The Important Question
“So, are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Kara asks, lightly stroking Lena’s hair. She feels the raven-haired woman tense slightly at the question.
“Kara, can’t we just enjoy the moment?”
“Of course, Lena.” Kara wraps her arms around the other woman. “I’m sorry,” she murmurs into her ear. They were still in Lena’s office, curled up on the couch after their sexual activities. The sky outside was dark, the evening had crept in sometime around Kara’s third or fourth orgasm, and she lost track of the time. With the shades rolled back up, Kara could see the hundreds of thousands of stars twinkling in the sky. Since LuthorCorp is one of the tallest skyscrapers, the lights from the city below can’t take away the astronomical brilliance that is in the night sky. Lena moves from where her head rested on Kara’s chest to look at the blue-eyed blonde.
“I’m sorry, Kara. I’m just…” Lena bites her lip. “I’m just stressed. Not my typical stress, but with helping Supergirl and finding out that Andrea betrayed my trust… I’m frazzled and I need this moment with you. You’re the one constant I can count on right now.” Kara watches as a few small tears threaten to escape from her eyes. Using her thumb to wipe them away, she places a soft kiss against Lena’s forehead.
“I’ll always be there for you, Lena. Anytime. I promise.” Kara’s stomach flips as she makes the promise. She ignores it. She’s going to tell Lena soon. She just has to find the right time. “If you need to talk, I’m here too. Off the record, of course.” Kara smirks as Lena lets out a small laugh.
“Do you want to order food?” Lena pauses. “We could go back to my place if you’d want to.”
“I want to,” Kara says without hesitation. A bright smile lights up Lena’s face.
“Let’s go.” As they leave LuthorCorp with Lena’s hand entwined with hers, Kara feels her stomach flip again, the guilt beginning to appear. Maybe she should tell Lena tonight about her identity. “Kara?” She snaps her head up to see Lena staring at her.
“Ah, sorry, Lena. What did you say?”
“I just wondered what you wanted to eat, beautiful. Are you all right?” Kara nods, shooting Lena a smile.
“Oh! There’s a wonderful restaurant nearby with the best potstickers! You need to try it.” Kara hopes her excitement about the potstickers is enough to distract Lena from asking about her well-being. It does.
“Perfect,” Lena says, holding the door to her private car open for Kara. She steps in, sliding over to allow Lena to join her. After giving the driver instructions to drop them off at Lena’s penthouse and then head to the restaurant to pick up the food, Lena faces Kara in the backseat, taking her hands in her own.
“Kara,” Lena’s voice is soft, nervous almost. Kara gives her hands a reassuring squeeze, unsure of what Lena is about to say. “God, I never thought I’d be nervous,” Lena chuckles. Kara smiles. “Okay. Kara, um, I was wondering if y-you would –” Lena is cut off by her driver.
“Ms. Luthor. We are at the penthouse.” Kara’s heart sinks ever so slightly. What was Lena about to ask her? Lena smiles tightly, obviously upset that she was interrupted.
“Thank you, Erik.” Lena pulls Kara out of the car into the massive apartment building. She nods to the doorman before following Lena quickly through the lobby. As they wait for the elevator, Lena shifts nervously, the unasked question hanging between them. Once the elevator reaches them, Kara begins to feel nervous. The energy between the two women is impalpable as the elevator takes them to Lena’s penthouse. As the door slides open, Kara’s mouth drops. The penthouse is massive, almost three times the size of her apartment. The far wall is just windows, floor-to-ceiling, of course, that highlight the skyline of National City. The living space, adorned with similar couches to the ones in Lena’s office, spans the area between the windows and the enormous kitchen that lines the other wall. Stainless steel and white marble are all that Kara can make out from where she’s standing.
“Wow,” she breathes out. Lena leads her further into the penthouse. Kara knew Luthor’s had money, but this is more than she could have even imagined. How in the Rao did Lena pick her, a middle-class average Joe?
“Kara?” Lena places her hand on the small of Kara’s back, dragging her from her thoughts.
“Lena… this place is incredible.”
“Thank you, Kara. Unfortunately, I don’t spend much time here.” Kara’s eyes widen. If she had a place like this, she’d be here as much as she could. Maybe she’d even learn to cook in a kitchen like this.
“Well, maybe…” Kara pulls Lena closer, wrapping her arms around her. “We can change that.” She leans forward, brushing her lips against Lena’s. A small smile plays on Lena’s lips after Kara pulls away.
