SuperCorp - Under a White Flag

Chapter 1 - Luthors

In Hugo Grotius's De jure belli ac pacis, an extremely influential text about international law, in 1625, he described the use of riding out under a white flag as "a tacit sign of demanding a parley, and shall be as obligatory, as if expressed by words."

The black BMW drove slowly down the winding road, the sun streaming in through the driver's side. Lena flipped one of her visors around, blocking out the light that was slipping past her sunglasses. She rolled her shoulders, trying to relax. When a strong yet gentle hand reached across from the passenger's side and gripped her knee, she smiled despite this situation.

"How are you feeling?" Kara asked.

Lena nodded her response, the small smile still on her face.

"How's the nausea?" Came Kara's second question.

Her eyes flicking to the mirror that gave her a view of the backseat, Lena made a tiny noise then said, "Same as always about the point. Not too bad." She paused, asking the question she'd been avoiding. "How are you, all things considered?"

"It's fine hun."

"You don't have to go with us you know."

Kara chuckled, but it was not with humor. "By Rao, there is no way you three are going here without me. You know that, don't you?"

"Darling, we're not in any danger. If there were—"

Kara's voice was a touch sharp. "Then why are Maggie and Alex ten minutes ahead in an SUV?"

Even without looking, Lena could feel Kara's eyes practically burning into her. The question was an accusation. They had a fairly idyllic life, even with Kara's Supergirl duties, except for this one issue, this one annual issue. It had taken a lot of convincing on Lena's part to ever allow for these meetings to occur. Still, even though this had helped, it hadn't put an end to the threat. Lena thought what Kara really hated was inaction, and today would feel like hours of inaction to Kara. To Lena, it felt like hours of negotiation, and she understood negotiation.

Exhaling slowly, Lena smiled to keep the smile in her voice as she said, "Precautions are never a bad decision. There is no need to rush into things. You know that."

"Are you saying I rush into things?" Kara grumbled.

"Seriously Kara?" Lena couldn't resist casting a sideways glance at Kara this time. "That is the opposite of what I just...I'm not fighting with you today."

"I wasn't fighting with you either," Kara replied.

"It sure sounds like you two are fighting," came a young female voice from the backseat.

"They're fighting?" Came an even younger male voice. "Are you fighting?"

"No," Kara said, unbuckling and turning in her seat so she could look into the back. "Mom and I are just...discussing something. We're not fighting. We don't fight."

With a snort, the young girl of maybe eight flipped her black hair with one hand. Her blue eyes sparkled as she raised one eyebrow and smirked. "Mama, please. We may be young, but we're not stupid. We also have really good hearing." Her smile grew. "Super good hearing."

"Don't do that Lorelei," Lena warned from the front seat though her eyes stayed on the road.

"Yes, Lorelei, we don't do that," the little boy of maybe four next to her said with a nod. He looked quite serious, curly blond hair bouncing while he peered at her with intent green eyes.