Revelations
It feels like an eternity had passed by the time Nico was allowed to see Karolina again. Kara had greeted them at the DEO when they arrived, explaining that Lena would bring the rest of the Runaways over with Maggie once the three of them had been checked over and cleared. Then, Kara had gently lifted Karolina out of Nico’s arms and carried her off. Nico had tried to follow her, not wanting to leave Karolina’s side, but Alex stopped her before she could move.
“Nico, I know you want to be with her,” Alex gripped Nico’s arm gently, noticing the wince she tried to conceal. “And you will be soon, okay, I promise. But I need to check you both over first. Make sure you aren’t injured, too.”
“Alex, I need to – “
“I know, Nyx. I know.” Alex nodded. “And you will. They’re taking Karolina to a private room. I’ll take you there myself as soon as I can. I promise. But you know Karolina would want you to look after yourself.”
“I’m fine, Alex.”
“No, you’re not. Nico, please.” Nico stiffened slightly when her friends touched her shoulder, Ratscrew stepping up behind her. “Karolina’s going to need you, and she’s going to need you safe and taken care of.”
“Fine,” Nico conceded, letting the Agent lead her away while Alex went to change into the dry clothes Agent Schott brought him.
Nico moved robotically while Alex checked her over. She had some bruising on her back from impacting with the both the ground and her friends, and her shoulder was sprained from both the fall and from Tina using her as a wrecking ball. Alex said it wasn’t too bad an injury, but she did insist on putting Nico’s arm in a sling. She was given a pair of black sweat pants and t-shirt to change into, she hadn’t even noticed that her clothes were wet from the makeshift sling Alex had made with his hoodie. Then, she was left alone while Agent Danvers went to check over Karolina. Nico felt like hours had passed by the time Alex came into the room and asked Nico to follow her to Karolina’s room.
Karolina was awake when Nico entered the room, talking softly with Kara.
“You’ve got a guest, Rainbow.” Alex said as she entered the room with Nico in tow.
“Nico,” Karolina smiled as her girlfriend came into view, her makeup smeared and hair that had been styled perfectly before reduced to a tangled mess. Karolina’s throat aches and her arms throbbing but she discovers that she really doesn’t care as Nico approaches the bed Karolina’s resting in and throws her arm around Karolina’s shoulders.
“Karo,” Nico whispers her name against Karolina’s neck before pressing a kiss in the same spot.
“I’m okay, Nico.” Karolina says back, nodding slightly at Kara and Alex as they slowly move out of the room. Nico pulls back at the sound of the door falling closed and seems surprised to find herself alone with Karolina.
“Your arm?” Nico asks, fingers ghosting over the hard, black cast that covers the majority of Karolina’s left forearm.
“It was a clean break,” Karolina explains, “Alex said I’ve already made progress healing. Something about not suppressing my powers while it mends.”
“And your throat?” Nico had noticed how rough Karolina’s voice sounded.
“Just bruised.” Karolina catches Nico’s good hand in her own, bringing Nico’s hand to her lips and placing a kiss against her knuckles. “And you? What happened to your arm?”
“Strained shoulder,” Nico explains softly, “Alex is making we wear the sling as a precaution. I’ve got some bruises on my back, but nothing serious.” Nico untangled their hands, so she could cup Karolina’s cheek. Karolina leant into the touch.
“We’re quite the pair, aren’t we?” Karolina chuckles.
“Karolina, I – “
“I know,” Karolina cut Nico off, anticipating the apology on her lips. “None of this is your fault, baby.”
“I should have let her have the Staff.”
“No, Nico, you did the right thing. We can’t let PRIDE have something that powerful on their side.”
“She hurt you, Karolina.” Nico hated how her voice shook as she spoke. “She wouldn’t have stopped. She’s supposed to protect me and love me more than anyone else in the world. And I had to watch her hurt someone I love.”
“Nico,” Karolina reached for Nico, gripping her waist gently.
“I can’t watch that again, I can’t.” Nico shakes her head, as if she’s trying to forcibly remove the memory from her head. “I felt so powerless. I never want to feel that way again. Not if it means you get hurt.”
