Standing outside of the bedroom, Kara knocked on the door and said, "Are you decent?"
"Go away!"
Sighing, Kara pressed her forearm against the door and her forehead against her arm. "I don't even get a comment about your decency for that? Come on, Lena, that was a softball. Smack that one out of the park." She waited, but there was no response only the sound of movement from within. "Not even a comeback about smacking me out of the ballpark?"
"I don't want to fight with you, Kara. Just...go away!"
"I don't want to fight either. I came to apologize." Kara listened while the motion within stilled. "Can I just come in and apologize to you? I'll do it through the door if that's all you'll let me do, but I'd rather do this face-to-face." After a few seconds of silence, there was movement within again. "Okay, look, Lena, I was wrong, and I just wanted to say—"
Suddenly, the door opened leaving Kara to recover quickly, so she didn't fall into the room. Lena was there in a green button-down shirt and...Kara would have to assume underpants though she couldn't see them at the moment. The dark-haired women managed a bit of a glare, though there was also pain on her face. Her hair had been blown dry and hung loosely over her shoulders. She held the doorknob with one hand, and her other arm moved to cover her as if she would cross her arms over her body for protection.
Paused, Kara gestured toward the room. "Can I come in?"
Pulling the door open the rest of the way, Lena shrugged and stepped back. "It's more your room than mine. I'm just a guest."
Rubbing the back of her neck, face down as she sheepishly took only a single step forward, Kara said, "Still, if you want your privacy, I'll leave you alone. I just came to apologize."
"It's fine. You can..." With another shrug, Lena made a vague head movement toward the room, but when Kara lifted her head, she attempted a smile.
It wasn't much, but it gave Kara the encouragement to smile back a bit and enter the room.
"So..."
"So..." Kara nodded. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I freaked out about the Kate thing. You didn't do anything wrong, and I totally overreacted. She just gets to me, and I guess I don't really know why."
"Don't you?" Lena asked, one brow cropping up slightly.
"I..." Kara nodded. "Okay, I guess I kind of know why. She just seems so good at stuff, so natural, and I'm awkward. Sometimes it's hard not being human, not growing up in this culture, especially when you see someone who fits in so well. People like Kate make me feel like an alien."
Taking a tentative step forward, Lena asked, "What's wrong with being an alien?"
"Nothing," Kara replied. "I don't mind that I'm not human, but I do mind that I'm an outsider. That may not make any sense to you—" When Lena's laugh interrupted, Kara frowned, but her face softened when she saw Lena wasn't actually smiling just shaking her head.
"Oh, I know all about not fitting in. I was the weird pre-teen in high school. Then I was the weird teenager in college. It's one thing to be too young to drink in college, but you should be old enough to vote or at least drive. I just..." Lena shrugged. "I just thought I didn't get people in my life where I fit. Lex was the first person who made me feel welcome, and he was off running the company with father. I thought I just had to find my own way in the world, and then you came walking through my door and just blew through all my walls. I didn't know what to do with you."
"Is that a good thing?"
Moving to drop into a seat on the bed, Lena admitted, "Most days I think so. Stalwart and content were my normal, but then this idea of happy came along with you, and I have to admit it's rather addictive, Miss Danvers. You've thrown off my perfectly laid schedule."
Carefully sitting on the same bed, but a respectful distance away, Kara asked, "For?"
"World conquest?"
Face scrunched up, Kara shook her head.
Lena laughed again, and this time it held some humor. "All right, so maybe I didn't inherit the Luthor gene for diabolical world domination. I did have plans to conquer new frontiers, make changes to the world with clean energy and communication. I want to make this world a better place."
"Oh, Rao, Lena." Kara smiled. "You make this world a better place just by being in it."
Smiling in return, Lena said, "And you make my world a better place by being in it. That hasn't happened for me in a very long time. You're a bit of an addiction, Miss Danvers, and I believe I might be hooked."
Nodding a bit rapidly, Kara pushed some hair behind her ear and hesitantly inched just the tiniest bit closer to Lena. "So, are you looking at some kind of twelve step program or something?"
"Heh. The first step would be admitting I have a problem." Her head turned toward Kara, Lena looked through her lashes. "Is this a problem?"
Kara blushed slightly as she looked down, but quickly returned to meeting Lena's gaze. "No. So, what you said downstairs about not wanting to keep our relationship professional, you meant that?"
"Kara, you're my best friend. No matter what, I don't want that to change. I'd be miserable if I lost your friendship."
"Oh." Brows furrowed, Kara seemed to draw in on herself.
Perhaps sensing Kara's emotional retreat, Lena reached across the gap between them, placing her hand on Kara's. "Back at my apartment, before we were so rudely interrupted by a world killer, you said something to me. Do you remember what you said?"
"Was it about popcorn?"
"Yes," Lena admitted with a laugh. "Popcorn did play a major part in our discussion. We're not going to get off course here and need to feed your stomach, are we?"
Head shaking, Kara replied, "I ate before I came up here. This didn't seem like the type of conversation I should have on an empty stomach."
"Thank you," Lena replied sincerely. "So, in my apartment, you said you didn't want just my friendship. Do you remember that?"
Kara paused while they held eye contact before saying, "Yes."
"Did you mean that?"
"Yes."
"Good."
"Good?"
"I told you I thought we'd been kidding ourselves for a while now, Kara. Emotionally, there's been something going on for a while, but we haven't put a name to it. I don't know if it's because you're an alien or I'm a Luthor or both. Maybe it's the combination we have going on here, but I think we would have just kept dancing around this relationship question and going on not dates for...well, forever if we hadn't had some kind of wakeup call here, don't you?"
"Maybe. I'd like to think we would have figured this out on our own." Sliding closer to Lena and squeezing her hand, Kara asked, "So, where do we go from here? I like you."
"Well, I hope so."
With an eye roll, Kara said, "Rao, Lena, you know what I mean. I care about you and not just the way that friends do. I'm...I'm attracted to you."
"There, was that so hard to say?"
"Apparently," Kara mumbled.
Leaning over slightly so that her head laid on Kara's shoulder, Lena said, "I'm attracted to you too in case you needed to hear me say that."
"I really did," Kara said with a sigh.
"Have I been subtle?" Sitting upright and looking at Kara again, Lena said, "Really, I mean I'd given up on hoping for anything but friendship, but have I been subtle?"
"What do you mean?"
"Oh, you're obtuse."
Kara frowned. "What did I do?"
"Nothing for the better part of a year," Lena said as she stood up.
"Hey, hey, wait." Kara gently tugged Lena back to a sitting position again. "I was clueless huh?"
"Darling, I did everything but hit you with a clue-by-four. Though now I realize that would have just broken over your thick Kryptonian head." Smiling, Lena gently knocked against Kara's forehead.
Rubbing her forehead, Kara smiled. "I guess I can be dense sometimes. I just never saw any of this dating stuff when I was on Krypton. I watched TV when I got here, but I'm not sure it really got it right. I think it skips a lot of the steps, and high school was too confusing for me to figure out human/human interaction let alone human/me interaction. Things like gym and math were easy, but I had to learn the entirety of history again from the beginning for an entire planet."
"You were just learning the language too."
"Well, sure, but I'm pretty good with languages. I speak lots. English was like my..." Kara paused, thinking it through. "My seventeenth I think. I've picked up a few—" Looking down at her arm where Lena had grabbed her tightly, Kara paused. Gaze flicking up, she asked, "Something wrong?"
"You spoke sixteen languages before you came to Earth?"
"Uh...yes? Is that a good surprise or bad surprise?"
"It's a 'you're teaching me' surprise," Lena said with a final squeeze of Kara's arm before letting go.
"Well, okay then. Wow, you seem really excited about that. I didn't realize you were so easy, Lena." Kara's broad smile faltered and then her eyes grew wide. "Uh...that came out completely wrong."
"No, it didn't," Lena replied deadpan. As Kara blushed, Lena slid away slightly on the bed. "Sorry, I can be a bit...no. No, I'm not sorry. This is honesty time, isn't it?"
"Y...yes."
Sliding closer to Kara again, Lena said, "Then honestly, I'm tired of dropping hints and watching you walk away from me. That's my honesty. If you're going to keep walking away from me, I'm not going to be here as more than a friend when you come back. I'll always be your friend, Kara, but if you want more, and I do want more, then let's have more."
"I do but..." Eyes flicking down, Kara said, "You're...uh, you're not wearing any pants."
"And?"
"Oh, Rao." With a deep breath, Kara looked up at the ceiling for a moment before meeting Lena's gaze again. "I think maybe we should set some boundaries."
"Do they involve pants?"
