Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The Pines, they often whisper

They whisper, what no tongue can tell

Kara sat relaxed in the saddle, her horse, Argo, was walking leisurely along the dirt road that wound through the town of Rhodes, getting a layer of red dust on his champagne coat. She’d have to brush him when they got back to camp. Riding alongside her was her sister, Alex Danvers, on her long-time mount, the black and white speckled Gertrude. 

They were dressed for the road, in jeans and riding boots, with Kara in a cream every day shirt with the sleeves pushed up to her elbows, a rich blue bandana was tied around her neck, the tails hanging down her front, her signature gambler’s hat atop her head, her blonde tresses pinned up in a bun that was held secure by her hat. Alex wore a black leather vest with blue thread accents over a crisp white shirt, her favored hat, a worn gambler she’d gotten from her father after his death covering her short auburn hair.  

“You think Mon-El is done getting supplies?” Alex asked, brushing red dirt off her white sleeves. “Or do we have enough time to grab a drink at the saloon?”

Rhodes was a small backwater town in the southern state of Lemonye, with the general store, a gun store, and a sheriff’s station among a small pattering of wooden homes to space things out. The surrounding areas were home to large farms and plantations that have gone to seed, the fences rotting and their harvests leaner. The entire place seemed run down despite being a newer town, the saloon was the most successful business by a long shot; the largest building outside of the mill, the saloon was a two story establishment with food, liquor, and blackjack. 

“Maybe. But let’s check if we got any mail and then we'll check on him,” Kara said. They’d already hit up the gun store for a resupply on their ammunition, and Mon-El was visiting the general store and butcher. 

Alex’s normally stoic expression morphed into a faux pout. “But I’m parched!”

Kara rolled her eyes. “I’m sure we’ll have time for a drink after we deliver the supplies back at camp.”

“Might as well just drink back at camp,” Alex complained, no real bite to her reply. 

“It would be cheaper,” Kara teased, laughing outright when her sister shoved at her shoulder. 

“It’s probably for the best.” Alex shrugged. “No reason to fight through a crowd of those inbred Liberty Raiders for a drink if we don’t have to.”

Kara chuckled. It was true. 

Lemonye’s local gang called themselves the Liberty Raiders, led by ex-confederate Ben Lockwood. Still bitter about their loss in the civil war, the raiders terrorized people throughout Lemoyne and blamed everybody but their own racist, entitled, and human compatriots. During the day they could be found bumming around the Rhodes saloon or blowing themselves up making Moonshine in the swamp. They’d had a couple of run-ins with them already and Kara wasn’t eager to add to that at the moment. 

Kara drew Argo up into a light trot and headed for the station with Alex right on her heels. Minutes later, Kara had handed Argo’s reins to Alex and the kryptonian was leaping up the steps to the clerk that handled both the mail and selling train tickets. 

“Be with you in a moment!” The clerk said, finishing up the stack of cash he was counting and returning it to the register. “How can i help you?” He wore the same blue work jacket as other station clerks with his blue cap positioned jauntily on his head.

“Checking the mail for Zor-El?” Kara asked. 

The clerk smirked behind his handlebar mustache. “Zorel? What kind of name is that?”

“It’s European,” Kara answered easily, her smile hiding her irritation. 

The clerk laughed. “Well, that explains it! Wait a moment here, Ms. Zorel.”

Using her father’s name for their post box had been Winn’s idea. “It’s a name so weird, no one would think it’s fake!”

She remembered scowling at her friend. “It’s not a fake name, Winn. It’s my father’s name, my name!”

Kara returned to the present and realized the clerk was waiting for her to answer. She nodded and the clerk went scurrying, leaving Kara leaning against the counter. She hated that people butchered her family name but she couldn’t deny that humans were dismissive when it came to foreigners. Still, she was rather sore about it.

In the years since she left Krypton, Kara had experienced many disappointments and setbacks, from getting trapped in the phantom zone, to arriving without her baby cousin, to losing both foster parents within two years of joining the Danvers, and then losing their farm when the bank foreclosed on them. Since then, she and Alex had been living rough, stealing and robbing just to feed themselves. 

