Kara growled in disappointment at another failed attempt. All she wanted was to repair her relationship with Lena, but every tape only showed a disastrous outcome – each one worse than the one before. It was getting more and more frustrating. Kara wanted to scream. If only Lena could just understand!
Perhaps she was wrong about her approach. Each tape gave her a taste of the world and then jumped to the conclusion, but she wondered if she had more time she could make a bigger change.
Then again, maybe it wasn't just the timing. She had an opportunity to rewrite the past for Rao's sake! She could not afford to be greedy and get more out of her wish, but she might as well make sure it was done right.
Her and Lena, they were both better with each other in their life – she saw what would've happened if they weren't. She just needed one more chance, one proper chance to see things through.
"You saw what would happen!" Mxy said defensively after Kara asked for another chance. "You exhausted every possibility!"
"What if I didn't? What if I just chose the wrong timings!" She argued.
"You want to try again?"He asked with genuine surprise.
"I'm sure the next one would be it! Please."
It wasn't. And so was the next one, and the one after that. Telling her on the plane led to them crashing into a mountain, telling Lena after she was poisoned led to Reign killing them all soon after, and telling her while investigating Lex led to him killing Lena and taking over the world.
"Ughh! Why does it always end like that?" Kara leaned back on her couch, her head facing the ceiling and her eyes shut tight.
"If I recall, each ending was quite different," Mxy noted next to her, his voice seemed to be losing patience.
She was frustrated too. It was as if the solution was just out of reach, staring at her right in front of her face. The tape where she told Lena right at the start was the best one yet – well, that was until Agent Liberty killed everyone, but maybe had she had more time to observe that timeline, things would've been different.
"Okay," Kara opened her eyes and jumped up, filled with purpose and pure determination. "I need you to take me back to the early days of our friendship, but this time I'll ask you to keep me there for longer, I need to observe more of it before you jump to the end."
"You know, it was fun at first, now it's just boring." Mxy dragged out his words, lingering on the last syllable.
"I promise you, this time it will work." She understood the frustration, but she knew she had to fix her relationship with Lena.
"I've heard that before," He rolled his eyes and got up.
"You told me you would help me fix it! It's not fixed yet!" She got up after him, not above pleading for his help.
Mxy closed his eyes, took a big breath and exhaled slowly. When he opened them again his lips quickly changed from a frustrated frown to a brilliant smile, maybe a bit too wicked to Kara's liking.
"You're right," He said, "your approach has been too similar with each attempt. Maybe it's time for a small change."
"What do you mean?" Kara agreed, but couldn't help but be a bit concerned about his new attitude.
"Do you want to go back and try again?"
"Yes."
"Then call my name if you need anything, although I will warn you I won't be able to do much but pull you back, so don't set your hopes too high."
"What do you mean by a small change?" She searched his eyes for any answer but found nothing.
Mxy smiled. "I'm sure you'll see soon enough."
Before Kara had a chance to ask anything else, the scenery in front of her changed once again. Only this time she was not projected to a taped version of herself, but found herself floating in the air of the National city skyline. It was strange, she was sure she would find herself in front of Lena like usual, then again Mxy had said it would be different.
Something felt off. She wasn't sure what exactly, but she felt weird. Her clothes didn't feel like the supersuit, no cape at her back, and the wind lifted up the edges of her t-shirt. Looking down at herself she realised it was not only her clothes, but her body looked different. Kara quickly landed on the nearest roof and felt much closer to the ground than usual.
"Mxy!" She called out to him immediately, her voice coming out at a much higher pitch than expected. That must've been a joke.
"Giving up already?" He asked from behind her back. Turning around Kara saw him leaning casually against the roof entrance of the building.
"What? No! Just, what did you do to me?" She demanded, her voice squeaking out and losing any hint of intimidation she hoped to convey.
"I told you I was going to make a small change," He smiled smugly as a small mirror appeared in her right hand.
Looking at the mirror affirmed her suspicion. She had the body of a child, her own child self. She couldn't be older than six years old by the looks of it.
"How is that supposed to help me fix my friendship with Lena?" She lowered the mirror to look him firmly in his eyes.
"I don't know," the imp shrugged. "But it's much more interesting than everything that was going on before."
"Turn me back." She shouted, placing her hands on her hips to make herself seem larger. Not that it could help with her current size.
"Do you want to give up on the attempt?"
"No."
"Then, I'm sure you'll find a way around it." He winked and disappeared.
Kara sighed. She already knew this was going to be a very annoying attempt.
Kara flew aimlessly through the cold air at top speed up near the atmosphere with no goal in mind. The image of herself kissing Lena haunted her each time she dared to slow down.
She had probably circled the globe a dozen times by the time she finally slowed down. She stopped noticing too far from National City, above a large city block that just lost its electricity. She relished the all encompassing darkness and took a seat at a nearby skyscraper.
“Not much for the view.” She really should've expected Mxy to appear, yet his voice still caught her off guard, making her jump in place.
“Did you do it?” She demanded the imp to spill. “You changed me – her?!”
“And what are you referring to?” He said in such a casual way she wanted to rip off his hair.
“What did you change in this time?” She asked again, hoping to sound more composed and in control.
He only eyed her figure in an obvious glare.
“Beside that.” Kara shouted in annoyance and averted her gaze into the dark surrounding.
“Nothing else.” He admitted with such an honest tone that Kara found it hard to dispute his words. “I can bring you back if you are displeased with the results. Try again.” He suggested.
Kara said nothing. Unsure how to really react. If this thing really was untampered by Mxy, would a different attempt create a different result? Would she manage to get a good one? Was this attempt even a good one? She figured she would have to wait it out to see.
Electricity returned to the city and with it light started popping up all around them like fireflies overtaking the city, growing and shaping the metropolis around them.
It reminded her of the light festival back in Krypton when they would turn off all the lights just before the main event to reveal each year's magnificent light performance. She had always loved it and hoped to participate in one day. To plan her own special light show to commemorate Rao.
The memory came flooding in uninvited. It was clearer than ever. Her last light festival on Krypton, Tali's hand grasping hers, leading her away to a quiet spot where they could watch the show atop a nearby structure, away from the large crowd. They were just shy of being assigned a partner by the matrix. She remembered their talk about the future, Tali's hand in hers, the kiss.
Oh, Rao, they kissed! Realisation washed over her like a cold bucket of ice water. Show of affection was already taboo in Kryptonian society and even more so with a person not assigned as your partner by the matrix. But she had kissed Tali! Worst of all, she remembered distinctly wanting to just before their lips met.
Kara felt as if the world was spinning all of a sudden and needed to grab hold of the building's edge to keep herself from collapsing onto the roof. She kissed Tali. She wanted to. Probably just as much as her other self wanted to kiss Lena.
Kara shook her head but the guilt in her stomach became harder to ignore. She had run after her kiss with Tali and refused to look her in the eye afterwards. Not long after that she was sent in a pod to a strange new planet, away from everything she knew. Her people died, and Tali with them. They never got to make amends, Kara never got to apologise for running away or even see if they were compatible through the matrix after all.
Kara let out a small bitter chuckle at her new realisation. So she had always been like that. Afraid to stray from the norm like her life was dependent on it. Her life really was dependent on it once she landed on earth. That was her survival mode for so many years, but was that restricting her from living her life? Wasn't she doomed to live in regret?
Wasn't it why she ended up in this whole mess to begin with? She refused to let Lena in and paid the price. She would continue to pay this price on every single relationship in her life until she would do something about it.
Kara promised to not give up on Lena, but first she would have to not give up on herself. It was like a light switch, as if the answers were always right in front of her but were simply shrouded in darkness until she turned on the light. It was so obvious. It was laughable how obvious it was, yet she refused to see it for so long. There was a huge relief followed by sadness at the thought, but she knew better than to dwell on it. She still had many uncertainties, but she decided it was better to confront them then to run away and hide.
“Okay there space buckaroo?” Mxy's voice brought her back to the present.
“Yeah,” Kara heard herself saying. “Yeah, I'm fine.” She jumped off the ledge, keeping her afloat at the same height she was sitting in and dusted her clothes off from whatever clinged to her clothes through her flight.
“So what are you planning to do now?” He asked.
“Face my future.” She declared both to him and herself. She puffed her chest up and flew back to her apartment.
It was a shorter flight this time around, now that she had an actual destination. It was quite late by the time she arrived, yet her old self was still awake, sitting on her couch sipping tea. She was waiting for her, Kara realised.
“I'm sorry.” Kara blurred out as she passed through the open window.
“Oh, I'm glad you're okay.” Her old self rushed to hug her with relief.
“I'm sorry I ran away.” She repeated, feeling as small as she looked.
“It's okay, I just… it got me spiralling.” Her old self let her go and offered her a cup of tea which Kara gratefully accepted.
“It just… caught me off guard. I wasn't prepared for… this.” Kara still found it hard to verbalise.
“So you and Lena had never…?”
“No.”
“Oh.” Her old self said, stirring the cup in her hand.
They drank out their tea in silence that felt both awkward and comforting at the same time.
“We kissed Tali.” Kara said, braiking the silence.
“Yes.” Her older self chuckled. “Did you only just remember it?”
“Yes. When did you realise it?” She asked.
“Last time we talked about her. It came to me in a dream and it was difficult to think of nothing else afterwards.” Her old self sent her a small smile.
Kara hummed in understanding. It was all she could think about as well. Tali and, well, Lena.
“I was afraid.” Her old self admitted. “But after remembering that kiss, I couldn't stop the train of thoughts. And Lena… I couldn't stop thinking about Lena. And at that point I decided that I no longer want to lie to myself.”
And with that Kara’s thoughts – as if betraying her by the mention of the woman she had crossed time for – flooded her mind with possibilities of realities not presented to her before. Kissing Lena, holding her hand, holding her close, sleeping by her side, waking up to her every morning.
It dawned on her how much she wanted that, how much she wanted to have that with Lena.
“What made you stop… being afraid?” Kara asked in a small voice.
“You.” Her old self said, much to Kara's surprise.
“Me?”
“Yes. The way you spoke about Lena, about how important she was to you, I figure– well – I figured you knew more than me about our relationship and you just couldn't say it.”
“That makes sense.” She had agreed. Looking at it from the side, she could see how she may have thought that. She briefly wondered if she would've done the same only to realise she clearly already did.
“You told her?” Kara asked, only now realising she never asked.
“Yes. I told her everything. Our secret and how I felt.”
“And she felt the same?” Kara couldn't help but ask.
“Was it not obvious?” Her old self chuckled lightly.
“Is she a good kisser?” Kara found herself wondering.
“Yes.” Her old self’s cheeks grew a rosy red and her smile grew despite her struggles to contain it. “So what now?” Her old self asked.
“Now,” Kara got up from the couch and placed down her tea mug on the table. “Now, you go and live your best life, and make sure it's a good one because I'm counting on it.”
“And you?”
“I'll make sure we are safe.” She gave her a small smile. “Thank you.”
“Thank you.” Her old self smiled at her in return. “And safe travel.”
Kara gave her a small nod and flew away, back to the cold air of the night.
“Mxy.” Kara called out, summoning the imp to her side.
“Giving up?” He popped out to her left as if moving from behind her.
“No. I want to move in time to see if there are any threats down the line now that Lena knows the truth.”
“And you're… okay with this time?” He searched her eyes intently.
“Yes.” She said decisively.
Mxy chewed on his lip in contemplation. “And you're sure?”
“Yes.” She repeated.
“Okay, okay.” He sighed. “If you're ready.”
He clicked his fingers before she had time to replay again.
They appeared in the sky again above the city, only this time it was day time.
“Alien invasion.” He said and waved his hands around them to the streaming alien ships around them.
“The Daxamites?” She recalled.
“Yes! They will kill Lena this time.” He said casually.
Kara wasted no time and flew in to protect her. This time she got to fight the Daxamites head on, punching and kicking anyone who dared to get close to Lena. Kara stayed around until the threat was neutralised completely and flew back up to summon Mxy again.
She was then thrusted into a gang showdown with alien weapons, to defending Lena and Alex from her red kryptonite affected self, to a new operation orchestrated by Lex, to less intimidating foes like wayward assassination plots, rogue aliens and small-time villains.
Despite the overflowing consecutive fights she endured, it was sweet to see glimpses of the new life she had created. Her new photos with Lena, Lena moving in and later on both of them moving out to a more secure location. A proposal. A marriage.
“A T-rex was revived and will eat everyone you love.” Mxy said idly once they made another jump forward in time, gesturing to an area of town where smoke followed a towering giant lizard looking monster.
“A T-rex?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Yes.”
“Shouldn't a dinosaur have feathers?” Kara asked as the lizard monster raised its head to roar loudly.
“Are you gonna save your friends or not?”
