Sleepy-headed and a bit rumpled, Lena smiled as she stumbled in silk pajamas into the kitchen. "Morning."
"Morning," Eliza and Kara said together as they smiled back at her, both dressed and ready for the morning. Eliza was sipping a cup of coffee and doing a crossword puzzle in the newspaper. Kara was just finishing up a big plate of waffles and sausages, a touch of whip cream on her upper lip.
"Someone slept in," Kara's smile grew. "I didn't even hear you come to bed last night. How late were you up?"
"Early," Lena said, running her hand through her hair.
"Coffee?" Eliza asked as she made her way to cupboard.
"You are a saint," Lena said in the way of response, pointing at Eliza who chuckled as she took down a mug.
"Why were you up so late?"
Using her thumb to wipe the whipped cream off Kara's upper lip, Lena examined it for a moment, held it out for Kara to see, then sucked it off her own thumb before taking the stool next to Kara. "Trying to tie up some end-of-year matters with China. You know how that goes."
"Why would I...?" Kara's gaze wandered down to where Lena dipped a finger in the whipped cream on her plate, then lifted that digit to between red lips. With a swallow, Kara began again. "Why would I know how that goes? Is this L-Corp business?"
Lena nodded, a finger returning to Kara's plate. "Sam has been handling it, but between her deserving to spend some holiday time with Ruby, and one of the people on the other side of this deal driving her nearly to the point of violence, I thought I should step in. Plus, it's good for me to keep myself in the business end of things with L-Corp, so I don't lose my edge."
"Well, it's nice for you to give Sam a break so she can spend some of the Christmas break with Ruby, but I think you're exaggerating about her temper. Sam is incredibly gentle. She doesn't have a mean bone in her body."
Finger in her mouth, Lena's eyebrows rose before her finger dipped back to the whipped cream lying along the edge of Kara's plate once again. "You'd think that, and it's usually true, but she has a temper." Scooping up a bit of whip cream, Lena pointed with it. "I know all about tempers, too. I'm a Luthor." When Lena tried to put the finger in her mouth, Kara caught her wrist.
"Why don't I get you a waffle?"
"I'm not hungry."
"You say that, but you obviously are."
"I'm not."
"Lena." Kara sighed. "You keep eating some of my whipped cream. You must be hungry. I'll get you a waffle."
"I'm sorry. Did my eating your whipped cream bother you?"
"Bother? Uh...no?"
Brows furrowing together, Lena said, "You sound uncertain."
"No, no it did not bother me. It's just that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so you should eat."
"Kara, I can't eat on an empty stomach."
"...what?"
"Here's your coffee," Eliza said sliding the mug across to Lena. "Sorry, that took a bit. I'm used to living alone, so I have one of those one cup coffee pod thingies."
"Canonized," Lena said with a smile at Eliza as she wrapped her free hand around the warm mug and gently took her other hand back from Kara, licking whipped cream that had begun to melt halfway down her finger.
"Strawberries!" Kara jumped away averting her eyes and making her way quickly across the kitchen. "Lena, we bought strawberries yesterday. You can have those for breakfast."
"Kara, I don't—"
"Eliza, tell her breakfast is the most important meal of the day," Kara said as she took the strawberries out of the refrigerator.
"Lena, breakfast is the most important meal of the day," Eliza said sternly. Then leaning closer with a smile on her face, she whispered to Lena, "And according to Kara so is second breakfast, brunch, snack, lunch, second snack, supper which is different from dinner, actual dinner, second dinner—"
"I can hear you both!" Kara said as she put out the cutting board with a bit too much force. "I can hear your snickering, Lena!"
"I'm bonding with Eliza," Lena replied, squeezing the other woman's arm, then whispering back, "What about dessert?"
"Oh, I don't think dessert is a meal, dear," Eliza whispered.
"It is the way she eats it," Lena said, speaking into her coffee.
"Anyway!" Kara pulled out a knife, flipping it overhead and snagging it upon descent before turning and flashing Lena a smile. "Kryptonian reflexes."
"Show off." Lena smiled back, watching eagerly.
"Lena lets me play sou chef, Eliza."
"You let her in the kitchen for something besides eating?"
Still smiling, Lena nodded. "She does dishes."
"You've housebroken her?" Hands in the air in an obvious sign of surrender, Eliza stepped away. "That's it. She's yours now. You have to keep her."
Smiling at each other, Lena and Kara looked away shyly.
"I suppose that was the plan anyway, wasn't it?" Eliza asked.
Lena gave a little hum of agreement as her gaze met Eliza's.
"Okay, one bowl of strawberries, coming up." The knife in one hand, Kara moved so fast she was just a blur. In perhaps three seconds about eight of the strawberries had been cored and quartered and were now in a bowl. She moved the cutting board to the trash to dispose of the stems.
"Did you dull my knife?"
"No."
"Did you damage my cutting board, Kara?"
"No, Eliza. I'm careful now."
"Watch her in the kitchen, Lena. The first year she was here she did so much damage around the house we told people we had termites."
Moaning, Kara wandered over to the kitchen island where Eliza and Lena were chatting. "I was thirteen, Eliza. I was new to Earth, and things were hard then." She pouted. "I'm an adult now."
Putting her hand on the other side of Kara's face, she leaned closer and kissed Kara's cheek. "And still my little girl."
"Awww." Lena smiled.
"Don't start." Kara pointed at Lena. "This awaits you, Miss Luthor."
The phone rang, and Eliza turned toward the living room. "Excuse me, girls. I'll be right back."
Lena watched briefly as Eliza left, then smiling, turned to Kara and said, "A kind maternal figure that cares for her children instead of using them as pawns to further whatever scheme she has toward her ultimate dystopian future? Bring it on Danvers family."
