Clarence watches and smiles as Lena heads out to see her friend, getting away from the city, Andrea's father is having a hard time but Lena managed to convince her to go on a trip with her. In search of a secret coin that her mother had told her about. Lena's smile returning for the first time in quite a while. He is glad that the loss of her partner and the betrayal of Lex had not taken away the sweet girl she was.
"Come on Andrea, I need this, I need to be reminded that there is something out there that ties me to my mother still, that something in my life was real. In a month or so I have to testify and put Lex away, the last person I thought actually loved me, he just kidnapped me and tried to turn the sun red."
"Alright Lena, I get it, I do, you gave up Jack for your family and then they did what they always do, use you, manipulate you and send you on your way, you are the best of them Lena. I am with you, let's clear the cobwebs and get you out of this funk"
The excursion was a success, they found the location, Clarence watched as Andrea chose power over Lena and shook his head. He had hoped that she would be someone that would be there for her. After their trip Lena returned and with her testimony Lex was convicted to 32 life sentences. The Media was cruel to her and Lillian too. The day Lena went to claim Leadership of Luthor Corp Lillian was there.
"You don't deserve to be running this company, it should be me, I should be the one taking over. You have never been able to do what was needed to make the Luthor name great you have always been too soft. You turned your back on this family and allowed that Alien to pervert your brother, you sided with them Lena. I will find a way around the Will, Luthor Corp needs a real Luthor at the helm, not an emotional dramatic petulant child, you haven't changed, I gave you everything you needed to reach your potential and you can't because you are too soft."
"You think I want to be here Mother? I would not have chosen this, I didn't choose it but I will change the direction of this company, and make the Luthor name great, but it won't be synonymous with hate, xenophobia and psychopathy."
Lena hated the way Lillian would throw that in her face, that she was not a real Luthor, she had to put up with all the hate for her name, all the judgments of people who didn't know her, fight against the expectations because she was a Luthor, but not enough of a Luthor to be part of the family. She sighed and took a drink of scotch before delivering the speech to the board. She walked into the boardroom and addressed them.
"Our stakeholders have been concerned, our stock has taken a fall, as such I have shored up the company, between my original share, the percentage of my Fathers and my Brothers that have now reverted to me I now own 49% of its stocks. The stakeholders that have replaced our previous have been brought on inline with my vision. The new direction of Luthor Corp. The day has come to seperate the company and its goals with the family and the name, no longer will this company work on weapons and private projects to bring down any Alien. All projects that contain any anti alien objectives will be shelved, there will be a reorganisation and a restructure. As the board you are here to oversee the interests of the company, and that has changed with the new direction, if you no longer feel that you can perform this duty under new leadership then I will accept your resignations. The first order of business is the new location for the head office and the renaming of the company. It is time to move forward and distance ourselves and this company from the sins of the past, this will include philanthropic works too."
Watching Lena oversee the change in direction and the change of location made Clarence happy but Lena was starting to get a edge to her that he didn't understand she was very different when ever she was at work it was a persona that he didn't think fit her very well. A few weeks before the opening of LCorp Lena attended a party and while she was there she spotted Andrea and when they spoke Lena noticed that she was wearing the coin.
"How could you do this to me, I trusted you, I told you about my mother the connection to this and how much it meant to me, you said that you were with me, that you understood it was all a lie, you just wanted what you could get your just like everyone else. I can't believe I trusted you"
Clarence watched as Lena's work persona became her full time personality and she was saddened but he didn't lose hope in her. When the reporters visited he watched as the young shy woman in her office suddenly drew the attention of Lena, the look on her face the way their eyes connected, how they seemed to just understand each other.
"Who is that? Michael, that woman she has a connection with her she can bring her back, can help her believe again, can give her hope I can feel it"
"That is Kara Zor-El or Danvers here, she is Lena's soul mate, they belong together you are right but the road is long and difficult and the constant interruptions are taking up valuable time. Now please watch."
