A/N - Another chapter! I know it's been a while but let's check back in with our couple on Earth 38... Last time we saw them they had just had a bomb dropped on them. I know it's been a while, so if you need a refresher we last checked in on them in the chapter, "Um... well, I don't want you get mad at me, but..." Enjoy!
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Kara flew out of the DEO just shy of breaking the sound barrier. The last thing she needed was people annoyed because she smashed their windows. She didn't need to get close to L-Corp to know that there was already a crowd of photographers waiting for a glimpse of Lena leaving or probably her arriving.
Still, she didn't dare head up there like this again, not with everything. She needed to be Kara Danvers to help sort this out, how they could sort this out she wasn't sure, but she would do it. Deciding she didn't have a way in without going in as Supergirl to avoid the crowd at the entrance, Kara took a deep breath and darted into an alley several blocks away from L-Corp.
It was situations like this when Kara was thankful Alex made her keep a spare set of clothes at the DEO, times she'd leave without thinking. She can't remember the last time she had stashed a set there, probably a few weeks before they ended up on Earth 102, if she had to guess. The summer dress and jacket she was now in didn't give her any hints either, other than the fact she couldn't remember the last time she had seen it.
Rao, she went through clothes that much, it could have been new when she left it at the DEO with Alex.
She was just onto the main street heading towards L-Corp when her phone started ringing. Lena. "Hey, I'm on my way to L-Corp now. I'm a few blocks away. I'm sorry I haven't been there sooner, J'onn has kept me in debrief until just now with no access to my phone."
Lena sighed. "I'm only glad you picked up this time. Don't worry about any of that, just get here so we can figure out what to do about this. Together."
Kara picked up her pace, walking as fast as she dared to consider a human speed. "Together. Don't worry. Also, you have a crowd outside your building already so you might want to have your driver pick you up from the underground car park tonight. Or I'm sure the balcony is an optional exit, should you wish to be picked up later."
It was an offer, but one she knew Lena would be hesitant to take. No matter how many times they went flying, Lena hadn't gotten any more accustomed to it. "We'll talk about it later. My answer could change by the time I can go home." She laughed a little, but Kara didn't need to see her to know the smile on her face didn't reach her eyes.
"I'm going to go, I'm almost here and I want to make sure I get inside okay." The crowd in front of her hadn't noticed her yet and she wanted to keep it that way, on her walk over she had heard her name mentioned several times and it didn't fill her with confidence over what was waiting for her when she found Lena.
She was just at the start of L-Corp's building when they noticed her and instantly flashes started and questions bombarded her, hurt her ears they were shouting so loud. They tried to stop her from continuing to the doors and without shouldering several men out of her way at once – no doubt giving her away – she was stuck.
A gap appeared in the mass of people around her, a man in a suit parting them like Moses to motion her forward. She couldn't see his face properly as she rushed forward, but as they got close to the doors, she realised it was the Head of Security for L-Corp. Smiling, the door closed behind them and gave a faint click as it locked the crowd outside.
"Thank you."
He smiled. "Miss Luthor informed me of your imminent arrival, I hope they didn't cause you too much trouble, although I think I may have gotten to you a little late."
She shrugged with that smile still on her face. "It doesn't matter. I knew the risk of coming here right now, so don't worry about it." He led her to the elevator. "Is she in her office?"
He pushed the button for her, it opened immediately. "And waiting for you."
As soon as she stepped in, he pushed the button for the top floor. Lena's office. The doors started closing a moment later. "Thank you." He nodded his head just before the doors blocked him from view.
Going up to Lena's floor has never taken so long. She could have flown around the Earth with time to spare and she would still be riding upwards as she watched the floor numbers tick by slowly. By the time she reached the top floor she was wringing her hands together and practically bouncing with nervous energy.
Slipping out before the doors opened fully, she sped with a nod past Jess and pushed one of the doors to Lena's office open effortlessly. Jess offered her a small smile as she slipped inside, no doubt knowing exactly why she was there, and Kara was terrified to know what the woman thought about the whole thing.