"Right, I keep forgetting our point of comparison here." Sliding the bowl of strawberries in front of Lena and pulling her own plate across in front of her, Kara said, "Will you eat these please and no trouble? You really should eat breakfast, Lena. It will get you off to a better start."
"Fine. I'll eat them with no complaints on one condition."
Raising her fork to her mouth, Kara asked, "What's that?"
"Get me the whipped cream?"
Kara's fork fell back to her plate with a clatter.
In the living room, phone to her ear, Eliza said, "Danvers residence."
"Mom, hey, it's me."
"Alex! How is my beautiful girl?!"
Alex laughed. "I'm fine, Mom. How are you?"
"Fine, I'm fine. How's Maggie?"
"She's fine too. I don't think we'll get down there for Christmas, lot's going on in the city right now, but after the new year, all right?"
"That sounds great, sweetheart."
"Hey, what's going on with your cellphone? Did you lose it?"
"It's making scientific history."
"Excuse me?"
"Okay, so there was this experiment with...Alex, it's a very interesting experiment, but if I tell you about it, we'll just start talking about the convention. I have a ton to tell you. Do you want to hear all about a bioengineering convention?"
Alex's voice came back a bit breathlessly over the phone. "Yes."
"Okay, but is that the only reason you called because once you and I start talking science, we won't talk about anything else."
"Oh, good point. Actually, before you tell me about the convention, I wanted to check up on Kara and Lena."
"Hold on." Going to the kitchen door, Eliza looked in on the girls. Lena was talking excitedly, a strawberry on a fork which she finally put in her mouth, and Kara was watching the motion of the strawberry, rapt. Making her way over to the bottom of the stairs, Eliza sat on the next to the lowest step and said, "Okay, they're not paying me any mind. Lena is talking and eating, and Kara is watching Lena eat. You know the way she does that."
There was a slight pause. "The way Kara watches Lena eat?"
"Well, she seems to watch her do most things. It's adorable. The eating thing is just...Alex, it's none of my business, but maybe you could talk to them. They're adults. I'm an adult. They're engaged for goodness' sake. They don't have to abstain just because they're here."
"Uh...Lena isn't drinking while she's there?"
Eliza snorted. "No, she's drinking. The girls went shopping yesterday and came back with eggnog, a few bottles of hard liquor, and an amazing selection of wines. I tried to ask Kara about it, but she just said, 'Ask Lena.' before I even got the question out. You and your future sister-in-law get along well, don't you?"
Laughing nervously, Alex said, "Yeah, sister-in-law. Mom, about that—"
"Oh, don't worry, Kara told me that you didn't know anything about it. You're not in trouble...this time." Eliza smiled. "Honestly, I'm not at all mad, Alex. Lena is sweet and so bright. She and I have had a lovely time talking, and your sister obviously adores her. They seem so happy together. They can stay here as long as they want. They can move in. They can raise my grandchildren here. They can—"
"Mom, slow down. Slow down. I think you're putting a whole row of carts before the horse here."
"You're right. I'm just so excited. Both of my girls are getting married." Eliza beamed. "Maggie's family was so unsupportive of who she is, but she chose happiness instead of living a lie, and then she found her way to you. Lena's family is so...ugh. I don't even have words for what they are, but they're nothing like her. She's chosen to make a better world for everyone. She doesn't define people by their differences. It's like the family we made when we took Kara in, and now you girls are making a new family of your own."
"Because you and Dad taught us how. You taught us to judge people by what they did, not any other arbitrary factor. You showed us that family wasn't blood; it was love. You and Dad were always amazing examples of the best this world had to offer."
"Oh, Alex."
"I mean that. Kara and I are good people because of the parents in our lives. Maggie and Lena are good people despite theirs." Clearing her throat, Alex said, "That went a bit off course."
"This season brings it out in folks."
"It does. So, Kara and Lena are doing well? They're happy? They're happily...engaged?"
"Adorably," Eliza responded, but a hint of worry crossed her face. "Is there something I should know about?"
"Oh, no, Mom. It's just Kara kept this whole relationship with Lena a secret for so long, and then the whole engagement came out of the blue. I'm used to her telling me pretty much everything, and now I just..." Air blew into the phone. "I'm shocked. Yup, I'm honestly shocked that Kara would keep all of these secrets from me. I respect her right to do so, the little sneak. She's better at it than I thought, but I'm shocked."
"Maybe your sister needed some privacy from you."
"Um maybe? I just worry. I'm a worrier. Maybe keep me in the loop just a touch?"
"Alex, give your sister her privacy. She's an adult. She's fine. She doesn't need you looking over her shoulder while she's giggling with her fiancée."
"Yeah but...she giggles?"
"Alex, they both do. Who knew that Lena Luthor, ruthless CEO and billionaire, could snuggle up on a couch watching Christmas movies with your sister and giggling?"
"You're kidding."
"I think it was Kara signing the Claymation songs with such glee in the different voices that did her in. I got very..." Eliza faked a yawn. "...sleepy early on and went to bed, leaving the girls their s'mores and movies. I was worried I might find them curled up asleep on the couch together this morning, but apparently, Kara went to bed first, and Lena stayed up into the early morning hours working. Tough job."
"But before then she was giggling on the couch with Kara?"
"You sound pretty happy about that."
"I'm just...uh, well, sure. Baby sister and future sister-in-law right?"
"Are you sure there's nothing you aren't telling me?"
"Who, me? I don't keep secrets from you." Clearing her throat, Alex said, "So, tell me about that bioengineering convention. What did I miss out on?"