“Right, right.” She nodded and flew in.
Kara saved the crowd with ease while her other self defeated the monster, returning to Mxy not even ten minutes later.
“What next?” Kara asked. She was tired. Very tired if she was honest with herself, but seeing this new future unfold was worth it. This was the future she would fight tooth and nail for.
He studied her longer than usual before closing his eyes. It looked like he was deeper in thoughts than just studying the future. “You're done.” He sighed.
“Done?”
“Yup. You saved the day. Congratulations.”
“Really?”
“Yes.” He clapped his hand in a more sarcastic manner than a celebratory one. “You've done it. Good on you.”
“Great! Then take me back.” This news invigorated her and filled her with so much excitement it was hard to contain herself. She couldn't wait to see her new house, to share her life with Lena and see what else the future had in store for her.
Mxy hesitated, but reluctantly snapped his fingers again.
Her height was the first thing she noticed, Kara didn't appreciate the average height of an adult being until that very moment. Kids were way too small.
She looked at her hands, checking she had the right proportions just to make sure, and raised her head to the window to study her reflection, confirming she was back to normal.
Kara happily flopped on her couch, finally getting a moment to relax after the fighting marathon she survived. It took her longer to realise something was wrong. She got up quickly and looked around.
“No.” She said, “No, no, no, no!” Her words became louder with each one she spoke. “Mxy, this is wrong!” She shouted.
“Can you be more specific?”
“This is my apartment!”
“Yes?”
“This is my apartment the way it was before the change!” Kara explained.
“Mmm.” He hummed in agreement, remaining calm despite Kara's growing fury.
“I saw that! I was in a new place with Lena! We are together! We are–” She looked around her home, studied her phone, perhaps it carried some proof of her relationship with Lena.
No.
They were the same unanswered texts she sent before the change. Before she fixed reality for her.
Kara fell to the floor. Tears blurred her visions as small sobs managed to escape her lips despite her protests. That couldn't be it. That couldn't be it. She changed reality! She saved them all! She made sure of it!
“You know.” Mxy spoke, reminding her of his presence in the room. “When I gave you a wish I didn't realise you planned on really changing the past.”
“What –"She swallowed a sob and wiped out some of her tears. “What do you mean?”
“I thought maybe you wanted money, fame, maybe a pony! But changing the past…”
She clenched her fist tightly and in one fell swoop, grabbed the front of Mxy's shirt, anger and fury quickly replacing the sorrow she felt only seconds ago.
“What. Do. You. Mean?” She emphasised every word. She wouldn't be surprised if her eyes were glowing bright red.
“You can still ask for a pony if you want! I can get one for you real quick.” He squeaked out. Unsatisfied with his answer she pressed him to the wall only for him to disappear with a flick of his fingers and reappear behind her, sitting calmly on her table. “You really ought to work on your manners.”
“Mxy why is the world not fixed?!” She demanded.
“The world is never fixed! There will always be shortcomings and problems plaguing it at every turn.” He continued defensively, but behind his words, Kara realised what he refused to say out loud.
“You can't change the past.” It was not a question. The realisation felt like ice spreading through her veins, cold and unsettling.
“I'm afraid that may have been slightly beyond my capabilities.” He finally admitted. “But as I said the pony offer is still very much on the table!”
“If you can't change the past, what was all of that about?! The attempts, the realities –”
“Illusions.” He corrected but Kara didn't care.
“What was it all about? Why didn't you just admit it?”
“Well, it was certainly entertaining.” He said with a shrug, but seeing her flaring gaze move towards him urged him to continue. “I hoped that if you see that there is no other good path for you to choose from, you will just… accept reality as it was.” He waved his hands at the room around them.
“So it was fake? All of it?” Kara had to grasp at a nearby chair. It was suddenly getting harder to breathe.
“It was based on what could've happened – all based on past events and your psychy, but essentially yes. It was like a very vivid dream if you would like.”
“No! That's not what I've… no!”
“I mean, it seems like you have learned a lot through the experience! You learned more about yourself!”
“But that wasn't real, was it?” She asked, still gripping at her realisation.
“You're the one who said that you no longer want to lie to yourself, so you tell me.” He shrugged and Kara felt as if her world was crumbling around her. “Or was it the other you? I can't keep track.” He mumbled.
“Leave.” She commanded him, her tone low and heavy.
“Are you sure? I can still –”
“Leave!” She repeated louder this time and the imp disappeared without a trace.
Kara paced around her apartment. This place had always filled her with warmth and comfort, now it felt cold and strange. She yearned for the other reality so badly she wanted to scream uncontrollably and burn her place to the ground. But that wouldn't change anything. Apparently nothing could.
She felt helpless and so emotionally and physically drained. She needed answers but had no clue where to even start to get them. It was an instinctive choice to fly over to Alex, she wasn’t even sure why.
Kara stopped before her building and decided to walk up and knock on her door. Alex invited her in and Kara was glad to learn Kelly was not there at the moment.
“Hey, what's up?” Alex asked after giving her a brief hug.
“I just…” Kara was looking for the words but nothing came out. “It’s my fault.” she finally said, her voice barely stronger than a whisper.
“What?” Alex looked genuinely confused.
“It's my fault.” Kara broke down, no longer managing to keep herself composed in any way. She fell into her sister's open arms, tears streaming down her face.
“Hey, hey, Kara, what's wrong? What happened?” Alex asked as she guided her inside.
Kara tried to answer but she couldn’t form words beyond her sobs.
“Was it Mxy? Did he do something? He promised he came to help but I swear if he did –”
“No.” Kara managed to say. “I messed up Alex. I messed up so badly.”
“Come on, let's get you a drink and you can tell me all about it.”
It reminded her of the conversation she had only recently with her other self back at the other reality – or illusion or whatever it was. The scolding tea mug warmed her hands and she felt more composed after going through several tissue boxes and a few sips of tea.
“I'm not normal, Alex.” Kara finally said.
“You mean the fact that you're an alien?” Her sister chuckled lightly.
“No. Well, not only that. I'm weird.” She took a sip of her tea and let it calm her senses and give her the courage to come out. About everything. “I don't like small talk about the weather, and pretending to order healthy food, and following fashion trends to not stand out, or trying to keep everything bottled up inside me, or use the correct body language all the time, and keep up appearances.” Kara was out of breath by the end of it and somehow felt even more drained than before.
Alex nodded and took a long sip of her tea before she spoke. “You do realise you do none of those things, right?”
“What?” That was not the response she was anticipating.
“You never order anything remotely healthy to eat, you overshare before a conversation even gets started, you never – and I mean it in the best possible way – never dress in any trend that ever was, you always express yourself with your whole body and you are always yourself to a fault.”
Kara wasn't sure how the words made her feel so exposed, but she felt naked and small all of a sudden. “What? No, I–” her defensive approach was an instinct more than a conscious decision, but the rest of it died on her lips.
“Kara, let me finish.” Alex interjected. “That is not a bad thing! You are you. You know who you are and what you like and that's a great thing.”
“I don't think that it's true at all.” Kara shook her head.
“What do you mean? When did you need to pretend otherwise?” Alex’s concern was so genuine it brought tears to her eyes yet again.
“All the time! I need to pass as human! To be normal! I can't afford being different! I can't be anything other than average or stand out!”
“Kara what is it about?” Alex asked, her voice softer as she studied her.
For a brief moment she contemplated lying again and running off, but she did want to come clean, be truthful to herself like her other self dared to be. “I’m in love with Lena.”
“Oh,” Alex said. “I see.”
“You do?”
“Yes,” Alex chuckled lightly and moved to sit beside her, giving her a side hug on the couch. “Coming out is hard. It was so much harder than I thought it would be. I remember this part.”
“What part?”
“The one where you feel like your entire life has been built on lies? Like every part of your personality is fake and you are not sure what being yourself even means?”
“Yeah, that.” It was amazing just how precise Alex's words landed on her. “So it's a universal thing?” There was both relief and horror in that statement.
“I'm afraid so. Maybe it's a Danvers sisters exclusive, but I highly doubt that.”
“But what do I do Alex? I messed up so badly! I lied to her for so long and I lashed out on her! I was so terrible, Alex!”
“You…” whatever Alex was about to say died on her lips. Her expression changed to something softer and somber. “We all made mistakes and it was not all on you. I’m sorry for the way I told you to handle the situation with Lena, but we can’t change the past.”
Kara snorted at the phrase. Oh, she knew that part all too well.
“I know this is probably not what you want to hear, but you made amazing progress today and I'm proud of you. Whether Lena and you can go back to the way things used to be, or become anything more, I really don't know, but I know you will be amazing and find your happiness. Wherever it may be. With or without Lena.”
“I can’t live without her.” That was the one truth she knew for certain.
Alex pulled her in closer and held her tight. “You can go and talk to her, but just know that no matter what happens, even if things don’t turn out great with Lena, they will turn up great eventually.”
Kara decided to repress the second part of Alex’s speech. “Okay.” She said, getting up abruptly with renewed determination. “I’ll go talk to Lena.”
“Wait, now? Kara, you look exhausted, don’t you want to sleep on it first and come to it more prepared?”
“No, I won’t be able to sleep unless I talk to her.” Not to mention making plans didn't really work out great for her recently.
“Kara, I really don’t think that's smart right now.”
“I have to do it, Alex!”
“I agree, but don’t you think you would be able to come a lot clearer to the conversation after a good night of sleep?”
“No!” Kara insisted.
“Okay, okay. I said my piece I guess.” Alex sighed at Kara’s relentlessness.
“Thank you Alex, really.”
“Of course. No matter what happens you are always my kid sister.”
“I’m not a kid.” she retorted all too quickly before she even realised it.
“Alright, superbaby, whatever you say.”
“That’s – !” Kara decided it was better not to say anything more and bid her sister goodnight before leaving for Lena’s.
— — —
Kara stopped just above Lena’s penthouse and landed back on the pavement below. She decided to approach her on even grounds. She waved at Samuel, the guard at the entrance of the building and punched the code for Lena’s floor. She stood in front of her door longer than necessary, contemplating about bolting several more times before she dared to knock.
Lena didn’t immediately answer the door, but when she did, it wasn’t open wide to invite her in like usual, but a thin crack showing mostly her severe expression.
“What are you doing here?” Lena asked coldly. Her eyes looked dark and sunken, which told her Lena was probably not sleeping much.
“Can we talk?” Kara asked.
“Should I be honored that you knocked like a normal person instead of invading through my window?” Lena didn’t move to let her in, her gaze studying her closely and Kara could faintly smell the lingering scent of scotch from her mouth.
“Please, Lena, can we talk?”
Lena studied her a moment longer before finally opening up her door and stepping inside. She didn’t gesture for her to come in, but simply walked inside leaving the door wide open. Kara took it as the closest thing to an invite she would get and closed the door behind her.
Kara shifted in place, unsure if to move further inside, or stay by the door. Lena walked to her standing bar with no indication they were about to sit down.
“You wanted to talk, so talk.” Lena said sharply as she poured herself another glass.
“I made a mistake,” Kara started and Lena let out a dark chuckle in response. “I told you I realised too late that by keeping my secret I was hurting you and how sorry I was, well, am – I’m still very sorry – but today I had a chance to change that, or at least I thought I did.” She swallowed hard. Not even ten seconds into the conversation and here she was already lost in her own words. “I was visited by a fifth dimensional imp I had a history with – long story,” She added at Lena’s confused look. “But he offered me a wish as a way to repent for his past actions against me, and I asked to change the past so I could tell you my secret earlier.”
Lena raised a brow at her and looked around at their unchanged reality.
“I tried again and again. I spent the past few hours reliving weeks of attempts of me trying to tell you the truth at different times, but at the end something always went wrong and you, me or everyone we love ended up dead because of it.”
“How about not meeting at all? Sounds like it would solve everything.” Lena said grimly and took a sip of her drink.
“I tried that too. It was probably the worst one there.”
“What’s your point?” Lena slammed her glass on the table.
“I’m getting there. I then tried a different approach and spent weeks living alongside our past selves to make sure nothing bad would happen. It was the best attempt yet. It took me what felt like months really, but I made sure this time was safe.”
Lena once again gestured to the space around them before sipping from her drink again. Kara debated if to reveal the information about their relationship but thought better of it.
“When I returned, Mxy – the imp – finally told me that none of that was real. It was all some sort of highly calculated probability simulation and that the past cannot be changed. And… Well, I think I get it now. The past cannot be changed, our mistakes are our own and we have to live with the consequences. Even if I could change the past it would be unfair to you and the pain I have caused you, pain I will forever be sorry and ashamed about. So if the past was carved into stones, but the future is yet to be written…” She trailed off, unsure how to say what she wanted to say. “All of that is to say that,” Kara took a deep breath. “All of it is to say how sorry I am. I see the pain I caused you and it was my doing and if you let me I will spend a lifetime to repent, but I can’t give up on you Lena.”
