18. Taking the Lead

The last day before the Gala was something of a whirlwind.

Lizzy was up before the alarm, yelling about breakfast and ducks from her crib, and rattling the bars at a volume that suggested any delay in her liberation was likely to result in mutiny and possible escape.

“Would it kill her to sleep past sunrise?” Kara grumbled into the pillows. They’d shifted in the night, Kara rolling onto her side, and Lena tucking in behind her.

“Welcome to motherhood,” Lena murmured lazily, nuzzling in closer before pressing a kiss to the back of Kara’s neck that did more to wake her up than half a dozen screaming toddlers ever could. “Go back to sleep for a few minutes. I’ll get her.”

 “No, stay...” Kara twisted around and reached after her, but Lena had already detangled herself and slipped out of bed. “Ugh...” she flopped back. “You’re too fast.”

“This from the woman who can outrun bullets?” Lena raised an eyebrow as she combed her fingers through her sleep tousled hair and pulled it up into a messy knot.

Kara pouted. “Bullets are easy.”

“Well,” Lena drawled, bending over her. “If you’re not too tired when you come home tonight, you might find out that when it comes to a certain superhero...” she leaned closer, and Kara gulped as Lena whispered into her ear, voice gone low and rough, “so am I.”

She winked as straightened, and Kara felt her face flush bright red.

“No fair,” she whined.

Lena shrugged. “If you wanted fair, you shouldn’t have married a Luthor.”  

“I didn’t, I- you-” Kara spluttered after her but Lena was already gone, the bright chirrup of Lizzy’s voice greeting her in the nursery across the hall.

Kara groaned and pulled the blankets back over her head. If she hadn’t been ready before, she was definitely ready now. Stupid hormones. Stupid work.

All in all, it wasn’t the most comfortable way to start a morning. She was restless and fidgety all through her early content meeting, until even James was giving her strange looks. Snapper either didn’t notice, or didn’t care, probably the latter, but that didn’t stop him from chewing her out over the lack of progress on her story.  Getting lectured by her boss however, turned out to be a fairly effective damper on other... less productive, thoughts, and Kara was feeling somewhat more focused when she flew over to the DEO to talk to Alex.

“Please tell me you’ve gotten something out of this guy,” she said when she found J’onn in the observation room watching while Alex questioned the alien who was still the only person they had who was willing to talk. He didn’t look dangerous. He was small and skinny, with a grey-ish pallor to his skin that could have been as much because of poor health and nutrition as his species.

J’onn nodded. “We found a translator.” He indicated the other woman sitting at the table with Alex. This one was bright blue, with an extra set of eyes and pointed teeth. “She’s not fluent, but their planets were in neighboring solar systems. She’s heard the language before.”

“So what is he saying?”

“He’s saying plenty, but I’m not sure how much we’re actually getting. Alex will be able to tell you more. I think she’s just about done for today.”

J’onn was right. After a few more minutes, Alex called in the guards to take the alien back to his cell and thanked their translator, sending her home with another agent as an escort. She joined them in the observation room looking tired, but satisfied.

“Anything we can use?” J’onn asked her.

“I think so. Hey, Kara!” She passed him her tablet and gave Kara a quick hug. “That’s the full transcript.” She added, switching back into business mode.” There’s a lot of repetition, and I’m not entirely sure of the translation, but it looks like we were right. The rogue aliens are looking for the talisman, but not for themselves.”

“Bounty hunters?”

“I think so.”

“Hmm...” J’onn scrolled through the transcript. “It makes sense. Not many beings in this or any other universe would risk taking a chance with the Fifth dimension’s tricks themselves, but stealing the talisman for profit... I’m only surprised we don’t have more of them on our doorstep.”

“Apparently Supergirl has been something of a deterrent,” Alex said with a proud grin for her sister. “This guy came here for the bounty, but once he realized there was a Kryptonian involved he started looking for passage back.”

“But we’re still holding him?” Kara asked, not entirely comfortable with the idea of incarcerating someone who just wanted to go home.