"Oh, Alex, it was fascinating..."
<><>
About twenty minutes later, Eliza wandered back into the kitchen. Dishes were being washed, and there was the smell of something baking coming from the oven.
"What happened in here?"
"Chocolate chip banana nut bread," Kara replied with a smile. "Lena said I should eat some fruit."
"We compromised," Lena added, towel drying a large mixing bowl and handing it off to Kara to put away.
"Compromise is a critical part of a successful marriage," Eliza said, not noticing the way both girls froze for a moment at her words before continuing in their motions. "So, Alex sends both of you her love. Do you girls know what she's hiding?" She watched them both cagily.
"Alex is hiding something?" Kara looked over at Lena, brows furrowing. "Did she say anything to you?"
"I haven't spoken to Alex since we left National City," Lena replied with a head shake before turning to Eliza and asking, "What did she say?"
"Nothing but...she was acting suspiciously."
"Eliza, she's a secret government agent that works for an agency the government officially denies exists. Isn't suspicious actions in her job description?" Lena asked.
"Yes, but this was more like sneaking out after curfew suspicious."
"Alex has a curfew?"
When Lena looked at her, Kara shrugged and said, "Don't tell Cadmus. It could be the downfall of the DEO."
"Crap!" Hand over her mouth, Lena's eyes moved back and forth.
Gently squeezing Lena's arm, Kara asked, "What's wrong?"
Lowering her arm, Lena said, "I forgot to send my mother a Christmas card. You don't have her address, do you?"
"Why you...Ahhh!" Picking Lena up, Kara twirled her around while Lena yelped. "You scared me!"
"Okay, you two. No roughhousing in the kitchen."
"Sorry."
"Yes, sorry, Eliza," Lena added as Kara placed her back on the floor.
"Hmmm." With a barely contained smile, Eliza again asked, "So, no clue why Alex is setting off my mother detector?"
Together, the girls shrugged.
"Fine, but I think all three of you are up to something, and I'm going to keep an eye on this until I get to the bottom of it."
"And on that note, I'm going to find us a Christmas tree," Kara said. "Want to come with me before Eliza breaks out the rubber hoses?"
"Rubber hoses? Wow, this keeps getting more and more like a Luthor Christmas."
Pointing a thumb at Lena, Kara said, "I told you, weird sense of humor."
Pointing at Kara, Eliza said, "I told you, it's the only way she'd have you."
"Last chance to escape the house with me," Kara offered again.
"Where are you going to buy it?" Lena asked. "I'll need to shower first and get dressed."
With a broad smile, Kara said, "Oh, you don't buy a Christmas tree. You walk through the woods until the perfect tree just calls out to you. When you find it, you know."
Leaning against the counter, Lena said, "But people have already done the work of cutting down trees. I'm sure there are perfectly nice ones in town. You could just go and pick one out and—"
"Not the perfect one."
"Right, but in town—"
"They wouldn't be perfect."
Lena looked over at Eliza who just picked up her now cold coffee and wandered over to the sink, not commenting.
"Okay, so this is some sort of alpha female, woman against nature kind of thing. You need to go and dominate the landscape with your mighty muscles? Is that it?" Lena asked.
Kara flexed. "They are pretty mighty."
"Ah...right." Looking away from Kara, Lena glanced over at Eliza who was doing a decent job of pretending not to watch them as she scrubbed her cup to a reflective clean, and cleared her throat as she looked at Kara again. "You know what, Kara? As much as I love tromping through the woods in search of a tree that I could pay someone to deliver to my doorstep, and who wouldn't love that, there can only be one alpha female of the woods in a family. I think that should be you. Why don't you go out and get us the perfect Christmas tree? I'm sure Eliza and I have things we can do around the house to get ready for it. Right, Eliza?"
"Hmmmm? Oh, right. We'll get ready for the tree while you're out, sweetie. Take your time."
"Well, if you're sure. It could take a while. You two won't mind?"
"We'll be fine," Lena assured.
"Okay. Let me just get dressed for going outside." In a flash, Kara was gone and then walking back into the kitchen, scarf around her neck as she tugged a hat over her head. "How do I look?"
"Like you need a coat," Lena pointed out.
Kara waved a hand at her dismissively. "Probably no one will see me, and it isn't that cold."
"It's freezing out."
"Only a little bit freezing," Kara said holding her thumb and forefinger less than an inch apart.
"But, Kara—"
"Lena?" Eliza shook her head. "Let this one go. Work on the vegetables, but let this one go. Kryptonians and coats are like children and table manners." When Lena only looked at her confusedly, Eliza said, "You can try, but they'll probably only use them around company."
"You are nothing like my mother."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"You should," Lena said to Eliza, then looking at Kara added, "Fine, but I don't like it. Looking at you going out like that makes me cold...and now I sound like someone's mother. Just leave already."
"Yes, dear."
As Kara reached the door, Lena said, "Kara wait. You forgot..." She held up a finger, walking out of the kitchen and a few moments later coming back with an ax on her shoulder. "I knew I saw this by the woodpile near the fireplace. You're not planning on ripping the tree out of the ground whole, are you?"
"Well, I could but no." Kara's eyes glowed yellow, and she tapped at her temples. "I've got this."
"Oh. Well, don't set the forest on fire, all right?"
"You are such a worry wart. I know how to be me, okay?"
Placing the ax on the kitchen counter, Lena nodded and walked over to Kara, giving her a hug. "This is just taking some getting used to for me. Be patient?"
"Of course. Sorry." Kara held her, smiling until they both stepped back.
"Now, go dominate the forest and find us the perfect tree, Miss Danvers."