"Lena," Kara said with a small laugh. "I don't know if I can have this conversation with you if you don't have any pants on."
"It must be a Kryptonian thing, Kara, because I have a much easier time talking to a woman without pants. Maybe if you took your—"
"Lena."
"Right. You want me to put pants on, don't you?"
Wide-eyed, Kara replied, "Do I want you to?"
"And that was a perfect answer, Miss Danvers. I'll be right back."
Kara wasn't so much watching Lena's legs as the other woman walked away, the way the woman's shirt rode over her butt and the dark green was in contrast to pale legs, as Lena just happened to be in the direction that Kara was looking. Coincidences happened all the time. Lena's knowing smirk over her shoulder as she reached the closet put an end to the coincidence and started Kara's blush.
"Better?" Lena asked as she sat back down wearing a pair of dark-gray slacks.
"I don't know about better but..." Kara grinned. "It will help me maintain eye contact."
"Good to know. I do have a quick question before we continue."
"Okay, what is it?"
"I'm assuming you weren't having sex in high school."
With a slow nod, Kara said, "That's not a question, but it's a fair assumption."
"Alex, she didn't have a lot of dating luck when she was younger, right?"
"Uh, I guess? She was in the closet and really..." Brows furrowed, Kara asked, "Is there a question here?"
"Yes. Is it fair to assume that this room is, how shall we say, virgin territory?"
"Anyway," Kara said loudly as she cleared her throat, ignoring Lena's knowing smile. "We were going to talk about boundaries."
"I'm wearing pants."
"I think that may be a good boundary."
Squinting, Lena tilted her head to the left. "Are you saying you don't want to have sex?"
"Oh, I'm not saying I don't want to have sex. I've seen a lot of horror movies, and the one thing I learned is that the people who are having sex get killed. Do you know why?"
"Because it's a trope, Kara. Do you know what a trope is?"
"It's because they're too busy getting busy to notice the ax-wielding maniac walking up behind them. That's not going to be us."
"But you're virtually impervious. An ax can't hurt you."
"But it can kill you, Lena."
"Hold on," Lena said, holding a hand in front of her. "Are you honestly saying you don't want to have sex because you've seen too many horror movies? I'm not arguing with you, Kara. You can just say no. I respect a no, any no, but I'm not following your logic here."
"It's Janković. Someone is trying to kill you, and keeping you alive has to be my first priority. Until we catch him, I think we should keep things a bit...more pants on."
"Oh." Nodding, Lena asked, "Okay, when you say pants on do you mean—?"
"Clothes on," Kara clarified. "I think we maybe shouldn't...anything?"
"She said as a question."
"Well, I want you input. What do you think?"
Rising and walking away for a moment, Lena remained quiet as she thought things through. It was several, long, pad of thumb biting moments before Lena turned again and dropped both arms down to her sides. With a heavy sigh, she said, "Well, we've been this patient this long, now haven't we?"
"We have," Kara said with a smile.
"So, for now, we'll just be friends?" Though Lena's lips curled up, it could hardly be called a smile.
Rising, Kara held out a hand as she said, "Actually, I was thinking of something you'd said earlier."
"Which something?"
"About us kidding ourselves about not dating. That we were doing it but hadn't put a name to it. What if we put a name to it?"
"So, you want to date?"
Smiling, Kara took a step forward. "I do. Do you want—?"
"Yes," Lena replied as she stepped closer also. As she laughed, Kara laughed also. "We have been idiots, haven't we?"
"I guess." Rubbing the back of her neck, Kara wandered a bit closer as she reached out toward Lena. "So, I guess this means we're dating huh?"
"I guess it does," Lena replied, taking Kara's hand in hers. "Now we're only mostly lying to your foster mother."
"Right. That. Well, at least she'll be less disappointed in us now when she finds out."
"Disappointed?" Lena winced. "Oh, I was just hoping she'd be angry. Maybe she'd just send someone to kill us or something?"
Laughing, Kara took Lena's other hand in hers. "No such luck. She'll probably just say, 'Oh, girls. How could you?' Then she'll shake her head at us. If we're really unlucky, she might even walk away for a little while. You know, go to her room because she needs some time by herself and because she can't look at us right then."
Eyes wide and mouth agape, Lena said, "That's much worse. Maybe I'll hire an assassin to kill us, or maybe we should just get married." When she felt Kara tense in her hands, she added, "I was kidding. Luthor humor you know."
"I know," Kara replied, her voice a little high and she cleared her throat. "I'm getting used to your sense of humor."
"Clearly," Lena said with a smile. Stepping closer, she ran her hands up Kara's arms. "So, what does this dating entail exactly?"
"Uh, well, pretty much what we were doing before I guess. We go to lunch and dinner together. We watch movies and TV. Now, though, we do it honestly. If I need to cancel plans, I don't have to pretend it was a family emergency or a work emergency."
"You do realize the work emergency one wasn't going to keep working now that I'm our boss, don't you?"
"There's that too. Hey, now we're not lying to HR. That's good."
"Also legal," Lena agreed as she squeezed one of Kara's upper arms. "So, outside of this clothes on boundary, what are our restrictions?"
Looking down to where Lena was playing with her bicep, Kara asked, "What are you doing?"
"Hmmm?"
"To my arm, what are you doing?"
"Exactly what I've been wanting to do this whole time." Lena smiled, squeezing Kara's arm again. "You've been 'look but don't touch' for over a year, Miss Danvers. Now I get Kara's personality and Supergirl's physique. It is a Merry Christmas indeed. Maybe the universe is finally making it up to me for the previous twenty years of my life."
"When you're done with whatever it is you're doing down there, my eyes are up here, Miss Luthor."
Smirking as she looked up at Kara, Lena said, "Well, this sounds like an HR issue in the making."
"Luckily, we're not at work. You were asking about boundaries?"
"Yes, what are they? You mentioned doing what we'd been doing but actually calling it dating. Do you mean you want us to act just the way we had been but acknowledge that it isn't platonic?"
"Well, until Janković is caught, I don't want us to get too caught up in the moment. How's your self-control?"
"Oh, it's crap," Lena admitted as she stepped away from Kara. "I'm not saying that if we were making out that I wouldn't be able to stop but..." Letting her gaze run up and down Kara, Lena bit her lip. "No, if you were willing, I'd have sex with you. My self-control is crap."
"I think mine is too. I'm actually a little bit nervous about us sleeping in the same room together."
"Two beds."
"Thank Rao." Kara sighed. "So, we're dating, but until Janković is caught, we don't...anything?"
"Argh!" Flopping onto a bed, Lena said, "I take back what I said about the universe being kind to me. This may be the cruelest thing it's done to me yet. So near yet so far."
With a laugh, Kara sat next to Lena and took her hand. "Hey, it won't be so bad. I bet there are tons we don't know about each other, and now we can tell each other everything. This will be great. Plus, we get to pace ourselves. This will be really romantic."
"You're amazing, you know?"
With a shrug, Kara replied, "I think we're going to be worth waiting for. I'm excited you chose me when you could be with anyone. I'm surprised."
"Oh, Kara, hugging is okay, right?"
"Hugging is awesome."
Curling into Kara's arms, Lena said, "It's always been you. There's never been anyone else."
"What about Kate?"
"Not even close. She didn't even come in second."
Curious, Kara asked, "Who came in second?"
"No one, silly. There was just you."
Sighing, Kara pulled Lena a bit closer. Holding the other woman against her, she inhaled and said, "You smell amazing."
"It's my shampoo."
"I'm pretty sure it's just you. You always smell amazing." As Lena looked up at her, they both broke away. "Boundaries. Yeah, we need to discuss them."
"Of course. So, outside of what we've discussed, what are they?"
"First, I'd like to talk about phone usage."
"You're worried about me touching your phone?"
Kara shook her head. "No, that's fine. I just mean, maybe we could both try and stay off our phones until this whole situation is resolved. We're supposed to be getting to know each other better, not checking social media. Make sense?"
"I may have to work."
"That's fine. I might have to too. My boss is sooooo demanding."
"Adorable," Lena said with a smile. "So, unless it's work...wait, what about Alex?"
"Okay, good point. We'll agree to take calls from the DEO and about any Janković updates in general, but other than that or for work, let's try and focus on our relationship when we're here. How does that sound?"
"I think that's what a vacation is like. I've heard of them, but I've never really experienced one personally. If I'm doing it wrong, will you correct me?"
"Oh, I definitely will. I'll get very strict with you." Kara smiled.
Lena smiled back, but then stopped and raised one finger. "Maybe we should both try and not flirt so much. I mean, if we're supposed to keep a G rating here, I know I don't need any encouragement to do otherwise. Lead me not into encouragement, Miss Danvers. I know the way so well I have frequent flyer miles."