Alex held up her hands. “It’s for his own protection. Once he agreed to talk, he knew he was going to be a target, but he says he’d rather have a planet full of bounty hunters as his enemy than Supergirl with a Levande Begaren.”

“Levande Begaren?” J’onn asked, looking up from the tablet.

“It’s what he calls the talisman,” Alex said. “Though apparently it translates more closely to Bright Wish, and there’s a gesture he uses with it that’s supposed to mean small, I think.”

“How did they know where to find it?”

“He insists the client only gave them a planet and a city, but he couldn’t seem to explain how they’re tracking it, or why they’re looking in the same kind of places we are. He just kept repeating a phrase the translator couldn’t quite make sense of. Here...” Alex pointed it out on the tablet. “She said it sounded like a proverb; something about looking for one among many.”

J’onn rubbed his chin. “Could it mean they know the talisman is in pieces?”

 “Maybe?” Alex shrugged. “I’ll keep working on it, and I’ll send a recording of what we have to M’gann. She’s been trying to find me a better translator, but most of her clientele aren’t interested in working with the DEO, so she might have better luck with it on her own.”

“Good idea.” J’onn handed the tablet back. “The more we know, the better we’ll be able to handle things once we have all eight pieces in our custody. Kara,” he added. “Alex tells me we’re adding another member to the family. How is that going so far?”

“Honestly? I’ve never been so happy. Or so exhausted! Is parenthood always like this?”

 J’onn grinned. “Wait until you have two.”

“Oh, no.” Kara shook her head. “One is more than enough, thanks.”

“Lizzy doesn’t want a little brother or sister?” Alex asked.

“She wants a tiger,” Kara pointed out. “Siblings aren’t even on her radar.”

“You never know...”

“How about a cousin?” Kara suggested, grinning at Alex’s sudden look of panic. “Maggie likes kids, right?”

“I, Uh....”

J’onn tried to hide a chuckle behind his hand, and Alex whirled around to glare at him. “What are you laughing at, Grandpa? Wait until we’re asking you to babysit!”

“Grandpa?” J’onn’s tone was light, but there was something raw and vulnerable under the teasing.

“Of course,” Kara put in. “If we’re doing this, then so are you. Unless... “ she trailed off, suddenly worried she’d overstepped. “I mean, if you don’t want to-”

J’onn pulled her into a hug before she could finish. “I’d be honoured.” He held out a hand to Alex. “You too.”

Alex took it and let him tug her into the embrace. “This doesn’t mean I’m having kids.”

“Whatever you say Alex,” Kara said with a smile.

“Aw, group hug!” Winn said from the doorway. He reached out his arms, but apparently J’onn had already expressed his emotional quota for the day.

“Not you, Mr. Schott,” he said with a growl, giving Kara one last pat on the shoulder before releasing her and Alex.

“Hey, don’t stop being adorable on my account,” Winn said. “I love a good space-family moment, but seriously, you do have to stop, because we have another alien attack.”

“Where?”

“Natural History Museum, and this one actually has a piece of the talisman, so... we might want to hurry.”

No... no, no... This was bad. This was very bad.

“Isn’t that where you’re holding the Gala tomorrow night?” Alex asked, echoing Kara’s thoughts, both of them already on the move, J’onn splitting off to head for the control room and rally a team.

“Yes, and Jess is going to kill me.”

“Jess? Lena’s secretary?”

“Yeah, Lena made her help me finish planning the party, and she’s kind of bossy and a perfectionist, and I’m pretty sure she doesn’t like me, so I’m trying to be extra nice, but if anything gets ruined because I’m not there to stop it, I’m never going to win her over.”

“Wait, so Lena’s secretary knows you’re Supergirl too? Kara!”

“I’m sorry! It’s not my fault. She’s really smart.”

“Ugh, fine.  I’ll send Winn over with an NDA tomorrow.” They reached the armoury and Alex suited up. “All right, let’s go save your party.”

Kara couldn’t fly quite as fast with a passenger, but the museum wasn’t far, and she was grateful for the backup. Maggie and the Science Division were already there, but they were stuck out front, unable to get in past the panicked crowds rushing out the doors and down the steps to safety. Kara dove, holding Alex close as she skimmed over their heads and through the front door. She set Alex down once they were past the worst of the crush.

