Next of Kin - SuperCorp

Next of Kin Part 14 - Morning Kara

Lena sat looking at the phone in her hand showing a text from Kara.

Kara: "Who's Lori?"

Her heart rate had picked up, and she was entirely grateful that she wasn't still hooked up to the monitor or she wouldn't be the only one who knew it. Given who she was, her reputation, and that she and Kara were in here with the door closed, the hospital staff would probably assume the reason for the raised pulse were something of a more intimate nature. Even though Lena was laid up and partially paralyzed, still the reputation of a Luthor proceeded all other things. Lena considered that for a moment. She knew she wasn't up for much, but a make out session would be a sight better than this conversation.

Swiping left on the message from Kara, Lena stared at the red word 'delete' that stared back at her. It would take their entire conversation history, every typed word sent by Miss Danvers, every emoticon, each and every adorable turn of phrase and remove them forever. That was a steep cost, but some prices were worth paying. For not the first time Lena regretted who she was, regretted her name, but she'd never regret this one decision she'd made. It was probably the hardest and most complicated thing she'd ever done in her life...and the most valuable. The billions of dollars that came with the Luthor name were worthless in comparison. Inhaling deeply and letting out a slow breath, Lena thrust out her chin and hit the delete button. She didn't believe in living with regrets.

Kara waited patiently, anxiously, for the text response from Lena. When instead Lena reached over and grabbed her phone, suddenly swiping left and deleting their conversation history, she snapped.

"What the hell!" Kara yelled grabbing her phone back and staring at the screen that showed a lacking of their...everything. Everything they had ever texted to each other was gone forever. "What...why...you promised me an answer and then you...!" Eyes filling with tears, she just stared.

As one tear ran along Kara's cheek, Lena reached up a hand and stopped it with the back of her finger. It pooled there, dammed up along the length of her finger, and she pushed it away, following the finger with her thumb to dry the remainder. Kara was obviously hurt, and Lena wasn't surprised. These last few days Kara had seemed so open and vulnerable. There was so much sitting unsaid between them right now, but this was neither the time nor the place to say them.

Picking up her phone again, Lena sent Kara a text.

Lena: "I'm sorry you're upset."

Kara looked at her phone then over at Lena, scowling deeply. "I'm not upset. This isn't upset. I'm incredibly hurt. You made a promise, and you're breaking it. How can I trust any of the promises you've made me?"

Ouch. Lena managed not to wince, but the girl had scored on her. Fighting with Kara Danvers wouldn't be enjoyable. Perhaps it would be a good exercise in negotiation, but not an enjoyable one. The blonde fought surprisingly dirty.

Lena: "I need you to ask me something else. Ask me anything else, and I'll answer it, just not that."

Kara shook her head. "I followed the rules. I didn't ask you something that I thought would be hurtful to you. Does talking about her hurt you?"

Lena considered that. Yes was a simple response, but entirely untruthful. The real answer was that she never talked about Lori because she had no one with whom to talk about Lori. The idea of being able to talk about Lori was... Lena took a moment allowing the idea to settle in truly and to let her heart speak to her. It wasn't her greatest skill. The idea of being able to talk about Lori was...good, great, liberating...damn.

Lena: "No, but it's dangerous."

That was a truth.

Kara's scowl returned as she started at her phone, then turned to Lena, "What does that mean, dangerous? Dangerous for who?"