Summary: Lena figures out Kara is Supergirl through her eating habits.
Slight AU: Lena finds out Kara is Supergirl (so she didn't know) and they're friends. Not really S5 canon compliant.
* * *
It was a chilly October evening and Lena Luthor was burning the midnight oil at L-Corp when she was rudely interrupted by two bulky men entering her office. She sighed softly and wondered how many times this was going to happen before she would found adequate security guards who would keep her safe like they were hired to do. Lena reached for her purse and felt around blindly for her taser before remembering she had switched bags that morning and had forgotten to pack the weapon. That was when the panic started to set in. Her abductors were approaching fast and she glanced towards the balcony, briefly considering it as an escape route, but she couldn't know if Supergirl would get there in time like the last time. And Lena wasn't ready to splat to her death just yet. Instead she subtly scribbled the word 'help' on the company's newest project's progress report and pocketed the pen in her pant suit just in case.
'What can I do for you, boys?' Lena asked conversely.
'You need to come with us. We can do this the easy way or the hard way, Luthor,' one of the men spoke hostilely.
'Well, we wouldn't want a repeat of last year,' Lena joked lightheartedly as she stood up. 'If I may, who sent you? Was it my mother?' She prodded once she didn't receive a reaction from either men. 'She has my address, you know. If she wanted to see me so badly, she could've sent me a postcard requesting my presence instead of going through all this trouble.'
The CEO already knew where they were headed: the parking lot. So, as they were nearing their first destination, Lena carefully plucked the pen out from her pocket and hid it in her sleeve.
'Hey, no funny business,' one of the men warned as the elevator doors opened.
'No funny business,' Lena promised on their way to the van. 'Except for this...' She made a move to escape, but the men easily grabbed her and shoved her against the vehicle. 'That was harder than I expected,' she admitted with a huff.
'Lena, dear. Was that you trying to run away?' Lillian Luthor wondered, looking unimpressed as she came into view.
'A girl can try, right?'
'And fail miserably,' Lillian observed. 'Honestly, Lena. For someone with your intelligence, I had expected a more foolproof plan.'
'Looks like I'm keeping up my streak of disappointing you, mother,' Lena replied coolly.
'Now, let's go into the car, shall we, before this commotion alerts your Kryptonian bff,' her mother suggested.
The kidnappers pulled her to the back, and a small, victorious smile appeared on Lena's lips when she saw the faint 's' she had managed to scratch on the car paint. Lena let her eyes wander inside of the black van and wondered what kind of tech her mother had installed to make sure Supergirl wouldn't find them.
'The walls are lined with lead and the van is soundproof,' Lillian informed when she noticed her daughter look around.
'Isn't is a bit conspicuous that the car seems to be Supergirl-proof? She might not be able to see or hear me, but this van will stick out like a sore thumb,' Lena countered with a raised eyebrow.
'That's why there are several of these automobiles currently riding around in the city,' her mother said obviously.
'But none of those have an 's' scratched onto them', Lena thought to herself.
*
'Alex, something's wrong with Lena,' Supergirl said anxiously through her comms.
'What do you mean?' Alex Danvers asked cautiously.
'I went to check up on her, but she isn't at her office or at home,' Kara detected as she landed softly on the L-Corp balcony. She pushed the glass door open, knowing Lena kept it unlocked in case Supergirl stopped by, and quickly scoured the room for any clues.
'Are you at L-Corp right now? What do you see?' Her sister prompted in her ear.
'No signs of a struggle, wherever she is, I think she went willingly,' Kara frowned.
'Maybe she called it a night and headed to a friend's house, or a bar downtown, Supergirl,' Alex tried to rationalise before they jumped to any conclusions, although hearing the Kryptonian's worry, it might be too late for that.