Kara paused to see how Lena reacted, but her face gave up nothing, she only tightened her hold on her glass but didn’t move or take another sip. Kara was surprised to learn she still had tears left in her to shed, but she wiped them off as quickly as they arrived and wished them to stop.
“Lena, you are the most amazing, kind, beautiful soul I have ever met and I don’t want to live my life without you in it. I promise to tell you everything you want to know, to never withhold anything or do anything behind your back. I realise how horrible I've been, how unfair I have acted. I know I can’t take it back. I can never take it back no matter how much I wish I could. So know that this is a fact that will follow me forever, and I vow to never hurt you, or anyone else like that again. But I also can’t live with myself if I won’t try to fight to keep you in my life, because you're worth everything.”
Lena was still, frozen in place as she stared at Kara. The moment stretched longer making every second feel like eternal torture.
“Say something.” Kara said weakly. She felt as if her entire form was about to break into pieces and she was hanging on by a thread.
Lena didn't immediately respond. Her eyes found Kara’s and there was something dark in the way she was eyeing her. She mumbled something under her breath but it was so low even her superhearing couldn't pick up on it.
“What?” Kara asked.
“Leave.” Lena said clearly this time, her tone low and raw.
“But, um…” Kara wasn’t sure what to do. She only just poured her heart out. She was expecting to be shouted at, a conversation, anything really. She wasn't expecting to be forgiven by any means, but that was… abrupt.
“Leave.” Lena repeated, louder this time.
“I will, I promise, but just know that I–”
“Leave!” The command was accompanied by a violent thud of Lena’s no doubt very expensive scotch glass that collided with Kara’s body and shattered into pieces, leaving Kara with a large scotch stain and shattered glass all around her.
“Okay.” Kara said mostly to herself. “Okay.” She repeated and flew out of the open window failing to hold up tears.
Kara sat down on the roof and attempted to gather her thoughts. Since she was a separate being from her own body, it meant that there was another Kara existing in this time. And since she was basically a child, it wouldn't be an easy case of switching positions with herself to talk to Lena, she would have to find another way to do it.
She could try to somehow let Lena know by leaving hints and clues – Lena was a genius after all so she would definitely catch on – then again the whole point was for Kara to be the one who told her the truth from the start. To be honest.
That settled it, she had to find a way to convince her old self to tell Lena the truth and simply hang around long enough to make sure nothing bad would happen. Easy.
Lifting herself up to stand again, Kara couldn't help but think back of the last time she was this short, when her hands looked so small. It was hard to remember, it was always hard to remember, but something about it managed to break through. She saw her parents more clearly than she had in years. Their old house. School. Kandor. Krypton.
Kara remembered her life there so clearly it almost felt like it was yesterday that she had helped her father prepare an experiment on the use of a special mineral they found trapped inside an asteroid. She smiled, feeling his phantom hand steady on her shoulder. So big, and so reassuring.
It was an experiment of sorts. She was an outside factor after all. First she would have to observe. See where they were on the timeline and assess the situation, then she would need to come up with a viable plan of approach and simply talk to her old self into confessing her identity to Lena. The hard part would be assessing for any outside dangers, but she would cross that bridge when she got there.
Kara knew she had to avoid places close to her apartment or Catco for the time being, she couldn't let her old self catch her before she was ready. The DEO and Alex's place were also out of the question.
A large boom had her spin her head towards the bay area. She could just see a large alien flying around and causing trouble. She instinctively moved her hands towards her shirt only to find her small loose shirt had nothing below it. A quick blur of red and blue flew above her as she watched herself fighting the alien head on. It was so weird. Kara couldn't help but be hyperaware of herself, criticising each move or attack, knowing she could've dealt with it so much better now. But hindsight is twenty-twenty and old Kara had to gain experience somehow.
Kara remembered that fight. She remembered the small ice cream stand whose roof she had broken. The dented stone and the man she had saved. She hopped a few rooftops closer for a better view and one by one she saw the events she remembered unfold in perfect order. That was good. Affirming her predicament and placing herself on the timeline. Sort of.
Once Alex arrived at the scene with the DEO, Kara started to move away, carefully as to not to alert the others of her presence.
It wasn't until she landed near the park that she realised how hungry she was. It was a nice warm summer day at National city and Kara’s mind drifted immediately to the day Lena introduced her to this frozen yogurt place between L-corp and the park. Lena had said it was her favourite and Kara was surprised at how much she liked it. They tried to stop by every time the weather was warm enough, which was pretty often in National City.
Rao, she missed Lena. She missed seeing her smile, listening to her talk about whatever passion project she got herself sucked into. She missed just hearing her voice.
She had no money of course. She didn't want to steal anything, but perhaps she could sneak into her own place and take some money. It was her own money after all so that would be fine, right?
“Hi there.”
Kara turned so fast she startled the woman behind her. She startled Lena. Who was right behind her. Lena.
“Hi.” Kara let out, forgetting for a moment how high pitched her voice was.
“Are you lost?” Lena asked. Lena. Who was smiling at her softly and standing right beside her.
“Ah… um, no.” Kara said, searching for more words to will out of her mouth. “I just…um, I just wanted frozen yogurt.” Really? Just wanted frozen yogurt? Maybe she should've said less. Her eyes darted around to look for the quickest way to disappear, she really shouldn't have let herself get caught by Lena of all people less than a day into her new attempt.
“Are your parents near?” Lena asked.
Kara stared at her a moment longer, unsure how to answer that one.
“You have good taste.” Lena pointed at the store sign. “I was just about to get some myself, would you like to join me?” Lena presented her with a gentle hand, hanging there in the air between them.
That was a bad idea. A very very bad idea. She was supposed to observe from afar and assess the situation. More than that, she wasn't supposed to come into direct contact with Lena this time around. How did she manage to butch this attempt so badly already?
Lena raised a brow in question. Kara realised she was staring at her for too long without saying a thing. Perhaps it was the awkwardness of the situation, or Lena's soft expression but Kara grabbed her hand without much thinking.
Maybe it was a good idea actually, like she got to assess Lena's emotional availability and maybe help soften the news. They were acquaintances at this point in the timeline. Friendly ones at that.
She got her usual yogurt loaded with sweets, caramelised pecans and chocolate fudge as Lena ordered her own fruity favourite and found a table for them to sit on at the back of the shop.
“You know I have a friend who likes just the same toppings.”
Lena's statement made her freeze up. Was she too obvious? Did she need to order something else? She was already halfway through her yogurt so no chance for a refund at this point. She only forced out a small smile before diving in again.
“I'm Lena,” Lena reached out a hand for Kara to shake which Kara found adorable considering her current predicament. “What's your name?”
Kara just reached out to shake her hand but the question caught her off guard.
What was her name? Kara panicked. She couldn't say Kara, obviously, but what could she say? Alex was her next instinct but that was just as bad, wasn't it? She needed to find something else. Something old, she knew people beside her current closest circle. Just anyone!
“Tali.” Kara said without much thinking. Rao it's been years since she thought about her. She had suppressed most memories she had of her childhood best friend but merely speaking her name again filled her with longing and grief.
“Nice to meet you Tali.” Lena looked at her with curiosity but no hint of hatred or hurt. Oh how she missed this.
“Nice to meet you too.” Kara smiled back at her.
“So Tali, what, um… What do you like to do for fun?”
She needed to go. Pretend to find a parent just outside the window and run, but maybe she could stay just a little bit longer. It was so nice just having a small normal moment with Lena, just a brief moment of peace where she could bask in the warmth of the other woman.
Kara agreed for a refill without much protest and continued talking with Lena. It was a bit odd, she had to avoid many topics she feared would make her sound too mature, and to be fair she wasn't really sure what kids were into those days, so she kept it natural. Asking Lena about her work was her best idea,
Lena happily obliged and very kindly dumbed down her information to what she deemed was a child friendly version of it.
Kara should've left. She should have done it long ago and she had plenty of chances in their conversation, especially around the third or fourth cup of yogurt. And she tried! Well, she thought about it, but then found herself completely captivated by Lena's smile and decided she could stay just a little bit longer.
So she really should've seen it coming. She had super hearing for Rao's sake, yet she was completely caught by surprise when a police officer walked into the shop and looked around. Kara was startled when she noticed her presence. Lena only followed her gaze and raised a hand to draw her attention. The officer smiled and walked towards them with ease as Kara’s stomach sank. How did she screw it up so badly already?
She noticed Mxy at the corner of her eye, sipping a comically small cup of coffee and raising a challenging eyebrow at her. She tore his eyes away from him. She wouldn't give up just yet. It was just a small setback.
“Don't worry.” Lena reassured her. “This is officer…”
“Lydia.” The young officer smiled and waved at her.
Kara felt a small pang of betrayal as she searched Lena's eyes.
“This nice officer is here to help you find your guardians.” Lena said, collecting her things and thanking the young policewoman.
“You called her?” Kara asked, hoping she didn't sound too pathetic.
“Yes, I wanted to make sure you find your way back safely.” Lena explained with a smile.
“I'm an expert at finding people.” Officer Lydia reassured her with a wide grin.
Kara forced what she hoped to be a smile at the officer before turning to Lena.
“You're leaving?”
“I'm sorry.” Lena said, looking cut off by Kara’s question. “I have a lot of things to do today, but I promise you I am leaving you in some very capable hands.”
Lena nodded at the officer and left the shop without looking back.
“Come on, tell me where you last saw your parents.” Officer Lydia said, reaching out her hand for Kara to hold. Kara sighed and took it. Doing her best to avoid meeting Mxy's gaze as she left the shop.
— — —
Officer Lydia was very attentive and nice, which made it all the more difficult to slip away from her without her notice. Kara let herself get dragged all around the park and sat on a random bench for a couple of hours wolfing down three hot dogs before Officer Lydia decided it was time to take her back to the precinct.
Kara had no interest in spending her night there, nor at whatever foster home they would throw her into for the night, she really had no idea what the lost child protocol was. She was sitting on a small chair not far from officer Lydia contemplating an exit strategy when Maggie walked in. She forgot about Maggie.
Maggie walked by then stopped and studied her.
“Who are you?” Maggie asked, her eyes trying to place her.
“No one.” Kara answered quickly. Hoping and praying for Maggie to just walk away.
“Sorry for the wait!” Officer Lydia returned. “I found a map we could look at together, I just need –”
“I need to pee!” Kara declared, standing up abruptly.
“Yeah, okay just follow me.” Officer Lydia put down the large map on her desk and took her hand. Kara could practically feel Maggie's gaze follow her until she turned the corner towards the bathrooms.
What was she going to do? She couldn't spend all her time as an orphan girl lost in the big city. She couldn't stay at the station. She couldn't get into the system. Any system. She had a job to do for Rao's sake!
“You okay there Tali?” Officer Lydia asked.
“Yeah.” Kara called out. She found a small window above the toilet seat. It was high and too small to fit a normal person. Luckily she was half the size of one at current state, and height was never an issue. It had some rustic metal bars bolted to it, but she could easily loosen them with some precise use of her strength.
Vowing to find and apologise to officer Lydia down the line, Kara made her escape, grateful for the late hour and the darkness it granted her and sped away from the station.
The night's air was so refreshing on her skin it felt liberating. She assumed the lack of supervision from officer Lydia helped.
Ah, sweet freeing solitude. She really didn't realise how much she missed it. She dangled her small feet at the top of a building she sat on, trying to come up with a plan. Or at least figure out a place to sleep in.
“Hello there.”
The voice startled her, making her fall backwards onto the roof.
“What are you doing here?” She sneered at the imp. Rao, she hated him so much.
“Checking in. Seems like you had so much fun with that cop friend of yours.”
Kara rolled her eyes and stood up. “I’m handling it.” She said with more confidence than she was feeling.
“I can see.” He smirked at her in a way that made her want to throw up.
“Good.” She retorted, dusting herself off and taking off without saying anything more. She knew it was meaningless. He was the one who put her there, he could very easily follow her wherever she went. She was tired but had no place to really go to and couldn't risk being found again, and so Kara flew around aimlessly to kill time.
She spent the next day mostly on rooftops. She let the rays of the sun fill her up with energy knowing full well she was most likely not to find much in the way of food for that day.
She spied on her old self as she made her way into work, laying on top of the roof and listening in to her own conversations. She was annoyed with James for becoming Guardian, Mon-el was annoying her with his recent behaviours, and she was behind on an article she promised Snapper she would finish by the end of the day.
Kara registered the sirens sound but managed to stop herself once again from ripping her shirt off and flying into danger. Instead she sneaked into the building just in time before she saw her old self run up to the roof and take off in her suit. She organised the scattered clothing in a corner and looked for another place to hang out in.
