt my cheeks turn a bright red. “Alex.”

“I do work for the top police department in the country. And I also know Lillian Luthor is currently housed at a secret prison facility under the CIA building, awaiting another trial for crimes against humanity. You’re not the only one who has connections in the world, Kara.” Alex chuckled. “Do what you have to, Kara, then come home. Stay home.”

I swallowed back the tears. “I will. I promise.” I hung up, my thumb itching to swipe open the messages from Lena. I wanted to talk to her, hear her voice, and sit in silence until my heart began beating again. I loved her. My reaction when she found the ring was nothing but pure fear, panic. I reacted on instinct instead of stopping, looking in her eyes and finding the calm I always found in her eyes. The fear consumed me. I was a completely different person when I bought that ring in a run down jewelry shop in Brooklyn.

I looked up, the ominous CIA building hovered above me. It’d been years since I was last here, but the feeling in the pit of my stomach was the same. Nauseous excitement. The cab stopped, I handed the driver more than enough money to cover the fare and a huge tip, my attention drawn to the tall, gorgeous brunette wearing a Marine uniform, standing on the curb. She grinned as I stepped out of the cab.

“Kara fucking Danvers.”

“Colonel fucking Sam Arias.” I rushed towards her, grinning, blinking back tears.

Sam grabbed me in a rib crushing hug, laughing. “It’s so good to see you without blue lips and a fucking phone frozen to your hand.” She leaned out of the hug, tugging on the sleeve of my sweater. “I see you haven’t thrown this rag away.”

“How could I? You gave it to me when I couldn’t stop shivering after I woke up.” I squeezed her elbow. “It’s been too long, Sam.”

She shrugged, covering my hand with hers. “It has, but what can you do? I moved back to the states to a desk job, you skipped right on to Syria.” She tapped the side of her left leg. “It doesn’t move like it did, but it still moves, and I will forever owe you for that.”

I blushed, pushing my glasses up. “The sweater is enough. But, lets make a promise now, we keep in touch. I’m home now, for good. No more running all around the world, finding my purpose. I have a home, a desk job, and National City never drops below fifty degrees.”

Sam gave me a shocked look. “Well, shit. Danger Danvers finally clipped her wings.” She smiled, giving me a soft look. “It’s about time. You’re too good for this world to be blown up.” She squeezed my hand, before glancing at the building behind her. “She’s ready whenever you are.”

I nodded, biting my bottom lip. “I owe you for this, Sam. I know it wasn’t easy to get me in.”

“Actually, after I told my boss who you were and why you wanted to see the Lillian Luthor, the she-beast from hell, he signed off right away. That woman could make a nun turn to violence and whiskey.” Sam linked her arm in mine, guiding us towards the door. “Let’s get this started so you can get home and get your girl.”

I smiled, whispering out a soft thank you.

XXXX

The room was stark white, cold, and void of any distraction. Sam called it a clean room where they interviewed everyone from double agents, to fresh out of college kids applying to be unpaid interns. It was intimidating and made me shiver with nerves. I laid my hands on the steel table in front of me, trying to calm down. “What the hell am I doing?” The Kara of ten years ago, starting peeking her head out. The meek, mild, always trying to make everyone happy, Kara. The innocent, stupidly in love, Kara.

My thoughts drifted to the past, memories of an empty apartment in New York. Empty bookshelves, empty closets with the faint scent of her perfume, teasing me, breaking me. I clenched my jaw as the memories burned in my gut. I pressed my palms hard against the table top as those memories collided with ones of the desert, the jungle, the frozen streets of Russia.

“Are you here to interview me?”

My head snapped up at the soft dulcet tone of Lillian’s voice. She stood in front of me, handcuffed in the front wearing a pale grey jumpsuit, cocking an eyebrow in a manner I knew she was judging me to the fullest extent.

I swallowed hard as Sam nodded at me, tugging Lillian towards the chair across from me. She shoved Lillian into the chair, making the woman wince as her handcuffs pinched. “No need to be so rough.”

