Lena rushes to stand up in pure shock at seeing the blonde. In her haste, she miscalculates and loses her balance. The next thing she knows, she is crashing backwards into cold water with a sharp twinge shooting up her arm. She yelps, but when she does, water rushes into her mouth. Sam does her best to catch Lena the moment she notices her falling, but she isn't fast enough. When Lena coughs and sputters, Sam's immediately concerned.
"Lee!" Sam shouts. "Are you alright?!"
The splash, yelp, and subsequent shouting immediately draws the Danvers sisters' attention. Before Alex can even register what is going on, Kara is sprinting across the park to the fountain. As she grinds to a halt, Lena is clutching her injured arm with Sam trying to pull her up by her good one. There are pink streaks tinting the water. Kara doesn't even hesitate to hop into the shallow fountain and lift Lena over the edge to get her out of the pool.
"Lena! Are you okay? Let me see your arm!" Kara demands quickly.
Lena is still coughing and gingerly holding her arm. Sam is trying to push wet hair from Lena's face to look her in the eyes to verify that she is okay. Kara moves to the side and is so careful and gentle to examine the long cut on her arm. By the time Lena is back to breathing normally and insisting she is fine, Alex has caught up to them.
"Yikes, that's a nasty cut," Alex states.
Lena keeps her eyes glued to the ground. "It's fine. I must've caught the stone's edge when I was trying to catch myself."
"We should really get this clean," Kara says softly.
"And we should get you dry and warm. You're shivering," Sam points out.
Lena is soaking wet, from head to toe. Water is dripping off her everywhere. Between the cold water and the crisp morning air, she is cold. And just in Kara fashion, she steps half behind Lena and presses against her back to share her warmth, not caring that she too is getting wet. She rubs her hands vigorously against Lena's arms, careful of the injury.
"Come on, my apartment isn't far from here," Kara offers quietly.
Lena stiffens. "It's fine. Sam and I can head back to mine."
"Don't be ridiculous. You live across town," Sam scolds lightly.
This time, it's Kara that stiffens, for just a beat. She realizes that Sam knows where Lena lives now that she left the National City Hotel. To her credit, she immediately starts up her efforts to warm Lena again, shoving her emotions down. Sam and Alex share a loaded glance. This isn't exactly how either of them anticipated this meet up to unfold.
After ushering Lena forward, the four women head back to Kara's apartment. Alex takes a look at Lena's cut up arm. Kara fetches her first aid kit as her sister cleans the wound. After Kara's insistence, Lena heads into the bathroom to get her into a warm shower as Kara changes and pulls out spare clothes. After hearing some awkward grunting and curses, Lena calls out for Sam. Kara tries not to think too hard about it, keeping her emotions as level as they can be.
Sam slips into the bathroom and carefully closes the door after her. She quickly assesses the scene. Lena is sitting on the closed toilet with her jeans barely past her hips. "What's going on here?"
"Well, not only am I dumb enough to literally fall into a fountain, but I just so happened to do it in skinny jeans that are now plastered to my legs."
Sam has to suppress giggles at the conundrum. She fails at it rather epically. Lena can't help but laugh with her at the ridiculous situation she has landed herself in. In between the laughter, she is able to get out, "Help me, please." Sam moves to the foot of her jeans to pull on them while Lena tries to hold herself still.
On the other side of the door, Kara tries her best to avoid hearing the laughter, groans, and grunting coming from the bathroom. She's not sure what's going on in there, and she's not sure if she wants to know. Kara mentally tries to remind herself that Sam had texted her to be patient, that she supported the two of them being together. She heads back into the living room where Alex is waiting. Kara levels a glare at her.
"What?!" Alex asks incredulously.
Very quietly, Kara mumbles, "I told you to stay out of it. Lena does not need to be pressured into anything."
"Kar, tell me that you aren't happy that she's here right now."
"Not like this!" Kara raises her voice.
Alex sighs, "Well of course not the injured and cold part. But look me in the eye and tell me you aren't happy to be able to see her."