“It’s in there!” shouted one of the security guards, pointing to the Dinosaur Hall. He was white-faced, but steady, doing his best to keep the crowd from becoming a stampede. Kara nodded to show she’d heard him, and swooped across the lobby towards the exhibit, Alex close behind her.

Thankfully, it wasn’t much of a fight.

They found the alien, a four-armed reptile with impressive teeth and a long whippy tail, at the back of the Hall, where he’d cornered a group of school children and their teachers. Kara could only assume he was looking for hostages, rather than a meal, since no one was hurt, but the frightened faces of the kids gave Kara’s natural protective instincts an added boost, and she hit the alien a little harder than she probably needed to, knocking him out with one punch.

The children gave a ragged cheer when he dropped and Alex slapped the cuffs on him (two sets.) He shifted form as he lost consciousness, losing the tail and some of the teeth until he looked more like a big guy with a skin condition than an alien. The extra arms kind of gave it away, but he could have hidden those.

“Hey, I think I know him,” Maggie said, joining them once the crush had eased. “We picked him up as a suspect in a minor assault last week, but it didn’t stick. Is he one of your talisman guys?”

“Bounty Hunter,” Kara said, filling Maggie in while Alex called J’onn to let him know they had the alien in custody. “What do you know about him?”

“Not much,” Maggie said as Alex rejoined them. “He’s not registered, but that’s not a crime. He wouldn’t give us a name or an address, but witnesses put him and a gang of his friends at a condemned apartment building down on Wilson. We were waiting on a search warrant when the victim dropped the charges.”

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Alex asked Kara, grinning.

Kara knew that grin. “No... no stakeouts Alex. I don’t have time for a stakeout!” Not to mention there was this promise of Lena, and words like easy waiting for her at home tonight...

“Oh come on, we nabbed this guy without damaging anything, Jess is helping with the party, and you’ve got Mom too. We haven’t had a sister’s stakeout in ages! And...” she added when Kara didn’t budge. “It’s for Lizzy. Don’t you want to save Lizzy?”

Maggie shook her head, but she was laughing at Alex’s wheedling. “That’s low, Danvers.”

Kara sighed, reluctantly bidding farewell to her night-in. “Fine! We’ll have a stakeout, but you’re bringing the snacks!”

She called Lena to tell her as she was flying back to CatCo. to write up a story on the Museum attack. Lena was annoyed until she mentioned Lizzy, and then she was surprised that Kara had even considered saying no.

“If Alex thinks this will help, then of course you should go,” she said. “Lizzy and I will be fine on our own tonight.”

“It’s just...” Kara fought down a blush, even at this altitude. “We had plans.”

“I was only teasing, Kara,” Lena assured her. “Not,” she added, her heartbeat quickening slightly over the phone. “That I wasn’t hoping... but I’m not pushing you. I promised.”

“I know,” Kara hastened to say. “You would never, but... I think, I mean, if you’re ready, then I guess,” she rushed to get it out, afraid she’d lose her nerve if she didn’t.  “I’mreadytoo!”

“Kara,” Lena said after a long pause, voice tight and a little strangled. “Darling, I’ve been ready since long before we woke up in bed together, but did you have to tell me this right before a board meeting? How exactly am I supposed to concentrate on Lcorp’s advertising budget now?”

“Oh, Ho! Now who’s the evil genius?” Kara teased, flying a giddy little loop at the thought of Lena being the one hopelessly turned on at work this time.

“Still me,” Lena said, recovering swiftly. “Because while you’re stuck watching an empty building all night, I’ll be at home in bed, by myself...” Kara swore she could hear Lena biting her lip. “I wonder how I’ll pass the time...”

Did she just...? Stunned by the implication and the mental image, Kara nearly flew straight into a building. She swerved, only to narrowly miss a tree, and drop her phone. She caught it before it hit the ground, but by then she had well and truly lost the upper hand. Lena was still laughing when Kara got the phone back up to her ear. “Why would you say that?”