Karolina rose from her bed, pulling Nico fully into her embrace. Nico held her just as tightly, fighting against the tears that wanted to fall from her eyes. She took a deep breath, the scent of Karolina lingering in her nose. Karolina held Nico as close as she could with one arm in a cast, cradling Nico’s head where it rested against her chest.
“We’re safe, Nico.” Karolina whispered into her hair. “We did what we had to do, and we made it through. We’re safe, we’re with people that care about us, and we’re together.” Karolina dropped a kiss onto Nico’s forehead. “I’m here, baby. I’m not going anywhere.”
Nico pulled back just enough to look Karolina in the eye. She’s always found Karolina’s eyes mesmerizing. They hold so much emotion buried in infinite shades of blue. Nico could spend hours navigating through the ocean before her and never get bored. Always open, never guarded, that’s how Karolina’s eyes are every time she looks at Nico. Nico can see all the feelings Karolina has for her, everything that Nico knows Karolina sees in Nico’s own eyes. Everything that she’s too scared to admit she feels.
Karolina leaned down, connecting her lips with Nico’s softly. Nico leaned her forehead against Karolina’s when they parted, breathing deep and feeling Karolina’s breaths against her own lips.
“Come lay down with me.” Karolina whispered when Nico opened her eyes again. “I’m supposed to be resting, but I always feel better with you close.”
Nico agrees, pressing their lips together again before helping Karolina crawl back into her bed. Once she’s settled, Nico joins her girlfriend and curls against her chest on her uninjured side. Karolina’s hand slips beneath the back of Nico’s top to rest against the soft skin of her back, stroking gently. Nico feels the last bits of adrenaline fading from her body, exhaustion slipping in. With Karolina’s hand against her back and heartbeat beneath her ear, Nico lets the exhaustion in her bones take over and closes her eyes. The last thing she feels before she falls asleep is Karolina’s lips against her forehead.
“Kara,” Lena called as she entered the hallway leading to the private room Karolina had been given at the DEO with Chase, Gert, Molly, and Maggie trailing behind her. They stopped outside Karolina’s door, where Kara stood with her sister and Alex. “How are they?”
“They’re okay,” Kara met Lena’s eyes before quickly moving her gaze to the three scared teenagers standing beside them. “They’ve got some injuries but it’s nothing serious.”
“What happened?” Gert’s grip on Chase’s arm was so tight her nails left indents on his skin.
“Our parents were there, some of them.” Alex answered, pushing his glasses up his nose. “Nico’s parents, and yours,” he gestured to Gert and Molly, “your Mom, Chase, and mine, too.”
“Nico’s mom wouldn’t give up the Staff without a fight, would she?” Gert already knew the answer, but she needed to hear the confirmation. “How bad was it?”
“Bad,” Alex shook his head, “she tried to drown me, Karolina’s got a broken arm, and Nico. She was – I’ve never seen her so angry before. It’s like she wasn’t in control of her body.” He sighed heavily, the events of the day weighing on his shoulders. “But we got the Staff, and I copied all the files from Tina’s computer that I could. Agent Schott’s going over them now.”
“Can we see them?” Chase directed his question to Agent Danvers.
“They may not be up for talking.”
“I know,” Chase corrected himself after Gert pinched his arm, “we know. That’s fine. They’re our family.”
“Okay, go on in. Just try not to make too much noise.” The four teenagers nodded and moved past Alex as she held the door open. Maggie, Lena, Kara, and Alex caught a glimpse of Nico and Karolina curled together on the bed as Alex pulled the door closed.
Once out of sight of the teenagers, Lena’s shoulders heaved and she all but collapsed against Kara.
“Lena, hey, let’s go sit down.” Kara caught her easily, directing her to a private room further down the hall and leaving Alex and Maggie to watch over the kids. “Lena? Lena, please tell me what’s wrong.”
“Nothing, nothing,” Lena sniffled as she sat down in an uncomfortable chair located near the corner of the room Kara had led her too. “I’m fine.”
“I thought we agreed to not keep secrets from each other anymore.” Kara crouched in front of Lena, her hands warm and soothing where they rested against Lena’s knees. “Safe space, remember? You can tell me anything.”
Lena nodded, swallowing against the emotion in her throat. She could really use a glass of wine, but she knows Kara won’t go for that until they have everything sorted. “I was just worried about them.”
