Fluffy
It was Saturday. Specifically, Saturday afternoon and Kara’s favorite time of the week. She briefly extended her senses as they walked through the park near her condo, but things were quiet, as usual. Who knew that getting rid of the worst criminal and manipulator on their side of the country would tamp down on the criminal element that inhabited the underbelly of National City? One year after Lex was out of their lives for good and Kara was doing…okay.
Despite coming out to the world as Supergirl, no one of importance had come after her family. If Kara had any regrets about her interview with Cat, it was that she missed her old apartment. It held years of memories, first as Alex’s place when Kara moved to National City, then later as a hub for Kara and all her friends. It was cozy and familiar, and the afternoon light shining through the tall living room windows cast an ethereal light that was impossible to replicate in her new place. She glanced to her right and smiled. Not that she’d tell Lena that. It was beyond thoughtful that her best friend had used some of her wealth from selling off Luthor Corp to find Kara a more secure home.
Alex, Kelly, and Esme were thriving. Alex with her dream director job at the, now public and much respected, DEO. Kelly had her own practice specializing in veteran mental health, and Esme loved their new house and twin kittens. Eliza finally retired and the entirety of the superfamily and friends spend occasional weekends in Midvale with her throughout the year to unwind from the stresses of the big city, and so she didn’t get lonely.
J’onn and M’gann returned to Mars together, but promised they’d be back in a few years once things were more settled. Brainy worked with Alex, and Cat Grant herself promoted Nia to a senior reporter role, and they got engaged at the celebration party that followed.
“Kara, are you even listening?”
Caught in her musings, Kara felt her cheeks heat as she glanced back at her best friend. “Sorry. I was scanning the park.” It wasn’t an untrue statement, but Kara had a lot more on her mind than criminals and the success of her family and friends lately.
The warmth of Lena’s hand on her wrist couldn’t begin to rival the natural heat of Kara’s Kryptonian biology, but she felt the burn of it just the same. You see, Kara brought back more than a simple fear of the dark and night terrors from her second stay in the Phantom Zone. She also brought back the realization that she was in love with her best friend and probably had been for years.
It wasn’t as though she could simply put herself out there to start dating again to forget about it. Sure, she no longer had to hide behind the lie of Kara Danvers. But coming out as Supergirl opened up a whole host of other issues when it came to her personal life.
“Oh, look! They’re having a pet adoption event.”
Kara’s head jerked up and she followed Lena’s finger to a large gathering on the far end of the park. She remembered reading about the National City Animal Shelter event earlier in the week. Suddenly, all Kara’s worries faded away. “Rao, I totally forgot! I know how much you love puppies and was going to surprise you on our weekly walk.”
That pesky black eyebrow lifted and Kara pursed her lips, caught out. “How much I love puppies, darling?”
“Hmm, okay, so we both love puppies.”
Lena threaded her arm through Kara’s elbow. “You are a puppy. Come on, let’s go check it out.”
A cacophony of barks and yips assailed them as they approached the circles of temporary fencing. Representatives from NCAS were on site to answer any questions and facilitate pet adoption. There was even a screen tent filled with cats and kittens of every variety.
They went into the cat tent first. Both Kara and Lena had been enamored with Esme’s two kittens from the beginning.
“They are so cute! This one reminds me of brainy the way it sits and watches the rest of the cats.”
Lena tilted her head one way, then the other. “You’re right. It does have a very calculating look about it.” Lena pulled out her cell phone and took a picture, sending it to the Superfriends group chat.
Kara’s phone dinged. She pulled it out and snorted. “Ten bucks says Nia responds first.” Her phone dinged again and they both started laughing. “Called it.”
They continued walking around the various stalls and pens, interacting with all the goodest boys and girls. The event was nearly over when they’d arrived, so by the time Kara and Lena stopped by the puppy pen, the first few stalls were in the process of teardown.
The shelter employee in charge of the puppy pen looked more than a little star struck when they approached. “Oh, Supergirl, er, Ms. Danvers, uh and Ms. Luthor! I can’t believe you’re here.”
Kara held out her hand. “Call me Kara, please.”
“And I’m just Lena.”
“Oh my gosh, I can’t believe it. My name is Linny.” The employee looked around, furtively. “Um, do you think I could get a selfie with you guys? My brother will be so jealous.”
Lena smiled kindly but checked in with Kara, which was appreciated. Lena was the only one who really knew the burden of intense fame that came with a name and actions of one’s family. “I’m game if you are.”
Kara nodded. “Let’s take it in front of the puppies, if that’s okay.”
Linny pulled out her phone as Kara helped Lena step over the short fence. They were immediately mobbed by puppies of all shapes and colors. Linny stood next to them and took the pic before giving the two famous women their space.
One particular golden ball of fluff crawled into Kara’s lap as she sank to the ground. After a quick check beneath the belly, Kara exclaimed, “Oh my Rao, she’s so fluffy! She’s even got a Supergirl collar.” She looked up at Lena. “Why are you still standing there? Puppies, Lena. Puppies!”
