The Corner

Lena

I wasn’t an invasive person, always holding privacy close to my heart, and respecting others. It was a result of living in the spotlight from age four on. But I couldn’t stop watching Kara from her bed. She was hunched over the desk she’d pushed against the window in the corner of her bedroom. She wore headphones, a serious look on her face as she typed away. Writing.

I’d curled up in blankets and her pillow, watching. I’d missed the days in college when I’d spend the night and wake up to Kara hunched over a notebook, a laptop, or scraps of paper, writing. Writing was her passion, and to see her indulging in her passion and something she was so, so good at. It made me accept the things I couldn’t, wouldn’t change to get here. To this exact moment.

It was still dark out, somewhere in the middle of the night. North of midnight, south of when my alarm would be going off. I’d rolled over, facing a cold spot in the bed, cracking my eyes open to search for Kara. It didn’t take long to hear the soft clicks of her keyboard. I almost went back to sleep, but something in the air told me to watch. Watch Kara for a few breaths and absorb this new reality.

I wasn’t completely alone. Pepper quickly found the open space and made herself right at home, pressing against the top of my thighs. I smiled, tucking the blanket around her little body before turning back to Kara. My future sat at her desk, listening to her favorite musician, biting her bottom lip as she wrote. It had to be the novel she told me about. She never listened to music when she wrote articles, thinking she needed to focus on getting her words right. She listened to music when she was crafting a new world or revisiting her past. She’d always said life had a soundtrack. Granted, that soundtrack shifted over the years from the weird punk rock music she adored in college, to the soft indie musicians she thrived on today. I smiled, laying back down, tugging the blanket closer over my shoulder. I turned to look out the window, the city lights now a muted orange, purple.

I didn’t dare say life was perfect. My experiences told me not to latch on to such a heavy word. I glanced at my hand, the ring half-hidden under Kara’s pillow. Imperfect fit better. Imperfect with flaws, scars, history, a life lived. My life was beautifully imperfect. I swallowed down the tears, taking a deep breath and moving to close my eyes and fall back to sleep.

I took one breath when I felt the bed shift and a wave of solid warmth curl up behind me. Kara kissed my shoulder, nuzzling the soft material of her borrowed shirt. “Did I wake you?”

I shook my head. “Not at all.” I found her hand on my side, pulling it and her closer to me. “I rolled over and found a cold spot.” I kissed the top of her knuckles. “You can go back to writing. I’m fine.”

Kara sighed. “I’d rather be here.” She shifted. “I woke up, a wild dream and I had to write it down before I forgot it. I think I’ll take Alex’s advice and submit a novel to the fiction division of Catco. Journalism is great, but I’d rather make money sitting in a quiet cottage, writing adventures based in half truths and my inventive imagination.” She laid her chin on my shoulder. “I want to spend my minutes like this, not chasing a story or deadlines. I’d rather waste my minutes with you, Lena.”

I grinned, burying my face in the pillow to hide how stupidly happy I was in this moment. “I’d rather waste my minutes with you, Kara.”

“Good. Because I may have emailed Jess you’re taking a sick day tomorrow. My first article releases tomorrow. I want us to spend the day doing anything but looking at numbers and reader reactions.” Kara let out a slow, deep, breath. “I love you.”

“I love you more.”

Kara chuckled, murmuring against me. “I’d say I love you to infinity and beyond, but you’d pinch me and roll your eyes.”

I laughed, rolling over in her arms to face her. Kara’s blue eyes were bright, but heavy with exhaustion. I ran a thumb over her lips. “People always do crazy things when they’re in love.” I grinned when her eyes lit up. I leaned forward, kissing her softly. “I watched your favorites when I missed you the most.” I snuggled deeper into her arms, laying my head over her chest. “Go to sleep, Kara.”

She tightened her arms around me, kissing the top of my head. “I’ve done a lot in my life, but I think my greatest achievement is getting you to watch Disney movies.”

I shook my head, squeezing her ribs. “Sleep, Kara. Or I’ll recant my statements and donate my entire secret collection of movies to the children’s hospital.” I pinched her side when I heard a dramatic gasp, earning a mumbled okay.

I closed my eyes, sighing with content as I fell asleep with the sound of Kara’s heart pulling me deeper into a safe slumber.