“Kara,” Lena breathes out, the nerves returning. “I’ve been wanting to ask you something.” Kara feels Lena’s hand shake a little as she brushes a stray piece of hair behind Kara’s ear. “I was w-wondering if you wanted to be exclusive. If you w-wanted to be my girlfriend?” Kara’s mouth curls into a large smile before reconnecting their lips.
“Yes, Lena. Yes,” Kara squeals, her happiness blooming. Lena laughs, kissing her again. Suddenly, the penthouse intercom buzzes, startling the women from their fervent kissing. Lena walks over to the panel on the wall, pressing a button before speaking.
“Erik? Just come on up.” Lena presses another button that opens the lobby door for her driver. “You ready for some potstickers, Kara?” Kara nods, her mouth already watering at the prospect of eating the delicious cuisine. The elevator dings and Kara turns her head to look at Erik. Except it isn’t him. It’s Andrea. Wait, what? How did she escape from the DEO?
“Andrea?” Lena steps in front of Kara, shielding her. A useless action considering Kara is Supergirl, but Kara’s heart melts at the thought that Lena would risk her life for hers. Andrea walks off the elevator moving closer to the couple. Kara tenses, unsure of what to do without Lena realizing that she’s Supergirl.
“Lena. It’s been a while, how are you?” Kara scowls at Andrea’s coyness.
“Andrea. I see you didn’t take heed to my warning during our little talk the other day,” Lena remarks, her eyes not wavering from Andrea. “What do you want?” Kara watches as Andrea’s eyes flick to Kara and then back to Lena before answering.
“Oh, am I interrupting something? Apologies.”
“Andrea.” A growl erupts from Lena’s throat. Andrea puts her hands in the air.
“Relax, Lena. I’m just here because I need your help.”
“Why in the world do you think I would help you,” Lena scoffs, crossing her arms. Kara takes a step back, prepared to jump into action if Andrea tries anything.
“You know why, darling. I know everything about you.” Andrea’s eyes glint mischievously while Lena stiffens, clenching her jaw. “Now, come with me.” Kara reaches an arm out to Lena.
“Wait, Lena. You don’t have to do this.”
“I don’t have a choice, Kara,” Lena mutters, defeated.
“Whatever she has on you, we can fight. You don’t have to do this,” Kara pleads. Lena just looks at her with dimmed eyes, the fire in her extinguished. Kara’s mouth pinches into a tight line and she releases Lena’s arm. “I’m coming with you.” Lena shakes her head vehemently.
“No. I can’t put you in danger too.” Kara opens her mouth to argue, but the look on Lena’s face, makes the words die on her tongue. All Kara can do is watch Andrea emotionally drag Lena, her girlfriend, out of the penthouse. She catches Lena’s eye just before the elevator doors close and mouths ‘Don’t worry.’ Lena doesn’t have a chance to acknowledge it before the elevator doors close. Immediately, Kara pulls out her phone. Alex picks up on the first ring.
“Kara!”
“Alex, I don’t have time to explain. Andrea has Lena, I’m going to follow them. Track my location.” She doesn’t wait for a reply. Instead, she hangs up and throws open the door to the balcony. Looking down, she spots Andrea and Lena climbing into a non-descript black SUV. Kara jumps from the balcony, catching the air. With the wind blowing her hair around, Kara follows the SUV to the warehouse where she, Alex, and J’onn first caught Andrea. Landing nearby and ducking behind a stack of boxes. She extends her hearing to the inside of the warehouse.
“What am I doing here, Andrea?” Lena’s voice brings quiet comfort to Kara. She’s okay.
“I told you. I need your help,” Andrea replies. There’s a bunch of movement. Kara wishes she could see inside the warehouse to figure out what was happening.
“You want me to build Myriad for you, Andrea? You’re crazy. I would never. This program… it’s dangerous.” There’s a laugh that follows that not Lena’s. There’s a click of a gun and an intake of breath. Kara grits her teeth and stands, ready to barrel into the warehouse. A warm hand on her shoulder stops her. She was listening so intently to the conversation inside the building that she missed the sound of Alex arriving. Swallowing hard, Kara turns back to the warehouse, listening again.
“So, Lena. How long will this take? Time is running out.”
“A couple of hours, Andrea. It doesn’t help when you point that thing at me.” There’s a sigh and a click. With the immediate threat removed from Lena, Kara exhales in relief. She turns to Alex.
“Lena’s safe,” Kara says. “For now,” She adds, bitterly. Alex rubs her shoulder soothingly.
“We’ll get her back, Kara. I promise.”