Sam rolled her eyes and walked to the corner of the room. It was part of the deal, if I wanted to talk to Lillian, Sam had to be present just in case Lillian decided to incriminate herself.

She might be the adoptive mother of my ex, but she was also a mass murderer and terrorist. No big deal, right?

I sat straighter, finding the courage to open my mouth and calmly speak, when Lillian beat me to the punch.

“I never understood what my daughter saw in you. Meek, weak, frail, and constantly afraid. You’re like an abandoned puppy, cowering, desperate for love.” Lillian leaned back in the hard plastic chair. “Are you here to interview me? I am aware you’re quite the journalist these days. Your prose could use some work, but the article content has been entertaining.” She glanced at her hands, picking at a ragged thumbnail.

“I’m not here to interview you.” I looked at Lillian, studying her. She was a far cry from the elegant, towering, evil woman from ten years ago. She was worn down, tired from sleeping in concrete blocks and never seeing the sun for more than an hour a day. Her hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail, streaks of grey weaving their way through once perfectly dyed hair. She was the one who looked weak, frail, afraid. “You’re story pales in comparison to the people I’ve taken down over the years. You’re nothing, Lillian, nothing but a petty criminal who got caught.”

Lillian chuckled, shaking her head. “Oh, Kara. It’s cute to see you play the strong heroine.” She glanced over her shoulder at Sam. “You can take me back to my cell now.”

“I loved Lena. I fell in love with her the second she smiled at me. She was, is, my entire world.” I paused, reaching into my pocket for the worn box.

Lilian smirked, shaking her head. “And yet, she isn’t here.” She leaned forward. “And why are you here, Kara?”

“I know what you did. I know you threatened Lena. I know you chased her away, threatening to ruin my life and my sisters.” I stood up straighter. “I didn’t understand it then, I was so in love, I couldn’t see past my own nose. But I understand it now. After being kicked to the ground, I kept getting up. Even when it was it seemed impossible I would survive the next kick. I always did. I always got up, with Lena’s help.” I cocked my head, leaning closer to Lillian. “You do know she saved me? More than once, more than twice? Using your legacy to bring me back to life? Over and over? She loved me, against your will and desire. She loved me.” I paused as everything began to click together. I smiled. “I didn’t understand it then, but I do now. You were scared of how much she loved me. How much we loved each other. You were jealous, because you knew, no one on this planet would ever love you like that. No one will ever love you like that.” I grinned as Lillian’s face turned white. I set the old black velvet box on the table, flicking the lid open. “I’m done running. I should’ve stopped before I started. I should’ve told you to fuck off, Lillian, like I am now. I should’ve run after Lena and fought with her. But I was a stupid kid who didn’t understand the world and the overwhelming love I carry for your daughter. I just wanted the simple things.” I spun the box around to reveal the engagement ring. “Marry your daughter and take her to a small town like Midvale. That’s all I wanted.” I paused again. “That’s all I want, now.”

Lillian swallowed hard, fidgeting in her chair. “If you’re asking for my permission…”

“I’m not. I’m telling you to fuck off, Lillian. Fuck you, and fuck off.” I stood up, grabbing the ring. A wave of doubt rushed over my heart, mixing with the adrenaline. I had no idea where I stood with Lena, and if anything could be salvaged. “You were the first demon I had to face, and I don’t know why I was scared of you back then. You’re just a jealous, bitter old woman. A piss poor excuse of a mother who was jealous her daughter found the love you wished you could find.” I nodded to Sam, motioning to her I was done. “I should’ve done this ten years ago, would’ve saved me a few stitches.” I turned to walk out of the room, when Lillian spoke.

“Ten years ago, you would’ve cried and pissed your pants standing in the same room as me.” Lillian stood up, twisting her handcuffs to a more comfortable angle. “It’s nice to see you found your balls, Danvers.” She glanced at Sam reaching for her right arm. “And for what it’s worth, I’d never wish the things you’ve gone through on anyone. You have my respect, Kara.” She cocked an eyebrow, turned, and walked out of the room.