It’s just the tip of the iceberg of emotions Lena’s dealing with, but it seems to be the most prevalent. She could barely function all day, knowing three kids that she was beginning to see as family were risking their lives in another city. It didn’t matter that they had extra protection, that Alex would never have returned to National City without Nico, Karolina, and Alex with her. It didn’t matter that Lena knew very well how good those kids were at dealing with whatever curve ball life threw at them. All that mattered was three teenagers, three children, facing the worst evil imaginable. It’s bad enough to know there’s evil in the world, and Lena knows how much it hurts to discover how close that evil is to home.
“They’re okay, Lena. They’re safe.”
“They’re hurt.” Lena shook her head. “Alex almost drowned, Karolina broke her arm, had who knows what injuries Nico has, especially if her mother is the one responsible!” Tears fell from her eyes despite how hard Lena tried to keep them in. “I promised I would protect them, and I didn’t. I broke my promise.”
“Lena,” Kara pulled her into an embrace, her heart breaking for the sobbing woman in her arms. Lena had such a big heart, she loved others more fiercely than anyone Kara had ever known, and she hurt the same way. “Lena, honey, I need you to listen to me.” The pet name slipped out without Kara noticing, though Lena did, and she pulled back enough to look Kara in the eyes.
“Lena, there’s nothing we could have done. We didn’t know their parents would be there or attack them. Nico was determined to get that Staff from her mother, no one could have talked her out of it. Not even Karolina and we know she tried.” Lena nodded slightly at Kara’s words. “I know you hate knowing their parents treated them like this, I do too. And I know you want to be the good influence for them that you never had. I know.”
“But,” Kara cupped Lena’s face gently, “we can’t protect them from everything. We see them as children, but they aren’t. Not anymore. They’ve been forced to grow up too soon. They’re figuring out their place in this crazy, messed up world long before they should have too.”
“You’re not exactly making me feel better here, Kara.”
“I’m not done yet.” Kara rolled her eyes but smiled a second later. “My point is, they have the weight of the world on their shoulders, but they don’t have to deal with it alone.” Kara’s thumb stroked Lena’s cheek gently, her heart fluttering in her chest when Lena leaned into her touch. “They have each other, and us, and Maggie and Alex. We can’t protect them, as much as I wish we could, it’s just not possible. But we can support them, comfort them when they let us, and we’ll make sure they don’t face their parents alone.”
“I feel so silly right now.” Lena said, chuckling slightly. She sniffled, wiping her nose on the sleeve of the hoodie she wore. Kara recognized it as one that she had worn around the Mansion a few days back but didn’t comment on it. Something about Lena wearing her jacket warmed Kara’s heart.
“Nothing you feel is silly, Lena.” Kara stroked her cheek again. “You’re incredible, Lena Luthor. And it’s about time you realized that.”
Lena’s heart caught in her throat at the tender look in Kara’s eyes, the conviction in her voice. Kara spoke as if Lena had never been anything but perfect in her eyes and it took Lena’s breath away. No one had ever looked at her that way before, not with the same intensity that Kara did. Memories filtered through Lena’s mind, times that Kara looked at her like she hung the moon and put the stars in the sky. Nights at the Mansion after the kids had gone to bed, sitting on Kara’s bed with a bottle of wine and talking about everything and nothing in the same conversation. Falling asleep leaning against Kara’s shoulder and waking up feeling abnormally cold after Kara moved Lena into her own bed.
Oh, Lena thought, of course.
She felt a rush of affection surge through her body for the woman still kneeling in front of her. She could feel her heart rate increase, watched Kara’s brow furrow as she heard the change in tempo. Lena’s hands rose of their own accord, one touching Kara’s shoulder gently and the other sliding to the back of her neck. Kara’s skin was warm beneath her touch and Lena vaguely wondered if her hands were cold, or if that would bother Kara at all. Then, all Lena could think about was why she hadn’t done this before as she used her grip on Kara’s neck to pull her in.
Their lips met, a gasp of surprise escaping Kara’s and Lena pulls back. Kara’s eyes are clouded over and Lena’s just about to apologize when Kara swoops back in. Kara’s hands slid to Lena’s back, pulling her close as their lips mold together. The fabric of Kara’s suit feels rough beneath Lena’s hand, but her lips are soft, tantalizing. Lena’s sure she’s never felt so wonderful in her life.
