12 Days of Christmas

Part 5 - Love at First Sight

The first time Kara brings Lena home, it's Thanksgiving. Their casual 'not dates' dates drop the façade after one night of falling asleep together watching Netflix turns into a series of morning time, pulse-pounding kisses that go on for over an hour. They only stop to hurriedly dress and race out the door to meet Kelly and Alex for brunch.

It's three weeks later, with Kelly watching them oddly and Alex more interested in Eliza's perogies, that Kara brings Lena, her 'friend' Lena, home. Though Alex seems to either remain clueless or in denial, it's clear that Kelly and Eliza sense something has changed. One meal, three incidents of nearly being caught kissing and only saved by Kara's super senses, and a painful night in beds ten feet apart in Alex and Kara's old room later, Kara and Lena are ready to escape back to National City and the oases for their secret relationship that their apartments provide.

Lena sits in the driveway with the engine of her car running while Kara heads back to grab the phone she left on the coffee table. She isn't trying to eavesdrop, but voices carry especially when you're Kryptonian.

"I'm just worried about her," comes Eliza's voice from the kitchen.

"She's an adult," Kelly says patiently. "She's also a superhero. I think she can take care of herself."

"It doesn't matter how old she is or what she can do. You always worry about your children. I'll be more than happy to say, "I told you so," when Aiden is grown."

Kara pauses there, her phone in her hand and her curiosity piqued. They're talking about her, so the normal rules about her listening in don't count, right?

"I look forward to that," Kelly responds, though her tone says otherwise. "Look, all I'm saying is you don't get to live her life for her. You did an amazing job of raising two strong, capable women. Trust in yourself and them."

"Oh, I do. It's the Luthors I don't trust."

Kara's muscles tense, and she hears the tell-tale sound of yet another of her phone screens cracking. She takes a step toward the kitchen, but she knows her temper is far from in check. With a gust of air fluttering the magazines on the coffee table, she's gone. When she closes the car door, Lena's little sports car shakes.

"Hey, easy there. Unless you count as an act of nature, and you might, I don't think my insurance covers you." Lena smiles, and though it would normally calm Kara, knowing that smile is due to the ignorance of what's being said inside just makes her angrier. "Kara, what's wrong?"

Her first instinct is to vent, to tell Lena exactly what she heard and how it makes her blood boil, but the soft expression on Lena's face, the concerned eyes that peer out at her, they remind Kara of that old Earth expression: ignorance is bliss. There's plenty of time to shatter Lena's perspective of their idyllic life, so she forces out a smile and says, "I'm just tired. Can we go home?"

It seems like Lena's going to argue, but instead she nods and puts the car into gear. "Want me to take you back to your apartment? I can still have Chinese food delivered to you, and we can do a movie night later in the week."

"No," Kara says and she takes Lena's hand in her own. "I want to be wherever you are. That's home."

<><>

It's a month later when the girls head back to Midvale for Christmas. This time, Alex watches them differently. The older sibling has caught Lena at Kara's place for too many 'early morning drop-ins (with wet hair)' not to be suspicious. Kelly smiles supportively, speaking to Lena about scientific advances in virtual technology and what they could mean to PTSD therapy. It's Eliza who's oddly quiet, though what she doesn't say is written all over her face. So when Eliza goes to baste the turkey, Kara follows her to the kitchen with an argument brewing.