Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The DEO is quiet as Kara glances up from peering over Winn's shoulder at the demo of a new supersuit fabric. Their discussion of it finished, her attention is again caught by the big screen above them showing an image of the mysterious ship that has been hovering over Earth for the past three days. No one knows why it's here and it hasn't shown any inclination to give up its secrets. Diplomatic communications from a coalition of governments have been sent out to make contact and all agencies with a role in planetary defense have been put on stand-by - and also on notice to stay out of things for now.

She and Winn have been keeping vigil around his cube in the DEO since the ship appeared, with occasional visits by J'onn, Alex, and a few other agents checking in on the situation. Winn has been sleeping in the barracks and Supergirl is suited-up and present every minute Kara Danvers isn't desperately needed or can't be suspiciously absent at CatCo.

Kara gets up from her chair and shuffles her boots, antsy to do something as concrete dust puffs around her ankles. Winn has been trying to distract her all day, but his efforts have been largely in vain. She's had a bad feeling about this since satellites picked up an incoming object, and it's been getting progressively worse with each silent hour. It's starting to wear on her.

Winn, well-attuned to her at this point, gives distraction another shot. He leans away from his monitor to ask, "Any plans for the weekend?"

Kara sends him a puzzled look. "You mean other than eating my way through the DEO snack machines with you? No. And I call all the Skittles."

"Really?" Winn rubs his face. "You know, maybe you should get out of here if nothing is going on. It's getting pretty tedious." He keeps his voice low, "Why don't you take your girlfriend on a date?"

Mention of Lena draws a smile from Kara, even as she shakes her head. "I don't think so. She knows I'm busy with this. And I'm sure she has things to occupy her time. I would be surprised if she's not pulling as many sources of data and running as many calculations as you are in her limited L Corp downtime, trying to discover every scrap of information she can about our visitor."

Winn groans. "What's up with the workaholics? Where has the fun gone? From what you've been telling me during our treasured days together this week, I think you two dated more when you weren't dating. You should end that trend."

"What do you mean?" Kara's voice rises an octave over the course of the question before she clamps a hand over her mouth at how loud it got.

"It's true," Winn insists. "You've been together now, how long, a month? How many times did you see her every week, when you weren't, you know," his hands come up for air quotes, "dating? Cause that wasn't at all what you were doing before." He may indulge in a covert eye roll with that last sentence.

"You're right," Kara yields the point, ignoring the final tease. "We did see each other more often. But it's only been six weeks compared to years before that. And they've been busy weeks. I don't think it's our new normal; we'll eventually get breaks from the chaos just like before."

She continues with a tilt of her head, more reflective, "And it hasn't even been a year since the revelation of my double life and stopping the Worldkillers, and all of the fallout from those. We agreed to take things slowly, see how each day goes. We want to do this right. We're not focusing on frequency."

"That makes some sense." Winn's smile back at his friend turns mischievous. "I mean, given you two got the whole being in love thing over long before you started dating. You don't need all of that time together to build up feelings."

"Yeah, we did." Kara doesn't even respond to Winn's playful needling as she goes all gooey inside about Lena. "But you're right, I should take her on a date this weekend. Thanks for the suggestion, my pal Winn." She ruffles his hair.

He tries to jerk his head away from fast hands, failing completely as he whines, "Stop that."

---

Lena sets down her phone after finishing her reply to Kara, Yes, I'd love to go to dinner tomorrow. It's been days since she's seen her. She still revels in the warm feeling she gets from connecting with Kara in any way, the feeling that's been there for years; she wonders if it will ever grow old.

Thinking briefly of an appropriate dinner spot - their relationship status isn't known yet beyond their own small circles meaning discretion when dining out - she pockets the small prototype for a new surgical laser she'd finished tweaking and the even smaller screwdriver lying on her desk to return them to the R&D lab. With a small sigh granted by the invitation, she moves to pull her hair out of the complicated up-do it's in while she turns to a spectral analysis of the orbiting ship.

As her fingers touch the first pin, and before she has even flipped past the cover page with her other hand, a shadow crosses her desk and she turns, just in time to see an object hurtling towards the bulletproof glass.

Lena braces against the desk, but both she and it are blown back by the force of the window being ruptured by a human-like form at speed. She's thrown against the opposite wall, and as she slides down it, everything goes dark.

---

Kara is walking back from the observation deck where she had wandered to get away from the increasingly unsettling unknown on the screen and to text Lena when a subtle yet significant shift in the agency atmosphere happens.

Winn straightens abruptly in his chair, muttering quickly and unintelligibly to himself. Kara, reaching him, shifts between looking at his monitor and the larger screen with the ship and asks, "What's going on?"

"An object just appeared over National City. Some sort of small craft. It wasn't there and then it was. Almost like our surveillance was disabled or circumvented somehow so we wouldn't see it arriving." He's still staring intently at his computer with narrowed eyes as he puts in his earpiece to hear the chatter among his various colleagues. "And it just took off. It's gone. With that movement, that's not one of ours."

Kara understands immediately what he means by 'ours'. "Where was it?"

Coordinates stream across Winn's monitor. He turns to her with a grim look before his eyes shift to something behind her. J'onn is suddenly next to them and his hand lightly encircles Kara's forearm.

"Mr. Schott, transfer all visuals of the area that craft was in and of the orbiting ship to the main screens in the command center and join us there."

"Yes, sir."

J'onn adjusts the comms in his ear, leading Kara to the command center as her dread and confusion grow.

"What is it, J'onn?"

In her peripheral vision she can see Alex making a fast approach, also with an earpiece in, and she puts it all together with her sudden realization about the numbers on Winn's screen. She stops just short of their destination, fear and stress responses kicking up to the next level.

"That thing was by L Corp," she exclaims, glaring at J'onn. "You need to let me go."

J'onn's grip has only tightened as she speaks, causing her to forget Alex until her sister's hand is on her other arm and her voice is in her ear, "We don't know exactly what happened yet, Kara. Yes, there's a report of an attack at L Corp. Agents are on their way and the NCPD has officers on-site already. We don't know where that small craft came from or where it went. You need to stay calm and stay here while we figure it out."

Kara can feel any chance of staying calm disappearing rapidly, the ongoing presence of that bad feeling now clearly being for a reason. Her internal turmoil is reflected in the harshness of her tone, "We know exactly where it came from and where it returned to. What about Lena?"

J'onn moves in front of her, pulling Kara's attention back to him while never letting go of her, and answers, "The report was brief. Damage from an apparent attack and what appears to be Ms. Luthor's disappearance. Not dead, not injured, missing. And, regardless of where you think she may have gone, we have no evidence to support such a conclusion. Not yet. The President's staff is being notified, but as of now we are operating with no change to her orders; we are not to engage that ship. We need to confirm what happened. Let us do that first."

His words do little to settle Kara's roiling emotions and the physical pain that is trying to settle in her head, but, lowering her eyes to the floor, she makes her brain wrestle through his logic. He's right, they need more information before she just takes off. She can't waste time chasing red herrings when Lena needs her, when she needs her focus, when she needs her to find her.

She looks up at J'onn, then over at Alex, and nods. "You're right. I'll wait to hear more."

---

Lena regains consciousness and immediately registers how sore she is. She's restrained in a seat of some kind, wrists and calves clamped in, and her rib cage aches. Remembering her last experience in her office she can only assume that her ribs, and possibly her spinal column, are bruised, though hopefully nothing is fractured. Her neck to her shoulders also aches, likely from the awkward angle she was in while unconscious, and there are small stinging sensations on her hands, ankles, neck, and cheeks that suggest some slivers from the blown-out window caught her. She's still in the black pants, black silk blouse, and dark green blazer that shielded her from further cuts, but her feet are bare.

She raises her head to look around and has to fight back panic as she realizes she has woken up, for the second time in her life, on an alien ship. Unlike last time though, she's not in someone's quarters. Instead, she appears to be on a bridge, a viewscreen to her side looking down on Earth and what look like control and read-out panels on walls or platforms. Also, unlike last time, this was not an abduction of convenience; someone had targeted her and she needs to find out why.

A careful pivot of her head just to the left and an answer starts to form. What appears to be a female humanoid with close-cropped dark hair stands about ten feet away from her, dressed in grey shirt, pants, and boots with what appears to be armor over the upper body. Embossed on that armor is a sigil that Lena knows, and the fight against panic intensifies.

The alien turns, alerted by Lena's movement, and leaves the panel she was working at. Her expression is clinical as she approaches, and she circles the chair, observing her prisoner with amber eyes.

Lena tracks her path back to a position directly in front of her and puts on her most defiant stare before spitting out, "Why are you here, and why am I here?"

The answer lacks emotion, "There's a Kryptonian down there who vanquished my brethren. I'm here for her. And to finish the job the others started on this world. That is my duty as their sister and a Worldkiller." She presses closer to Lena with each word.

Lena unconsciously flinches away from the sigil looming directly in front of her face.

The alien pulls back slightly, sneering. "You cower. Soon all will. You're a pathetic species, so weak."

Lena struggles to soften her gaze and keep her voice steady. Maybe this one isn't different even if she seems to have no connection to Earth, maybe she can be reached. "I'm reacting to a symbol that brought a lot of pain to many I care about. It brought the most pain to the ones who wore it."

The strike is completely unexpected, and Lena can't see clearly for several seconds. The taste of metal is in her mouth and both a lip and a cheek throb. As she recovers, snarled words come at her, "No Worldkiller is hindered by pain! And don't speak of those that tried to interfere!"

The alien stalks back to the controls to punch at them. "I've seen enough now to know how to engage the Kryptonian," she says, recovering her flat delivery. "So predictable in her unearned superiority. Her planet deserved its end and now I will eliminate the last of its inhabitants and thus its legacy."