"Yes, ma'am, Miss Luthor. Stay here until I come back. You will, right? You'll be here until I come back? You won't leave?"
"Kara, I have internet, alcohol, and kale. All of my needs are met. Go."
"Okay, I'm going, but I have my phone. If anything happens like...a press conference, call me. I won't go more than a few miles. I can be back here in seconds."
Arms crossed, Lena replied, "I promise to call if there's a press conference. Now leave."
"You promise?"
"CEO's honor."
Brows furrowed, Kara nodded once and then headed out the kitchen door.
"Press conference?" Eliza asked.
"Reporters, you know how they can be," Lena replied, picking up her coffee and taking a sip. "She's probably missing work. I'll have to reach out to Jimmy and come up with an assignment Kara can do remotely."
"Jimmy...?"
"Olsen."
"Oh, James. You call him Jimmy?"
Taking another sip of her coffee, Lena nodded.
"Clark does too."
"Of course, you would know him since he's Kara's cousin. He placed Kara with you, right?"
Eliza stiffened for a moment, then relaxed with a smile. "Forgive me, Lena, but this is going to take me a little while to get used to too. Kara was so certain we could trust you when I was at the DEO dealing with the Medusa virus. I wish she had just told us the two of you were dating instead of saying she'd go talk to you herself. Now I understand why she got into that yelling match with James over you."
Rubbing the back of her neck, Lena gave a small smile that didn't touch her eyes. "Yes, Alex mentioned that. I'm sorry, Eliza, I didn't mean to cause trouble between Kara and her friends. I only—"
"Oh, Lena, no, sweetheart, no." Grasping the younger woman's arm, Eliza smiled and shook her head. "Kara was 100% right about you, and James was comparing your brother's actions against Clark to what he thought you would do to Kara. Even if you and Kara hadn't been romantically involved, he had no basis for blaming you for what someone else did. James loves Kara and wants to protect her. We all do, but that doesn't make it all right to villainize you. Kara said it then, and she was right. You are not your brother, and you are not your mother. Everyone has to stop blaming you for their actions...especially you."
Her gaze flicking to and from Eliza's several times, Lena finally said, "Have I mentioned yet that you're nothing like my mother?"
"Not once," Eliza replied sarcastically. "Why don't you do it now?"
With a relieved laugh, Lena said, "Eliza, you are nothing like my mother."
Pulling Lena into her arms, Eliza held her close and said, "You won't always be able to say that."
When Eliza released her, as way of changing the subject Lena asked, "So, what are your plans for the day? I'm finding myself to be incredibly bad at puttering. Is there anything with which I can help you?"
"Sorry, but no."
"Oh, don't we need to do something tree related?"
"I did it yesterday while you girls were out."
"Oh." Clearly disappointed, Lena's expression changed as she suggested, "What about getting boxes of decorations from the basement or something?"
"All done," Eliza said.
"I could hang the Christmas lights outside."
"Kara can fly," Eliza reminded her.
"Well, can I buy something?" Her voice a bit snippy, Lena winced. "Sorry, I don't do idle well. Are you sure there's nothing I can do?"
"Sweetheart, just relax. I'm going to head into town for a little while, assuming I can get Jeremiah's old car started up."
Pausing mid-sip, Lena asked, "What old car?"
"Oh, just some old muscle car of Jeremiah's that we have in the garage out back."
When Eliza didn't elaborate, Lena nodded. "Go on."
"It's just a car, sweetie."
"What year? You said muscle car, so I'm assuming rear wheel drive and American not foreign made? Is it a V-8?"
"Um...it has four wheels."
"The garage in the back?"
Eliza nodded.
"Hold on." Lena left the kitchen and was gone for a few minutes to return still wearing her pajamas but with a coat, gloves, boots, and hat. Zippering the coat closed she said, "I'm not Kara. Show me to this car."
At the garage, Eliza unlocked and pulled open the garage door that slid to the side. She flicked on the lights revealing a garage that was part car storage and part working garage. Tools covered the walls, and there were several workbenches. A tarped vehicle sat in the center of the area.
"May I?" Lena gestured at the vehicle.
Eliza nodded.
Pulling back the tarp revealed a white vehicle with two wide, dark-blue stripes running front to back. It had a long nose with a raised intake and no back seats. On the driver's side of the grill was a small, silver horse.
Lena gasped. Running around to the side of the car, she crouched down just past the tire and gasped again. Standing, she placed her hand over her mouth and stared at the car, mumbling, "She's beautiful."
"Are you all right?"
Still staring at the car, Lena said, "Eliza, no matter what I say, do not sell me this car." After several more moments of staring at the car, Lena turned to Eliza and deadpanned, "How much do you want for her?"
Eliza laughed for a moment then stilled. "It's not for sale."
"Of course not, but if she were...?" Lifting a brow, Lena waited.
"It's still not for sale."
"I know that, but hypothetically speaking...?" Lena's brow ticked up just slightly higher.
Walking up to Lena, Eliza patted her on the arm and crossed behind her saying, "I'll leave you the car in my will."
"Ah, you shouldn't ever say that to a Luthor. People have been killed for much, much less."
"It's just a car, Lena."
"A car? No, this is a 1965 Shelby GT 350. It's the second Mustang ever made, the 1964 being the first, of course. The '65 Shelby GT 350 has a V8 289 cubic inch water cooled, high-performance engine. It uses Ford's new high-riser manifold with the 4-barrel Holly carburetor so there wouldn't be a problem with flooding or starving during hard cornering. The engine is rated at 306 bhp at 6,000 rpm with 4.00" bore and 2.87" stroke. It gets 13-15 miles to the gallon which is..." Lena shrugged as she reached for the door, pushing the button on the handle and smiling when it opened. As she pulled open the door, she said, "It has a four-speed transmission, Borg Warner T-10 if I recall properly. It's original sale prices was $4,311.00 unless." Pulling her head out of the interior, Lena looked down at one of the tires and then grinned back at Eliza. "Unless it has the cast magnesium wheels. They add another $273.00 onto the sales price. The car is worth considerably more now."
