Prologue
In her defense, the galas had been Lex’s idea. He’d proposed it one day at their weekly dinner, and she was only half paying attention. So it wasn’t her fault she’d ended up at one. Lena sighed, remembering the conversation that had since become a thorn in her side.
—
“I swear Lena, if you bring up this ‘Acadia Center’ thing one more time-”
“Lex, just think! They’re a nonprofit organization focused on advancing climate solutions and working to help the clean energy transition. They’re forward looking and they cover so many different aspects of climate change! There is literally no better way to give money”
Lex sighed, exasperated. “There’s your first mistake. We’re Luthors. We don’t give money. We make it.”
“Just… Think about it. Okay?”
He nodded, picking up his glass before putting it down quickly, an all-too-familiar light in his eyes as he ran to his laptop. His fingers flew over the keys as he muttered under his breath, “Charity from the business… no, but- Wait! Yes, it could work, I’d just need-”
“Lex! Care to explain why you’ve gone all ‘my precious’ over your computer?”
“Yes, Lena darling, look,” he turned the computer screen around to face her. “Why would we donate normally when we could make it an event? I’ve already got an event planned, and the venue is right if we just make a few adjustments… It’d be great, raise awareness, get this little charity some recognition-”
“Get good press for the company. Is that all this is to you? A PR opportunity?”
“Well, I wouldn’t put it quite so bluntly, but yes. It would be nice to get out of the office and have some fun for once.”
It had escalated from there. The event was such an incredible success (because of course it was) so it became an annual tradition. Then a biannual one. Then Lena was being pulled away from her lab to attend events with Lex because, “These men are all terribly boring Lena, I need at least one person in the room who can beat me at chess.”
Eventually Lex stopped going.
She’d tried to get out of it, but her brother was nothing if not an expert in getting his way.
“Look, someone has to represent the company, and I’m tied up at the office. We’ve got to get that patent for whatever new little device your people whipped up last week-”
“Alexander Joseph Luthor, is that really how you want to talk to your head of R&D?” she asked, crossing her arms.
“Fine, fine,” he raised his hands in surrender. “Lena! O beloved sister of mine, will you please attend this dreadful and boring party for me so I can waste away at my desk with all the other disposables.” Lex’s grin could only be described as shit eating.
—
So here she was, regretting everything. At least they had champagne. But then, she would expect nothing less from Lex. There was probably caviar at the snack table.
She’d managed to find a relatively quiet spot near the dance floor to finish off her drink, wishing she was back at LuthorCorp working instead of wasting a perfectly good evening wearing a pantsuit and performing for whatever executives and corporate representatives Lex had seen fit to invite. It wasn’t fair (‘It never is,’ said her brother’s voice in the back of her head. ‘You’re a scientist who has to act like a politician, but you’re so good at it, I can’t let you go to waste in your lab’), and Lena knew there was no way out. These parties were busy work to Lex, and if he could pawn the responsibility off to her he would without a second thought.
“Ms. Luthor! How have you been?” A nasal and unfortunately familiar voice interrupted her reverie. “Is your brother here? I hear the two of you are really making strides with the family business! I do hope we can catch up, it’s been such a long time, and-” Lena turned, cutting off Oswald Cobblepot in the middle of what was likely to become a long winded reminiscence of days past.
“Oswald! Lovely to see you.” It wasn’t. “No, I’m afraid Lex couldn’t make it tonight. Working late at the office, you know how it is.”
“Yes, yes, of course! We men of science often miss out on much in the pursuit of our goals, but alas. It is our burden to bear! Such is the price of genius, I suppose.” Lena grit her teeth and swallowed her point that, despite Lex’s well known business accomplishment, her department was what made Luthor Corp the industrial titan it was. Not that Cobblepot would care.
“Must be. He does have his moods now and again.”
“We all do! A true hallmark of a brilliant mind.” He chucked and stared off wistfully as Lena bit her tongue. “Oh, but you must pardon my manners. How is Metropolis? Still beautiful as ever?” Lena tasted blood.
“Yes. It’s nice.” She smiled, praying it didn’t look like a snarl. “And how is Gotham? I heard a rumor Mr. Wayne was looking to buy your little club. How are those talks going.”
Cobblepot grimaced. “Let’s… not talk shop. There are more pleasant things to discuss! Have you met any nice young men of late?” Lena began to cast around the ballroom, hoping for some act of divine will to get her out of this conversation.
There was nothing. Couples in conversation, old washed up men in suits, and- And the most beautiful woman Lena had ever seen. Looking right at her. She tilted her head, and something like recognition flickered in her eyes. Lena threw caution to the wind and mouthed “Help me” before turning back, reluctantly, to Oswald.
