Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

-Year 2016-

It felt…odd. Not wrong, not right, just odd. Like if something or someone was looming on the back of her thoughts and she couldn't catch the intruder as it fled from one part of her memories to another, as an elusive idea that refused to take form. Odd.

She rubbed small circles on her temple, trying to put a name to the weird sensation as she vaguely paid any attention to the screen she was monitoring at the DEO.

"Is your head hurting, again?" Alex asked, noticing that her sister was once more lost in thought.

"Hum?" she gazed up, seeing the worry look on the redhead's face, "Oh, no, I'm good," Kara smiled at her sister, "Sorry, I'm just a little distracted today," she waved her hand dismissively, "I'm trying to get used to being back," back to the DEO after taking a few days off to recover from her sudden and drastic illness.

"Maybe you should rest for a little bit longer. You gave us a scare with that fever," Alex folded her arms, "what if another solar flare happens?"

"I'm okay now," Kara said reassuringly, although she couldn't quite vouch for those words yet, as her hand grabbed the edge of her cape.

"You keep doing that," Alex said gently, pointing at her hand. Her sister had been acting out of the ordinary for over a month now. At first, it was by doing unexpected things such as inviting the Lena Luthor to their Thanksgiving dinner, which, to the Kryptonian's credit, ended up being a lovely evening, but now Kara was acting strangely, as if she was missing something she relentlessly looked for. And the weird behavior often included the way she gazed at her sides, to then immediately tug the edge of her cape, as a self-comforting motion.

Kara let go of the fabric after being caught red-handed, "It's just a tick," she admitted, "I keep having this faint sensation that it's being pulled, but when I look there's nothing there," no one.

"Well, if it starts getting in the way we can always ask Winn to pitch in another design," Alex shrunk her shoulders, "You could think about getting rid of the cape."

Kara's fist clenched the textile tightly to the point her knuckles turned white, while her expression matched with a blank stare, yet again lost in reminiscence, "I need it for…" she traced back but couldn't quite find the words. Said reaction didn't reassure Alex.

"Okay, sis," The older Danvers squeezed her shoulder encouragingly, "It's part of your uniform and your tradition, that's reason enough to keep it," she said, gazing to the back of the room at one of the screens, as someone turned on the volume to hear the coverage.

Kara followed her gaze only to find the news channel covering the event of the day; Lillian Luthor's trial, "I should get going," Kara said, "I don't want to be late."

"Are you sure you don't need a team escorting Lena?" Alex asked, arms folded, her face showing a trace of concern, "I've been digging a bit, there are a lot of threats addressed to her."

"I'll be there with her, if anything happens, I have it covered," Kara assured, smiling softly at Alex, "But thank you for offering, I'm sure it would mean a lot to her to know you care."

Alex scoffed, trying to play it cool, averting her gaze elsewhere, "I'm just trying to repay the favor," the agent said, "she did us a solid by spoiling that launch, she saved a lot of lives," Supergirl's included, her baby sister's life. For that, Alex was in eternal debt with the youngest Luthor, but for tending to a feverish Kara Danvers and staying by her side through the whole ordeal showing her genuine concern? For that, Lena had won Alex's favor forever.

Kara smirked seeing right through her sister's facade and found it endearing. The redhead was also warming up to Lena, despite her original prejudice. If Alex's perception could be swayed, then the rest of National City could also see Lena for who she truly was.

"Besides," Alex continued, trying to deflect, "you aren't in your best shape yet," she pushed her finger just below Kara's shoulder, purposely avoiding the most recent scar she had gained…out of nowhere.

Kara rubbed the spot, truth be told, she had no clue how she had gotten it, but the fact it engraved her skin could only mean it was made with Kryptonite, but she would remember an encounter like that, wouldn't she? "Well, I trust that you and Guardian can cover for me if needed. She can fight by your side meanwhile."

"He," Alex corrected.

"What?"

"Guardian?" the redhead clarified, "You said she, not that I think James would be particularly offended, but you never know," she shrugged her shoulders in an easygoing fashion.

Kara frowned realizing her mix-up, "He," she repeated, "right." Was that right? It didn't seem right, but at the same time, all logic pointed to that, James and Winn had created that alter ego, after all. Jimmy was Guardian.

"Besides, I don't think we would make a good team-up, no offense to him, but I rather go with Maggie, and I'm sure he prefers having Winn watching his back."

Kara wanted to refute, she wanted to say that Alex and Guardian would be a perfect duo, but then again, that didn't fit in quite right. The idea that Alex would be with Maggie didn't agree with Kara either, but she had no idea why. Maybe she was just jealous that they were spending time together? Maybe.

Ultimately, Kara just shook her head, trying to set those scattered thoughts aside, "Well, if I need backup, I'll give you a call."

"Who needs backup?" a third voice joined them as Mon-el walked in, "I'm available if we are talking about a mission."

Kara gazed at him, mouth hanging open as she tried to decide what to say next. It felt like there was something she was supposed to say to him…something they were supposed to do together, a moment that was missing between them, and judging by the way her sister was looking at both, she was also trying to figure something out. It was like looking at a puzzle and not having the reference picture of what the result had to look like. But Kara realized that she didn't miss it, or felt tormented by the void in her thoughts, unlike the ones she couldn't place. So, she smiled politely and shook her head, "No. It's fine. I'm going to see Lena as a friend, not as Supergirl. You don't have to come with me," she replied, taking a step back, closer to the balcony. But that distance, that single action of walking in the opposite direction, materialized a decision Kara hadn't realized she had to make. It was as if she could tell that their paths wouldn't be the same, Kara didn't know how she was so certain about it, but when she looked into Mon-el's eyes, she couldn't see a future together, he wasn't going to be there for her, and that much, she knew for sure. And lifting that off her chest was like taking a deep breath after having been underwater for so long. It felt…liberating.

So, she turned around, facing away from Mon-el, leaving behind, -in the past?- a future with him that wouldn't come to be.

Lena Luthor stood by herself, trying to school her hands into stop fidgeting and her breathing to settle on one rhythm, but she couldn't deceive herself into calming down. She knew the world would have its eyes on her once more, to scrutinize her, inspect her through a lens that was already biased and judge her as it deemed fit. She was a Luthor, therefore evil just like the rest of her family, and now that Lillian was faced with almost provoking a genocide, the final verdict was that three out of four Luthors were maniacs, so it was only a matter of time before it was the whole set.

"I took the liberty of adding two sugars," a voice called from behind, forcing Lena out of her thoughts, "I figured today you might need something sweet."

"Kara," Lena's face softened, and the previous unforgiving thoughts were momentarily set aside as she accepted the coffee that was being offered, "thank you."

Kara smiled kindly at her, as all her focus was directed at Lena alone. Her mind didn't seem to scatter when she was near her, it was one of the few instances in which her brain complied to the present and not with whatever her thoughts were doing in the background, "How are you feeling?"

"Trick question," Lena huffed, taking a sip of the drink, finding it a bit too sweet but also agreeable. Maybe she did need a bit of contrast to even how bitter she was feeling.

"Tricky deflection," Kara answered with a smirk as they began their stroll through the park on their way to the courthouse. Lena's driver had offered to take them, of course, but for the CEO, having a chance to clear her head before walking in front of the jury to give her statement was the obvious choice, especially given the company.

"You truly are a reporter," Lena teased back, stealing a glance at the blonde.

"I try to be," Kara shrugged her shoulders, before actually gazing into her eyes, "but not today. And not right now," she said evenly, "so, how are you feeling?" she repeated the question, more gently.

Lena felt exposed, but not hurt as the knot in her throat tighten, while she fought to keep her chin from quivering, "Scared," she admitted.

"You don't have to worry about what they'll say or think about you," Kara said with incredible resolve, like if she could guarantee that, one day, people would see her and not her last name, "I know you are advocated for justice and equality. You stopped the launch, you saved them all, and I'm sure others will see it that way, too" Kara stated adamantly.

"That's not…that's not what frightens me," Lena admitted, gazing down at the drink on her hands as a tear landed on it, adding a bit of salt to the sweetened coffee, "I'm afraid that…now that Lillian will be gone I'll…I'll be alone," she confessed, "It's an absurd thing, but the truth is…we were both what was left of the Luthor's household and now…she'll be gone, too," she bit on her lower lip, "that makes me the last Luthor standing and…I know all the terrible things she's done, but…but she was who I had left…" she turned, trying to wipe her eyes and keep herself together, given that she was going to be on national television in mere minutes.

"Then, you'll have me," Kara said, following her movements, gently grabbing her shoulders so their eyes could meet. Blue orbs meeting Kryptonite-like green ones, "I'm never leaving your side and I'm not going to let you carry the burden of being the last one," she stressed, "I know how that feels," she added, as the last daughter of Krypton. She had told Lena about being the only survivor of her family after all, in one of their walks. If not for the sudden fever maybe she could remember that event more clearly, but she recalled how it felt to tell her that, how genuine it was, "So, you don't have to face any of this on your own. I'm here."

She was. Kara truly was there, she made good on the promise of staying by her side. She was accompanying Lena to the courthouse because the Luthor asked her to. Lena rarely asked for favors unless she had something to give in return, but this wasn't a business transaction, like the ones she was used to, this was her friend being there for her.

So, Lena nodded, taking in a deep breath as Kara gently rubbed her arms up and down, "Thank you, Kara" she said softly, swallowing hard before inspecting her closer, "How have you been?" she asked in return, "Are you feeling better?" Kara didn't look as tired as before, Lena even dared to say the blonde looked rejuvenated.

It was Kara's turn to exhale, feeling at odds with the question, "I guess," she let go of her shoulders as they continued to walk through the mostly empty park, "I feel out of myself most of the time," she admitted, "then again, I've never been this sick before, so it makes sense," she sighed, "although some things still don't make any sense," her hand subconsciously rubbed the scar on her shoulder. The blonde shook her head, "I don't want to trouble you with this today," Kara exhaled, meeting her eyes.

