We're Off
"Mrs. Danvers-Luthor, you do realize that your leaving may put you in danger?" Lexie, the younger doctor with a striking resemblance to Alex asked. A small audience of three doctors, Kara, and a couple of nurses had gathered in Lena's room, all there to stop her from going.
"Dr. Grey, I have six doctorates. I understand." Lena grumbled, smoothing her hair over her bandage.
"Are you sure we can let her go this soon?" Lexie pleaded, turning to Dr. Shepherd.
"She has no neuro deficits, her CT is clean, and she's mobile. All she has wrong is a fucked moral compass." Amelia sighed. Lena's phone buzzed in her pants pocket, and she pulled it out.
"Alex is here. My discharge is finished, yes?" Lena asked.
"Yes," Amelia answered.
"Alright. Thank you for saving my life, but it's my turn to do the same for countless others." Lena's gentle smile meant her words were genuine, and Amelia could tell she wasn't leaving just to care for her three - now four, unless you counted Elaine, which made it five - girls. "Now, a bit of privacy, please, I need to say goodbye to my wife."
Kara sighed as the room emptied out. "You really have to go now?"
"I do, love. You know what she could do with it."
"Yeah, but she doesn't know what or where it is." Kara's bottom lip stuck out in a pout, and Lena felt a wave of guilt wash over her.
"Kara, if your only use to her was to find my dangerous project, why do you think she let you go?" Lena caught her wife's eyes just before they fell. "So she's either gotten what she wants, or she has someone else to give that to her. I love you, but my mother can and will kill everyone I have ever cared about. I talked to Alex, and she's getting a safe house set up for you, her, Maggie, the kids, Sam, and Ruby. No electronics, none, okay? Take the good car, switch out the plates, and make sure the kids wear sunglasses and hats on the way into the car. Disguise them the best you can. I've already jammed the GPS. You have to promise, okay?"
"Yes, but promise you'll come back to me." Kara reached out, upset with the wheelchair. She just wanted to hold Lena.
"I'll be okay, love, I promise. I'm going to stop at home to see the girls on the way. I love you so much." Tears filled Lena's eyes and her voice shook.
"I love you. Why does this feel like goodbye?" Kara asked, her own voice wavering.
"It's not a goodbye, it's a see you later? I'm coming home, no matter what I have to do." Lena bent over, placing a soft kiss on Kara's lips. "I love you."
"I love you, too. See you later." Kara cupped Lena's jaw with one hand.
"See you later." Lena felt her lips curve into a smile, and before she knew it, she was walking away.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Alex was waiting downstairs, and neither of them bothered to say a word until they were in the car, Maggie having waited in the backseat. Lena's teary eyes and shaky hands gave her away, Alex knew this was bad.
"What are we dealing with?" Alex asked.
"Gorgóna is Greek. It roughly translates to 'mermaid', siren. I made it in collaboration with the General of the Armies of the United States, or as I know him, Mark. I met him on one of my visits to see Olivia. Well, President Marsdin. He's a good man, but there are bad ones. He had me create weapons to help defend our people, but somehow, my mother found out. It's basically what it sounds like. A hypnotic sound that draws sailors into the rocks. We tested it nonlethally, in a large soundproof dome that allowed us the distance we needed. It works. We haven't used it because there's no need to, we're at peace, but she could. She could draw anyone anywhere and just like that, no free will. That's why we kept it under wraps. It's dangerous."
"Lena!" Alex groaned.
"You think I wasn't going to help when the man who controls every army in the country asked nicely? I said he's a good man, but good men do terrible things to survive." Lena sighed.
"What you're saying is you have a device that can kill everyone, and your mother wants it." Maggie offered.
"Well, put simply, yeah." Lena shrugged.
"And you're going to do what about it?" Alex asked.
"Destroy it, its plans, and files, then kill my mother," Lena stated.
"Oh, no, sweetie, not alone you won't." Maggie insisted.
"Yes, I am. Do you want me to be distracted while I destroy years of work? I can't just step on the thing, there are ten prototypes, and one is as tall as me." Lena argued.
"Do you want us to follow you and show up while you're in the process of dismantling ten prototypes?" Alex fired back.
"No, you two had better not follow me." Lena pinched the bridge of her nose between her middle finger and thumb to calm herself down.
"We're coming with you, or we're following you. Choose." Maggie announced.
"No, I'm serious. This isn't an ultimatum you give to a toddler. These are your lives. I'm not going to fight with you about this." Lena's voice raised slightly and her tone sharpened.
"Lena, please, you have to understand. We can't drive you to an airport and let you go knowing you could never come back." Alex pleaded.
"You will do what I say, and you will stay behind me if she shows up. Shoot to kill, she'll get out of whatever prison you put her in." Lena sighed.
"Yes, a real adventure! I haven't had a cool case in forever!" Maggie shouted.
"You just investigated Kara's kidnapping." Alex rolled her eyes dramatically.
"Yeah, but that was depressing, not cool." Maggie pouted.