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Mercy

Chapter 17: Part Seventeen

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

 

“You want to what?” Alex’s voice rose dangerously high to almost squeak territory and her jaw was partially open in shock.

“I’m going to-Supergirl-is going to attend tomorrow’s OneLove rally,” Kara repeated.

“Yes, I heard you,” Alex shook her head as though to throw off an errant fly. “That was me expressing my disbelief.”

Kara frowned, or pouted. Maybe. “Is it not a good idea?”

“Kara, what’s bought this on?” Alex avoided the question and asked her own. “Is this about the weird mood you’ve been in?”

Kara shook her head and then paused, gave it a moments thought and then nodded. “Y-yeah, actually.”

“If you wanted to come out you could have just said something,” Alex sounded wounded. “I thought after we talked about…me,” she glanced around to see there were no agents nearby. “We could talk about things like this.”

Kara quickly shook her head. “Gosh, Alex. No! It has nothing to do with you! You know I am so happy for you. You know that,” she said and rested her hands on her sisters shoulders. “I’m pretty sure I’m not gay-and there is nothing wrong with that,” she added quickly.

Alex just lifted a brow and huffed a long suffering sigh. “I know that, Kara.”

“Right,” Kara nodded enthusiastically. “Good.”

“So why are you going to the pride rally?”

“Why, afraid I’ll crash yours and Maggie’s date?” Kara teased and was rewarded with a slap on the arm. “Hey!” Ever since Alex had told Kara about Maggie on the afternoon Lena had returned to her apartment with broken ribs and an arm, Kara had been the annoying teasing sister she’d never had the chance to be. Normally it was her doing something and Alex doing the teasing, so she was enjoying her time teasing Alex, and delighting in how her sisters eyes would light up when she talked about Maggie, or how she would smile at her phone.

“It isn’t a date,” Alex sighed and rolled her eyes.

“Are you sureeeee?” Kara asked, drawing the word out.

“Maggie is working,” Alex said and gave her sister a pointed look. “I’m just helping out.”

“Riiiiiight.” Kara waggled her eyebrows playfully. “Is that what the kids are calling it these days? Helping out? Well…. I suppose you would be lending a helping hand…” Kara was clearly rethinking what she had just said if her fierce blush was anything to go by.

“Argh,” Alex rolled her eyes, but there was a smile she couldn’t fight on her lips and a glow to her that couldn’t be contained.

“So, really, why is Supergirl going to the rally?”

Kara took a deep breath and let it out in a rush. “LenasaidSupergirlisntdoingallshecouldforthecommunityandshewasrightallshedoesispunchpeopleandflyaround.”

Alex blinked for a moment, opened her mouth to speak and then closed it, eyebrows flexing and she blinked again. “Lena Luthor doesn’t think Supergirl is helping enough, and you decide to go to a pride rally?”

“OneLove rally,” Kara corrected, bouncing on her toes and pleased with her idea. Alex looked sceptical.

“Right. So Lena Luthor tells Supergirl she needs to help out more and now you are attending a OneLove march.” Alex nodded, pressed her lips together. Kara’s smile fell slowly from her face.

“Is it not a good idea? What’s wrong with it?” She was adorable when she was confused, but Alex had to focus more on why Kara was suddenly jumping to a LGBT+, rally of all things, after Lena Luthor, of all people, suggested it.

“It’s just,” Alex paused to consider her words. “You don’t see an ulterior motive behind her suggesting you go to the rally?”

“Oh,” Kara blinked. “She didn’t suggest it. She had loads of other ideas, which, do you think if I talked to Maggie we could get like, I dunno, some sort of shelter hotline going?”

Alex held up a hand. “Kara, please slow down and explain. Everything.”

Kara took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay, so you know how Lena talked about me and Clark when we-you-were searching L-Corp for Kryptonite, and she said we didn’t really help enough people? Well, I went back and asked her about it.”

Alex’s brow tightened and her features went pale.

“As me and Supergirl,” Kara quickly said. “I was subtle about it.” She ignored Alex’s disbelieving look. “And, well, she made a good point.” Kara was looking off into the distance. “I don’t help enough people.”