"It's no trouble," Lena said, "I'm not wearing the mask, and you don't have to put up an act," she replied gently. It was just the two of them, there was no need for any pretenses, "I want to know… I'm here for you, too," she didn't want to feel like a Luthor, she wanted to feel like her friend.

Kara smiled tenderly, relaxing her posture, pushing her glasses slightly down the bridge of her nose, moving the rug to uncover the broken pieces that laid underneath, "I have…this strange feeling," she traced back, "like I'm missing something or…" someone, "I don't know how to explain it," she looked at her own hand, "but it feels like I left something that I was supposed to hold onto," she swallowed, "and I've been driving Alex and myself crazy trying to find it, trying to stop that hollow sensation," she dropped her arm to her side, sighing brokenly, "but in the end, my hand is empty, and I there's nothing I can do about it." She gazed ahead, her sight set on the horizon. No matter how much she tried to recall what was misplaced, she couldn't name it, she only knew it should be on her daily basis, and now…she felt the sudden withdrawal.

Her mind was drifting once more, her hand doing the ghostly gesture of pulling at a cape she wasn't even wearing, unaware of the cold fingers that brushed against her own, gently sliding across her palm to finally intertwine into hers, holding her hand carefully, tentatively.

Kara gazed down, seeing their hands together as her pulse quickened, looking up to find Lena was shyly averting her gaze while still trying to steal a glance, to know if this was acceptable, still afraid of the little gesture she had grown up without knowing, such as this. So, Kara smiled and pressed her palm in return, her thumb caressing the back of Lena's own, finding that the unnamed feeling that previously tormented her, was fading away, "Thank you," Kara said, "this makes it so much better," she smiled at Lena, as if she was the only person in the world right there and then. Like she would be the only one ever… but the world came crashing back, as they reached the outside of the courthouse, where every major news channel was waiting, still unaware of the Luthor's presence, "Are you ready to go in?" Kara asked quietly.

Lena took one deep breath, pressing her hand tighter, "Yes."

"Okay, then," Kara was going to walk there with her, not as a Super vouching for a Luthor's decency, not as a hero looking over a trial to ensure justice, or even as a DEO agent trying to see Cadmus be shut down, but as Kara. Kara, who was going to be another face in the crowd so that if Lena needed to gaze at someone when feeling alone, she could meet her eyes and be assured, that at least one person in that room was looking at her with nothing but trust and affection.

Everything that happened in the courthouse came and went like a blur. The only thing Lena registered was that her chest tightened while the flashes of cameras blinded her as she made her way outside, hearing the unforgiving questions rain down on her about her involvement with Cadmus, or the way others condemn her for turning on her mother.

The most unusual thing, however, was to see a small group of protesters with posters screaming on the other side of the police barricade and find them…cheering for her. A group of humans and aliens, no less. And that warmed her up, because…that's the people she helped save, those were the families that survived another day, despite all odds and hatred. And she felt the sudden urge to protect that -protect them- and maybe, she could do more to ensure they were always safe.

The reporters, however, made sure to chase her away, as she entered the limousine, ready to flee the scene, finally being able to let her guard down behind polarized windows, as she pinched the bridge of her nose, breathing in unevenly, trying to keep herself from breaking down.

"Are you alright?"

Lena jolted up, surprised by the sudden awareness that there was someone else on the backseats. Kara was at the ready with an apology on her lips for the intrusion, about to explain that her driver had let her in, but Lena didn't let her get a word in before hugging her tightly.

"Thank you," she mumbled into her ear, not trying to disguise how shaky her voice was, "I'm sorry for dragging you into this, but…thank you for being here."

"I'm right where I need to be," Kara slowly embraced her back, feeling as if those words had been whispered to her before, like a truth she had chosen to believe, that her place was by Lena's side. It made her feel grounded back to the moment, being lured by something she couldn't quite place when held in Lena's arms. It was warmth despite the world judging Lena for a cold exterior, it was kind, even when others deemed her to be a monster, it felt like…home…even when Lena thought she just had lost her own.

"What do you need?" Kara whispered, rubbing small circles on her back as the driver attempted to give them some privacy while trying to see where they would go next.

Any other day, and perhaps if Kara weren't with her, Lena would have asked to be taken to her office at L-Corp, because she had to give the image that she was standing strong and unwavering despite the circumstances. And most likely, she would have to go to her office later that day to ensure stability and so that the company's stocks wouldn't plummet like they did when Lex went to jail, but right now, what Lena wanted the most was to not be seen by judging eyes.

"I…I want to go to my apartment," she replied after a beat, slowly letting go of the embrace.

"Alright," Kara mumbled back, and the driver nodded, taking them to the penthouse, where no media was allowed. The limousine parked and Kara gazed up at the tall building from the window. Had she walked in front of those apartments before? They look vaguely familiar.

"Where should I drive you, Miss Danvers?" the man asked, and Kara felt the sudden urge to reply, "here", as if thought she just had made it to her destination as well.

"Can I stay with you?" Kara asked bluntly, turning at the raven-haired woman, "At least until you have to go?"

"What about CatCo?"

Kara shook her head, "I'm not a reporter today," she repeated her previous words and Lena felt her breathing hitch, unused to being someone's priority the way she was Kara's.

"…Yes," the Luthor answered, "I'd like the company"

So, they made their way upstairs and when Kara was let into the apartment it looked… like a place she had been before, which was impossible since this was the first time she had ever been invited to a house like this. Perhaps she had seen something like it in a magazine?

Kara had the absurd impulse to greet…something as they walked in, but she naturally knew Lena lived on her own, so instead, she looked around. It was so sterile and impeccable that it almost felt like a show-ready penthouse to display for future buyers. Lena's personality didn't shine through the décor, it was more like a hotel suite than an apartment, "Your place is really nice," Kara spoke up, feeling like she should comment on it, fixing her gaze to the window where the sun was coming in, "you could put sunflowers in there," she mumbled, yet again lost in thought, lingering her sight there, imagining perfectly how they would look.

Lena followed her gaze, "You truly love sunflowers."

Kara cleared her throat, realizing she had spaced out, "Yeah, they…remind me of my family, I guess," she admitted. Everyone in Krypton was like a sunflower in a sense. When there was no sun to nurture them, they would turn to look at one another to give them strength.

"Maybe I'll buy some," Lena said over her shoulder, leaving her purse on the couch and hanging her coat, setting everything aside neatly, although she clearly seemed too exhausted to be this tidy. Kara would have tossed everything aside and kicked her feet up, given the circumstances "I'm not…quite settled in yet," Lena found herself admitting, heading for what Kara was sure was the kitchen, "with L-Corp and everything else in between, I…I just looked for a place to live, not really a place where I could re-start my life, I barely spend any time here."

Kara found the idea strange, as she followed her, moving around the space with far more familiarity than Lena, "Well…if you want National City to be your new beginnings, maybe you should allow yourself to grow some roots," she said carefully, leaning into the bar, "it's your house, it should be a place where you want to be, your safe haven."

"I don't think I've ever been somewhere where I could feel that way," Lena mumbled, her eyes briefly meeting Kara's, and the Kryptonian knew she could provide more of a home in her arms for Lena than the Luthors could with a mansion.

"Well, I hope you can make of this your home," Kara said, and Lena offered a tired smile. Perhaps tired of hoping for that, too.

"Yeah, maybe," she exhaled, pouring the hot water on two cups, leaving a variety of tea flavors for her to pick.

"Thanks," Kara grabbed a bag, making sure to add plenty of sugar, noticing that the Luthor's gaze was a bit lost, a bit crystalized. It resembled how she had felt for the last couple of days.

Lena's lips parted, "Can I ask you something… something unfair?" something cruel and undeserving of your kindness.

Kara nodded, setting her cup down, listening closely to more than just her words.

Lena averted her eyes, swallowing thickly, "Why do you…why do you stand by me?" The syllables echoed in the inert apartment, "I know what I have to offer as a business partner, I know the gain of having me as a source or just by the influence of my brand, but…but you don't ask for any of those things in return," Kara had brought her lunch to the office, invited her to a Thanksgiving dinner and paid for her coffee, treating Lena as if she wasn't a billionaire, as if she wasn't a Luthor, or the adoptive daughter of Lilian, who was currently going to jail. And on the latter, instead of asking her for an exclusive, Kara had asked Lena how she felt regarding it, "You know my status and you never ask for anything for yourself, I don't…I don't understand that. What do you gain out of having me in your life?"

The question itself hurt more than the implication, "Well, just that," Kara answered, "having you in my life. I think that's the most valuable thing," she admitted, noticing the surprise in Lena's face. The uncertainty in her green eyes stabbed Kara to her core, because the Girl of Steel knew how much Lena was worth -not because of what she owned- but for who she truly was, and the Luthor couldn't see that about herself. Kara smiled tentatively, tilting her head, "I could ask you the same," the reporter countered softly, turning the tables, "other than some good press, a contact to get Supergirl and a sister on the FBI, what good can I be in your life?"

"You make everything better," Lena said immediately, the idea that she would have Kara for anything other than her companionship sickened her, "I would never use you for any of those reasons, you are my friend."

Kara smirked in return, "You are my friend, too," she said, holding her hand across the counter, "I trust you and I admire you. Not only because of what you are trying to do outside of your family's legacy, but because of your drive and your brilliance," she said heatedly, feeling no embarrassment in saying that out loud because there was no shame in saying the truth, although Lena's cheeks were the ones that dusted a faint red.

Kara breathed in, "I can imagine that… in the past, people have approached you for the wrong reasons," being Supergirl, she could relate to that. People saw the "S" on her chest and expected to get something out of it, "that…maybe even your family taught you that you were only worth what you could offer in return," Kara's worth as a Kryptonian was often measured by what she could do as a hero, a burden of misplaced expectations she had taken over her shoulders, "But…I just want to be with you. Not your title as a CEO, or your connections, or your family ties," she held on tighter, "I value our time together more than what I can put down in words because I feel…like myself" beyond being a Danvers or a Zor-El, "and…that means everything to me." She looked up, meeting her eyes, "Can you believe me when I say that's my only motive?"