Lena sank down next to her and smiled fondly. The look of bliss on her face as she buried both hands in Golden Retriever puppy fur rivaled how Kara felt. Like she could float away in that very moment. She did a discrete check to make sure she wasn’t actually floating.
Fifteen minutes later, Lena patted her leg. “Darling, I think they want to pack up. This is the last remaining display.”
“Oh.” Kara looked down at the puppy that had fallen asleep in her lap. It was hard to imagine that so much joy could be contained in such a small package. With a sigh, she carefully woke the sleeping puppy and placed her on the ground.
They stepped out the pen and Lena pointed. “That little girl seems most displeased that her warm Kryptonian lap has abandoned her.”
Kara groaned. “You don’t have to be mean and remind me. I would love to have a dog but you know what my schedule is like right now.” They both waved goodbye to Linny and started walking across the grass toward the waterfront path. “What if I had to leave for an extended amount of time for Supergirl duties, or have to stay late at the office?”
“Your schedule is better than it was and you’re not without resources.”
“What do you mean?”
Lena gave her a soft look. “Darling, we’re a team, right? I’m pretty sure your best friend’s schedule has opened up significantly and she’s always up for puppy sitting duties.”
“Oh.” Kara never took Lena for a dog person. Or any kind of pet person. Well, maybe a turtle. She snickered at the mental image of Lena playing chess with the turtle in a tank next to the board.
“What?”
Kara schooled her features. “Oh, nothing. I didn’t know you liked dogs.”
“Of course I do. Did you see that sweet baby angel in your lap? Who wouldn’t love that? She’s almost as fluffy as you are.”
The world would have a collective aneurysm if they heard the Lena Luthor gushing about a puppy. “Why don’t you get a dog then?” Then Lena’s second comment caught up with her. “Hey, I’m not fluffy!”
Lena patted her arm and shrugged. “Personality only, I assure you. And I don’t have a dog for the same reason as you I guess. Sure, I’m less busy than I was as the CEO of L-Corp. But I’m not not busy. I’d need someone to help with pet duties.”
They made it all the way to the statue of Supergirl near the water when Kara heard Linny’s frantic voice call out, “Sky, no!” The sound of tiny barks followed.
“Uh oh.”
“What.”
Kara pointed at the escaped puppy heading in their direction. The puppy made it to their location safely so Linny stopped her pursuit twenty yards away. The reason was obvious as she bent at the waist with hands on her knees to catch her breath.
Lena was the one who picked up little Sky. “You are naughty noodle. What were you thinking running away, hmm? You adorable little ball of fluffy trouble!” Kara snickered took out her phone. Lena glared at her. “Don’t you dare!”
Click. “Too late.”
A tinny voice suddenly sounded over Kara’s discreet earpiece. “Supergirl, we have a strange energy reading in Marsden Park. Will you check it out?”
She tapped the communicator. “I’m already here with Lena. Can you pinpoint the location?”
Lena mouthed the word “Trouble?” and Kara nodded.
“Somewhere near the waterfront.”
That announcement sent Kara into high alert. She removed her glasses and the super suit raced around her body. The increased speed of the transformation was courtesy of Lena and Brainy’s joint improvement ideas.
“Kara, what’s going on?”
“The DEO picked up a strange energy reading nearby. You should take Sky and Linny back to the other side of the park while I investigate.”
Trusting Kara, Lena nodded then walked briskly toward Linny. She shooed the younger woman back toward the animal shelter vans idling in the distance. Looking from Supergirl to Lena, Linny quickly got the hint, running full speed toward her co-workers.
The grass suddenly exploded in front of Lena, pitching her to the ground. She cried out in pain, falling in such a way to best protect the puppy. Sky wiggled loose and began barking at the large figure approaching through the smokey haze. Lena groaned and tried to grab the protective puppy before she could get hurt.
Kara saw the DEO agents arriving just as the perpetrator made himself known, but they weren’t fast enough to prevent the man from turning his weapon on Lena. Multiple things happened in rapid succession. All fifteen pounds of the not very intimidating golden puppy lunged at the man and his gun naturally tracked down. Kara used superspeed to block his shot. The last thing she saw was black clad agents tackle the man to the ground. Then her vision distorted and went black.
Lena scrambled up, ignoring the pain in her elbow and side. She could see the danger was over thanks to the DEO’s quick response. Unfortunately, Kara was down and Sky shook her head aggressively. Then the pup sniffed the prone body and whined. “Supergirl!” Lena sank to her knees next to Kara and grabbed the puppy. “Kara?” A portal opened nearby and she looked up at a familiar face in a panic. “Brainy! She was hit by whatever weapon he carried and is unconscious.”
Brainy spoke into his communicator and began directing agents. “Supergirl is down. We need a medical extraction team.”
Another portal opened and Alex stepped through with the required personnel. They loaded Kara on a backboard and returned the way they came. Alex approached and eyed the puppy in Lena’s arms. “What happened?”
“You tell me! We were on our weekly walk when Kara heard about the energy reading. I was taking the escaped puppy back to the shelter staff when the ground exploded in front of me. The next thing I know, Kara is blocking a shot from his gun. What is it?”
