Through the Looking Glass - SuperCorp

Chapter 6: Nature Vs. Nurture

  <Author note: This chapter takes place in the 'alternate dimension' with 'our dimension's' characters. I will try and post this at the beginning of every chapter just to keep folks in the right head space when reading. Feedback always appreciated.> 

 Kara Danvers looked at herself in the set of full-length mirrors in her dressing room. Dressing room...she had a dressing room. No, Kara Luthor had a dressing room. She was just borrowing it until she, her sister Alex, and Maggie could figure out how to get back home to their own dimension. Right now she was also borrowing this navy blue George Stavropoulos slip dress from Kara Luthor. It had a v-neckline and spaghetti straps. The material was light and airy and went down to her ankles. She hated to admit it, but it looked amazing on her.

"Mmmm." Lena came up behind Kara, wrapping her arms around the taller blonde from behind. "That looks amazing on you. I've always loved you in that dress." Slowly, she turned Kara around, so they were facing each other. "Blue is definitely your color, darling."

"Oh, I...uh...thanks?"

Head back, Lena's laugh was full and rich. She looked at Kara again, one finger running down the blonde's nose and gently poking it at the end. "Thanks? God, you sound like that little girl I met in high school. Well, you were in high school. I was home from MIT for the summer and visiting my brother Lex while you were visiting Clark. You were such a geek then, though I know much of that was a pretense. Still, there was something so sweet and endearing about you. I can still see it in you now."

As Lena smiled at her, Kara smiled back. However, when Lena reached up and pulled off her glasses, the instinct was different. Even though Kara knew that this Lena knew who she really was, there was an instant drop in her stomach like being shot out of the air and falling miles to the ground.

"My glasses!" Kara said, grabbing at Lena's hands.

Pausing with Kara's hands wrapped around hers, Lena said, "Well, I'm not going to break them. What's going on with you today?"

"I just...well your mother is coming and—"

"Ugh, I know," Lena said walking away with Kara's glasses in hand and sitting on the bed. "Don't get me wrong. I love my mother, but she's going to be a colossal pain in the ass while she's here. She won't be to you, of course. You're bloody perfect though." Lena smiled just a bit too sharply at Kara.

"Hey, are you all right?" Kara asked, walking over to join Lena on the bed.

"Yes, just...the usual," Lena replied with a hand flourish. When she spoke again her voice was odd, an obviously tired subject being repeated. "She's going to tell me how I should be wearing my hair shorter, doing my make-up differently, and probably something snarky about the color choice of my outfit if she can. I'm ready for her on that one this time though. I'm going to tell her you bought me this dress. If you bought it, she likes it." Lena snapped her fingers at her own brilliance.

Kara was a bit shocked. The Lillian Luthor she knew was the evil, conniving, anti-Alien menace of her dimension, not the snide mother who ruined her child's confidence through innuendo and backhanded compliments. Oddly, with everything Lillian had done in her home dimension, including trying to kill Lena, this Lena seemed to have less self-esteem. It was like from an EVIL Lillian, her influence could be fought off. An overtly kindly and sweet Lillian who nitpicked her daughter, she left her mark.

Lena sighed heavily. "You know, if she didn't want a daughter, I don't know why she even adopted me."

"Well, because Lionel..." Kara stopped talking while Lena waited patiently. "Lena, you know that Lionel, he's..." Kara stopped again, Lena looking at her curiously.