Kara was Supergirl, she was keeping her secret identity from Lena, but she wasn't deceiving her when she said that what she wanted the most was her.

Lena felt her eyes sting as the tears blurred her vision because she did believe in Kara's words, she could hear the honesty in them, she felt them to be hearted and genuine, and that made her regret even having to ask, "I do. I trust you and I'm…I'm sorry," she added, removing her hand to dry her tears, "you've been nothing but open to me and I even asked you not to push me away and I just…I just assumed the worst," because life had taught her to question everything. If she had been offered sweets by a stranger as a kid, she would have taken them for the sole act of being handed something, because she wasn't used to receiving anything that she didn't have to fight restlessly for.

Kara circled the bar, reaching her side, "Don't apologize," she said gently, "not to me," she grabbed her forearms, "it's not your fault," why did those words hit Lena so heavily? "And you have my word, even if you feel like you have nowhere to belong, I will always be right here to remind you that's not true. As long as I'm here, you won't have to be the last one standing," her arms wrapped around her, building Lena a safe haven with her embrace.

"Does it ever stop?" Lena mumbled; her voice muffled against the reporter's shoulder, "that feeling…that our families left? That emptiness," the void inside, that Kara was intimate with, the feeling of having to carry a world's legacy on her back and the fear of daring to have a family of her own, of having someone to pass down the torch to, or deciding to put it out forever.

Did it ever stop? Did time really heal such wounds?

Kara felt something heavy weight on her chest, "I…" but she could picture it, she could see a moment in her life where there would be so much ahead of her that she wouldn't have to look back, "…Yeah," she mumbled, "I think it does," she held her tighter as she said those words and realized that the thing that lured her in, was a soft steady rhythm that tangled itself against her own, making a symphony of two. She was hearing Lena's heartbeat. And it was like remembering a song that had been forgotten, like waking up to Krypton's sun kissing her skin, like finding the place where she belonged.

Kara closed her eyes, feeling as though she could have fallen asleep to that melody, "And I'll make sure that one day, you don't feel this way anymore," she mumbled, "I'll be with you, always."

"Promise?"

"I promise," she said solemnly, as a vow, "you can hold me to my word," the blonde held her tighter.

"I will, Darling."

Kara felt her pulse quicken at the nickname, it felt…welcoming, it felt right, it felt…familiar. It was like closing a cycle that had somehow started there -or in a forgotten dream- perhaps.

But that strange sensation motivated Kara further to make good on that promise, no matter what came next, her arms would always be open to receive her in them, her heart would always have a place where Lena could reside…

And her door would always be open…

-Year 2020-

Kara felt her presence even before Lena was actually there, she could pick up the sound of her heels walking up the stairs, the way her breathing was uneven, but more so, she could hear the sound of her heartbeat racing as she finally made her way to the apartment door, knocking.

And that's the moment that brought everything together. Lena Luthor was on the other side, waiting, standing there, breaking the distance she had imposed between them. And that petrified Kara as she stared at the wooden portal, knowing that on the other side awaited a pair of eyes that could strip her away from all her strength just as Kryptonite would. But the way they gazed at her was what could tear her down or disarm her. If they were filled with hate or not was what Kara couldn't know unless she opened. Her hand hovered over the doorknob, her mouth dry as she gathered herself feeling as though… she had already opened that door before, making the barriers that had previously been there lose their strength and their dimension…and it didn't hurt as much to let her in. Because she already had, a long time ago; she had let her into her life, into her home, into the core of who she was. The blonde reporter had always been Supergirl, but she had never been any less of the Kara Lena had known.

So, when the door was no longer dividing them, Kara finally gazed upon those green, emerald eyes and before even being able to determine the way they were looking at her, she realized she had missed them dearly. And when they softened, Kara's heart began to pace to a rhythm that wasn't her own.

"Lena," time froze between them, mercifully so, letting both take in an image that was bitter and sweet, as both pulses tried to make a melody while being on opposite sides of the room as if trying to hear the echo of the other to know when it was the moment to join in with a cadenza to say and show all the things that words could never.

The Luthor breathed in, close to gasping for air as she held her fists tight, "I know I have no right to be here and do this," she bit on her lower lip, fighting to let the hurt and the venom behind, "but I was wrong and I…," how did she even begin to ask for forgiveness to the person she had hurt the most? What power in the world possessed her to believe that Kara would hear her? That she would deem her voice worthy of attention after everything they had been through?

Kara noticed her struggle as Lena's mouth hung open, unable to materialize any more syllables. If not for her racing heart, maybe Kara could have thought that was all that she had to say, but she knew better. She knew Lena better than most. So, she opened the door wide open and took a step back. If Lena was here to close the gap, to abolish the distance, then she would give her the space to walk forward. It had to be her choice to forgive her, and her decision to change.

Lena knew what the silent act meant and braced herself for what came next. She took one steady step forward, and the past walked in right behind her because both needed to address that before daring to look onward.

Lena sat on the couch, feeling like an intruder inside the other woman's apartment. It was such a sour sensation to be feeling like this. Kara's home had always carried a certain warmth and coziness that her own house could never provide, but right now it felt as cold and empty as her place.

"I was wrong," Lena repeated, her gaze barely looking up at the Kryptonian that stood in front of her with folded arms, "Lex, he…" he did just what the rest of the world warned her he would. He betrayed her, he played his cards behind her back, he used her and then abandoned her. Lena knew not to trust him, but she also thought she couldn't trust her own judgment anymore. The domino effect of one disastrous choice after another was her own doing, she couldn't plea innocence or ignorance. The only thing she could say in her defense was that pain was a drug she had been poisoned with from a young age. She knew little about anything else but pain. So, when she felt it, Lena reacted. But she had never experienced a pain like this, before. This one ached deep below the surface, scaring something that Lena thought couldn't ever get more damaged than what it already was, then again, pain could be unexpected like that, especially when it hit her coronary artery, bleeding her out. She had been heartbroken. And she still was.

Kara waited another moment, but her own thoughts weren't ready to comply with a talk about what had to be done next about Lex, Leviathan, or Obsidian. Those should have been her top priority, but not when she had been carrying with this guilt and hurt for so long. Not when this was probably the only chance she would have to talk to Lena before everything had to be put on the line. Before having to wear on the suit, with no guarantees of success, with no assurance that this talk could be discussed later. Not when her own heart was aching to know if this was closure or a new beginning.

"…Do you still hate me?" Kara's voice echoed in the room and suddenly it felt colder.

Lena gazed up, with surprise and…hurt, "I never hated you." The answer came without faltering, without hesitance or consideration, "I never could," she admitted, gazing down at her hands, "I'll confess, it doesn't mean I…didn't try, but…" she kept quiet, hiding her feelings as she had for the longest of times, "I once told you I wouldn't make you responsible for the way I felt," Kara recalled that walk in the park more vividly than any of the last few days of her life, "I didn't make good on that promise but… I'm trying to amend that," she whispered, looking into her past, "I know the way I acted is… beyond what words can repair at this point." Her eyes traveled elsewhere, "And I'm not asking to be forgiven, I just want to stop the wrong I've helped create."

"You could have done that by yourself, why come here?" Kara asked, tentatively. Her tone wasn't hard, but her posture remained guarded.

Lena tightened her fists, unable to explain the sudden urge and clarity that had overcome her to even dare stand before her door and knock. It was like something at the back of her head -her conscience? - was screaming and demanding her to rise and take the risk. It was just a glimmering hope, but she wanted to believe that there was still a chance, "I needed to know if it was too late." Too late for what? Conciliation? Amends? Maybe she just needed to be there, as the memories of their journey together started to resurface. She could hear Kara's voice trying to dissuade her from becoming close, maybe knowing that her secret would get in the way, sooner rather than later, "What if you regret that decision?" Kara's voice echoed in her mind, "For what is worth… I didn't regret being your friend…Kara's friend, that is."

The Super's fists tightened until her knuckles became white, "I didn't mean to deceive you."

Lena chuckled quietly, brokenly, "I truly wish I could believe you," she mumbled so quietly, that if not for Kara's hearing she would have missed it.

"Then why can't you?" Kara took a step forward, her arms falling defeatedly to her sides, "I was trying to protect you!" she repeated the same thing she had said since the beginning, but her conviction faltered a bit.

"From what?" Lena retorted dryly, gazing down, "I've always had a target on my back. That comes with the name, my name, not yours. I've always been threatened by all the people who hate me for what my family has done and from those who hate me for not following my family's footsteps," she exhaled as though that had been her last breath, "I've…never known a sense of protection," her throat closed up, "until I met you," she swallowed thickly, "not Supergirl, just…Kara. Someone who could build a castle out of words and a shield with just her arms, a person who felt like…" home.

And something new weighed on Kara, as she realized that when Lex took away the veil -the blindfold that Kara was meant to remove herself- it also stripped Lena from something far more precious during their fallout. It took away Lena's safe heaven, the shelter Kara often provided with her embrace and her company, because as Supergirl, she had been distant and condemnatory. So when the truth came to light, all the beautiful moments they shared were suddenly stained by doubt, as Lena wondered if any of them had been real.

Kara had tried to push her feeling to be heard by Lena, attempting to win back the relationship they had, to save what she had shattered, but she hadn't realized how much Lena had lost too. All their friends had sided, even if unwillingly, casting the Luthor to the shadows, back into Lex's arms…

Lena gazed up, meeting her eyes as if they were on a battlefield, "Do you still hate me?" she asked the same question Kara had as if already knew the answer, her sight falling to the floor, surrendering.

Kara felt the sudden stab of reality, Lena truly thought…

Kara's chest hurt, at the sole idea, at the thought that Lena believed she could carry hatred toward her. But her previous actions as Supergirl had been louder than Kara's attempts to be there, she had pushed both identities to such opposite extremes, that what could Lena conclude if not that?