Her abilities under a yellow sun, along with J’onn’s ability to change his face, and Alex’s wit and marksmanship, meant that they had survived their teenage years and made it to adulthood. It had been a hard road but they'd made friends and allies, and Kara counted herself lucky to be on Earth.  

“Here we are!” The clerk returned with an envelope, breaking Kara from her musings. 

Kara took the envelope and tipped him a quarter. It was addressed from Saint Denis and Kara smiled. Here it was, their signal. She pocketed the envelope and strode out the door. 

She rejoined her sister and decided to lead Argo on foot across the road to the general store. They paused while a milk wagon crossed in front of them and Kara waved an arm to dispel the dust it left in its wake. 

Upon arriving, Kara saw two men exit the shop. The men, one a man with a scruffy beard in his late twenties, the other a balding man with a big belly and a limp in his gait, were both carrying boxes of supplies to put on the wagon sitting beside the store. It was obvious the boxes were heavy by the sweat on the balding man’s brow, though as an alien, the other man, Mon-El, was showing no signs of fatigue. 

“We all settled up?” Kara asked as they approached. 

Mon-El nodded. He was dressed in a red shirt under an ornate vest, a black checkered shotgun coat completed the look.  “Sure did. We’re ready to go.”

The store clerk huffed and puffed as he deposited the box on the wagon. “Thank you for your business! That was the last of it.”

Mon-El hopped up to the drivers seat and after a few more words, they were back on the road and heading west out of town. It took a while before they left the red dust cloud that was Rhodes and headed off the main raid to a lightly beaten path that led to the woods. The trees on the path were so thick, you couldn’t see the sky above you but finally, the trees gave way to a clearing on the shore of Flat Iron Lake. 

Their camp was meager, just a few tarps set up against various wagons, with pallets down on the ground, all surrounding a huge oak tree. There were only two full tents, one that Alex shared with Sam and Ruby, and the one that J’onn and M’gann shared. Tables were spread out in several places, one round table where Kara and her friends played poker, or the square table where she played dominoes with J’onn, along with the chuck wagon's prep tables. Several logs were positioned around a campfire were they'd drink at night, playing songs or telling stories for Ruby, and a boat they used for fishing in the lake floated in the bay. 

Kara and Alex rode ahead to the hitching posts they’d installed beside the camp, tending to their horses while Mon-El drove the wagon under a small tree and unhitched the horses. 

"Hey! Was there any mail?" Nia Nal, a half-human, half alien that had joined them several months ago raced up to them, her long brown hair flying free about her shoulders, her feet bare in her white nightgown. 

Kara fished the letter out of her pocket and held it up. “It’s on. We have a day to get into position.”

“It’s on?” Nia asked, her eyes growing wide. “Sweet! Mama needs a new pair of boots!”

Kara chuckled. “It sure is. Let's round up!”

Chapter Text

The sound of grinding metal grew louder to Kara’s ears but she knew the train was too far away for human ears to pick up on. She adjusted herself in the saddle when she felt Argo paw at the ground. 

“Easy,” Kara soothed him, patting the horse on the board side of his neck. Her horse whinnied and bobbed it’s head. 

To her left, Alex was loading her favorite gun, a Schofield Revolver, with great care, checking the barrel and sights. On Alex’s other side, Mon-El was resting his sawed off shotgun back on his shoulder, scratching an itch with the butt of his weapon. Maggie was next in the line, her Mauser pistol held ready in her right hand. 

On Kara’s right, Brainy was muttering quietly to himself but Kara could hear that he was repeating the steps of their plan to himself. “Jump on the locomotive, slow then stop the engine, split into two parties and start at either end.”

Next to him, Nia was slumped in her seat, fast asleep. One soft snore later, and she was jerking herself awake. “Kara!”

Only Nia’s eyes were visible on account of the bandana she had tied to cover her face, the same deep blue bandana that Kara and the others were using to cover their own identities, too. As a half-Naltorian, Nia had inherited her mother’s talent for dreaming of the future. It came in handy for things like this. 

"What’d you see?" Kara asked. 