“Kara-“

“No, Alex.” Kara cut off her sister protest. “I don’t. Sure, I rescue people from burning buildings, and catch robbers and stop people before they shoot people, but that’s when it’s already happened.”

Kara started to pace, hands talking as her mouth did, brow furrowed and blue eyes bright. “I want to stop it happening in the first place. Lena said that I don’t go in and talk to like, school kids about bullying, or give my voice to like, woman’s refuge shelters and stuff. I want to do that, Alex.” She paused and looked in Alex’s eyes. “Even if I’m not gay, or whatever, if I go to this rally, maybe it will give some young teenager the courage to be themselves, or to at least see that it’s okay to be gay.”

Alex looked into Kara’s blue eyes for a long moment and then nodded. “Alright, how do you want to do this? What do you want to do?”

In the next moment Kara’s arms were around her and she melted into her sisters hug. “I love you,” Kara whispered into her hair.

“I love you to,” she said and pulled back, brushing some hair from her sisters face.

“So, how are we going to do this? You’re the media expert.”

Kara beamed. “First I want to know who’s in charge of the rally here, and then I want to go and talk to them, to see where I can have the most impact.”

Alex nodded as they strode towards the DEO mission control. “What about the schools, and abuse hot-line thing? Maybe you, Supergirl, should go and talk to Lena, see if she is willing to sponsor a gala or something for a shelter.”

Kara nodded slowly, considering. “Okay, I might do that after. Let’s see how the rally goes, and then I’ll talk to her.”

Kara was almost bouncing on her feet. “This is gonna be awesome! I’m glad I can help, even if it is for something as simple as this.”

Alex put a hand on her arm and halted her bouncing. “Kara,” she said seriously and shook her head a little. “It isn’t simple. For some of them,” Alex’s jaw worked. “For some of us, this will mean everything.”

Kara straightened and lifted her chest, showing her family crest proudly. “I know.”

~*~

They had picked a great day for it, or maybe the weather deities had decided to support the rally, for the sun was shining and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. There was a small breeze though, especially high above the rally and Supergirl lazily floated on the currents as she watched the march below her. It was a rainbow of colour, like a child had been let loose with small colour pots and a canvas, as its snaked its way through the streets. There were a lot of people down there, from all forms of life; young and old, coloured and not, tattooed or not, pierced or not. One girl, she could see, had the coolest hair; she’d died her hair rainbow and it was soooo cool and Kara was of half mind to dive down and tell her how awesome it was.

Many people were carrying pride flags or had peace signs and flags painted on their faces and arms. One group of people looked like they’d raided the local costume department and were going as Telly-Tubby’s, which, awesome!

As the morning wore on the march headed towards the park where they had tents of free food and drink, sponsored by large suppliers, for the supporters and there was a stage where the organiser of the rally was going to speak.

As with anything, though, there were protestors protesting the protestors and Kara was keeping an eye on them, as were the legions of police up and down the march path. It wouldn’t do any good for violence to happen at an anti-violence rally, but people were people.

Scanning the rally she picked out the leader, an olive-skinned black-haired boy at the front of the rally. He’d dyed his hair as well; three colours (purple, white, and grey) along the front where he had spiked it up in all directions. He was carrying a #OneLove sign and was walking next to another guy who held a giant pride flag, which no doubt required his enviable physique to carry.

She scanned the crowd again and picked out Alex and Maggie flanking the march in plain clothes but even then they looked like law enforcement, so people were giving them a wide birth.

There were groups involved with the rally as well. Scattered among the march were the uniforms of the military, police, and fire departments, walking in two’s or threes to show their support, but also, Maggie had relayed to Alex who had told Kara, they were keeping an eye on things.

The crowd was approaching the park, which really was a large, grassy area in the middle of the city. Many public events were held here, it had a stage, and even a playground in the corner. People usually were passing a ball around, or playing with their pets, or running around the outside of the park and taking the path through to the sea where it continued along the coastline. Today there were marques set up, rubbish and recycling bins, and portable toilets, and a medical bay- she’d already had to fly an elderly lady from the march to the marque because of the heat and excitement. There was even a segment of the press set up waiting, and she’d seen James ducking in and out of the crowd trying to get a good shot.

