The Moon Fortress

Chapter 10: Abort

Notes: Mon-El's POV

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Mon-El had never had such confusing feelings for anyone. He always knew how he felt about his parents, his acquaintances or the rebellion members, but Marley was somehow different. She managed to get under his skin in a way no one else had ever succeeded.

He knew every single one of his staff very well. He would check all their backgrounds and ties, and chose them wisely. Marley Danvers was certainly an unusual addition to the Moon River and being Lexie's younger sister – the sister she had claimed would join them at DEO soon – she piqued his interest.

Had Lexie told her sister to come to Moon River? Lexie was one of the few people in the DEO who knew he was Kai Rand. Mon-El thoroughly went through Marley's data and tried to keep an eye on her, not knowing how much she knew about the rebels.

On that fateful night, when he had prepared everything for Kus-Gar and his gang to come to Moon River and get settled in a VIP room – to make them spill their plans to him – Marley had marched in and almost ruined everything. Almost. After stepping inside just in time to prevent a very nasty situation from occurring, he managed to coax them with strong drinks to gather some intel about the future shipping or specific orders from the royalties. However, he couldn't make them tell him any important information. He sensed Kus-Gar had turned a bit alarmed after Marley and didn't drink as much as he usually would.

Marley's impulsive and reckless behavior pissed him off. Clearly she knew about the rebels and was trying to eavesdrop on them in such an idiotic and dangerous manner, causing him to interfere and save her. He usually didn't step so far for anyone. He was constantly in danger of being found out by his mother's eyes and ears around Telos, but being Lexie's sister, he couldn't just let her be found out so easily. So he took the risk and was even more frustrated to find Marley angry with him for not defending her honor.

He wanted to shout at her that night so badly, but seeing her almost hurt by those men and then later crouching hopelessly outside in the storm, something stirred inside him. Feelings he had never felt before, feelings he had feared to feel them. He was worried for this girl and he didn't know why.

And it seemed as if the gods had plans for them, because their next encounter was as dramatic as the first one. It was a complete coincidence that he was at the base that night. Winn spotted an intruder and they thought it wouldn't be that important, but after seeing the footage and noticing the posture of the stranger, how she had her hands on her hips, he knew that was Marley and went out to get her to the base. When he found her sprawled half under the sand with a two headed desert rattlesnake ready to bite her, an unfamiliar fear gripped at his insides. He hadn't seen any of these vipers for the past two years. He had personally killed them all. The venom from those ugly reptiles was the poison that had killed his father. He would kill any of them on sight and tonight, one had appeared just to take another precious life, but he wasn't going to stand aside and allow it.

And afterwards, he had to hide himself from her. She had seen her up close and had heard his voice. Obviously he was irritating her, but he didn't care. The fewer people knew him, the better. Literally anyone who knew his true identity would die, like he was cursed. Almost everyone, J'onn knew and he was still alive. For now anyway, he thought.

He wanted to object J'onn's decision on sending Marley on a mission with him barely a day after meeting her. He had to admit she had a fire in her that no one could put out and if they denied, he knew she would go to Cor-Gan herself and beat him senseless to find out about her sister's fate. So he thought it would be better for him to be there to prevent her from doing something stupid again. The girl had a talent for getting into trouble like a magnet.