Once evening rolled around and fewer people hung around Catco office, Kara sneaked in, keeping to the shadows and relying on her familiarity with the space to steal some snacks from the kitchen cupboard. She contemplated sleeping in an empty office, but a sudden noise startled her. She left soon after, leaving a trail of crumbs behind her.
It was when she nearly crashed into a tree that Kara realised how truly tired she was. It was late and she didn't sleep the night before. She could go a few days without sleep at times and it wasn't like she did much that day, then again she didn't really eat much and she was in the body of a small child. She needed sleep.
Kara would blame the sleep deprivation for her next decision. True, it was probably a safe space, the safest she could find in the city in this time at least. And she was a superhearing alien that could detect a foreign presence or an intruder at a timely manner. Most times at least. But the thing about that power of hers was that it went both ways.
And so, not even one step into her apartment Kara was confronted by none other than herself. Well, her old self. Wearing a button down pajama, toothbrush in mouth and holding a frying pan in her right hand.
Kara was grateful they had time to stop at a clothing shop before arriving. She really didn't want to go there either in her dirty clothes nor in shirts she could practically swim in. She got a respectable pair of jeans and a shirt with a dinosaur print on it.
One of the most annoying things about Earth is that the best clothing prints were usually reserved to kids, and if adults were to put something as cool for anything outside their house they were deemed childish and unprofessional.
Kara spent her life since thirteen trying her best to be the absolute average normal human she could be, which unfortunately meant keeping to professional attire and adult approved clothing. She didn't hate them, but they were definitely boring compared to what they came up with for kids. So Kara was more than happy to indulge seeing as she had to keep the appearance of a small child as it were.
“Oh my gosh! She is so cute! What is your name sweetheart?”
It took less than five seconds from the moment they reached the office for Kara to be surrounded by doting adults. It was odd yet charming seeing her colleagues show a different side of themselves. Maybe they too were secretly hoping to express themselves more openly and were simply restricted by society standards. Was it all fake? Were everyone just pretending to be someone to fit in?
“You're late, ponytail.” Snapper scolded her old self.
“I’m sorry, I just had to deal with some stuff for my cousin.”
Snapper looked around until he caught sight of Kara’s small form, noticing her for the first time.
“This is not a kindergarten,” he noted and returned to his paper.
“I know, I know, I just didn't find an arrangement for her today. Don't worry she won't interrupt my work.”
“See that she doesn't.”
Her old self nodded seriously and ushered Kara away.
“I do actually have a lot of work to do. Is there anything you need?” She asked once they were outside of earshot.
“A notebook, a pen and a computer.” That would be a start. Kara needed to map out any potential danger they might face in the future and find a way to prevent it or at least secure proper measures against it.
“That can be arranged.”
— — —
There were several scenarios Kara had to prepare for. She had managed to deal with Agent Liberty and the world Killers in her own timeline, but they had repeatedly killed her, Lena, or everyone she loved in her various attempts to tell Lena sooner. Maybe she could hint at Alex or her old self at their presence sooner, then again it wouldn't guarantee their safety.
Ben had been through a very rough patch, continuously encountering the worst kind of aliens to reach his state. Then again it wasn't until his connection to Lex that he started gaining actual power. If possible she would very much prefer to help keep his family safe rather than cut off Lex, but that would leave a very viable probability that Lex would sponsor another fanatic instead to hunt aliens down.
Kara was probably incapable of preventing every alien from behaving badly, or protecting every human from a bad experience with an alien that could radicalise them, but she could maybe help Ben so that could be a start. Then, come up with a better network to surveil Lex and his proxy to catch the next Ben Lockwood on time.
Kara wrote down every scenario she could remember in her notebook and tried to come up with the root cause of each and every one of them. It was a bit frustrating knowing she conquered those scenarios in her own timeline. Did telling Lena really lowered their capabilities as a team that much? No, that couldn't be it.
“Oh, you are adorable!” Remarked Tina, an older coworker she had little interactions with before in her life.
She wasn't expecting to be interrupted while her old self was at a meeting. Kara forced out a small smile, unsure how to really respond to that.
“What are you drawing there? Can I see?”
Kara instinctively hugged her notebook to prevent Tina from glimpsing at her writings.
“Oh, you're a shy one, aren't you? You know, when my kids were your age–”
“Linda, there you are.” Kara was so grateful for her old self interruption.
“Oh, Kara, is she yours? I didn't know you were married! How wonderful.”
“No, no she is… a relative.” Old self shook her head.
“Oh.” Tina said somewhat disappointedly.
“Anyways, we are heading out for lunch. Linda, collect your things.”
— — —
“I think that is the most I have spoken to Tina in years.” Kara remarked once they sat down at Big Belly Burger.
“Same.” Old self huffed out a small laugh. “Looked like she was bothering you though, you okay?”
“Yeah, yeah, she was just trying to see my ‘drawings’, so yeah obviously I can't do that.”
“I guess that's part of your secret future mission?”
“Yeah.” Kara nodded.
“Alright, so what's the plan?” Her old self looked at her with wide eyes, leaning forward on the table..
“Plan?”
“Yeah. I mean I assume you couldn't say much in front of Alex and Maggie, but I'm you.” She explained, pointing at herself and then at Kara.
“I really can't tell you about the future.” Kara dipped her fry in her mix of sauces, contemplating how to proceed.
“Come on! There must be a reason you came to me yesterday. I want to help.” Her old self urged her.
“I don't know…”
“Is this somehow connected to Lena?”
“Lena?” Kara dropped her new fry right into the big sauce mix.
“Yeah, I mean you approached her first, so I assume it was intensional.” Her old self explained, making her sound way more competent than she apparently was.
“Yeah… yeah!” She repeated more seriously. “Well, no, I mean yes she is important. She is the most important part.”
Her old self directed her with a puzzled look.
“You need to tell Lena about… you know.” She lowered her gaze to where she knew her family coat of arms laid beneath her old self's shirt.
Big Kara followed her gaze but came up more confused, raising her hand to cover her chest.
“The… super secret.” Kara emphasised.
“Oh! Yeah. Yeah, of course. Wait, no.”
“No?” Kara lost her own old self's train of thoughts.
“No, I…” She lowered her voice into a whisper. “I can't tell Lena. That would put her in so much danger. I can't do it for her. We're friends now.”
“She would have to find out sooner or later.” Kara argued.
“Not necessarily. I can be sneaky.” Her old self said defensively.
“And just keep her in the dark about it?” Kara challenged.
“It's about protecting her. Things are good as they are.” Rao, she had said all those excuses before hadn't she?
“So what's the plan? Wait until she one day finds out on her own? Lose your trust?” Kara realised she just called herself out but decided to ignore it.
“I… it wouldn't come to that.”
“Are you sure?” Kara raised a small accusing eyebrow at her. Her old self could lie to herself, but not to her future version of herself.
“Okay, okay so I need to tell Lena. I get it. I think. Well, not really. Why is it so important that I tell her now?”
“It's important. It's the most important part.”
“Alright.” Her old self relented. “So why did you need the notebook and computer for?”
“To make sure your future is safe.” Kara said, keeping eye contact with her old self before taking another fry.
“So telling Lena does put her in danger?”
“Um, technically yes, but it's still more important that you tell her. I'll take care of the rest.”
“If it's so dangerous, then why?”
Kara didn't actually stop to ask herself that question. If the time where she kept the truth from Lena was the only timeline where everyone was safe and sound and her relationship with Lena was the only casualty, then wasn't it the best outcome to the world? No, that couldn't be true.
“Listen, I can't tell you everything about the future, you're just gonna have to trust me on that.” Kara said with all the conviction she could master.
“Okay.” Her old self conceded quietly.
“She is important to us.” Kara continued. “I just want to make sure that– just trust me.” She wasn't really sure how she planned to finish the sentence, but the gravity of the situation was clear in her voice.
“Okay.” Her old self repeated.
— — —
“How was the dinner?” Kara asked expectedly later that week. She waited patiently at home as per Alex and her old self’s instructions, but kept an ear out for danger. She made decent progress in her own plans to secure the future. Or at least she had some plans, which was a start.
“Good! Very good.” Adult Kara was practically beaming as she handed Kara a few boxes of takeaway pasta she happily accepted.
“How did she react to the reveal?” Kara asked as she dug into her shrimp pasta. It was cold but she didn't care.
“I… I didn't get around to tell her.” Her old self averted her gaze.
“What?!” Kara let the fork fall on the table. ”But that was the plan! How was it good if you didn't talk about it?” She asked, leaning forward on the kitchen island.
“I…” her old self started. “It just never came up.”
“What do you mean? What else could you have talked about?” Kara asked and regretted immediately. She could spend hours talking to Lena. She had spent hours upon hours talking to her about nothing and everything. What was her excuse?
“We didn't have the time.” Her old self said instead.
“Didn't you go to the park?”
“Yes.”
“And the frozen yogurt shop?”
“It was actually close, we ended up in an ice cream stand at the park instead.” Her old self said.
“And in all this time you couldn't find an opening?” Kara raised an accusing eyebrow.
“It's not easy!”
“It's important!”
“I know, I know. I just… I don't know, maybe I need a better build up.” She sighed. “Next time.” Her old self promised. “Next time for sure.”
— — —
She didn't tell her. Not the next time, not the time after that or the time after that.
“It would've been weird with you there!” Her old self protested. Kara had offered to tag along for the last encounter – ice cream in the park on a Saturday afternoon.
“How? Last time you said it would be easier!”
“Well, I was wrong. It wasn't!”
“You just keep coming up with excuses!” Kara shouted in frustration at her old self. It was getting on her nerves.
“No, I'm not. Those are legitimate concerns.”
“No, they are not. What are you hoping for? She will find out eventually, why wait?”
“I… I don't know. Why did you?” Her old self asked the one question Kara had hoped to avoid.
Kara slummed against the sofa that barely registered her small figure. She took a deep breath and realised her reasons were as valid as her old self. “I was delusional.” She eventually said. “I believed I could keep two separate lives. I believed…” No, that wasn't quite it.
“Everything changed after I became Supergirl.” Kara tried again. “Even Winn changed the way he was around me, and Lena… Lena never needed me to be anyone. She didn't care who I was and I could just be myself. I feared it would change if she knew.”
“And did she change afterwards?” Her old self stepped closer, looking somehow younger than Kara at her current state.
“Yes.” Kara said. “Not because she changed her mind, but because I lied to her. And lying to Lena Luthor is the worst sin you can commit.” She sighed heavily. That was more than she planned on saying. She casted her gaze on the window, her eyes wondering between the few neon signs on the street across.
Her old self said nothing as she took a seat on the sofa next to her, her fingers fidgeting as she studied the floor.
“It's still not easy.” Her old self finally said.
Kara spotted Mxy waving at her from one of the signs atop a large building. “I know.” She looked away, catching the way her old self slumped forward looking defeated and small.
“I get what you are saying, but… maybe we need a plan.” Her old self suggested.
“A plan. Yes, we can come up with a plan.” Kara agreed. Perhaps they should've done it from the start.
“We're having lunch on Monday, so we have the weekend to plan.”
“The weekend should be plenty of time.” Kara smiled, hoping to reassure her old self a bit.
They went about their nightly routine in relative quiet. Kara kept sleeping in their now shared bed which at least gave her some sense of familiarity even if the bed was significantly bigger than she remembered it to be.
She wasn't sure how long she could carry out like that if she was quite honest. She missed her people – her own time’s people. Her own daily routine. She missed work and her Supergirl duty, but above all she missed Lena. That alone gave her enough resolve to keep going regardless.
They finished brushing their teeth and got into bed, but It wasn't until they were under the covers that her old self spoke.
“Why did you choose Tali?” She asked.
“What?” Kara turned to her, unsure she heard the question correctly.
“That first day, you told Lena your name was Tali. Why?”
“I told you already, I don't know.” Kara said dismissively.
Her old self hummed in response. Kara wasn't sure if she believed it or even acknowledged it much. “What do you remember about her?”
“About who?” Kara asked.
“Tali.” Her old self clarified as if talking about their long dead best friend was a common thing they thought about.
“Her hair.” Kara noted, remembering the vibrant colour that was so unnatural on Earth.
Truthfully, it was harder than she thought conjuring any memory she had with Tali in the past. Was it too long in the past? Like a language, it needed to be practiced on a daily basis in order to fully be preserved, or was it buried deep inside and she only had to search deep enough to find it?
“Her dad's hovercraft.” She added a moment later as she was hit with a sudden memory of their first – very secret – test drive they attempted that ended absolutely horribly.