She glances at Lena, and then back to the panel. "You're here because your presence helps me. And you will say nothing and make no move, otherwise…" A black-gloved hand is raised and a button pushed on what looks like a transmitter.

A strong shock jolts through Lena and she can't stop the cry that breaks from her. It originated from just below where her neck and collarbone meet, explaining the discomfort there. The Worldkiller must have implanted a receiver while she was unconscious.

Still shaking she looks up to meet uncaring eyes that almost immediately flick away to the view of the planet below. "I think it's time I introduce myself to Earth."

---

Standing in a circle of agents, Kara listens to a full report on the attack. She's growing increasingly impatient as details are relayed about Lena's office being breached, that she was likely specifically targeted and is now missing with nothing else touched, and that it appears she was transported by someone to the craft hovering outside it. But what is most frustrating to Kara is they have evidence that the craft docked on the ship in orbit; she just wants to scream "I told you so." And they still won't let her go because the international coalition wants no interference until they decide on a response.

Behind them, Winn stands abruptly, sending his wheeled chair crashing against Kara's legs, and yells. "You all need to see this."

Every screen in the command center shows a form that resembles a human female standing on what looks like the bridge of a ship, waiting. It's as if the alien knows better than to immediately launch into speech, instead waiting for people's attention to focus, evidence the planet's residents have been under close observation these past few days. The DEO personnel sort themselves so all are facing the screen.

Kara's heartrate accelerates and she can hear Alex fighting to keep her breathing even beside her, a muted "No" slipping out. They've both seen the skull-like symbol on the chest covering and she knows that her impulsiveness might have gotten her killed today if it weren't for J'onn and Alex's intercession. At the same time, she takes back any angry gloating that she was engaging in earlier about being right, because if this is what has Lena….

Winn's voice cuts across her thoughts, "This is being widely broadcast. Every agency I'm in contact with is already shutting it down to limit reception."

He only gets that much out before the figure on the screens starts to talk. The voice is cold and steady.

"This message is for the Kryptonian, Supergirl. Supergirl, you may call me Power. You vanquished Reign, Pestilence, Purity. I'm here to exact retribution for that. And, at the end of that retribution, this planet you call home, that has sheltered you, will be at my mercy." She pauses.

The shot pans out and Kara's tenses when she sees Lena restrained and not even a dozen feet away. Her skin has a number of small nicks visible, likely from the window of her office. But there is discoloration around her mouth and her lip is bleeding from a fresher injury.

The reveal complete, the Wordkiller continues, "I want you to come to my ship. You alone. I understand you may be reluctant to do so. So, here is how it will go. She," Power gestures to Lena, "is not innocent in this. She's credited with helping you against my sisters. If you don't come, I'll start with her. Leave her broken body displayed on her own building. And then I'll come for you."

Lena has been completely still and quiet, but her voice suddenly cuts through the air as Power finishes, "Stay away, Supergirl!"

Power turns and the hand at her side flexes on a small rectangular object. The device's purpose is immediately clear from the way Lena's body contracts and the pained wince that crosses her face.

"I told you to stay quiet."

Kara stifles her own cry, her balled fists tightening further.

Lena straightens up from the transmitted assault and glares at the Worldkiller.

Kara knows that look. "Don't provoke her, Lena," she mutters under her breath.

The Worldkiller faces them again. "You decide. If I don't hear from you within an Earth day, look for the corpse. And then look for me."

The broadcast cuts off.

---

Power walks over to Lena and bends so their faces are level.

"You resist. But you're still weak," she taunts. She puts a finger near the juncture of Lena's neck and collarbone and presses on the wounded area. Lena gasps and tries to wrench away but the pressure holds her in place. The act ends quickly, but its message is clear.

Power draws back and lifts the chair and Lena in one effortless movement. She walks off the bridge and down a corridor, carrying her prisoner.

"She'll come, regardless of your words. As I said, predictable. And then I'll have both of you."

A door slides open to a small room that resembles a windowless holding cell on Earth. Lena's chair is dropped unceremoniously to the ground, jarring every bone and joint.

"Now, we wait."

The door closes with a sealing sound; as it does, the restraints open and Lena almost falls out of the chair with the loss of support.

Everything hurts more than it did before, but Lena doesn't allow herself to dwell on it. She doesn't have time. She starts to slowly stretch out limbs and torso to get her body moving again. She has to help defeat this being in any way she can.

---

After the transmission ended, an upset and motivated Kara visited Alura's hologram on what she knew was likely to be a fruitless quest for information, leaving Winn and another agent to pull Thomas Colville's files on Krypton and the Worldkillers. Maybe there were mentions they hadn't noticed last time when they were focused on Earth-centric threats and events. A third agent was dispatched to retrieve the Kryptonian database to mine that directly for intelligence if necessary.

Footage from the Worldkiller's broadcast, from the satellites focused on the ship, and also from the recently procured L Corp security camera feeds are now playing on a computer Kara is in front of, and she searches for any insight into how to proceed. Alex, while conferring with other agents, hovers at an inconspicuous distance, trying to simultaneously give Kara space and be available to talk her down if needed. The two of them are both smarting from a short but heated exchange in a conference room where Alex pulled her as she headed away from the command center:

"Kara, that Worldkiller's been up there for days, gathering information. She's concluded that Lena has some value to you, though I don't think she knows how much, and she's taken Lena to get you to come to her on her terms. It's a classic strategy, manipulating the situation to one's own advantage!"

"So you think I'm going to do nothing, that I'm going to leave Lena there! Not going to happen, Alex."

"That's not what I'm saying."

But some of the tension building in Kara over the past three days finally ripped out of her and she stormed off. She's been pointedly ignoring Alex ever since.

She's now working on settling herself down and getting into the team mindset they all know from experience will be needed against this type of opponent. And trying to find any clue that could help them, both so she can contribute and because she knows that's what Lena is doing.

Paused at the end of Power's speech, Kara is taking a few seconds to mentally run through every visual and audio detail when she hears a DEO agent approach J'onn on the deck above her to tell him he has a call.

"If it's not one of my superiors on my direct line, I'm not interested," J'onn responds irritably.

"Sir, you may want to take this one," is the reply. Kara re-focuses on her task as J'onn's footsteps recede.

A few minutes later, J'onn is back. When he addresses her, Kara projects impatience in every movement she has to make to turn and face him. "Whatever it is, it can wait. I'm busy."

J'onn stares her down, fists on hips and retorts, "I just got off the phone with the warden at Stryker's Island. Lex Luthor wants to talk to you."

Her mind seems to have hit its breaking point for the day. It draws a complete blank on a possible reason for this turn of events, leaving her to ask, "Why?"

"Because he wants to help you save his sister."

Chapter Text

Having coaxed her body into a state of manageable discomfort, Lena checks the cell she now occupies. Inspecting her surroundings for cameras first, she finds none. It surprises her until she considers that, being a Worldkiller, her captor has every reason to dismiss a single human in a locked room as a threat. Lena shivers, thinking back to that night over a year ago when Reign was first fully seen by National City’s residents, when she had pummeled Supergirl with ease. So, no, Power clearly doesn’t see a need to monitor Lena. Lena vows to make her regret that decision.

After further investigation, she concludes the cell is all smooth gray walls and tight or invisible seams. She can’t find a loose anything and the only two ducts, which she assumes are for circulation, are about 15 feet up on the ceiling, completely out of reach. A small display panel similar to those she saw on the bridge looks promising until she tries to find a seam to pry it off and fails. A small latched door leads her to a compartment with a folded rectangle of beige, light-weight, puffy material that she removes. The compartment’s interior is more molded wall. There’s a sanitary station tucked in an alcove with a design that lacks accessible inlets or outlets, again halting efforts to find a structural weakness to exploit.

The only alteration in the walls besides the latched door and the panel is where a section extends out into a smooth, elevated, horizontal surface.

After finishing with the room, Lena determines that the alien paid little to no attention to her prisoner. It makes sense given Lena is viewed as non-threatening bait and nothing more. Running fingers around her collarbone, she finds the implant surgery has left a short break in her skin that, if she didn’t know better, she would have thought her shattered office window made. Her black shirt has only a small, stiff section of dried blood.

This all works to Lena’s advantage because if Power would have taken off articles of clothing, or if she would have viewed Lena as anything more than a helpless pawn, she might have actually examined her and found the objects still tucked into Lena’s pocket. Now, certain she isn’t being watched, she takes them out.

She isn’t going to escape this room with a small surgical laser and a screwdriver. And even if she did, she knows the odds for escaping Power unassisted are long. But she can use these tools to minimize the Worldkiller’s ability to use her against Kara. Because as much as she wants Kara to stay away, she knows there’s close to 100% probability she will come to the ship. When Kara will arrive though, is a complete unknown.

Lena also doesn’t know when or if Power will return. She needs to work quickly. The panel is reflective enough to let her see the incision in it. That makes things easier. She uses the edge of the screwdriver to rip a strip of fabric off her clothing, giving her some absorptive material.

Then she tunes the laser for one of its purposes, to cut finely through human tissue. Taking a deep breath to brace herself, she places the fabric under the original incision and moves the laser over it, opening it back up with minimal bleeding. With deft movements, and making adjustments as needed, she soon reaches the tiny receiver. Luckily it isn’t deep.

The next step is a shot in the dark, almost literally. She boosts the power and lines the aperture up with the receiver. Her finger pressing on the laser produces one pulse, then another. The light on the receiver dims before going out, disabled. Power’s ability to cause her pain with it in order to manipulate her or others has been stopped. She re-adjusts the tool again to cauterize a thin line, making sure the remnant of the incision looks as it did.