Kara stood frozen, unable to breathe, to think, to shout or beg or try to reassure her that she had never hated her, but how could her words demonstrate that? Her mind wandered and raced to so many scenarios in her head where she wished she had said something…until her brain decided to visit a time in which she actually found the words, but not the courage to tell Lena.

And her legs walked past the couch, reaching the bookshelf, grabbing a large volume that she opened carefully, pulling out an envelope, sealed and signed with a date on it. She held it tightly between her fingers before daring to finally let go of it, handing it to Lena, without uttering a word.

Lena gazed up at her questioningly, seeing that it was addressed to her, "What's this?"

But Kara kept quiet, her eyes lingering on that piece of paper that hosted words Kara could vaguely remember. The only thing she recalled vividly about that letter was how the paper ended with more than a few teardrops landing on it at the end. And now it was on Lena's hands -its rightful owner's hand- that were slowly tearing the seal open, to reveal its contents.

"Dearest Lena,

I wish I had been brave enough to have said this while looking into your eyes, but the green in them weakens me far more than you'll ever know. Perhaps if I had been stronger, you wouldn't have to learn this from a letter, but written words don't fail me the way my voice does when I try to tell you the truth. So, I'll leave this on paper, since I'm a reporter after all, just like you said when we first met; you saw right through me before I could even realize that about myself, so maybe I hoped you would see through me once more and realize what I'm about to tell you. And that truth is, as you might have figured out now that Supergirl is gone, that I'm…no longer there. Because I am Supergirl.

I know I'm a coward for having you learn my secret after there's nothing else that can be said or done, but I wanted you to hear it from me, so my last act as your friend wouldn't be another lie, because I don't want to be a tombstone with empty meaning. I know that for the rest of the world, I was no more than a symbol but when I was with you, I thought of myself as something more than just the cape and the boots. I felt human, and that is to say, I felt real and alive.

So, when I was about to die, lying on that bed, poisoned by Kryptonite, I realized I couldn't bear the idea that I was going to exhale my last breath in your presence and that I was unable to ask you to hold my hand, because, how could Supergirl dare ask you for that comfort when she had treated you so poorly? …When I had treated you so cruelly? Of all the things and regrets I have, perhaps this will be the one I'll have to carry to my grave with the most remorse.

I pray to Rao that if this letter has found you, it's not because you had to be there to see it. I couldn't bear the idea that I saw your face for the last time without you actually seeing me in return, but the truth is, I don't know who I am, anymore…

But if I am nothing but a memory now, then please, even when I have no right to ask you this, have me be a good one. Carry just one moment of happiness that we shared in your memory, and that will make me immortal forever, because you'll always be in my heart, and I'll carry your memory to live with me on the stars, now that I'll be stardust drifting in the space like the rest of my people. If you ever miss me, look up, and that's where you will find me.

What I'm afraid to say the most is that I'm sorry I couldn't be better. I'm sorry I kept the truth from you. And I'm sorry that this is the last you'll hear from me because this is not enough, but I don't have anything else to show for myself. Even if I'll be filled with regrets for the things I said and the ones I didn't, having you walk into my life will always be one of the greatest things to ever happen to me because I learned the true meaning of El Mayarah by having you by my side.

Forever yours, Kara Zor-El"

Lena's tears landed on the paper, next to the one Kara once shed, mixing the two together like an ocean of lonely admissions. Even when Supergirl couldn't see her eye-to-eye, her wish had been to have her there…

"Zor-El," Lena whispered, wanting to clench the letter to her chest, but instead, staying unusually still, "Kara Zor-El, is that who you really are?"

"That's my Kryptonian given name," she whispered, "but she is not more real than Supergirl or Kara Danvers. I am all of them and I am none," she shrugged her shoulders, "I don't want to be the sum of my parts, but…I don't know who I am if not the three of them."

A legacy, a survivor, and a member of a newfound family…the blurry lines of who Kara was weren't only unclear to Lena, but to the Kryptonian herself. But the truth was, Lena would only have seen her blue eyes, whether they were behind glasses or not.

"You are the most real part of my life," Kara admitted, stringing the words together as if they were part of the fabric of fate, "And there was never going to be a right moment to tell you the truth, but I never felt like I had to choose one because all moments with you were perfect," she said breathlessly, "they were true, and I loved and cherished every single one of them. There's nothing in my heart but affection toward you."

Lena felt her eyes overflow with tears, "Don't lie to me," she warned, her voice quivering.

"I'm not!" Kara knelt down, grabbing her hands, trying to meet her eyes, but her green emeralds shimmered with misery, being faced by those baby blues.

"I'm far more deserving of hate than admiration," her lower lip trembled, as her chin did, "after everything I've done to you, all the hurt and the pain, you can't simply-" her voice broke, "you have to hate me."

"I don't," she replied softly, "and I never will."

"I hurt you! I was heartbroken, and I wanted you to feel it, to make you responsible for it!"

"You were in pain," Kara mumbled, "I know that. I hurt you, too."

"Stop," Lena begged, closing her eyes tightly, unable to conquer the tears, "please."

"Why can't you believe me?" Kara pleaded, trying to get those kryptonite-like eyes to see her, even if they were going to strip her away of her strength.

"Because it's easier to believe that I hurt someone that hated me, than facing that I've hurt the person I've always been in love with."

Kara felt her heart hit so violently against her chest that it was close to breaking free from its cage to put itself in Lena's hands, where it belonged. Her mouth opened agape, but words failed her as they often did as she realized that all the hurt they had shared was on the account that Lena thought she had been in love with a lie…

The Kryptonian wanted to steal a moment from time so she could repeat in her head the previous words that ringed like a battle cry and a lullaby in her mind, mixing the plea and the fear of what she most desired and what she thought was lost forever.

But time was ticking, and Lena pulled away, leaning back into the couch and far from her. Even if they were mere inches, that gap felt abysmal, because every fiber in Kara's body wanted to be as close to her as possible, to be welcomed back into her home. The reporter knew that she couldn't let her slip away a second time, she needed to speak up, break the silence, and...

"Your heartbeat," the words came out before she could even stop their flow, "I know it," by heart. "I could tell it apart from a thousand more and never get it wrong because since the first time I heard its pattern I committed it to memory because it sounded like my home," she breathed in, chocking on the echo of her own confession, "it made me feel like a part of my planet had somehow escaped the same fate I evaded and that it accompanied me here. When I hear your heart, I…I know I'm safe," her chest ached with desperation and hope, "And I know that I've hurt you because even when you didn't utter a word, I could hear your pulse scream all the things you kept quiet," she tried to meet her eyes, "and I was a coward for knowing this and not daring to do anything about it, for not realizing that…that it was beating for the same reason mine is." Kara felt it, deep down inside her core, this was the one secret she hid behind the symbol on her chest, "I love you."

Lena couldn't will herself to breathe as she looked into Kara's eyes. Not seeing Supergirl, a Danvers, or a Zor-El, just looking at her…

"And I'm afraid that I don't know your heart well enough now to know if I've lost my place in it," my home, "Because you fell in love with a part of who I am, but…but I kept so much more hidden, that I don't know if you could love all of who I am," Kara gazed down, defeated by the emerald green that shined in Lena's eyes. If this was the end of it, then she would let her eyelids down to try and hear her favorite lullaby for one last time.

But cold fingers caressed the side of her cheek, making the temperatures contrasts like a planetary collision, prompting Kara to steal a glance at Lena.

"Darling I've always seen you," she mumbled, cupping her face, wiping the tears with her thumb, "I'm sorr-"

But Lena couldn't utter another syllable, as Kara's lips crashed against her own, closing the gap, abolishing the distance, putting an end to a fight that words couldn't win or settle. And Kara felt the soft way Lena's lips captured her in return, hesitant at first as if kissing a mirage that could vanish right before her eyes. But it wasn't long before her eyelids gave out and she tilted her chin deepening the kiss, lacing her arms around the reporter, finding her safe heaven under the Kryptonian's embrace as Kara was welcomed back home inside Lena's heart.

Kara's lips tasted exactly as what the sun's warmth felt like, her touch was sweet but ablaze. She had the strength to pulverize a mountain but was holding Lena with such delicacy and care it send electricity down the Luthor's spine. And Lena wholeheartedly kissed her back, even through the pain and the fear, she let herself feel everything, breaking down every chain that held her to her past.

The moment their lips broke apart, only their breathless exhalations could be heard over the rapid beating of their pulses, as they gazed into each other's eyes, pressing their foreheads together. There was so much to be said, so much to apologize and forgive for, and so little time in the present to do so, and both knew it.

The conversation their eyes shared was meant to say far more than what words could express, it was soft yet hurt, honest and vulnerable, showing the duality they shared. Lena often hid on the dark side of the moon, while Kara's sunny brightness blinded people so they couldn't see the struggles that hid behind her smiles. But now, there was no mask and no lies, everything else could be doubted, but not the way each loved the other.

"Stay," Kara whispered, gazing at her with such affection that it hurt, "El Mayarah… it means stronger together," she said softly, in a frail whisper, not daring to disrupt the moment, fearing that the second she exhaled too deeply, all of this would be a dream, like the ones she had before, in which they shared lovely memories together, "And that's how I truly feel when I'm next to you. I want to be by your side forever. I love you, Lena," she said heartedly, tentatively leaning in again, letting Lena close the gap, leaving her the choice. And when scarlet red lips reached her own once more, it felt like finally waking up from that long dream and finding a reality worth living.

The messy entanglement of limbs, mixed with an ethereal feel of reality collided at their lips, as soft whispers tenderly admitted truths to one another, melting away the pain and doubt, bringing to an end a fight that started from a place of confusion and hurt.

"I love you, too."

The abrupt way the moment was shattered by the Superfriends breaking in at the ready for a battle, reminded them that there was a fight that still needed to be won.

"On the floor, now!" Alex commanded, taking the lead.

Kara rapidly stood up, putting Lena behind her, trying to appease the raging force with which her team busted in, "Stand down!" she demanded, although her reddened eyes and her quivering voice didn't do any favors to convince them she was alright.