She pulled up and pulled her phone out of her boot and dialled the reporter.

“James,” she said as she watched the march edge closer to the end.

Hey. Are you here getting me a story?’ She could hear the amusement in his voice and knew that J’onn was pretending to be Kara Danvers as she tagged along with him.

“Thank J’onn again, for me,” she said and looked around. “Are you in a good position for the money shot?” She asked as she zoomed to a window and made sure her paint was still in place.

Alex had done it earlier, gently painting the rainbow across her cheeks, it was partly for her cover, but also because who didn’t like face paint? And it was a good cause. Alex hadn’t taken much convincing, especially once she realised Kara had turned her puppy eyes on J’onn to get him to go to the rally as her so that it wasn’t that suspicious when Kara Danvers later wrote an article interviewing Supergirl on her presence at the rally. It would also keep people from looking to closely at Kara Danvers and Supergirl if they were photographed together. But mostly she just wanted to paint her face-Halloween was her favourite time of year (next to Christmas) as she had loved dressing up and painting her face. Alex had loved to lord those photos over her, especially threatening to show her potential dates, and even her friends, but so far no one but the Danvers had seen them, thankfully.

She says ‘thank you’,’ she heard James tell J’onn and could pick up his grumble in her voice and laughed. ‘We are moving to the front now, how far out is your entrance?’

She could hear James’ camera bag jiggle as he no doubt jogged to the front of the rally, and her own shoes hitting the pavement after him.

“How long do you need?”

Ah, about three minutes?’ James was starting to pant and she laughed again, thankful for her biology that made physical exercise too easy.

“The moment you get there, I’ll be down. See you soon.”

She hung up and went to get her coloured balloons. She’d gotten the entire DEO behind the idea-J’onn had sighed and shook his head after each Agent had fallen to her pout- and they had spent much of the day before blowing the balloons up. Kara had flown and gotten pizza and soda though, so it was more like a party, and they were decent about it.

Seeing it was nearly time for her entrance she tore across the sky and lifted her giant sack of balloons carefully from the roof and began to fly towards the park, high enough to be out of sight.

The front of the march was almost at the grass and were ignoring the protestors set up at the tree line and she saw James and J’onn racing down the grass, and knew that was her cue.

She released her sack of balloons and watched as they immediately began to fall towards the earth. Calculating the force required she sent a gust of wind down on them, forcing them in a straight path towards the ground. Already people were gazing to the sky in wonder and she dove down, flying above the people’s heads until she appeared out of the balloons at the front of the rally. (She would later see James’ photo of it and would inwardly congratulate herself, it was an awesome picture; Supergirl with pride face-paint emerging out of a rainbow of balloons next to a pride flag and the #OneLove sign). The crowd went crazy, and they’d been making a bit of noise earlier, singing that Same-Love song by Macklemore.

The gaze of the media followed her down as she landed lightly in front of the rally and the big boy next to Mika handed her the flag with a smile, flashing perfect teeth as he took Mika’s hand. Beaming she took the flag and held it up high above the crowd and led the way into the park. Cameras were flashing on her and the front of the rally like crazy and she waved over at James and J’onn cheekily. J’onn was doing an admirable job of being her, admittedly, but he wasn’t quite getting her right, but no one would know her enough to notice.

The protesters had shrunk back a little at her appearance and she could see a few of them quietly leaving, but she was more concerned with the tears and screaming she could hear from the people behind her. They were ecstatic to her presence and she could already hear the message of her arrival being passed down the rally.

They walked across the grass to the stage, the rainbow people flooding behind them and spreading across the area. Mika walked up to the microphone and just stood there, eyes alight and a smile on his face as the entire area became packed with a rainbow of colour. Then he dug out his phone while his boyfriend, held up his own phone to the microphone and their theme-song, Same Love, echoed across the park. Apparently there was a playlist on Spotify for the OneLove rally’s and everyone was singing the songs as they marched. The crowd started to bellow it and press were everywhere taking it all in. She saw James and J’onn as herself moving through the crowd to the front, flashing their ID to the security at the front of the stage to be let closer.