"Ah...intriguing, but I understand what you're saying. I don't really think I flirt but—"
"You flirt."
Brows furrowing, Kara said, "I do?"
"Apparently not on purpose, but you flirt. We should stick to first names, and don't call me boss or tease me about it, okay?"
Still frowning a bit, Kara nodded.
"If we're staying off our phones, I won't have to deal with the emoji storms from you."
"Emoji storms? You don't like when I send you emojis?"
"Oh, I didn't say that, darling." Lena paused. "Is that all right? Is calling you darling all right?"
"Yeah...question about that. Do you really do that because you don't want to mix up women's names? When you were talking to Kate—"
"I was mad at you, and I knew you were right there and could hear me. I said that to..." With an eye roll, Lena said, "I said it to hurt your feelings. I was trying to score on you."
"It worked."
"I'm sorry, Kara. I wasn't in a very good place then, but it doesn't excuse my behavior. I treated you poorly. That's inexcusable. You were forced to suffer with my foul mood to ensure my safety. No matter what had happened with us before, you deserved better treatment than that. All I can say is that going forward, you will receive better treatment from me."
"Lena, we've both made mistakes. I don't want to forget them, but I want us to agree they're in the past and learn from them. We need to forgive each other and ourselves if this relationship is going to succeed. So, forgiven?"
"Forgiven," Lena agreed. "Me too?"
"Of course." Kara smiled broadly.
"This feels like a kissing moment."
"It does, but we shouldn't. That's a boundary."
"Bother," Lena sighed. "Any other bothersome boundaries?"
"I think we'll have to figure those out as we go. If either of us discovers something that we think should be a boundary, we'll talk about it. How does that sound?"
"Dreadful, but I agree. So, does Eliza think I was cheating on you with someone named Kate?"
Kara laughed. "No, she thinks I needed to act like an adult and learn how to communicate with my fiancée, so she sent me up here to do it. She even threatened to take away my latkes if I didn't do it."
"Wow, you're foster mom plays hardball."
Kara laughs. "Yeah, she takes no prisoners."
"Unlike my mother who does take prisoners."
Mouth agape, Kara stared.
"Sorry, too soon?"
"You have the oddest sense of humor." Pulling her phone out of her pocket, Kara placed it on the bedside table. "So, we'll leave them here?"
"What if Alex calls?"
"I'll hear it. What's your ringtone for Alex?"
"Nobody Does It Better."
Kara froze. She didn't even blink.
"It's by Carly Simon," Lena supplied.
"I know who sings it."
"All right. You just looked confused or something, so I thought—"
"Why would you have that for my sister's ringtone? Don't you think the lyrics are inappropriate? 'And the way that you hold me whenever you hold me. There's some kind of magic inside you. That keeps me from runnin' but just keeps you comin'. How'd you learn to do the things you do?' What's that about, Lena?"
Eyebrows slowly rising, Lena said, "It's a James Bond theme song. You know, a spy song since she's with the...I thought that was funny."
"What if I had 'Criminal' by Fiona for Lex's ringtone? Wouldn't you think that was weird?"
"If Lex we're calling and texting you, I'd think that was weird, yes." When Kara just stared at her, Lena reached across and grabbed her phone from the table, pulling it into herself. "I'll just change that." She typed a few things. "How about the James Bond Theme, no words. Better?"
"Yeah. Sorry, I guess I'm..." Kara rubbed at the back of her neck. "I don't know what this is."
"It's something we'll talk about when we're not hiding from a professional assassin and trying to play nice with your foster mother. You and I have to work on some trust issues. We'll get there." She placed her phone on the table next to Kara's again. "Now what?"
Patting Lena's leg, Kara stood up. "Come on. We put the tree in the tree stand, but we've been waiting for you to decorate it so we could do it as a family."
Jerking a bit as she rose, Lena said, "A family?"
"Yes, a family. The engagement being fake or not, you're family, Lena. Get used to it. Now come on. Let's go down there before Eliza comes looking for us." Kara smiled. "Plus, she promised me milk and cookies when we got downstairs."
As Kara took her hand and they left the room, Lena said, "I thought you just ate."
"Well, yeah, but there's always room for milk and cookies. That's like a saying or something."
"The saying is, 'There's always room for Jell-O'."
Kara shrugged. "Close enough."
Together, hand-in-hand, Kara and Lena descended the stairs. Eliza sat reading a medical journal, but she put it down and smiled up at the girls as they entered the room.
"Well, that looks promising. Good conversation?"
"Amazing conversation," Lena said as she looped an arm around Kara's waist. "Thanks for browbeating this one into it."
"Hey, I would have figured it out."
"Doubtful," Lena said, but she hugged Kara more tightly.
"She just needed a little nudge."
"And to be threatened with a lack of food?" Lena asked.
"That wasn't a little threat. That was Eliza's latkes," Kara argued, but she put her arms around Lena pulling the other woman close, pressing a kiss to Lena's forehead. "But, if I screw this up and lose you, I don't deserve latkes."
"Wow, maybe you two should just set the date. If Kara loves you more than my latkes, you're practically married already." As Eliza rose, she failed to notice the startled expression on the girls' faces. "All right. So the tree is up, but we didn't decorate it yet. We always do that as a family. So, lights first."
"Right, lights, then ornaments, then garland," Kara said rubbing her hands together. "Want me to hold the tree from the base and turn it for you ladies?"
"Sounds like you two have this process all planned out. Good thing I'm with professionals who can show me the ropes," Lena said as she joined Eliza by the string of lights.
Kara laughed. "Oh, yeah. The Danvers are decorating pros. How do you Luthors usually do this?"
"The usual Luthor way," Lena said with a smirk and a shrug. "We call in a professional."
Eliza and Kara exchanged confused looks, and then Kara asked, "What does that mean? Don't you decorate your own tree?"
Lena laughed and scratched a bit at the back of her neck. "Oh, Lillian never let us touch the tree. She had people come in and take care of it, and we were only allowed in the room for pictures and during the holiday party. The ornaments were quite expensive, some of them antiques so..."
"So, you've never actually decorated a tree?"
"I expect I did something as a child before I was adopted I mean, but I don't remember it." Swinging her arms a bit, Lena said, "This will be a first."
Kara's gaze drifted a bit before settling back onto Lena's, and then she smiled and embraced Lena again. "As a family. That's kind of awesome."
"I...I suppose it is," Lena said into the hug.
Breaking away, Kara got onto the floor and slid under the tree. "Okay, this is how we usually do it. I turn the tree, and Eliza and Alex stay put and get the lights on. It's easier this way."
"She's very handy around the house." In a whisper, Eliza added, "Except for the kitchen."
"I can still hear you."
"Oh, I don't know. I've found her useful in every room," Lena said.
With a throat clearing, Kara said, "Boundaries."
"Right. Sorry." Lena looked over at Eliza. "So, how do we start?"
The decorating of the tree went smoothly. After the lights were up, the ladies put on ornament after ornament. Some were hand blown glass and seemed to meet with Lena's approval. Others apparently confused her at first. They were popsicles sticks glued together, pieces of construction paper, yarn, things written in crayon, more arts-n-crafts projects done by children than anything 'proper' for a tree.
Holding one in her hand, Eliza smiled, "Alex made this in the first grade. She brought it home for us to put on the tree, and of course, we did."
"Is it supposed to be Santa Claus?" Lena asked looking at the small picture colored in with the dark beard and dark hat.
"Yup."
"Why does he—"
"Hobo Santa," Eliza explained.
Blinking several times, Lena said, "I don't understand."
"I don't either. Somewhere she learned the word and had gotten an understanding of hobos. We spent weeks hearing about hobos. She came home from school with this." Eliza held out the ornament.
"Hobo Santa," Lena said.
Eliza nodded. "Hobo. I have no idea what started it or why it stopped, but she was six. We just let it go, and it went. We have this lovely ornament, so we'll never forget it, never forget that time."
"Huh. My mother would never have allowed something like that on her tree."
With a loving smile, Eliza hung the ornament front of the tree at eye level. "Her loss."
Arms crossed and head cocked to the side, Lena nodded once. "Yes, yes, it is."
"Okay, well, that's all of the ornaments," Kara said putting the lid back on the last of the boxes. "Usually, we have a new one for everyone each year. Sorry for coming unannounced, Eliza. Maybe we can make plans to come back next year?"
When Kara looked over at her, Lena nodded and smiled.