"You send a 911," Alex replied, quickly taking a glance at the Luthor, who seemed just as out of sorts as Kara. But there was something else in there, Alex could feel the way something was hanging in the room. She inspected their body language, finding that Kara wasn't at risk, instead, her posture was fully alert and ready to protect the other woman, who was looking at Kara…exactly as she used to. Lena wasn't seeing Supergirl, her eyes didn't carry that hurt Alex had seen when she went to her office to reach out and talk to her. They were soft and vulnerable and…honest. So, Alex dropped her gun, looking at her sister, seeing in her blue skies a spark that had been so faint for the last few months that she feared it might have disappeared altogether, "Kara?"

"She's with us," the Girl of Steel said, giving all the confirmation needed, "She's with me."

Alex felt how heavy with meaning Kara's words were, as she said them. She proclaimed it as valiantly as she used to portray her family's crest. With the same pride and unmovable tenacity. The surprise in Alex's face most have shown because Kara made sure their eyes met as she nodded adamantly as if knowing what Alex's thoughts hid behind her stoic facade. So, the oldest Danvers put the safety pin back on, sliding the gun into the hostler without hesitance, having the rest of the team follow her example, trusting her judgment.

When her gaze met the Luthor's, Alex didn't see an enemy that crossed the trench, but the return of a friend. The redhead wasn't sure how or why, but it felt like something that was meant to be, something she knew would come to happen, but was meant to keep quiet about until the right time came, and this was it, "It's good to have you back, Lee."

-Year 2028-

She was going to be back. That was the one thought that roamed through her head as the white flash blinded her. Kara braced herself for what happened next, feeling her grip on the temporal-linear course of things shift as Ja'ek pulled them from one point of history to another.

Kara usually didn't claim her victories until she could take the suit off and go home, and that ritual never felt as literal as in this instance. She was going home.

The sudden weightless sensation stopped abruptly as if hitting the breaks after being 100 miles per hour, bringing them all to a halt as shapes and colors came back and the brightness dimmed, revealing silhouettes that waited on the other side.

Supergirl felt the unforgiving dizziness take over her body, making her knees tremble. If not for Esme putting her arm around her, while copying her strength to carry her weight, Kara might have fallen to the floor, but her team kept her upright as she finally gazed up to see, she was back.

Esme patted her shoulder, but it took Kara a moment to realize she was actually securing over her suit the small lily-of-the-valley she had picked up for her anniversary, "Your younger self gave it to me for protection," her niece mumbled, "but I think it should be with its rightful owner."

Kara smiled softly, shielding the small flower, but before she could utter a word, her sister's arms wrapped around her with unrestrained force, "You absolutely crazy force of nature!"

"Hey! Easy! Past you just popped my shoulder back into place, don't dislocate it again so quickly," Kara smirked, hugging her in return.

"I swear, if you weren't this beaten up, I would punch you!" Alex let go, wiping away rebel tears that dripped down despite her efforts to contain them.

"I'm sorry I put you through such a scare," she gazed into her eyes with affection, "and thank you for bringing me back."

"I will always look over you, Kar," Alex smiled confidently at her, "and I'm not the only one you should thank," she let go, so her sister could go meet the person that had missed her the most.

Kara felt her chest expand at the idea of being reunited with her wife. Even before she could see her, she let herself be guided by her hearing, following Lena's heartbeat to then bolt in that direction, barely giving Kelly and Mxy a chance to step back as the Kryptonian flew right into Lena's arms.

"Careful! She used too much magic," Kelly asked, but her words were barely registered. The only thing Kara was hearing was the pulse that greeted her home.

"Darling," Lena held her, hiding in the crook of her neck, hugging her so close that not even destiny could pull them apart again, letting all her worries and all the doubt be washed away with her tears.

"I'm so sorry, beloved," Kara mumbled into her hair, "I didn't mean to leave you."

"I know, Dear," Lena said mutedly, "You are here now," they pulled apart just enough to let their lips pull them closer together. All the pain and all the loneliness melt under the tender action that burned with untamed passion, letting fearless approaches devour the uncertainty.

Kara leaned into every caress touch-starved, wanting to commit Lena's taste to memory until her lips felt numb and the ache subsided, and then she wanted to kiss her again, for as many lifetimes as she could live.

If not for her body betraying her as she inhaled sharply holding her side, perhaps she could have stayed in the sweet moment, but Lena pulled away, her eyes already looking at her with such concern that it pained Kara far more than her sore muscles, as Lena held her face in cold hands, inspecting all the wounds.

"Oh, Darling," she mumbled, softly brushing her thumb over Kara's busted lip as the Kryptonian pressed a kiss on her hand.

"I'm alright, love," she said gently, "now that I'm here."

"You should go to the infirmary at once," Brainy interrupted and Kara finally took a moment to gaze at everyone else at the Tower. She welcomed them all in a superspeed-hug, leaving them no time to react as she thanked them for helping her return.

"We would have stopped at nothing," Nia smiled.

"We are glad to have you back," Brainy nodded, his tone showing emotion despite his efforts to remain stoic.

Kara smiled at all her team, her family, realizing there was a face she hadn't expected to see, "I'm surprised to see you here," she smirked at the fifth-dimensional being, "I think whatever debt you owed has been fully paid."

But Mxy's face turned a tad softer, "A favor to help out a friend is never an obligation, this has been my pleasure."

The Kryptonian smiled in return, nodding at him.

"And as much as we all want to catch up with you, honey, you should really follow Brainy's advice and go get treated," Kelly pointed out softly, gesturing at her beaten-up state.

"All I need is some sun and to go home," Kara replied, taking a step back, looking at her sister as she did so. She knew the oldest Danvers would have a much bigger say, and she needed her approval to get off the hook and not be the center of attention, so she could be with Lena for a moment before having to resume the last part of their mission, knowing that they still had one more displaced alien in custody.

Alex exhaled, understanding her sister's need to be with her wife, especially after having pulled her out of a timeline in which they were basically enemies, "Alright, we'll see you later to re-establish Ja'ek into his timeline, so you better be patched up by then."

Kara nodded, muttering her gratitude before turning around, "Let's go home."

Kara removed her cape, seeing the darker shade of red that stained it, her youngest self's blood. It felt so surreal to be back, to have returned, and be the only one to retain the knowledge of all that had happened. It was a burden and a humbling gift.

She tried to reach the zipper on her back to remove the suit and finally claim her victory, but the numbing pain shot through her body, as she recoiled, shielding her side and rubbing her sore shoulder.

"Don't move, Darling," Lena's voice echoed behind her as she zipped down her suit, helping her remove it while their sights met on the mirror's reflection.

"Thank you, love," Kara mumbled as she peeled off the sleeves, pushing down the suit to expose her torso, the skin over her ribs showing a nasty shade of purple and green.

"…Darling," Lena rested her chin over Kara's shoulder, wrapping her arms around her, carefully touching the bruise.

"I'm okay," the Kryptonian whispered as if quietly pleading her to believe her words.

Lena sighed, pressing a kiss on her shoulder blade, nuzzling on her back, "You know I will always worry," she mumbled.

"I know," Kara carefully reached for the small flower that was pinned to her suit, giving it back to her, knowing she had used it to perform a protection spell, "you found my gift."

"And it found its way back to me," Lena grabbed it, "bringing you along," she pressed it against the tip of her nose, "I pray to Rao you might always find your way back to me." She pinned the flower on the left side of her blouse.

Blue eyes shimmered with something close to sadness, "…You can ask me to stop," Kara said softly, cautiously, "and I'll hang the cape."

Lena sighed, holding her tighter, mindful not to harm her, "And I know you would, but I also know you couldn't live with yourself knowing others got hurt because you weren't there to help." That was just in Kara's nature, she had seen the Kryptonian's youngest self be torn apart over not being able to save the little girl's parents, "I knew from the moment you kissed me that I would have to share you with the rest of the world. You are not mine to keep."

"But my heart is yours entirely," Kara answered, placing Lena's hand over her chest to feel her pulse.

"I know, Darling," Lena gently caressed her bare skin, noticing a scar that she had never seen before, but that somehow looked aged, "What's this?" she mumbled, touching it carefully.

"That was littlest me being a lot braver than I could have been," Kara said softly, inspecting the seemingly insignificant wound, "She got hurt protecting me while we were in that pocket of time. Now that scar kind of binds the three of us to that event," she muttered, "even if I will be the only one to remember." Her sight lingered on the mark before drifting to Lena, trying to see If she could recognize that same wounded look Lena carried in 2020, "I knew I would be back to you but…I also wanted to stay there," she admitted, "because I know that's the time period in which you needed me the most and…I wasn't there to hold you."

"You can leave that in the past, Darling," Lena whispered, reaching to touch the wedding token that hanged from the chain around Kara's neck, while her own ring was back in its rightful place around her finger, now that she didn't have to hide it, "because I need you here with me now. I need my wife back into my arms."

Kara turned around, facing Lena to gently envelop her in arms and kiss her hungrily, tangling one hand through her raven-dark hair while the other rested on the small of her back, holding her close to her body, feeling every point of contact between their skins. All three versions of each had found a way into the other's heart, but only in this time were they bonded together by their vows.

"Oh, Lena," Kara whispered, her lips tracing down her porcelain neck, biting gently, almost tauntingly, "I've missed your touch more than you can imagine," she exhaled, shuddering, feeling every pulsation, every twitch, and every way Lena's pale skin reacted to her caresses, "but at least I could always hear your heartbeat." She gently nibbled where her pulse was the strongest, mindful not to leave a mark as she heard her wife's breathing hitch, biting down a moan, "And follow it back to you."

Lena tilted her head back, closing her eyes, feeling the shiver visit every corner of her body as she held tighter, "You are home," she mumbled, gently scratching her nape, feeling the unusual way Kara's muscles tensed at the words while her hands clenched at the fabric of her clothes.