Lena sits down on the molded surface and places the laser and screwdriver back in a pocket, along with the now-moist piece of fabric. She snaps out the rectangle of material she found to its full size, wrapping it around herself. It helps her fight the shaking brought on by what she’s done and hides the redness of the wound. Also, it shields her from the ship’s cold interior. Her feet are freezing and, as she lays back for a few minutes, she allows herself the daydream of being stretched out on Kara’s couch with her cold feet in Kara’s lap and warm hands wrapped around them.

Rousing herself when the shaking subsides, she tucks the blanket so that it stays on and leaves her hands free. She pulls most of the remaining pins out of her hair, partly because they could be useful and partly because having her hair down will help with the chill; the few that she leaves hold it out of her face.

Lena carefully contemplates the chair she was restrained in. She doesn’t know if it will be used again, but she’s going to make sure it doesn’t work properly if it is.

There hadn’t been a way to disguise the surgery if her captor walked in, and she’d been lucky with the timing. For this act of defiance, she figures out how to position herself so she might appear idle if interrupted.

Using the laser, screwdriver, and a pin here and there, Lena accesses the locking mechanism behind its cover panel and damages the arm clamp on the same side while still leaving them looking intact for all but close inspection. If she’s placed back in the chair, she should be able to get out of the arm hold and into the panel to trip the lever on all of the clamps.

Satisfied with the outcome of her actions and exhausted from the very bad day, as she’s calling it (at least since Kara invited me to dinner, she thinks, that part was very good), she removes her jacket and folds it to use as a pillow. Wrapping the blanket around herself more tightly, she curls up on the hard surface.

---

Kara leans against the wall of a Stryker’s Island interrogation room, waiting. It somehow has even less charm than others she’s been in and the dreariness is stifling.

She taps her hands together, replaying her argument with Alex about this trip. Her sister’s opinion was that this was a probable diversion by an enemy of the Supers or a bid for something they didn’t understand yet that would be used against them by an evil genius or both.

“He shouldn’t even know this is happening, Kara, but he does. You can’t trust anything about him,” Alex had shouted.

Kara argued that it had taken a group effort over months to defeat the Worldkillers before and they were currently lacking in both people and time. While Lena was first up on the termination list, next would likely be Kara, the DEO, civic leaders, and so on if they didn’t stop this now.

Their former strategy was formulated against a different type of Worldkiller, so using Lex’s knowledge and resources could bring needed adjustments to their approach. She kept to herself that she might be influenced by Lena’s recollections of a brother who cared about her and the hope that might be part of his motivation in contacting the DEO. Kara knows she needs to be careful in that regard. She also knows that using Lex’s hatred of aliens in a ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’ way could be disastrous. But she can’t ignore the options Lex could bring given their circumstances. She has to try.

J’onn, after listening to their back and forth, sided with Kara; with Kal unavailable to consult, he made the call. J’onns frustration at being instructed to stay clear of the orbiting ship and instead keep his agents on alert until a threat to more than Lena Luthor was imminent was apparent throughout the exchange.

Lex had stipulated he would only meet with Supergirl. For an incarcerated individual, he was rather unique in having the ability to limit the visitor list. As Lena had once explained to Kara, not all of those sympathetic to him were out of power, and he knew a lot about them. They wielded their influence to keep Lex safely insulated from anyone who might be able to access that information.

Even without an invitation, Alex insisted she accompany her. Kara agreed, unwilling to waste more time arguing; at that point Alex could wait outside for all she cared. Surprisingly, Alex was allowed into the facility, and she now stands on the other side of the two-way mirror with the warden and a guard.

Kara hears the approaching footsteps accompanied by the clank of metal and raises her hands to cup her face, inhaling deeply and straightening up. Her hands drop as the door opens.

Lex walks into the interrogation room shackled and flanked by two guards. His eyes are immediately on Kara and she can feel his mind already working, mulling over every detail he can find. She also experiences how physically imposing he can be even here; she’s looking up 4-5 inches at him even with boots on and he clearly takes up space even in dull prison garb that blends with the walls.

Lex shuffles to the table where he’s secured. When the guards are done they look to Kara.

“You can go, thank you” she says, and they depart.

She walks confidently to sit opposite him, arms crossed on the table in front of her.

The two regard each other silently for almost a minute, each sizing the other up in this first-time meeting. Feeling time creeping away Kara finally breaks the quiet, stating “You wanted to see me.”

“I did.” His voice still has the ring of someone in charge. “I thought you might need some help. I know Superman and others are unavailable.”

“And how do you know that?” she asks, leaning forward slightly.

“Because you wouldn’t be here if he was. And I may have heard that he disappeared at the request of a group of underwhelming superheroes.” Lex rolls his head back, as if searching for something above before returning to facing Kara. “Guess he’s not picking up his phone wherever he went.”

Kara refuses to respond but Lex, not willing to give up yet, continues, “Interesting that they didn’t ask for Earth’s champion. But then, earlier on, there was that rumor about you and...”

Kara cuts him off, “Superman was the appropriate choice for their mission.”

She has to mentally reprimand herself for already succumbing to baiting and revealing more than she meant to. She hears “Calm and careful” whispered by Alex through the wall.

With the shackles attaching Lex’s wrists to the table, he can just put up his fingers and part of his palms in a placating way, even while a smug smile lingers on his lips. “I’m sure he was.” He drops his hands. “My sister seems to still trust you. She even seems to like you. I just want to confirm that your attention isn’t elsewhere.”

“That’s not what you’re doing,” Kara retorts. “But I can assure you that my focus is on the two people on that ship.” She points a finger skyward. “Stopping the first and bringing the second to safety so she can have the full life she deserves while continuing to demolish the damaging legacy of her megalomaniac brother and build her own.”

“Touché,” Lex quips. “It seems you do have some bite.”

“Made of steel, remember?” Kara tosses back with an insincere smile. “And don’t act the concerned older sibling. You’ve tried to kill her. We don’t have a lot of time, so what’s your game?”

Lex purses his lips, thoughtful, and admits, “The drones were mine. But that was a family matter. You understand family squabbles, right? You did punch out your only living relative on live television. Which was glorious, by the way.” His tone slips back towards mocking.

Kara peers at him. “You’re equating those two events?”

Lex seems to ponder the question. “Perhaps I shouldn’t.” Then he shrugs. “Lena was dismantling things, things I took effort and care and time to build. Disappointment and temper got the better of me, and, well, Luthors tend to act out in larger than life ways.

“Angry as I was, I failed at first to recognize how truly impressive she was, in how swiftly and effectively she worked and in her entire ‘Fuck you, Lex’ approach. It takes a unique individual to be willing to burn something to the ground if it’s called for, especially things tied to one’s family name. I’ve always known she was brilliant and driven, but when I finally woke up to appreciating this matured version of her, what she is, what she can do, my admiration for her only grows.”

Lex’s facetious attitude has slipped away, replaced by what looks like fondness. Kara watches him closely.

“Any attempts on her life since then that you think were me were Cadmus. I don’t control their agenda. They have ongoing differences with her while I’ve put my past differences with my sister where they should be, in the past. I want her to thrive, to be the innovator, the leader, that humanity needs. I’m more unwilling to leave her in the hands of a super-powered alien ready to kill her than you are. And I don’t want that alien sticking around to raze my world either. Not when I can help.”

Kara sees the line she would be navigating with Lex. There’s a family connection, but he also values his sister for what she is and can do and tied up in that appraisal is his own projection of what a Luthor should do and be. Kara knows there are contradictions between Lex’s ideas and Lena’s reality. She was hoping to find the sibling bond as more of a motivation, even if that was unlikely. Still, this attempt to get Lena back shouldn’t put them into a situation where Lex’s ideas would be challenged. His projections may be enough to secure him as an unsavory ally, which isn’t the most comforting thought, but it’s something. And at this point they need something.

“And how can you help?” Kara asks.

“Not from in here,” he states bluntly.

She nods, unsurprised by this turn in the conversation after all of Alex’s theorizing about traps prior to the flight over. Trying had been the only option for her so she had tried, and she had failed. Heart heavy, she starts to rise, telling Lex, “I can’t arrange that.”

“I have a possible way that you could.”

She pauses, then slowly lowers herself back down. “Tell me.”

“You need weapons and people who can use them, basically powered-up allies. The data on this Worldkiller are limited. I can’t point out some silver bullet that I have to bargain with you for. The best general weapon against super aliens that’s ready to go is the Lexo suit. And I’m it’s best pilot.”

Kara looks at him, exasperated. “And you also have it, of course. Seeing as it disappeared from the scene where Lillian was knocked out if it. And then Lillian disappeared from prison.”

“I know where it is,” Lex allows.

Kara recognizes the progression in this conversation that he must have laid out in his head. It reminds her of Lena moving through a project or a plan, patient and strategic. The thought doesn’t comfort her, but she’s come too far to not see what’s next.

“And how does your proposal to use the Lexo suit make it easier for people to let you out? It makes you more dangerous, not less.”

“I wanted to point out how I can be useful. I understand you also need to know how I won’t be a danger to you. That’s simple. We won’t just get the suit. We’ll arrange to get a kill switch with it,” Lex says nonchalantly.

Her jaw drops for a second before she becomes conscious of it, closing her mouth then opening it again to exclaim, “What?”

“Wouldn’t you agree that you have control if you can stop me immediately? What better way than termination? And I’m sure Dr. Mason could install one.”

Two sharp raps hit the other side of the mirror.

Lex flicks two fingers towards it. “Sounds like your cue for a team meeting.”