"We'll only have ten minutes to scour the train. Any longer and we'll be inviting trouble," Nia replied. 

Kara nodded. "You heard her, everybody. We get in, we get out." The train came over the hill, chugging wearily along against the slight incline. "That's our cue!"

Alex urged her horse forward to meet the train head on. "Hyah!" 

The group raced to catch up, the horses hooves pounding against the ground as they pulled level to the train. Floating herself up, Kara grabbed an iron loading bar and hoisted herself off Argo and onto the train. Stepping on the coal car, Kara held her hand out, grasping Brainy's outstretched hand and pulling him off his horse, to join her. Before Kara could reach back out, Alex had jumped from her horse and landed heavily on the car. 

James and Winn gathered up their horse's leads and pulled their still racing animals away from the track. Maggie, Mon-El, and Nia were headed for the back of the train. 

“Hey!” A guard that had just slid open the door of the next car stopped them, going for his gun. 

Kara couldn't think about her friends anymore, they had a job to do. Before the guard could level the barrel at any of them, Kara hit him in the head with the butt of her gun. He slumped to the floor.

"Nice one," Alex said, removing a length of rope from her bag. "Get the conductor, I'll tie this one."

Nodding, Kara ushered Brainy to the engine were a sweating man shrieked at their appearance. They paid him no heed, even as he tried to brain them with the business end of a shovel. Kara knocked him out too and tied his arms and legs while Brainy rushed to the engine and began to slow the train. 

"It'll take a minute or two to stop the train," Brainy told her. "Go join the others for the looting, I have this." 

Kara nodded and crossed the coal car. She stepped into one of the storage cars to find Alex grappling with a guard. Rushing to help, Kara threw herself at the man and slammed his head against the wall. He slumped to the floor, unconscious. There were two other guards in various states of consciousness on the floor that Alex had already dispatched. 

“I had that one, thank you,” Alex groused. Getting to her knees, she began retraining the guards. 

"Oh, thank you, Kara!" Kara said playfully, mimicking Alex's manner of speaking as she did the same. You're the best sister in the world!"

Alex rolled her eyes. "I do not sound like that! Come on, let's search this car and head in, I don't want Mon-El to beat us!"

Kara chuckled. It was always a competition to her sister, although to be fair, whoever brought in the most loot in a mission got bragging rights and a turn choosing their next lead. 

They made quick work of the room, finding it to be the guards car, filled with their wallets and personal luggage. Kara used her vision to see through locked drawers, and together they pulled in a decent amount of cash and jewelry. They made their way to the next car, glad to find it void of guards but full of passengers. They were all dressed in finery, with several men pacing about the cabin now that the train had come to a stop. The car was complete with cushy booths, some with a fold down table. 

They'd found the first class cabins. 

The passengers didn't seem to have noticed their entrance so Ka ra decided to get their attention. She pulled her own gun and shot a hole into the roof of the train. Every passenger jumped to attention, many of the men exclaiming and the women gasping and shrieking. 

 "Good afternoon!" Kara said cheerfully. "This is a robbery. Hand over your valuables and we won’t have any problems." 

Alex opened a sack and offered it to the first couple sitting in the padded booths. The woman handed over her bracelets and earrings immediately, and Kara began to stalk down the aisle. Several of the men were seething in their seats but they were willing to open their wallets when their wives were frightened. 

Brainy joined them now that the train was immobilized and they moved on to the next car to find a second luxury car, this time with the inclusion of a full bar. Kara repeated her instruction and moved further down. The people were more obstinate in here, drunk on spirits and blood pounding in their veins at the intrusion. 

Kara's jaw clenched. It was taking too long to get their loot, Nia had warned them they'd only have ten minutes and five had already passed. She needed to make someone an example. That's when Kara spotted movement in a booth beside the window. 

Looking fully, Kara's blue eyes met striking green, the color popping against the paleness of the woman’s skin and contrasted by the long raven black hair that she had twisted into an elegant up-do. Her dress looked expensive with a tight bodice and hoop skirt with lace in a deep burgundy color. A peacock feather hairpin with what looked like ivory on the face kept tight curls away from her face and neck, accentuating a sharp and regal jawline… As well as the silver and ruby ornate necklace that she wore around her neck. Even the obvious glare on her face was unable to detract from her beauty. 