"How much more?"
"Well, condition of the car plays a big factor in that," Lena replied as she walked around the vehicle. "If the paint is in excellent condition, uses the original designs and material, if the interior isn't in need of serious reconditioning or replacement, if the mechanics are working flawlessly..." Back at the driver's side, Lena pointed into the car again. "May I pop the hood?"
"Help yourself. You certainly seem to know a lot about cars."
"My father loved to work on them and let me spend hours with him rebuilding engines, tearing them down and putting them back together. He told me never to use a thing I didn't understand front to back and side to side. I still won't. Car, train, plane, space shuttle. Unless I understand how a thing works, I won't get into it."
Space...space shuttle?"
The hood popped, Lena moved to the front of the car, opening the hood and putting up the arm to hold it in place. "If maintenance has been kept up then...ugh." She strained, turning a screw. "Then your value could be worth as much as 500 or so, but even at the lower end, a car like this would go for over 200."
"Dollars?" Eliza asked, squinting and frowning slightly.
Lena nodded, looking under the hood before she stood up and said, "Hundred thousand dollars."
"Hundred tho..." Exhaling suddenly, Eliza took a moment to right herself and asked, "Are you telling me this car could be worth $200,000?"
"This car?" With a loving smile, Lena shook her head. "No, this car is beautiful. If you were selling, I'd give you half a million for her without even trying to turn the key. I'm sure she needs a tune-up, and you need to treat the leather a bit better. We'll take care of that, but this car is a find. Don't sell her to me." Lena turned back to the car then quickly back to Eliza, "But if you ever do decide to sell her, don't sell her to anyone else. I'll buy her, all right?"
"I...are you serious about the car?"
"Eliza, there are three things I never joke about: a good car, a good whiskey, and a good woman. You have all three of these at your disposal right now." Wiggling her fingers as she stared at the car, Lena asked, "You mind if I play around under her hood?"
With a smile slowly growing on her face, Eliza asked, "You mean the car, right?"
"Hmmmm?"
Patting Lena's arm, Eliza said, "Let's get you inside and changed first. I'm not sure those pajamas are grease monkey appropriate."
"Oh." Looking down at herself, Lena chuckled. "I suppose you're right. In my excitement, I'd forgotten what I was wearing. I packed some jeans for the trip. I'm not sure if I have a t-shirt. Kara stressed that this would be a casual outing, but casual is not my best thing. Sorry. Even my lounging clothes are not exactly meant for..." She shrugged.
Arm around Lena's shoulder, Eliza walked back to the house with her. "Just grab something of Kara's. I'm sure you do that at home."
"At home?"
"You girls are living together, aren't you?"
"Oh, our home." Lena nodded. "Yes, Kara's moved into my place, though she still has her...ah. We're not the same size."
"Oh, you're not that vastly different." Opening the door to the kitchen, Eliza held it open and followed Lena in. "Kara has a bunch of old t-shirts in the bottom drawer of her dresser...unless she broke that too. You can wear her t-shirt, can't you?"
Her head more circling than nodding, Lena said, "Sure. Of course. I do that all the time. Girls, girlfriends, do that all the time, so we do. We do wear each other's clothes, so I'm going to...I'll be right back." As she hurried out of the room, Lena mumbled to herself, "Oh, good Lord, at this rate I'm going to have to marry her. I'm starting to sound like Kara."
Upstairs, Lena found one of the three pairs of jeans she'd packed, though none of them were exactly 'change your oil jeans' and dug out an older t-shirt of Kara's. Even a new t-shirt of Kara's would have been a bit snug across the bust. This one was strained. Lena looked down at the Kool-Aid main on her torso, bricks seemingly flying about as he was crashing through the wall.
"You aren't the only thing that looks like you're going to come smashing through there." She tugged down the shirt that settled just about hip height which was where her jeans sat. Going downstairs, she grabbed her jacket again and tied on her boots. She'd just finished with her laces when she heard it.
"Bang!" From outside, there was a sound, one loud gunshot-like pop.
Heart suddenly racing, Lena stilled. "Eliza!" When there was no response, she raced into the kitchen, breath already coming hard. The sound was from outside, clearly. Lena patted her pockets, but her phone wasn't there. She glanced out of the kitchen window to catch the fleeting motion of Eliza disappearing into the garage. Lena opened her mouth to call out again, but the woman was gone. Turning, Lena took three steps to head back upstairs for her phone, caught sight of the ax she'd left on the counter earlier, steeled herself, grabbed it, and raced out the door leaving it open behind her.
Lena ran full out until she reached the garage and flattened against it. Most of what she could hear was her blood rushing through her ears as her heart pounded. Stepping around the corner of the garage toward the entrance, she glanced and saw motion, Eliza coming into view. Grabbing the woman's wrist, Lena tugged the older woman out of the garage and whipped Eliza behind her, pushing her own body in the way.
"What the...!? Lena!?"
"Stay behind me! Did you see him!?"
"See who? What are you doing?"
Ax in one hand and the other pressed behind her against Eliza, Lena snuck her head around the corner briefly. "I don't see anyone. All right. The way back to the house looks clear. I want you to run for it, and I'll cover you. When you get in, give Kara a call. My phone is in my room. Tell her where I am. Are you ready?"