---

Kara walks into the observation room, tense and agitated. This is not a scenario she was expecting. But then, if she’s honest with herself, they’ve been flying almost blind since that sigil came on-screen, anxious memories propelling them to act before disaster overtakes them.

“I don’t believe this,” she exclaims to the room at large.

The warden is already heading towards the door she has come through as he responds to her outburst, “This is above my pay grade. I’ll just say I would never let him out if it was my decision. But what he’s suggesting may sway others, including you, and he knows it.” He motions to the guard, saying, “We’re going to wait outside.”

Alex watches them go before turning to Kara, her expression grim as she lays the situation out, “If we need Lex, this could be a way to get him. He’s told us he doesn’t have or know of anything that would help us without his direct involvement, and there’s nothing, not even rumors, that contradict him. We don’t have time, as you’ve repeated. I think whether we ask for this or not comes down to a few questions: Do you think he wants to stop a Worldkiller? Do you think he wants to save Lena? If he does, do you think we can control him while doing those things? Or is it all a trick?”

Faintly, for Kara’s ears only, Alex adds on, “This room isn’t secure.”

With a nod of understanding, Kara answers, “I think we have similar goals. He seems to still have a connection with Lena. Is there something more? He wouldn’t be Lex Luthor if that wasn’t a possibility. But I can control him. And without a kill switch – I hate that idea. Do we have to go that far?”

Alex answers emphatically, “He’s dangerous, Supergirl. Maybe not as dangerous right now but as soon as he has any freedom out there to contact people or control anything...” She pauses several seconds to let possibilities unfold in Kara’s mind before continuing, “I don’t like it at all, but this could work. And you can’t be constantly glued to him with what we have to do. They’re not going to allow him out without a way to stop him.”

Then she barely breaths out for Kara to hear, “I can take care of this for you. Trust me.”

Kara locks eyes with her sister, the calculation and plea evident in Alex's. Kara gives an almost imperceptible nod.

“If you think he can help, then we present terms to J’onn immediately. The kill switch could be tricky, but Lex has kindly pointed us to Dr. Mason. He’s the neurosurgeon who developed and installed kill switches for Cadmus and he’s in another prison in Metropolis because of it. I know how the switches work from the autopsies of that gang Lillian Luthor eliminated. I’ll observe the surgery. I can make sure that it does what we need it to, that no one tampers with it,” Alex assures her.

“We have such limited options,” Kara says, resignation in her voice. “Let's call J’onn.”

J’onn agrees to reach out to the proper people. He must use persuasion and owed favors masterfully because they have permission to proceed within the hour. Though Kara suspects that a decent-sized group of influential people who would quietly toast Lex Luthor’s neatly explained demise may have also factored in.

There are conditions. Lex must be under control at all times – after release and until surgery he’s with Supergirl and approved personnel only; after surgery, he’s under the threat of the kill switch with Supergirl expected to be present except when off-planet.

Kara, with Alex in tow, returns to the interrogation room to inform Lex they have authorization. A guard unlocks him from the table and passes him a phone. Lex paces carefully over to and then around the far corner of the room as he talks.

Facilitating a call between Lex Luthor and Lillian Luthor so Lex can work with Supergirl strikes Kara as possibly the most surreal moment of the last year.

Finishing the brief conversation, Lex shuffles to their side of the room and hands the phone back. “It’s arranged.”

“That was easy,” Kara comments.

Lex’s smug smile is back. “It’s my property. Lillian’s just the caretaker. If I can use it, it’s available to me.”

Alex can’t hide her disdain. “How sweet. A family that safeguards each other’s WMDs.”

Lex barely glances at her before responding, “We can’t all be as wholesome as the Danvers family.” An edge creeps into his voice. “Though that’s a bit of a myth, isn’t it?”

Kara breaks in before Alex can analyze the question, “So where is it? You coded your conversation.”

His eyes flick to her ears, before he concedes, “It’s at a location only she and I know by that description. I assume you’re taking me; I’ll tell you when we depart. It’ll be there in two hours.”

In the intervening time, Alex fills out paperwork and makes phone calls regarding their next steps and Lex is processed to leave the facility. At Alex’s request, Kara visits the DEO archive to pick up a kill switch set along with data on them for Alex to review.

Back at the prison, Kara realizes she’s successfully focused on action and anger since the broadcast and kept herself distracted from Lena and the meaning of that ticking clock. Now she finds her mind slipping towards fully contemplating what’s at stake. She diverts it by allowing herself to picture Lena when she’s wearing her most determined expression, face occasionally scrunching up while chewing on her lip and running fingers through her hair, eventually conquering yet another seemingly intractable problem. Kara clings tightly to this image, eyes closed, telling herself that Lena is up there calculating and fighting, and Kara is going to bring her home.

She’s grateful for the interruption when departure time approaches and Alex corners her.

“I know he shouldn’t have any way to hurt you but watch him closely,” Alex anxiously dictates. “Scan the suit first and don’t let him near it. And stay in contact.”

Kara gives her a reassuring smile and a hug. “I know. I’ve got this. We’ll meet you at Metropolis General.”

When Kara grips Lex to fly him out of the prison yard, she can feel Alex’s hostile gaze on her passenger.

Rising into the air she asks, “Where to?”

--------

Lena wakes to find that getting her body to obey her brain is a slow process. But when she spots the container of what appears to be water sitting just inside the door it’s sufficient incentive for movement. The stress and small-scale surgeries have left her dehydrated. She’s not going to ponder why it’s there; maybe Power needs her functional.

When she has the container and is back seated on the edge of the bed with shoulders slumped and blanket wrapped around her, her thoughts turn to Kara. Their previous struggle with the Worldkillers had almost destroyed the superhero and, in the end, the approach they had taken had been based on a humanity that appears to be lacking in their current opponent.

That approach had been conceived by Kara. Even after almost dying, her reaction was to save. A half-smile forms on Lena’s lips thinking about the dedication to goodness that motivates the woman she loves.

The last time she had seen Kara, Lena had been walking out her penthouse door after exchanging a long goodbye kiss with her half-dressed girlfriend. Kara always glowed in the morning sunlight that streamed through the front room windows, and that morning, blonde hair loose and wilder than usual, had been no different. Every part of the memory warms her as she sits alone on a frigid ship enveloped in the darkness of space.

After a few minutes, Lena nudges herself away from the self-indulgence. She should review everything she remembers about what had worked against Power’s compatriots and also dredge up any details she can from her short time on the bridge. She inhales deeply, and her shoulders rise. There’s nothing but waiting ahead of her; she should use it wisely.

---

Kara and Lex land among oaks and dogwood on the side of an outcropping in the karst landscape. She maintains a sense of heightened vigilance, not yet releasing Lex.

“Where are they?” she asks.

“I thought we might need something else first,” he replies.

Kara’s’ grip tightens and Lex gasps. “What’s going on, Lex? Tell me now or it’s back to Stryker’s Island for you.”

Lex peers up at her, breathing labored. “Two questions. How are you getting Lena back to Earth? And how do you take someone with you?”

Kara drops him and rests a foot on his leg to pin it as she stares down. “Go on.”

Lex inhales deeply before sitting up and brushing himself off, saying, “I have a way to bring her back. And it should also make it easier to take me along.”

“What way? Like a ship?” Kara doesn’t move.

“A small one, but bigger than one of your pods. Modified from an alien design. Short-range with a few modifications for speed and quickness. It shouldn’t be viewed as a threat and it could dock with the one in orbit.”

“Seriously?” Kara scoffs.

“Other titans of business have entire space programs but it’s inconceivable that Luthor Corp had one spaceship?” Lex counters, a gleam appearing in his eye. “Though mine doesn’t require rocket boosters and it’s always ready to go.”

The charm that was able to draw people to him is on full display. But Kara has also experienced what underlies it during their limited time together, the unsettling look flickering in the eyes and how his pulse can change just a bit, the agitation ramping up with certain topics. Only the mention of Lena earlier had truly altered that, seeming to calm him. It was as if the mention of his sister could touch a different part of Lex, one that at some point in time was a wide-eyed, wondering dreamer rather than the paranoid, self-proclaimed defender of humanity. One who would be eager to engage in a personal conversation with an alien.

She’ll ponder that more later; now she needs to make a decision.

“Show me,” she tells him.

The ship is in a nearby cave, carefully protected from the elements. When Lex tells her that they could exit by blowing through the porous rock around them, Kara rolls her eyes at him and moves it outside to an open area.

“We’re getting the suit now,” she snaps when they’re each sitting at a set of controls.

“We are,” Lex agrees as if he hadn’t thrown off their schedule. He fires up the engines and asks, “Why aren’t you flying?”

“You. Let’s go.”

At a secluded lakehouse, Kara scrutinizes the suit and the switch set. There are no signs of Kryptonite or other dangerous materials. Gathering them, she secures the items onboard then picks up Lex from where she left him creatively affixed to a pylon on the shore. She directs the ship to a DEO branch outside of Metropolis.

The disgraced neurosurgeon is at Metropolis General with Alex when they get there. Kara’s kept occupied with babysitting Lex during preparations for surgery and texting back and forth with Winn for updates. Winn has a number of dead ends to report but tells her he may have some useful information on their opponent’s abilities soon.

The acquired switch and control have been cleared for use and Kara spends the operation on an observation platform. It’s unexpectedly quick. Alex assists, but as they finish, she takes over from Dr. Mason to check over the device again and to close.

Sitting on a bench next to the recovery room waiting for Lex to come out from anesthesia, she’s joined by Alex in a long-sleeved black T shirt and her blue scrub bottoms. The sisters whisper about the day as a cleared medical staffer filters in and out to periodically record the patient’s vitals.