"Well, when I sent you girls into town yesterday, I took a little trip myself." Moving over to the desk in the corner of the room, Eliza pulled out two small boxes. "Kara, I was going to mail yours home to you, but I picked up this one for Lena." She handed each of the girls a box.
"Eliza, you didn't—"
Hand raised, Eliza cut off Lena's words. "It's a Danvers family tradition. Lena, welcome to the family."
Looking down at the gift in her hands and most decidedly not meeting Eliza's gaze, Lena quietly said, "Thank you."
Ripping into her package with a grin, Kara said, "I'm excited. What'd you get me?" Paper on the floor, Kara pulled out her ornament. Inside was a little golden ball with some carved lines on it. Sticking out of the sides was a pair of silver wings. It had Kara's name and the year on it. Gasping, Kara pulled it from the box, letting the container fall to the ground. "A golden snitch! I love it!" She hurled herself into Eliza's arms. "Thank you! I love you!"
Laughing, Eliza hugged Kara. "I'm so glad, not that I had any doubts. I love you too, sweetheart."
"I'm going to put it on the tree," Kara said, as she moved over to the Christmas tree and hung her newest ornament.
Lena watched the placement with fascination. Near Kara's newest gift were several other ornaments, namely: a pair of black-rimmed glasses, a green ornament with the words 'Polyjuice' on the exterior, a little black and yellow sweater with an 'H' on it, a gold ornament with a black badger on it, and a miniature, intricately carved wand hanging from a red cord. Kara's name and different years appeared on each of these.
"We've got a theme going, do we?" Lena asked with a knowing smirk.
Her smile bright, Kara turned and nodded. "I'm a Hufflepuff. What are you?"
"A Luthor."
"You know what I mean." She leaned a bit closer, inspecting Lena. "What are you?"
"What do you think?"
Stroking her chin, Kara leaned back. "Well, intelligence and knowledge are obvious, so that's Ravenclaw."
Lena nodded.
"But! You work hard, you're dedicated, and you're one of the fairest people I've ever met, Lena. That's Hufflepuff." Kara smiled, but then it faded. "You're incredibly ambitious though, really cunning and resourceful like a Slytherin. Huh." Kara sighed. "You're also really brave and daring...like really, really brave. Less brave would be better. It worries me. It's very...Gryffindor of you."
With an eye roll, Lena nodded. "So, I'm a...?"
"I don't know. You're a Ravenpuffslytherdor?" Slapping her arms against her thighs, Kara said, "I just don't know."
"So, I'm inscrutable."
"Oh, I'm pretty sure I could scrut you." As they stared at each other in silence for several seconds, Kara waved a hand in front of her and said, "You should open your ornament."
"Good idea." Lena carefully peeled each piece of tape off, not tearing the paper.
"Do you need help with that?" Kara offered.
"I've got it."
"It's just that—"
"I said, I've got it."
"Do you always do this with presents?"
"Kara?" Eliza got her foster daughter's attention and said, "Enough please."
"Sorry." Mumbling, Kara added, "Note to self, use gift bags."
When she had the gift open, Lena folded the paper and laid it off to the side. She carefully opened the box and pulled out her ornament. Inside was a little wine glass, her name and the year etched into the glass. A smile grew on her lips, and she looked over at Eliza and said, "You know me so well."
Eliza laughed. "Next year it will be a muscle car ornament."
Lena gasped. "Don't tease."
"Who's teasing?" Eliza said as she stepped over and embraced Lena, kissing her on the temple. "Well, now it's official. You're part of the Danvers family now. You can't get rid of us, right Kara?"
"Absolutely. You're stuck with us."
"Damn, and I was planning to sneak out after you two went to sleep tonight."
Coming up on Lena's other side, Kara joined in the hug. "Nope, no sneaking out. We've got you. You're not going anywhere."
A hand reaching up to grab an arm of each of the other women's, Lena smiled. "Best kidnapping to date and I have quite a range of comparisons. My first one was when I was seven, you know." As they let her go and looked at her with varying levels of surprise through shock, Lena said, "Oh, yes. He was a driver we hired, and our security checks were lacking at that point, apparently. They only had me for five hours. The kidnapping itself was actually rather pleasant. I had cookies, and we played poker. I won $280. Their tells were horrible."
"Uhhhhh, garland?" Kara said looking over at Eliza.
"I think it's that time," Eliza agreed.
After Lena hung her ornament, it took a few minutes for the trio to put the garland on the tree carefully. When it was done, Kara lit up the tree, and they all stood back and smiled.
"It's beautiful," Lena said. "Thank you for making me part of this."
Holding out the tree topper to Lena, Kara said, "You get to put this on since you're the youngest."
Looking around, Lena said, "I'll need a stepstool."
"Or a super fiancée," Kara said, holding her arms out.
With a smile, Lena put one arm over Kara's shoulder and let Kara wrap her arms around her waist. "I'm not used to doing this unless I fall off my balcony first."
"Oh, would you prefer we start on the roof?"
"No, this is good," Lena said with a laugh. "Heights are not my best thing."
"You'll get used to them," Eliza said as Kara slowly lifted Lena off the ground.
Eliza moved to the side, taking several pictures of Kara holding Lena as the younger woman placed the star on top of the tree. As they touched back down, and Lena pulled her arm back, Kara kept her arms wrapped around Lena, and Lena held Kara's arms tightly. Kara's head rested on Lena's shoulder, and she laid a gentle kiss on the other woman's cheek. Turning Lena smiled back at Kara, both women ignoring Eliza clicking pictures. Foreheads pressed together, they closed their eyes and smiled.
"Merry Christmas," Kara sighed happily.
"Yes, it is. It finally is," Lena agreed.
Cookies and milk were followed by popcorn and movie time. As Kara cried through 'It's A Wonderful Life' she curled into Lena who held her close.
"She does this every year," Eliza said. "Someone always has to hold her. I guess it's your job now."
Combing her fingers through Kara's hair, Lena said, "Another job huh? Well, happy to have it. This one has the best perks so far. My other positions aren't so...snuggly."
Kara laid against Lena until she sat up, saying, "He got his wings."
"Yes he did, darling. Are you okay?"
Kara nodded. "That one always gets to me."
"Then why do you watch it?"
"Because it always gets to me," Kara said, wiping tears from under her eyes.
"Ah." Lena frowned, scrunching her brows together. "What do you need now?"
"A happy movie?"
"That sounds like a plan."
"How about 'Love Actually'?" Kara suggests.
"Sure."
"Have you seen it?"
"No."
"Lena." Grabbing the remote, Kara flipping through the options to get to the movie. "You have to see it. I'm disappointed in you. How could you not have seen it?"
"I've been busy, Kara. I got my Master's Degree when I was nineteen, was CEO of one fortune 500 company by the time I was twenty-two and a second by the time I was twenty-four."
Arms crossed, Kara studied the other woman and then said, "Fine, I'll give you a pass this time only because you're adorable, and I'm very kind."
"I...thank you. I need to take a restroom break before you start the next movie."
"Okay." Leaping up from the couch, Kara grabbed the empty popcorn bowl and their glasses. Calling out to Lena before she made it all the way upstairs, Kara asked, "Hey, you want another drink?"
Bending down on the stairs, Lena said, "Just water thanks."
Kara nodded, watching Lena disappear upstairs. With a smile and a sigh, she turned to Eliza. "You want anything?"
"I'm fine thank you. Are you having a good day?"
"Awesome. She's amazing, isn't she?"
"She certainly seems to be."
When Eliza looked back at her journal, Kara said, "Hey, I'm dating her."
Eyebrows high and smile growing, Eliza nodded. "Yes, yes you are, sweetheart. Everything okay?"
Kara nodded. "Just really happy. Thanks for having us here, Eliza. I think Lena needed some good family time. I needed this time with her too."
"I'm glad I could supply it. You girls are welcome to stay as long as you want, and you're always welcome back."
"I'm sure you'll be seeing a lot of us." Lifting the glasses, Kara added, "I'm going to get Lena more water."
As she watched Kara leave, Eliza went back to her journal and muttered, "I have no idea how your sister didn't know you two were dating. The way you feel about each other is as plain as the nose on my face."
The couple watched 'Love Actually' with Kara pointing out some of her favorite parts with great enthusiasm as if Lena weren't attentively watching the same parts.
At one point, bouncing slightly in her seat, Kara said, "Okay, watch this part with Jamie and Aurelia. He doesn't speak Portuguese yet, and she doesn't speak English. Then the character of Jamie said. 'It's my favorite time of day, driving you.' The character of Aurelia spoke in Portuguese, and the subtitles read, 'It's the saddest part of my day, leaving you.' while Kara sighed. "Aren't they the sweetest? They're so in love, and they can't even tell each other."