It was odd. She was flushed with a wave of longing and affection towards her old friend, but it all mixed up with shame, Kara had to stop and wonder how many more rules they have broken in their short friendship on Krypton for her to feel this way. Out of instinct she stopped and casted her mind back to the present moment.
“Oh, that was terrible.” Her old self chuckled. “Our parents were so angry.”
“I mean the front was completely ruined, can you blame them?”
“I guess not. Rao, I was so scared, but Tali just laughed and it just made things better.”
Kara found it harder to remember that part.
“And that day she stepped on the foot of that boy who made fun of us for being the youngest in the class?”
“I… maybe?” It sounded vaguely familiar, but Kara couldn't remember the exact moment.
Silence fell upon them once again as more and more small moments of Tali popped into her mind. Their first meeting, study sessions, sharing secrets into the night, laughing together, crying together, so many moments she wasn't sure why she tried to bury for so long. Was it grief? Still tugging at her heart after all those years?
“Do you remember the Light festival?” Her old self broke the silence and Kara felt as if this simple question slapped her in the face.
She couldn't tell exactly why even, but that hit a nerve. Perhaps those moments were locked for a reason.
“Go to sleep.” Kara said, turning her back to her old self, laying on her side and staring at the wall. She forced her eyes shut and hoped to forget about this conversation by the morning.
“Who– what? How did you get here?” Her old self stumbled with her words looking at Kara as if she was a puzzle she could solve by looking at her long enough.
“Hi. I'm sorry, I was just tired and the window was open–” Kara was not doing much better, half frozen from looking at herself directly despite spending a whole day following her around. She was caught by herself. How was it already so much of a mess. Kara had the sinking feeling it was only gonna get worse.
“How did you get up here? Are you lost? Do you want me to call–”
“No!” Kara shouted as her old self got closer to the phone. Rao the last thing she needed was to be collected by the police again.
“Wait,” her old self stopped in her tracks as realisation started sipping in.
“Stop right there!” As if on cue the front door slammed open. Maggie and Alex burst in, guns out, their eyes searching for danger.
“Oh shit, that's a kid.” Maggie was the first to holster her firearm.
“Really? You called us over for a kid?” Alex asked accusingly.
“I didn't know it was a kid! I just said I heard someone breaking in! And I didn't ask you to come.” Her old self clarified.
“Wait, I know this kid.” Maggie got closer to her, making Kara instinctively recoil back.
“You do?” Both sisters turn to her in question.
“Yeah, she got the entire force on high alert since she disappeared from the precinct last night. How did you end up here?” Maggie asked the room than Kara directly. “Tali, right?”
“Tali?” Adult Kara asked with a mixture of shock and alarm.
“So you do know her?” Alex asked.
“I… no, I mean yes. Maybe. I'm not sure.” Her old self mumbled, her hand looking for her kitchen table to stable herself.
“Do you know Kara?” Maggie asked Kara, speaking slightly slower than before.
“Yes.” She sighed, she might as well get this over with. “I'm her. I just didn't find anywhere else to go and I was tired. I just want to sleep.” Rao, she was tired. She was so tired.
“You're her? What do you mean?” Alex asked.
“Yes. I sort of time traveled… but I'm Kara.”
“You're Kara from the past?” Alex asked with more suspicion in her voice. “God I see it now. You were adorable, Kara.”
“Actually I'm about two years from your future.” Kara corrected her.
“That explains the English." Her old self mumbled.
“Wait wait wait! You are adult future version of Kara stuck in this adorable body?” Maggie bit her lip, doing a terrible job at hiding her grin.
“I… yeah.” Kara nodded.
“Oh, that explains the little disappearance act you pulled on Davenport.” Maggie chuckled.
“Davenport?” Kara asked, confused.
“You spent a whole day with her and you can't remember her name?”
“You mean officer Lydia?”
“Yeah, oh, I suppose they do their whole kid gentle approach.” Maggie shook her head and stepped back to stand near Alex.
“You used your powers at a police station?” Alex caught on, directing an accusing stare at her.
“I had no other way to leave!” Kara protested.
“I mean, I can't blame you. Davenport can be a lot.” Maggie shrugged.
“Are you okay Kara?” Alex asked softly.
“Yes.” Both Karas answered simultaneously.
“That's… weird.” Alex noted.
“Look, I haven't slept in two days to the point I think I might pass out, can we pick it up in the morning?” Kara begged.
“Wow, have you grown up to be really bitchy in two years?” Maggie commented.
“Maybe it's the whole turning into a toddler thing.” Alex suggested.
“Guy, I'm just tired! I mean she is tired. We are both tired. Just leave the interrogation for tomorrow morning, okay?” Her old self said with a sigh.
“Alright, but tomorrow.” Alex said
“Sure. Bright and early.” Kara let out a loud yawn.
She took a much needed shower and put a shirt that felt more like a dress and hung awkwardly down her shoulder. It was humiliating but at this point she didn't care.
“I don't really have a pull out sofa, but I guess you know that. We can just share a bed. I think you're small enough for both of us to fit comfortably.”
“Sure.” Kara wouldn't even try to argue. She was offered a bed that was enough. Plus, she had shared a bed with Lena before so sharing her bed with herself shouldn't be weird.
“I have to ask.” Her older self said once they settled into bed. “Why Tali?”
“Mmm wha–?” Kara mumbled, half asleep.
“Why Tali of all people?”
Why? Kara didn't really think. She just needed a name and she couldn’t use any of the familiar ones. She wasn't sure what made her think of Tali, maybe it was Lena. Tali was her best friend back in Krypton and while they had their bumps in the road that was a relationship she would never get to mend.
“I don't know.” Was all she said before succumbing into sleep.
— — —
They were woken up by a loud knock on the door.
“Open up! We have coffee!” Alex announced too loudly in the morning.
Wow, they took bright and early way too seriously. They both tore themselves out of bed and dragged their feet into the kitchen.
“Where is my cup?” Kara looked around for any extra cup for no avail.
“They didn't have hot chocolate there.” Alex said as if it explained anything.
“And?” Kara demanded.
“I'm not gonna bring coffee to a child! What are you? Three?” Alex raised an eyebrow at her.
“Around six by my estimation, but I'm older than her!” She pointed at her old self in protest.
“Still a child! Coffee could have bad effects on your body at that age.” Alex protested.
“I'm a superpowered alien! Coffee would not affect my physiology!”
“Exactly! So why do you need it in the first place?”
“Can't I just have a hint of normality?” Kara sighed loudly which didn't sound as dramatic as she hoped with the voice of a small child.
“You can have mine.” Her old self offered.
“No, that's fine I'll just make some instant.” She forfeited. Good thing she could fly, because, Rao, are six years old short.
“Oh, no.” Alex grabbed her small flying form in an attempt to bring her down to earth, but Kara had no plans to make it easy for her sister.
“Ughh! Goddammit Kara!” Alex gave a valiant effort to bring her back to the ground but she was no match to super strength.
“Kara, would you get this superbaby down to ground level?” Alex shouted.
“I just want to make some coffee!” Kara protested.
“No superpowers at home.” Alex declared, but Kara refused to budge.
“Come on, just take my coffee and let me make some.” Old her overpowered her despite her protests and put her down by force.
Kara took the offered cup begrudgingly without breaking eye contact with Alex who kept her gaze through narrow eyelids.
The coffee was cold.
Kara used a quick heat vision to heat it up and flashed Alex a satisfied smirk.
“Kara!” Alex shouted.
“Can we maybe call her something else?” Her old self asked. “The whole double Kara thing is confusing.”
“But that's my name.” Kara argued.
“Well it's also my name, and since this is my time and I'm in proper adult form I get priority.”
“Thats not fair.” Kara knew she was right, but wanted to protest regardless.
“She has a point though, Tali.” Maggie smirked at her.
“And not Tali.” Her old self added. “Please, not that.”
“Alright, any suggestions babe of steel?” Kara was not amused by Alex's name calling.
“Or any names we should avoid, Kara prime?” Maggie asked.
“No, just that.” Old Kara said, averting her gaze to the floor.
“Any preferences, Super-tot?”
“No.” Kara sneered at Alex.
“So how about… I don't know, Linda?” Maggie suggested.
“Sure.” Kara kept her sneer at Alex. She really did not like those nicknames.
“Good. Now that we got that out of the way, Linda, would you kindly tell us how you got here?” Maggie sat down on the nearest chair, legs spread wide as she leaned on the back of the chair.
“Is this a time warp thing?” Alex suggested.
“Alternate world issue?” Adult Kara asked.
“Alien attack?” Alex threw in.
“Wow, wait, what do you mean by alternative worlds? Is that a thing?” Maggie leaned forward on her chair. Her eyes darted between the three of them with speed.
“No, no. I'm here…” What would she say? What could she say? “I'm here on a mission.” She settled on. That would do.
“So alternative worlds are not a thing?” Maggie asked quietly.
“They are, I'll tell you later.”Alex whispered. “What mission?” She addressed Kara.
“It's…” Kara wagered how much she ought to tell them. It somehow felt too personal to share with everyone but herself. “It has to do with the future, so I can't tell you anything about it. You know, to preserve the timeline and all that.” She hoped that would do.
“I mean you've clearly already broken a few rules,” Maggie pointed out.
“Well, that was not my intention and telling you more than that could be dangerous.” She said.
“Alright, alright.” Alex raised her hand before Maggie could argue for more information. “Future timelines and all, that's fair, but how can we help?”
Alex could be so antagonistic at times and Kara was still frustrated from the various nicknames she had thrown her way, but it were moments like these, where Alex could just accept her, trust her, and just offer help that made Kara love and appreciate her sister so much. A moment of true sisterly bond.
“Because I doubt you could achieve much with those tiny infant hands.” And the moment was ruined.
“I'm figuring it out. But I'll let you know if I need anything.” She reassured them.
“Alright. I will go ahead and smooth things out with the police for you.” Maggie offered as she got up from her chair.
“Smooth things out?” Big Kara asked.
“Micro Danvers here has a manhunt going for her since yesterday. Some people are sure there is a new serial killer working at the station since they managed to abduct her from the toilets. It's a whole thing. I might need to bring you in to make a statement, but I'll try to figure something out.”
Big Kara directed her with a judgmental gaze and a raised brow.
“You would've done the same.” Was all she could argue, but she refused to meet her gaze regardless.
“Alright I'll try to get you a phone or something and for now let's stick with the story that she is some long lost cousin here for a visit.” Alex took her coat and threw her cup in the bin. “Got it, Linda?”
“Yeah. Thanks.” A phone would be very useful. And money.
— — —
“I need to go to the office soon, would you be okay here on your own?” Old self asked as she picked clothes out of her closet.
“Yeah, I suppose.” It would be nice to have a space to properly rest after the previous day. “But since I can't go out by myself I'll need your credit card to be able to shop online and order food.”
“What online shopping are you planning to do? Oh, is it any future mission related stuff?”
“No, I just figured that if I'm gonna be here for a while I should probably get some clothes that actually fit me.” Kara lifted the edges of the shirt that she had been dragging on the floor behind her all morning.
“Oh, yeah that's fair. Give me a moment to find it then.” Big Kara disappeared behind the bedroom curtains when a hurried knock came from the door.
“It's still open!” Her older self called out. Kara assumed she thought it was Alex and Maggie coming back, but she was too occupied to notice the new presence.
“Kara I need to – oh, hello.” Lena waved at her, looking shocked and relieved.
“Hi.” Kara forced out a small wave as she tried and failed to settle the panic in her stomach.
“How did you end up here?” Lena asked, standing still by the open door.
“Lena! Hi! What are you doing here?” Old self asked, stumbling on her way to the door.
“I… to be quite honest with you I was here to ask you for a favour, well, for you to ask Supergirl really to help find a missing child, but it appears you have found her.”
“Oh yeah, yeah. Yes. Lena, this is my little cousin Linda. Wait, how do you know her?”
“Linda? No, that's not right. Did you not say your name was Tali? Or am I going crazy and there are two of you?”
“No, no. That was me.” Kara forced out what she hoped was a normal smile. “Thanks for the frozen yogurt by the way. It's… It's a long and silly story really... Some people call me Tali, some call me Linda, but you know the world is crazy! And sometimes crazy things happen and stuff… Not necessarily to you, but I suppose sometimes to you too, because, you know, it's all crazy!” She let out a panicked chuckle. “But you can just call me Linda. I prefer Linda.” Kara held the base of a nearby chair in an attempt to physically stop her word vomit.
“Alright, Linda it is. I'm glad you have made it safely to your cousin. I definitely see the resemblance.” Lena smiled at her softly. “Kara, can I speak with you a moment?”
“Yeah.” Kara said and moved to follow Lena only to realise the question was not addressed to her. “I mean, yeah you can definitely talk with my cousin. Kara. Who is my very… big adult cousin named Kara.”