Kara smirked behind her mask, stalking forward. She touched the barrel of her gun to the woman’s necklace, enjoying the way her heartbeat sped up. “Hand them over,” she demanded, her voice rough. 

The woman sneered. “Screw you!”

“That’s it!” Kara grabbed her arm, drawing a scream out of her target. 

Several men rushed forward, likely to try and fight her, but she wasn’t worried. There was an easy way to deter the fat cats on this train, nearly every passenger an affluent mover and shaker of Saint Denis, or the son or daughter of those corrupt capitalists. 

The first one that approached, she punched him with as little of her strength as possible. Where she had made sure to knock out the guards, passengers would comply with nothing more than a quick bruise or two. Sure enough, once she’d clock three of them, they seemed to be less reluctant to come forward. 

“No! No!” The woman cried, pulling against her. 

Kara made sure to keep her grip soft so as not to bruise her and dragged her to the door at the end of the car. She slid the compartment door and stepped through, dragging her through another compartment entirely—hitting only two more passengers—before getting to the next storage car. As soon as the door was shut behind them, there was a beat of silence. 

Kara laughed, releasing her grip and pulling down her mask, revealing her wide smile. “Rao, Lena, you were perfect!"

Lena spun around, a matching grin on her face. She grabbed a fistful of Kara's shirt, pulling her in for a passionate kiss. Kara froze, her brain refusing to process what was happening because Lena was kissing her! 

Lena pulled back, her eyes searching. "Kara, what's wrong? Did I… Did I do something wrong?" Lena drew back, her face closing off. "I apologize, I must have misread things." 

That's when Kara realized she hadn't returned the kiss, she'd just stood there. "No! No, no, no, no!" 

Lena began to pull away but Kara couldn't let Lena think she didn't want her. It was just really bad timing with the robbery, and the fact that she was an alien and hadn't gotten around to telling Lena that fact. Surging forward, Kara reclaimed Lena's lips, savoring the whimper Lena made into her mouth.  The door behind them slammed shut and they jumped apart. Kara turned and saw her sister and Brainy. Brainy looked unfazed but Alex was judging her silently with her eyes. 

"Do you two need to do that right now ?" Alex demanded, shaking her head. 

 Kara chuckled. "It wasn't planned." 

Lena ducked her head into Kara's shoulder. "I need to get out of this dress." 

"I can help." Stepping away from Lena was one of the hardest things Kara had done but she managed to make it to the cupboard. Kara yanked open the doors to reveal the luggage stacked inside. "Which one was yours?"

Lena removed her hairpin, her hair falling in waves about her shoulders. "The carpet bag on top, I only brought one big enough to swap clothes." 

Kara handed her the bag and ushered the others past them. "Go on, we'll catch up."

Alex touched her arm as she passed, the look in her eyes softening and Kara knew she was smiling behind the mask. Kara nodded at her, feeling light. 

"Please hurry," Brainy says as he exits. "We are 36 seconds behind schedule." 

"Got it." Kara nodded. She stood by the door, keeping her back turned while Lena peeled herself out of that dress. 

"Alright, I'm ready."

Kara turned around and saw Lena in a pair of black jeans, and blue paisley vest over one of Kara's cream colored button ups, the top several buttons of which Lena had neglected to do up allowing a peek of the silver necklace she was still wearing. She rolled up her dress and shoved it into her bag, closing the clasp and producing a blue bandana. 

"You're keeping the dress?" Kara asked, trying to will the blood away from her cheeks. 

Lena smirked, coming to stand beside her. "I saw the way your eyes lit up when you saw me in it, Ms. Danvers," she said coyly. 

Kara's face was burning red now. "Ms. Luthor, I swear—it wasn't anything untoward—" 

"Relax, Kara." Lena chuckled, pressing a quick kiss against Kara's lips. "I'm saying I liked it."

Kara let out her breath in a quiet whoosh. "We should get going."

