Home for the Holidays

"You can take the call Lena. I don't mind." Kara said. Kara was in the middle of interviewing Lena for an article on her company’s new charity and this was the third time the CEO's phone had gone off.

"It's just mother. She's pestering me about going home to Metropolis for Christmas." Lena said as she opened a desk drawer and tossed the phone unceremoniously inside. The drawer was slammed shut and Lena’s bright eyes were once again on Kara. A little flutter Kara didn’t understand flashed in Kara’s chest as their eyes met.

"Oh, you don't want to go home for Christmas?" Kara asked. She put her pen and paper atop Lena's desk to show this wasn't part of the interview.

"To be honest Kara I hate going home at all. Lex is positively unbearable. Mother is being erratic and supporting lex with all his…schemes. And ever since father died last year I haven't wanted to go home." Lena paused. "That sounds positively terrible doesn't it. They adopted me and gave me anything I could want and I don't want to visit them for Christmas. Positively horrid." Lena finishes. There's a sadness in her eyes and Kara wishes she could help.

"Well you can't go to Metropolis if you have plans somewhere else. Come home with me for Christmas. Tell your mom you have plans." Kara offered. Lena studied her intently.

"That's a bold move Kara. I admit I do consider you very good friend but to invite me home for the holidays is big commitment." Lena said. She was used to Lena talking like that. With carefully crafted sentences that Kara had to destruct as they went. Lena was hard to read and Kara was getting better at it.

"It was just an offer. A chance for you to escape your family if you want. I think it would be fun too." Kara said. Knowing the ending would push Lena in the right direction.

"I appreciate it but my mother won't take that as a good excuse. Visiting a friend doesn't work for her. I'd have to be visiting a lover's family or something of equivalent for her to accept the excuse." Lena replied. Expecting Kara to let the matter drop.

"Well you're gay right?" Kara asked.

Lena lifted an eyebrow but replied "Yes, I am."

"Ok so tell them your mom you’re dating me and that you have to go home with me and meet my family." Kara suggested.

"Kara you don't have to do that. You don't know how your family would react to you taking home a women home and..."

"Ok first of all my sister is gay and I'm bisexual so Eliza has no issue with that. Second of all we don't have to tell them we're dating. You tell you're mom we are dating and I'll tell Eliza that you are my friend just needed a place for the holidays and that's all she'll need to hear." Kara said. Lena studied the women in front of her. Yes, she knew Kara was a wonderful person but there was always a risk with getting too involved with someone. No one's ever as perfect as they seem. But if anyone was perfect it would surely be Kara Danvers.

"You're serious about the offer aren't you? You aren't just being polite." Lena said aloud. More to herself that to Kara.

"It could be fun Lena. You can see my home town, we'll go to this awesome cool Christmas fair festival thingy and you'll eat some of Eliza's famous cinnamon pumpkin pie which is amazing by the way." Kara said smiling.

"Kara, it's not that simple...."

"But it is! You don't want to go home and I have a different home so come home with me." Kara said. Either unaware of the innuendo of the words or purposefully ignoring it. Lena sighed. Nothing was ever as easy as it should be in this life. But looking at Kara who had an excited smile on her face, puppy dog eyes in full effect, and who was bouncing on the balls of her feet, Lena couldn't find it within herself to say no.

***

"Ok what the hell was that Danvers did you just growl?" Maggie's asked. A bit concerned about the strange discontented sound Alex made as she hung up after her phone call. Alex didn't answer. She just through her phone down and knocked back the last bit of drink.

"Woah. Woah. What in that phone call got you so upset?" Maggie asked as she leaned against her pool stick. Alex was cute when she was frustrated. Her eyes got wide and she made these weird faces that endlessly amused Maggie.

"Kara!" Alex answered.

"Kara?"

"Yes. Kara. My perfect, faultless, selfless, angel of a little sister." Alex replied before taking a sip of Maggie's beer. Alex winced as she took a sip but because she hated the Imperial Stout Maggie was drinking. Alex powered threw and took another sip.

