Chapter 28

**So much Supercorp ;) you're welcome

The guards swiftly put up some tents and use some ropes to tie some of the assassins' hands together. Kara works on helping the few guards with any medical knowledge tend to the injured. A few assassins aren't very happy to get her assistance, but she brushes off their critical gazes and their hateful words as she works.

Once she's done and everyone's as stitched together as they can be, Kara stands up and brushes off her supersuit.

"Kara," Lena says.

Kara looks over and smiles, noticing that she still hasn't taken off her armor and still has her bow and quiver on her back. Lena eyes the assassins she's standing by with a suspicious, critical gaze.

"Hey," Kara greets her. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay." Lena answers but it sounds almost automatic. Her eyes trace Kara's body like she can't quite believe that she is here and alright. Her eyes go back to the assassins, who look very interested in what they're saying. "Let's talk in the tent."

Kara looks over her shoulder to see what Lena's looking at and nods understandingly when she sees the assassins sitting on the ground, watching them with rapt attention. She follows Lena as she walks over to the largest tent. Inside, a few guards are moving around the lightweight, transportable furniture that was in Lena's tent before.

The guards bow their heads to Lena and swiftly exit the tent, leaving them alone. Kara shuffles her feet shyly, unsure as to what Lena could want to talk to her alone.

As the tent's flaps swish shut, Lena takes a step forward and studies Kara intently.

"Are you alright?" Lena asks in a timid voice. Her concerned eyes meet Kara's.

Kara reaches out her hands, letting Lena decide if she wants to hold hands or not. Lena immediately takes Kara's hands and entwines their fingers, her jaw clenched with worry. Lena clenches her fingers so tightly that they're a pale white. If Kara didn't have powers from the yellow sun, Lena's grip would hurt her.

"I'm okay." Kara says, hoping her tone is reassuring.

Lena purses her lips and nods. "Do you have any other clothes with you? Would you like to change?"

"No, I'm okay for now." Kara gently squeezes her hands. "So what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Lena answers quickly.

Kara frowns, even more worried now. "Lena, you don't have to tell me but just know that you can tell me anything. Okay?"

Lena nods hesitantly. "Thank you. I just..." She lets out a breath. "I didn't know that you were arrow-proof. I thought-" She cuts herself off.

"Hey," Kara says softly. "I'm here. I'm okay. I didn't get hurt. They didn't have Kryptonite, they couldn't have hurt me."

"You don't know that." Lena shakes her head. At Kara's confused expression, she elaborates. "You don't know that they didn't have any Kryptonite. That crossbow, it's something that only Lex could have built. And everyone knows how much he hates Superman and Kryptonians." Lena grimaces. Just thinking about him hurts. "I was worried that it had some in that crossbow bolt."

"My Queen?" Someone asks from outside the tent, making Lena whip her head around towards the entrance. She drops Kara's hands almost instantly. "I apologize for interrupting, but I have the things you asked for. May I enter to give them to you?"

"Yes," Lena says curtly.

A guard enters and hands Lena the crossbow and the quiver of bolts. She absentmindedly thanks them before they leave, setting the stuff down on the table. She sits in the chair and looks over the crossbow, turning it around in her hands. It's heavier than she expected and more intricate.

"Lena?"

Kara's voice invades her senses, snapping her back into the world and out of the world of mechanics and inventions. Lena blinks, surprised by how into it she had gotten so quickly. She shakes her head slightly to get the last of the haze away and focuses on Kara, who's watching her with concerned eyes.

"Sorry, I was focused on this." Lena apologizes.

Kara smiles at her. "No, it's okay. My sister gets the same way when she comes across something like that she doesn't understand."

"Your sister is Sir Alex, yes?"

"Yeah."

"I've read many of her papers; she's brilliant. Some of her theories and discoveries..."

Lena trails off, shaking her head in respect and awe. She has always thought highly of people who's intelligence rivals her own. And Sir Alex is certainly one of those people.