Kara

I stared at my computer, the emails had flooded in over the weekend and I was staring at close to three hundred emails and growing. Draoicht was a massive success. My first article in a ten part series had exploded like wildfire, hitting every corner of the world. From fancy bookstores down to supermarkets, corner stores. The magazine had sold out in less than three days. The sales were off the charts, the reviews were strong and heralded me as the next great journalistic voice of the millennia.

Catco was rushing another run of Draioicht and pushing digital copies to sate the needs of the world.

I’d ignored it all over the weekend. Shutting off emails and telling all my friends and family I would not entertain any peep about the article. I wanted three days with Lena, pretending and forgetting. I wanted to go back to the times when we were hopeless college kids, running through life full of hope and blind excitement.

And we did. We woke up late the next day after I woke her up in the middle of the night. We had brunch at Freya’s table before we spent the day strolling through the local farmer’s market. We found National City’s second-hand bookstores, getting lost in the smell of old books, and the pages of a thousand other worlds. The rest of the weekend was spent driving into the country outside of the city. Stopping here and there whenever the thought hit. Lunch and dinner at any diner that caught our eye. More than anything, we talked. We talked about the past, the present, and the future. I shared moments from the last ten years I never told anyone. Some made Lena laugh, much of it made her tear up and hold my hand tighter. It felt good, to unload the tiny boxes of my memories. Letting the past float up into the air like wild balloons, pushing up into the heavens to pop and release the pain into the wind.

Lena told me about the years after we went our separate ways. The secret projects she’d never claim as hers, turning the world into a better place. She shared her dreams for the future, and how Catco would shape the future of news and print. How L-Corp would continue to change the world. In her eyes, I saw the glint of excitement I saw back when we were kids. The spark of her genius being allowed to run free, nothing holding her back.

At the end of the weekend, we sat in her penthouse, scrolling through real estate listings of cottages in Ireland and Scotland. Both of us dreaming of a time when the simple cottage life would be ours. A silly dream always tinged with the edges of reality. Her work was so important to her, I could never see her leaving the company she rebuilt. And I had constant doubts about my novel as I wrote it, read it, hated all of it, and rewrote it.

We woke up this morning, both complaining about having to merge back into the world. I left first, kissing her over a cup of tea, grumpy I had to leave the bubble we created.

Now I sat at my desk, dreading the rest of the day. Maybe I could swindle Winn into answering some of these emails, or at least ask him to hack the network and have all my emails funneled to the interns.

“Kara? I have another delivery for you.” Eve slipped into my office, carrying another beautiful bouquet of flowers. “Would you like me to set them with the others?” She glanced around my office. There were at least ten bouquets sitting on the floor. I felt like I walked into a florist shop this morning.

I took the small card from her. “Sure?” I flipped the card open, reading the congratulatory message from my old team at the Times. I set it down with the others, smiling softly. “Is there any place we can donate these? I’m not the biggest flower person and I’d hate for them to go to waste in my office. Ask around the office if anyone would like flowers.” I glanced at Eve. “I know I sound ungrateful.”

“You sound like someone who isn’t used to this amount of attention. You’re far from ungrateful. The Draoicht team knows you’re the one who’s been buying the office lunch on Wednesday and why the breakroom always has fresh pastries. They also know the scholarships you’ve set up in your travels, and never mind the good you’ve done with your words.” Eve paused, looking around my office. “Your first article had a few researching your work. The quiet Kara Danvers with the corner office is a bit of a legend, a superhero if I dare be so bold.”

I blushed, fidgeting with my glasses. “Hmm. Well, then. Here I thought I was the moody lead investigative journalist with the corner office who could barely stay awake in editorial meetings.” I cleared my throat, making a note to get on Winn’s case. He undoubtedly was my champion in the office, and the only one aside from Lena and Eve who knew my charitable ways. “Eve?”

She made the motion of zipping her lips with a wink. “I’ve worked with Ms. Luthor and Ms. Grant for ages. I’ve learned the value of being a silent listener. Your secrets have always been safe with me.” She grabbed a few smaller bouquets. “I should offer my own congratulations.” She motioned to the ring on my finger. “You two are perfect for each other and I’ve never seen Ms. Luthor happier.”

I glanced at the ring, smiling at the simple sight. “I’ve never been happier, Eve.” I ran my thumb over the stones. “Never.” I looked up at her. “Lunch is on me today. And all of these can be moved to the breakroom and whoever wants to take them, is more than welcome.” I sat up in my chair. “What time is the editorial meeting?”