It took a long time for the rest of the march to catch up and they had sung a few more songs from the playlist before he turned it off and Mika moved up to the microphone.

He greeted everyone, thanked them for their bravery, for their strength in showing up today, for their love. Mika went over the purpose of the rally, speaking about the awful events earlier in the month, and how their siblings in other cities were speaking out, joining together and rising up. Kara scanned the crowd as he spoke; she saw a lot of crying teenagers, lots of couples with rainbow bandanas, a lot of older people relaxed in the embrace of their partners, and even some old, old people, like grey-haired people, and that was really cool to see.

“And now our guest of honour, Supergirl! Would you like to say a few words?”

Kara blinked from her thoughts and turned to Mika, certain her face was showing her horror, even as the crowd screamed.

“Um,” she was fairly certain she was resembling Kara Danvers more than Supergirl right now, but then she thought of Alex, out there somewhere keeping people safe, and of the teenagers she’d heard burst into tears at seeing her, seeing her crest and her support and nodded.

“Sure.”

The crowd screamed again and she stepped up to take the microphone, ignoring her unease. Public speaking was not her strong point. She’d spent years trying to blend in as Kara Danvers that she had never stepped into the spotlight. Supergirl was different, she was a hero, all she had to do was give a statement about keeping people safe, and helping the community, and everyone lapped it up; she didn’t think her normal script would work here.

‘You’ve got this, Kara,” she heard Alex whisper, always able to pick out her sister out from a crowd, and straightened her shoulders.

She pulled the microphone free and looked over the crowd as it died down. Her face was up on the large screen, cheeks plastered with cracking rainbow paint and she saw her family crest on her chest and took a deep breath.

“Hello,” she said awkwardly and gave a small wave. “I’m not sure what I can say that expresses how I feel… how I feel being a part of this.” There were shouts and hoots of encouragement.

“I-I don’t-.” she hesitated and then took a deep breath. “On Krypton, we didn’t have sexualities, not in the way you humans seem to label them.” She ducked her head in through, letting her hair cover her face for a moment, ignoring how her throat caught as she considered her home-land. “We took mates, for the advancement of our House- sort of like arranged marriages.” She looked up and shrugged. “Love…love didn’t come into it, not then, but maybe later if it was a good match.” She hesitated, for such a huge number of people in the area it was quite quiet. “Love was something I learnt about when I came to Earth, love more than blood,” she cast a quick glance to where she heard Alex’s heart catch and smiled. “More than duty. More than expectation.”

She straightened and started to walk along the front of the stage, gathering her thoughts. “Where-ever I have gone, I have found love. In all peoples, in all beings, and that is something that unites us. Unites us all,” she paused looked out over the crowd. Some were crying, others were smiling, and more were nodding in agreement, offering their pride flags.

“Love…love is never wrong, and can never be wrong, no matter who it is between. And you are all….so brave, so strong, everyone is for loving another person. It isn’t always easy,” she trailed off thinking of her Aunt and of her parents. “Sometimes it hurts, sometimes it hurts so much you could break under its weight, but that is its strength.” She returned to the centre of the stage, feeling that she was getting off track. “There are so many other things you have to protect yourself against,” she snorted. “I know. 7th grade girls can be mean.” She smiled and ducked her head, smiling down at James. “And sometimes your bosses suck.” The crowd was grinning now and chuckling and she heard James scoff. “And you shouldn’t have to fight for who you love, which is why I’m here today. I don’t want anyone to feel ashamed for who they are…or for who they love.”

She looked over the crowd, locking eyes with politicians as she added, “So speak with your leaders, write them letters, vote in ones who are here today, the ones are who are supportive and are Allies and maybe together, we can get the world to see that love is strength. El Mayarah.” She gave a final wave and passed the microphone over to Mika. He finished up explaining that there was free food and drink, and he thanked their suppliers and sponsors, and asked that everyone be conscious with their rubbish and persons, and that they look out for and take care of each other.

A band walked on stage and started to set up and Mika shook her hand enthusiastically. “Thank you, Supergirl! You don’t know how much this means.”