They pull apart, chests heaving, and lips swollen from their kisses. Lena’s lipstick is smeared across Kara’s lips and the sight only makes Lena want to kiss her again. Kara’s starring at her the way she stares at the stars, a mix of wonder and longing, like she can’t believe something so breathtaking as what she’s seeing actually exists.
“We should check on the kids.” Lena says after a heavy beat of silence, reaching up to wipe the lipstick off of Kara’s lips. Kara catches her hand and presses a kiss against her palm.
“Yeah, let’s go.” Kara rises out of her crouching position, offering her hand to Lena to help her out of her seat. Lena takes the offered hand, then, once she’s on her feet, uses their joined hands to pull Kara into a hug. Kara’s arms loop around her shoulders and Lena knows everything will be okay.
Kara and Lena are greeted with hushed voices when they enter the room Karolina and the other Runaways are resting in. Molly and Alex stand on one side of Karolina’s bed, Gert and Chase on the other with the girl herself sitting awake on the bed with a sleeping Nico curled into her chest. The five friends glace in Lena and Kara’s direction, noting their joined hands but not feeling cheerful enough to offer any comments of teases. They join Maggie and Alex, leaning against the back wall of the room.
“That’s all they said? They want us to run away?” Kara’s ears picked up on Chase’s distressed whisper.
“They’re going to try and stop Jonah, but they don’t want us there.” Alex nodded. “They didn’t say how, but it has something to do with Jonah’s ship.”
“The ship that’s buried under the dig site.” Gert felt Chase take her hand. “They’re going to what? Destroy it?”
“I don’t know, but we need to find out.”
“Why?” Chase asked harshly, his voice rising slightly. “Why not let our parents deal with it? They think they can handle it, why should we get involved?”
“We’re already involved.” Karolina spoke up, brushing her fingers through Nico’s hair, “and it’s not just Jonah’s ship at the bottom of that whole.”
“What do you mean?” Molly asked.
“Jonah didn’t come here alone, at least not according to our parents,” Karolina sighed. “His family is still on that ship.”
“Your family,” Gert whispered softly, the hand not holding Chase’s moving to rest comfortingly on Karolina’s shoulder.
“Karolina, there’s no guarantee the people down there are like you,” Alex said, though he seemed disappointed in himself for even saying it. “They might not be good.”
“There’s no guarantee they’re like Jonah either.” Karolina’s grip on Nico tightened, her hand moving to the small of Nico’s back and pulling the small girl more firmly against her chest. She wished her other arm wasn’t in a cast so she could properly hold Nico, but now wasn’t the time to dwell on that. “Alex, they’re innocent.”
“We don’t know that.” Chase protested. “We don’t know why they came here in the first place.”
“But we can’t condemn them to death.” The whole group started as Nico spoke up. She lifted her head from Karolina’s chest and looked around at her friends concerned faces. Karolina shifted next to her, sitting up fully and using her grip on Nico to pull her into a sitting position with their backs against the wall, shoulder to shoulder. Nico’s good hand fell to Karolina’s thigh. “We can’t. We’re no better than our parents if we do.”
“So what do we do?” Gert questioned. “Are we going to face PRIDE and try to protect the ship at the same time?”
“Can we even do that? It was hard enough to fight off just Tina. Can we really face the whole group?”
“We don’t have a choice.” Nico gripped Karolina’s thigh tighter, Karolina’s thumb rubbing a soothing circle on her back in response. “We have time. To get stronger. To prepare. We know when Jonah’s making his big move and that puts us one step ahead.”
“And we’ve got the Staff, and Chase’s Fistigons.” Karolina joined in. “Molly gets stronger every day.”
“And we still don’t know what all you can do,” Gert pointed at Karolina, “but your powers will help us a lot.”
“Still, we can’t do this by ourselves.”
“You don’t have to.” Kara stepped up to the foot of the bed Karolina and Nico shared. “You don’t have to do anything alone.”
“Kara, this isn’t your fight.” Nico pointed out stoically, without meeting Kara’s eyes.