Lena tied her mask on and took Kara's second revolver from her belt. "Lead the way."

Kara may have been the one leading Lena through the last car but Kara knew she'd follow her anywhere. The next car they met up with Alex and Brainy who were making their way through through the front half of the car. The back door slid open suddenly, and Kara, Alex, and Lena aimed their weapons until…

It was Mon-El, Nia, and Maggie. Kara watched as Mon-El and Alex made eye contact and began racing through collections at either end. Kara rolled her eyes as Nia and Brainy struggled to keep up with the rapid fire demands Mon-El and Alex rattled off. 

Alex overtook the others easily, gathering the lion’s share of the loot. “Ha! Suck on that!” she exclaimed, slapping Mon-El on the shoulder. 

Mon-El kicked the floor. “Damn!” 

“Children,” Kara chided warningly. 

Brainy came up to Kara. "The time," he said, the strain evident in his voice. “We're at 8 minutes 32 seconds.”

Kara gasped. Where had all their time gone? “Okay, we're done here. Let's go.”

Nia went with Brainy to restart the train and the others followed Kara. The train's engine groaned as Maggie and Alex disembarked, starting to move forward as Mon-El hopped down. Kara went next, walking to keep up with the train, holding a hand out to Lena so she can jump. 

"Is this how it feels all the time?" Lena asked, her fingers gripping Kara's arm as she jumped from the train to the ground. 

"What? Jumping from a moving train?" Kara laughed, reaching out to steady her. And that’s when the sound of many horses beating the ground with their hooves as they pushed up the hills. Kara swore in Kryptonian. 

They were out of time. 

Chapter Text

Gun fire rained down on them as they ran. The posse had caught up with them as they left the train. They'd made the decision to split up and not lead them back to where James and Winn had the horses. Apparently, they knew to make their way back to camp if no one showed by nightfall. 

So that meant they had to escape on foot. Kara’s hand was warm in her grasp as Lena tripped over rocks and underbrush. Lena cursed the arid landscape of the upper East Grizzlies, wishing to find a boulder, or felled tree to use as cover. 

Kara had marked the spot on the map and declared the remoteness a necessity; Annesburg was a treacherous ride up the mountain and Braccus Station was unmanned. They should have remained undiscovered until the train reached Riggs Junction. 

This was not the first time Lena was worried she was going to die. She had fled London with Jack because her brother tried to have her killed. It was, however, the first time she was on the receiving of gunfire while fleeing a robbery. 

It may have been her own anxieties, but Lena couldn't help wondering if this was her fault. She was the one that sent the signal for this endeavor. What if her family had heard she was in Saint Denis? The only person that knew who she was, was Andrea. Surely, Andrea wouldn't have—

"There!" Kara pulled Lena behind a large rock formation. 

Lena fought to catch her breath, her heart pounding in her ears. "What are we doing?" she asked. "Where are the others?" 

Alex and Nia joined them with Alex slamming bodily into the rocks, unable to stop running in time. 

"Don't worry about them," Nia said. 

"Knock 'em out and take their horses," the elder Danvers exclaimed, "We don't need the heat if we take out too many." 

Kara and Nia nodded, readying their weapons, but Lena was gawking at Alex. There were seven riders and only the four of them, surely the advantage was to the law. Right?

"Go!"

Lena wasn't sure who gave the instruction but the three women in front of her leapt into the fray. Alex made quick work of shooting the pistols out of two assailants hands, causing one of their horses to rear. The rider was thrown from the saddle, hitting the floor flat on his back. Kara didn't shoot anyone but she managed to pull a man straight off his horse as he pulled up beside her. Nia managed to drive a few of them away but they seemed to just keep coming. 

Lena fired her gun, aiming at the riders in their saddles. She got one in the shoulder, and another lost a hat. One of the horses took a bullet to the flank and fled with his rider cursing. As the dust settled, Lena could see a couple of horses had stayed close to their riders who were dead or unconscious; the rest had fled. She took a tentative breath. Was that it? The sound of a horn blared in the distance, dashing her hopes. 