“Three. Ms. Luthor will be in attendance along with Ms. Grant. I don’t have to mention the huge success this issue of Draoicht is.” Eve moved towards my door. “Should I hold all your calls? Hold all meetings?”

I sighed, rubbing my forehead. “Hold the calls. I’ll be answering emails until lunch, but I may slip out for a small walk before the editorial meeting.” I turned to my monitor, ten more emails piled in.

“Sounds good.” Eve stepped out of my office, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the air filled with a strange wild floral perfume.

I looked at my monitor, another five emails ding their arrival. “Fuck.” I stood up, collecting my bag and notebook. “Eve? I’ll be taking that walk now. I need a coffee break.” I sighed as she nodded and walked toward the elevators.

As soon as I stepped outside, I felt the slow crawl of panic edge back down my spine. I didn’t like the attention. I didn’t like the accolades pouring into my email and my office. It was what I hated most about being trapped in an office. People always wanted to blow smoke up my ass when I published an article. Earning favor, or whatever. I might have awards, honors, and a captive audience, but I didn’t write for that. I wrote to be a voice. I wasn’t scared to dig out the truth through the thorns.

I wrote to expose, shine a light on, honor, and fight where others felt hopeless. It was my mission when my world fell apart. I wanted to help the hopeless when I felt so hopeless myself. And in time, that mission burned its way into my soul. Even as the hopeless was replaced with hopeful, I’d found my path in this life and I didn’t need flowers or congratulatory emails.

I frowned as the weight fell around my shoulders, pushing at the threads keeping me together. I walked towards the small coffee shop Lena, and I found it next to the second-hand bookstore. A tiny hole in the wall reminded Lena of Ireland. I liked it because it reminded me of a café in Scotland while spending a week in Edinburgh on a break after recovering from South Africa.

I walked in, smiling at the barista from last week, and took a seat in the back. I could still look out the windows but was transported to a different feeling in the cozy warmth of the corner fireplace and the table covered in book pages. I pulled out my phone and notebook, groaning at the messages from friends and family, congratulating me. As the barista set down a plate of orange cranberry scones and a large banana and brown sugar latte, I thanked him, noting how he already memorized my order, and opened Alex’s messages. First was a picture of Pepper and her, followed by messages of her congratulating me on the article.

I hit her contact, leaning back in the chair as the phone rang. She answered quickly. “Well, if it isn’t the greatest journalistic talent of this century.”

“Does it make me ungrateful to be mildly annoyed by all of this? I have an office full of flowers, and emails from any and every book publisher out there. I’m pretty sure I saw an email from my favorite author in the world, telling me how much she loves my work.” I picked a chunk of scone off, shoving it in my mouth, mumbling. “I’m grateful, excited, but I don’t know Alex. It’s like I’m wearing a heavy cape, and everyone is tugging on it.”

“It was always like this, Kara. You just never had the front row seat to it all. Everything thing you ever wrote, published, hit the newsstands, and changed people’s opinions. You brought honest news to a world obsessed with fake, fast, and words that fit their view. I can’t tell you how many old veteran agents cornered me, telling me how grateful they were for my little sister. Telling the world what hides behind agendas and lies.” She paused. “It’s always been like this, but now you’re standing still and telling a deeper story. People crave honesty, Kara. They’ve craved everything you’ve written in this article. An honest insider view of the bullshit this world holds.”

I hummed, spinning my coffee mug. “It’s so much. I’m not a hero, I just write words.” I frowned. “I sound like a petulant child.”

“You sound like the Kara I grew up with. Embarrassed by any sliver of attention anyone threw your way. The Kara who took up writing to inspire and tell the stories others were too scared to tell.” Alex sighed. “I know it’s hard, but it’s different this time. You have me, your friends, Eliza, and you have Lena. You’re not alone. And we all don’t want you to hide from this. This is huge, Kara.” She paused, clearing her throat. “I read the article this morning. You’re so talented and brave.”

“And a little stupid.” I sipped the coffee. The article was my first trip to Afghanistan as a young broken kid, reading to feel something after my heart was torn out. “I see how stupid I was back then. I left out a few parts of pure stupidity.” I took another sip. “I’m not special, Alex.”

“I would beg to differ on a million different levels.” Lena’s voice startled me as she took the seat across from me. “You’ve always been someone special to me. From the first breath and on.”

