A/N: I am so so so sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. University has a way of sapping all your free time! Thank you to powerrangersoflight for inspiring me to get back to this story! Hope you guys aren't too mad at the five month delay(: xoxo
Present Day
When Kara finally came out of her drunken haze, Maggie was sitting next to her and Alex was nowhere to be seen. Maggie had a glass of water in her hand, and Kara smelled the trashcan sitting somewhere nearby, probably near her head. Jeez, she needed to take the trash out. Seemingly forgetting everything that transpired earlier that day, Kara shot Maggie a questioning look while she sat up and stretched.
"Here's some water, down the hatch Little Danvers." Maggie said while giving Kara such a mom glare. Kara smirked internally, knowing when Maggie and Alex finally decide to have kids that Maggie will be wrapped around their kid's finger. Not like Alex will be any better.
Kara knocked back the water, then stood up. Maggie shot to her feet off the couch, and grabbed the trashcan. In a panic, she had her eyes glued to Kara's face, waiting for the flushed look that usually accompanies someone that is about to throw up.
"KARA! Don't move so fast! You might puke and we both know what happens when someone pukes while I'm around!" Maggie said all in one breath, and started to grow green at the mere idea that Kara might puke. She stood shuddering behind the trashcan, bracing for impact.
The one time Alex had food poisoning, Kara somehow held Alex's hair while she threw up in the toilet while Maggie (claiming she is a 'sympathy puker') was puking in the bathtub, Kara holding her hair back also. Since then, there have been many jokes about Maggie's 'sympathy' problem.
Kara started giggling, which turned into a full belly laugh and Maggie slowly lowered the trashcan.
"Riiiight. Aliens don't get hungover." Maggie said with a monotone voice, and Kara shook her head and chuckled on the walk to the bathroom. Maggie angrily set the trashcan down and flopped on the couch. She ran her hands through her hair tiredly, knowing the questions are about to flood in and the remembering. Maggie wants to skip the remembering, but alas, the world is much too cruel.
"Where's Alex? Not that I'm complaining about your company, Maggie, but she should be off work by now. Have you called her?" Kara said, her voice slightly muffled by the wall in between them. "I hope her boss decided not to keep her late. She can't say no to him, I swear. And I still don't know where he gets the authority to tell me I need to 'train'? Like helloo? Have you SEEN my abs?" Maggie heard the water running at the conclusion of Kara's rant, but she knew Kara would hear her response over the rush of water.
Maggie stared incredulously at the wall. "Kara, do you not remember anything that happened in the past few hours?" She asked carefully, not wanting to make Kara panic if she couldn't remember.
Kara walked back out, her face washed and hair tied up in a messy bun. Suddenly, her memories came flooding back to her. Maggie watched as Kara went stiff as a board, and the look of pure sorrow made its way on her face. Although she has super strength, her knees buckled at the harsh words that suddenly ricochet through her mind.
Who could ever love you?
Lena's predatory gaze and coldness dripping in her tone.
Who could ever love you?
The next thing Kara knew, strong arms were wrapped around her. She heard Alex's soothing voice in her ear. It only helped a little.
Who could ever love you?
Who could ever love you?
Who could ever love you?
"Please tell me you didn't do something stupid, babe." Maggie said from somewhere behind Kara. She felt Alex tense, then she shook her head.
Who could ever love you? Who could ever love you? Who could ever love you?
"Security wouldn't let me up. At least she is smart enough to give those orders." Alex mumbled in Kara's hair.
Who could ever love you?
The pure heartache at the words rushed out, instead being rapidly replaced with anger. She felt every cell in her body ignite, and she had flames in her eyes. Careful not to swing her heat vision around, Kara wriggled her way out of Alex's arms. She was tired of the coddling, tired of people stepping on eggshells around her. She was angry at the world.
"No, this stops here." Kara demanded attention with her posture and icy glare. Maggie and Alex both froze, watching Kara with wary eyes. She was a rubber band, ready to snap, and the couple did not want to be on the receiving end of the stick with one of the strongest beings on Earth.
Pointing at Alex, she bit out, "YOU, stop fighting my battles for me. I'm the Girl of Steel. I can handle myself. I don't care what Eliza says, I. Can. Protect. Myself." Swiveling around to Maggie, she turned her glare on Maggie. Keeping her finger pointed in Alex's direction and saying, "Keep her from doing something stupid. You hear me?" Kara waited for a nod before she moved.
With that, Kara was suddenly in her super-suit and the curtains were billowing at the rush of air as she flew out of the window.
Who could ever love you?
October 9th
"Hey Lena!" Kara shouted across campus, waving frantically. Looking back to Alex, she waved and told her she would be back later.
Lena felt butterflies rush through her veins at someone being so excited to see her, talk to her, just be with her. Kara not only looked like an angel, but she embodied one as well. Lena swore her hair was literal sunshine.