“Have a happy stakeout, darling,” Lena said sweetly. “I’ve got to run.”

Kara grumbled a goodbye and stuffed her phone back into her boot.

This time even Snapper noticed she was out of sorts and gave her a wide berth. Kara wrote up her story, only breaking one keyboard in the process, which embarrassed her enough that she managed to calm the heck down, and finish it without further incident.

Alex kept her side of the bargain, showing up with a veritable mountain of snacks that did a lot to sooth Kara’s  feelings about the whole thing. So what if she had to take two trips to get Alex and the snacks up onto the roof? It was dark. No one saw them.

“This is fun,” Alex said once they were settled, she had set up all of her favourite gadgets, and they had made it through the first bag of Cheetos. “I mean, it’s work, but it’s also fun, right?”

“Yeah...” Kara had to admit, leaning back against the maintenance door. For the first time in ages, she was sitting still with nothing to do but fight over her favourite foods with her favourite person and talk about nothing.  She had all of her super-senses  attuned to the building below them and the surrounding streets, but so far there hadn’t been anything interesting going on. She missed Lena and Lizzy of course, but it was nice, in a weird sort of way, to miss them, knowing they would be there when she got home.

She was deliberately not thinking about what Lena might be doing while she was gone.

“It’s been a while since we got to hang out,” she added. “Even if we don’t learn anything, I’m glad we’re here.”

“Me too,” Alex said. “Though... I got the feeling you had other plans...” She trailed off suggestively.

Kara threw a Twinkie at her.

“Hey!” Alex laughed, catching it. “I’m not allowed to ask how that’s going?”

“No!”

“Oh, come on! Please?”

“Nope.” Kara was resolute.

“Why not?”

“Because you’re the reason it’s not going anywhere right now!” Kara tried for stern, but Alex’s terrible attempt at pouting was making her giggle.

“Oh, really?” Alex smirked.

Kara sighed, giving in to the inevitable. “How much do you know?”

Alex tore open a bag of licorice and grabbed a bottle of coke, ready for an all out gossip session. “I know my little sister likes girls, but Lena refused to give me any details. So spill! Have you kissed her yet?”

“Does the cheek count?”

“Not really.”

“Then no,” Kara admitted, grudgingly.

“Why not?”

“I don’t know! Stuff keeps happening... like surprise stakeouts,” she added pointedly.

Alex shrugged. “You could have said no.”

“You pulled the kid card!”

“I did, I’m sorry.” Alex actually did look a little sorry. “But, I’ve missed you... I’ve hardly seen you since all of this started.”

“Yeah, well you’ve been busy with Maggie too.”

“I know.” Alex ate a piece of licorice. “We’re going to be okay, right?” She asked after letting the silence rest for a minute. “I mean, even if Maggie and I have kids, and you and Lena have more kids, and our lives go insane, we’ll still make time for each other?”

“Of course we will!” Kara was appalled at even the idea that anything or anyone would or ever could take Alex’s place in her life. “Alex, you will always be my sister, and I will always have time for you, even if I have a dozen kids, which I won’t, because Rao, this one is enough!”

Alex laughed. “Same here. We’ll make Lena and Maggie watch our two dozen children while we eat junk food on top of buildings at least once a week.”

“Pinkie swear?” Kara asked, holding out her hand.

“Pinkie swear,” Alex agreed, solemnly hooking Kara’s little finger with her own. “Now hand over those Oreos!”

“Not a chance!” Kara held the bag out of reach. “Those are mine!”

“Do you really not want any more kids?” Alex asked a few minutes later after successfully negotiating an exchange of hostages; six Oreos for a bag of gummy worms.

“I don’t know...” Kara twisted and pulled a red and green gummy worm between her fingers. It was true that Lizzy had turned their lives upside down and she really was exhausted, like all the time, but moments like this reminded her just how lucky she was to have a sister. She wanted Lizzy to have that too, and if human/kryptonian hybrids were possible outside of fifth-dimensional meddling, didn’t she owe her people that chance to live on?

