blind without them

Beeeeeep. Beeeep. Beeep. Beeeeep.

Kara sighs. It’s the third time the metal detector has gone off as she’s attempted to walk through security in L-Corp’s lobby. She backtracks, hands on her hips in defiance, as one of the guards comes over to her with a wand, ready to check for any metal on Kara’s body. Her belt, wallet, phone, stray Bobbi pins, watch, even her shoes, are in a small bin on the other side of the security check point. What could possibly be wrong now?

He begins with the procedure; the wand going quickly over Kara’s outstretched arms and legs, followed by her torso, until it begins its panic attack near her face.

The glasses.

“Miss, I’m going to need you to take off the glasses. I believe that’s what’s holding you up.”

Kara starts, taken aback by the request. She can’t take off the glasses. She can’t. Kara fidgets with the buttons of her cardigan, unsure of what to do.

“I..I don’t think so….I’m sure it’s nothing, if you’ll just let me through, I’m here to see Lena Luthor? The CEO?”

“Ma’am, I don’t care who you’re here to see, every visitor to L-Corp is to be screened and processed and right now you’re not passing the security check. We can’t let you through.”

Kara pulls her lips in in frustration, blowing her breath out quickly through her nose. This isn’t going to work. She can’t just fly up to Lena’s balcony, they’ve only been dating for a few months and Kara’s secret identity is still just that, a secret identity. Their relationship is already beginning to strain, what with Kara’s many disappearances and paper-thin excuses. She doesn’t think that it’ll hold much longer, but today, a Tuesday afternoon squabble with the lobby security, isn’t the time or place to let Lena Luthor know her girlfriend is Supergirl.

“Can’t I just? You know…?” Kara begins to ask, but she’s cut off once again by a shake of the guard’s head.

“Just the glasses, Miss. That’s all it is. If you keep making a fuss, we’re going to have to ask you to leave the premises.”

Kara shifts back and forth, angrily watching as other visitors walk through easily, the metal detector silent and welcoming. On a whim, she lunges forward through the gate towards the bin with her belongings. She just needs her phone. That’s all.

The guards milling around the checkpoint where Kara is being detained all react at once. Shouts ring throughout the marble hall with calls of “GET HER!”, “OY WHAT ARE YOU DOING”, and “WATCH IT WATCH IT.”
Kara feels a few rough hands on her arms as she snatches the phone from the bin before stepping back on the right side of the checkpoint. She holds her hands up in defense, a sign of innocence she’s seen one too many times in many of the aliens she’s encountered, as she backs quickly away.

The guard closest to her, still holding the wand, is breathing heavy, one hand on his hip, the other wagging his finger in rebuke of her defiant actions, “Try that again…” he huffs out, “Try that again and you’re out of here.”

Kara ignores him and dials Lena’s number, impatiently waiting as it rings.

“Hey darling, I’m finishing up some paperwork, can I call you back?”

“They won’t let me through,” Kara fires through gritted teeth.

“What?”

“Security. They won’t let me through.”

“Why not?”

Instead of answering the question, Kara proceeds into a rant, “I don’t even understand why you need it, Lena. You’re perfectly safe! You didn’t even tell me you were putting in the metal detectors! I mean, if you needed more protection, you should have just asked, I can keep an eye on the building when I’m making my rounds.”

“Excuse me? Your what?”

Kara quickly talks over her mistake, “I just…can’t you just…just tell them to let me through? You’re the CEO.”

“Kara, it’s just a metal detector. It’s not that big of a deal…”

But before Lena can finish her sentence, Kara hangs up. Her rage is amplified and her determination is growing. She walks back to the metal detector and attempts to walk through. The guards are clearly onto her now, and stop her the moment she gets past the gate, which is beeping wildly.

“Miss, once again, we ask that you step back, remove the glasses, and then come back through the checkpoint.”

“It’s not the glasses! I’m here to see Lena Luthor! Call her!” Kara insists, but a few of the guards are already approaching her, ready to force her back to the other side.

One of them signals over to a fellow at the desk, “Give Miss Luthor a call, please? We have an uncontrolled threat in the lobby she needs to be aware of.”