Alex scrubbed a hand over her face. “I don’t know.”
“Director Danvers, I don’t have the model of the weapon stored within my database but I’ll personally begin examination to determine its effects. While it doesn’t appear to cause external physical damage, we don’t know if there is internal or psychic damage. Once I know how it works, we can best treat Supergirl.”
“I want that analysis done ASAP, Brainy. Pull whomever you need into the lab to figure it out.” He nodded once, then activated another portal and disappeared. Alex turned to Lena. “Are you okay?”
Lena took stock of her various aches and pains. They were nothing compared to the worry she felt for Kara. “Bruises and abrasions, mostly. I’m more worried about your sister.”
“And who’s this?” Alex gestured to the puppy.
“Sky. We were playing with her at the adoption event and she escaped at the wrong time. She caught up to us right before the man attacked. Speaking of the adoption event…” Lena craned her neck to peer around Alex and the few agents still milling about. The end of the park was empty. “Damn. Looks like I’m stuck with the fur ball until I can return her to the shelter.
Sky whined at Lena’s words. “What’s the matter, darling? You don’t want to go back?” A little bark met her question and Alex chuckled.
“I don’t think she does.”
“Unfortunately for her, the one that wanted to adopt her most is out of commission right now.” Another whine and when Lena looked down at the puppy, she was surprised at the familiar shade of blue. “Funny, but I didn’t notice her eye color when we were playing with the puppies earlier. But then, Kara was hogging all her attention at the time.”
“Of course she was. My sister has more puppy pictures on her phone that she has of you. And that's saying something.”
For some reason, Lena’s cheeks warmed at Alex’s words. She didn’t dare hope for deeper meaning. She knew Kara loved her. After all, Kara loved all of them fiercely and whole-heartedly. But she didn’t love Lena like that. Couldn’t possibly after everything they’d gone through. Which was fine, really. As long as Kara remained in her life, that was more than enough. She sighed. “I’m worried about her.”
Alex pulled her into a one-armed hug. “Kara is strong. I’m certain that we’ve got the best people on the situation to figure it out. Now come on. Let’s go see if the medical team has learned anything.”
“You’re right.” She looked down at the adorable ball of fur that had fallen asleep in her arms in mere seconds. Just like Kara on movie nights. Lena kissed the top of the puppy’s nose. Sky woke with a little growl and yip, then turned her head to look at Lena. As soon as they locked eyes, Sky covered her face in Kisses. If only Kara greeted her in the same way, Lena wistfully thought. “Let’s go. Sky may be the cutest thing on four feet, but she’s getting heavy.”
Back at the DEO, all of Kara’s vital signs were stable but she didn’t wake. Lena immediately called the shelter and got their voicemail. They were closed until Monday so she left a message stating she had Sky and would return the puppy to the shelter when they opened.
Her next call was to Jess. Lena wooed Sam back with a Chief Financial Officer position at the newly opened Lena Luthor Foundation, and after much begging, Jess agreed to take the role of Chief Operations Officer. Her friend answered on the first ring
“I saw the news. Is she okay?”
“Stable so far. I have a favor to ask.”
“You want me to cover the investor meeting on Monday?”
Lena groaned. She forgot about that. “Yes, but that’s not the favor. Do you think you could watch a puppy for the rest of the weekend?”
There was a pause on the other end before Jess said, “Did you forget that Zach is allergic?”
Damn. “I did, actually. Okay, never mind, I'll figure something out. Thanks, Jess.”
“Keep me posted on Kara.”
“I will.”
Lena slipped her cell back into her pocket and gazed down at the two sleeping individuals in front of her. Alex had taken Lena through to the med bay as soon as they arrived at the DEO. Sky made a huge fuss as soon as she saw Kara, howling and scrabbling to get out of Lena’s arms. With permission from Alex, she placed Sky on the bed next to Kara. The pup sniffed at her hand, then did two circles before settling in and falling asleep. Lena wasn’t jealous. She wasn't.
Alex heard he sigh and asked, “What are you going to do now?”
“I guess I’m stopping at the nearest pet store on the way home.”
Alex looked at her watch. “You want a ride?”
“You’re not staying?”
A pained expression met Lena’s question. “Normally you couldn’t get me out of here. But, Kara is stable and in no imminent danger, and she made me promise I wouldn’t miss family events for work when I got married.” At Lena’s look, Alex added, “I’ve got parent/teacher conference at Esme’s new school for the gifted in an hour and Kelly would kill me if I missed it.”
“No, she wouldn’t.”
Alex cracked a smile, love filling her expressive brown eyes. “No, she wouldn’t. But Kara would if she found out I broke my promise.”
“I can stay if you need me to.” The puppy chose that moment to wake.
“There’s really no point and you have to take care of your little mini-Kara. Brainy will be here and I’ll instruct them to let both of us know if there is any change.”
Lena hesitated, moving to hold the puppy’s collar so she didn’t fall off the hospital bed. “If you’re sure?”