Kara wraps up the details of her trip she hadn’t shared over comms and admits to a gnawing concern, “Every time I make eye contact with him, he gives me the impression that he’s working steps ahead of us. I realize it could just be a psychological tactic, but the probability that’s happening because of who he is makes it very uncomfortable.”

Alex bumps Kara’s shoulder with her own. “Stay uncomfortable. Never think that he doesn’t have an eye on a prize. I just wish we were certain about what the prize is.”

Kara lets out a deep sigh. “But he hasn’t tried anything yet. Except for the stunt with the ship and that hasn’t panned out to be anything more than what he said.”

Alex’s laugh lacks humor. “And I think that makes everyone nervous.”

With that, both sit lost in their own thoughts until Alex dozes off with her head leaned back against the wall. Kara doesn’t disturb her, sleep being a scarce commodity.

She didn’t tell Alex about the single, very short conversation on the trip back to Metropolis. The one where she now isn’t sure if Lex meant to be complimenting or insulting her, but it landed as an insult. The one that may have been an opportunity to engage and sway him a bit more, at least for this mission. Or that may have been nothing – with a soft snort she realizes that’s probably what Alex would say it was.

“You’re not like him,” Lex says, breaking the silence.

At the look Kara throws him Lex shifts away. “Are you sure only your breath is capable of freezing people?”

When she doesn’t deign to answer, he continues, “You’re not. You don’t pretend. You know what you are, you embrace it. It’s refreshing.”

Kara cuts him off sharply, “I don’t need your backhanded compliments and uninformed opinion.”

Getting up, she restlessly paces the hallway. To distract herself, she calls the Metropolis DEO about Lex’s and Power’s ships, wanting to discuss the capabilities of the two vehicles.

When the call ends, she stares blankly at the screen for several seconds until a call from Winn startles her out of it. As she answers she notices Alex must have woken and gone off to change.

Winn’s been watching the L Corp footage and lets her know they may have put some pieces of the Worldkiller puzzle together, both in terms of abilities and how she measures up to Supergirl.

Kara thanks him as Alex joins her and lets her know that Lex is cleared to move.

Lex is sitting on the side of the bed, buttoning his dark blue shirt when they step into the room. When he stands and turns to pick up a jacket from the bed, Kara sees the incision from the surgery and then steps towards him at the sight of a small fitted metal strip behind his ear.

When he turns back, she motions to it. “What’s that for?”

“Psychic dampener. The warden brought it, along with orders from above.”

“Really?”

“Yep. To keep anyone from reading me.”

She frowns. “There’s no possibility of that where we’re going.”

“So you say. There’s skepticism about that. Didn’t you notice the specific conditions about who was with me after I left prison and before I received this?” He points behind his ear. “There was a reason for that.”

Alex takes a close look at it and nods to Kara. “It’s a dampener. We’ll check if it’s legitimate on the way out. We need to start making our plan to take out this Worldkiller.”

Chapter Text

The very early morning finds Alex, Lex, and Kara at the Metropolis DEO gathered around information feeds, one monitor reserved for Winn conferencing in from National City. Winn is visibly trying to not look too frequently at the Luthor in the room.

They first discuss the shift in planning Lex’s ship brings. It provides more flexibility and safety in terms of getting an unprotected human back to Earth through the vacuum of space. And Lex can tag along more easily. But, obviously, only Kara was invited, and Power is going to scan anything incoming. Kara has already emphatically stated she won’t risk Lena by wearing communications gear when she boards the Worldkiller’s ship. “She said alone,” Kara has reminded them.

“The suit can be camouflaged,” Lex says confidently. “She won’t know what she’s looking for, so she won’t find it among the other signatures that will register on the ship. Now, what do we do when we get there?”

Winn leads them through the DEO’s analysis of the L Corp footage. “Lena had power sources around her office windows. According to L Corp engineers, they were part of a prototype shielding system for beyond bullets. From what we can tell, those power sources were directed to blow the window before the Worldkiller struck. But that manipulation seems to have come from the Worldkiller herself. There’s sparse information in Colville’s files but it does allude to a Worldkiller that can manipulate energy to be used against a planet’s power systems.”

“Well that’s a new one,” Kara says, wondering if they’ll be able to catch any familiar break with this opponent.

Winn nods in agreement and continues his summary, “From what data we have, she doesn’t seem to be as fast as you. Her relative physical strength is in question; she might not be as strong. Flight is likely the byproduct of her ability to manipulate energy. Her advantage is she can bring devastating weapons to a fight almost from thin air. Figuring out how to neutralize that is key obviously.”

Alex steps away from the monitor with Winn on it and starts to pace. “Alright, we brainstorm ways to handle her. Our own weapons could be turned against us. We’ll have to carefully consider superpowers and the Lexosuit capabilities as well as anything we send with you.”

They pull the Lexosuit out and go over the different forces it can generate and the ways it can be weaponized. Power has been seen to control radiant energy, so they focus on those aspects of the attack and defense components, looking for problems. They also work through hypothetical scenarios where she may manipulate other forms but soon drop this, finding it to be mostly counterproductive to establishing any sort of strategy.

Lex argues that they can improvise on-site now that the groundwork is laid for what shouldn’t be used and what could go wrong. He knows he should focus on mechanical forces to achieve an objective and use of electromagnetic processes will need to be determined in context.

Alex and Winn reluctantly agree to move on to considerations of Supergirl’s powers. Kara is aware that Lex is redacting information just as Alex and Winn are going to do with her powers, but as long as they can come up with a promising plan, she’ll tolerate the lack of full transparency from her compatriots.

The discussion goes around and around for hours with ideas for tactics that could inflict damage but provide little to nothing for the alien to turn against them. Coffee, water, and occasional food drops fuel them until tempers get short and they take a break.

The clock looms though, causing everyone to stay close. Alex wanders back in, then Lex, accompanied by the DEO agents who shadowed him out, and Winn is back at his video station, all in less than twenty minutes.

Kara never left and is leaning against a wall, thinking on past encounters with these beings. Worry and frustration are eating away at her. “We just need to get up there,” she snaps.

Alex fixes her with her patented warning look designed to remind Kara she’s hiding something.

“No,” Alex corrects. “I know it’s frustrating when you have an enemy bent on death and destruction out there and a colleague held hostage. But we need a plan.”

Kara wipes her hand over her face as she pushes off the wall and walks over to them. “Maybe we’re going about this wrong. Maybe we’re overthinking. Maybe we’re overthinking the less important things and ignoring the bigger picture.”

Lex gives her a contemplative look, then snaps his fingers and points at her. “The last time you focused on saving them. Partly because of human sides of the individuals involved and partly because of what you knew about trying to kill Worldkillers. The consensus is that how you tried to save then won’t work now because of the nature of this Worldkiller. We’ve talked through what we have available to attack and defend ourselves, but what if we go beyond getting Lena out of there and doing some temporary damage. What else is different, and how do we use it for a longer-term solution?”

Winn interjects from the monitor, “Her location. And the ship. With her abilities including energy manipulation, Power should have more options taking on Supergirl on Earth, but she’s likely wary of Supergirl having access to resources as well. Information’s spotty so she doesn’t know exactly what was done to stop her sisters or how it was done. She’s being cautious, setting the terms on a limited field of play that she commands. But the ship and its location are more limited than the planet for her.”

Kara furrows her brow, thinking out loud, “And that decision is keeping Earth safe. We want to keep it that way, keep her off the planet. And use that choice against her.”

Lex almost sounds as if it’s a leading question when he asks, “What else does the ship bring to the situation?”

Kara has the answer immediately, “Transport. And its location means no worries about collateral damage except possibly nearby satellites.”

“Go up there with an approach of neutralizing if you can, but make the primary goal sending her away,” Winn suggests excitedly. “And get Lena out of there before that.”

Alex nods. “Target the ship. Not blow it up because she can probably survive that as both a Worldkiller and a being that can manipulate energy. And then she’d end up here on Earth. But use you two,” she points between Lex and Kara, “to sabotage that ship so it jumps far away from here and then can’t jump back.”

“I can keep her occupied,” Kara offers. “And Lex can sabotage the engines and get Lena out. Though if Power can manipulate energy, how do we know she can’t stop the engines from revving up to jump?”

“She may be able to,” Lex answers. “We’ll have to plan on distraction to first make sure she doesn’t realize something has happened and then distraction and incapacitation as the best chance of her not interfering when it actually happens.”

“Yes, max her out,” Winn confirms. “Instead of holding back energy from her, pour it into her. You’ll have to explore what her threshold is for channeling energy while engaged. If you can blow out or at least decrease her abilities with a massive energy surge, that could work.”

“Yeah,” Kara agrees. “The other option is to deprive her of energy input, but we can’t bleed off the ship because it would kill Lena. And Power may still be able to use what’s surrounding us in space, including our ship. Overwhelming her is probably our best bet.”

“We have specs on that ship, right? “Lex asks. “Then we can map out a two-pronged approach to get to the place where we can alter the engines while engaging Power elsewhere.”

“One sec.” Winn starts pulling up files for them to view. “We’ve dug up as much information as we can about her type of ship since it appeared. We should be able to learn how to access and damage its engines from what we have. We’ll want a burn to thousands of lightyears away where we don’t know of any other civilizations followed by a massive malfunction. Piece of cake,” he proclaims.

“And we need to maintain structural integrity. We don’t want her to somehow get blown out before or during transfer,” Alex adds.

Progress settles Kara mentally and physically and she sees similar effects in the others. While Lex, Winn, and Kara zealously get to work on the engine situation, Alex excuses herself, explaining that she needs to look into an accessory for their raid.

A few minutes after she leaves two DEO engineers she sent show up while Winn brings in a consultant on alien spaceships.