“Alright that's enough. Linda, go brush your teeth, you know where to find the spare brushes. And yes Lena please come in.” Her old self gestured for Lena to follow her.
Kara sighed and dragged herself towards the washroom, her ears perked up to listen into their conversation.
“Is everything okay?” Lena asked in a soft voice.
“Um, yes?” Old self asked.
“It's just…” Lena took in a large breath. “I found this little girl by herself yesterday and she couldn’t tell me anything about a parent or a guardian.”
“Well, you saw how confused she was about her name. She is just very confused. We're working on it.” her old self reassured Lena.
“Well, I've called the police to help her locate her guardian but when I called this morning only for them to tell me she disappeared from the precinct.” Lena's voice wasn't accusing exactly, but the worry was clear.
“Hahaha, yeah, see, that is just a misunderstanding.” Old self chuckled awkwardly.
“Kara, she disappeared from a police station. And she's what? Four? This is not simple confusion, this is dangerous.” Lena stressed out.
“I get why it can seem like that.” Her old self sounded like she was gonna say more but no words followed.
“I came here to ask you to ask supergirl to help find her. I'm very glad she is safe, but what was she doing out there on her own in the first place?”
“Yeah! Supergirl is actually how she left the police station. It was all a series of misunderstandings and I asked Supergirl for help, she just forgot to let the police know she took her. Silly supergirl,” She let out another nervous chuckle. “I'll have to tell her off for that one.”
“Right…”
“See it all actually makes sense.” Old self said somewhat unconvincingly.
“So how did she end up in the park alone? Why is she here by herself?” Lena asked some very valid questions.
“Um… It's a long story.”
Lena said nothing but most likely looked at her old self expectedly as she kept on talking
“Her parents are gone.” Her old self said, speaking with more seriousness and gravity in her voice. “She was connected to me as her only living relative and I… I agreed to take care of her until she finds a more permanent solution.”
“And the park?”
“I wasn't notified when she arrived, this is why I contacted Supergirl. There was a whole miscommunication but I promise you I'm dealing with it.”
“Oh. I see. That's very kind of you. I'm sorry to hear about her parents.”
“Thank you. I… yeah, thank you.”
“I'm sorry for barging in like that, I was just worried after I spoke with the police. I actually had to press them for an answer…” Lena sighed, sounding so sweet and kind.
“No, that's fine. You were worried. That was very sweet of you to come.”
“To lose her parents at that age… she must be devastated. I can understand the confusion.”
“Yeah… she is very confused.”
“I think I've told you how I was adopted by the Luthors. I'm glad she has someone like you to help her now, I just hope she can find a loving family to support her.”
“I'm sure she will.”
“Make sure she does. Okay?”
“I will.”
“Good. Do you think she'll be okay at Catco?”
“Catco?” Old self asked, just as confused as Kara felt by the question.
“Yeah, I assume you're taking her to work. I mean you can't leave her here by herself. Unless you have someone coming to take care of her.”
“Oh, ye–yeah. Of course. I'm taking her to Catco. She'll be fine. She's very mature for her age.”
“Good, okay. I can offer some financial help if you need anything. I know it's not much, I'm not really great with kids…”
“What? No, you found a lonely kid and helped her find help. And frozen yogurt from what I heard which is just so sweet of you. You've been amazing.”
“I just wish I could do more. Losing your parents at such a young age…”
“I know.” Big Kara’s voice came softer and quieter than before. They must've drifted closer to each other. “I know what it's like to lose everything, and what you did yesterday, that meant a lot. To me and to her.”
“I'm glad. Well, I should probably go.”
“Yeah, work and stuff.”
“Yeah.” Lena let out a small chuckle.
“We're still on to that Italian place on Friday, right?” Her old self asked.
“What about Tali– um, Linda?”
“Alex would watch over her.” Her old self said quickly.
“Are you sure? I don't want to have her main support vanish just for dinner.”
“Don't worry about it, Alex is also very much here for her, plus I'm really looking forward to it.”
“Okay. I'm looking forward to it too. Can I offer you a ride?”
That was some interesting piece of information. Perhaps that Italian place was the key. They could walk in the park to get ice cream or that frozen yogurt after dinner which would mean the area would be empty enough for a little heart to heart talk.
“Come on.” Her old self interrupted her thoughts as the bathroom's door was slammed open.
“What? Where?” Her mind instinctively readying herself for an alien attack or a bank robbery.
“Is it really necessary?” Her old self furrowed her eyebrows at Kara.
“Every small addition could help.” Kara argued as she flew up to move a stray hair from her old self's forehead.
“Okay, I'll put it on.” Her old self sighed in defeat.
“Tiramisu?”
“In the fridge. With your spare.” Her old self added quickly with a soft smile.
“You're the best.” Kara smiled. She was looking forward to a little sweet delight while her plan would – hopefully – finally come to fruition.
There were no attacks in recent days for any more future encounters and Kara was very much looking forward to seeing Lena's reaction and securing her new future.
“Alright, I think I'm ready.” Her old self nodded decisively and straightened herself.
“I think so too.” Kara agreed. “Alright, you better go if you want to make it on time.”
“You know I can just fly there if need be.” Her old self eyed her with a small smile.
“And ruin your hair?” Kara raised a small threatening eyebrow at herself.
“Fair.” Her old self grabbed a small coat and turned to the door. “Behave yourself when I'm gone. Don't do anything I wouldn't do!”
“That is literally impossible!” Kara called out with a small chuckle as her old self left for her dinner with Lena. The tiramisu was the peaceful way to invite her back to the flat and tell her the truth after their dinner date.
This plan was perfect. And to make sure it remained that way, Kara had used the past few days to make sure it would be disturbance-free.
She first called up Mxy who was more than delighted to suggest she gave up.After refusing, she brought up the idea of him moving those aliens back to their time, he said he could only move her and that if she wanted to deal with the new invaders she would have to do it herself like she had asked. Unless she had wanted to give up which she, of course, immediately refused yet again.
Lena had got to study the device and managed to come up with a machine to detect any singularities that would hint at a new ‘time invader’ as they put it. There were no disturbances so far, and Alex was monitoring the device like a hawk. Their four prisoners were still very much locked up with no means of escape and she was ready with her new suit and comms device to take out any small-time criminals that decided to disrupt the peace. Kara didn't want to jinx it, but tonight felt like it would finally be problem free.
“Linda, we have a problem.” Alex's worried voice came through the device in her ear before she even had time to retrieve her tiramisu.
“What is it?” Kara perked up at Alex's voice, holding the fridge's door open.
“The green witch.” She said. “She's been acting strangely. Mumbling things into the air. I wouldn't have worried so much had there not been a rise of strange energy reading from her cell.”
“I'll be right there.” Kara sighed and closed the fridge.
— — —
“I could just be paranoid.” Alex confessed as they passed through the cells towards the mumbling woman. “Nothing has actually happened so far.”
“Still, it could be dangerous. I'm glad you called me.” Kara was wearing her new suit as she walked with Alex. She had a new voice muddler installed inside her helmet to make it much lower and more metallic to disguise her youthful high pitched one. It was strange to say the least.
Said woman was sitting in a meditative state at the center of her glass cell, eyes wide open as she was talking to the air.
Kara was about to comment how the woman could just be crazy and call it a false alarm when everything around them exploded.
Kara could just barely see the green orb she knew to be destroyed reform again next to the woman and only just managed to shield Alex from the blast, absorbing most of the damage.
The world around her felt blurry and the sound came out muffled, like they were reaching her through a deep layer of water. She felt herself being picked up and moved but couldn't tell who was doing that and where they were going.
“Stay with me supertyke.”
“That’s your worst one yet.” Kara barely managed to say, each word feeling like more effort than the last.
“Well, there are only so many baby adjutant names.” Alex let out a sound of relief.
— — —
It took some convincing, but Alex agreed to let her join the fight, only on the condition that she would fly her to the scene as well and not leave her behind this time. Once they got a location, Kara was more than happy to oblige, but it was Alex who regretted it only seconds into the flight, quickly realising how odd being carried by a small child was. Thankfully the flight only took a few seconds, so Alex's pride remained mostly intact.
“Lena, weren't you with Kara?” Alex asked in confusion once they reached the scene. Just as she spoke, Supergirl's body visibly blasted to the ground from an attack by one of the villains.
“She helped us clear a path through the debris, but I sent her to lead the other people back to safety.” Lena said, steadying herself between the restaurant's debris.
“Why didn't you go with her?” Kara asked, her low metallic voice surprising even herself for a moment.
“Because I think I can send them back to their time.” Lena smirked as she produced the device Alex had given her from her bag.
“You just carry this around?” Alex raised an eyebrow at her.
“This is too important to be left unattended.” Lena explained. “But I will need you to bring them to me. Restrained or unconscious, but I need them still.”
“You could've said so an hour ago when we had them in custody!” Alex argued.
“I'm still not sure this will work! I hadn't had a chance to test it properly!” Lena countered back.
“Ladies, less arguing, more defeating the bad guys.” Kara raised a hand up. “We will get them for you.” Kara promised.
“And who might you be?” Lena studied her carefully.
“Just an alien trying to help.” Kara didn't linger to hear her reply as she flew head first into the cyborg guy to stop an attack aimed at her older self.
“Nice save.” Supergirl commented before rushing in for another attack.
Kara was thankful to have two versions of herself present on the battlefield, especially with the frequent kryptonite laced beam attacks from the somehow newly reformed orb floating next to the green woman.
Alex provided some fire power from the ground as the battle in the skies raged on.
The cyborg man was stronger than Kara had anticipated, matching her strength and every fist she threw his way. Her new form meant her reach was not as far as she was used to, meaning several hits simply never connected properly, but it also had its advantages. A small figure meant a small target and those villains definitely struggled to pin her down.
Evading was the name of the game, punches, beams and kicks, Kara had evaded most of them with the hope of exhausting her opponent quickly for her other self to take them down. She did sneak in a punch or laser beam when she could, but she very quickly realised her position in this fight.
It was definitely not what she was used to, but if there was something she had learned in this time travel experience, it was adaptability and dealing with the hand that she was dealt.
Once the rest of the DEO soldiers arrived at the scene it was as good as over. The orb was shattered once again and all four villains were quickly apprehended.
“I will kill you supergirl!” The woman in green shouted.
“But why?” Her old self asked, genuinely confused.
“Because you killed me!” She said as it was somehow obvious. It only made them all even more confused.
“How about we just not try to kill each other?” Her old self offered much to the annoyance of her captured enemy.
“Ready Luthor?” Alex asked, eyeing the CEO who was still tweaking the device.
“I hope so,” Lena sighed. “Bring them closer together.” She directed the soldiers who quickly obliged.”I hope for your sake the emergency trigger is locked to your correct time.” Lena bent down to whisper in the green lady’s ear before pressing a series of buttons and placing the device between the four tied up people.
With a bright green flash, all four disappeared from view, leaving only a small chared spot where the device was placed.
“How can we be sure they won’t just recover and immediately come back for us?” Alex inquired while signaling her team to clear out.
“We can’t know for sure,” Lena said, “But I did program it to self-destruct upon arrival, so unless they have extras, they will be stuck there for a while.”
“That’s clever!” her old self chimed in. “You’re so clever.”
“Thanks.” Lena let out a small chuckle as her cheeks grew a deeper shade of crimson.
“Alright, I have a LOT of files to write down and an aftermath to deal with. Tyke of steel, with me.” Alex motioned her to follow.
“Why me?” Kara whined, sounding odd through the voice modulator.
“Because you have the info I need for now, and because I said so.” Alex's words were firm and final in the tone Kara found hard to argue with. With a huff of annoyance Kara kicked the dust on the ground below her and followed.
“I’m gonna assume you will need me too, but I hope you don’t mind, I’ll stop by Kara’s first to see if she is alright.” Lena said carefully, her eyes darting around quickly no doubt looking for the same friend who was (unknowingly to her) standing right beside her.
“I can give you some time, but I will need your testament within the hour.” Alex said.
“I can live with that.” Lena nodded.
— — —
Alex’s interrogation was quicker than Kara had originally feared. The main reason was probably the lack of actual information she had to give. Alex had come to some assumption she was hiding more than she had previously disclosed, and while fair – she did refuse to tell them everything before – she really didn’t know much about this time traveling group.
Alex insisted on taking her to her old self’s place just in case Lena was still there, not only to keep up her cover, but also to make sure ’the Luthor’ was not avoiding her testimony. Kara was glad Alex used the name in a friendly manner this time around, or at least she assumed she did.
Kara had a strange feeling in her stomach as she walked up to her apartment. She didn’t want to intrude using her heightened senses since she could just tell both her and Lena were up there despite the relative quiet on the floor.