"You are home," Kara mumbled, her forehead resting over Lena's shoulder, her arms embracing her strongly, "my home."

"Darling?" she cooed softly, sensing something was laying underneath the surface. Perhaps Kara needed a moment to breathe in the moment, to reassure herself it was real.

"I'm sorry," the Kryptonian mumbled back, without being able to provide an explanation as her throat closed up in a knot.

Lena gently pushed back, "Come on, let's patch you up." She grabbed into Kara's hips to stand on her tiptoes and reach her nose to press a kiss there, making Kara smile tenderly.

"Alright, love," she levitated softly above the ground, going to the bathtub that awaited her while she removed the rest of the suit to carefully submerge, letting the warm water envelop her body, overstimulating her senses. Soon the solar lights showered down on her and she felt immediately her more superficial wounds start reacting to the regeneration process.

"Try to rest, okay?" Lena asked while Kara followed the Luthor's every movement as she approached her side, slender fingers reaching blonde hair, caressing her scalp, forcing Kara's eyelids to go down and she indulged into the sensation, all but melting into her hand, uttering no words, "I'll give you a moment to charge up while I prepare you something to eat, alright?" she offered with a smirk, but Kara's eyes opened with urgency, her hand reaching for Lena's.

"Stay?" She asked earnestly, showing her vulnerability, "please."

Lena smiled lovingly, standing up to take off her shoes without breaking eye contact while slowly submerging in the water with her, being welcomed into her wife's embrace, as Kara cuddled her against her chest, providing a bigger sense of comfort and safeness that not even the "S" on her suit could match. Lena closed her eyes, feeling her wife's arms around her in exactly the way they should. She didn't have to fool herself into believing she was being cradled by her Kara because this was her Kara.

"…I'm sorry I missed our anniversary," Kara mumbled, her fingers tracing circles on Lena's back, under her shirt.

"It's not your fault," Lena said soothingly.

"Being a hero got in the way of being your wife," Kara answered, swallowing thickly, "that's on me."

"We don't have to talk about that right now," Lena offered quietly, not wanting to disturb the moment.

"…I…I don't want you to keep things to yourself because you think they'll be upsetting," Kara said, taking in a deep breath she stole from life itself, ready to open a wound for both of them, "You want to have kids to heal your past," she felt Lena's heartbeat quicken as she addressed the silence that previously had never bothered Kara, but that now felt deafening, "to give a child the love you were denied," she continued, carefully enunciating the words, feeling Lena tense in her arms like if she somehow had breached her more private thoughts.

"…I do," Lena mumbled, her fists tightening, as she inhaled sharply, "You feel guilt caring for a child because you think you've failed Kal and your people when they left you the burden of surviving," Lena countered gently, sharing the truths she had learned as well.

"…Yes," Kara answered, hugging her closer, "I'm…I'm sorry I never told you that," she felt the lump in her throat, "I… let that buried for so long I forgot how to articulate what that fear felt like," she bit on her lower lip, "so instead I stood silent because words were too hard and…I didn't realize that was hurting you…that I was hurting you."

Lena closed her eyes tightly, pressing her forehead over Kara's chest.

"…Why didn't you tell me what having kids meant to you?" the Kryptonian asked with a faint thread of voice.

Lena ducked her chin, getting a glimpse of her own reflection on the water, "It was…one of those things I wished for quietly, secretly. The kind of thing I could imagine while drifting to sleep, thinking that it could all be worth it if I worked toward that goal. But with Lex, Lillian, all the attempts on my life and everything else I… gave up on it, for a long while. It wasn't fair to bring a kid into the madness my life was, it wasn't safe. And if I moved forward with it, it would have made me a terrible mother for endangering that child," she mumbled, "I didn't think it could be until…until we got married and… and I felt safe again," in your arms, "I felt like I could hold on to that dream once more."

And Kara had almost shattered it completely with ignorance, "I'm sorry, Lena," she shut her eyes firmly, "I'm sorry I kept running away, avoiding the topic… hiding," she breathed in, "but I'm not running away anymore," she said adamantly, "I want your dream to be my own if you are willing to share it with me."

Lena gazed up, meeting her eyes with surprise and joy, doubt and hope, all mixed inside her eyes, "Kara I…" she breathed in, evening her tone, "I don't want you to do this because you feel like you have to," she said carefully, "I don't want you to resent me or that child for this when you wake up one day realizing it was a mistake."

"I know," Kara said solemnly, "I'm…I'm not saying this with empty meaning," she assured, grabbing her hand, "I…I felt that spark when I saw into the memories of littlest me," she admitted, "she…moved something inside, she faced the mirror, to let herself feel and…and that grew on me as well." She caressed her wife's face, "I want to raise a kid, as long as it's with you. Because with you by my side, the idea of having a family is not as scary, because I know I won't be alone, that…that I don't have to feel that loneliness anymore," nor the guilt.

"Are you sure…?" Lena's tone was ethereal and hopeful as if trying to touch a dream.

Kara leaned in, kissing her tenderly, "I am," she affirmed with more resolve than ever before, "I won't be perfect, and I'll get scared and I'll probably beg Alex to babysit and I'll have to rely heavily on Kelly for advice," she chuckled, making Lena share a watery laugh, "but…but I'll be there. I'll give our kid all my love and I will never leave you alone to raise them." She breathed in, holding her gaze, "So… can you make me part of your dream, my love?" She asked breathlessly, looking into her eyes as if she could see entire galaxies in them.

Lena wrapped her arms around Kara's neck, kissing her messily, tears roaming down her eyes as her heartbeat composed the most beautiful melody Kara had ever heard and her lips uttered just one word that sealed their shared future, "Yes."

Everyone gathered at the Tower as Ja'ek prepared for his departure.

"So, you'll jump back into your timeline and your future self will materialize here," Alex explained how things should go according to their limited knowledge of things.

"And if you deem him decent enough, you'll let me free," he said, folding his arms defensively.

"Well, we saw true determination to change," J'onn said, "You put everything on the line to erase your future mistakes, so we believe your future will be brighter."

"But if your future self needs help to go by, then we'll provide it to him," Kelly said, earnestly, "Our shelters will keep you protected."

"And if you could use some protection in your timeline, approach the DEO, we could use someone with your talents on the force," Alex smirked.

Ja'ek actually spared a smile their way, "I'll think about your offers."

"So…what will happen when he comes back?" Nia asked tentatively, "When all the pieces fall back into place…how will that alter the timeline?"

"Well…the change might not feel noticeable," Brainy speculated, "Maybe our memories will start to change progressively, or it will be all shifted in one abrupt moment," he explained.

"In any case, the people that were the most closely involved are the ones that will suffer these effects," J'onn said.

"So, Kara, obviously," Alex pointed at her sister, who stood quietly on the back of the room, wrapped in a shoulder spica, "J'onn, Lena, and me. Everyone else might just remember things the new way the timeline was altered, not even having a recollection of how they originally were."

"Well, since there are no signs of paradoxes, even after our involvement in the matter, there's an 87.3% probability this won't have a negative effect in our psyche or in the grand scale of things," Brainy said, "If things turn dire, I'll contact the future," he offered.

"If we have nothing else to lose, let's do this," Alex said, giving them the cue to commence.

Ja'ek nodded, closing his eyes, focusing on picturing his timeline with J'onn's help, "Ready," he breathed out, "see you in a couple of tomorrows."

And the bright flash of light blinded them, just as it had a month ago in that warehouse, and suddenly, the unknown floated through the air, leaving them in a limbo of questions and uncertainty, consuming space… to then ceremoniously bring back the world around them as a new established reality.

Ja'ek appeared back, his eyes a bit lost as he took in his surroundings, looking at them as if they were long-lost friends he was reconnecting with. And suddenly it felt…that way. As though he had always been there, at the margin of the interaction, someone who would occasionally cross paths with them. Another face in the bar where they used to hang out at, another protester that spoke up for equality, a pair of hands that offered to help when the first shelters were being built and a guest in one of the multiple galas. He…had been there.

"Ja'ek?" Kelly asked cautiously, but…with familiarity. As if she knew his name and character, like if she had worked with him before…

"Hey, boss," he smirked back, "long time no see."

"You…you truly did it," Alex was utterly impressed, "you changed your history. You used your powers for good."

"No," Esme mumbled, looking at him sensing…nothing to mimic, "He…hasn't used his powers in a really long while, they are asleep I can't- I can't feel them."

He smirked, "I figured that could put the timeline at risk, given that I already knew what was coming," he explained, "turns out, Earth could be a second home, if you knew where you had to look for. It wasn't easy but…" he tilted his head, "there were some good people along the way."

"Wait, but we…we can remember both lines," Nia said, carefully.

"For now," he said, "progressively, all you'll recall it's that I've been around, not what my previous version did," he explained, "same with the rest of the events."

Many questions followed as the team got to know this new version of the alien, someone they somehow had known for so long now. But Kara remained on the back of the room, her mind roaming through the memories she was bound to forget. The sudden bitterness of knowing she would soon cease to recall the things she had promised a heartbroken Lena she would never forget stung deep into her chest. The idea that she would no longer have the knowledge that she got to hug both younger versions of herself weighed on her chest, and she couldn't understand why it pained her to know that experience would be gone. But she had no time to dwell on things she couldn't change. Instead, she needed the wisdom the other two had bestowed on her to make sure their growth wouldn't go unacknowledged.

"You, young lady," Ja'ek pointed at Esme, "are the bravest person I've ever met," he said, "and the most important individual to ever cross my path. If you hadn't intervened…then I wouldn't be here today. You saved my life," he said earnestly, "Thank you. And you both should be very proud," he addressed the two women that had raised her to be the hero she was.

"We are," Kelly nodded, putting her arm around her daughter's shoulders.

"And we are happy she'll carry the family tradition," Alex added.

"You mean that?" Esme turned to look at her with hopeful eyes.

"Absolutely. You don't have anything to prove to us, sweetie," Alex said, "We both know you already are a hero. And we can't wait to go on more missions with you watching our backs," she winked, smirking in complicity.