“I am. Grab the fuzzball, Luthor. I forgot to ask, did you walk to the park from your condo building?”
“We did.”
Alex typed in a quick search on her own phone. “Looks like the nearest pet supply store is in the opposite direction from where you live. Why don’t I just loan you a DEO car?”
Lena smirked. “You’re not breaking the rules for me are you, Director?”
The other woman looked smug. “Nope. You’re a special liaison with security clearance to most parts of the facility. I’d say that entails a few perks as well. After all, you’re handling some Supergirl business while she’s incapacitated.” She reached over to give the puppy scratches.
“I won’t argue with you then. It’s certainly faster than calling for a car. I’d like to get Sky home and settled as soon as possible.”
They began making their way toward the onsite garage and Alex said, “Home, huh?”
Lena narrowed her eyes. “Shut up. You know what I mean.”
Alex laughed and held up her hands. “What? I know you have a thing for cute blondes so it’s not outside the realm of possibility that you end up keeping this one too.”
Lena’s cheeks warmed and she swatted Alex’s arm with her free hand. “Oh my god, Alex! I admitted that in confidence over a few glasses of scotch. Very expensive liquor that I provided, by the way.”
Alex gave her shoulder a squeeze when they got into the elevator and all teasing left her voice. “Seriously though, you should just tell her. It’s getting tedious watching you two pine over each other. It’s been years!”
“When did you know? About me.”
The smile was gentle, far from their usual picking and teasing. “When you wouldn’t give up the device you created to find Kara in the Phantom Zone.”
“Oh.” Lena took a moment to process that information. A year and a half. “If you’re so sure of your sister’s feelings, why hasn’t she said anything to me?”
A snort met her question. “Because hero though she is, Kara is as much a coward as you are when it comes to matters of the heart.”
Lena sighed when the elevator doors slid open. “Not every story has an ending like yours and Kelly’s. I’ve nearly lost her too many times to take such a risk again. I’m just happy to have my best friend back.”
“But what if you could have that and more?”
“I—” Lena pursed her lips and swallowed the words.
Alex pulled a set of keys from her pocket and pressed the fob. An SUV chirped nearby then Alex held them out. “All I’m saying is to think about it. Now you better go,” She pointed at where the puppy was chewing on Lena’s sleeve. “I think that one is getting hungry. Another thing she has in common with my sister.”
The puppy suddenly stopped and leveled a blue-eyed gaze at Alex, then growled. Lena cooed, “That’s right, Sky. Alex is a big meanie. Let’s go get you some stuff. I can always donate all of it when I drop you off Monday morning.”
“You keep telling yourself that. Later, Luthor!” Alex gave a little salute then made her way over to the custom motorcycle nearby.
Lena and Sky arrived at the pet store parking lot a short time later, with more than a little drama. Without a harness, carrier, or special pet seatbelt, Lena was forced to put Sky in the cargo area. The puppy whined, cried, and barked the entire drive, throwing a mighty temper tantrum.
She carried her into the store and asked the register attendant near the front, “Which aisle do you keep the leashes?”
The man turned and pointed farther in. “Aisle two—” Then he nearly swallowed his tongue when he realized who had asked. “Oh, you’re Lena Luthor! Wow.”
Lena shot him a pained smile when the puppy began nibbling her fingers. “I am, and this fluffy girl is Sky.” She quickly grabbed a cart and deposited the little demon into the main basket where she couldn’t escape.
“She’s adorable. My niece just got a Golden Retriever. They’re great dogs.” Dave, based on his name tag, held up a small dog biscuit, retrieved from beneath the register. “Let me know if you need any help. I can call someone up to the front. Can she have a treat?”
“I think she’d love one. She seems pretty hungry. I accidentally took her home today and I’ve never owned a dog before, so I’m wholly unprepared.”
His eyebrows went up. “Accidentally?”
She shook her head. “It’s a long story.” He gave Sky the dog biscuit, then went back for another when she practically swallowed it whole.
“You weren’t kidding when you said she was hungry. You can find the dog food in aisles eight and nine.” She had no idea what kind of dog food she should get. Obviously puppy, but which brands were the best? Maybe it was Lena’s lost expression, but Dave added, “I imagine you want the best for her. Price is usually a good indicator, the more expensive the better it is. It’s also good to get a mix of wet and dry and follow the directions based on weight of the animal. For a puppy that age, you’ll want plenty of toys for stimulation, and maybe some healthy treats for positive reinforcement.”
Lena smirked. “Would you recommend all that if you didn’t know who I was?”
Dave chuckled. “Absolutely. It’s what I did when I got my pitty pup a few months ago. He’s the most spoiled little house hippo in National City.”
“Okay, I trust you.” Another customer came in and asked Dave a question, so Lena gave a little wave and began walking the aisles.
The Supergirl collar was pretty cute so Lena didn’t bother getting another. Twenty minutes later, she’d accumulated a harness, leash, seatbelt, two dog beds, a brush, a bag of dry dog food, a case of canned food, and found herself standing in the middle of the toy aisle.