She didn’t disagree with him, realising that maybe she didn’t understand what it meant having someone like her stand with them. After all, she’d never had a lack of love, first with her blood, and then with the Danvers and her friends. But she considered as she walked off the stage as the first notes of a song began, Astra and Non, mostly Non, had expressed disgust with her affection for the humans. Astra hadn’t understood, but had accepted it, whereas Non had wanted her killed for what he saw as a betrayal to their kind. So, she sorta got it, but not really. She wasn’t human. She didn’t grow up with the labels they insisted on giving to themselves and others.

Hearing her stomach grumble she floated over the heads of the humans and landed lightly near the hamburgers marque and was quickly handed one by a pimple-faced volunteer. “Thank you, Supergirl,” she gushed, and there were lines down her rainbow painted cheeks where she’d been crying. “This means so much. Thank you!”

Her heart went warm. “Aw, sweetie,” she cooed and held her arms open for a hug. “Do you need a hug?” She was fairly certain that if she hadn’t moved her body back to counter the force the girl launched herself at her with, she would have accidently been responsible for her bruising.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she murmured into her crest as Kara wrapped her arms around her and hugged her tightly. She was crying again, and when Kara pulled back she gently wiped her tears away, ignoring the streaks of paint it left on her thumbs. “You’re beautiful. Be strong.”

She was hugged again and picked up her burger and then was asked for a hug from another teen and so her day passed, she mingled with the LGBT+ and took photo’s, signed autographs (dodged press; she was Cat’s- and where was James and J’onn?), gave hugs, and listened to their stories, some heartbreaking, and others heart-warming.

Her heart was nearly overflowing when she heard a familiar voice behind her. “Supergirl.”

She spun and froze with a hot dog partially shoved in her mouth and Lena Luthor bit her lip in amusement.

“Mirth Luerthur,” she garbled out and then quickly devoured the rest of it and wiped her hands on a napkin, sped to a bin, and returned in the next heartbeat. “Miss Luthor, hi.”

Then she blinked and looked Lena over. The CEO was radiant in the afternoon light, huge heels making her tower over Kara, even though she was physically taller and was wearing her Super-boots, and black skinny jeans. Her hair was down, long and straight and was a stark contrast to her white blouse and tailored black jacket. She had a painted cast, rainbow coloured, and a rainbow flag over her shoulders, and Kara tilted her head.

“You’re gay?” She blurted and then brought her hand up to her mouth.

Lena raised a brow and tilted her head.

“Ohmygosh, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that,” Kara ran her hand awkwardly through her hair.

“I could ask you the same, Supergirl,” Lena said amusedly but waved off her apology. “But don’t worry about it.”

She looked around her and then focused back on Kara. “L-Corp was one of the first companies to promote and encourage LGBT employees in our companies,” she shrugged. “I’m continuing the support. It’s a good cause, good people, and a lovely day.”

“So you’re not gay?” Kara blurted again and green eyes were gleaming with amusement between furrowed brows.

“Why, are you interested?”

Kara turned as red as her cape and her mouth did its best impression of a fish. Her eyes darted all over and she thought she saw a familiar face in the crowd but someone moved and she lost sight of him.

“I am kidding,” Lena replied and appraised Kara, making her wonder if Lena’s eyes were somehow like Kryptonite, she couldn’t look away.

“Why are you here?” She asked eventually and started to walk past Kara towards the marque. People fell out of her way, perhaps sensing her regality, or charisma, or maybe seeing the Superhero next to her.

“Kara,” Supergirl said and she realised how weird it was referring to herself in third person. “Kara Danvers said she spoke with you, and came to me with an idea.” She shrugged and avoided Lena’s sharp gaze, which had snapped to her the moment she’d heard Kara’s name.

“I just want to help, and she gave me a way… but it was because of you.”

Lena accepted a sausage in bread and added some tomato sauce to the snack as she thought. The server was looking with wide eyes at the two, peace signs on his cheeks and silently offered a sausage to the Super, which she accepted.

“So you showed up to a pride rally, congratulations,” Lena said, and Kara didn’t miss the sarcasm. “You’re a wonderful ally,” she commented and started to walk through the crowd again, away from the gathered people near the food tents.