"Sweetie, what the—"
"On three. One, two—"
"Lena." Eliza tried to step out past Lena, but the younger woman suddenly threw all of her body weight back, pushing Eliza against the garage again. "What the hell is going on!?"
"Are you trying to get yourself killed!?" Lena hissed out. Pointing to her left, her eyes still to her right, she said, "Go that way, toward the house. No matter what you hear, don't stop. Just call Kara. She'll protect you."
"Protect me from...? Do you think someone's trying to kill me?"
"No, me," Lena corrected. "If you get to the house and call Kara, you'll be fine. Just run and don't look back. Are you ready?"
A hand gently squeezing Lena's shoulder, Eliza asked, "Sweetheart, why do you think someone's trying to kill you?"
With an exasperated sigh, Lena snapped, "Didn't you hear the gunshot!?"
"You mean the car backfire?"
"The car...!?" Jerking, Lena paused. Her eyes dashed left and right several times, and then she blinked rapidly. "The car backfire?"
"Yes, I started up the Mustang, and it backfired. I shut it off. It definitely needs a tune-up."
"That was a...!?" Turning to look at Eliza, eyes wild, Lena's jaw slackened and then tension in her whole body released as she slumped, shaky with adrenaline, to the ground. "Jesus H Christ!" Curled into a crouch, ax lying across her knees, Lena's head fell across her own lap as she gripped the back of her head tightly.
"Hey, sweetie, hey, there." Crouching next to the younger woman, Eliza curled a protective arm around Lena. "Are you all right? Talk to me, Lena."
"I..." Releasing the back of her head, Lena rubbed her face with both hands and managed a nod. "Yes, I'm...holy fuck."
"You're not okay."
"No, I'm..." Looking back at Eliza, Lena pushed out a smile that didn't go further than her lips. "Sorry about that, Eliza. I kind of overreacted there. National City resident, you know?"
"Lena," As they both rose to their feet, Eliza took Lena's free hand. "That seemed a little extreme for a city girl. What's going on?"
"Oh, it's just been a tough two weeks to...twenty years." Laughing slightly, a touch of hysteria eeking out, Lena looked up as her eyes burned.
"Give me that," Eliza said pulling the ax from Lena's hand. "This is not a tough anything. You were terrified, extremely brave, but terrified. You just threw yourself between me and what you thought was a gunman. I'd like an explanation."
Nodding, Lena said, "Just a few days ago, someone tried to kill me. It isn't the first time either. It won't be the last. Well, the last time will be the last but...You understand. I met Kara because my brother tried to kill me, and I met her again as Supergirl the next time he tried to kill me. You're a doctor. With interns, they say you hear the sound of hoofbeats and think zebra instead of horse. Well, I think gunshot instead of fireworks, or in this case car backfire, because it's usually a gunshot. I'm not just paranoid. People are trying to kill me. I'm used to it. I just didn't want you getting in the middle."
"Lena, you don't get used to people trying to kill you."
"You get used to it, or you die, Eliza. It's a defense mechanism." That ghost of a smile haunting across her face again, Lena said, "For better or worse, Luthors are survivors."
With a frown, Eliza took a step back so she could study Lena, but she didn't release the younger girl's hand. "You're shaking. Why don't you come into the house for a little bit? I'll make you a cup of cocoa or some tea. How does that sound?"
"Can I just be alone out here for a little while?"
"I don't think you should be alone. Come into the house with me, sweetheart."
"I'm better alone."
"Lena," Eliza looked at her, eyes swimming in sympathy and understanding. "Humans are social creatures. No one's better alone."
"I..." Looking up again for a few moments before she could meet Eliza's gaze, Lena replied, "I'm not good at this."
Head tilting to the side, Eliza asked, "Good at what?"
"Caring about people, having people care about me. I'm a Luthor. I'm not good at this."
"Oh, Lena." Tossing the ax a few feet away, Eliza took Lena's other hand in hers. "I don't think that's true, but even if that is, Danvers women are very good at showing people how it's done. Come here."
Lena nodded, finally allow herself to cry as she was wrapped in Eliza's arms. They stood there for several minutes, Eliza stroking Lena's hair, encouraging her to 'just let it out', and offering only sympathy and never judgment. In five minutes time, it was more unconditional love and acceptance than Lena had received in twenty years from Lillian. To say it turned a corner would be too much, but it was a nice start. Maybe someone would have to rethink phrases like, 'I'm not made for...' and '...isn't for me' as she watched the rest of the world's casual interaction. Perhaps this would be a toe into the new normal. After a trip to the kitchen that included tea and cookies from Eliza's secret stash, 'Because that's why we have lead-lined boxes around here', Lena was much recovered and eager to undertake work on the Mustang.
<><>
Whistling happily, her tree held in one hand and hanging over her shoulder, Kara paused as she heard an '80s power ballad blaring from nearby. Curious, she continued toward the sound as it was coming from her destination anyway. The back garage, the working one they never used, had its door ajar. The lights were on inside, and she could hear the sound of the heater running just under the blaring of "Sister Christian" by Night Ranger. Her curiosity growing, Kara carefully lay her fir tree down and slid the door open about halfway. Jeremiah's '65 Mustang was up on a set of steel ramps. Someone was underneath it lying on a mechanic's creeper, her boots and lower legs sticking out and one leg tapping out the beat of the music. A light hung from the car underside, illuminating the work area.
Smirking, Kara walked over to the legs jutting out and tapped a foot onto one boot.
From under the car, Lena's voice echoed slightly. "Eliza, the oil is all changed. You can start her up, and I'll check oil pressure."