He was still looking at her expectantly, as she said “No. I’m afraid that’s not within my current area of study, and being head of R&D really does take it out of you.”
“Well, this party is lovely!” Sweat started to bead on his forehead, but Lena was focused on the movement in her peripheral vision. ”Did you have a hand in planning it? The decorations are truly exquisite-”
An arm slipped around Lena’s waist, cutting him off. “Hey honey, sorry it took so long.” She met her savior’s eyes and smiled, relaxing for the first time that night as the woman handed her what smelled like a mojito.
“You’re perfect. My apologies Oswald, but I’m afraid I can’t let my date have all her fun alone. I’m sure you understand.” Cobblepot could only nod mutely as Lena allowed herself to be dragged to the dance floor.
She finally had a good view of the woman, and allowed herself to stare. She was blonde, with her hair back in a bun that was holding itself together in blatant defiance of the laws of physics and a daisy clip that complimented her purple dress. But what caught Lena were her eyes. They sparkled from behind her glasses, blue as the sky in midsummer and full of a light that was so familiar in a way Lena couldn’t quite describe.
“I hope that was okay! Sorry for interrupting, I just thought I saw you asking for help? Not completely sure now, but you went along with it! Thanks for not embarrassing me in front of that guy, I’m not sure who he was but I don’t think my boss would be happy if I upset someone important.”
Despite the stream of consciousness exiting her mouth at terminal velocity, Lena found herself guided into an almost waltz-like dance. “Normally I wouldn’t interrupt a, uh… business meeting? Not completely sure what you were talking about, but you seemed really uncomfortable and I got the impression we’d met before, but I could be totally wrong, memory like a goldfish.”
Lena’s eyes were wide by the time the blonde stopped her rambling for breath, but she couldn’t find the words to cut her off. “Anyway, sorry, this might’ve been incredibly rude, I promise I didn’t mean it that way! You’re just the most gorgeous person I’ve seen all night, and I wanted to say hi but didn’t really have a reason, but it’s nice to meet you!”
“Enchanted,” Lena grinned, hoping her confidence would mask the blush she could feel burning on her face. “I’m Lena. What’s your name?”
The woman opened and closed her mouth several times, appearing to have run out of words. “I- Oh R- I’m so sorry, wow you must think- I’m uh… I-” She cleared her throat and started again, ears turning red.
“Kara. My name is Kara. And um… If we meet again, maybe I’ll be able to think long enough to remember the other one. My other name, that is. Last name. You know what I mean!” Kara rambled on and Lena did her best to hide a smile. Kara. It was such a beautiful name, and seemed to fit her.
“Well then Kara, what brings you to this hellhole?”
“Oh, you know, the usual. Boss needed someone to bring to keep the press off her ass, I don’t have a social life anymore,” she rolled her eyes. “Per her request, I might add. Still, I can’t say I expected it to be like this. National City galas are a little less… Well…”
“Luthor. I know, trust me. My brother got me to go to this one in his place, and I’d much rather be at home. Someone has to represent the company though, so here I am.”
“At least the company isn’t awful?” It sounded like a question, which floored Lena.
“Kara, I have been coming to these events for three and a half years. Look me in the eyes and tell me I’m lying when I say you are far and away the best thing that has happened here in that time.”
Their eyes met, and Kara studied her face. Searching for something, she squinted her eyes and tilted her head, almost like she was studying a painting. “I think… I believe you!” She grinned, “Must’ve been rough around here before I showed up, huh?”
“You wouldn’t even believe it. I take over under bets with my brother on how many times I get asked about my house, my nonexistent boyfriend, when I’m going to settle down, and how proud our father must be of his son taking over the family business.” She sighed. “But that’s how it goes, I guess.”
“Tell me about it. I’m so sorry you have to put up with that, I think I would’ve started breaking things by this point.”
“Well, truth be told, I have had some fun,” she grinned, “Once, I wore all black and told anyone who asked about my brother that his dearly beloved friend had died, and he was at his house mourning the loss.”
Kara laughed, and Lena had the sudden urge to stop everything and replay that second until the sun burnt out. It was loud and ridiculous and so genuine that Lena found herself laughing too.
“No way!” Kara wiped a tear from her eye, biting her lip to keep her smile from overtaking her face. “How- What- Where do you even come up with something like that? Did he ever find out?”
Lena grinned. “In a way. He got a good laugh out of it though, explaining to all of these somber businessmen that yes, his good friend Rupert the goldfish had unfortunately passed from this world.”