She could see it; a big house with a porch swing and a backyard, maybe a dog. Lena would want something modern, but Kara was pretty sure she could talk her into making an investment on a historic home with years of memories and character. She could imagine them raising a family there and the idea filled her with terror, but also... longing?

“I never really thought about it,” she admitted. “Not until Lizzy showed up. I guess it wouldn’t be so bad, to have a few more kryptonians running around. ”

Alex grinned. “Just picture the headlines; Lena Luthor: Mother of Aliens. Lillian would have a fit!”

“Oh, Rao...” Kara put two and two together. “I just realized the head of Cadmus is also my mother-in-law! Do you think she hates me more or less than when I was just Superman’s cousin?”

“Definitely more. But on the upside, she’ll probably stop trying to win Lena over to the dark side.”

“There is that...”

As a stakeout it was a complete failure. None of the reptile’s friends showed up, and they didn’t gain any new information, but Kara still felt lighter after dropping Alex off at her apartment and flying home just before dawn.

*****

If the day before the Gala had been a whirlwind, the day of the Gala was a hurricane.

From the moment Eliza picked Lizzy up, time seemed to be moving faster than even Kara could keep up with it. She spent the morning at Catco, keeping up appearances with Snapper. Her story on the museum attack had mollified him, but he still wanted to see more on the bigger picture of Aliens and Humans living side-by-side. He had zero interest in her Anniversary Gala, or why it should take away time from her actual job. Kara was tempted to point out that it was a celebration of an actual human, living beside an actual alien, which made it pretty darn relevant, but she wasn’t ready for her identity to be on the cover of Catco magazine.

Cat had discretion. Snapper didn’t.

So she made frantic phone calls while her boss wasn’t looking, fielding questions and demands from the caterers, the band, the decorators and the museum staff who wanted assurances that no more aliens would be attacking their guests. Apparently using Supergirl as a source a few times had made Kara her keeper in the eyes of the public, and she found herself promising that the hero would be there, which was true, but she fervently hoped there would be no need for her alter ego tonight.

Jess called twice. Once to yell at her for interfering, and then a second time to grudgingly thank her for talking the museum out of demanding that they hire a second security company at the last minute.

The secretary was proving invaluable, playing bad cop to Kara’s good cop, however involuntarily at first, and once she got over her pique, they were even more efficient. She was Kara’s eyes and ears on sight until Snapper finally let her go at noon. Kara picked up lunch for Lena since Jess wasn’t in the office to make sure she ate, and dropped it off. Lena was on the phone when she got there, but she mouthed a quick thank you, and her smile made Kara want to stay, but there was still so much to do!

She spent the afternoon at the museum, shooing Jess away for a much needed break, which she was pretty sure the secretary used to check on Lena, but that was none of her business. By four, everything was finally done or would be done in time without her help and she went home to get dressed.

Lena had been in charge of clothes.  She’d insisted and Kara hadn’t argued with her. She had learned a lot from Cat about fashion, but of the two of them, Lena was still the expert. Kara and Lizzy had been measured and fussed over earlier in the week at Lena’s favourite dress shop. They’d tried on half a dozen dresses each, Kara standing awkwardly for photos which she assumed had been sent to Lena, since she hadn’t been able to get away from work for the appointment.  Lizzy had enjoyed the dress-up for about half an hour, and after that they had designated one of the staff to follow her around the store and keep her out of trouble.

He’d succeeded. Mostly, but Kara had heard later that he’d handed in his two-weeks’ notice as soon as they left.

So Kara had no idea what she’d actually be wearing. The dress had been hanging up in a garment bag in their closet for days, but there hadn’t been any time to even look at it, let alone try it on. There was a hair and make-up team coming over at five. Lizzy, they would tackle together, right before they left so she didn’t have time to rip or stain anything. Eliza was feeding her before she brought her over to get dressed, and then she would be taking her home at eight, so she only had to be presentable for about two hours.

Kara took her dress to the bathroom to try it on.