“Um, can I call you later, Alex? I’ve uh got a meeting.” I stumbled over my words; embarrassed Lena had found me in a moment where my together tank was emptying out quicker than I could stop it. I hung up, tucking the phone in a pocket. “Hi.”

Lena gave me a soft smile after ordering a tea and another plate of scones. “I had an idea today would be tough for you.” She leaned forward, reaching for my hand. “I just left Sarah. Draoicht and Catco are breaking records and people are clamoring for more. Subscriptions have quadrupled overnight.” She squeezed my hand, pressing her thumb against my ring. “Are you okay? I know this is a bit much for you.”

I nodded, staring at her hand. “It’s a lot. I’m not one for fame and glory. I’ve always come home four months after an article. By then it was a glimmer of a memory or an antidote to the upcoming trials of whoever I castrated with truthful words and dedicated investigations.” I looked up at Lena, her eyes were so full of love and understanding. “Does it make me a bad person to say I don’t like this amount of attention?”

“No. Especially considering you didn’t pick up your Pulitzer until a year after you won, and you still have your awards tucked in a box, wrapped up in old NYU t-shirts.” She wound our fingers together. “You don’t write for the fame and glory, Kara. Anyone who has ever met you, followed your career, knows this intrinsically. You are one of the greatest because you ignore the spotlight and push forward. Writing has always had two sides. Those who chase the spotlight, spending their life living in it and producing works that may entertain, and then there are those who hide in the shadows, shaping worlds and thoughts with their words. Never once stopping to step on a stage and thank their family and publishing agents.” She glanced at our hands. “The world knows which one you are, Kara. They’re just excited to hear your story, hear the stories you’ve held in the shadows. You inspire so many. You’ve changed the world.”

I huffed. “Says the world saving genius who’s saved thousands with her designs and technology,” I grumbled. “Will this ever get easier? People looking at me?”

“Yes and no. It takes a lot of work and boundaries.” Lena covered my hand with both of hers. “Lucky for you, I’ve had ten years plus of experience separating the two worlds.” She paused, pressing against my ring. “I’m here. I’m never leaving. We’ll navigate this life together. I will always be your spare tank of together when the day gets too hard. I made a promise when I gave you this ring. I’m never leaving your side.” She grinned. “I also have a spectacular PR team to take the load when you get too grumpy to face the public.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’d think the press would leave fellow press alone. Not corner me in a bakery asking me tabloid questions.” I cringed at the memory from the weekend when a reporter from the Tattler caught Lena and I picking out doughnuts, throwing questions in my face if my status as the most eligible bachelorette in National City was coming to an end, and why she was wearing my old USMC sweatshirt. I blamed myself for that one, having been photographed a hundred times after Sam and I survived, and it sort of became my iconic wardrobe piece. I grew agitated with the reporter, almost telling him to shove his questions up his ass, when Lena stepped in, shoving a business card in his hand. Politely telling him if he didn’t back off, he would lose his job and never find another job in journalism in at least forty-eight states. “Lena.”

“Cat and I have a meeting tomorrow. We’re reworking the PR guidelines for all journalists in our house. They will have the freedom to either bask in the fame or hide in the shadows. Catco and Draoicht want to tell stories, not create rockstars.” Lena let go of my hand, grabbing her mug of tea. “The article is incredible, Kara. This series is going to change minds, inspire.”

I rolled my eyes, shoving another piece of scone in my mouth. “Not you too.”

She laughed. “I’ve always been your biggest fan, Kara. I will always tell you when your writing is incredible, or silly. Just like that letter you wrote to the largest cereal company in the nation, demanding they increase the number of marshmallows in their fruity crunch. I vaguely remember it being a six-page dissertation on the benefits.”

“I did get free cereal for a year. Even though they politely told me to never write them again, ever.” I smiled, pushing my glasses up. “So, it’s a success? My article?”

“Kara.” Lena gave me a look.

I waved a hand. “I know, but I only ever believed you. You always told me the truth. I need to hear your truth.”

She paused, staring at me with her bright green eyes. “Yes. It’s a success, Kara. I’m so excited for you and the future. Even when I was uncertain about our future, I was excited to watch you from the corner. Knowing the talent you have, I was excited to watch you stop and let the world come to you for a change.”