"Imagine that," Lena replied.
When Kara looked over, Lena was looking up at her. "Lena—"
Squeezing Kara's knee, Lena said, "Don't interrupt the movie. You're right. It's really good."
They fell into silence for the next few minutes, but soon enough Kara had gotten swept back into the excitement of the movie again.
When the movie ended, Kara asked, "Okay, favorite love story?"
"Oooohhhh, that's hard."
Kara nodded. "Right?"
Brows furrowed, Lena considered. "Hmmm...Well, if I have to pick just one, I pick...Sam."
"Sam, really? Not Natalie and the Prime Minister?"
"Everyone was amazing, but Sam was this little kid, and he summed it up for me when he said, 'Let's do it. Let's get the shit kicked out of us by love.' That's my love story right there, shit-kicked by love."
"Ouch. I feel accused."
"Don't. You're amazing." Kissing Kara on the cheek, Lena added, "However, you're very Natalie."
"Natalie? How am I Natalie? Natalie cursed all the time."
"That was her form of babbling. She cursed when she was nervous. You're Natalie."
"I am nothing like—"
Laughing, Eliza didn't even look up from her journal, just licked her finger, flipped the page, and said, "You are soooooo Natalie."
While Lena's laughter joined Eliza's, Kara crossed her arms and pouted.
"Oh, don't pout," Lena said, laying her head on Kara's shoulder. "I'm sorry I teased you, but I adored your movie. Thank you for sharing it with me. What do you want to do now?"
"Another movie?"
"Oh, good lord." Stretching her back, Lena said, "I don't get this stiff sitting at my desk all day. Before we start the next one, I'm going to get a cup of tea. Does anyone want anything?"
"Cocoa?"
Lena smiled. "Of course. Pick out whatever you want since I was so awful and teased you."
"I'd already planned to." When Lena tried to stand, Kara took her hand and tugged gently, smiling. "Hold on." Smiling, she kissed the other woman's cheek.
Her smile growing, Lena asked, "Would you like cookies with your cocoa?"
"I get cookies for a kiss on the cheek? What would I get for...?" Sitting back, Kara nodded. "That would be great, thanks."
Her smile a bit tight, Lena tore her gaze from Kara's as she looked over at Eliza. "Can I get you a tea?"
"Actually, I'd love that. Peppermint?"
"Certainly."
Pulling off her blanket, Eliza made to rise. "Can I help you?"
"Please, no. Just relax. I can pour some hot water. That is how you make tea, right? I forgot to ask my butler for the recipe before we left the city."
"Considering the fact that you're making dinner, I'd be worried if I hadn't already eaten something that you baked."
"Lena's making dinner?" Kara perked up. "What are you making?"
"A surprise," Lena said with a wink as she turned and walked toward the kitchen.
When Lena had left the room, Eliza said, "Kara, sweetie?"
"Yes, Eliza?" Kara asked, turning as she relaxed into the couch once again.
"I appreciate you girls trying to be considerate around me, but you don't have to be this extreme. I know what's going on between you and Lena."
"What? No." Pushing to sit upright again, Kara shook her head. "There's nothing going on with Lena and me. I don't know what you're talking about."
"Kara, you and Lena are engaged. You're living together. I heartily approve of Lena. Your mother isn't going to be shocked if you kiss her in front of me. Believe me, I've had the unfortunate timing of walking in on much more with Alex and Maggie. That sister of yours is definitely trying to make up for lost time. Just keep your clothes on out of your bedroom, okay?"
With a nervous laugh, Kara looked away. "It's not like that, Eliza."
"Kara, I'm a mother and a scientist. I know what it's like."
"No, I mean...this relationship, being out in front of people is new for us. Lena and I just aren't used to being public even privately like this. It's not you. We just need time."
"If you say so." Eliza shivered slightly.
"Are you okay?"
"Just a chill," Eliza assured. "I haven't turned the heat on in the house yet. It will warm up when dinner cooks."
"Want me to make a fire?" Kara offered.
"Would you mind?"
"Of course not," Kara said heading over to the fireplace and seeing they were a bit low on wood. "I'm going to grab some wood from the pile outside. I'll be right back."
"I'm going to go grab a sweater. This t-shirt isn't cutting it," Eliza said as Kara headed out.
In the kitchen, Lena had a kettle coming to boil on the stovetop. Three mugs sat out on the island, two with tea bags and one filled with cocoa mix and marshmallows. A tray sat out there also, and Lena was putting cookies on a plate nearby. As a blast of air hit her, Lena stiffened and turned around, but she didn't see anything out of order just the slight movement of the curtains. With a shrug, she went back to filling the plate with cookies.
Outside, Kara balanced logs on one of her arms before putting the tarp over the woodpile again. She promised herself she'd take a few minutes to cut a new pile so it could cure. Eliza had made no secret that she liked to light fires for the mood and the slight bit of warmth they provided to the house, and Kara certainly enjoyed s'mores.
"Mmmm...s'mores."
Kara paused at the kitchen door once again, opening and closing it carefully behind her, but then flashing out of the room again. In her wake, Lena was left to once more turn at the odd breeze in the kitchen.
"Hello?"
"Yeah, hun?" Kara asked as she placed wood down at the fireplace and walked back to the kitchen, pushing the door open and stepping in. "Do you need me?"
"I thought..." Looking back and forth, Lena shook her head. "Just my imagination. Never mind."
"Ooooh, chocolate chip."
"Kara!" Lena feigned a swing at Kara as she smiled.
The other woman retreated with a cookie in hand and a smile. "Yum!" Within seconds, the cookie was consumed, and Kara began to neatly stack the logs in the fireplace. She made sure the flume was open then crouched down again and used her heat vision to light the logs. A quickly waving hand kept the air moving while she got the logs well lit and the fire even and roaring. Standing, Kara wiped sweat from her brow and unbuttoned her button-down shirt. She pulled it off until she was just wearing the tank top underneath.
"All right, cookies and cocoa for you, Miss Danvers. I was going to put whipped cream in your cocoa, but imagine my surprise to find out you hadn't already eaten all of the shoulders—" As she placed the tray on the table and turned, Lena looked at Kara silhouetted in front of the fire, and her mind veered off course.
"I'm sorry, did you just accuse me of eating shoulders?" Kara asked with a laugh. "I don't think I've ever been that hungry. Okay, maybe once. Well, maybe twice but I was—" Suddenly a blanket was wrapped around her. "What...? But I'm hot."
"I noticed," Lena replied, her voice deep and eyes heavy.
"Oh, come on, Lena. I just want to—" As Kara tried to pull off the blanket, Lena grabbed it and tossed it over her shoulders again. Then the other woman got behind her and pushed her toward the front door. "What are you doing?"
"I'm sure it's cooler outside. Why don't you find out?"
"Well, but I—"
"Outside, Kara. Outside."
"Yeah, but—" The door opened, and she was shoved out, though she could have easily resisted, and then it was closed behind her. Turning, Kara stared confusedly at the closed door. "Lena?" She pulled off the blanket, balling it up in her arms and listened to the movement inside. Knocking once, she called out again, "Hey, Lena?"
When the door opened again, Kara smiled, but it was just Lena reaching out and tugging away the blanket. "Eliza's chilly. Here."
Taking her cocoa, Kara spoke hurriedly but didn't finish her sentence before the door close again. "Can I get my...cookies? Oooh, marshmallows."
Eventually, Eliza let Kara back into the house. They were both confused about what happened, but after putting her over-shirt on, Kara was not only allowed to have cookies, but Lena got her a second cup of cocoa. They watched 'Elf' which Kara thought was a comedy masterpiece and Lena felt was a combined punishment for the earlier mocking and kicking Kara out of the house. After the movie, Lena took the dishes into the kitchen and started dinner.
"Do you need your sou chef?" Kara offered with a smile.
"I would love my sou chef. I mean...ahem, I'd love my sou chef's help." Grabbing food from the refrigerator, Lena lined up ingredients on the island. She placed the head of cabbage, a garlic clove, green onions, and some ginger out.
Frowning, Kara said, "That's like vegetable stuff."
Smiling, Lena picked up the cabbage and shook it in Kara's direction. "I know, and you're going to eat it. Then you'll owe me a million dollars."
"We didn't make that bet."
"Okay, then what are we betting?" Lena said as she placed the cabbage back down.
"I can just not eat this, you know?"
Turning and leaning her elbows on the island, Lena said, "Impossible. You won't be able to resist."
"Oh, your cooking is irresistible?"
"I'm Lena Luthor. Everything about me is."
"Ah..." Shaking a finger at Lena, Kara said, "What do you want to bet?"