“You are a menace.” Kara spun her around as they danced, keeping time with the music and moving with more grace than anyone else in the room. Lena just smiled.
It was so untroubled, the way they moved. Dancing had never felt this natural to her, but Kara’s arm on her waist kept her floating, and there was no way she wasn’t dreaming because this? This was the kind of calm that she never felt outside the lab. That feeling of the world narrowing down to just her and her work, where the world could be ending but it would make no difference… And now she was there again, only this time, she wasn’t alone. Kara seemed to exude warmth in a way Lena had never felt before, and she prayed their dance would never end.
“Thank you,” Lena murmured, eyes on Kara’s face. Noticing the freckles, scattered under her eyes like stars. Kara’s brow furrowed and she cocked her head, and seemed to be about to speak when she cut her off. “For the rescue, I mean.”
“Of course! It was-”
“Don’t say it was nothing. It wasn’t. You don’t know me, you didn’t have to step in, but you did. And I appreciate that.”
Kara smiled, a quiet understanding in her eyes as she nodded, pulling her closer as the music slowed. Lena was suddenly very aware of the hands on her waist and the effortless way Kara was leading them in a dance she wasn’t sure she knew. Taking a deep breath, she moved her arms around the blonde’s neck, resting her head on Kara’s shoulder as she let her mask slip for the first time that evening. As she relaxed, Lena noticed the scent of metal clinging to her, mixing with the strawberry perfume and reminding her of-
“My cousin is the real reason I’m here.” Lena looked up as Kara kept talking, watching emotions flicker across her face in a way she hadn’t seen in a long time. It was a little disconcerting, the honesty she displayed so freely. The thought that someone could use that quality against her had clearly never entered her head.
“Well, sort of- he was… busy. And he asked me to take notes.” Kara wrinkled her nose, looking for all the world like a frustrated puppy. “Like he doesn’t work for the Planet, he could’ve just asked a colleague, but nooo.” She huffed out a breath, and Lena fought the urge to smooth out the crease between her brows. “I was complaining to Ms. Grant about it, and she thought it was a great idea! Gave some excuse about Metropolis being ‘too far from her time zone.’ This isn’t even close to my job! I’m just her ‘personal assistant’ for the love of- well.” She took a moment to steady herself, before meeting Lena’s eyes again. “I got to meet you, at least.”
“And what a joy that is.”
Kara tightened her grip on Lena’s waist. “I’m serious Lena, I was this close to just busting out of here. Metaphorically, of course, but still. Usually I am not quite so suave and charming,” she leaned in and stage whispered, “It’s been said that I talk a lot. With a habit of rambling. But that’s a secret, don’t tell anyone.”
Lena bit her lip to hide a laugh. “No,” she whispered back, “I suppose that’s your job.”
She was rewarded with Kara’s smile, and the hand around her waist tightened ever so slightly in thanks. It was peace, Lena realized, the unfamiliar feeling that seemed tied to the blonde in front of her. Grounded and real and at peace, that was what she felt. They had slowed to more of a sway than a dance, but it didn’t matter. The sequins of Kara’s dress were rough on her arms, but it was worth it to be so close to her, to lean her head on her shoulder and breathe in time with the music. Lena closed her eyes and exhaled, feeling for all the world as if there was no one else in the world. The lights were shut out, leaving only the impression of the red and blue flickering behind her eyes.
It was heaven, in a way. Lena had never been good at catching a break, but she could certainly get the appeal now, stepping in time to the elevator music her brother had picked out, hands clasped behind Kara’s head. Without the weight of LuthorCorp or her lab or her name settled in its familiar place on her chest. Something warm was kindling in her chest and she welcomed it, letting the spark grow as she allowed herself to breathe Kara in.
They might’ve stayed there forever, with Lena soaking in the warmth that seemed to radiate off of Kara, the two doing a poor man’s rendition of west coast swing, had someone not tapped her back. Her eyes flew open, cracking the focused calm she’d managed to contain. She pulled away from Kara, disoriented and shoulders tense.
“Dr. Luthor, I thought I’d never find you. If you don’t mind, I have a few questions about the direction of LuthorCorp’s R&D. Nothing too intrusive, but I am up to discuss a partnership, assuming you agree it would be mutually beneficial.” Lena recognized the gravelly voice, and turned to find Bruce, stone faced as always, looking at her expectantly.
“Yes. Of course,” she let go of Kara and sent what she hoped was an apologetic look over her shoulder. The woman was looking startled, a crease appearing between her eyes as she pushed her glasses up. Lena watched the pieces click together in her head, until a wary expression settled itself on Kara’s face. She clenched her jaw and turned back. So much for anonymity. “You do know that spilling company secrets to potential rivals is more Lex’s speed, right?”