'Alex,' Kara called flatly. They both knew the likelihood of that happening was slim. 'The lights were still on and Lena never leaves a room without switching them off, and she literally wrote 'help' on a piece of paper,' Kara read as she picked up the report sheet. She closed her eyes and tried to listen for her best friend's pulse. It wasn't long before her own was pounding in her head, 'I can't hear her heartbeat. Oh no, what if they-? I'm going to check the whole building to see if there are any signs of an attack.'
*
'Supergirl, there are fifteen vans in the city that match the description of the one we saw on the security footage of L-Corp's parking lot,' Alex Danvers informed the superhero. 'The one holding Lena might have some extra gadgets to keep you from finding her, so look for a van with lead in the lining or with sound dampening walls.'
The Super flew around the city and did as instructed. 'Ten of them have all of that,' Supergirl reported warily.
Alex stayed silent at the new piece of information, her mind racing with strategies they could use to find the van their friend was on.
'But only one of them has that,' Supergirl suddenly noticed. She flew headfirst to the black vehicle with a minuscule 's' on the side and effortlessly carried it to a nearby rooftop. Without hesitation she pulled the back door open to reveal the one and only Lena Luthor casually chatting with her mother. Kara frowned at the unexpected sight, but didn't have time to think about it since Lillian's goons were rushing towards her in an attempt to keep her away from their captive. She quickly knocked the men out and gave her location to her sister so the DEO agents could come and wait for them below.
'Lena,' Kara nodded.
'Supergirl,' Lena returned with a thankful look in her eyes.
Lillian Luthor glanced at both women suspiciously before stepping out of the van. 'Well, that was fun. Are you sure you don't want to come and work for me, Lena? We could achieve amazing things together.'
'I'm sure, mother.'
'I'm afraid I can't let you leave, Mrs. Luthor. You aided and abetted in a crime,' Supergirl reminded Lillian when she made a move to walk away. 'The DEO will take you into custody and hand you over to the police.'
Lillian waved her off dismissively. 'Do whatever you need to do, Supergirl. God knows I'll get out of those dirty prisons soon enough anyway.'
*
'Thank you for coming to my rescue again, Supergirl,' Lena Luthor smiled at the superhero gratefully.
'I couldn't have done it without you, Ms. Luthor,' the Super returned as she gently put the woman in her arms down on her office balcony.
'It seems like you and I make quite the team,' Lena commented with a soft grin. 'Who would've believed a Luthor and a Super working together?'
'We sure do. We did a great job today, partner,' Kara teased.
'Would you like to stay for a late dinner? I was thinking of ordering some takeout.'
'I could really eat something,' Supergirl agreed enthusiastically.
*
The next morning
'Kara Danvers. You are a sight for sore eyes,' Lena Luthor greeted her best friend with a needed hug. 'Thanks for inviting me for breakfast, what's the occasion?' She asked as she slid in the seat opposite of where the blonde was sitting.
'I just thought you could use a pick-me-up after the night you've had,' Kara explained.
'How do you know about that?' Lena questioned suspiciously. 'It wasn't on the news since it was already late, and I don't recall texting you about it...'
'I-Alex told me. Yeah,' Kara lied. 'Um, she was still at the DEO when Supergirl noticed there was something wrong, and since you're my best friend, she thought I would want to know.'
'Well, you don't have to worry. I'm fine. Supergirl saved the day as she always does,' Lena told her with a smile.
'Are you ladies ready to order?' A waitress interrupted their conversation.
The L-Corp CEO requested a modest breakfast for herself while the reporter ordered nearly everything on the menu.
'I forgot about your appetite,' Lena said with an impressed look on her face. 'It almost enough to feed-,' she paused as a realisation dawned on her, 'a Kryptonian.'
Kara laughed embarrassedly. 'Well, you know me. It doesn't matter what time of the day it is, I could always eat something. And hey, I work out with my sister so I think I deserve those extra calories.'
'Yeah, you do,' Lena agreed softly as she stared at the same blonde who had seemingly saved her life the previous night.