"Yeah, she's really smart." Kara beams proudly. "Some of her stuff she based off of my pod or technology we used to have on Krypton."

"That explains why some of her ideas are so advanced." Lena muses. "Perhaps she would like to try to figure out the crossbow with me."

Kara's eyes go wide and she gasps excitedly. "Oh my Rao, she would love that!"

"She may not appreciate me working alongside her." Lena murmurs. "A Luthor and the sister of a Super, working together. Let alone the two of us, Kara, working together. I doubt she would like it."

"I'll talk some sense into her." Kara says and it almost sounds like a promise to Lena. "I believe people should be judged on their own merit. She can't blame you for Lex, you had nothing to do with that."

Kara pauses before she starts ranting or rambling and notices her friend's expression. Lena's looking at her like she hung the moon and the stars in the sky just for her.

"Lena?"

"I'm fine." Lena says, her voice a little raspy. She lets out a breath. "No one has ever stood up for me like that before. Thank you."

"Is it okay if I hug you?" Kara asks.

Lena nods and a moment later has an arm full of an excitable, beautiful Kryptonian. She wonders how she got so lucky to be in the same world as Kara, let alone in the same region or the same room. Kara doesn't let go and neither does Lena. She sinks into the hug and tightens her arms around her, glad that she can hug her as tightly as she wants.

"You let me know if anyone gives you trouble when I'm not there, okay?" Kara murmurs into her neck and Lena fights off the urge to shiver at her breath on her skin, instead focusing on her words. "I'll punch them if they're mean to you." Lena's body shakes with laughter and Kara pulls back slightly, giving her a pout. "Hey! I'll have you know I can be scary and intimidating!"

"Oh, I have no doubt." Lena replies, her voice thick with amusement. "But darling, you wouldn't punch them. You would talk to them and tell them what they did wrong until they're ashamed."

Kara blushes and reaches up to adjust her nonexistent glasses for what feels like the twentieth time around Lena. Darling?

"I, um. Yeah." Kara stutters out, making Lena grin at her. Rao, who knew that it's hard to focus on anything when the most beautiful girl you've ever seen is smiling at you?

"Thank you." Lena murmurs.

"For what?"

"For everything. For standing up for me, for fighting alongside me. For not judging me because of who my family is. I..." Lena hesitates, not sure if she wants to reveal so much about herself. But it's Kara. The wonderful woman who has now officially captured her heart. "I've never had a friend like you." She lets out a short nervous chuckle. "Hell, I've never really had a friend. So... Thank you."

Kara draws Lena closer to her and hugs her again so she doesn't accidentally kiss her. Because Rao, Lena is absolutely incredible and gorgeous and so sweet. And Kara resigns herself to letting Lena know that, through words and actions, until Lena believes it too. Even if Lena doesn't feel the same for her, she's more than happy to be her friend and by her side. And she might as well start on that now.

"Lena, you're absolutely amazing." Kara says quietly but with conviction. "And I'm going to show you that until you believe it yourself."

Lena's heart clenches in her chest and the air gets sucked out of her lungs. Her jaw trembles and she fights against the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She never thought she would have anything like this. A friendship, a partnership... And suddenly it feels like she can't get close enough to Kara. Her skin burns where she's touching her but it's not enough.

With her heart in her throat, she pulls back and falls a little bit more for Kara when she looks at her teary face with concern.

Kara reaches up to touch her face, hoping to calm Lena down enough so she can tell her why she's crying. Was it her words? Is she okay? Are they happy tears?

Lena's last ounce of self-control snaps and she leans forward, pressing her lips to Kara's.

*screams* I DID IT! I finished it before I have to go paint more!! And hey, there's your surprise!! ;) Hopefully this chapter is good, I haven't been able to sleep in this weekend. But today I slept until 7:20! Which worried me because I thought I wake up at like six so I would have plenty of time to write before I have to go. But I finished the chapter! Whoo! Thank you all for reading and for your amazing comments! Stay awesome!