They are just into the afternoon and closing in on a final strategy when Alex calls Lex and Kara away to a conference room.

“I have something you should take with you.” She lifts a semi-circular device with a few small spikes out of a molded container sitting on the table.

Kara looks it over curiously before recognition hits. “This is the internal version of a sun grenade you’ve been developing,” she gasps.

“It’s in the final phase,” Alex explains, “and obviously it hasn’t been tested on you yet. But we can’t send a sun grenade into a battle zone where the enemy can manipulate electromagnetic radiation. It’s what we have in case you get depleted. It will hopefully help, but it shouldn’t hurt. It won’t provide regeneration as quickly or as fully as a sun grenade because of the localized insertion and limits on how much can be packed into it. But it can give you a boost.”

“Do I need to explain further?” Alex directs the question at Lex.

“No, I understand what it is and what it does,” he replies.

Alex motions at Kara as she looks at Lex. “If you need to use it, press the dispensers in, preferably into the torso for fastest action. And nothing will happen if she isn’t de-powered except breaking the spikes against impervious skin, so avoid doing that.”

When they all return to the planning session, there’s a final version to review. Looking it over, they make revisions, and then Lex and Kara walk through each piece, scenario-planning while the others observe with occasional comments. They determine it has the elements they need and it’s going to have to be good enough.

Winn signs off with, “I’ll leave you to take on a Worldkiller. Good luck. I’ll stay in communication with Metropolis DEO until you’re back.”

Kara’s touched by his commitment to see this through with them, knowing from their previous conversations and his appearance that he has barely slept. “Thank you. We’ll talk to you soon,” she says.

“Come on Lex,” Alex calls from the doorway where she and the two DEO engineers are about to exit, each carrying pieces of his suit. “Let’s get you ready.”

Kara steps just in front of him, causing him to pause and look down at her. “Thank you, Lex, for being an asset to this mission,” she says.

Lex looks at her impassively. “Maybe it’ll help re-brand the name. I hear that’s a popular family pastime these days,” he says, and Kara can’t quite figure out the flash of expression across his face before he moves to join Alex and the others.

Kara makes her way to the ship, jitters present throughout her body as she processes that they are finally going to get to Lena and their adversary. Even as the deadline has loomed closer she has maintained positive thoughts. She will see Lena soon. They will end this menace. And there will be no unexpected surprises on her team. She is going to ensure all of those outcomes.

Kara’s waiting just inside the hatch to the ship when Lex walks up, trailed by Alex several steps behind.

“Ready,” he tells her.

“Let’s not try anything up there. Stick to the plan,” Kara directs.

“What else would I do?” Lex throws back.

“Nothing else,” she states and disappears inside.

Kara can hear Alex now talking to Lex. “Don’t have any doubts about her activating that switch in your head if she needs to. But if you do have any, know that I have a duplicate controller.” She can visualize Alex’s menacing look.

“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” she hears Lex reply.

Lex joins Kara in the cockpit. They check through all systems with the Metropolis DEO and take off.

---

Lena sits on the bridge again. Power had appeared in her cell, ordered her into the chair, and brought her here. She’s scared about what is going to happen even as a tiny, mutinous part of her wants to be happy over the fact Kara must be on the way.

She hasn’t slept since her post-surgery nap. She’s spent the time recalling everything she can about this ship and distracting herself with escape plans and equations and prototype specs and project proposals. She’s paced the length and width of the holding cell hundreds of times over and allowed herself a few whimsical thoughts about beautiful, peaceful vacation destinations where she could take Kara.

Power visited once, an almost casual interrogation about Supergirl and the other Worldkillers. Lena had answered her questions with just enough to appear helpful without giving anything of substance away. Years in boardrooms and Luthor households certainly helped. The transmitter was present as a threat the entire time, but the Worldkiller held her in such low regard she bought the storyline that while Lena had assisted, her role had been smaller than reported and she didn’t have very detailed information to provide.

Lena looks over the bridge. Her memory was correct. There’s repetitive equipment here and she hasn’t been able to figure out its function. And then it suddenly hits her – they resemble storage units, possibly like capacitors. Their number and location are puzzling, but she knows intuitively that their presence is important. Now she needs to deduce why.

A moving pinpoint on the viewscreen pulls her attention away. Power, busy at a panel, speaks, “That’s unexpected. Well, let’s see what she’s brought with her.”

She reads the display and glances at Lena. “She appears to be alone. Also somewhat surprising. Maybe she’s more unpredictable than I thought.”

The form of a ship is obvious now and Power opens up an audio channel to hail it. Lena focuses on giving away nothing.

“I want to speak to Lena Luthor,” Kara’s voice demands through the speaker in response to the hail. Power must have predicted this request, explaining why Lena is here.

She motions for Lena to speak. “Say a few words.”

Lena pauses, thinking of words that will reassure Kara that she’s alive and talking to her at this moment, that there’s no trick. “I’m here Supergirl. I can see your ship, a small shuttle, cylindrical light-colored main body with black wings, engines mounted in them.”

“Satisfied?” the Worldkiller cuts her short.

“Yes,” Kara’s voice comes over the channel and Lena can hear an undercurrent of relief in it.

“Why the ship?” Power asks. “You don’t need it.”

Kara’s tone remains hard. “But Lena does. To get home.”

Power’s smirk is audible. “Of course. Home.”

Kara doesn’t react, simply informing them, “I’ll be docking shortly.”

Power cuts the audio.

“What are you going to do with her?” Lena asks.

The Worldkiller doesn’t even bother to look over. “I’m going to rid the universe of her.” Lena can’t stop the tension rising in her body or the sting to her eyes, even though she knew this was the most likely endgame. “But first,” she goes on, “probably a little revenge.”

Power makes sure Lena’s watching her as she raises her hand, and suddenly energy is arcing to her from the wall, streaming over it.

“I have talents you haven’t seen. And I hear Kryptonians have certain weaknesses to exploit. You may still prove useful, though, depending on what you know and how easily you give up what I need. I might keep you for a little while.”

Lena is shocked, but she recognizes the answer to the puzzle. She steadies herself, refusing to be intimidated. “You’re not going to win,” she yells at the Worldkiller.

“Of course I am.” The look Power sends Lena’s way makes her feel like she's staring down death, and then the alien is gone to intercept Kara. As soon as the door shuts behind her, Lena moves to free herself.

---

Kara enters the freighter cautiously, not sure where the trap is going to be sprung but needing to clear the first rooms for Lex to get in and make his way to the engines. She’s already tuned in to Lena’s heartbeat, a bit elevated but strong, and that rhythm stabilizes her.

Power is one room off of the docking area, standing by the door to the next compartment. She holds up the transmitter that Kara saw her use on Lena. “Follow me,” she orders, the threat implicit.

Kara follows without hesitation, but she doesn’t hurry after the first room. She’s partly stalling for Lex, who has to get to the engines to program in course and timing and set a few explosives. Listening for him, she can just barely pick out his quick movements from the noise of the ship with his suit in stealth mode. She’s also stalling for herself. The less time she has to hold off a Worldkiller, the better.

Power eventually comes to a halt in a nondescript room. Kara examines it closely, trying to determine what makes it special. If she had to guess, it would be the humming of EM fields. She can tell that Lena’s nearby.

“I’m not surprised you came,” Power states, turning to face Kara completely, “but really, how do you think this is going to end?”

“I took on your sisters and succeeded,” Kara answers, blue eyes blazing as anger starts to seep in at the memories. “Why wouldn’t I come after you? I protect this planet.”

“But I’m not like my sisters.”

“Oh, I know.”

“Do you?” Power tilts her head, still observing Kara. “While I have superior abilities to yours, I also use other tactics. My brethren seemed a bit redundant in their methods. For example, I will hurt those in my way with more than just physical might.” She holds up the transmitter. Kara tenses, preparing herself for what’s coming next. “You’ll be able to hear her scream.”

Power pushes the button, but there’s no response, even with heightened senses. Power pushes it again with the same results and her confusion is clear. Taking advantage of her distracted state, Kara launches at her.

---

Lena is almost finished working her way out of the chair when she feels the slightest tingle under her skin. There’s a pause and it repeats at diminished intensity. If that’s the only residual effect, then the little laser did its job well.

The tingling is followed by concussive forces shaking the ship and then the crackling of electricity. She also hears the telltale sound of Kara’s heat vision. She’s not sure what Kara knows about Power but if those units are storing sufficient energy, it could swamp Power’s ability to control it and damage her. She needs to make sure Kara knows that.

Lena works to detach the panel that houses the locking mechanisms. Finally accomplishing that and unclamping the restraints, she runs to the door Power went through.

She slips quickly through a small passage and can hear impacts in the next room. She opens the door cautiously, staying sheltered. Her foresight is rewarded when electrical sparks fly through.

She ducks down and looks inside. Kara and Power are across the room, Kara deflecting a bolt with her cape before throwing a piece of metal at Power. She halts it and sends it flying back as Kara superspeeds around behind her to put her into a headlock. Past them, the door to the next room has been ripped off; it looks like they started the battle in there. But what catches Lena’s attention are the storage units present.

Kara is directing the full intensity of heat vision at Power. The Worldkiller is both absorbing it and directing some of that energy into one of the units as Lena darts into the room.

“Supergirl,” she yells, staying visible just long enough for Kara to see her but not so long that she’s a stationary target. She throws herself behind a column. The sound of a body hitting the ceiling is followed by energy hitting around the column as she scrambles away making sure she stops in front of a storage unit.

The bolts subside, and Lena takes the chance to pop out and yell, “Blow out these,” hitting the one behind her.