Frowning like a kicked puppy Kara followed Lena. “What’s that supposed to mean?” She paused and shook her head. “Wait, no. I know what that means, but why? I’ve heard so many stories, people have come up to me and said my being here helped. The social media page is blowing up with notifications of people, of kids saying I’ve given the courage to them to come out.”

“And while that’s great for them, no, really,” Lena said seriously when Kara seemed sceptical of her sincerity. “What else are you doing? Are you protecting the kids that get beaten up at school or at home because of their sexuality?

Kara hesitated and then shook her head, looking at Lena through her lashes.

“While I think it’s wonderful you want to help, and I do,” she said sincerely. “Showing up to one pride rally and saying what you said, isn’t going to change anything. Not really. You have to do something.”

Another familiar face appeared in the crowd, the girl from L-Corp, she was wrapped in the arms of a woman with short spikey hair that reminded Kara of Storm from X-men, and had a pride bandana around her head.

“Miss Luthor, oh,” she drew herself up short. “Supergirl! Hi! You don’t know what your words meant to us,” she looked at the woman she was with and then back at the Super. “It’s hard out there, but I’ve been on the twitter feed and I’ve seen everything people are saying. Kid’s are coming out, their saying their parents saw you on t.v. and it gave them the courage to be who they are. Thank you!”

“Can I get a picture?” The storm look-alike asked and Kara shrugged and nodded.

“Sure.”

“Cool!” She dug her phone from her pocket and hesitantly offered it to Lena who drew back and angled her body to take the shot as the two women stood on either side of Kara and smiled.

“That was Grace Mallory,” Lena said after the two had been swallowed up by the crowd. “I believe you met her father recently,” she said and glanced at Kara and started to make her way through the crowd again.

Mallory. The name was familiar but she couldn’t place it.

“Her father owns a motorcycle store,” Lena added helpfully.

Oh.

“Oh. I know him, yeah!” She shot Lena a glance as they hesitated under a tree, a little out of the crowd. “Dave seems to think Grace thinks very highly of you.”

The first genuine smile Kara had seen since she’d been in Lena’s presence crossed her face.

“She’s a brilliant woman. I’m lucky to have her. She could work anywhere in the world, but she chose L-Corp, and I will be grateful for that.” Lena’s pride in her employee was obvious and it was something she’d noticed earlier, Lena and her employees seemed to have a very good working relationship, based on respect and admiration.

“Did you like your bike?” Kara asked and Lena blinked and then smiled.

“It’s not the same, but change is good. I can’t wait to take it for a spin.” Kara smiled as well, thinking of Lena’s offer to take her for a ride on it.

“What was it Kara said?” Lena asked suddenly, and Kara had to quickly think of a lie.

“Well, just that you said I wasn’t doing all that I could, and that I could do other stuff. She mentioned schools and shelters and stuff…”

Lena nodded slowly and leant against a tree and looked out over the pride rally. There was that guy again, ducking behind a large flag and Kara lost sight of him in the crowd.

“Every day people suffer,” Lena’s jaw moved to the side and her brow tightened. “They carry their hurts and scars, often hidden from sight, maybe out of shame or fear, and the burden of their silence weighs them down.”

Lena licked her lips and sighed, wincing again as though she forgot about her bruised ribs, even though they would have started to heal, a week and a half out. “If you lending your voice, face and name to the causes that offer support or a shoulder to lean on or a listening ear to these people….then.” Lena inclined her head.

“Would you be willing to help me?” Kara asked quietly and Lena’s head snapped around.

“I don’t know politics like you do, and the people I work with,” she hesitated before rallying. “They are fighters, like me, but we fight in the shadows, with our strength.”

“Standing up for what you believe in, and for others, is strength,” Lena pointed out, but her emerald eyes were warm.

“A physical one, I mean.” Kara swallowed, there was something in Lena’s eyes, something she couldn’t read. “Can you help me with who to approach, and how to do it? I want to do it right.”

Lena nodded slowly. “Alright, I can do that,” and then looked out over the crowd who had started to shout, louder than before, the lyrics to a song.

