Karamel - Every Time

Chapter 1 - An empty apartment

After a productive day of writing and superheroing (just your standard Friday for Miss Zor-El) an exhausted Kara returns to her loft. Turning the key and opening her door she takes a moment to look at the place she's lived in for the past 3 years, the place she once shared happy breakfasts and intense binge watching sessions in, and the place she now does that alone.

It's been just 3 months since the Daxamite invasion ended. 3 months since Kara said I love you for the first time, and 3 months since she had to say goodbye to that love. National City, and the rest of the world, have just about recovered. For Kara the same cannot be said. The pain and anguish she felt 3 months ago hasn't subsided, and those feelings only get worse when she swings open her front door to no one sat on the couch. Her apartment is as empty as her heart feels.

Heading towards her bedroom, Kara takes off her glasses, puts her hair into a high pony and then - as fast as Barry can sprint up a building - changes her blazer, sweater and skirt for one of Mon-El's plaid shirts. A blue one, the one he wore straight after she got him back from space the last time he had to leave. Kara buttons the shirt up, grabs a bag of her favourite barbecue chips and slumps down onto the left side of the couch. At first she looks through the choice of movies she's yet to see on Netflix. But there's no black and white film she hasn't seen, or tv show she and Mon hadn't binged...

"Funny Face" she says out loud, surprising even herself with her exclamation, as she scrolls past the artwork.

And then, just like that, it hits her

"Another week over, that's the 12th I've done without you" she says, teary eyed as she looks out of one of her windows and into the night "I don't know why I do this" she laughs "I know you're probably on some paradise planet having the time of your life or something"

A rye smile crosses her face as she picks up her phone from the coffee table. Her background is an embarrassed but smiling Mon in a Santa hat that she took last Christmas Eve. They never got to spend Christmas together as a couple, but she new then that he was special and that getting to spend his first (and last) Christmas with him is something she's thankful for.

"I miss you" she sighs deeply as she unlocks her phone. She scrolls through her contacts and stops at W.

"Winn" she says as her best friend finally answers "come round? And bring snacks!" Kara demands in a joking tone, and hangs up before Winn has the chance to reply to her invite.

After 15 minutes Winn arrives, armed with PlayStation games and food. It's a ritual he and Kara have done since Mon-El went. Winn took it harder than he thought he would, missing him and feeling partially responsible for it. Lyra doesn't understand as she never knew him, the same way Lena didn't really know Mon-El, but every cloud has a silver lining, and that silver lining is Winn and Kara's friendship.

Kara digs into her bag of chips while also browsing through the array of snacks her bestie had bought as he sits down in the chair opposite to her (he'd learned already not to sit in "Mon-El's place" after his first visit since he'd left).

"I have something to tell you Kara" Winn says cautiously.

"What is it?" Kara asks, confused but Intrigued.

"I was talking with Lena, and she thinks there may be a potential formula for a lead antidote" he pauses as Kara's face lights up "but... But don't get too excited, we... it will need to developing properly and then will need to run it past someone like your mom first."

"Eliza?! I'll call her now."

"No, Kara one second, let us sort it okay? We might even need to talk to those Star Labs people, I mean you do love to tell me how clever they are, which by the way isn't-"

"-Winn, focus, I'll contact Barry!"

"Wait, Kara. This is early very days, that why I was hesitant to tell you. At the moment it's just a vaccine for humans that are extra sensitive to lead and are having problems with the atmosphere, we won't be able to know if it will even work on Daxamites or how to adapt it, which is why.."

"Why we'll need Eliza's help?"

"Exactly," Winn replied "but this is a good start."

Kara looks over at Winn hopeful, the first time she's felt that since taking on Rhea. "We're going to get him back, I know we are" she says, looking back down at the home screen of her phone "every time" she whispers.