"Not Eliza."
"Kara?" Pushing herself out from under the car, wearing a pair of jeans, and an old t-shirt of Kara's that almost fit, her hair pulled back into a ponytail, and with dirt and oil smudging her face and the rest of her in various places, Lena looked up and smiled brightly. "Kara! Eliza let me work on Jeremiah's old Mustang."
"I..." Heart fluttering at the mess below her that was even more beautiful if possible, Kara's voice tripped for a moment before she recovered. "I see that. How's it going?"
Her smile impossibly wide, Lena replied, "I checked the water pump, and it isn't leaking. I replaced the spark plugs, installed new points and condenser. I had to send Eliza to town for oil so I could do an oil change. Luckily there was already an oil filter, steel ramps, a drain pan, and a mechanics creeper here. I cleaned the carburetor. I want to get some leather reconditioner for the interior. Perhaps you and I could go into town and do that later?"
"Um..." Nodding indiscriminately, Kara smiled back. Pointing at her own face, she said, "You have a little..."
"What, oil?"
"It's a smudge."
"Where? Here?" Lena pointed from one side of her face to the other and then back again, trying to verify the location of the mark.
"No, it's right...Hold on." Going over and grabbing a rag from the workbench, Kara returned and crouched over Lena. She wiped at the other woman's face. "There."
"Is it gone?"
"No, it's much worse," Kara said with a laugh. "I smeared it all over your cheek. Sorry."
"Oh, you..." Grabbing the rag from Kara, Lena swatted at the other woman with it. "Are you really the best friend I could manage?"
Holding out her hands in a gesture of mock protection, Kara continued to laugh. "Uh, yeah."
"Oh...true. Well, that's depressing," Lena said though she laughed along with Kara.
"Hold on." Pulling out her cellphone, Kara scrolled to the camera. "This moment deserves to be captured for posterity. Smile."
"Really?" An eyebrow rising, a tiny smile curled the corner of Lena's lips as the camera clicked. "Is that going to be my new picture when I call you?"
"Oh, absolutely not." Biting her lower lip, Kara began to type into her phone. "How many Es are in fiancée?"
"One for a male, two for a female, and three for non-binary. Why?" As Kara's smile grew, Lena rose to her elbows and asked, "Kara, what are you doing with that?"
Kara's tongue stuck out of the corner of her mouth as she typed, and then she hit her phone one final time. "There. I just wanted to post a lovely picture of my fiancée on Instagram."
Lena froze. "Oh, you bitch. You did not."
"Miss Luthor, that is not a nice thing to call your future wife. What will people think?"
Making a grab for Kara's phone, Lena said, "How many Es are there in Kryptonite? I'm going to kill you!"
Laughing even louder, Kara grabbed first one of Lena's wrists and then the other with one hand, pinning them over the other woman's head as she leaned down, pressing her torso against Lena's flat onto the mechanic's creeper again.
"Let me go!" Lena demanded.
With a grin, Kara asked, "So you can kill me?"
"Yes!"
"Hmmm. That's not very motivating."
Squirming, Lena kicked her legs. She found purchased on the cement floor on either side and pushed up, but Kara was unmovable. "Kara...!"
"Oh, calm down. I didn't send the picture to Instagram."
Body stilling, Lena relaxed as tension eased out of her form. "You didn't?"
Sweeping a hair from Lena's face with the pinky of the hand that held her cellphone, Kara smiled and shook her head.
"Oh, well, then what the hell did you do with it?"
"I just sent it to my sister. I told her you got messy working on Jeremiah's car, and that we were having a good time but missed her. That's all. Now, if I let you go, are you still going to kill me?"
"Well, I am a Luthor." One eyebrow cropping up as a sly look crossed her face, Lena said, "I'd watch out for green milkshakes come Saint Patrick's Day, Supergirl. One of them could have more than you bargained for in it."
"Well, then maybe I won't let you go."
"Well, then maybe you shouldn't. Maybe you shouldn't let me go until I learn to control my wicked, Luthor ways." As Lena bit her lower lip, one of her eyebrows flashed up for just a moment.
"Oh."
At the garage door, holding a warm beverage, Eliza walked up, took one look at the girls, did a 180-degree turn, and went back to the house without uttering a word.
"Mmmm, tell me, Supergirl, is this what you like, having the...upper hand on a Luthor?"
Swallowing hard, Kara nodded slowly. "Yeah, I think it is."
"Good, very, very good. That makes two of us."
When her phone chimed, Kara startled slightly. "Oh, it's Maggie. Looks like Alex sent the picture to her. Heh. She wants to know if I'm getting dirty with you. She asked if I..." Kara frowned slightly. "...lubed your chassis."
"Oh, my chassis is being lubed," Lena assured. "You can tell her that..." Gaze wandering away, Lena muttered, "No don't say that, Lena. Just because cars have grease nipples doesn't mean you should say that right now."
"What did you just say?"
"Nothing. Put your phone down."
"Uh, okay." Complying, Kara laid her phone on the floor. She let up some of the pressure on Lena's wrists. "Do you want me to...?"
"No, unless you want to."
Their gazes locked for several seconds, Kara tightened her grip and leaned over Lena again. "Not really."
"Good." When Lena's phone buzzed, she immediately said, "Ignore it."
"But what if—?"
"Ignore it, Kara."
Kara nodded, but her gaze flashed to her left where the phone lay out on the floor. A split-second later, she looked back at the phone again. "It's Kate Kane."
"Kara?" Lena smiled and lifted her head slightly when the other woman looked down at her. "Right now there's only us. Forget the rest of the world."
"You're talking to Kate Kate? You text with her?"