"Here!" One of the lawmen was getting to his feet, holding a bloody hand. "They're over here!" 

Alex pistol whipped him, letting him drop back to the ground. "We gotta go."

Nia was able to grab one of the horse's reins, getting up easily. She urged the horse into a gallop and began to herd the other stray horses together. Alex was the next to grab a mount but she passed it off to Lena. She took the lead and had one foot in the stirrup when Kara was suddenly next to her, helping her up on the saddle. 

"Go!" Kara said, stepping away from the horse. "I'll be right behind you."

"You better be," Lena said, flashing Kara a quick smile. She clicked her tongue, nudging the animal into movement

Kara dashed off to gather the last remaining horse when the other half of the posse caught up with them. One sprinting horse was leading the group, its rider aiming a rifle. The shot rang out and it went through the neck of the horse that Kara was mounting. The horse dropped where it stood, sending Kara to the ground. 

"No!" Lena circled her horse, preparing to go to her side.

Kara held up her hand as she got to her feet. "Don't stop! Just go!"

"No!" Lena argued vehemently. 

Kara looked beyond her. "Alex, GO!"

Alex rode in close to her. "Lena, we need to go."

Lena whipped her head around. "No, I'm not leaving her!" She couldn't understand what she was hearing. They never left anyone behind, that was one of the first damn rules the gang had told her about!

The rider came up behind Kara with a rifle held aloft like a cricket bat. Lena screamed Kara's name but the sound was lost to the almighty crack of the stock breaking over Kara's head, wood splintering with the force of the blow. Kara stumbled, getting caught under the horses hooves. Lena tried to rush forward but she was held by Alex's iron grip on her arms. 

"We have to go!" Alex wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her. 

Lena fought against Alex's grip but the eldest Danvers was strong with years of hard living and Lena was lifted easily and thrown over Alex's saddle. She thrashed, trying to throw herself off but the horse beneath them was already galloping away. Lena was able to look behind them to see a crowd forming around Kara, blocking her from view. The next thing she heard was firing rifles.

They'd lost all their pursuers in the woods around Three Sisters but waited until they reached New Hanover to give the horses a break. As soon as they slowed, Lena leapt off the horse and raged against Alex and Nia, begging to go back for Kara, cursing them for abandoning her, all to no avail. 

"It's gonna be alright, Lena," Alex said, her voice the softest Lena had ever heard. "I know it doesn't seem like it, but Kara always bounces back."

Lena didn't know how that could be possible. She'd spent the last several hours replaying the scene in her mind and Lena was as certain as she was that the sun was setting right now to the west, Kara was dead or would be soon. And Alex had just left her there.

Lena decided right there that she would separate from the others here. Sure her heart ached at the thought of never seeing Sam or her daughter again—Lena had grown to love Sam's warmth and humor and Ruby's endless affection. They weren't the only ones she'd miss but she couldn't return and risk seeing Kara around every corner in the camp. 

Lena took a shuddering breath. She'd managed to hold onto her bag, she could sell her jewelry and head west. "I'm leaving."

Nia's eyes grew wide. "What? Lena, no!"

"We're close to Emerald Ranch, I can take a train from there." Lena was speaking mainly to herself at this point. It would be nightfall soon but there might be a late train she could take. 

Alex gaped at her. "You have to come back to camp, that's where Kara will go—"

"Alex, stop! You can't be this naïve!" Lena shook her head. 

Alex blocked her path, arms held open. "Come back with us anyways, then. Say goodbye to the others, get your horse and your belongings, we'll even pack you some food and give you some travel fare." The look on Alex's face was pleading and open. 

"Why?" She didn't understand. Why was Alex so insistent on this? Why did she even care what Lena did now?

"Please, Lena. I promise this will all make sense when we get back." 

Lena was too tired to fight. "Fine." Nia and Alex shared a look of relief. 

"Let's get going," Alex suggested. "The sooner we get back, the better."

They mounted back up, this time with Lena riding behind Alex, her arms around the other woman's middle. They crossed through Scarlet Meadows with only the stars overhead to light the way. The grassy, rolling hills were alive with grazing deer, prowling coyotes, and the odd hooting owl, but the roads were mercifully empty.  Lena knew the ride should have dragged on but it felt like only minutes before the inky blackness of the sky was fading to a misty grey and they rode into camp.