She opened the door, knowing full well the door was unlocked and didn’t want to bother either Lena or her old self to open it.
Kara was not prepared for what was waiting for her on the other side.
It was her – her old her – and Lena! They were kissing! She was kissing Lena! On the lips!
“Oh, um.” Lena noticed them first, parting from Kara's old self quickly and lowered her gaze in the guise of fixing her shirt to avoid looking at the new intruders directly.
Her old self sucked both her lips while attempting to send them a forced smile that looked unnatural to say the least.
“Sorry for the interruption.” Alex looked just as flustered despite being the first to break the awkward silence.
“No, that’s fine. I should probably go to give my testament anyway. But we’ll talk later?” She spoke her last question softly at Kara’s other self.
“Yeah.” Her older self nodded more time than necessary. “Yes, later, tomorrow, any time you like.” Her smile grew dopey and uncontrolled.
Kara was frozen in place. It took the sound of the door shutting, the elevator dinging down and the sound of the car driving Lena and Alex away down the street below to finally register the information she had just witnessed and react.
“You! You and Lena! You were–” It was difficult to even form the words. What had just happened?
“Yeah, I suppose we finally figured it out.” Her old self smiled at her warmly for some reason as she sat down at the couch.
“Figure it out?” Kara asked, not sure she followed.
"That's what you didn't want to tell me, right?” She turned to her as if Kara had a handle on the situation. “About me and Lena in the future.”
Me and Lena? There was no kissing involved in their friendship. “No. No, that's– no.” Kara’s mind finally caught on. “Me and Lena are not… that.” She wasn’t even sure why she found it so difficult to voice out loud.
“You're not?” Her old self asked, genuinely confused.
“No!” Kara shouted. “ I'm not, you know… “
“Gay?” her old self asked, the word slipping so casually off her lips.
“Yeah.” Kara huffed.
“Well, you are.” Her old self took a deep breath and got up from the couch. “Or maybe Bi or queer. I'm not really sure yet. Still figuring it out.”
“No,” Kara shook her head. “I'm not. We are not.” Kara stressed out. How did it turn up so wrong?
“Yes we are.” Her old self stressed back. “I don't know what it is you're going through, but I know what I feel for Lena now. I know this is real and if it's real for me, then this is real for you too.” Her eyes were piercing through Kara, reaching something inside of her she refused to name.
“No. Lena is my friend.” She didn’t move. She refused to move. She would've known if she had feelings for Lena. she would.
“Isn’t that why you are here?”
“What?” The question caught Kara off guard.
“This special mission you are on. That's not about saving the world. Not really. You were only focusing on Lena and her alone. This is about her. About your relationship.”
“I mean, yes, but that’s not… that’s not…” That was ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Kara refused to be part of this conversation any longer. She flew out of the window without saying another word.
“Tell me again why we should be trailing this random dude?” Alex's impatience was wearing thin. Kara crossed her arms and leaned back against the interrogation chair at the DEO. It was one of the only unoccupied spaces where they could speak uninterrupted.
“I told you, I can't tell you any future events!” Kara said defensively for what felt like the millionth time.
“But you're cool with telling me I should stalk this Ben guy?” Alex raised an eyebrow in question.
“Yes!” Kara nearly shouted. Wasn't it obvious?
“Come on, Linda, the least you could do is give me a reason. What am I looking for?”
“The old me is not here, you can just call me Kara.”
“Yeah, that's a hard pass for me. Sorry, but if you want another name you'll have to give me more than that.”
“Ughh, fine! He has the potential to be radicalised.” Kara sighed and leaned back on her chair.
“That's basically nothing! And what about those women? Grace, Sam, Julia…?”
“Um…” How could she have put it? “Think of them as sleeper alien agents you definitely don't want to activate.”
“That's the best you can give me, Infant of Steel?”
“I'm trying the best I can!”
Alex raised a doubtful eyebrow and Kara had to concede that she did have a point.
“I'll compile a list with some more relevant information.” Kara sighed.
“Thank you. That's all I ask.” Alex said respectively, but Kara could see a little smirk on her lips.
“But I want information for information.” Kara placed her small hands on the metallic desk in demand.
“And what information are you looking for, tot of might?” Alex studied her suspiciously.
“Really?”
“I’m starting to run out of them, but out with it pipsqueak.”
“I need to know if there are any threats, or anything that raises any red flags as of late.”
“That's vague.” Alex leaned back against the chair.
“Well, I don't have any specifics for that one. I just have to make sure that there are not any threats to the timeline. Any major changes created from me being here.”
“And how am I supposed to know what would constitute a change?” Alex was the most infuriating when she was right.
A text popped up on her phone, the one Alex had given her earlier this week. It was her old self. She originally nicknamed her as Padawan, but her old self changed it almost immediately.
Responsible and adult: im ordering Chinese for us. What do you want?
I feel like you know the answer to that now. She texted back
Responsible and adult: I don't know! Maybe we changed our mind about it in 2 years!
Kara, we haven't changed our mind about food in 10 years and that was only because we discovered potstickers for the first time.
Responsible and adult: I'll just order triple the usual just in case.
“Listen, I really have to run, but can you please just text me with anything suspicious? Anything at all.” Kara said and shoved the phone back in her pocket.
“That's a lot of confidential government information you are asking there.” Alex tilted her head and crossed her arms.
“You said this phone is secure.” Kara pulled back said phone to raise above her tiny head.
“Yeah, I mean… yes it's safe, it's just still a lot.”
“Please, Alex. I need you to trust me on this.” She said instead in a smaller voice. She wasn't above begging at that point and she had a feeling her pout power was tripled in this body.
“Ugh, alright, but on one condition!”
“What?” Kara eyed her sister suspiciously.
“Me and Maggie.”
“What about you?” Kara was genuinely surprised by the question.
“I just… I know it's new but I already feel so much for her.” Alex said, not really asking anything in particular, yet Kara had guessed her point.
“You know I can't tell you about the future.” Kara warned her. Alex needed to let things play out as they did. Sure it sucked at the time, but she grew so much and found someone so much better for her.
“I know I know, but I just wanna know if we work out. If it's still a thing.” Alex's gaze met her in a plea.
“Alex, I can't tell you what to do or not do…” Oh, Rao, why was it so hard? She really shouldn't have said anything, but Alex looked so vulnerable and she was changing the future after all. “If you see a future with her then talk to her about it, see if your ideals align, you know? Like, career, kids and stuff…” She was pleased with her words. Vague, yet concise.
“Yeah, you're right…” Alex sighed. “Alright, I'll keep you posted.”
— — —
“Alright,” Her old self put down the chopsticks on the table with a loud thud. The piles of the empty take out boxes around them were almost embarrassing if anyone else but themselves was in the room. “What's the plan?”
"You're meeting tomorrow, right?” Kara asked, placing her own empty container on the table.
“Yes, but shouldn't we plan it for a more specific outing? Something more planned out?”
“There is no reason to prolong it, the time is now.” They should've actually used more of the weekend time to work out a plan, but dealing with future threats took priority.
“I still don't get it.” Her old self sighed. “Why is it so important I talk to Lena if this could bring so much danger?” Her old self placed her empty container to the side and leaned forward, studying Kara.
“I told you, I will handle the danger, you just need to tell her.” Kara said decisively.
“No offense, but how are you planning on doing that looking like that?” Her old self gestured to Kara's small frame.
“I can still pack a punch and you know that, plus I have future knowledge on my side.” Kara argued.
“Okay, okay. I'm still worried, though. And I can't help but question if the de-ageing thing you went through made any neurological changes, so remember that at the end of the day I'm still the responsible and the adult one in the room.” Her old self emphasised both words.
“I am older than you! Don't be fooled by this body!” She squeaked out. “Or voice.”
“Yeah, you're not really helping your case here.”
“By the way, what did you call me on your phone?”
“Yoda cause you're small and wise.”
“Oh, that's… that's actually pretty cool. I like it.”
“I knew you would.” Her old self smiled at her. “So, plan?”
“Yeah, I think we should think about framing. Make sure the situation is intimate.”
“Intimate?” Her old self gave her an inquisitive look.
“Yeah, I feel like both of you would feel better if there is no one around and you are free to react in… whatever way you need.” Kara still remembered the several more violent reactions Lena had.
“Yeah… yeah that makes sense. So like at her house?” Her old self suggested.
“Or ours, I'm not sure which is better if she feels like storming off.” Kara leaned back on the couch, trying to weigh both options in her head.
“Would she storm off?” Her old self asked, alarmed.
“I don't know! I don't think so at this stage, but I just want to make sure she will feel safe.” Kara tried to recall every reaction Lena had in the various attempts she had with Mxy. She stormed off a handful of times so that was definitely not out of the question.
Her old self eyed her suspiciously but didn't immediately answer. “So we should just set up a movie date or something?”
“Maybe work out to it? Like go out for dinner and then like a movie? So you can use dinner first to build up to it.” Kara offered. Relaxing after dinner must be the best way to lay the grounds for a big reveal.
“What foods do you think would be the best to help set up the mood?”
“Oh that’s a really good question!” Kara bent forward, leaning her chin against her hand. “Lena likes to eat healthy, but she has a secret sweet tooth and really likes Big Belly Burger.”
“So we can go for that.”
“She also really likes home cooked meals. She didn’t say it out loud, but I think she didn’t have a lot growing up and I like showing her she is important and cared for.”
“Do you do that a lot?” Her old self studied her.
“Not as often as I like. With basically two jobs, I don't have a lot of time for cooking. But I guess you know that.” Kara sighed. Perhaps she ought to make Lena something once she's back. She definitely deserved some.
“Haha yeah… But you said we should meet out first, so how would that work with dinner?”
“Oh! You can go on a walk in the park! Build up an appetite!”
“Yes I love it! And I think I know just the pasta dish to make for her!”
“We can go shopping after work!”
— — —
Shopping was only slightly awkward with the small comments from strangers at how articulated she was for her age. Kara smiled sweetly back at them as she waited for them to get out of earshot to be able to keep talking to her other self.
Just as she thought about the bizarre situation she found herself in, as if summoned by her thoughts alone, she spotted Mxy between the aisles, balancing an unreasonable number of boxers on his head from what she could tell. She wasn't sure if she imagined it so she pulled at her older self's trousers to get her attention and look in his direction, but by the time she averted her gaze and looked back he was gone.
Kara helped her other self in the kitchen before flying to the DEO. She wanted to give herself – her other self – the privacy of the moment and use the time to monitor Lex.
“So, you're making dinner for her?” Alex raised an eyebrow at her. Kara was sitting beside her in the main control area of the DEO that was mostly empty at this hour. If anyone had questions or reservations about having a small child over there, they made no comments about it. At least not in front of Kara.
“Yes. I mean not me, the other me. The older one – which is also technically the younger one… anyway you get what I'm saying.”
“Yeah, yeah… I just didn't take you for much of a cook.” Alex shrugged.
“I can make some stuff!” Kara countered.
Alex fixed her with a doubtful look.
“What?”
“Kara, you burn almost any brownie you've ever made.”
“Now I'm Kara?” She raised a small brown at her. “When do I burn food?”
“You're right. Linda.” Alex emphasised the false name.
“Oh, come on! Also baking and cooking are completely different.”
“So tell me, superbaby, what is it you can cook?”
“Do you remember that amazing pasta Eliza made for Jeremiah for their last anniversary before he died?”
“That sea food one?” Alex asked.
“Yeah.”
“Oh man, that was so good.”
“Right? So I asked Eliza about it before I moved out to college after she said everyone needs to know how to make one good dish, so I asked her to teach it to me. Haven't really got a chance to make it too often, but it's good.”
“Now you know I have to try! How come I didn't know about this?” Alex asked.
“Well, you're more than welcome to –”
Kara's sentence was cut off by the loud piercing sound of an alarm.
“What is it?” Alex called out loudly to the room.
“Unrecognised heat signature. A strong one. It's like a tear in the fabric of the world level of readings.” An agent called out, his fingers moving around the keyboard with haste.
“I've got eyes!” Another agent announced, pulling up the footage and directing it to the main screen for them to look at.
The new presence certainly looked human in appearance, but Kara knew it was a common appearance for a lot of species – her included of course. She wore all green with a floating green orb next to her as she was hovering above the ground.
“Can't place her origin.” The agent let them know.
The humanoid looked around, surveying the ground beneath her and ignoring the curious looks and shouts of the people around her.
“Is she friendly?” Kara asked, looking at her sister for answers.
“I don't know, and I can't afford to wait and find out.” She got up in a hurry and placed a hand on her comm device in her ear. “Team Alpha with me. We have a code blue at NC park.”
The park…
“I'm coming with you.” Kara announced, moving to join Alex's side.
“No, no. I can't have a child on a mission.”