She’d been forced to remove the leash from the package and let the puppy walk alongside the cart when she realized there was no more room inside the basket with everything else. Not that Sky was complaining. She tugged and sniffed her way around the store with Lena. Taking a chance, Lena let Sky pick her own toys. She lifted her up and walked along one side.
“Hey, darling. What would you like to play with, hmm?” The pup leaned toward the display and sniffed as Lena walked along. She gave a little yip when they passed a small rubber bone. “Easy enough.” Lena plucked it from the hook and tossed it into the cart. They continued walking, making their way up one side and down the other.
They got to the other end where there was an entire selection of heavy canvas toys in a variety of fun food shapes. One in particular drew Sky’s attention. She pulled and barked toward it, wiggling so much that Lena had to put her down. “Okay, okay!” She snickered. “Maybe Alex was on to something.” Lena grabbed the potsticker toy and threw that in the cart, as well as the donut and pizza slice. May as well hit all of Kara’s favs.
Forty minutes later, the SUV was parked in Lena’s second parking spot for her condo, and everything had been hauled upstairs. She fed Sky, then took a couple puppy pads out to her large balcony. She briefly wondered if relief station could be installed in the corner like the ones they had at the airport.
Lena shook her head. It wouldn’t really matter since Sky was going back Monday. Just the thought caused a pang in her chest. It had only been a few hours, but Sky was really growing on her. Sky gave a bark then ran from the kitchen toward the open balcony doors where Lena stood. She tripped twice over her big pause and Lena burst into laughter.
“Hi baby. Do you have to piddle?” She lifted the puppy and placed her on the pee pad, where she promptly did her business. It seemed almost too easy. “Good girl! I think that deserves a cookie.”
The fluffy head perked up at the mention of cookies and Sky ran back toward the kitchen. Odd. It wasn’t like the little pup knew her way around the condo, nor did she see Lena put the treats in the cabinet where she kept Kara’s cookies and other snacks. But she ran in there like she knew exactly where they were located. Perhaps she could smell them.
Treats (so there may have been more than one, sue her) dispensed, Lena poured herself a glass of wine and collapsed onto the couch. The day’s events and her worry finally catching up with her. Sky followed her into the living room but couldn’t make the jump up onto the cushions. “No dogs on the couch, sorry.” Lena pointed to the corner. “Look, you have a brand-new bed over there.” A few pitiful whines later, and the rule was promptly broken.
Not wanting to sit in silence, Lena turned on the TV and began scrolling movies on the streaming platform. Sky took an intense interest in the screen and gave a loud bark when a classic movie came up. The famous quote by Ian Flemming popped into her head and she whispered it aloud. “Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, and three times is enemy action.”
A ball of dread formed in Lena’s stomach. There were too many similarities between this puppy and her best friend, who was currently unconscious at the DEO. The very best friend who was shot with a strange weapon while right in front of the puppy. Lena rubbed her temples for a minute then checked the time on her TV. The parent teacher conference was probably over so she grabbed her phone from the coffee table and hit speed dial.
“Is there a reason you’re interrupting dinner?”
“Sorry, Alex. But there is something odd going on with this puppy.”
Alex’s voice grew serious. “Odd how?”
Lena glanced down at Sky, whose gaze was locked onto the screen playing The Wizard of Oz. “You remember how you joked that some of Sky’s mannerisms remind you of Kara?”
“Yeah.”
“In the pet story she went nuts when she saw the potsticker toy. She ran straight for my cookie cabinet when I said the word, despite not seeing me put them away. Like, the exact place I keep Kara’s snacks.”
“That could be a coincidence.”
“And I was scrolling through movies just now on StreamNet. Guess which movie she barked at?”
“Uh…”
“Wizard of Oz.”
Silence and Alex’s breathing were the only thing Lena heard for a few seconds, then “Fuck.” Given her career, Alex also understood the significance of coincidence when dealing with all things weird or alien, including strange weapons and technology.
A little voice in the background said, “Mama, that’s a bad word. You have to put a dollar in the jar.”
Then Kelly’s voice saying, “Babe, is everything okay?”
Finally, Alex answered Lena. “There’s nothing we can do tonight. Bring Sky into the DEO tomorrow and we’ll run some tests. Brainy said Kara’s body was giving off the exact energy reading that they’d picked up from the weapon. If the puppy is the same, we may have a situation. At least this probably means she’s not in any danger from the coma.”
“Unless we can’t switch her back.”
“True. But I’m confident that the two geniuses in my life can figure it out. See you tomorrow, Luthor.”
Lena snorted at the understatement of Alex’s situation comment. “I’ll be there by eight.”
“See you then. In the meantime,” Lena waited for Alex to finish her sentence, knowing it was probably going to irritate her. “at least you’ll get plenty of kisses.”
Lena ended the call and threw the phone onto the coffee table before grabbing her wine. Sky’s eyes drooped and she gave a mighty yawn. Lena rubbed her soft ears while sipping the merlot. “Your sister is an ass.”
