Kara, Just Kara

Meeting Again for the First Time

An age old adage says to keep your friends close and your enemies closer. By normal standards, Lena Luthor would be nailing that, seeing that her nearest family is also her worst enemies. But then, she was never close to her family.

When Clark "Friend-of-Superman" Kent ambushed her on her way to the office, his attitude was immediately clear, and she didn't bother trying to make friends. Just the facts, give him the data she had already prepared, and get him out. It took a moment before she even noticed he had someone "just tagging along", so imagine her surprise when that someone, Kara Danvers, later came to warn her about appearing publicly until the assassin had been caught. Clearly Clark, or someone else, had trusted her with that information. So, she was somebody. And she seemed to genuinely care about Lena, which was honestly refreshing. Lena had decided to keep Kara close, at least until she knew more, always giving her the friendliest smile Lena could muster. And unless Kara was the best actor ever, she was so transparent that it was actually a relief dealing with her – compared to corporate scumbags and power-playing jetsetters that usually wasted Lena's time. Then it turns out that the FBI agent protecting her from the assassin was Kara's sister. And that Kara knows Supergirl, which is hardly surprising if she rubs elbows with both James Olsen and Clark Kent. There is more to that girl than meets the eye.

Six days ago, Kara had visited her and tried to ... well, it's not entirely clear what she was trying to do. Either she was there to tell Lena that her mother was up to something bad, or to not tell her and see if Lena knew about it, or something else in that direction, but it was so endearingly incompetent that she might as well have said it all directly. Someone had told Kara something, and Kara told her. She'd have to thank Kara the next time she saw her.

Alex Danvers had actually thanked Lena for her help in capturing her mother. Right before asking her if she had seen Supergirl, which was obviously much more pressing. Lena had to say no, she hadn't seen Supergirl since she rushed off after the missile Lena had just launched. She didn't add that Supergirl's last words to her had been "Don't do it, Lena.", after which she did indeed do it. Lena could understand Supergirl avoiding her after that, but she didn't think herself important enough for Supergirl to avoid the entire city over her.

Today Lena has worked sixteen hours straight, again, and she is running out of excuses to not go home when the intercom buzzes. "Ms. Kara Danvers to see you, mam."

She rushes to open the door. "Jess! Why are you ... You can leave us now. Please go home, Jess!"

Lena leads Kara into her office. "I swear the woman is trying to guilt me into working less by staying just as late as me. But hello, Kara, to what do I owe the pleasure? And how did you know I was here?"

Kara smiles. "Well, I called Jess, she thought it would be a great idea if I visited." Then she makes a grimace.

"Are you OK, Kara?"

"Yeah, fine. It's just your building is so tall, my ears popped in the elevator. And my feet are killing me. I probably shouldn't have walked all the way here. I didn't remember the trip as this long."

"You sound different?" Lena leads Kara to the couch, only now noticing that Kara is limping more than walking.

"Ah, yes, I burned my mouth on pizza."

"It's been quite a day, I take it."

"Oh yes. And then ..." Kara sighs. "That's not why I'm here! It's not supposed to be about me!" She stops and looks at Lena, now much more serious. "I'm so sorry that I lied to you and pretended I didn't know anything about your mother. I did know that she was Cadmus, and I didn't tell you."

"It's OK, I ..." Lena starts, but Kara stops her.

"It's not OK. And I'm so sorry I've been sick, otherwise I'd been here days ago to say this. I trust you, Lena! You have proven again and again that everybody should trust you. And because I didn't show that, you had to take down your mother by yourself. I can't imagine how that must have felt."