"Uh...sometimes?" Lena shrugged as best she was able with her hands pinned over her head. "There was that work thing and no! Kara, nonono."
Releasing Lena, Kara squinted down at the phone, then picked it up and frowned. "She says she'd grease your monkey any time. Really? What does that even mean?"
"Nothing. Kara, ignore her."
"It's not nothing. After it is a monkey, cherries, and a strawberry. Why would she send you fruit? What does that mean?"
"Uh...that I'm a vegetarian? It doesn't mean anything."
Sitting on the floor and placing Lena's phone on the ground, Kara said, "It means something, doesn't it? She's flirting with you, and I just don't get it. That's what's going on, right?"
Sitting up, Lena asked, "What does it matter?"
"Really?" With a blast of superspeed, Kara was suddenly out of the garage and at the door, stooping to pick up her tree. Then she was stomping off toward the house with it over her shoulder.
Steadying herself after the gust of wind, Lena looked around briefly to locate Kara's retreating form. "Kara, wait. Wait!" Pushing to her feet, Lena ran after Kara. She made it to the kitchen door just after the other woman, struggling to close the door with greasy hands and without leaving filth behind. "Kara, will you just stop for a moment and let me explain what I meant?"
"What's to explain?" Kara said with a shrug as she strode through the house holding the eight-foot tree in front of her by its trunk as if it were nothing.
"Nothing happened with Kate."
"It doesn't matter if it did. You don't owe me an explanation. You're free to do whatever you want with anyone. Have fun."
"But..." Looking over at Eliza who stared up from her seat at the table where she'd been reading a book, Lena shook her head rapidly and said, "Kryptonians. She doesn't mean that." As Kara laid the tree by the tree skirt on the floor, Lena stepped within inches of the other woman and quietly said, "Can we please go someplace private and speak? I think you've gotten the wrong idea?"
"Maybe we both have."
"What the hell does that mean?"
Glancing over at Eliza, Kara kept her tone low. "I'm here to keep you safe. Your protection is my responsibility, that's all. I should focus on that."
Mouth a thin line, Lena pushed even closer to Kara, her voice low and even as she asked, "Is that what you want, Kara, to keep our relationship professional and just protect me?"
Breaking eye contact, Kara looked down and to her right as she shrugged and asked, "Is that what you want?"
Sliding in front of Kara until their bodies touched, Lena moved her face until she caught Kara's gaze. Jaw tight and teeth gritted, she uttered, "No." Before Kara could respond, she dashed away, boots slamming on each step as Lena made her way upstairs.
Moving to the couch, Kara fell back into it letting her legs shoot out in front of her as she released her breath in a puff of air. When Eliza took a seat next to her, Kara glanced over at her foster mother and waited. She didn't have to wait long.
"So, who's Kate?"
"Oh, ah...a friend of, ah, Maggie's."
Eliza nodded. "Sounds like there's more to the story than that. Want to talk to me about it?"
Head lolling back against the couch, Kara said, "Not really."
"It might help."
Kara shook her head but ended up saying, "She's kind of helping to cover stuff in National City in my absence."
"Oh. She's a superhero?"
Kara snorted. "She wishes."
"What am I missing, Kara?"
Sitting up and turning to face Eliza, Kara said, "She's kind of a superhero."
"And she's covering for you in National City?"
Kara nodded.
"And Lena...?"
Kara shrugged.
"Use your words."
"They..." Kara sighed. "Lena said nothing happened but...Ugh." Kara flopped back on the couch again. "I don't like her."
"Kate?"
"Yes, Kate," Kara said, her voice ridden with sarcasm. "She's all sexy, and she rides a motorcycle. She flirts all the time. Like all the time."
"All the time, Kara?"
Sitting upright again, Kara turned to Eliza and nodded. "All the time. She flirts like I eat."
"Oh, that is all the time."
"See? All the time."
With a gentle hand, Eliza squeezed Kara's forearm. "Have you spoken to Lena about it?"
"Lena just says it's no big deal. She doesn't understand why I care, but I just...do!"
"Watch your tone, young lady."
"Sorry."
"It's all right," Eliza said patting Kara's arm. "Now, it sounds like you and Lena need to have a serious discussion about your feelings, both of your feelings. Communication is key to a successful relationship. I know Lena hasn't had the best examples in her family. Maybe she just doesn't understand what it is you want from her. Have you been clear?"
"Well...not really."
"Kara Danvers, you need to talk to that girl. She cares about you."
"But Kate—"
"I don't want to hear about this Kate person. This is about you and Lena. Kate is miles away, and she has nothing to do with your relationship with your fiancée." When Kara looked up sharply, her eyes wide, Eliza asked, "What did I say?"
"Nothing."
"Kara, I want you to march upstairs and talk to that girl right now. If you love her, and it's obvious that you do, you go fix things with her. Do you hear me?"
"Yes, ma'am but..." Under Eliza's glare, Kara shrunk in and pointed at the ceiling. "She's showering. I'll talk to her after she's out of the shower, okay?"
Eyes narrowed, Eliza nodded once. "Fine, but when that shower stops, you get your butt upstairs and fix this or no latkes for the rest of the stay. Do you hear me?"
Eyes bulging, Kara nodded quickly. "Yes, ma'am."
"Good girl. Now come here." Squeezing Kara as tightly as she could, Eliza said, "How about you and I get that tree set up while Lena showers. How does that sound?"
"I'm really, really hungry. Food sounds better."
"I bet we can manage both."
"A little snack?"
"Fine," Eliza said with a sigh as she released Kara. "There are some Oreos in the—" A gust of signaled Kara's departure. "Kitchen. Save me one, please!"