Bruce inclined his head, but didn’t relent. And for the rest of the night, Lena searched in vain for purple sequins and blue eyes.
—
The alarm clock glowing green numbers next to her bed was the recipient of more abuse than should’ve been possible for it to survive. It had persevered through being thrown across the room, disassembled repeatedly, brutally mauled by Beaker (the cat), and having a lamp thrown at it. The lamp hadn’t made it. It had been from Metropolis to Cambridge to National City and back, and Lena still wasn’t sure why she kept it. Especially when the screen read 3:47 A.M.
Lena rolled back over, covering her head with a pillow and trying desperately to fall asleep. However, what anyone who has tried to force themselves to sleep could’ve told her was that it is a futile attempt. Unless she happened to be in possession of a few pills to knock her out.
She wasn’t.
With a sigh, Lena resigned herself to a sleepless night and pushed herself out of bed. Better to do something productive with the two hours before she had to be up and at it. She reluctantly walked to the kitchen to make herself coffee, trying to put her thoughts on anything other than the mystery that this ‘Kara’ was quickly becoming.
A quick mental review of the guest list had shown there was no one matching her description. There had been roughly two dozen no-shows, as expected, but none that could be considered the sort to hire ‘personal assistants.’ She had said her cousin was a reporter, but everyone from the Daily Planet to CatCo Worldwide Media had been invited, so that wasn’t much to go off of. Lena massaged her forehead, frustrated. Anyone with a name and a job could be found, but Lena didn’t seem to be searching in the right place. It was, frankly, humiliating, to the point where she had opened her computer several times with the intent of hunting her down before realizing how absolutely insane that would be. She had to pull herself together. There would always be someone else, and she couldn’t exactly expect a stranger she had met once at a company fundraiser to ever cross paths with her again. The odds were too improbable.
But a small voice in the back of her head whispered that maybe, in a hotel room somewhere near the city, Kara was thinking about her. Just maybe, it hadn’t been a coincidental meeting, but some significant move in a much broader game. Maybe their meeting had been fate.
Lena unlocked her phone. If she’d gotten to the delusional point of believing in destiny, it was time for an intervention.
Samantha Arias picked up on the second ring, “Hey, how’s it going. Party boring as usual?” Lena waited approximately five seconds for her friend’s exasperated voice to come through again. “Lena, why the hell are you awake at the crack ass of dawn- and don’t tell me you just woke up. You can’t lie to me chiquita, you love me too much.”
Lena snorted. Sam may well be her best friend (and probably the only person at LuthorCorp who could match her work ethic) but she was, on occasion, patronising. And like everything she did, she excelled in it.
“Also because I’ve roomed with you! I could’ve been raising hell and you wouldn’t’ve so much as rolled over. It was actually kind of concerning sometimes. Anyway, for the love of god, why are you calling me at-” Lena smiled slightly, imagining Sam double checking the time, “-four in the morning?”
“It’s nothing, I was just…” This was going to be harder than she’d thought. “When do you know you’re being delusional?”
The sigh that came through the line managed to communicate a range of emotions, which Lena translated as ‘my brother in christ, what did you do this time?’
“Lena. If you are calling your best friend at— what is it? Four in the fucking morning? It’s safe to say you are being thoroughly delusional and need to get some sleep.” She was probably right, but by this point her coffee was ready, and she was about to be fully awake.
A silence stretched on as Sam gathered her words until she finally said, “What’s her name?”
“Kara.”
“Is that all you’re going to give me? Pendeja, Lex is not going to want to talk to you about this and I have a meeting in half an hour. Thanks again for getting me into this conference, by the way, Ruby is loving Europe.” She can imagine as much, with Ruby’s love of soccer and (not quite so secret) fascination with the Renaissance. Between that and Sam’s own desire to travel with her daughter, it hadn’t been a hard decision to make when her brother had asked who to send to the AISA conference.
“I’m glad, there should be time between the end of the conference and your flight home if you want to get to Switzerland, Venice, or! I think there’s a club soccer game in Genoa? You could absolutely put tickets for that on the company card, I’m sure no one will care.”
Lena heard Sam put the phone down, biting back a smile as muffled cursing (briefly interrupted by “No, Ruby, these are words we reserve for your Aunt Lena when she’s being a bitch”). Lena waited, pulling out model soccer players her unofficial neice had requested for her birthday. By the time Lena had located the right screwdriver, Sam had picked up the phone again, all patience gone. “Are you going to stop changing the subject or can I hang up.”