This causes Kara to boil, “An uncontrolled threat? Really? I’m harmless, I’m here to see Lena, she’ll explain!” Kara walks forward, the machines go off again and the security guards try pushing her back. One takes a hold of her arm and Kara shoves him off. Unfortunately, the ‘gentle’ shove catapults the guard across the lobby and he skids towards the revolving doors. The other guards see this and immediately grab hold of Kara, restraining her. One of them talks into the walkie-talkie at his shoulder while another rushes over to assist the guard who has fallen.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to do that...” Kara stutters out, letting herself be held down by the security guards, her fire to get through no longer there as she sees the consequences of her actions.

“Sorry, hah, just wait until the police report comes out, Miss. Then we’ll see who’s sorry.”

Kara tries to hide her face from the small crowd gathering in the lobby, completely embarrassed by the turn of events. It proves hard to do, however, as the guards keep her facing the front entrance, allowing incoming visitors a clear view of her imprisoned fate.

A few minutes later there is the sharp sound of clacking heels, growing louder and closer from the elevators until Kara feels a small hand grip her just above the elbow and pull her forcefully off to the side. The guards, surprised by the presence of the CEO herself, let Kara go without a fuss.

“What. Do you think. You are doing??” Lena hisses as she deposits Kara in a corner. Kara is sure that Lena’s grip would have left marks were it possible to do so on her steel skin. She can still feel the slight pressure where Lena’s fingers had just previously been.

“I get a call, first from you, complaining about getting through a metal detector. A metal detector Kara! And then I get not one, not two, but THREE more calls from the head of security detailing your insubordination, manhandling of an officer, and then come down here to find you restrained by three grown men, the other halfway across the lobby?! Kara, it’s like I’m dating a twelve year-old!” Lena is furious, the vein on her forehead standing out prominently.

Kara doesn’t have the bravery to look her in the eyes. Of course, hearing it out loud makes her sound like a crazy person.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, they wanted me…to um…”

“To what? Do you have some sort of medical condition that makes you unable to go through a metal detector?”

“No…”

“Metal implants somewhere I don’t know about?”

“…no.”

“Then what is it, Kara? Why the big fuss?” Lena’s harsh whispers have risen steadily throughout the conversation. It draws attention from the security guards, a few of which keep glancing over at them, one of them shaking his head.

“They told me I had to take off my glasses?”

At the confession, Lena’s shoulders sag and her head falls back as she looks up towards the ceiling.

“Your glasses,” It’s a statement.

“Lena, I know it seems crazy, but I really, I really don’t want to take them off,” Kara is practically begging. “Can you just…like…waive me through? Please?” she’s twiddling her fingers together, bouncing slightly in her stocking feet.

Lena looks back at Kara, and seeing the bright blue eyes pleading for lenience softens her. She has to remember not to take out her work frustrations on Kara. It’s just a metal detector, a simple security clearance. Meant to catch insane assassins and killers, not innocent reporters. Obviously, Kara is no harm whatsoever. She sighs, pulling Kara ever closer by the hips. One hand reaches up, gently fixing the collar of Kara’s shirt.

“If you just take them off,” she whispers, her fingers move to Kara’s neck, “walk through the metal detectors,” her jaw, “come up to my office…” Lena is kissing her and for a moment Kara completely forgets about the dilemma with the security guards and focuses only on Lena’s tongue grazing her bottom lip.

The next thing she knows, Lena has pulled back quickly, taking Kara’s glasses with her.

“Alright! Step one!” Lena weighs the frames in her hand. A closer look shows numerous scratches on the lenses and a tortoise shell design she hadn’t noticed before, “Ok, wow. Kara, these are really heavy. Is that normal?” she looks up to see that Kara has turned to face the wall, her head bowed. Lena instantly regrets her decision. She’d pushed too hard.

“Kara, I’m sorry. Here, you can wear them through security. I’ll get you a pass…hey. Kara?” Lena gently places a hand on Kara’s shoulder, “Kara, I’m sorry, I really am. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. Or taken this so lightly when it’s obviously very important. Kara. Come on. Will you turn around for me? Please?”

Kara stays silent for a moment before uttering quietly, “Is anyone looking?”

Lena scrunches her face in confusion, but looks around anyway to fulfill the odd request. The guards are busy with incoming visitors and seem to have forgotten about Kara’s assault. No one is paying them any mind.

“There’s no one looking.”

“Promise?”

“I promise, Kara. It’s just you and me.”

Slowly, Kara turns around to face Lena, and when she does, it elicits a small gasp.

“Oh my God,” Lena whispers, one hand coming up to cover her mouth.

It’s not Kara.
It’s Supergirl.
Standing in the corner of the L-Corp lobby
Completely metal-free