"How about, if you eat this, and you like it, then when we have to tell Eliza the truth about this facade we're keeping up, you'll do it, and I don't have to be there."
"But if I don't eat it, or I try it and don't like it, you'll do it?"
Lena nodded. "And you don't even have to be there. I'm trusting in your honor here, Kara, that you'll give this an honest try and if you like it, you'll tell the truth."
"Deal," Kara said extending a hand.
Shaking Kara's hand, Lena said, "This is even better than the million dollars. I'm telling you, Kara, never bet against a Luthor."
"What are you a Sicilian when death is on the line?"
"What?"
Kara stared at Lena for several moments, then said, "Don't tell me you've never seen 'The Princess Bride', Lena."
"Is this another of your 'must see' Christmas movies?"
Eyes bulging, Kara stomped across the kitchen, coming back with a big knife and the cutting board. She grabbed the cabbage and halved it in a smoothed movement as she leaned forward and spoke in a hissing whisper. "This fake engagement is not going to work out if you don't sharpen up your movie game, Lena."
Nodding quickly, Lena said, "Excuse me." She headed out to the living. "Eliza, how serious is Kara about this Princess Bride movie?"
"Oh, my, terribly. She and Alex used to watch that several times a week. The girls could recite so many of the scenes from it."
"Would it be as big a deal as Harry Potter?"
Eliza considered that for a moment. "I don't know if anything is as big a deal as Harry Potter, but she did see The Princess Bride first even though Harry Potter was already out. I think the first two movies were out when she came to Earth. We didn't let her watch stuff like that the first year because we weren't sure she'd understand the difference between fantasy and reality. I think The Princess Bride might have been the first fantasy novel we let her read, and she loved it. Then she watched the movie again and again and again and... well, you understand. Why do you ask?"
"Okay, vegetables are all cut up and in dishes," Kara said, wiping her hands on her pants legs. "Eliza, we owe you a cutting board. I apologize. Accidents happen."
As Eliza looked back and forth between the girls, Lena said, "We'll go into town tomorrow and replace it. We're sorry."
"Accidents happen," Eliza repeated.
As Lena walked past her, Kara gently took her arm and whispered, "We should probably buy her a new knife too." When their gazes met, Kara smiled nervously. "Sorry."
Patting Kara's arm, Lena said, "Accidents happen."
It was several minutes later when Lena called Kara back into the kitchen. Two pans of food were cooking on the stove top, and the oven was pre-heating. Lena had shed her sweater and was just wearing her t-shirt. She was crouched down and looking in the back of the cabinets on the lower levels for something.
"Yes?"
"Okay, I surrender," Lena said into the cabinet. "I would have sworn that Eliza said the baking trays were in a lower cabinet. I've been through them all twice now. Where are they?" After a few minutes, she said, "Did you hear me?" When there was still silence, she rotated on her toes. "Kara?"
Blinking slowly, Kara gradually looked up from where she'd been staring at Lena and said, "Did you know you had a tattoo?"
"Uh, yes? I was there when I got it. I have more than one, actually. So, the cookie sheets, where do—"
"I never saw it before."
Standing, Lena twisted a bit and tugged up the bottom of her shirt. "Oh, well, I was a bit rebellious when I was young. My mother hated them, and I was less than fond of my mother, so tattoos happened. Is this a problem? I know some—"
Lena's sweater in hand, Kara extended her arm and pressed the cloth into Lena. "Put this on."
"Okay, but it's getting a bit warm in—"
"Put it on or go outside," Kara said, pointing toward the kitchen door.
"Ah." Taking the sweater, Lena pulled it back on. "Better?"
"Well, I can't actually see it, but I still remember it. You have more, huh?"
"Under my clothes, yes."
Kara's gaze ran along Lena's body once. "Huh. What did you need?"
"Cookie sheets?"
Pulling open a drawer from underneath the oven, Kara took out a cookie sheet. "We keep them in here."
"Thank you."
Nodding, Kara walked back to the living room, but she looked over her shoulder several times.
In the living room, Eliza looked up and asked, "Are you all right? Is it too warm in here for you, sweetheart? You look flushed."
Dropping onto the couch, Kara said, "Lena has tattoos."
"Oh, well, she's an adult. That's her choice. Is anything wrong?"
"Nope," Kara said, making the P pop on the word. "I'm just going to sit here and think for a little while, okay?"
"Okay." Eliza watched a little smile form on Kara's lips and smiled to herself too.
Come dinner time, Lena wouldn't let Eliza or Kara into the kitchen. Kara was allowed to wait by the kitchen door and take sauces and drinks to the table, but that was it. Finally, Lena arrived with two bowls in hand. One was big and overflowing, and she had to cradle it against her torso. The other was smaller and not as full.
"Do you need help?" Kara offered.
"I've got it. I've got it."
"She's always like this. She's difficult," Kara complained. As Lena got closer, she took the larger bowl from the other woman, eyes widening. "Did you...? Are these...? Potstickers?"
Smirking, Lena said, "The larger bowl is pork, and the smaller bowl is vegetarian. Of course, you don't have to eat them, Kara. It's up to you."
"But... But..."
"Well, I want some," Eliza said. She'd scooped some rice onto her plate, and put some of each type of potsticker onto her plate also. She poured some of the dipping sauce out and dipped her first potsticker. "Mmmmm. Okay, now I know why Kara proposed. It's the cooking, isn't it? Actually, I never did hear the engagement story. Who proposed to whom?"
Stabbing a potsticker, Kara's gaze met Lena's. As Lena raised both eyebrows, Kara dipped her potsticker and took a bite. She closed her eyes, chewing. "Damn." Nodding she said, "Yeah, it's the cooking, Eliza. So, I wanted to ask Lena out for a while, probably from the day I met her, but I couldn't. I was scared. I never thought she'd go out with me. Luckily, she beat me to it and asked me out."
As Kara paused and smiled over at her, Lena said, "I was so nervous. It had been so long since... No, I'd never felt for anyone the way I felt for you. You were my best friend, and my feelings for you were growing so quickly. I was worried I was going to ruin it all by trying to change things."
"That would never have happened."
"So, who proposed?" Eliza asked.
"I did," Kara said. Placing her fork on her plate, she wiped her face. Turning in her chair so that she faced Lena, she took the other woman's hand. "I didn't have a ring yet, I still don't, but that didn't matter. I'd already wasted too much time. I just took Lena's hand in mine and said, 'Lena, I don't want to spend another moment waiting for the right moment. The right moment is every moment I spend with you, and every moment I spend with you is the right moment. Forever is a concept that doesn't exist, and yet every race has a word for it. I never understood why until I met you. I never understood why until I met someone I wanted to spend forever with. Lena, will you spend your forever with me? Will you marry me?' And then Lena said..."
Slowly nodding, Lena said, "Yes." Clearing her throat, she said, "I said yes, of course, or we wouldn't be here today."
"Oh, girls." Coming around and hugging first Lena and then Kara, Eliza said, "That was beautiful. It felt like I was there the first time. Thank you for sharing that with me."
Pulling her hand back from Lena, Kara smiled. "Sure thing, Eliza."
"I want wine," Eliza said. "I know Kara isn't much of a drinker, but how about you, Lena?"
"Oh, hell yes. There are some reds on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. They're all good."
"I'll grab one and two glasses," Eliza said as she left.
"What was that?" Lena whispered.
Kara shrugged. "She asked about the proposal. I wasn't sure what to say."
"It sounded like you knew exactly what to say. She asked who proposed, not for you to re-enact it. I'm surprised you didn't tell her it was a starry night on my balcony. Why didn't you just get down on one knee when you gave your little speech?"
"You think I should have gotten down on one knee?"
"Kara." Sighing, Lena said, "We are digging a deeper and deeper hole for ourselves here. If your sister doesn't catch Janković soon, Eliza is going to think one of us is pregnant by the time—" Eliza walked back into the room, and Lena stopped talking.
"Everything all right?" Eliza asked as she put the glasses down.
"We were discussing work," Lena said as she faced forward and put food on her plate. "I'd hate to bore you with it."
"L-Corp?" Eliza asked as she handed the wine bottle over to Kara to open.
"Catco," Lena replied. "Nothing scientific, unfortunately. Kara has been a godsend getting me up to speed on the publishing business, but I still have a lot to learn."
"Is that causing any issues at work with your relationship?" Eliza asked thanking Kara as she poured the wine.
"We needed to fill out forms for HR, but that's all. There's been chatter, of course, but so what else is new. I'm more worried about Kara. I own the company. People will always gossip about me, but they can't do anything. Kara's coworkers can make her life difficult."