Lena turned to her as the door closed, a smile brightening her face as soon as she caught sight of Kara moving towards her. "Hey."
"Hey." Lena brought her into a hug, her face buried into Kara's shoulder as Kara kissed her temple. "Thank you for coming here, I know coming through the front door wasn't ideal."
Pulling back, Kara shrugged. "I'm here, that's all that matters." She nodded to the TV that was quietly reporting the news, the most recent of which was them. "I've only seen the picture, so what are we dealing with?"
Lena smiled at her and pulled away to lean against the back of her desk slightly. "From what we can tell, the guy that caught the photo was lucky but he still got the picture."
Kara nodded but pursed her lips. "How? I thought the windows on this level and all lab levels were a special privacy glass that stopped photos from being taken?" Lena bit her lip and Kara looked to the balcony door. "I left the balcony door open."
It was more to herself, as though just remembering what she had done when she dropped Lena off, but Lena nodded anyway. "I didn't notice either. I think after our time away, the two of us forgot things like cameras existed. Hell, I don't think I've gone as long as the few weeks we were with Clarke and Lexa without being photographed since I was at University."
"Which time?"
Lena chuckled. "Very funny." She looked at the TV. "As for the fallout... in the few hours since the photo went up they have managed to find out of our reported relationship to HR and are now debating why I would cheat on someone described as a 'literal ray of sunshine' as someone was quoted earlier."
The TV that had been on low during their conversation was loud in the quiet office as they both tried to figure out what to do. It was then that their attention was drawn to the screen, the news anchors debating the nature of Lena's relationships with Kara Danvers and Supergirl.
"Come on, she's cheating on her and honestly I feel bad for Kara Danvers, I mean, how must she be feeling knowing that her girlfriend is not only cheating on her but with The Girl of Steel herself." The man – Kara hadn't caught his name – was looking to his co-host who tapped her fingers on the desk. "You don't look convinced Michelle?"
She stopped tapping her fingers and turned to her co-host. "I'm not. Something doesn't add up. Everything we've got on this is new – okay, so hear me out. Today, The Daily Planet released a photo of Supergirl and Lena Luthor kissing in her office at L-Corp, which we've only seen because from the looks of it, they forgot to close the balcony door if the lack of a image to the rest is any indication." The mentioned image popped up on-screen.
Her co-host nodded along. "Okay, I'll bite. What're you thinking?"
Kara frowned. "This isn't a very good news show is it?"
Lena huffed. "I'd barely call it news, but if I want to know what the public are thinking about this, then this is where they'll go for this kind of information." She flicked her eyes over to Kara. "At least until one of us comment that is."
They turned back to the screen as the woman started talking again. "According to a source at Catco, Lena Luthor and Kara Danvers, one of her star reporters and friend since she arrived in National City, have been dating for the last month. Now, I've read several of Kara's articles and she is the only person to have managed to not only get a quote from Supergirl, but get them consistently?"
The man scoffed. "Please don't tell me you are going to say you think they're one and the same?"
The woman laughed. "Of course not! That theory was mentioned by E-News earlier and Cat Grant has already tweeted in response saying they aren't the same person. She's seen them in the same room and even supplied a picture she snuck of the two to prove it."
"What?!" Kara exclaimed as the screen changed to show the image of her and Supergirl standing in Cat's office the day she'd had J'onn pretend to be her. They were looking at each other, the only reason she'd have managed to get away with that photo. She was going to be having words with Cat at some point s-
"What I'm suggesting is out there, but we are in the twenty-first century. Instead of Lena Luthor cheating, there is some evidence to suggest the three of them are together." She looked to her co-host, who opened his mouth to say something but stopped.
Lena muted the TV and Kara's focus turned to her, mind reeling a little. "Did she just suggest what I think she suggested?" She couldn't have heard that right, could she?
"She did." Lena nodded and Kara could practically see her mind working.
"It would stop people believing you're cheating on me." She conceded.
"And save your identity."
They stopped and looked at each other. Surely, they weren't seriously considering it. It would be difficult to pull off and could blow up in their faces – scratch that, was going blow up in their faces.
"So... how exactly do you suggest we do this?"