I grinned. “Can we send a copy to my eight grade English teacher? Mr. Nain had no faith in me, thought I was better off taking statistics. He always said my writing was flat, lacking emotion.” I took Lena’s hand. “I actually have a list of people who told me I couldn’t do this.”

“I’ll give it to Jess first thing in the morning. She’ll ensure every single person on that list has a signed copy of your article, along with next month’s issue declaring your fall from the most eligible bachelorette list.”

My eyes snapped to hers. “What?”

She nodded. “Of course, only if you’re willing to do an interview with your cousin, announcing our engagement.” She cocked an eyebrow, smirking. “I think it’s time I publicly stake my claim. You’re mine, Kara Danvers. To infinity and beyond.”

I chuckled, leaning over the table to kiss her. “To infinity and beyond.” I kissed her, smiling against her lips as she pulled me deeper into her, almost toppling the table.

I still wasn’t sure the future would be easy. I didn’t know what the future held, and if I could ever find it in my heart to easily handle the odd attention my life would always bring me away. I wasn’t even sure if I could make it through the rest of the day without leaving the office well before five p.m. and spend the rest of the week holed up at my apartment. Working from home until the swell of fame receded a bit.

The only thing I was sure about was, was Lena and me. That was the only thing I was completely certain of. We would always be together, through the fires the world set around us.

I sighed when we parted, running my fingers along her cheek. “I cannot wait to marry you.”

Lena blushed, biting back her grin. “We’ve only waited a lifetime. A few more minutes won’t hurt.”

Lena

“The contracts have been signed and a courier will drop them off in the morning. Claire will be there to receive them. She’ll do one last look before handing them over to you, Jess. After you’ve made the appropriate copies, PR has full permission to begin sending out the media releases. I’ll be back in two weeks, in time for the launch of the Pegasus program to the public.” I sighed, running a hand through my hair, tugging the ponytail free. I was exhausted and well out of the scope of having to maintain a professional appearance.

“Sounds good, Lena.” I could hear the clicking of keys in the background as Jess feverishly documented my instructions. “Alex has inquired about the book launch in three weeks. And if the surprise book party for Kara is still a go.”

I smiled, climbing into my car, sighing as the day's stress slowly freed itself from my body. I glanced out the windshield, happy the sun decided to peek its head out. It had been a rainy trip with a forecast for more rain. “It’s still a go. Kara is too far buried in her next novel, she can barely keep track of the day let alone any secret planning.”

Jess laughed. “I will admit, I’m eagerly awaiting the third installment in her series. But, I do miss her articles in Draoicht.”

I hummed, nodding in agreement. “She will still do guest articles here and there, but she has long retired from the life of investigative journalism. Relegated to the living the life of a bored housewife to the second wealthiest CEO in the world.” I rolled my eyes, remembering the irritating headlines catching my eye in the airport. “You’d think after the last four years, the world would’ve moved on from us.”

“It’s hard to ignore a three-time Pulitzer winner, bestselling novelist in fiction and nonfiction, and the greatest journalistic voices of a generation, marrying a Nobel Peace Prize nominee and the genius who has changed the medical world for the better.” Jess laughed at my groaning. “I won’t even touch your environmental work. The world is fascinated by you two, and I don’t blame them. You’re the best kind of power couple.”

I shook my head, glancing at my wedding rings. “Perhaps.” I felt my heart skip when memories of our small wedding broke through the exhaustion. We married two months after we went public with Kara’s cousin. I couldn’t wait another minute, and neither could Kara as her star continued to shine. It was a simple affair with only family and a few friends. Our wedding photos were taken at the City Hall station followed by a short honeymoon in Italy. “I’m going off the grid for the rest of the day. Any emergency, you have the land line at the cottage. I’ll see you in two weeks, Jess.” I hung up, tucked my phone in my briefcase, and took one more look at the sun, rolling down the window a crack to let the cool, crisp Irish air in.

It was a forty-five-minute drive to the property we owned in Doolin. A decent sized cottage on a hill facing the cliffs. Kara picked it out, hooked on the view from the second floor office window. She could see the water and the cliffs and get lost in the scenery as she wrote.

She spent weeks on end in the cottage writing her next novel, living a quiet simple life. She’d retired from Draoicht and Catco at the end of her series. We’d only been married eight months when she woke me up in the middle of the night, showing me an email from the largest publisher in the world. They  offered her a lucrative contract for her scifi spy novels, with a contract for a full series and at least two nonfiction books about her time with the Times. She was so happy, I couldn’t fight it. She’d finally found her dream, she could write whatever she wanted on her own terms. She could hide in the hills, or our massive townhouse in National City, and write. Write and sit in sweats all day.