Kara caught up to Lena, and pulled her into a fierce hug. "I missed you." Kara mumbled into Lena's shoulder.
Lena giggled, and tried to slow down her heartbeat at the feeling of her crush hugging her. "You saw me two periods ago, you goose."
Kara pulled back from the hug, and saw the flash of disappointment run across Lena's features. It was gone as quick as it came. Kara ran her hand down Lena's arm, and linked their hands together.
"Wanna go to the beach?" Kara asked hopefully, giving Lena the dreaded puppy dog eyes. Lena groaned.
"As long as you don't tackle me on the sand again, sure. I swear I still have sand in my hair..." Lena mused, and used her free hand to scratch at the top of her head.
Kara giggled. "Oh please, that was a week ago, Lena." She smiled at the half-hearted glare Lena gave her in response.
An hour later, Lena found herself sitting on Kara's jacket, the two of them pressed close together in order to fit on the jacket. They had walked the entirety of the two mile long beach, just talking about their days and anything else they needed to tell the other. Currently, Lena was musing on the idea of a jacket that is able to turn into a blanket for picnics, just to make these things a tad bigger when Kara shook her out of her thoughts.
"Hey Lee?" Kara said quietly. She tore her gaze from the horizon to look at the blonde sitting next to her.
"Hmm?"
"Do, do you think there is life out there?" Kara gestured out toward the ocean, her voice feeling small in comparison to the vast ocean spread out ahead of her.
Lena smiled. "Of course there is life in the ocean, you told me a story once about a jellyfis-"
"No no," Kara interrupted, stifling a giggle. She picked up a shell sitting near them, and fiddled around with it in her hands. "I mean, like, space."
Lena squinted. It was early evening, no stars were out. There is a vague white thing in the sky that might be the moon... Nope, its a cloud.
"Where did that come from?" Lena asked, and questioning look gracing her features. "Not five minutes ago you were making a pro's and con's list about pineapples on pizza."
Kara started nervously wringing her hands, the shell long forgotten in the sand next to her. "I-I don't know. With Superman just making his first appearance and all, its making me think, y'know?" Kara said in a small voice. "We can't be the only living beings in the whole universe."
Lena nibbled on her lip, thinking about her response.
"Well, the universe is huge. Surely there must be other things out there. That would just be ridiculous, Earth being the only habitable planet for life. Maybe there are other forms of life that we haven't even fathomed yet..." Lena started to think out loud, and completely forgot Kara asked her the question.
"Lee, come out of the clouds, I'm lonely down here." Kara said softly and nudged her in the side. Kara always knew when Lena was about to escape in her own mind, and she would shut Kara out until she came up with a thought that appeased her.
Lena looked over to Kara, and noticed her face was a lot closer than she remember it being. Her heart started to race, and she bit her lip as her gaze flickered from Kara's expressive eyes to her tongue poking out to wet her lips.
"You're the one who put me in the clouds this time." Lena whispered with a slight raise of her eyebrow.
Kara just blushed.
"Hey." Lena whispered out.
Kara smiled. "Hey."
They sat there, the view of the ocean and early strays of color foreshadowing the rapidly approaching sunset quickly forgotten.
"I have another question." Kara whispered. Lena could swear she felt Kara's breath ghost over her lips.
"Y-yes?"
Kara flicked her gaze down to Lena's lips, and let her gaze linger for a second. She looked back up into Lena's emerald eyes, and slowly started to lean forward, giving the other girl time to refuse.
Lena's heart started to race, so much so she thought it would launch out of her chest. She leaned forward and glanced back down to Kara's lips, and that is all the consent Kara needed.
Lena felt Kara's lips brush softly against hers, so softly Lena thought she almost imagined it. Lena pushed forward, and met Kara halfway before she could pull away.
She felt fireworks explode from every cell in her stomach. This was no ordinary cliche butterflies fluttering through her stomach, oh no. This was like someone lit the grand finale of fireworks in her abdomen, and she had a front row view of the show behind her eyelids.
Kara gasped, and Lena took over control of the kiss. She swiped her tongue against Kara's bottom lip, and Kara willingly allowed Lena to control everything. It was her first kiss, after all.
A few minutes later, both girls broke apart gasping for air, the stars in the sky captured and placed in their eyes.
Lena smirked over at Kara. "That wasn't a question, Danvers."
"Willyoubemygirlfriend?" Came rushing out of Kara's mouth as soon as Lena finished.
Lena threw her head back and let out a loud laugh at Kara's run on word. Kara was captivated at the column of Lena's throat and how the noise flowing out of her reminding the blonde of her favorite sound.
Lena looked at Kara, the threat of tears beginning to gloss over her eyes. Happy tears, of course.
"I thought you'd never ask."