Gravity (Supergirl)

Chapter 6

"No," Kara said, pulling her hand away from Alex.

"Kara, please, let me bandage you back up."

"Lena wouldn't..." Kara said, feeling the panic creep up inside her.

"I didn't say it was Lena," Alex said, holding her hand out.

"But she wouldn't - she wasn't - she was so scared, Alex. I could hear her heartbeat, and - "

"I know, you said last night," Alex said. "And I never said it was Lena. It could be any number of high-ranking people at L-Corp. Or anyone else good enough to hack their system. Hacking seems likely, and no system is completely infallible. People are looking into it."

"She - she wouldn't..." Kara said.

"No, I don't believe that Lena would fake her own kidnapping and attempted murder either."

"This is all my fault..."

"What? Kara, how..."

"If I'd told her earlier. If - if she hadn't found out about me the way she did, then things could be different and we couldn't be used against each other like this, and it's all because, because..." Tears filled Kara's eyes.

"Oh, Kara, no..." Alex said, sitting down on the couch beside Kara and patting her hand. "It's going to be ok. We'll find who's behind this. Lena will be ok. She doesn't heal overnight like you do, but she'll be ok. As a doctor, I promise you that physically, she will be ok."

Kara wrapped her arms around Alex's waist and sobbed into her shoulder, finally letting out all the fear and stress of the night before. "I - I should h-have told her..."

"It's ok," Alex said, rubbing Kara's back.

"I couldn't h-help her," Kara sobbed, "I - I didn't. I didn't help and she - she was so scared and saving me and got hurt a-and it's my fault and..."

"It's ok," Alex repeated, rubbing Kara's back feeling somewhat guilty for her part in keeping Kara's secret from Lena. "It's not your fault, Kara. Whatever all this is about, what's happened to Lena is not on you."

...

"Aww, I fell asleep again," Kara mumbled, rolling over on the couch, "Guess I needed it though." She could feel the warm sunlight on her body, and smiled. She felt better, lighter, and kept her eyes closed to just enjoy the sensation. She hadn't realised how much her body had been aching as the poison had faded out of her system.

Kara was happy to lie in the sunlight, listening to her surroundings. The TV was on, playing The Nanny, as Fran's voice and laugh were unmistakable. The machinery around Lena quietly beeped and whirred, and medical staff went about their jobs in the rooms and corridors outside of Lena's room. Kara didn't bother to push her hearing further, knowing that being in a hospital she was bound to overhear something distressing, and was too happy to enjoy the moment's peace.

"Any more updates, Alex?" Kara said. She opened her eyes, and saw that the curtains were closed. She turned her head aside and saw a yellow-sun lamp beside the couch. "Aww, Alex. Really?" Kara mumbled. "I would have been all right. You didn't have do this, you - "

"She's not here," Lena breathed.

Kara sat up so fast she almost knocked the lamp over. "Oh my gosh, Lena!" Kara exclaimed, steadying the lamp. She hurried over to the Lena's bedside. "You're awake! Are you ok? Do you feel ok? Are - are you - "

"Alex gave me the special meds. Can't really feel - it's just a fog. I know - it should hurt - but, there's just fog," Lena murmured, looking at Kara. Her eyes were glazed and missing their usual sparkle, she was still deathly pale, and her hair was limp and dishevelled, but she was awake with the bed slightly propped up.

"Ok, good," Kara nodded, gently taking Lena's hand, mindful of the IV in her hand. "Oh, I'm so relieved. I'm so relieved I could kiss you. Oh my goodness."

Lena's mouth twitched in an attempt of a smile. "I missed you."

"I missed you too!" Kara gushed. "Oh, I missed you so much. I'm so sorry, Lena. I'm so sorry that we had to - that I - I mucked everything up. I thought I was doing the right thing, but clearly I wasn't because I hurt you anyway. And thank-you so much for not shooting me, because that really would have hurt and I don't know how we would have gotten out of there. But, no more secrets. I'll tell you anything you want to know. Anything about Supergirl. Anything."

Lena swallowed and stared at Kara. "You - want to kiss me?"

Kara's eyes widened and her cheeks blushed red. "I - I mean, I'm so relieved your ok, because - because last night you - you were so sick. You were bleeding everywhere and I could hear you fading and I was so afraid, I couldn't lose you, not like that, not when it was my fault. And then I just left you here because I didn't know what else to do and I was a mess, I was such a mess. I scared Alex, oh my gosh I owe her so much, obviously she got the lamp as well, so I owe her for that too and she's been taking care of you and me and - "

"K-Kara," Lena breathed, wishing she had the strength to hold Kara's hand tighter, "I - maybe that's why it hurt so much. Finding out - about Supergirl. And you. And it felt like - such betrayal."

"What?" Kara asked.

"Maybe because - not right now, not like this, but - maybe because - I want to kiss you too."

Kara opened her mouth to speak, but found herself at a momentary loss for words. "Lena - I - I didn't know, I - I mean, yes. Yes. Yes, I would like that. A lot."

Lena managed a small smile.

Kara picked up Lena's hand and kissed it. "Lena, I am so sorry about all this. I - "

"I couldn't do it. Hurt you. Not like that. I made you cry. That - I - I couldn't do it, Kara."

"I know," Kara swallowed.

"Couldn't let them hurt you..."

"I know, I know," Kara repeated, "I really wish I could hug you right now. I wish I could just scoop you up and hold you. Everything's going to be ok. I'm ok, and - "

"The poison? From the ropes," Lena said, her eyes moving down to Kara's hand.

"Healing," Kara said, momentarily letting go of Lena's hand to push back the bandage and show her the fading pink scars on her wrist. "They'll be gone all together by this time tomorrow. And Alex said you'll be ok, and - well, we're good, so that - that's something, and um..."

"Yeah," Lena said, feeling a warmth run through her despite all the medication as Kara retook her hand. "It's not quite - how I'd imagined it, but - at least, now we're clear..."

Kara nodded and blinked back happy-tears. "Well, the offer still stands. When you feel up to it, if you have any questions about Supergirl, anything you want to know..."

Lena closed her eyes and gave a small nod. "Maybe later."

"Yeah, later. You can go back to sleep. That's fine. Totally fine. Is - do you know where Alex is?"

"Went home. To change," Lena said, opening her eyes again.

"How long have you been awake?"

"An hour maybe? Alex was here earlier."

"I know, I saw her this morning."

"No. About 4. With the lamp. Knew the sun would - disappear."

"You were awake then?"

"For a bit. She fed me jell-o. It was green. Had a red jell-o before. Nurse fed me, because - no Alex."

Kara nodded, rubbing her thumb against Lena's hand. "Well, if you need any more help with anything, I'm not going anywhere. Not unless you want me too."

Lena gave a nod. "You can stay," she said closing her eyes. "I'd like that."