Kara’s eyes flick rapidly to Lena’s hands, comprehension dawning. Kara is just barely holding Power off as they grapple, freeze breath meeting heated air. She strains and shifts quickly enough to throw Power off-balance and bash her against the framing.

“Go before I do. Get to our ship,” she shouts at Lena, nodding her head in the direction she came from.

Lena forces herself to flee the room, intent on finding a different route given the direct one is blocked by battling heavyweights. A glance back at a thundering crash behind her shows Kara has thrown Power off and is striking the storage units with her body and heat vision. Energy crackles around Kara and Power, bowing Kara and pouring into and immobilizing the Worldkiller as she tries to control it.

Lena runs, a mantra of ‘she needs you to keep going, don’t look back’ playing in her head. She’s following a circuitous route to Lex’s ship when a door opens in the passage behind her. She whips around and wishes she had a weapon.

Lena stares as Kara, actually bleeding from a cut on her temple and one on her shoulder, comes through it half pushed, half drug by ….

“Lex!?!”

“Hi, Lena.”

Lex presses Kara roughly against the wall and Lena reacts. She launches herself at him, but the small-scale force field that allowed him to traverse the room of battle and pull Kara from it exerts a counterforce, knocking her to the side. Lex uses the reprieve to open a pocket in the suit, pull out a half-circular object, and push it into Kara’s torso.

As Lena steadies herself to attack again, Kara gasps, then calls out, “It’s okay, Lena. He’s helping. It’s an internal sunburst.”

Lena does a double take to find Lex stepping away and Kara stable on her feet.

“Get Lena out of here! Power’s recharging, I’ll hold her off.” Lex turns and slams through the door, back to the Worldkiller.

Kara watches him go, torn, the impending jump time at the forefront of her thoughts. Before Lena can do or say anything, Kara picks her up and moves towards Lex’s ship, accelerating as chemical reactions spread through her body. Lex’s words, spoken just loudly enough for her to hear right as he powered her up, bounce around in Kara’s head, pushing her faster as the regeneration of her powers continues. “I’m not going back to that cell. This was always a one-way trip.”

“We can’t leave him,” Lena says, unsure why it comes out as a half-sob.

“I won’t. But we’re on a countdown. You need to go, Lena.” Kara maneuvers them as fast as possible through Power’s ship and into Lex’s, coming to a stop when they reach the cockpit.

Kara sets her down and becomes a frenzy of words and motions that Lena automatically focuses on. She hits buttons above their heads with the words, “Disengage docking.” Next, she pushes two levers forward with, “Engines.” She then rapidly runs through identifying a series of controls, listing off “reverse engines”, “steering”, “screens”, and “communications, you should have a line to Metropolis DEO.”

She turns to Lena then, knowing they don’t have time. Precious seconds have already ticked away and only about thirty of them remain.

“The ship is on-course. Contact the DEO. We’ll catch up to you,” Kara assures her. In her pivot to leave, she swiftly presses her lips to Lena’s and Lena, even caught by surprise, is able to return the gesture.

Then Kara is gone, the cockpit door shut. Lena sits, breathing ragged, but she quickly settles it through sheer willpower, mirroring Kara’s focus. She turns to the communications panel.

---

Kara’s movements are a blur, pushing herself against the countdown and the limits of her sunburst-fueled rush. Through both docking areas and the emptiness of space in between she flies, following the sounds of conflict.

She is upon them almost before she registers it. She immediately notes that Lex is significantly slowed but buying time with evasive maneuvers and energy deflections while Power also seems to still be recovering based on her weakened attempts to counteract his defenses and hit him with a killing blow.

In that instant of processing the scene neither notice her. She hits the controller button, trust in Alex implicit. Lex hasn’t even gone slack when she grabs him and blows through corridors and non-essential parts of the ship on the way out.

Power follows, pulling what she can to throw at Kara when she’s visible. Kara is using the Lexosuit forcefield strategically to cover them both while also absorbing blows, knowing the end is near.

Power is mere seconds behind Lex and Kara when the Worldkiller reaches the port to the outer hull of her ship and time runs out. The ship jumps.

---

“No, Alex, she’s not with me. She went back to get Lex,” Lena tells the DEO agent.

“Lena, Power’s ship just disappeared as planned,” Alex says, the words coming slowly.

Darkness starts to fill Lena’s consciousness at the words, but she’s pulled back by a tremor through the little shuttle. The sound of metal on metal draws her gaze to the door behind her.

“Lena??” Alex’s voice comes through the speaker.

“Hold on, Alex. I think they may be here,” she says, hope rising even as she tries to tamp it down.

The door opens and Kara staggers in, carrying an unconscious Lex.

She leans against the wall, watching Lena hurry to her before Lena abruptly stops at arm’s length, seeing Lex’s state.

As she sinks down to the floor with Lex basically ending up on her lap, Lena crouches with her, getting a palm to her cheek to draw Kara’s eyes to her.

“Are you alright? Is he alive?” Lena’s voice is steady, but her eyes are pleading to be told what she can do.

“I’ll be fine,” Kara answers her, expression exhausted but relieved and voice wavering.

She hears her sister’s voice calling “Lena” repeatedly through the open channel.

She projects so Alex can hear her too, “I’m fine, just need some sunlight. Alex, I needed to do that thing and it worked. Lex is unconscious. We should hook him up to the monitors we have here but his heartbeat and respiration sound stable. We’ll be back in an hour or so.”

“Did you use the sunburst already?”

“Yes,” comes Kara’s tired answer.

“Get him out of that suit immediately and restrain him until you get back. We don’t know how much time you have until he wakes up. We can talk you through getting back to Metropolis, any steps that aren’t already programmed in or you haven’t already learned.”

“Understood. I should be able to pilot us. We’ll check in in about fifteen minutes.”

Alex signs off and Kara and Lena are left staring at each other.

Lena breaks them out of their somewhat stunned state, leaning in to kiss Kara gently, a kiss Kara returns, before Lena pulls back with a smile and moist eyes. “I was going to be mad at you for not listening and for coming after me but all I want to say right now is thank you and I love you.”

Kara raises her hand from where it had been resting on Lex’s chest plate to intertwine it with Lena’s. She blinks slowly, smiles wide, and whispers, “You knew I would come. Thank you for your help, love.” Her smile grows into a drained but devilish grin. “But we probably need to stop talking like this or your brother may wake up unexpectedly and figure out we’re banging.”

Lena’s laugh fills the area as she almost doubles over even though it physically hurts; the emotional release is worth it. When she is able to look back up, her eyes are glistening for a different reason. “Thanks for that warning.” Her expression turns serious. “Are you really alright?”

“Yes. Or I will be. What about you? What about that implant?”

“I’ll be alright too. Just bruises, aches, and cuts. I disabled the implant.” Lena disentangles her hand from Kara’s and motions to Lex. “So, what do we need to do with him? And what’s his story?”

---

They land at the Metropolis DEO in the dwindling light, maintaining radio contact with Alex for most of the trip. Lex is loaded onto a stretcher from the small bunk on the ship that Kara had shackled him to. After he’s hooked up to the appropriate monitors, Alex looks over the readout on brain function and reports he should be conscious soon, and very unhappy for reasons that will start with a pounding headache.

Alex escorts Kara to a makeshift system that should help until she can spend more time in sunlight or on a sunbed while a DEO doctor takes Lena to a medical bay for examination and an IV. He also removes the receiver and Lena quietly celebrates the existence of local anesthetics.

Lena fidgets on the bed after, both spent and anxious from the events of the past two days.

“You’re as bad as she is,” Alex says as she walks in.

“Overstimulated.”

“Aren’t we all. How are you other than that?” Alex grabs the chart at the end of the bed.

“Surprisingly well, considering. Nothing time won’t heal. How’s Kara?” Lena asks as Alex flips through the few pages and returns the chart to its place, pursing her lips at the question.

“Accurate in her assessment. She just needs time and sunlight.”

“She told me what J’onn and the DEO did, what you did. Thank you. Though you were supposed to keep her safely on Earth,” Lena deadpans.

“Yeah, right,” Alex responds with a chuckle.

Lena sobers, and she lowers her voice for only Alex to hear, “I know why and how the deal was made with Lex. But please don’t do that again, not for me. My brother is dangerous. Altering that switch to incapacitate but not kill, I know you two went rogue on that because of Kara. But it could have gone horribly wrong.”

Alex catches Lena’s gaze then, expression resolute. Her words are low and clipped, “I understand your concern and I hope allying with Lex never arises again as a viable option in a crisis. Just let me assure you, Kara and I each had a transmitter. And I ensured that Lex was always in range of both. I won’t let my sister be hurt. And I won’t leave J’onn or the DEO exposed.”

An agent politely knocks and enters then to let Alex know Lex Luthor is awake. The interruption is a relief to an unsettled Lena. She has a feeling she knows what Alex is saying without an actual confirmation, and that’s the deepest level of comprehension she wants on this.

“Kara and I have to take him to have that switch removed, and then back to Strykers Island,” Alex informs her as the agent leaves, relaxed again. “We’ll be back as soon as we can. Try to get some rest.” Alex places her hand on Lena’s to give it a quick squeeze and leaves.

Kara, already alerted to Lex’s condition, passes Alex in the hallway. “I’ll see you on the chopper pad,” she says.

“Are you feeling up to this?”

“My strength is good. And the agreement is I’m his shadow until he’s back in prison.”

Alex nods and Kara continues to Lena’s bedside.

“Hi. Alex let you know where we’re going?” she asks softly.

“Yes. Be careful.”

“We’ll be fine. You should get some rest.”

“I don’t know if I’m going to be able to sleep without you,” Lena says shyly.