Chewing, Kara said, "Or, they can kiss my butt because I'm dating the boss, not that it would help them, but they don't know that."
"How are the potstickers, darling?"
"Amazing, of course. I'll get you back for this."
"Never bet against a Luthor."
"What name are you taking, or are you girls hyphenating?" Eliza asked.
Kara and Lena exchanged a look, and then Lena said, "Actually, we hadn't discussed it. I suppose we can hyphenate, or Kara could take Luthor."
Coughing, Kara said, "Excuse me? You want me to take Luthor? I'm a Super."
"I'd noticed," Lena said dryly. "What's wrong with Luthor?"
"It's not even your birth name. You should take Danvers."
"That's not even your birth name." Turning sideways in her chair again, Lena said, "Look, Kara, beyond the fact that I'm working my butt off to reclaim my family name and make something good out of it, do you have any idea how many patents I have in the name Luthor? Do you know how many philanthropic organizations there are with the name Luthor? Do you have any idea how many—?"
"Genocidal murders there are with the name Luthor?" Kara said.
Mouth hanging open, Lena said nothing.
"Okay, that was... I'm sorry. Lena, I'm sorry. That was totally out of line. I apologize. I don't know where that came from. I'm really—"
"Excuse me." Dropping her napkin on the table, Lena walked into the kitchen.
"I..." Kara watched her go, then looked over at Eliza. "I'm going to talk to her."
"You really should."
Kara found Lena, arms crossed, staring out the big picture window into the backyard. Standing behind the other woman, Kara gently placed her hands on Lena's shoulders. "I'm sorry."
"It's fine."
"It's not. I was completely out of line and in the wrong. I owe you an apology. You didn't deserve what I said."
Turning and taking a step back, Lena replied, "What you said was true, Kara. My family are genocidal murderers. That's what the Luthor name stands for. I don't know why I try so hard to make people think otherwise."
"No, that's who Lillian and Lex are, but that isn't you. You're going to redefine the name Luthor for everyone including idiotic me who says stupid stuff sometimes. Everyone will hear the name Luthor and think of invention, ambition, strength, revolution, charity, enrichment, generosity, and benevolence. It will be the name anyone would want to be connected with, the family anyone would want to be part of."
"Even a Super?"
"Especially a Super. Imagine that, a Super and a Luthor?" Kara smiled. "What could stop that combination?" Sliding her hands up and down Lena's arms, she asked, "Forgive me?"
"I'm not sure that would be very Luthor of me. How about I just plot my revenge in silence."
Kara laughed. "I doubt the silence."
"Okay, you've got me there. I'll plot my revenge with some passive-aggressive statements. That's how my mother would do it."
"That sounds like my favorite Luthor. Want to get back to dinner?"
Nodding, Lena said, "Eliza must think all we do is fight."
"Hey, compared to Clark and Lex, I think we're doing okay."
"True. I promise not to destroy any major cities if I'm upset with you."
"In that case, I promise to stay in major cities for my own protection."
"Wise woman."
The rest of dinner went without incident. Lena had made a chocolate mousse for dessert. Eliza said she was too full to eat any, but if Kara left any she'd have some later. Eliza insisted on doing dishes since Kara and Lena had cooked. Kara quickly cleared them, and Lena brought an extra-large chocolate mousse out for Kara.
"Is this as good as it looks?" Kara asked.
Handing Kara a spoon, Lena gestured at the dessert.
"Aren't you going to have any?"
Lena held up her own spoon. "I'll have some of yours."
"Hey." Pulling her dessert a little closer, Kara said, "It's not community property time yet. I'm still a free woman."
"There's more in the kitchen. I'm trying to keep your appetite in mind when I cook. It will take a while to judge it properly. Maybe Lois can give me some tips."
Spoon in her mouth, Kara slowly pulled it out. "Okay, that is... This is really good. Make this again. However, the idea of you talking relationship stuff with Lois is really, really weird."
"How weird?"
"Mega-weird."
Laughing, Lena took a tiny spoonful of dessert. "Mmmm. It is good. You don't think Lois could be helpful to us?"
"Oh, I'm sure she could be. She's probably the best source on the whole planet for this kind of information, but it's weird. Don't you think it's weird?"
Lena shrugged. "I've never met her. I wouldn't know. She has quite the reputation. A strong woman, driven, career-minded, strong moral fiber, runs headfirst into danger."
"Never mind. You two will get along fine," Kara said taking another spoonful of the mousse. "Hey, can we have cheesecake tomorrow?"
"What kind?"
Kara shrugged. "What kind can you make?"
"Kara, the culinary arts were a requirement of my upbringing. I preferred my time in the garage or the lab at Luthor Corp., but we were expected to know how to entertain, and that meant not just know how to throw a dinner party but also how to prepare proper meals. Just tell me what you'd like."
Smiling, Kara said, "Cheesecake."
Raising an eyebrow, Lena replied, "Really?"
Pointing with her spoon, Kara said, "You're doing that thing."
"What thing?"
"That thing with your face," Kara said.
Eyebrow rising slightly higher, Lena asked, "What thing with my face?"
"Ugh! That's worse! You made it worse."
Tilting her head to the side, eyebrow still raised up, Lena asked, "What am I doing?"
"Your... Lena. Don't you know?"
Elbow on the table and leaning on her palm, Lena bit her lower lip.
Kara squeaked out a little noise along with the word "Lip" which could clearly be heard before she slid off her chair onto the floor.
Slowly standing, Lena looked down to where Kara lay rather dramatically on the floor. "Kara?"
From the floor, Kara said, "...you're ...still... doing... it."
"I don't know what I'm doing."
"...killing... me."
"Okay, the dishes are done and..." Eliza looked from Kara lying on the floor to Lena.
"I swear I didn't poison her. I'm not that Luthor."
From the floor, Kara moaned and said, "...boundaries."
Shaking her head, Eliza said, "Kara, stop being melodramatic about whatever it is you're acting up about now and get off the floor... or I'll eat your dessert."
<><>
At bedtime, Lena came back from the bathroom wearing a t-shirt and shorts. As she walked in, Kara did a double take.
"No silk pajamas tonight?"
"It's getting warmer, so not tonight. It's pretty warm upstairs in the house. Eliza lent me an old t-shirt of Jeremiah's."
Kara smiled at the t-shirt that read, 'Certainly Not Everyone Was Kung-Fu Fighting'. She tamped down her smile and said, "I don't understand the t-shirt."
"You know that song, right?"
Kara shook her head.
"It was by... Actually, I have no idea who sung it. You must know it, Kara."
Kara shrugged. "I'm an alien. I missed a lot of Earth stuff. Sing it for me?"
"No."
"Oh, come on, Lena."
"I don't sing."
"It's just us, and we're engaged."
"No, we're not."
Kara gasped. "But I proposed in front of Eliza, and you said yes. I have a witness."
Grabbing her pillow, Lena tossed it at Kara. "You're a jerk."
Laughing, Kara caught the pillow and tossed it back to Lena. "That is no way to speak to your fiancée. Hey, did the song go something like this?" Kara sang the opening of the song, "Everybody was kung-fu fighting. Those kicks were fast as lightning. In fact it was a little bit frightening. But they fought with expert timing."
Gasping, Lena held onto the pillow and swung it at Kara repeatedly. "You are a horrible, horrible person. I cannot sing. I couldn't carry a tune in a bucket. I have so little musical talent I can barely play the radio. I cannot believe you tried to get me to sing for you. You deserve to be beaten for that."
Laughing, Kara backed in circles around the room while Lena pelted her with the pillow. "Hey, you watch it, Luthor, or I'll use my alien Kung-Fu on you."
"Doubtful," Lena said, smacking Kara one more time.
"Oh, yeah?" Kara jumped into a fighting position, one hand in front of herself, and the other held behind her and above her head. "You asked for it, Luthor. I am a trained member of the DEO and a superhero. You have no idea what you're up against. Waaaa! I-yyya! Hiyyya!" Kara jumped around throwing punches and kicks in the air while Lena giggled and exclaimed. Finally, Kara did a spin kick and brought her leg down behind her with a loud crack making both her and Lena freeze. "Did I just...?"
"Oh, my God, Kara. That was my bed."
Turning slowly, Kara took in the sight of her leg planted through the side of Alex's bed where she'd snapped the frame in half. "Oh, fudge nuggets."
<><>
It was the sound of raised voices that roused Eliza from her bed. Rubbing her eyes, she wandered from her room and down the hallway. "I swear to God, girls, enough already. You two are worse than Kara and Alex were the first year Kara moved in. Whatever this is about, you two need to listen to each other instead of..." Realizing the voices were coming from downstairs, Eliza continued down the hallway.