Lena

“Ms. Luthor? I want to let you know your five o’clock meeting has been pushed to conference call for tomorrow. I looked over the details, and it looks like you could have the R&D team field it.” Jess walked into my office, swiping on her tablet. “Catco numbers are in and the team at Draiocht have sent over the new issue for you to review.”

I nodded, rubbing at my eyes. My headache had blossomed into a mild migraine. “Push the Catco numbers to accounting. I know they’re up sixteen percent and climbing, I just don’t want to look at any more spreadsheets.” I blinked, looking up. “I don’t need to see the new issue. I trust the team, I have editors in place for a reason.” I smiled, knowing the main reason I didn’t want to see the latest edition. Kara’s articles. “By the sound of it, I may have tomorrow off?”

Jess grinned. “I cleared your schedule. You’ve been exhausted since your return from Metropolis and could use a break.”

I smiled, sitting back in my chair. “Thank you.” I closed my eyes, rubbing at my temples. “Call it a night, go home and take tomorrow. We can conquer the world on Thursday.”

Jess left my office with a soft chuckle, closing the door behind her.

The second she was gone, my smile dropped. I was tired, exhausted and doing my best to stop thinking. It had been a week since I left Kara sobbing on the floor of her loft. My final words echoing in my ears. The sight of the ring in my fingers. I would’ve said yes.

It was all so fucked up now.

I collected my things, shoving useless spreadsheets in my useless briefcase before slipping my arm into the black sling I was still using. My arm was almost fully healed, but when I was tired, it grew tired and didn’t want to work. Something Claire and I were working on. Removing the nano tech too early left my bones confused and slightly frail. This weekend would have me back in my secret lab, flushing my system with a new injection to speed up this process so I could go back to the drawing board. And back to drowning myself in work, successfully evading reality.

A reality where I lost the love of my life for a second time.

I’d gone over that night a million times, dragging Claire to my penthouse with temptations of my most expensive scotch. I told her the story, cried, screamed, and cursed myself over and over. I woke up with a hangover and lost. I was clueless as to what I was supposed to do next. I couldn’t hide in the shadows, I owned the fucking company she worked for. I couldn’t run to her, grab her and scream for forgiveness. Doing that would trigger her PTSD and I could lose Kara forever.

So, I buried myself in work. Took an impromptu trip to Metropolis in the name of cultivating the research facility there. A week later, and the ache in my chest was far worse. Maybe I needed a vacation. I hadn’t had one in seven years.

“Note to self, ask Jess to research vacations.” I grumbled to myself as I walked out of L-Corp and climbed into my car. The driver only offering a silent smile as I sunk into the leather seat.

I closed my eyes, my head still throbbing as I searched my mind of what to do next. For nine years, it was work and Kara. It was always Kara. Following her, making sure she was safe from a distance. Loving her from the edges of her world, too scared to take the chance to ask for forgiveness.

“Ma’am? You’re home.”

I blinked my eyes open, yawning out my thank you. I smiled, thanking Jess again for forcing a day off on me. I was suddenly excited to collapse in my bed and sleep well past my alarm. I could be lazy, stay in my pajamas all day and forget who I was for a few hours.

I yawned again, walking out the elevator as I dug my keys out. I turned the corner, Alex stood at my door, leaning against the wall. She looked up when she heard my keys.

“Alex.” My voice cracked, forcing me to clear my throat.

She gave me a soft smile. “Hey.”

“Can I help you?” I held my keys in my hands, moving closer.

She held up an envelope. “My sister doesn’t know I’m here. If she did, she’d probably call in one of her scary CIA friends to make me disappear.” Alex gave me a look that told me she was mildly afraid of these CIA friends. “Basically, I’m not here.” She held out the envelope. “Kara is okay, she’s on a mission to fix things. Her way of healing, and however odd it is, it’s working. But she keeps avoiding the elephant in the room. The Lena Luthor elephant.”