“Yes, it is.” Kara’s stance softened, opening her shoulders and letting the six teenagers in front of her truly focus on the crest she wore on her chest. “Every day, I put on this suit and fight battles that aren’t mine to fight. Every. Single. Day. Do you know why?”
The Runaways shook their heads no, waiting anxiously for Kara to continue speaking.
“When I was twelve, my mother loaded me into a spaceship and told me to be brave. I watched my whole world implode on itself, everything that I had ever known was gone in an instant.” Kara watched the attentive teenagers closely. “I’ve watched planets die, I’ve lost family, gained them back and then lost them again.” Behind Kara, Alex looked down sharply. Maggie reached for her hand, brow furrowing in concern but she remained quiet. “I’ve lost so much more than I ever thought possible.”
“Then why keep fighting?” Nico questioned, feeling Kara’s words resonate deep in her chest.
“Because I have infinitely more to lose.” Nico looked up at her words, meeting Kara’s gaze evenly. “I have family and friends that I would do anything to protect. I have someone I’m falling in love with who I don’t want to lose. I have a job, a real one, and future that doesn’t revolve around a red cape and a symbol on my chest.” Kara smiled slightly. “I’ve got a group of rag-tag teenagers that are determined to save the world and trusting me to keep them safe while they do it.” Gert snorts, the other Runaways smiling slightly at Kara’s words.
“I made a promise, to you, to do anything I can to keep you safe. I make the same promise again and again whenever I put on this suit. I fight because I have something to fight for, something to remind me why I’m doing this. This is your fight, but it’s not you against the world.” Kara’s words echo what she said earlier to Lena, when it was just the two of them alone down the hall. She speaks them with the same conviction she did before, the same certainty.
“We can’t ask you to do this, Kara. This isn’t your responsibility.” Karolina glanced at Nico out of the corner of her eye as she spoke. Nico met her gaze and nodded slightly. “We need to do this.”
“You aren’t asking me to do anything.” Kara looked each of the Runaways in the eye in turn. “I’m keeping my promise. I won’t interfere unless you need me, but I will be there. As backup and moral support.” Kara smiled at them, “Besides, I know Molly’s strong but even she can’t stop me from going. Don’t forget that I am an actual superhero.”
The Runaways laugh, tension in their shoulders dissipating as Kara smiles warmly at them.
“We know, super is in the name,” Karolina jokes before her words take a serious turn, “but you’re more than that. To us, you’re not just a superhero. You’re Kara.”
“You believed in us when our parents betrayed us. You accepted us.”
“Quirks and all.” Chase speaks after Gert, their hands linked together between them. Nico and Karolina zero in on their joined hands and the distinct lack of blush from either of them, sharing a surprised but happy look.
“All of you did.” Molly points to where Maggie, Alex, and Lena hang back against the wall and gestures for them to join the group around the bed. They do, stepping up on either side of Kara. If anyone notices Lena’s hand move slightly to grasp Kara’s before falling back to her side, they don’t comment on it.
“We can never repay you for everything you’ve done for us.” Alex’s words surprise all four adults but the recover quickly.
“We don’t want you to repay us,” Lena smiles, “we want you to make it through this mess and be better off for it.”
“And we’ll help you however we can, now and after this is all over.”
“Do you really mean that?” Molly’s voice is as timid as they’ve ever heard before and it hits Lena in that moment how strong Molly is. How she’s been putting on a brave face, determined to be just like her friends, but she’s still a scared fourteen-year-old.
“Of course we do,” Lena moves over to Molly, resting her hands on Molly’s shoulders and looking into her eyes. “I know what it’s like to be disillusioned by your family, by your parents. It’s the worst, it makes you feel like everything in the world is a lie, and like you’ll never have a happy family again. But you will, I promise.”
“How do you know?” Alex rests his hand on Molly’s shoulder, squeezing in a brotherly manner that makes her smile.
“Because I used to feel the same way.” Lena glances around at the rest of the group to find them all listening attentively. “I used to think I’d never belong with anyone, never have a family. But I do.”
“You have us.” Karolina squeezes Nico’s shoulders, holding her close. “We have each other. El Myrrha, right?” She directs her question at Kara.
“That’s right.”
“El, Myrrha, what’s that mean?” Nico asks, looking between her favorite blonde and the Kryptonian.