Clarence flinched at Lena shooting the man that was going to kill Alex but he hadn't died. Kara had shared the bi-line and Lena had been pleased and said that she hoped that she saw the reporter again. There were a few meetings with the blonde over the day each one the women seemed to connect, just a little more, each time there was a spark, a soul recognition and just as quickly it was pushed away, Clarence saw that the blonde was the superhero and that the Luthors had a difficult past with them, he was concerned about how this would play out, watching as the blonde told little lies to cover who she was but was friendly. Lena was unable to put aside her betrayals and hurt to allow her in, she was there for a fresh start but that didn't appear to include new friends.
Kara saw Lena sitting at the table alone and working, she had tried over and over to befriend the woman, she didn't want there to be any reason that they couldn't be friends, she liked her despite everyone's best efforts to convince her otherwise and she kept trying, after all the crest she wore meant hope, and she had enough for both of them, hope that they could be friends hope that they could be there for each other, the words Lena spoke in her office about wanting a new start out from her family's shadow, she felt the connection immediately. The woman was beautiful and smart, she was interesting and there was something else that Kara just couldn't put her finger on. She decided to approach and say hello give it another try.
"Lena hi, sorry to interrupt your working i was just meeting my sister for lunch which does not appear to be happening I will just grab something and let you be"
Clarence had faith, he believed in the blonde and Lena, he knew that just opening up a little Lena would be able to feel it to see the opportunity in front of her. He bit his lip and watched as Lena put aside her Laptop and invited Kara to sit with her. Lena was anxious, she had made a vow not to let anyone in, not to let people close to her but this blond was persistent, she was just infectious in her happiness and the smile was radiating. None of that was comparable to the way Lena felt when she was caught in the gaze of the Azure eyes.
"Well I normally work through lunch but I think that I can make an exception. Tell me Kara why is it that I haven't seen any BiLines with your name on it yet?"
Kara blushed lightly and Lena thought it was the most adorable thing she had ever seen. The woman was very cute in her shyness and modesty, she could feel the attraction to her and knew that this could be a mistake. Kara smiled lightly at the woman and then sighed.
"Well I was Cat Grants assistant and then she promoted me, I got to pick anything that I wanted and she would find a place for me and I chose to be a reporter, Cat revealed to me that was her assessment as well so I thought that it would be easy, I mean I thought anything would be easy after being Cat's assistant. However my new boss snapper is not a fan, I have been pitching and pitching ideas over and over and well I haven't even been able to get a story on the board yet, let alone an article published. I just don't know if it is something that I am meant to be doing. It is just so hard. Sorry I um, I didn't mean to ramble"
Lena chuckled lightly and looked at the blonde she was sweet, and so open she just couldn't believe that she was interested in having her and a friend.
"Well I think that you will need to be a little more succinct when writing, but I understand what you mean, you know my brother used to turn down all my pitches too. Well you have shown that you have the determination and the integrity Kara, just keep trying, women always have to work twice as hard as any man to make it, and are criticised twice as harshly for any mistakes."
Kara looked at her and smiled, thinking about the time with Cat and let out a small chuckle too.
"You know Cat Grant said the same to me once, of course I had just rambled at her for five minutes about how she treated me shouting and making a complete fool of myself before begging her not to fire me, I guess my ineptitude when conveying things, and my struggles with word vomit prompts people to advise me"
Lena raised her eyebrow and looked at the woman, she knew of Cat of course but well she had never met her, she sounded like a good mentor for Kara. Kara looked at the woman and the way she raised that brow she likened it to the Cat lip purse that told you that something you have said had amused or annoyed her, not that you could always tell. This brow was perfect, somehow it was both terrifying and beautiful all at the same time.
"I would have liked to see Kara Danvers, the shy reporter shouting at the notorious Cat Grant, I should imagine the diatribe that followed was very entertaining indeed. It was nice having a lunch companion maybe we could do it another time, but now I really do have to go, don't let him make you feel less than you are Kara."