Lena snorted and Kara smiled as she heard the, “Don’t cha wish ya boy/girlfriend was hot like me,” being shouted around the park, the gender pro-nouns being changed to suit the singer.

A group of reporters had spotted her out of the crowd speaking with Lena and were making their way over quickly, but she turned back to Lena.

“Where do we start?”

Lena ran her eyes over her and then reached up to untie the large pride flag around her shoulders and offered it to Kara.

Hesitantly Kara accepted the flag and stared down at it and then back at Lena. Her gaze was measured and steady, reading to guide, and not challenging like she was expecting.

Kara whipped her red cape off and settled the pride one over her shoulders and raised her chin.

Lena gave a soft nod.

“On one condition,” she said quietly as she too caught sight of the press headed their way. James was with J’onn-as-Kara, and had a Catco reporter team with him, obviously gunning for an interview. The other press were trying to get ahead and get an exclusive with the hero and CEO duo, but Kara-Supergirl was Catco’s.

“You pick another reporter.”

Kara blinked and turned to Lena with a frown. “What’s wrong with Kara Danvers?” She was a little hurt.

“Nothing is wrong with Kara,” Lena snapped out, with more emotion than she’d heard from her in a while. Lena took a steading breath as she watched the reporters close in. “Kara is the sweetest and kindest person you will ever meet. She just wants to help people, and your enemies will tear her apart trying to get to you." Lena said stiffly.

“I think she might surprise you,” Kara hedged, wondering where this conversation was going but not liking the insinuation that Kara-that she-couldn’t protect herself.

“If she gets hurt because of you,” Lena leant in, and later the internet would lose its shit over what they called the new power couple in the city-honestly internet. “I might not be a Luthor by blood, but by god,” Lena snarled, voice low and dangerous and even Kara, who’d faced aliens and humans invested in taking her life, felt a shiver of fear run down her spine. “If you get her hurt, I’ll show you exactly how much of a Luthor I can be.”

She pulled away and her features changed, a genuine smile crossing her face as J’onn-as-Kara and James got closer.

“Kara! How wonderful to see you!”

J’onn was a little stiff as Kara and she hoped she could later explain it as being in reporter mode, but he did okay. “Miss Luth-Lena,” J’onn corrected and Lena’s brow smoothened out. “Good to see you.”

“Mr.Olsen,” Lena inclined her head to James’ greeting.

“Would you be willing to give an interview to Catco? With Supergirl of course,” he added and glared at the other reporters nearby, obviously hoping for a sound bite or quote.

Lena ducked her head in thought and looked at Kara. “Of course,” she said smoothly. “Provided Supergirl doesn’t mind?”

Kara shook her head, still stuck on the fact that Lena Luthor had just threatened Supergirl about keeping Kara safe. She was threatened to herself to keep herself safe which, was a bit weird, but her chest was glowing, beneath the slight layer of fear on it-Lena was pretty scary when she wanted to be.

“Ah, yeah, sure sorry, um, can I have a sec?” She asked and looked at J’onn, trying to scream her thoughts at him.

“Maybe we can go somewhere a bit more secluded and set up while Supergirl goes and saves the city.” J’onn’s intonation and cadence falling from her own lips was weird, but James was nodding in agreement and already looking for a better spot, and Lena was just looking at Kara.

“Okay, sweet. Be right back,” she said and soared into the sky, rainbow flag flapping out behind her.

She heard J’onn begging off to the bathroom and a less than a quarter of a minute he was morphing into himself next to her on a building over the park.

“Want to tell me what that’s about?” He rumbled as he settled down next to her.

“I need you to be Supergirl,” she said and unpinned her pride flag and offered it to J’onn.

“Why?” He asked slowly, folding his arms and she sighed.

“Just-just read my mind and-“

“You forget, I can’t do that.”

“Oh yeah,” Kara frowned and then shrugged. “Okay, well I need you to be Supergirl-me, so I can be me-me, please?” She glanced up at J’onn as she removed her boots and he sighed but morphed down into a mirror image of her hero self.

“Thanks! Just-just hang around for the interview and then you can go, okay?”

“You owe me a Velslarav Venom,” he said and Kara smiled at the thought of his favourite alien alcohol.