“Stronger together. It’s what this symbol means.” Kara tapped a finger against her chest. “It’s my family’s motto, from Krypton.”
“I hope you don’t mind sharing,” Gert said, leaning into Chase with a happy little grin. “Stronger together sounds like exactly the mindset we need to have.”
“I think you’re right,” Maggie smiles at them, leaning into Alex slightly as a sudden realization hits her.
“So, we all agree? No one is fighting anyone on their own. We’re a family, we stick together.” Alex, Gert, Chase, Karolina, and Nice nodded at Kara’s words, those coupled together squeezing their partner slightly in assurance. Molly pulled Lena into a tight hug, her eyes flashing orange for the briefest of seconds before she calmed herself down.
“Aw man,” Molly groaned suddenly, pulling away from Lena and turning to her friends. “Does this mean I have three older sisters, and two brothers, now?”
“Yep.” Alex smiled cheekily, pulling on the cat ears on Molly’s beanie.
“Oh my god, I’m so screwed when I start dating.” Molly’s expression showed genuine annoyance and the teenagers laughed. Kara and Lena shared a smile as Lena moved back to her side, their hands joined but they remined silent.
“I’m going to go check on Winn, see if he found anything.” Alex whispered to her sister, kissing Maggie on the cheek before sneaking out of the room without the laughing teenagers noticing.
“Alex, wait,” Maggie called after her fiancée once they were a good distance from the room, alone together in the abandoned hallway.
“What’s up, Mags?” Alex turned to her curiously, her hands automatically gripping Maggie’s hips as she pulled Alex into an expected but welcome kiss. “Woah, what was that for?” Alex asked after Maggie pulled back. She wasn’t complaining, but that was the kind of kiss Maggie would normally give her out in the open, when anyone could walk up to them. That kind of kiss was better for behind closed doors.
“I get it now,” Maggie said, her hands sliding down to grip Alex’s arms. “Why you want to be a mom so bad. I understand.” Alex take a deep breath, releasing it through her nose. They’d been arguing for weeks about the kid issue, only when they were completely alone and making sure the kids didn’t pick up on the tension between them. The process was exhausting but Alex had hoped it would all be worth it.
“I didn’t get it before,” Maggie continued, “it seemed so abstract. I didn’t see myself as a mother, the thought of being responsible for keeping someone else alive, teaching them to be a good and decent person it just freaked me out.”
“What changed?” Alex asked softly, her fingers flexing against the fabric covering Maggie’s hips.
“I did,” Maggie smiled slightly. “Because of those kids. I won’t lie, the whole idea still scares me and I’m definitely not ready to have a kid of our own, but I know it will happen one day. Those kids reminded me why I never got along with my parents, why I was sure I’d be the same way with my own kids.”
“Why’s that?” Alex was honestly surprised they were having this conversation in the middle of the DEO, but Maggie seemed unbothered by it.
“My parents never accepted me, not completely. They loved me sure, but they never even tried to understand or accept me for who I am.” Maggie sighed with a slight shake of her head, looking over her shoulder at the door blocking the Runaways from view. “Those kids, that’s all they want. That’s what they need. Adults who accept them and support them, no matter what they look like, or what they enjoy or who they love. It’s what I wanted as a kid and never got.”
“I love you.” Alex said, pulling Maggie into another, much more chaste but no less passionate kiss. “You’re not you parents, Maggie, and I’m glad you can finally see that.”
“I love you, too.” Maggie kissed Alex again, unable to resist since they were still so close. “We’ll talk more later. I just wanted you to know.” Alex nodded and finally released her grip on Maggie’s hips.
“Right, I’ll be back in a few minutes. I know the Runaways are uncomfortable staying in the city too long.”
“We’ll be waiting.” Alex shot Maggie a smile before turning on her heel and walking down the hall. Maggie watched her go, a small fond smile gracing her lips as she turned to rejoin their little family.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?”
“Of course I want you to stay, Nico,” Karolina smiled at Nico’s shy smile, “but you need to rest and heal just as much as I do. This bed isn’t exactly big enough for two.”