"Kara, don't be ridiculous. I'm two inches shorter than you. You can't stretch out on that. I should sleep on the couch."
"No, Lena. You're a guest here. Anyway, I broke the bed. I should sleep on the couch. That's fair."
Lena sighed. "It's not about fair, Kara. Life isn't fair. Be realistic. I'm shorter than you are. I'll sleep on the couch." Lena reached out, trying to grab the pillow from Kara's arms.
Kara clutched the pillow all the more tightly to her torso. "Life should be fair. If we can make it fair, then we do. I broke the bed, so I sleep on the couch. Go to bed."
"You go to bed."
"No, you go to bed."
"No, you go to bed."
With a head shake and a pout, Kara replied, "No, you go to bed."
"Don't you pout at me, Kara Zor-El. You march yourself upstairs, and you get into that bed this minute."
"It's not going to happen."
"Girls?"
At the voice from the stairs, Kara and Lena both stopped speaking and turned, seeing Eliza on the steps and slowly making her way to the bottom of the landing and into the living room.
"What's going on? What are you both doing down here?" She looked at the blanket on the couch, then to Kara and the pillow clutched in her arms. "Oh."
Brows furrowing, Kara said, "What?"
"Sit down, both of you," Eliza instructed. When the girls had complied and had taken seats on the couch, and Eliza was seated in a chair, she said, "Girls, you don't go to bed mad. This isn't how you handle things. You need to talk this out."
Lena spoke up. "Oh, we're not—"
"I could hear you two arguing from upstairs. What's the fight about?"
"There's no fight," Lena said quickly.
Kara nodded. "Yeah, Eliza, there's no fight. We had an incident."
"An incident." Eliza pursed her lips.
Kara and Lena nodded in unison.
"Well, I don't know what an incident is, but you need to talk through your incident and then go to bed. You don't go to bed with an incident between you. That can ruin a relationship, understood?"
Smiling, Kara said, "No, really, it's nothing like that. I broke Lena's bed."
Narrowing her eyes, Eliza asked, "You broke Lena's bed?"
"Yeah. It was an accident."
"Well, I should hope so. What happened?"
Lena opened her mouth to reply, but Kara spoke quickly saying, "We were fooling around."
Eyebrows high, Eliza said, "Oh."
"Kara." Hand on Kara's elbow, Lena frowned and shook her head.
"No, it's fine," Kara said smiling over at Lena before looking back at her foster mother. "We were just having fun, and I got a bit too excited."
"Kara, you need to stop," Lena said, squeezing Kara's forearm. "What actually happened, Mrs. Danvers—"
"You need to call her Eliza," Kara interrupted.
"I don't think that's the pressing issue right now," Lena said, her voice just a bit high pitched.
"It matters to her. It matters to you, right Eliza?"
Eliza smiled a bit stiffly in response.
"Anyway," Kara continued. "I guess we got a bit too wild. I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing, and I kicked out with my leg. It's not all my fault because Lena was really letting me have it, really giving it to me, you know? She said—"
"Oh my God, Kara!"
"Yeah, that's what you said." Kara smiled brightly. "Lena said—"
"Stop, please stop. I'll give you a million dollars if you just stop now," Lena begged.
"I don't have a million dollars, but I second that," Eliza said.
"I don't want your money, Lena. I just wanted to explain."
"I..." Eliza cleared her throat. "I think I have a pretty clear picture of what happened. Alex wasn't born through a birthing matrix after all."
Burying her face in her hands, Lena mumbled, "Where's a Serbian assassin when you need one?"
Kara looked back and forth between the two women. "What's going on? What don't I get?"
"Anything, apparently," Lena hissed as she pulled her face free from her hands.
With a small chuckle, Eliza stood and walked over, placing a hand on Kara's shoulder. "Doesn't sound true. Anyway... no one should have to sleep on the couch. You girls don't have to try and keep appearances up for my sake. You can stay in the same bed."
Kara and Lena turned with shared looks of shock on their faces as their gazes locked. Several seconds ticked off in silence.
Finally, Lena looked up at Eliza and said, "We wouldn't fit."
"Oh, I suppose you're right. The beds were even getting a little small for the girls before they went off to college."
Both Kara and Lena visibly relaxed.
Taking Kara's hand, Lena said, "Exactly. So, you see, Kara and I are fine. We're not fighting. We're just having a little discussion about which one of us should sleep on the couch which is ridiculous. I'm shorter, so I should."
"You're a guest, and I broke the bed, so I should," Kara countered.
"You're being ridiculous."
"I... ugh. I'm being right. Ridiculous is what you call me when I'm right."
"Well, then you must be consistently right."
"Hey!"
"Girls, girls." Eliza shook her head, her face and tone both showing obvious disapproval. "I'll settle this. Neither of you is sleeping on the couch. I'll sleep in Kara's bed. You can have my bed."
Lena snapped to her feet. "What?"
"Eliza, no," Kara said standing much more slowly. "We... uh... we couldn't. I mean... we couldn't, right?" Kara looked over at Lena for support.
"We can't," Lena agreed.
"Well, now you're both being ridiculous, and I'm the one who's right. My bed is big enough for the both of you. I'll be fine in Kara's bed."
"I... Lena steals the covers," Kara said suddenly.
"I do not... like to admit it, but I do." Lena looked at Kara out of the side of her eye. "Perhaps I get cold in my sleep."
"Yeah, and your feet are like icicles," Kara added.
"Well, that's true." Lena shrugged. "Sometimes I wear socks to bed."
"Well, Kara's like a furnace. Doesn't she keep you warm?" Eliza asked.
"You know what else Lena does? She—"
"Kara talks in her sleep," Lena interjected.
"No, I don't. Do I?"
"You most certainly do."
Leaning closer, Kara asked. "What do I say?"
"I've no idea. It's not in English or any other language I speak. It has a definite cadence to it though, a pattern, and some of the sounds you've repeated more than once. I'm certain they're words. Maybe it's you're native language from..." Lena pointed up.
"Oh... well, I could teach you and... if you wanted."
"You'd do that?"
"If you wanted," Kara repeated.
Eyes wide, Lena nodded slowly.
"Okay, you two, it's late. Why don't you continue this discussion about Kryptonian linguistics in the morning after we all get a good night's rest? Now come on. Up to bed with you both." Eliza pointed toward the stairs as she held out her other arm toward the two younger women.
"Eliza, I really think—"
"Kara, I'm too tired to argue with you. Just do as I say and get off to bed." When Lena opened her mouth, Eliza spoke quickly. "You too, young lady. I'm not your mother, but I'm playing the mother card. Now, off to bed. Go."
As she walked past Eliza, Lena mumbled, "I know you're not my mother. If you were, you'd be trying to kill one of us instead of putting us to bed."
Kara paused on her way past Eliza and said, "Um... Lillian would probably kill me not Lena."
"I don't think that makes it any better, Kara," Eliza replied.
Nodding, Kara handed over the pillow to Eliza and slowly headed upstairs.
Standing shoulder-to-shoulder just inside the doorway to Eliza's bedroom, Kara and Lena eyed the bed. It was queen sized with a lovely little pink and yellow floral bedspread that matched the curtains. The pillowcases and sheets were pink, and the bed was pulled back, unmade from Eliza's exit to see the girls' goings-on downstairs. Lena rubbed her fingers against her thumbs while Kara's fists tensed and relaxed.
"Well, here we are," Lena said, breaking the silence between them.
"Yup." Placing her hands on her hips, Kara rolled back and forth across the balls of her feet. "Here we are, just the two of us. That's a bed," Kara added as she gestured with one hand.
Looking over at Kara, Lena deflated as a good bit of tension left her body, and she laughed slightly.
"What?" Kara asked.
Patting Kara's shoulder, Lena made her way to the bed and crawled under the covers, shimmying to the side against the wall. "Let's not make this weird, all right? There's plenty of room here for the both of us. We won't even be touching each other. Are you okay with the outside?"
"Um... sure?" Kara's voice cracked a little bit, and she cleared her throat, repeating, "Sure. You're sure you're okay with this?"
"You're hardly the first woman I've been in bed with, Kara. Sleeping, now that's a novel concept."
Most of the way into bed, Kara paused and looked at Lena. "That didn't help."
"Sorry. I'll just be over here. You be over there, and we won't touch each other, okay?"
"Okay." Kara lay quietly in bed for several minutes before she said, "Are you asleep?"
"Not even close."
"Are you thinking about—?"
"Yup!"
With a loud sigh, Kara said, "We're screwed."
Sighing in response, Lena said, "I wish."