It was blue. The same blue as her suit, with off the shoulder sleeves, a modestly fitted bodice and full, floor length skirt. Silver crystals glittered around her waist, scattering up across the bodice and down through the skirt like little winking stars that shimmered when she moved. She looked like the night sky come to life; both alluring and innocent.

“It’s perfect,” Lena said, startling Kara, who had been too caught up in her reflection to notice she wasn’t alone.

Kara blushed, smoothing the skirt nervously. “You chose well.”

“You wear it well,” Lena said, stepping into the bathroom and turning Kara back to face the mirror. She stood close behind her, wrapping her arms around Kara’s waist and taking advantage of her heels and Kara’s bare feet to rest her chin on Kara’s shoulder. “The dress is lovely, but you my darling, are beautiful.”

Kara leaned back into her, soaking up Lena’s warmth and her words. “You really think so?”

“Always, but if I stay here admiring you, we’re never going to make it to our party.”

 “And that’s bad?”

“That’s bad.” With a brief kiss to her bare shoulder that made Kara shiver, Lena released her. “Would you like to come help with my dress?” she asked mischievously from the doorway.

“If I do that we really won’t get to the party,” Kara said, shooing her away. “Go, get dressed. You have ten minutes.”

Lena sighed but she went.

The stylists, thank Rao, were right on time and Eliza and Lizzy were right behind them, so Kara didn’t have the luxury of saying what she really thought of Lena’s dress when she finally saw it, but she was pretty sure her dumbstruck expression said it all.

Lena had chosen something a little more daring for herself. It was green and sleeveless, with a nearly indecent neckline, and it hugged her curves right down to mid thigh before spinning out into a sheer, filmy skirt that dragged on the floor behind her with a slit up the front that was nearly as risqué as the neckline. Silver crystals that were a match for Kara’s added a bit of sparkle, and tied their outfits together. She’d paired it with a set of dangerously high heels that insured she’d be as tall as Kara in her much more reasonable footwear.

“You look lovely dear,” Eliza said for both of them. “Now I’m going to go and wrestle this little girl into her clothes while you two get your hair done.” She gave Lena a hug before carrying Lizzy off to her room.

“Do you like it?” Lena asked, almost shyly, her earlier bravado seemingly forgotten.

 Kara could only nod, dumbly, but Lena smiled as if it was a rave review, submitting more or less meekly after that to the harried woman trying to get her sitting down so she could do something with her hair.

“Up or down?” she asked, already brandishing her combs and creams and gels.

“Down,” Kara said immediately, flushing when Lena and the styalist both turned to raise an eyebrow at her. “Umm... I like it down?” she explained, flustered. “But you can do whatever you want!”

Lena grinned, slow and dangerous, and Kara was pretty sure she actually melted, at least on the inside.

“Down it is then,” Lena told the stylist with a smirk.

The woman huffed. “Up is better with this dress...” she grumbled, but she didn’t argue, just got to work.

“You’re having yours up, right?” Lena asked. “It would be a shame to waste those shoulders...”

“I think so?” Kara squirmed a little under her heated gaze.

“Good.” Lena winked and Kara’s stylist muttered something about the temperature in the room, which made her blush even harder, and really the entire thing was completely mortifying, but Lena was still smiling at her, so it was maybe sort of worth it.

Maybe.

Somehow they made it through the last of the preparations and the limo ride to the Gala without Kara spontaneously combusting. Having Lizzy there helped. She was a little ball of tourquoise tulle and impotent rage when the buckles on her shoes proved too much for stubby toddler fingers. Her dress was a perfect blend of Kara’s blue and Lena’s green, with a simple empire waist and a frothy sparkling skirt. She had loved it on the hanger, but she hated it once it was on. Just this once, Kara bribed her with a cookie to sit still to have her hair done, throwing a towel over her dress to keep it clean.

The treat mollified her until she figured out she couldn’t take off her shoes. It was all Lena and Kara could do to keep her presentable until they pulled up at the museum.

Once inside, Lizzy forgot all about her dress and her shoes, glowing under all the attention. Alex and Maggie stole her after a few minutes, carrying her off to the buffet, and leaving Kara and Lena alone for half a second before Annie found them.