“Didn’t seem to matter earlier.” Nico grumbled, twisting her fingers around in Karolina’s grasp. The couple had relocated to the sun room, Nico waiting for one of the others to come get her to head back to the Mansion. Karolina was staying the night at the DEO, under the sun lamps. She and Alex hoped that the solar radiation would speed up the healing process, especially if Karolina was powered up for most of the night, with the added bonus of restoring her energy. It seemed her powers were working overtime to heal the break in her arm, she looked more exhausted with each passing second. “What happened to feeling better when your close to me?”
“Still true,” Karolina maneuvered her fingers to wind through Nico’s, stopping her nervous fiddling. Karolina sat on the edge of the bed she’d be spending the night in, legs dangling over the side and Nico standing in front of her. “You need to rest, in a real bed. A sprained shoulder is still a pretty serious injury.”
“I know, you’re right.” Nico looked at her boot clad feet, “I just don’t want to leave you. Not after everything that happened today.”
“Hey,” Karolina used her grip on Nico’s hand to pull her closer. Nico stepped into the space between Karolina’s thighs and wrapped her good arm around Karolina’s waist after untangling their fingers. “I’m okay, Nico. You got me out of there, we’re safe.”
“Alex got you out of there.” Nico’s voice was slightly muffled from Karolina’s shirt. “I don’t even know what I did.”
“You kept them from following us. Don’t sell yourself short, Nico. We couldn’t have gotten out of there without you.”
“Maybe we shouldn’t have been there in the first place.”
“You don’t mean that, Nico.” Karolina rubbed Nico’s back soothingly. “We had to get the Staff.” Karolina’s eyes glance to the chair sitting beside the bed, where Nico’s clothes from earlier and the Staff are sitting along with Karolina’s own outfit.
“I mean, maybe you shouldn’t have been there. You or Alex.”
“Nico, there’s no way we would have let you go alone,”
“If you had, you wouldn’t be here,” Nico lifted her head from Karolina’s chest, reaching for Karolina’s cast covered hand, “You wouldn’t need to stay here under a sun lamp to heal.”
“We didn’t know this would happen,” Karolina’s arm shift beneath Nico’s grasp, the fingers of her good hand sliding to Nico’s hip. “There’s nothing we could have done, and if we hadn’t been there who knows what would have happened.” Karolina watched Nico closely, gaging her reaction. “It was a fucked up situation we should never have been in, all of this is, but we have to deal with it.”
Nico looked up sharply, partly because hearing Karolina cuss was as shocking as it was sexy, but also so she could read Karolina’s eyes, see the truth in her words. “And we have to deal with it together, otherwise we might never get through this.”
“El Myrrha, right?” Nico’s fingers twisted the fabric of Karolina’s shirt, pulling her marginally closer.
“Right.” Karolina kissed Nico’s nose which made her face scrunch adorably and Karolina smiled. “So stop worrying about this,” Karolina held up her broken arm, “go home, eat something, and get some rest. I’ll be back before you can miss me.” Nico highly doubted that, but she decided to simply pull Karolina into a kiss instead of voicing her disagreement. They parted when someone knocked on the door.
“We’re loading up, Nyx.” Lena poked her head into the room, surveying the young couple’s positions before offering them a coy smirk. “Finish kissing Rainbow good night so we can head out.”
“I’ll be right out,” Nico rolled her eyes when Lena winked at them before ducking back out of the room. “I guess I’ll see you in the morning?”
“Bright and early,” Karolina promised with a wide smile and tired eyes.
Nico brushed a stray bit of hair behind Karolina’s ear before cupping the back of her neck and pulling her in for another kiss. Karolina’s hand held the small of Nico’s back, pushing their bodies flush together. The separated slowly, Nico stepping back to grab her staff and both of their clothes from the chair.
“Good night, baby,” she said, leaning up to steal one last kiss, okay two, before making her way to the door.
“Good night, babe.” Karolina watched her leave, resettling on the bed and blowing Nico a kiss as she pulled the door closed. Karolina laid back after flipping the switch to turn the sun lamps on and removing her bracelet. Dimly glowing, she fell asleep only a few moments after Nico swept out of the room.
“Ready to go, Nyx?” Maggie asked as Nico approached the large group waiting in the main lobby of the DEO. Nico nodded, gratefully letting Alex take the bag with her and Karolina’s clothes in it when her offered his hand. “Let’s roll out then.”