"Who's there?" It was J'onn, standing guard with a repeater at his hip. 

"It's us!" Nia called back.

J'onn waved them forward. "Good. Your group is the last to make it back."

Any thought she had to question what J'onn meant was pushed to the back of her mind by the numbing exhaustion Lena felt. J'onn walked them the rest of the way to camp, helping Nia from her horse while Alex jumped down immediately. Lena slid off the horse last, landing on her feet in the morning dew. Her legs were shaking from the prolonged time in the saddle as she tried to take a step and she pitched forward.

A hand shot out, warm fingers wrapping around Lena's bicep to steady her. "Easy there."

Lena glanced up, her mouth dropping open as she stared up at Kara's soft smile. Her eyes blurred with new tears as she could feel confusion and relief flooding her body. "Kara? How—?"

"I told you she'd be here," Alex said, shooting Lena a tentative smile. 

She couldn't believe her eyes. Lena grasped Kara's forearms, feeling the solid presence of the other woman to reassure herself that Kara truly was standing in front of her. She was still in the clothes Lena had seen her last, but she was whole, and alive. 

Not hesitating a moment longer, Lena pulled Kara in for a kiss by the front of her shirt. Kara squeaked but quickly returned the kiss, her arms wrapping around Lena's back. Lena twisted her fingers in the fabric of Kara's shirt, deepening the kiss. Somewhere in the back of her brain, Lena registered that her fingers were touching Kara's skin ever so often. It was odd. Like Kara's shirt suddenly had a hole in it. 

"Wait, your shirt," Lena said, pulling back from Kara's lips. She looked for the defect in the shirt again and this time she felt not one, but two, distinct holes in the flannel Kara was wearing. "Is that… Are those bullet holes ? Were you hit!?"

"No! What?" Kara laughed awkwardly.

Lena tried to examine Kara's bare stomach for injuries, moving her shirt out of the way. Kara covered Lena's hands with her own, gripping them to stop Lena's exploration. But Kara wasn't fast enough before Lena could see there wasn't anything marring the toned expanse of skin. 

Kara exchanged an uncomfortable look with Alex and J'onn. Even Nia was trying to edge away from the conversation. 

"Kara, I don't understand. What aren't you telling me?" Lena felt her temper rising. Nothing was making sense and it was obvious that everyone knew but her. 

Alex patted her sister on the shoulder as she passed. "Might as well let the cat out of the bag."  

J'onn shrugged. "I'd say she's more than proven herself." 

Lena's frown deepened into a scowl. So they were hiding something from her. The muscle in her jaw jumped as Lena struggled to keep her face impassive. What would it be this time? Were they actually working for her mother and brother? 

"It's not what you're thinking," J'onn assured her. 

Lena rounded on him. "And how would you know what I'm thinking?" she demanded, glaring. 

Alex snickered. Nia punched Alex in the shoulder and Alex turned her chuckle into a lame cough. J'onn looked like he was going to reply when Kara stepped forward, cutting him off. 

"Lena," Kara said her name with a gentleness that made Lena's heart ache. "There are some things I'd like to tell you, if you'd be willing to listen, that is. Totally your choice, though." 

Lena exhaled through her nose, her jaw working as she debated whether or not to listen to what Kara had to say. She must have taken too long because Kara's earnest smile drooped and her eyes filled with tears. Kara tensed and began to pull away but Lena tightened her grip on Kara's hands. 

"I-I'll listen. I want to listen." She'd let Kara explain. She could give her that much.

Chapter Text

Lena was stretched out on Kara's cot with the blonde pressed against her, playing with the fine hair on the nape of Kara's neck. They'd talked so long the day was ending again, the setting sun dipping below the horizon on the lake, the water shimmering.