“Wow, an ultimatum. That’s out of character for you, Arias,” she said with a grin that devolved into laughter when Sam hung up. Taking another sip of coffee and trying not to choke on it, she called her friend back.
For the record, Lena knew she was being insufferable. But she felt light headed from a lack of sleep, the world was fuzzy around the edges, and she was a genius who couldn’t get her mind off a stranger whose face was fading out of her memory. Sam had seen her significantly worse than this and they both knew it.
“You have five minutes before I bestow upon you my superb advice.”
She steeled herself, attempting to mentally prepare for the onslaught that would follow. It reminded her of confessional, the few times she’d been dragged into church when she was much younger. “I met her at the party, Lex was a no show-” Sam snorted derisively, “So I was stuck with the assorted box of old men that do so adore telling me how much I’ve ‘grown up,’ and ‘how proud Lionel would be of his little protégé waltzing around the party and taking questions for her brother,’ and I ran into one when my patience was already worn thin. Anyway, Kara rescued me from that conversation, we talked for two, maybe three, minutes, and then we just… danced.”
Lena was smiling softly as she remembered the woman’s extremely well-timed save. “It was nice. And yes, before you ask, she was very hot. Honestly, if she hadn’t told me she was with the press, I would still be looking for her in the guest list. The funny thing is, I’m not sure she knows how hot she is, which should be a crime. She was basically a model, blue eyes, blonde hair, tall, gorgeous dress, but the way she held herself was. Normal. Like she was at a bar with friends, not Metropolis’ ‘it’ event of the year.”
“Cute. Look, what I’m hearing is it’s been a while since you’ve been out. You’re married to your work and right now it is showing. Not that that’s a bad thing at all, you’re easily the most competent person in the department, but if this is something you’re interested in pursuing? I don’t mean just with this girl, if you’re thinking about dating at all-”
“I’m not.” Lena managed to get the words out, reeling on how to course correct from the mistaken impression she’d given Sam. “I don’t- I’m not sure why I’m so hung up on this, it was just… it felt good. To meet someone who didn’t want something from me. It felt kind of like hanging out with you and Ruby, where I’m just her cool aunt and not-” she felt a headache beginning behind her forehead as she whispered, “Not a Luthor.”
“Oh.” Sam paused, and Lena could practically hear her thinking out how to phrase the inevitable question. “Are you going to try to find her?”
She thought it over, as she had been for hours. Trying to take the idea away from the mindset that had Lex’s voice, the one that had gotten her through school, the one that whispered exias acta probat in the back of her head, urging her to go get what she wanted. To damn the consequences. But in the end she knew, despite how much she loved her brother, his way of thinking would only get her more involved. He had a habit of obsession, and Lena knew that this woman wasn’t worth it.
“I’m not.” The knot in her chest loosened. “I’m just… too tired. And it’s not worth it.”
“Thank god for that.” The relief was evident in Sam’s voice. “I support you, whatever you choose, but right now? Your grant request just went through, and I think that a little bit of tangible support for your proposal could convince them. This is a distraction from that, and even if you’re ‘not allowed’ to tell me the specifics-” Lena made a noise to try to interject, but Sam plowed on, “-I trust you. Anything you’re willing to spend four months on without putting a team together until you have permission? Whatever this project is, it’s worth a lot more than some woman you’ve met once.”
It was true, and Lena smiled. “Thanks Sam. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“You’d be absolutely lost, that’s what. Now if you’ve got any other pressing confessions, please make them texts. I promised my wonderful daughter we’d go to a bakery for breakfast this morning, and we’re already behind schedule.schedule, so…”
“Bye Sam,” she said. “Have fun today, and tell Ruby she’s got a surprise waiting for her when she gets back.” A squeal from the other line clued her in to the fact that her friend had put her on speaker. “Love you kiddo!”
Ruby responded happily, “Love you too Aunt Lena! Come on Mom, let’s go!”
“I’ll call you later, Lee! Bye.” Sam said, hanging up. Lena slumped against the counter. She’d forgotten how nice it could be to talk to her friend, busy as she’d been recently. At any rate, Sam was right, as usual.
Of course she was. It was ridiculous, being this hung up on a woman she’d met once. There were problems to solve, things to build, a world to improve, she couldn’t afford to waste a day or even a night’s sleep. Her lab was waiting for her, and the building would be empty on a Saturday.
There wasn’t time for her to be stuck on someone, not with LuthorCorp trying to save the world. Her work was going to change lives, and distractions could be fatal to her goal. Besides, Lena thought, what were the odds they would ever meet again?