“Please Alex, it's not different than having Supergirl help out.”
“Supergirl, maybe. Super Infant, no.”
“Come on, I am just as strong as her and you know it.”
“It is still a government operation and you look very much like a child.”
“I can dress in all black. Then maybe people will just think I'm a very small person. Or an alien – which I am.”
A loud sound from the screen alerted them that this new woman was no longer neutral and in fact started blasting green rays of energy through her floating green orb. People were running around in fear as smoke began rising from the trees.
Kara couldn't wait for an answer, she had to act. Using her speed to go through the locker and gear up in all black clothes – all, of course, too big for her – and flew in top speed straight to the park, sleeves flapping in the wind behind her.
Her vision was almost obscured by the black fabric covering most of her face, but she had just enough to survey the scene. Her other self was shielding Lena while the floating green woman fired off her blasts.
Kara barged forward, knocking the woman off the sky down to the street below. Kara was grateful for the dark hour of the day and her small figure as she noticed the woman struggling to pinpoint her location.
“Come on out there Supergirl! I know you're here!” The woman shouted.
“Who are you?” Kara shouted back.
“Who are you?!” The green woman called out alarmed.
“I'm Supergirl!” Kara announced, flying forward to land another hit on the woman.
“Oh shit, how far did I go?” The woman said almost to herself, checking a device on her hand. “Huh, strange. I wasn't planning to kill a child, but, oh well.”
She sent another green blast that hit Kara straight in the chest, sending her backwards. Pain seared through her body like millions of small nails tried to pry her open from within. Kryptonite. This beam had residues of kryptonite.
“I'll take it from here!” Her old self announced flying forwards wearing her old supersuit.
“She has kryptonite.” Kara barely managed to let out before a beam hit her old self, sending her back into a tree.
“Yeah…” her old self's voice came out hoarse and rough, spitting a few leaves. “I got that."
“Remember the evil stage magician?” Kara rushed to the side of her other self.
“The what?” Her older self asked, picking a small tree branch from her hair.
Oh, was she not there yet? Or was it actually someone in the many alternate times she explored with Mxy? “Anyways, aim for the orb.” She said instead. “That's most likely her force of power.”
With some coordination and teamwork, Kara and her other self managed to dodge her next attack and land a solid hit on the or which shattered into small pieces just in time for Alex to arrive at the scene.
“Took you long enough.” Kara teased.
“And you shouldn't be here, Super tot.” Alex stressed out between gritted teeth as she barked orders to her agents.
“She actually helped quite a bit.” Her old self came to her defense. “She bought me some time to help clear the area and get away from Lena. Speaking of which, I should probably go find her.” She gave them a quick wave before flying away.
“I should clear out as well, but I also want to point out that I came up with the idea to defeat her.” Kara said, untangling her long sleeve that got caught in a nearby bush.
“Are you dissing yourself?” Alex asked.
Kara stopped in place for a moment and looked at Alex. She inevitably decided to flea the scene without further comments.
Her other self arrived at the flat some time later with no sign of Lena by her side.
“Did you tell her?” Kara leaned forward on the chair she was sitting on, her eyes filled with anticipation.
“I… didn't get around to it.”
“What? But the plan!” Kara whined.
“Was destroyed when that witch attacked!”
“Why couldn't you just go ahead after the fight?”
Her old self sighed. “I only got away from her by pretending to get injured. She insisted on driving me back so I could sleep and get better.” She said, “She was also worried about leaving you alone for too long, especially once she saw Alex at the scene. It's just… next time. Next time I'll tell her for sure.”
— — —
It seems that now that she finally had her older self on board it was the villains that stood in her way.
An assassination attempt on them occurred at their next planned meeting. Her older self managed to get Lena out of harm's way as Kara and Alex captured the perpetrator – a half man half machine, symmetrically split in the middle.
It was even more infuriating when the next meeting was interrupted by an axe wielding alien lunatic and an alien wearing an elaborate space helmet.
“Here.” Alex threw a large paper bag in her direction once she arrived at the DEO to check on the new imprisoned aliens.
“What's this?” Kara asked, opening the bag instinctively only to see more brown paper wraps inside.
“A suit. A proper one so you wouldn't be stumbling over a sleeve. Again.” Alex said.
Kara tore through the paper quickly to reveal a smaller version of her supersuit only with both trousers and a skirt. It was completely black, not unsimilar to Reign’s version which made her family crest barely noticeable.
“Can't have a toddler mooning the masses. Plus I think it's more practical.” Alex said at her puzzled face.
“And you're fine with your sister ‘mooning’ everyone in a skirt?” Kara raised a judgmental eyebrow at her sister. Her recent suit upgrade was a much needed one.
“Fair point. I will talk with Kara and Winn to make some changes. In the meantime get used to this one. There is also a retractable helmet at the back to cover your face.”
“Afraid of people discovering my identity?”
“I'm more afraid of kids thinking they could fly. Better they think of you as a small alien.”
“That's fair. Alright, what did you find about those aliens?” Kara asked, letting Alex to lead the way through the cell area.
“I was hoping you would know something. Have you not seen them before?”
“No, they are new to this time.”
“That's probably bad…” Alex muttered. “You said you think she has time related powers?”
“I mean from the way she phrased it. She said something about going back and me being a child so I believe maybe she is also a time traveler. Maybe further into the future.”
“So she's here because of you.” Alex phrased it more like a statement than a question.
“Maybe.” Kara said with a sigh.
“Alright if we are dealing with time travel, I guess it's good we have an expert.”
“Who?” Kara asked, partway believing Lena would walk into the room at any moment now. She was an expert in everything after all.
“You.” Alex said what she thought was the obvious truth. Technically it was true.
“Ahh…” Kara hoped the sound would fill the space enough for her lack of actual time travel abilities. “Yes. That's right. Me. The time traveler.” Kara let out a small chuckle.
“Yes. You.” Alex eyed her oddly. “So let's figure out when they are from and send them back there through your time machine or whatever.”
“I'll check if I can do that.” Kara trailed off, trying to think of excuses to use on Mxy.
“What do you mean? Is there not enough space there?”
“It's more… more like it can only work for me.” That was a good out. And the truth probably. “But I mean if they got here, they can probably get back the same way, right?”
“Yeah, that makes sense. We did find some sort of device on each of them, but so far none of our tech guys can figure them out.”
“Even Winn?” Kara asked in shock. Brainy had said he was the one who discovered the ancient technology that allowed time travel in the future after all. Perhaps it was too soon. But she did know someone who was probably smart enough. Someone who would soon manage to invent mass teleportation technology basically on her own.
“Yeah, he's been at it for a few nights in a row and can't crack it.” Alex continued.
“Lena.” The name was out of her lips before she even registered it.
“What?” Alex turned to her in question.
“Lena. We need Lena. She will figure it out.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“She is the smartest person I know.” Kara said as a matter of fact.
“And you're sure she is trustworthy?”
“More than anything.” Kara declared with all the confidence in the world.
Alex studied her for a moment before speaking. “Alright.” She nodded to herself then fished out her phone and started typing.
“Now?” Kara asked. She wasn't expecting to see Lena so soon.
“No time like the present.” Alex closed her phone and put it back into her pocket. “She'll be here any moment.”
True to her word Lena arrived not long after. She walked down the stairs with so much poise and elegance, the kind that made Kara hard to breathe.
“I don't have long, you said it was urgent?” Lena asked, directing Alex with her gaze.
“We have a device we are trying to decipher." Alex handed her the small machine.
“That is something.” Lena gleaned at the device with growing interest. There was that special spark in her eye when she studied an interesting puzzle. So bright and full of wonder.
It reminded her of Tali's eyes at the light festival – nope! She promised herself never to think about the light festival. She wasn't even sure why anymore, but her brain stopped her so abruptly Kara knew not to question it. It was wrong. That was all she knew for sure. It was wrong in kryptonian society.
But she wasn't in Krypton anymore, yet it still felt wrong in some way. As it could distort her normality statue. Not that she knew what it meant anymore.
“Linda.” Lena noted, noticing her for the first time.
“Hi.” Kara gave her a small wave in response.
“Is this really the smartest place to babysit a small child?” Lena whispered at Alex with hints of accusation.
“The sitter dropped me here!” Kara lied quickly. “I was on my way to Kara.”
“By yourself?” Lena asked. “That's highly irregular.” She sneered at Alex.
“She went into labor.” Alex said flatly. “The babysitter.” She clarified. “We are closer to the hospital.” Alex spoke faster than she had in years.
“Oh, um… congratulations then?” Lena seemed stumped.
“I'll let her know. So yeah, the baby is with me until I'm off from work.” Alex placed a large hand on Kara’s shoulder.
“I can drop her off with Kara on my way back.” Lena suggested.
“No, no, that's fine. I'm okay here.” Kara reassured her.
“I’m sure you are.” Lena directed a sweet smile at Kara.
“Thats actually a great idea, Lena. I do have a lot of work to do.” Alex flashed Kara a small smirk behind Lena's back.
“Of course, it would be my pleasure.”
“What? No, no, no I'm good here.” Kara protested. It was not likely she planned on staying at the DEO any longer. She didn't need a babysitter. She had plans to fly back home and snack on whatever she could find while monitoring Ben Lockwood.
“I promise I will keep you safe on the ride. My car is very protected.” Lena reassured her.
“Yes. Ms Luthor's car is great. She would love to come with you.” Alex said with too much enthusiasm.
“Alex!” Kara hissed, trying to stress out her anger without Lena catching on.
Despite her protests she found herself in the car next to Lena on her way to reunite with – well, herself.
Lena had tried to make conversation a few times, but she was clearly not great at talking with kids. Then again Kara was not really a kid, so talking about her favourite toys or hobbies was not really fruitful. Especially since she didn't know a lot of earthly toys nor what would be considered an appropriate hobby of a six years old, so she opted to say nothing.
Why was normal such a difficult thing to be?
For years she worked hard to gather social clues and norms to fit in. To be the most average earthly being she could be, the most bland person in the room, easily disappear in a crowd and never stand out no matter what. She always felt like she was failing miserably at that, yet she kept trying, subjecting herself to a forced personality-haircut to fit a mold.
It was strange looking at herself from the side, seeing all the ways she failed to fit in in ways she didn't even realise before. It was so clear to see just how unpopular button down shirts really were at her work place – especially on the women at her office. She stuck out like a sore thumb. Kara had subconsciously changed her wardrobe to accommodate more dresses and skirts now that she thought about it. Not that she didn't like her dresses, but she also liked her shirts. She missed wearing them more often.
Her fidgeting and apologies were also louder in the space around them than she realised. Apathy, gossip and even just blunt rudeness were not the norm, but were far more common than Kara had realised. She didn't want to stop being nice, she liked it. Then again, the wall she had built around her had become so much clearer from the outside looking in. Not so much her older coworker, but several new ones tried to get to know her, she even thought one of them was hitting on her – not that she ever realised it at that time. It looked like she was shutting them down, but Kara knew she was just being careful. Afraid to let anyone in so they might learn the truth about her origin. Might see through her disguise.
It wasn't until that very moment that Kara realised how truly suffocating it had been. How much of herself did she bury to pretend to be normal? How many false masks was she wearing to hide herself behind? Did she even know her own self anymore?
“Linda.” Her old self cut her train of thoughts. “What are you doing here?”
“I…” Kara had to think back to remember what she was doing there in the first place. Murmurs of office work and papers filled the space around her and Kara felt so alone all of a sudden.
“I brought her.” Lena stepped beside her.
“Lena!” Her old self lightened once she spotted the brunette. “What..?”
“I understand her usual sitter is in labor?”
“Yes!” Kara said quickly at seeing her old self's puzzled look. “This was why she dropped me off at Alex and Lena was kind enough to drive me to you.” She explained quickly before her old self could react.
“Oh. Oh, right yeah.” Her old self recovered quickly. “Thank you so much for taking her, you're a life saver.”
“It's nothing. Really.” Lena brushed it off with ease.
It was strange. They were talking about her, yet it was as if they stopped noticing her existence all together. Instead they were drowning in each other as if they were the only two people in the room.
“No, don't diminish it. It was very kind of you.” Her old self insisted, placing a soft hand on Lena's arm.
“If you say so. It really was no problem, but I do have to get back.” Lena gave her an apologetic smile.
“Yes! Of course! I don't want to make you late for anything on my account. Are we still up for dinner tomorrow?” Her old self asked.
“Do you have an arrangement for Linda now that your sitter is unavailable?”
“Why is who..? Oh, right! Labor! Baby, she had a baby, yes. Um, how about Saturday then? Alex can take her.”
“Alright, Saturday it is. I'll see you then.”
“I'll see you then.” Her old self smiled back, her gaze not leaving Lena's figure as she disappeared behind the elevator doors.