“Ms. Luthor!” Annie squealed, dragging her girlfriend over. “Thank you so much! This is Emily. Emily, this is Ms. Luthor and Ms. Danvers! You guys look so amazing!”

“Hello,” Emily said, rather more sedately, though her smile was genuine. She offered each of them a firm handshake. “We’re so grateful for this evening. Annie’s been talking about nothing else all week. Nothing else,” she added with a fond eye roll. “You may be her favourite people in the world right now.”

“Hey!” Annie elbowed her, but Lena only smiled.

“You’re more than welcome. Kara and I are happy to have you both here, and I’d love to see your resumes on my desk when you graduate.”

Annie beamed. “Can I hug you? I’m going to hug you.” She suited actions to words, hugging both Kara and Lena in turn.  

Emily’s thanks were less effusive, but no less genuine, and she eventually managed to herd Annie away so that Lena and Kara could mingle with their other guests.

Kara shook more hands than she had in her entire life, and smiled until her cheeks ached. She was used to Cat’s parties, but Cat had never expected her to host anything. This was a new experience. Lena, of course, was in her element. She glowed a little more with every kind word and honest smile, her usual professional facade melting away in the face of such an unequivocal welcome.

“They like you,” Kara said in a brief lull between guests, nearly bursting with joy herself at seeing Lena so happy.

“I keep waiting for the punchline...” Lena admitted, but her eyes were sparkling. “Are you okay? Or do you need a break?”

“Actually...” Kara’s gaze strayed to the dance floor where couples were just beginning to gather. Did she dare? “Would you like to dance?” she held out a hand that was barely trembling at all.

Lena inhaled sharply, her cheeks paling, and then flushing faintly. “I’d love to,” she said smoothly in spite of her obvious surprise, laying her hand in Kara’s and allowing her to lead them through the crowd.

Kara wasn’t quite sure what she’d been thinking, except that she just had to have Lena to herself for at least a few minutes. She was aching with the need to touch her, even though she knew touching was only going to make it worse. Lena seemed just as eager, stepping into Kara’s arms without any hesitation. There was an awkward moment when they both tried to lead, but Lena acquiesced with a laugh.

“Only because you were the one who was brave enough to ask,” she breathed against Kara’s jaw, arms already looped around her neck. “But I lead the next one.”

“I’m not sure I’m going to make it through this one,” Kara admitted shakily. “Are you sure we have to stay for the whole party?”

“Don’t tease me,” Lena warned her, tangling her fingers in Kara’s hair.

“Don’t tease you?” Kara was incredulous. “You’re the one who-”

“Has been waiting quite desperately for you to kiss me,” Lena finished for her, shutting Kara up neatly. “I’m trying to be patient, but you’re making it very difficult.”

“I, um...” Kara stammered. “Here? In front of all of these people? What will they think?”

Lena sighed, leaning back to give Kara a look that was one hundred percent done with what anyone else thought. “That we’re a happily married couple celebrating their third anniversary?”

“Oh. Right...” She’d almost forgotten that part.

“So?”

“But... it’s our first kiss, shouldn’t it be special?”

“We’re on a dance floor, having our very first dance in a museum that was rented out just for us, wearing dresses that cost a small fortune and we’re surrounded by all of our friends and non-criminal family. How much more special can it get?”

She had a point, but still... “Are you sure? What if-”

“Kara,” Lena’s tone was a warning. “I’m going to kiss you now. Any objections?”

 Kara shook her head, mutely.

“Good.”

She buried both of her hands in Kara’s hair, probably messing up all of the stylist’s hard work, but Kara couldn’t bring herself to care, and tugged her closer, tipping up just the tiniest bit on her toes because her heels, however devastating, weren’t quite enough. Kara steadied her with hands on her hips, closing her eyes as their lips met for the first time, and the world disappeared.

It was so soft.

That was Kara’s first impression. So much softer than kissing a boy. Not that it didn’t also burn like liquid fire licking down her throat and into her belly and spreading through her like a haze of euphoria and wonder, but it was a gentle blaze; warm instead of wild.