"Well, what do you all say we finally have our reunion?" J'onn asked, "My granddaughter deserves a dinner in her honor, we have much to celebrate."

"We are down!" Nia said happily, wrapping an arm around Brainy.

"I'll call James to meet us," Kelly said as they all started to organize their much-deserved family night.

And that's why Kara knew, this was the moment. She breathed in and approached her sister-in-law, "Kelly," she called, keeping her in the room as the others walked out, "Can I talk to you?" she asked firmly, but showing a bit of nervousness.

The other woman gazed at her with curiosity, letting her family go ahead, "Of course, honey," she turned to fully face her, "Are you feeling alright?" she asked softly.

"I am, thank you," she nodded, but Kelly pursed her lips to the side.

"No one is expecting you to jump back to your feet, we've got you," Kelly said soothingly, "If you need to process all of this…"

Kara smiled in gratitude, but remained with the same defensive yet eager stance, "I know."

"…But that's not it, isn't it?" Kelly tilted her head, knowing that now it was Kara's turn to look for the words, so she stood quiet as the Kryptonian breathed in the moment.

"The little girl," Kara's voice broke the silence as memories flooded her, memories that weren't her own, memories of a building in flames and a scared child that was being swallowed by fire just as Krypton had been enveloped by explosions and death, "she's my kid." The words were spoken determinately and with passion, "Her place is with all of us, she already feels that way here at the Tower," she swallowed thickly, "And I know that Lena and I…we can be her home."

Kelly stood perfectly still as the words took full dimension, seeing the sheer determination in Kara's eyes as she proclaimed them, "You want to adopt her."

"We do," she nodded, "I know you are willing to take her into your house, and I'm sure that's a place where she would be loved and cared for and that my sister and you would give her everything she could ever need to grow up to be a loved child, just as you did for Esme. And…I can't promise we'll be a perfect fit, but I can swear we'll do anything and everything to provide her with all our love and affection." Kara's eyes met hers steadily, "If she is willing to let us be her parents."

Kelly's mouth hung open for a moment before a tender smile took over, "If she can find her home with both of you, nothing would make me happier," she hugged her, "Ready to meet her?"

"I feel like I've waited twelve years to see her again," Kara whispered, her eyes watering as she felt that phantom pain she could previously not name. She was yearning to see the girl again.

Kara felt her palms sweat and her heart hammer down her chest. It was thrilling and petrifying, all at once. Her right hand tugged at the edge of her cape as if it were a tic she had picked up somewhere along the way. She took in a deep breath and walked into the room where the little girl was. M'gann had been with her throughout the mission, babysitting while the fate of the timeline was being decided, and if anyone had asked Kara, she would have said, M'gann's had been the most important task that day.

Kara approached the girl that had been playing with the piano while still wearing the red cape her younger self had left her. Kara felt the tears materializing on the corners of her eyes, but kept them at bay, not wanting to startle her with that first impression. The blonde was about to say something for the kid to turn around when she suddenly realized she knew the melody the girl was playing. It was a tune she used to hum, a Kryptonian lullaby that she often sang for Lena and that the Luthor had probably taught her how to play.

Kara found herself frozen in place, listening to the interpretation, feeling this warm and tender sensation, as if she had somehow walked into a forgotten corner of Krypton that the obliteration of time hadn't touched. And without realizing it, she started singing the lyrics, in a language so rare that less than five people could speak it natively. So, she closed her eyes and allowed the words to bounce into every corner of the room, to fill it with a culture that was dying in oblivion, but that felt so alive during those precious moments in which the melody captured it.

So when the final note was struck, Kara didn't feel a loss or an emptiness, instead, the music had filled something deep inside. Invertedly, remembering her home and her childhood… didn't hurt. And when she opened her eyes, she saw a pair of big radiant eyes, looking at her with such attention and curiosity, giving Kara all the resolve she needed to make sure to give that small girl a childhood of her own.

"H-hi, little one," the Kryptonian said, approaching her carefully, "I'm…" Kara, "back," she decided to say, when in reality what she wanted to show was that she hadn't abandoned her, that she had kept her word and made it back, even if she wasn't as she recalled her to be. Kara knelt down, letting the girl take a closer look at her, her head tilted to the side as her eyes inspected the uniform, recognizing the crest that her fingers gently traced. Then she worked her way up to her face, carefully touching her features as if trying to discern if she was indeed the same person that had pulled her out of a torched building. Her fingertips traced over her nose, running through the arch of her brows, and carefully touching the cut on her lip to finally end up gazing at her blue eyes.

Kara smiled, taking in the image in front of her as well. This little girl was exactly as she recalled her to be in her memories, twelve years later, in her perspective. There was so much she wanted to say, yet, words weren't going to be enough, so she gently grabbed her hands, guiding them to hold her face as she leaned in, closing her eyes, giving her the possibility to lean in so she could show her. The girl tentatively closed the distance, putting her forehead over hers as the images flooded both.

Kara showed the kid her own journey, from the point in which she was displaced back in time to the memories she had about her through her younger self, the person she had actually met first.

The girl took in the information and nodded, understanding. Kara smiled sweetly at her, caressing her hair, "It's nice to meet you for the first time again, sweetie," she mumbled, "I know my younger self told you I'd be…wiser and…more prepared, but…I think she was braver than she gave herself credit because I'm terrified but…but I'm going to make good on her promise, and I'm going to be here for you," she swore smiling lovingly at her, savoring the moment they were sharing before daring to share what came next.

She showed her Krypton, the house where she grew up, the planet, and the sun she once loved. She shared images of her mother, her father, her uncle and aunt, and her cousin Kal. She let the girl take in all that information, making it clear that was her nuclear family and her origins. When the girl showed her own parents and her world in return, Kara proceeded to present Jeremiah, Eliza, and Alex. She showed her how growing up in Midvale was, the struggle and the acceptance of a new household, how she had learned new things, adapted to fit in, having new people walk into her life, a whole new life itself. The girl answered with images of the Tower and seeing them made Kara feel whole and… safe. So, she breathed in and braced herself to show her home…her life with Lena. Their daily routine, their dynamic, the apartment, and everything that made the place so amazing. Sharing not only how it all looked like, but how it felt. It was warm, cozy, and welcoming, and…she wanted the girl to be part of it, to experience it firsthand.

"Inah," she mumbled, showing how her mother used to call her, "daughter," her voice was frail, hopeful, yet scared, "I… I didn't understand what Lena meant at first. The idea that having a kid could mean healing something that was so broken… it's not about doing this for ourselves, it's to give someone else what we lacked… when I see you, I see myself in a sense and… and I want to protect you, and I've become so fond of you, you have no idea how much my younger self loved -loves- you," she gazed into her eyes, "and I've only been here so little time and I can see why she adores you," she smiled heartedly at her, "little one… can we be your home?" she pressed their foreheads together for the last time, trying to express something she had no images for. She could try to show how Esme had been adopted, she could show her own life with the Danvers, but she had no idea how it would feel or be like to start a family of their own in which she would be a mother.

And when she ran out of images to show, there was a moment of complete emptiness…followed by one scene Kara recognized as a moment of her own life, something the girl had been drawn to. She saw Kara's mother and she replayed one word, "Jeju."

Kara inhaled sharply, nodding, "Yeah, my mother. My Jeju." She gently placed a hand over the girl's chest, "I want to be your Jeju, Lena wants to be your Mom," she breathed in, "Can you understand that?" she asked softly, her tone was so honest and vulnerable that even if words failed to translate meaning, her eyes spoke all the languages in the galaxy as they gazed lovingly at the girl.

All doubts and fears were faced by an action so honest it broke all the walls that Kara had previously built around the wound in her heart as the girl's arms wrapped around her in a hug. And Kara created a home for her with nothing but that embrace.

When Kara walked back into the room holding the girl's hand, Lena was able to read in her eyes all the things Kara wanted to say. Words weren't necessary to explain how the broken pieces were no longer hidden away because Kara was willing to risk her heart and gamble on the opportunity to expand her family and leave behind the guilt that boarded the ship with her when Krypton exploded.

When they reached Lena's side, her bright green eyes were the ones of a kid that once swore to herself to hold on to a dream that was now coming true. A dream that was standing right in front of her, within arm's reach…so she reached for it and held them in arms.

She didn't even notice at what point she had fallen to her knees or how she had dragged Kara down with her, the only thing she felt was her wife's arms wrapped around her, cradling her and their daughter into their first family hug.

Suddenly time and space became meaningless. It might have been just mere seconds, or an entire eon and Lena wouldn't have known the difference because all that existed right now was the three of them. And perhaps the closeness to one another, or the fact that they were interlocked into each other's hands was the reason that both women were able to be shown what the girl was seeing. Her power linked the three of them, as an image presented itself and it was exactly what was currently happening. She was living the moment, too. Engraving this new feeling into her memories and her heart. That's when they knew, she fully understood the magnitude of the event. This was their family now.

This was their family. This loud, outgoing, and fearless group of individuals that stood inside the Towers' kitchen were the people Kara and Lena considered their family. They had all come to their lives at different points in time. Some had always been there; others simply appeared to never leave again. Many came from well beyond the stars and a few from across the country. But this, this team that had only grown since the first time Kara put on the suit, they were the most important people in their lives.

They all had faced and conquered the most unimaginable feats, sometimes at a great cost, but none of that ever stopped them, and that was why they were all standing there, in front of them, laughing and talking to one another. They were fighters, they were a team, they were family well beyond what blood could ever bound them to be. And they were about to welcome a new member.

"There they are!" Nia said, being the first to notice they were standing by the door, "We were thinking of taking a portal and getting some real pizza."

"Unless you two love-birds want to slip away and have a proper anniversary dinner?" Alex arched a brow with a teasing smile, her arm around Esme's shoulders, "We would totally understand."

"Maybe we'll do that another night," Lena replied softly.

"But right now, we want to be with our family," Kara continued taking in a deep breath while Lena nodded encouragingly, "And that's why we have something to say."