They split into two vehicles again for the drive back to the Mansion, Maggie driving one and Lena the other since Alex stayed behind to work on paperwork, which was made in silence on Nico’s part as she let Alex, Molly, and Lena carry a mindless conversation for the duration. Once at the Mansion, Nico dutifully ate the sandwich and chips given to her by Kara before excusing herself to shower and get ready for bed.
Nico was surprised to find Alex waiting for her in her bed room after she emerged from the shower.
“I brought yours and Karo’s clothes,” Alex gestured to the bag sitting on the floor at his feet.
“Oh, right, thanks.” Nico offered him a smile, using a towel to dry her hair while she moved to sit on the bed next to Alex. Alex took a moment to observe this side of Nico, one he was never privy to see. Her face was absent her usual dark makeup, her hair wet and hanging loosely around her shoulder. She wore black shorts and colorful t-shirt that was very obviously Karolina’s, not just because of the colors but because it swamped Nico’s small frame and hung almost to the hem of her shorts. “I, um, I wanted to say thank you. For getting Karolina out of there.”
“You don’t have to think me, Nico. I guess all this weight lifting is paying off, huh?” Alex smiled warmly at her, pushing his glasses up his nose when they slipped slightly. “I know you and I haven’t been in the best place, and that’s my fault, but I wouldn’t have left her there. Not ever, but especially not when I know how much she means to you.”
“I’m sorry,” Nico threw her now wet towel into the basket in the corner. “I know it hasn’t been easy for you to watch Karolina and me.”
“Don’t apologize.” Alex shrugged as he continued, “I messed up and you were pissed at me, rightfully so. I know I should have told you what I knew about Amy, but I didn’t, and I had to pay the price. It was natural for you to move on.”
“Still, I know it must suck.”
“It did, at least at first. But I’ve had some time to come around to it. I’ve watched you fall for Karolina every day for over a month. At first, I was hurt, and angry that you wouldn’t give me a second chance. That’s why I kept lashing out, especially our first night in National City.” Nico nodded, remembering the argument the six of them had in the DEO after Karolina overworked her powers. “I felt like you were rubbing it in my face, seeing you guys holding hands and stealing kisses and generally being sickeningly cute. But, seeing how you are with her, how happy she makes you? I can’t be mad about that.”
“I guess it’s safe to say you and I were always better off as friends.” Nico nudged his shoulder with her own.
“You’re my best friend, Nico. You always will be, and I’ll always do what I can to make you happy, even carrying your injured girlfriend half a mile.”
“Please it was like half a block, maybe.” Nico smiled. “You’re my best friend, too, and I’m glad we’re finally back to that.”
“Me too,” Alex pulled Nico into a one-armed side-hug. “Now, it’s getting late and Karolina will kill me if I keep you from resting any longer.” Nico pinched his side with her good hand, adjusting her sling into a more comfortable position as Alex stood from the bed. “Maybe you can actually sleep without it looking like there’s a rave going on down here.”
“Shut up, asshole.” Nico groaned, turning around so Alex couldn’t see the blush coloring her cheeks. Alex’s laugh carried down the hall as he walked out, pulling the door closed behind him.
“It does not look like a rave,” Nico grumbled to herself as she pulled the duvet down and climbed beneath it on Karolina’s side of the bed. Besides, Karolina’s nightly light show wasn’t entirely Nico’s fault, at least that’s what Nico told herself. Karolina wanted to practice controlling her lights while engaging in activities that normally left her heart racing or adrenaline pumping through her body. It just so happens that making out with Nico was a great way to practice that control in non-battle circumstances, and Nico was more than willing to help anyway she could. Karolina had actually gotten fairly good at keeping herself from lighting up when she and Nico kissed, it was only when hands started to wander beneath clothes that Karolina would slip up. Nico didn’t mind. After all practice makes perfect, right?
Chuckling to herself, Nico curled into Karolina’s pillow. The scent of Karolina’s shampoo lingered on the pillowcase, mixed with something that Nico couldn’t name but inherently reminded her of her girlfriend. That, paired with Karolina’s shirt covering her torso, helped put Nico’s mind at ease enough to catch a few hours of sleep, however fitful they might have been.