I slowly took the envelope from her. “Pardon me?” My heart raced.

Alex crossed her arms. “I know about the ring and her panicking.” She held up a hand as I opened my mouth to speak. “She saw Lillian. I know what Lillian did, how she threatened to ruin Kara, me and you. I know you leaving wasn’t what you wanted, but what you felt you had to do, to protect us.” Alex smiled. “Thank you. I always thought you were playing my sister and taking advantage of that big stupid heart of hers.”

I shook my head, shaking off the shock of Kara facing down Lillian. “Never. I loved her, I…love her, Alex. I broke away from Lillian as fast as I could, but it was too late. I didn’t have the means, the power to find Kara until Lex tried to blow up the world. When the Luthor fortune fell into my lap, I spent every dollar I could.” I paused, my anger morphing into tears. “I was afraid. She changed, and I thought, how could this beautiful, strong woman ever love me? I never bothered to fight for the love of my life.” I clutched the envelope. Kara’s words from the last time I stood in her loft, sung in my ears. If you couldn’t love me then, can you love me now?

“I know that now, you both were afraid.” She motioned to the envelope in my hand. “Kara has been writing. Writing everything she’s been through. All twelve of her scars are in that envelope on a USB. It’s hard stuff to read, but even in between the lines, she never stopped loving you.”

I looked down at the envelope. “She told me she has fourteen scars.”

Alex chuckled. “Probably, she still hates telling me things she thinks will worry me. My sister, who has taken down drug cartels, human smugglers, and survived being frozen to death and shot, is still worried I worry about her. Kara has bigger balls than I’ll ever have.” Alex pushed away from the wall. “She loves you, Lena. She’s fighting her way back to you. She needs you to fight for her.” She stepped towards me, reaching out to squeeze my shoulder. “Get some rest, Luthor. You look like shit.”

“Lillian found the engagement ring I bought for Kara. I was going to ask Kara to marry me that weekend. Ask her to run away to the end of the earth with me, even if it was Midvale, I wanted her for the rest of my life.” My voice broke at the end. I turned to Alex looking over her shoulder at me. “Lillian found the ring hidden in my floorboards and lost her mind. I had every intention of leaving the family, knowing Lillian would make our lives hell. She always hated the bastard daughter her husband brought home one rainy afternoon.” I sighed. “Lillian had already destroyed my father’s business partners. I’d seen first hand the damage she could do, and it was frightening. If I didn’t leave Kara like she demanded, I knew she’d tear your lives apart, and I couldn’t stand by and watch my chosen family be destroyed. I did what I thought was right, break the most beautiful heart I’ve ever met, just to save her.” I shrugged, tears running down my face. “All I ever wanted was her, Alex.”

Alex looked at the ceiling, tears running down her cheeks as she hastily wiped them away. “Fuck, I hate Lillian.” She looked at me. “I shouldn’t be telling you this. I’m supposed to meet Kara tomorrow for lunch. We’re going to the dog shelter on ninth to take a few dogs for a walk. I might suddenly have to transport a fugitive at the last minute.” She cocked her eyebrow. “She’ll be there at one o’clock, in the back with the puppies.”

I nodded, wiping my tears with smile. “One o’clock.”

Alex pointed at me. “Be this Lena. The open, vulnerable idiot so hopelessly in love with my sister, and you might have a chance to right this ship Lillian capsized years ago.”

I nodded again. “I will. Thank you, Alex.”

Alex shook her head. “Don’t thank me, Lena. Just do this.” She took a few steps back before turning and disappearing around the corner.

When I was alone, I jammed my keys into my lock, pushing into my penthouse with a nervous laugh mixed with tears. Closing the door, I leaned against it, gasping for air as the adrenaline slipped away, tears running down my face.

I took a few moments to cry and shake out the rest of the adrenaline, before grabbing the envelope and running to my laptop.

I had some work to do before tomorrow.