"Ok, ok what did little Danvers do this time?" Maggie said as she snatched her drink back from Alex.

"She's bringing Lena Luthor home for Christmas." Alex growled.

"Lena Luthor?"

"Her friend Lena Luthor."

"I'm lost." Maggie confessed. Alex was clearly upset but Maggie didn't understand why. Sure, Lena Luthor’s family wasn’t the wonderful but Lena had proved herself smart and morally sound on many occasions.

"Its…just....Kara is just so....Kara...she's just too damn selfless and thoughful and she acts like I'm some delicate emotional flower that needs to be protected."

"Wait you're the delicate emotion flower in this situation?" Maggie brow wrinkled in confusion.

"That's what Kara thinks!" Alex said again. Still pacing around the pool table.

"I'm still lost." Maggie said.

"Kara is bringing Lena home for Christmas. But only as her friend." Alex explained. Frustration on her face.

"And they're not friends?" Maggie was still lost.

"No...I mean yes there friends but they're more than friends." Alex said.

"You're not making any sense Alex."

"Ok. Kara is bisexual and Kara and Lena are more than friends but Kara always tells me that they are just friends. Only friends. But they aren’t." Alex explains.

"So you think Kara and Lena are dating but won't tell you?" Maggie asked.

"Yes!"

"Why wouldn't they tell you, Alex? I mean if you already know that Kara was bi what's the big deal?" Maggie questioned. Alex sighed deeply then turned to Maggie to explain.

"Kara….Kara thinks that she steals the spotlight from me. She thinks she overshadows me and I don't get enough attention because of her….just because. And I think she doesn't want to tell me Eliza that she has a girlfriend because it would overshadow my coming out. She also probably thinks it would make me feel bad that she has a girlfriend and I'm still good ol single Alex."

"Oh. Ok so she's protecting your feelings. Do you have any proof that Lena and Kara actually date and you aren't just making it up?" Maggie asked.

"Ok Kara smiles whenever Lena's name is mentioned. She talks about her all the time. Lena showed up at Kara's apartment once when I visited unannounced and she practically growled at me until Kara said I was her sister. Kara goes with Lena to all of her high-society functions. Lena laughs at all of Kara's stupid jokes even the puns. And how could any self-respecting lesbian not fall for my baby sister? Present company excluded." Alex finished.

"Ok. So they're dating. Maybe." Maggie still wasn't convinced but no point argue if over it.

"Yeah, and now Lena is coming home and I'll have to watch them pretend not to be in love all Christmas when they can't hide it for shit." Alex muttered before stealing Maggie's beer back.

"Maybe you should just take someone home for Christmas then. And say you’ve been hiding your relationship because you wanted to make sure it was strong before coming going public.” Maggie suggested.

"Oh yeah? Like who? Who would do that? Everyone has family to visit and who the hell would pretend to be my girlfriend?" Alex laughed bitterly.

"I'll do it." Alex choked on Maggie's beer.

"What?" She met Maggie’s eyes certain she’d misheard her friend.

"I'll do it."

"You'll pretend to be my girlfriend over Christmas?"

"Yeah. Look Alex I don't have any family to visit. Or that I want to visit. Kara already knows we hang out so let's just say we've been hiding the relationship until we felt it was strong enough to go public with. Plus I can think of worse thinks than hanging out with the Danvers sisters for a few days." Maggie said. In truth it sounded like a fun time to Maggie. She’s hadn’t gone home for the holiday for years and being with a family, even if it wasn’t her family sounded a whole hell of a lot better than working.

"You'll really do it?" Alex asked again. A little in awe of the women in front of her. A little frightened by the aspect of pretending to love a women she once had feelings for. Feeling she’d pushed deep down and hoped to never uncover again.

"You're kinda my best friend Danvers. Of course I'll do it. "Maggie smiled a little awkwardly and punched Alex’s shoulder. Not accustomed to showing so much emotion.

"You getting soft on me, Sawyer?" Alex teased. She liked seeing Maggie so open like this.

"No!" Maggie sputtered back. Although, is she was being honest, Maggie had been soft for Alex for quite a while now.