The next morning, Lena led Sky into the DEO. The puppy pranced along wearing her new blue harness and red leash. Lena had a small bag slung over her shoulder with food, treats, and toys in case they were going to be there a long time. Every agent stopped dead in their tracks. Lena snickered as she saw the big heart eyes turn their way. Sky was pretty adorable.
“It’s a dog, people. Everyone back to work!” Eyes snapped to their stations as Alex strode into the room. She looked from Lena to the puppy, and back to Lena, then shook her head. “This is ridiculous. Are you sure?”
Lena shrugged. “If you’re asking about scientific proof, no. I’m not sure of anything. But the things I’ve seen so far are suspicious. Test her.”
“How? It’s not like I can simply ask if Kara’s mind is inside the puppy.”
“True.”
An agent walked into the center dusting his white powder fingers onto his black uniform. Lena watched Alex scowl, but before she could say anything he announced, “I brought in donuts for everyone. They’re in the break room.”
Sky gave three loud yips and pulled the leash free from Lena’s grip. The puppy bolted down the hallway in the direction the agent had just come from. Lena looked at Alex, who gazed back with wide eyes.
Alex yelled, “Shit! Catch her.”
Lena was glad she wore her trainers as they raced through a maze of hallways until they came to, what Lena could only assume, was the break room. Sky scratched at the door, whining and barking.
Alex sighed and scrubbed a hand over her face. “Damn it.” She bent down to scoop up the puppy and wagged a finger near her nose. “No donuts for you.” She got a little growl and nip for her chastisement. “Ow, you little—”
“No biting either, darling.” Lena took Sky from Alex’s arms and began walking toward the med bay where they kept Supergirl. “Come on, let’s go see Kara and I’ll give you a cookie.” Sky gave another bark while Alex grumbled from behind them.
The energy scan didn’t take long. The results left them with a dilemma: what to do with the super puppy. With Kara unconscious, the puppy acting like Kara, and no idea of the weapon’s origins, they were unsure how to reverse the effects. Sky appeared to be the most comfortable near either Kara, or Lena. Or eating.
“Oh my God, who is this little beauty?” The costumed figure made her way over to the hospital bed to pet Sky, who was loving the attention. “You’re so cute and fluffy, I could eat you up. Come on,” The hero pointed at her cheek. “Give auntie Nia kisses.”
Alex snickered. “She only kisses Lena.”
“What?”
“Alex!”
Alex elaborated, “We’re pretty certain that Kara’s mind is inside the dog and that’s why she’s not waking up.”
“Oh. How certain?”
Brain pushed into the room. “Ninety-eight-point seven two percent.”
“So, pretty sure then.” Nia hit a sweet spot in her scratching and laughed when the puppy began jiggling her leg. “She’s so cute I could die, for reals.”
Lena rolled her eyes. It was very un-Luthor like. “That’s a little dramatic.”
“Says the only woman puppy Kara will kiss.” Lena flipped her off.
Nia tried one more time, but Sky refused to bestow her cheek with kisses. Undeterred, Nia attempted to kiss her nose and Sky turned her head away to look at Lena. Rather than be disappointed, she laughed and said to Alex. “Well that certainly tracks based on years of longing looks at every game night.”
Apparently, everyone else in their friend group experienced the same delusion as Alex. “Hello? I’m standing right here. I think I would know if my best friend had feelings for me.”
Nia snorted. “Says the woman who is more emotionally stunted than even Alex.”
“Hey!” Alex threw a pen at her. “I’m much better now.”
“According to who?”
“My wife! And Kelly is a psychiatrist so she would know.”
Lena laughed at their antics, but also smiled fondly as the puppy watched the banter between the two women, little fluffy head moving back and forth.
Brainy and Lena finally got a lead later that afternoon. With Alex reluctantly on puppysitting duties, they spent hours in the lab analyzing the weapon. Eventually, he found a match in his ship’s database. Lucky for them, there were also schematics that diagrammed all the buttons and switches on the complicated tech. Unfortunately, Kara was their resident translator when Brainy didn’t know the language.
“I’m not sure what to do,” Lena explained to Alex later.
Brainy held up a print of the section explaining the button function. At least they assumed it was based on the lines drawn from alien text to each button. “I’ve run the analysis in the ships database, the same as I did with the initial weapon scan. We have no match for the language.”
Alex held up a hand. “You mean your fancy ship from the future has the schematics for this weapon, but no the language of the originating species?”
“I’m afraid so, Director.”
“What about the Fortress?” Lena hazarded.
“It’s on decontamination lockdown for two more weeks after Superman returned with some sort of super bugs from Centauri-6.”
A dark eyebrow lifted. “Superbugs?”
“Don’t ask. Lois was pissed.”
Lena shuddered and let it go. She glanced toward the dog bed in the corner where Sky currently chewed on stuffed potsticker toy. “I can’t believe I’m suggesting this, but what if we ask Sky?”