Kara listens for any onlookers. Finding none, she strokes the back of Lena’s head, then leans forward to kiss her forehead. “I know what you mean. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Kara and Alex return hours later from an uneventful procedure and transfer with a surly but largely silent prisoner/patient to find J’onn visiting with Lena.

When the sisters enter the room, he excuses himself from the conversation to give each a heartfelt hug. He lets them know their work is done for now. J’onn’s not just checking up on them but he’s also taking custody of the suit and the ship, letting them return home as quickly as they’d like, a development all three are happy about.

Finally finished with medical procedures and debriefings and, of particular delight to Lena, showers, they wish Alex good night as she heads to the DEO barracks and they fly to the modest apartment that Lena kept from her time with Luthor Corp R&D. Both sluggishly get ready for bed, Lena digging out two sets of sleepwear to replace the supersuit and the black DEO tracksuit Lena is in. They curl against each other under the sheet and duvet.

Kara trails her hand across Lena’s cheek. “I love you.”

Lena’s first attempt at a reply is interrupted by a sizeable yawn. “I love you, too,” she answers when it passes, placing a hand on Kara’s hip and closing her eyes.

Kara follows her example and they both fall into an exhausted sleep.

Kara wakes first and watches the sun’s rays lighting up the blinds. Fatigue lingers, but she makes no move to find the sunlight; instead, she molds her front to Lena’s back. Lena sighs in her sleep and presses closer and Kara cinches her in tighter. She watches the room brighten, listening to her girlfriend’s heartbeat.

When Lena starts to stir, Kara nuzzles into her neck with soft breaths and kisses until those vivid green eyes turn to look into hers. They strip each other carefully and make love then, vacillating between gentle and almost frantic affirmations that the other is truly there to hold and touch and hear.

Afterwards, Lena lies with her head on Kara’s chest, snugged in as close as she can get with one arm against the woman she loves and the other across her middle.

“I don’t think I ever want to leave this bed,” Lena says. “That ship was so cold and you are so warm.”

Kara’s arm tightens around her back as she smiles down at her. “We don’t have to leave it.”

“Unfortunately, I think people would notice and track us down,” Lena counters. “And the L Corp pilots are expecting me on the tarmac later. Back to work tomorrow.”

“Lena,” Kara exclaims, “you need to give yourself some time.”

“I will have been completely out of contact for more than two days, Kara. I need to get back.”

“Lena,” Kara says, unsympathetic, “please.”

Lena props her chin on Kara to look up at her, considering. “If you’ll stay with me tomorrow, I’ll work from home,” she offers.

Kara looks away and blows out an exasperated breath before looking back at her. “That’s probably the best I’m going to get, isn’t it?” She shakes her head, relenting, “Deal.”

As Lena settles onto Kara’s chest again, she feels Kara move the arm that had been on the pillow above her own head. She glances up to see her rubbing the back of her neck, suddenly nervous.

Kara fumbles out her words, unsure of how they’ll be received, “I was going to go by Strykers Island today. I think I need to, to wrap that all up.”

Lena’s hand moves up from Kara’s waist to coax the nervous hand into hers. “I’ll go with you,” she says.
---

After less than 48 hours, Kara is back across the table from Lex in an interrogation room. Lex looks mildly surprised that they’re both here again. “I certainly didn’t expect to see you so soon.”

“I had a question.”

“Maybe I have an answer.”

Kara moves her hands from her lap to fold her arms in front of her on the table. Then she verbalizes what’s been knocking around in her head since their escape from the Worldkiller’s ship. “Why choose death over prison? I didn’t think you’d do that.”

She hears Lena in the observation room exhale, “Darling, that wasn’t his intent.”

Lex meets her question with an amused air. “I didn’t. Choose that, that is.”

Kara narrows her eyes at the response of both Luthors. “What were you doing?”

“Taking a calculated risk. I planned to jump with Power,” Lex summarizes. “I had a chance to escape across the galaxy and make my way back if I wanted to, getting the switch removed along the way of course.”

“So, you were going to somehow avoid being killed before the jump. And then after jumping? Were you two going to become best buddies? You didn’t think she’d just eliminate you?” Kara keeps her features still, but her voice betrays how perplexed she is with a rise in pitch at the end of the question.

“I thought I could stay alive with what I had and what I knew. And then afterwards, well, I sabotaged the engines,” Lex points out, adding, “possibly in a way where I would be key to fixing them. Thus, I’d be an asset. I planned to offer an alliance. If she had done her homework about Kryptonians on Earth, then she likely knew who I was. And who I’ve battled. Double-crossing her, if I hadn’t shaken her off along the way, would come later.”

“You have a high opinion of your charm and resourcefulness given who you were going to be dealing with,” Kara notes.

“I am charming and resourceful,” Lex responds. “Honestly, I thought you’d just let me be lost with Power, assume I hadn’t make it. Particularly if you thought my intentions were … heroic. And the other option was you killing me while I was being heroic. Your modification to the plan - I didn’t predict that.”

Kara ignores the last comment, instead posing a question to see if her original hope in allying with him had been completely naive, “So it was never about saving your sister?”

Lex leans back in his chair and contemplates her. After several seconds, he answers, “As I said when we met, I did not want to leave her in the hands of a murderous alien. You were there to help me with that. I knew you’d save her first before coming back for me if you saw me consciously making a choice to help. Even if it meant losing me to the vastness of space.”

Kara raises her hands to press her fingertips into her brow and shakes her head. “Interacting with you has been insightful. Luthors, operating at least three steps ahead and able to play a mean long game.”

Kara’s comment seems to pique Lex’s interest and he straightens in his chair. “Speaking of, did she come with you?”

Kara keeps her expression disinterested at the unexpected question. “Who?”

Lex looks at her, unimpressed. “I’d like to see her.”

“You’re free to request any visitor you want. Isn’t that how this,” she motions between the two of them, “all started?”

Kara rises, insuring her body doesn’t betray her unease. “I think our time is up though.”

Her progress to the door is interrupted by Lex’s voice, “Good bye for now, Kara Zor-El. I look forward to our next partnership.”

The self-assurance behind the words causes a small slip, shoulders stiffening for a split second before she relaxes them and continues out the door.

Lena is already in the hallway outside the room. Her chin is up, and her eyes spark. “You don’t have to see him,” Kara says, just stopping herself from reaching out to her.

“I have this,” Lena reassures her. “I want to say a couple of things.”

“Do you want me to stay?”

“No. I’ll meet you outside.”

Lena opens the door, armored for the type of confrontation she understands in a dark blue sheath dress, a black overcoat, black 4-inch heels, impeccable makeup and hair, and an angry desire to reprimand her brother. She takes a few steps in, then remains standing, posture perfect, facing him.

Lex meets her stare, the edges of his mouth barely lifting. “You seem unhappy.”

“Don’t make me a part of your attempted jailbreaks.” The authority in her voice rings across the room.

“It wasn’t just a jailbreak.”

She sighs with a small laugh at herself and the situation. “I knew that would be your response.”

“Come on, Lena. You’re worth saving. You impress me,” Lex says, his tone somehow mixing earnestness and indifference.

“So it’s not just because I’m family?”

“We’re Luthors. Is anything done just because we’re family?” He’s mocking her but something else lurks there. After what she’s just endured though, she can’t be bothered to pursue it today.

“Once it was. Between me and you at least,” she answers. A flicker of pain runs through her even after years, but she tries not to let it to show.

Judging from the sharpness in Lex’s eyes, she wasn’t completely successful. But he doesn’t currently seem interested in any overtures. “Sorry to disappoint,” is his only response.

The anger burns out and she realizes she doesn’t want to talk to him anymore. She just wants to go home. She moves to the door. She can tell Lex is watching her every move, but she’s used to it from her brother and she doesn’t let it ruffle her.

“Thank you for stopping in,” his voice reaches her as the door starts to swing back.

“You’re welcome. And remember what I said,” she stresses, the door shutting behind her.

Lena is escorted to where Kara is, standing tall with arms folded outside the prison gates. “Everything alright?” the superhero inquires.

Lena pauses, eyes on the ground and hands domed sideways, fingertips slowly tapping against each other.

“Yes,” she tells her. Lena doesn’t want to talk about her brother at the moment, so she turns to a different concern. “Except Lex is brilliant and he knows the risks that he takes. If he thought he had a decent probability of coming back, then Power does to.”

“Hey,” Kara calls, coaxing Lena’s eyes back up. “That’s going to take a while. And we know she’s out there; we’ll be ready for her. Our best people are on it.”

Lena’s face brightens, a common result of Kara’s confidence in the future. “I appreciate your optimism. We’ll see you back in National City, Supergirl.”

She leans in to whisper, “You don’t need to follow the jet back, Kara.”

Kara just waves at her before taking off. Lena gets into the waiting town car and it departs for the airport.

When the car reaches its destination, she’s surprised to see Kara standing off to the side of the L Corp jet.

“I wanted to make sure you got here without any problems,” Kara tells Lena as she approaches. Kara had tailed the car the entire way, though Lena didn’t know that. It’s going to be a while for Kara before she can step down the level of protective impulses.

“Are you sure you aren’t just angling for a ride to National City in the swanky corporate jet?” Lena responds, amused and touched.

“Maybe,” Kara smirks at her. “But wouldn’t the crew talk?”

“No.” Lena motions over her shoulder with a thumb at the jet. “Along with their NDAs to dissuade them there’s an intimidating federal agent who I was informed showed up unexpectedly and is already on-board.”

Kara grins. “Then can I get a lift? I’d like the company.”

“You can.” Lena’s hand starts to move toward Kara’s before she stops herself, instead turning toward the stairs and waving for her to follow with a smile that lights Kara up inside. “Let’s go home, Supergirl.”