"That's not the point, Alex." Just as Kara is about to launch into a lecture, Sam emerges from the bathroom. She snaps her mouth shut for a brief moment. Kara switches gears. "Everything alright?"
"Yeah, yeah. Just wardrobe malfunction. I'm glad to finally meet you, Kara. I'm Sam." Sam and Kara shake hands briefly with the now formal introduction. The room settles into an awkward silence.
"So," Alex searches for anything to say and talk about.
Kara cuts her off, eyeing both of them. She states a simple fact, "You arranged for us to see each other at the park. Stop interfering."
Both women look caught off guard and open their mouths to speak. Kara cuts them off again. "Lena deserves this choice. She doesn't deserve anyone meddling in her life."
"Kara, I understand where you are coming from, but I know Lena. Sometimes she needs meddling," Sam chips in.
"And this isn't only about Lena. This is about you, too. You keep talking about what Lena deserves. What about you? Kar, you always put everyone else's needs above your own. That isn't healthy. Boundaries are healthy," Alex states firmly.
Kara scoffs and rolls her eyes. This isn't the first time that Alex has lectured her in getting too involved and giving too much of herself for others. The women silently agree to halt the conversation once they hear the shower turn off, and Lena fumbling with the door.
When she comes out, Lena immediately senses the tension. She just can't place if it is tension between Kara and her or if it's from all of them. Lena drops her eyes to the floor again, unwilling to meet those piercing blue eyes. She freezes when she sees it: the leather jacket in a crumpled heap on the dirty floor in the corner of the room. That sight makes her snap her attention to Kara.
Kara tenses once she realizes what Lena just noticed. Sam wouldn't know the significance, but of course Lena would. Kara breaks eye contact and suddenly finds her feet very interesting to look at. Lena has a hesitancy to say anything. She takes a deep, centering breath. In the shower, she practiced what Kelly taught her. She went over her interactions with Kara. She picked out the positive things about them, and she came to the realization that it was the majority of their time together. At least, until that last day. She doesn't want to let that go.
"Sammy, I know I promised to spend the day with you since you are headed back to Metropolis tomorrow, but can I just meet you for dinner tonight?"
"Of course, Lee," Sam says gently while rubbing Lena's arm reassuringly. She turns her attention to Alex, "Care to take a walk with me?"
"Yeah," Alex agrees hurriedly. The two women waste no time exiting the apartment. Before she walks past Kara, Alex whispers, "I love you. Call if you need anything."
Kara barely nods. She isn't sure she is ready to be alone with Lena again. She doesn't know what to expect. Kara fidgets with her hands, still looking down. She only knows that Lena moved from her spot when pale, delicate hands hold her own still.
Lena leans forward a bit, trying to look Kara in the eyes. "I have a lot of explaining to do," Lena whispers. "Can we sit?"
Kara just nods her head as she allows Lena to lead her to the couch. Lena keeps Kara's hands in her own. She rubs her thumbs against them comfortingly. "I'm so sorry, Kara. You were nothing but supportive and kind and understanding. And I got scared. And I'm so terribly sorry."
Kara looks up when she can hear Lena's voice cracking. She notes the tears running down Lena's face and her chin trembling.
Lena continues, "I- I'm seeing a therapist. I'm only a week in, and I have a lot to learn and unlearn. I know I hurt you deeply. I don't like how I left things. You were a godsend to me. I don't deserve to ask you this, but Sammy told me that I don't get to decide everything. That you deserve a choice, and I'm trying to do better. I'm trying to be better. So, I'm asking if- if you can wait for me to be ready? My therapist is giving me homework to try to retrain my brain. I'm trying to learn that I get to be happy, that I deserve to be happy. I don't want to drag you along because I don't know how long this will take. Or - or if I will ever even achieve it."
Lena hesitantly looks up and sees blue eyes that are looking right through her soul. Kara notices that the green eyes are scared of her answer, scared of being hurt. Kara gulps, her voice shaky. "Yes, I was... well I still am... hurt that you left. But I'm so sorry for whatever I did to hurt you and to make you leave."