The expectation grew as the silence settled in and they all finally noticed that the small girl that was standing between both was holding their hands. And that image alone was more powerful than any force in the world.

"You are our family, and we know you will always make us feel safe and loved," Lena said, the phrase heavy with meaning because she knew just how valuable that one word was, "so we are ready to begin our own."

Kara breathed in, letting her tone be swept with emotion, "Dad…you have another granddaughter."

J'onn felt the words hit his chest prompting tears that dropped mercilessly. He covered his mouth, preventing himself from sobbing as he felt Kara share telepathically with him everything she was experiencing, not hiding the fear nor the happiness. Everything was there for him to see as she gave him the news.

The room turned from a chaotic silence to an incoherent explosion of joy. Hugs and words were being exchanged, mixed with tears and laughter. It was impossible to know who was talking or to whom, but it didn't matter, because the core of it all, the only thing that needed to be clear was just how much they all loved each other. This was their family. And it had just gotten bigger.

Their celebration continued in their apartment beyond the stroke of midnight, when the stars were fighting to keep their domain over the sky and the sun threatened to rise again, bringing the promise of a new day.

Kara could feel it, not only the way the warm star was about to take over but the subtle, almost unperceivable way her memory was shifting, slowly erasing the past in a much gentler way than the first time her mind had overwritten the events. She was forgetting, or rather, remembering everything anew.

The thought of grabbing a crystal from the Fortress and putting inside it all the journeys each version of her had lived crossed her mind, but somehow it didn't feel right. She wanted to give those experiences a proper burial, instead of an artificial life outside her mind.

So, as everyone else started to head home, Kara approached Alex, who was quietly drinking on the balcony, "Hey," the Kryptonian smirked, going next to her.

"Hey, sis," she smiled softly, looking at the horizon, "what a day, huh? Thirty hours ago, we were all in a gala with a younger version of you, and now we are celebrating you adopting a kid," she chuckled, shaking her head, "Things like this make you wonder what normal even is."

"If you ever find a definition, let me know," Kara teased back, clicking her bottle against Alex's.

"I'll drink to that," she scoffed, taking a sip, letting a silence fill the peaceful scenery, "…I never thought I'd see that look in your eyes again," she mumbled, taking in a deep breath, "the look you had when you gave us the news," she continued, "I've only ever seen that same spark in your eyes when you saw Kal for the first time after arriving to Earth," she whispered, "You looked at him as though… he was… Krypton itself."

Kara smiled weakly, "Yeah, he was all I had left then," she gazed over her shoulder seeing Kelly and Lena on the couch, with the latter cradling the little girl in arms while Esme brought her a blanket, "but now I have so much more," she said tenderly.

Alex's face turned even softer, "I'm really proud of you," she said, "I don't know if I say that often enough, because to me you have always been so much," she gestured at her, "but I got to see you back in your beginnings and…you've come a long way…it's really a sight to behold," she said solemnly.

"Thanks, Alex," Kara mumbled, exhaling slowly, "I think I was able to grow because I knew I would have people who would always stand by me, and your encouragement was the most important of all, because you are my sister, and... that's one of the things Krypton couldn't give that Earth did."

Alex felt her eyes sting as she roughly pushed the tears away, playfully punching her shoulder, "Today has already been a rollercoaster of emotions for you to add even more to it."

Kara smirked, dropping her head while leaning on the rail, "Well, I hope there's one more thing I can add, and that's a favor," she turned around, facing toward the inside of the apartment, "Do you think you could look after our little one for an hour or so?"

Alex arched a brow but nodded, "Of course." She followed her sister's gaze finding all the missing pieces she needed to understand, "Go already," she said, taking the bottle from her hand.

Kara smiled as both walked back into the loft, approaching the couch where Alex sat next to Kelly while Kara stretched a hand toward Lena, "May I?" she asked, looking into her eyes.

Lena threw a quizzical glance her way, but it was deflected by Kara's smooth smile, so she had nothing left to do but accept, taking her hand, standing up.

She walked her to the balcony, looking over her shoulder to mutedly thank the other three for babysitting as they stepped outside, "Hold on tight," Kara leaned in, softly brushing her lips against Lena's earlobe, wrapping her arms around her as she would on a waltz.

Lena slipped into them, fitting perfectly in Kara's frame as if she had been made to be held by her. And even when she knew exactly what came next, her stomach fluttered and her hands tingled as Kara took off, gently soaring into the remaining veil of the night sky. They swirled in circles in a dance directed by the orchestra both their hearts made. They were in the ethereal space that belonged to no soul, high above the ground, leaving the worries of the city behind, but still under the remaining stars that witness their gentle swaying.

The howling breeze twirled around them, prompting Kara to hold Lena closer to keep her from the cold, "Are you alright?" the Kryptonian asked quietly.

Lena cuddled under her chin, closing her eyes, exhaling slowly, "I'm perfect."

Kara gently ran her fingers through her back, tracing circles with her fingertips, "Do you want to go somewhere? I could take us to Paris, or the pyramids, anywhere you choose," I want to give you the world, is what she wanted to say.

"I'm right where I want to be," Lena answered, lacing her arms around Kara's neck, "and you are right when you should be." She tilted her head to the side.

Kara melted under her loving gaze, "I am," she said, slowly descending to her lips, savoring every single moment of it. She could feel in her memories how the youngest version of herself had yearned for that one kiss she was about to claim. She could feel the innocence of her desire to belong in the warmth and the welcoming taste of home in Lena's lips, "Sometimes I think about…the time I spent lost in the Phantom Zone as a child," she whispered into Lena's parted lips, feeling her agitated warm breath tickle her, "I think I was held there by fate, so I could fool time and come to a world in which you would be in my life," she gently captured her in another kiss, a more heated one, as pleading and as desperate as the feelings her 2020 version had felt when faced with her unnamed emotions. Fighting a war that took place in a battlefield where no one else could help her, inside her heart, all while helplessly knowing she had broken the heart of the woman she loved the most, "Maybe I survived so I could meet you, because the moment I first gazed at you I felt alive," she whispered, "as if I had taken a deep breath after being underwater, and every moment after, all I've wanted was to be next to you," she kissed her again as if to ease all the hurt she saw in a broken Lena in the past she had been living in for the last month, "So, I think time and destiny smiled upon me, even if though such strange methods." She proclaimed unwaveringly.

"That's one thing that always surprises me about you," Lena whispered, "even when you've gone through so much pain, you still look at the good side of things," she exhaled softly, "at the good in people, as you did with me."

"Looking at you, that's all I see," she hugged her closer, enjoying the moment, closing her eyes to commit her other senses to live the moment. She could smell Lena's perfume faintly lingering on her skin, she could still taste her lips on hers and feel her cold skin contrast her always warm one. But suddenly she realized she was picking up a sound that wasn't near them, one she could now recognize as well, "…I…I can hear her," she said unexpectedly in a mix of surprise and excitement, "I can hear her heart," she said, pushing back slightly to see Lena's eyes, "I can hear our daughter's heartbeat."

Lena felt the air being knocked out of her chest, realizing how real that felt as tears began to form, "You said…daughter. We have a daughter now," saying it out loud was as dreamlike as it was beautiful.

"We do," Kara nodded with the same excitement and innocence, "She's our kid," she breathed in, realizing she never thought those words would ever leave her mouth, "…how should we call her?" names had a strange power to them. For Kara, a name meant a past, for Lena a legacy. A name is what almost tore them apart once, a name was going to bring them together once more.

"She speaks mostly through images and music, so it would be something symbolic," Lena traced back, "But…maybe…Elle?"

"Elle?" Kara repeated, gazing at her curiously, knowing Lena always had a reason for each action and decision.

"Well…it… ties a bit of our history. Sounds like the beginning of El Mayarah, and the House of El, and the first letter of my last name," it was a whole narrative on its own. A reminiscence of a time in which they met because of L-Corp, in which they rivaled because the Luthors and the last survivors of the House of El were at odds, and finally, El Mayarah, an expression that ended up tying both their lives together.

"Elle," Kara said once more, rolling it out, it wasn't foreign, it was like greeting someone back after years of being apart, "Elle." She nodded, "That's perfect, my love."

Lena's smile made the world a brighter place as she gazed into impossibly blue eyes that shimmered like sapphires. Kara cupped her face while Lena held into her waist, balancing on top of the world as the break of dawn slowly crept through the horizon, taking away all the darkness that remained, fading the lights of the city into nothing but blurry urban fireflies. And as the rays that promised a new day began to shower down on National City, Kara felt the clarity of her mind drifting, forgetting the journey she had come back from. Her life would carry on as if that displacement hadn't ever existed, the timeline would prevail, at the cost of her memories.

She had left a month ago, bleeding out wounds she hadn't realized were still open in such different time periods of her life, but now, the future was shining brighter than ever, because it was shining in Lena's earnest eyes. There were no more secrets between them.

And maybe, just maybe, the end of her Odyssey had bestowed her something far more precious than she had realized. It gave her a chance to speak up, "I'm always going to be there for you, Lena," Kara said wholeheartedly, vowing to never abandon her as other people in her life had, "because if there's one lesson I learned through this displacement" the one she was bound to forget, "it's that you are at the center of my universe and I will always gravitate toward you, no matter the time, the place, the galaxy," she said solemnly, "and throughout this journey, I've looked at all the versions of you the same way I am right now, this journey gave me the chance to go to all the periods in which I wish I had realized it before," she held her in arms, kissing her devotedly as the sun kissed their faces in return, taking away what once was and bringing a new tomorrow they were yet to face, but at least, they would face it together, "For all the times I should have said I love you."

For over a decade now, Kara had been proudly wearing her family's crest as she fought against all odds, foes, and even herself. Thirteen years of valiantly proclaiming herself National City's hero, and as she gazed from the heights at the place that had welcomed her after losing Krypton, and while holding her wife to her chest knowing both had a kid to go back home to, Kara realized, her journey had only begun...