It also gave her a space to run to when the attention grew too much for her, and for us.

The moment Kara’s crown as the most eligible bachelorette tumbled to the ground, the media was fascinated by our story. It compounded with the success of Kara’s articles and there were more than a few times I came home to Kara sitting in her old USMC sweatshirt, holding Pepper and staring out the windows. I would sit with her, and let her talk about whatever stories she hid from the public. The heroics, the stupidity, and I would hold her. Holding her together when her tank ran empty. I’d always wake up the next day, covered in my favorite blanket of hers, Pepper sleeping right next to my head, and a sweet love letter written by Kara. It made me fall even more in love with her.

In turn, she would stand by my side when the corporate world did its best to burn me down. She listened to me rant and rave over failed projects. Curse to hell and back the idiot fools who continued to take over L-Corp, or push for it to go back to the days of Lillian and Lex. She would be my champion when the media was bored, digging out an exclusive interview with Lillian in her government cell, and twisting her words.

The week of our wedding, the Tattler dug up my adoption records, splashing them across the front page, hoping to tear apart my name. Kara held me as I sobbed, memories clouding my mind. She ended up having Alex secretly raid their files and secret informants. Effectively shutting down the magazine for a solid month. A month where Catco took the lead in sales and respect, and in time, Cat bought enough shares of the magazine to own it and fire the entire staff. The Tattler was now a children’s educational newsletter.

Life was perfectly imperfect. But it was ours.

Pulling into the gravel driveway, I grinned at the sight of Pepper napping in the front window, her little tail wagging at the sound of my car. She hopped to her feet when she recognized me. I gave her a little wave before getting out. I sucked in a deep breath of the salty air, feeling the last weight of the city slip away.

Leaving my bags in the trunk, I walked into the cottage. I was too excited to surprise Kara and couldn’t wait to drag suitcases behind me. Slipping off my coat and heels, I bent down to scoop up and excited Pepper. She whimpered, scrambling in my arms to tell me how much she missed me and everything I’d missed over the last week. I grinned, laughing as I carried her towards the steps. I set her down, letting her scramble towards the stairs, hesitating for a second, looking back at me asking me to follow her. I shook my head, waving her on. “Go ahead, tell Kara I’m home.” Pepper let out a soft woof of acknowledgment before rushing up the stairs.

I shrugged off my blazer, unbuttoning the top few buttons to let more of the office fall behind me, and chuckled at Kara talking to Pepper. I started up the stairs, wanting to catch a glimpse of Kara before she caught on I was home.

“We just went outside for a walk, then we both had treats. I thought you were taking a nap. You know I have to finish this chapter before Lena gets here.” Kara giggled when Pepper barked at her. “I know, we have a secret pact about the treats. Lena gets upset when we have too many and not enough nutrition.”

I peered around the corner from the top of the stairs. Kara was bent over, holding Pepper’s paws. She looked beautiful with her wild, curly hair clearly windswept by the sea air. She wore one of my thickest sweaters, her oldest pair of jeans I adored, and big fluffy slippers. Her glasses were pushed to the top of her head, letting the light capture every shade of blue her eyes hid, making them sparkle like lost sapphires on the beach. For a split second, my breath caught, and I had to press a hand over my heart at the sight. She was beautiful, she was happy, and she was mine.

After two years of marriage and almost fourteen years of being in each other’s life, I was never happier. Even when we had dark days, days when the memories of our stupidity caught up to one of us, we were still happy. I could turn to her when my guilt overcame me, and she turned to me when the nightmares sprang out of locked boxes, chasing her back into her scars. I loved her, she loved me, and we loved each other more than I could ever believe was possible for two people. She was my soulmate, and I would follow her into the afterlife.

“Pepper, don’t look, but I think we have an intruder creeping on us.” Kara cocked an eyebrow at the little dog, giving her a playful look. “Didn’t I teach you better than that?” Pepper woofed at Kara, licking her hands before looking at me. “What, girl? It’s a beautiful woman from the city? A beautiful woman who needs hugs, kisses, and to take that awfully sexy yet constricting power suit off and get her butt over her to kiss her wife hello?” Pepper barked, dropping down to run over to me and tug on my pant leg.