“Ask Sky which button reverses the ionization flow? That would imply that Kara is aware of everything around her while trapped in puppy form.” She gave Lena a hard look. “Every conversation, every action or event…”
Lena sucked in a breath, remembering her whispered admissions the evening before while cuddling with said puppy on the couch. “Eh…”
The look on her face clearly delighted Alex. “Let’s do this.” She grabbed the printout and gentled her voice. “Sky, come here girl.” She got a tail wag, but nothing was pulling the puppy from her favorite toy. “Whatever, I’ll just—”
“Wait.” Lena called. “Let me try.” She took the schematic from Alex’s hand and squatted. “Darling, can you help us with something?”
The puppy’s head popped up, toy forgotten. Lena held up the paper and Sky stood, shook herself, then trotted over. Lena placed the paper on the ground and tapped it. “Can you read this?”
The puppy looked at the document and gave a single bark.
“This is stupid.” Alex got a little growl for her comment.
“Can you indicate which words reverse the ionization flow for the weapon?”
Sky sniffed along the paper, suspiciously moving from word to word. She eventually stopped at one line of alien writing and barked again. Lena traced the line running from the text to the appropriate switch on the weapon. “This one?”
Another bark.
Alex sighed. “Are we really sure about this?”
“Do we have another choice?”
Alex turned to Brainy. “Can you figure out how this works knowing which is the correct button?”
“I believe so. The schematics I found have a visual demonstration of function. I have extrapolated the sequence needed for reversal, but we didn’t know the correct reversal switch.”
“Fine, fine. Let’s go get my sister back.”
Lena picked up the paper and stood as Brainy grabbed the weapon from their work bench. She called out, “Come on, Sky. Let’s put things back the way they should be.”
They began to walk out, puppy trailing behind, then Sky gave two sharp barks and ran back to her bed for the toy. Even Brainy laughed at the puppy trotting down the DEO halls alongside them while carrying a stuffed dumpling in her mouth.
The reversal was quick and easy. They placed Sky on next to Kara on the bed, then aimed and fired. The puppy didn’t appear any different but the equipment monitoring Kara’s heartrate began speeding up.
“She’s waking!” Alex stepped closer and moved the puppy to the floor. “Kara, can you hear me?”
Kara’s eyes fluttered open and she looked at Alex blearily. “Alex?” She glanced around, noticing her surroundings for the first time. “What happened? Why am I at the DEO?”
“Darling, what do you remember.”
Green and blue eyes met, and Kara noticed Lena for the first time. She smiled softly. “I remember the pet adoption event in the park. And…nothing after that. But I had the strangest dreams.” Kara laughed and looked around the room. “There was the fluffiest puppy at the park, and I dreamt that I was the puppy. I got toys, and pets, and snuggles. Crazy, right?”
Two barks sounded in response to her question and Kara noticed the other individual in the med bay. “Oh.”
Alex made a face. “Yeah, so it wasn’t a dream. You were actually, sort of, in the puppy for a little over a day.”
“Aww! Well, that makes it even cooler. Did you take care of me?”
“Actually,” Kara looked at Lena. “It was me. I was left with the puppy when the shelter employees fled the park during the attack. I had no choice but to take you home with me. It wasn’t until later that I put the clues together and figured out the connection between the two of you.”
Kara beamed at her. “I knew you liked that puppy!”
“It’s only temporary, darling. I already left a message with the shelter that I’d return her first thing tomorrow morning.” The pout directed her way was a superpower as much as the rest and even Lena wasn’t immune. She felt herself cracking under the weight of Kara’s pleading gaze.
“But you don’t have to, right?”
Lena rubbed her temples. “I can technically do whatever I want but a puppy is a lot of responsibility. She would need supplies, a routine—”
“Don’t you already have all that, Luthor?” Alex asked, unhelpfully.
Lena flipped her off and tried to get them back on track. “Can we focus on what happened and why we’re actually here? Should Kara undergo testing to make sure the energy signature is gone from her and Sky?”
“She doesn’t like the name Sky.”
“What?” Alex, Brainy, and Lena seemed taken aback by the news.
“Yeah. Sky isn’t her name, or isn’t one she likes. I think the shelter gave it to her.”
“How do you know that?”
Kara shrugged from where she was propped up on the bed. “We were kind of in there together?”
Alex rubbed her forehead. “I’m going to regret asking, but what is her name then?”
Kara leaned forward and swung her legs around, so she was sitting on the edge of the bed. “I’m not sure. I just know she didn’t care for that one.” She looked at Brainy. “I actually feel pretty good. What do you need to do for a scan?”
He picked up a nearby device and Lena recognized it as the same he’d used to scan Sky, er, the puppy earlier. “Now that I know the exact frequency and expected output, this won’t take long. After checking the readings for Kara, Brainy squatted next to the pup and ran the measurement again. He nodded after the second beep then powered down the scanner. “They are both clear from the strange energy anomaly. If you’d like, I can take the weapon to the secure armory.”
“Do it. I don’t any more accidental mishaps. The trigger guard looks similar to standard DEO rifles. Put a lock on that as well. We can’t be too careful.” Brainy nodded and left the room with the weapon, leaving the scanner on a nearby instrument tray.
“What’s next?” Lena glanced at Alex, neither answered Kara. “What was that look? Did anything else happen while I was out of my body?”