The knowledge that humans were not alone in the universe hadn't been a surprise. After all, Lena was a scientist and she understood that it would be the height of hubris to suggest humans were the best there was in the universe. So, the knowledge that Kara was an alien, was by no means an easy pill to swallow, but it made a certain sense; it was too outlandish to lie about, and it explained why no one batted an eye at leaving Kara to die. But then to find out that Kara wasn't even the only alien that Lena was acquainted with, that had turned her head a bit.

"I'm sorry," Kara said, her eyes shining. "I really never meant to lie to you. I learned young to keep the truth from everyone unless we knew they could be trusted. And now, it's not just my secret, but all of ours."

Lena put a hand on Kara's chest. "I understand." And she did.

In this world, anyone who dared to upset the balance of power held by the rich and pious was a threat. Admitting there were beings with powers to rival the gods; it would be too much for those old, white, bastards to handle. So, naturally, they would endeavor to destroy what they couldn't shame, possess, or control. Besides, it's not like there wasn't something she was hiding from Kara in return.

Actually, Kara." Lena had the sudden need for a drink. She cleared her throat just to give herself a moment. "There's something I haven't been completely honest with you about."

Lena opened her mouth but no sound came out. She didn't know how to do this. She didn't know how to say the words that would lead to Kara hating her, to all of them hating her. Kara's arms shifted as she gathered Lena's hands with her own.

Kara’s brow furrowed but the gentle smile never faded. "Whatever it is, we'll deal with it. All of us have a past, Lena. I think you'll find we're a lot harder to scare away than most folks." Kara was looking at her with such tenderness and somehow Lena found the strength to speak.

"Kara, I'm a Luthor." And then she held her breath.

Kara blinked once, twice. "Okay, I don't know why you were worried about telling me.

"People usually treat me differently once they know. If they know I'm a Luthor when we meet, I can never really be sure of their motivations. They all wanted to use me to get in good with my brother or Lillian, or they despise me on principle. So, I lied. Jack wasn't—" Lena took a deep breath. "Jack was my best friend. He gave up everything to get me out from under them."

"Oh, Lena," Kara lamented, cupping her cheek. "That's who you've been running from?"

She nodded, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Lena, I just told you I was an alien from outer space. And you forgave me for hiding the truth to protect myself. I swear, it's not a problem that you were doing the same thing."

Lena was still for a beat longer before she dissolved into laughter. "You're unbelievable."

Kara frowned. "I feel like I did something wrong."

Lena shook her head. "No, the opposite. You're too perfect." She closed the distance between them and kissed the apprehension from Kara's face.

Kara melted against her, returning the kiss with enthusiasm. They were reluctant to part but there was a ruckus happening around them.

"Everybody, look at this!" Winn was racing through the camp, shouting. "C'mere, look!"

Kara helped her to her feet and the two of them joined the others as they gathered around Winn. Each of them wore looks ranging from mild concern to downright panic.

Winn saw them approaching and, being the one most panicked, he got right to the point. "I found this bounty poster in town and I had to come warn you."

Stepping up to the table, Lena gasped as she saw two illustrated faces that were strikingly similar to her and Kara, even upside down. Fuck. They'd gained a bounty after their run in.

"How much is it worth?" Kara asked, reaching out to turn the poster.

Alex slapped her hand. "Five thousand. Each."

"Holy-moly." Kara whistled low. "I may just turn myself in."

Lena slapped her arm. "You’re happy about this?"

Kara shrugged. "Of course not. But we can figure something out. See here." She pointed to the small print details. "We can post the bail and the bounty will be cleared."

"Uh, that fine is close to ten grand," Nia said apprehensively. "Have any of us ever seen that amount of money?"

"How are you planning to pay the bounty, and keep everyone fed, and save enough to buy some land?" Alex asked sarcastically.

Lena's head tilted, her eyes calculating. "Darling, what powers do you have again, exactly?"

Kara blinked. "Uh, why?"

Lena smiled like the cat that ate the canary. "Because I think I may have a better way for us to kill two birds with one stone."

Alex pinched the bridge of her nose. "I can not express how much I already hate whatever plan your girlfriend is cooking up."

Kara smiled lovingly at Lena. "My girlfriend…"

Alex threw her hands up. "Oh, for the love of—"

END