I covered my mouth, trying not to laugh as Kara met my eyes, smirking. “You better listen to the dog, Lena.” She stood up, holding out her hand. Walking towards her, I took her hand, squeaking when she pulled me into her arms, kissing me with the weight of missing each other for the last two weeks.

Melting into her arms, I looped my arms around her waist pulling her deeper into me. She kissed me once more, softly biting my bottom lip. Her cheeks were flushed as she whispered. “Hi.”

I smiled, resting my forehead against hers. “Hi.”  

“I don’t like when two weeks pass.” She sighed, running her hands along my back. “Work was a bear again, wasn’t it?”

I nodded, my eyes slipping close from her warmth and the complete safety I felt when I was in Kara’s arms. “There were minor project delays. But Pegasus will launch with success.”

“And you’ll change the world once more. Another biomedical miracle created by my genius wife.” Kara leaned back, a stupid grin on her face. “You know I’ll never tire of saying that, my wife? You’re my wife, Lena.  I still get butterflies in my stomach when I think about it, see you across a room and our eyes lock. I still get sad like an angsty teen when I can’t hold your hand.” She grabbed my hand. “How long are we staying here?”

“Two weeks.” I laughed at Kara’s frown, tapping her bottom lip. “Only because your book launches, and we have to do the required press. But.” I raised an eyebrow.

Kara’s eyes widen with hope. “But?”

I kissed her pout away. “But when we’re done, we are back here for an indefinite amount of time. With Pegasus done, I can ease up on CEO responsibilities. Catco and Draoicht have a spectacular team in place.” I paused. “I’ve married into money as my gorgeous wife is about to be a bestselling author for the hundredth time, giving me the freedom to be a stay at home wife, puttering away in the garage.”

Kara rolled her eyes. “Says the multibillionaire.” She squeezed my hand. “We did it, didn’t we?”

I cocked my head, catching the change in her tone. “Did what?”

“We’re living the dream we spent nights in my crappy apartment talking about. Me writing by the sea, you building robots in the garage.” She met my eyes, pure love filling them. “We walked through hell, burnt our feet, and singed the edges of our hearts, but we did it. Our love couldn’t be broken, even when we did our best to shatter it. And now.” She waved around the cottage and her writing room. “We did it. We’re living our dream.”

I blinked back tears, shaking my head. “I’d do it all again to get to this point, Kara.” I tugged her back into my arms, holding her. “You’re my favorite curse and my greatest blessing. You’re my one and only, the love I was fated and destined to find and keep. Two souls dancing in the moonlight.”

Kara chuckled, leaning back in my arms. “And you told me you never read any of my silly fiction books.” She squinted at me, smiling with suspicion as I’d perfectly quoted lines from her first novel. A novel I just read for the first time after spying a copy sitting on Jess’s desk while she was out on a coffee run. I flipped through it and was swept up in the love story. I’d always been shy to read her novels, knowing the greatest authors pulled from their lives. But then I read how she saw our love story, even though it was fictional characters, I read between the lines. And it filled my heart with so much, reading how Kara saw us, the love that sparked the second she stumbled into me a lifetime ago in college.

I winked. “I happened to stumble across a copy, couldn’t resist. Oh, please send Jess a signed copy. I can tell she’s too embarrassed to ask for one” I kissed the corner of her mouth, before moving away, still holding her hand. “I’m starving. Let’s take Pepper down to the pub and have dinner like a proper family. You can tell me about your next novel, and maybe let me read some of it?”

Kara stumbled a few steps, letting me almost drag her. “I’ll read it to you in bed after I’ve thoroughly shown you how much I’ve missed you.” I felt myself blush as I almost tripped at the tone in her voice, sending shivers through my body.

“Kara.” I rasped the words out.

She laughed, scooping me up in her arms. “Yes, dinner can wait a few moments longer.” She carried me to our bedroom and in a breath, I found I had a new hunger.

As Kara hovered over me, her eyes so bright, full of love, a sense of forever washed over me. I grinned, reaching for her hand and laying it over my heart. She grinned feeling how hard it raced under her touch.

I whispered in the still, electric air between us. “I’m home. We’re home. Forever?”

Kara leaned forward, brushing her lips against mine. “Forever.”

And when she kissed me, I felt the word burn into my soul, sealing whatever cracks were left.

We were home. We were forever and I’d never look back.