“I’ll get you a bottle,” she promised as she rose as Kara Danvers, reporter. “Ready?”

J’onn rose slowly into the air and made a show of blasting across the sky towards the park and she raced after him, making sure to keep to the buildings and then tree-line out of sight so she could emerge out behind a tent as Kara with no one being any wiser to her body switch.

Lena was leaning against a tree and speaking into her phone but she looked up and smiled at Kara as she approached and Kara couldn’t help but smile back at her.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” Kara said and adjusted her glasses.

“I love that colour on you,” Lena said quietly, head tilted and appraising and Kara turned red.

She was wearing a sleeveless thigh high yellow summery dress cinched with a brown belt.

“O-oh, this? Um, it’s just, um, thank you.” She finally managed to squeak out and went redder as Lena stepped forward and reached out with her cast to brush some hair away from her face. J’onn-as-Supergirl descended from the sky, pride flag fluttering out behind him impressively and she was saved further embarrassment by pointing him out. “L-ook! Supergirl!”

Lena’s low amused chuckle did something to her insides and she was pretty sure the colour of her face could match her cape, but Lena pulled away and turned to face James, who’s eyes were wide, and the camera man and interviewer, who both seemed shocked-either at Kara’s obliviousness, or in Lena’s actions.

“Ri-ght,” James blinked and seemed to come to himself.

“Ah, Mark, did you want to set up? Supergirl, if you could stand over there,” he pointed to a grassy area before a tree, with a great view of the park and gathered rainbow rally in the background. “And Miss Luthor… could you do the same please?”

Lena glided away from Kara and walked over to Supergirl, and Kara moved to stand next to James as he directed Lena and Supergirl to stand a little closer. Lena inched over but the raised brow she gave clearly showed what she thought of the instruction. James backed off. Powerful, fantastically dressed female CEO’s had that effect on people.

The interview was conducted and Supergirl flew off after, claiming she was needed elsewhere.

Lena looked at Kara as the Catco team started to pack up gear. “Would you like to join me for dinner?”

Kara lowered her eyes. “I can’t, sorry.” Lena’s expression fell a little before she schooled her features. “I promised I’d go out with Alex and Maggie. Sorry.”

“Another time perhaps,” Lena said smiling, and leant forward to kiss Kara on the cheek before she glided off down the path, heading back towards L-Corp. Kara flushed delicately and watched Lena walk away. A guy in aviators and a motorcycle jacket was heading out behind her, a burger half eaten in his hand.

“You and Lena Luthor, huh?” James appeared miraculously at her side and raised a suggestive brow.

“What? Oh, we’re friends! We started talking when I tagged along with Clark, and we’ve been talking since.” She said happily and looked up at James

James pressed his lips together and then ducked his head in a shrug. “Sure you’re friends, Kara.”

Kara sighed. “Why does everyone keep saying that?!” First Alex and Maggie, and now James. Lena was her friend, she was allowed to be her friend and get lunch with her, even if she was a Luthor. She didn’t know why everyone seemingly had a problem with that.

James chuckled and started to walk away.

 

~*~

SNEAK PEAK:

The image of the fallen L-Corp Tower was the National City Headline for every news outlet in the city, and even featured on many all over the country. The crumpled building with folds of steel, wires, iron rods, and concrete and glass all thrown together in a tangled heap, ironically with the L of the tower undamaged and resting above the rubble. Supergirl was in the centre of the photo, hovering above the ground, blood-red cape fluttering behind her majestically, pulled by some unseen wind, with a woman limp in her arms, bridal style. They were both covered in soot and debris and the hero was gazing down at the woman in her arms, features too far away to make out, as ash fluttered down around them like snow. Sunlight lit the two, casting the Super and her rescuee in shadow, even as the rubble and torn buildings and broken surroundings glowed orange, red and yellow. It was a magnificent picture.

Hehe, only one more chapter to go folks! Then we see how and why :D

Notes:

So, I've never been to a pride rally, so I'm not sure what the norm is, so yeah. Pretend that's how it happens in National City :D

Happy New Year everyone! Hopefully this one will have less shit than the last one.

And it's extra long because I finally hit 100k in Word, Yay :D