Lena cuts her off, "You didn't do anything, Kara. I left because I was feeling vulnerable. I was afraid of what you were offering me. Every- every time I let someone in, I got hurt. I thought it would be easier if I left before that could happen. It didn't occur to me that I was hurting you just as much - if not more - as I was hurting myself. And once I did realize it, I convinced myself that you would be furious with me and never want to see me again."
"Lee, you unequivocally deserve happiness in your life. While yes, I will wait for you; I would also really like to support you through this. Only if you want, of course."
Lena burst into happy tears. While her brain is still whispering that she doesn't deserve this, she's trying very hard to take Kara at her word. Kara quickly brings hands up to wipe away the tears. As she composes herself, Lena decides to go one step further. "I would appreciate your support, but I can't promise a serious relationship or anything like that quite yet. I'm sorry."
"It's okay, Lee. It'll be okay."
"Can you please get your jacket off the floor? I really can't bear the fact that I'm the reason for its current state."
Kara wordlessly stands up and collects her jacket. She brings it back to the couch with her as she dusts it off. Lena smiles as Kara slips it back on. Kara smiles in response when she has an idea. "How about if and when you are ready to move forward, you ask for my jacket? Zero pressure, and a tangible way for me to know that you are feeling secure. And in the meantime, we can- can we be friends?"
Lena takes a deep breath and rubs her face clear of any remaining tears. "With one condition. If you meet someone in the meantime, you don't blow them off." Lena arches a single brow in challenge.
"I thought you were asking me to wait?" Kara asks, confused.
"I am. I'm asking that if you want us to explore something as more than just friends, then I need you to wait. However, I don't expect you to put your life on hold indefinitely for me. If you ever have second thoughts, or meet someone, I just want you to go for it."
"That's not going to happen, Lee."
"Well then, it should be an easy thing to promise me."
"Deal."
"Deal."
The women smile at each other with slight sniffles at the crying that happened earlier. Kara's stomach growling loudly causes the women to burst out in laughter. Both think about that first morning in Lena's hotel room.
"Noonan's?" Kara offers.
"I'd like that," Lena says softly.
As the women walk together in silence, Lena does her best to follow her CBT homework. She mentally goes over the conversation and tries to pick out the positive things. She has to work very, very hard not to dwell that she hurt Kara enough to neglect the jacket that means so much to her. She scolds herself for not reaching out sooner and makes a mental note to tell Sam that she was right.
After they get settled into their booth, Kara tries to get them on equal footing again. "So, what do you think Sam and Alex are up to?"
"Oh, I'm sure they are getting into trouble together. Sam will give your sister a run for her money."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well, when Alex came to my office the other day, Sammy hardly said a word. She's only that quiet when she is getting a read on someone to push their buttons. I see her do it all the time in investor and board meetings. But with your sister, well... she's going to give your sister a run for her money."
Kara starts fidgeting again, bothered that her sister was meddling so much. "Hey, I'm sorry if my sister upset you or pressured you or anything."
"No apology necessary. She didn't pressure me or upset me. I promise. She was just being a good sister. I'm just glad you had her support."
"And... you had Sam's?"
Lena's face lights up. "Yes, Sammy came to town after my assistant decided to take action. She's the one who suggested therapy."
"How'd you meet her?"
"We were in college together. She had her daughter, Ruby, in high school. She was a single mom, trying to get by. We shared so many of our MBA classes together where she had to bring Ruby with. I helped during class. Sammy is one of the first people in my life that befriended me without ulterior motives, not to mention she is wicked brilliant. I didn't hesitate to hire her as my CFO."
"You mentioned that she is going to Metropolis tomorrow?"
"Yes, she has to go home to Ruby. She runs the East Coast offices from there."
"I'm sorry that I'm pulling you away from your last day with her," Kara mumbles with remorse.
"Darling, it's quite alright. I have a feeling that Sam and Alex had something to do with the park."
"Oh, Alex all but confirmed that. They schemed together to be in the same place at the same time."
Lena's eyes widen. She wonders when they managed to accomplish this. "I stand corrected. They will be giving us a run for our money."