It was over before she was ready, and Kara found herself chasing a second kiss, hands sliding up Lena’s back to bring her closer.

Lena nearly whimpered into her mouth, only pulling away to catch her breath. “Keep that up, and people will talk,” she murmured, eyes glazed.

The song was fading, and the couples around them were shifting, some staying, others leaving, and new dancers taking their place. It was a chance to sneak away unseen, and Kara took it, tugging Lena along behind her out of the main hall and into the exhibits.

“Where are we going?” Lena asked, but she followed readily enough, still nimble on her heels, though Kara’s knees felt like water.

“Trust me,” Kara said, leading her around the velvet rope that was cordoning off the dinosaur hall. It was nearly dark amongst the silent fossils, only the faint glow of the emergency lights saving it from complete darkness. Once they were out of sight, Kara spun around and backed Lena into a display case, catching her lips in a third and fourth kiss before lifting her up onto the glass and stepping between her knees to kiss her in earnest.

“Kara Danvers,” Lena whispered roughly when Kara broke away to press trembling kisses to her throat, and take advantage of that oh so tantalizing slit up the front of her dress to slide needy hands up her thighs. “I’m surprised at you... Thrilled,” she added, gasping when Kara nipped the skin over her pulse point. “But surprised.”

“It’s your fault,” Kara whined, resting her forehead against Lena’s shoulder and fighting to catch her breath. “Rao, I’m kind of surprised at me too. I mean, I’ve kissed other people before and it was nice, good even. But you... forget flying, this is the best feeling in the world.  

“Fuck, Kara...” Lena pulled her into another kiss, this one rougher and messier.

Kara finally got her revenge, catching Lena’s lower lip between her own teeth, heat sparking through her at Lena’s sharp moan. She wasn’t sure exactly how far they would have gone if her over-sensitive ears hadn’t caught the faint squeak of a shoe on a waxed floor behind them.

“Sorry, sorry!” Winn hurried to apologize, already backing away when Kara whirled around. “Lizzy found you!” he said, pulling the little girl after him, one hand firmly over her eyes.

“Mama, kiss Mommy!” Lizzy giggled, tugging at his hand. “Izzy kiss too!”

“Not that kind of kissing kiddo,” Winn told her. “Mommy and Mama need a little private time. We’ll go see Aunty Alex and tell her we couldn’t find them. I know she’s scary, but she can’t shoot lasers out of her eyes and your Mama can, so...”

“It’s okay Winn,” Lena called over Kara’s shoulder. “We’ll be right there.”

“Do we have to?” Kara asked, leaning back into Lena’s arms.

“There’s a buffet...”

Kara’s stomach growled, the traitor, and Lena laughed, giving her a little push.

“Come on darling, let me down so we can make ourselves presentable.”

“Fine...” Kara helped her down, gratified when Lena wobbled a little before finding her balance. They tidied each other’s hair, and Kara smoothed down Lena’s dress.

 Lizzy bounded over to them once Winn let her go, and Lena scooped her up, carrying her past Winn without an ounce of shame.

Winn couldn’t quite hide his grin as Kara finished straightening her own dress. “Boning amongst the bones,” he said once Lena was out of earshot. “Nice!” He offered her a first bump, but Kara swatted him instead.

“Ow! Careful, I’m delicate!”

“We weren’t doing that!” Kara hissed.

“Yeah, only because you got caught first!” Winn crowed. “Seriously though, how was it? Good? Because it looked good.”

“Winn!” Kara would have hit him again, but he danced back out of range. “I hate you.”

“You love me,” Winn gloated. “And you looove Lena...”

“I’m going to love kicking your butt!” Kara tried to growl, but she was already laughing, unable to stay mad when she was nearly bubbling over with the after effects of whatever pure ecstasy kissing Lena had intoxicated her with.

Winn escaped without further injury and Kara let him go, following him more slowly back to the party. She would smile and make small talk, and raid the buffet, but inwardly she would be counting the hours and minutes until she could take Lena home.