“Well…” Alex drawled. “Technically you admitted your feelings and the two of you shared your first kiss.”
“Dammit, Alex!” Lena felt her face heat with embarrassment.
Kara was even more vocal. “Alexadra Danvers! I admitted my crush to you in confidence on a sacred sister’s night! That was mean.”
Alex burst into laughter at Kara accidentally outing herself to a teasing comment about dog kisses. But Lena froze, hope fluttering in her heart.
“On that note, I’ve got some paperwork to do. Bye, ladies!”
Lena’s heart raced as the med bay door slid shut. “Crush?”
Kara looked anywhere but at her best friend. She picked at the sheet on the bed. “It’s not important. I would never risk our friendship on impossibilities.”
She stepped closer and covered Kara’s hand with her own. “You can tell me anything. You know that.”
“I—” Kara swallowed and moved her eyes up to meet Lena’s gaze. “I know we said no more secrets, but I’m afraid to ruin everything we’ve built over the past few years. I only just got you back!”
Her heart soared with hope. “What if I promise to adopt the little fluffy dumpling? Will you tell me then?”
“Dumpling! That’s it.” A single bark met Kara’s exclamation, and the puppy ran over to excitedly jump on Lena’s leg.
Lena smiled at both blondes that had taken over her life. “And the secret?” She squeezed Kara’s hand in reassurance.
Kara briefly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then, while maintaining eye contact with Lena, she slid down from the bed so they stood right in front of one another. “The truth is that I’ve been in love with you for years. I realized my feelings while in the Phantom Zone, but I suspect they’d been there for much, much longer.”
It was quiet because Lena hardly dared breathe. “How much longer?”
“Probably since the day you invited me to that first gala.”
“The one with the black box generator and Mike of the Interns?”
Kara laughed. “Yes.” She paused then continued on. “I’ll understand if it makes you uncomfortable because you don’t feel the same way but—”
Words were cut off by a kiss as Lena surged forward. It continued for a few minutes as years of pent-up attraction held them together. They only pulled apart again when Dumpling started whining from lack of attention. Lena breathed heavily, cursing Kara’s Kryptonian physiology. Then she thought of other uses for increased stamina and her mind raced with the possibilities.
“What’s the matter, cutie? Are you feeling left out?” Kara bent down and scooped up the pup, bestowing kisses over every part of her head. “Can we take ‘Ling back to your condo so you can show me all her toys?”
“Didn’t you already see everything?”
“I told you it was like a dream so much of what I experienced is already fading.”
Lena blew out a sigh of relief. “How do you know she has a bunch of toys? I was planning to return her to the shelter tomorrow morning.”
“No, you weren’t.”
Kara’s grin was infuriating and Lena sighed at being so seen, at being called out. “Fine, I probably wasn’t. The little demon has certainly grown on me.”
Lena packed away the items she’d brought for the puppy and they made their way toward the door. “Oh, come on! I bet she was an angel.”
“She chewed one of my Louboutins while I was in the shower last night.”
“Ouch. At least you can afford it.”
That grin was sure to be the death of her. Dumpling struggled in Kara’s arms until Lena reached out to take her. Her face was immediately covered in kisses, as if little ‘Ling were saying sorry. Scratch that, little puppy kisses would be the death of her. “Come on, troublemakers. Let’s go home.”
“Wait,” Kara called. She strode over to the hospital bed and grabbed the dropped potsticker dog toy. “We can’t leave this behind, it was my favorite!” She gave it a couple squeaks and Ling barked twice.
“I’m to regret this, aren’t I?” Lena addressed it to the room in general.
Kara merely laughed at her. “Regret being my girlfriend?”
The throw away remark tugged straight at Lena’s heart. “You’re my girlfriend already? We haven’t even been on a first date.”
The superhero held open the door. “Mine and Dumplings.”
“What?”
“Sure,” Kara said smugly. “After all, you’ve kissed both of us already. Though,” She tapped her bottom lip. “Technically, you kissed her first. Dang. I suppose I’ll always be second in your affection. Kara pressed the back of her hand against her forehead, dramatic to the extreme.
Teasing or not, Lena realized she never actually admitted her own feelings aloud. She pulled Kara to a stop and pressed her free hand against Kara’s heart. “Darling, you will always be first in every way that counts. I suspect I’ve known as long as you have.”
That earned her a second kiss, one with a wriggling puppy between them.
“Great,” Kara said after. “Now that we’ve got our feelings sorted, let’s get our little girl home.”
“Our little girl, hmm?”
Kara nodded. “Sure. What’s mine is yours and what’s yours is mine. Right?”
Lena snorted. “That sounds an awful lot like marriage. I think you’re skipping a few steps, love.”
“Hmm.” was the only response Lena got, and her heart raced all over again.
Maybe someday. They had to get through the terrible puppy twos first.
Lena glanced back at Kara shyly as they strode through the halls of the DEO. She knew that love came in all shapes and sizes but never imagined that she would experience two…both of them blonde and fluffy. It was… perfect.