Today had started like any other day Kara could remember during her time in Vallo. The environment was far from hospitable, but a good group of them had managed to make it through for the past three years together. The Treants were not to be underestimated, but their home in the mountains mainly remained undisturbed, expanding and thriving as best as possible in circumstances where most of the people she knew would struggle to get by.
She’d been preparing for patrol when she’d heard rumblings of new arrivals. It wasn’t uncommon to add to their roster of Outlanders; they came and went in a way the locals didn’t, but for the most part, she was relieved when they disappeared. This world was harsh, and many of the people they’d lost in the past had better lives in their home worlds. She hoped someday to go home, but it was a quiet hope kept close to her chest. She’d adapted to Vallo; there was a community here who she could help, which kept her going.
She put her glasses back on, tapping the frames to tuck away her supersuit – it tended to be intimidating to new arrivals, in her experience – and wound her way through the familiar corridors from her living space toward the front of the system to greet the new faces. As she got closer and heard that these particular arrivals had dropped right into the center of the caves, concern furrowed her brow. That was much more unusual, maybe even a cause for concern.
When she saw dark hair, green eyes, and the most unamused expression, however, all of that concern flew out the window. She brightened, her smile broad, and surged forward to wrap her arms around a face she hadn’t seen in three years.
“Lena.”
Lena noticed two things upon arrival. One: their group was significantly smaller (something happened to the rest of the team that came through the portal, that did not bode well with her). And two: Kara, coming right towards her like a woman starved for a hug from someone she hadn’t seen in ages.
That was how these things were working, was it not? Her Kara disappeared into thin air, merging with a Kara that was in a different version of Vallo - and if she could travel through here, then that meant this was a world where they weren’t together. Kara was without her. Kara hadn’t seen her god knows how long, so Lena didn’t hesitate.
There was a lot to do here - they had a mission - but she was going to take pause and circle her arms around Kara’s waist, squeezing that Girl of Steel with all the strength her human arms could muster.
“Hi there,” she smiled, mouth trembling and eyes a little bloodshot because at least Kara was here, and she looked okay. “I missed you.”
“Rao, Lena, you have no idea how much I missed you,” Kara murmured into her ear, arms around her unyielding for a little bit longer. She knew she couldn’t hold Lena forever, but she wasn’t afraid to try. Three years without her – without Alex, without any of her people – had taken its toll. No matter how useful she may make herself here, it only dulled the ache of missing home.
Finally, she pulled away, although her hands remained around Lena’s wrists for another minute as she took her in from head to toe. “Are those sneakers?” she asked incredulously, raising her gaze back to Lena’s with a fond, amused smile. “Where were you before you ended up here, spin class?”
Perhaps it was a bit, ah, self-absorbed to wonder where Kara’s head was at with her. It took Lena everything to not pull her into a kiss. There were other things to focus on - their relationship status should be put on the backburner - but it was hard. Especially when Kara looked at her like that.
“I’m on a very deliberate rescue mission,” Lena explained, her smile gaining more confidence - and some moroseness, too. Dressing comfortably had been imperative for this when they figured out just what kind of environment they were getting into. “I’m from a modern version of Vallo, and I’m here to get my version of you back.”
“Oh.” There may have been a touch of disappointment in Kara’s expression. She would never want any of the people she loved to be stuck here, not if she could help it, but had missed them. Seeing Lena had ignited a bit of that unfair hope that she had come through just like any other new arrival, but she wiped away those feelings quickly, her mouth turning into a small, apologetic smile instead.
“Well, are you sure she’s here? Because I’m the only me that I know of. And I haven’t seen you in… too long.”
Lena’s hands went to her face, thumb grazing her chin, and right below her lip. If there were any familiar faces from back home, she was sure Kara would have said so by now, and she was already running with the assumption that it was just her. No Alex. No Brainy. No J’onn. No Nia.
And obviously, no her.
“She merged with you,” was her answer, and it was a lot more complicated than that and, yes, Lena had been working on explaining how it all occurred besides portal magic to break it all down, but that was the easiest way to sum it up. “We made our version of Vallo a home, and one moment you were there – and then gone the next. A few locals decided to try and remove Outlanders from the world and botched the ritual. This is the third time it’s happened.”
Kara melted into that touch, grip tightening just a fraction around Lena’s forearms. She knew they’d need to move along, get Lena and whoever else had come through settled in the meeting room, especially if they were all here for this specific mission – because they would help, of course, as long as they had all the information. It was hard to put much consideration into that, though, when she was so enamored with Lena just being here.
How could she focus on anything else?
“I’m sorry,” she offered next, trying her best to focus on the problem at hand. “I guess that explains the headache yesterday. Why are the locals still trying this ritual if it keeps ending up like this?”
“They set off a chain reaction – has to do with a portal beast, other portals opening up,” sighed Lena. “It’s a bit of a mess that we’re still trying to clean up. We’re almost there, I think. No one wants this to happen a fourth time.”
It was a bit nerve-wracking to think about how there was some form of success behind it all.
“I know we’re in the middle of it all right now and things are insane, but talk to me. How long have you been here? How has it been?”
There was no way Kara could sum up how three years had gone right then and there. She had so much she wanted to tell Lena, to say to her, but here and now just wasn’t the right time. She could hear the voices around them rising, so she shook her head. “Later, okay? I think our people are going to want to talk to all of you and see what we can do about this situation. Then, you’re mine.”
With that, she ushered Lena along into the meeting room. She stayed by her side throughout, listening to all the back-and-forth that came out about the various portals they’d dealt with invading their Vallo. Their group had apparently been much larger; this split was unexpected which meant, more likely than not, the Treants had gotten their hands on a few of the would-be rescuers. Volunteers offered to up their patrol presence while the new people rested up, and Kara volunteered for a later shift so she could steal Lena away for herself just a little bit longer.
Her living quarters were small, about a third of the size of her loft apartment back in National City, but it was cozy for what was available to her. She’d managed to craft a fairly sturdy couch across from the small bed she’d constructed. She’d never lived so minimally, so primitively, but she’d made do over time. On good days, it almost felt normal – like the camping trips Alex had taken her on when they were in high school and college.
“So, tell me more about your Vallo,” she prompted curiously, settling down on the rug woven from animal fur to give Lena whatever comfort she could offer.
“Well, for starters, we live on top of L-Corp,” Lena explained, taking in the room. There was a part of her that had an inkling of deja vu - that dark timeline they thwarted, fuzzy memories of this other Lena and other Kara, two kids in tow, with a spot to themselves inside a mountain when they weren’t with friends on a spaceship. “Though I do like what you’ve done with this place.”
Primitive, but cozy. She shed the bag of supplies she came with and set it aside, joining Kara on the rug.
“Plumbing and electricity are thriving,” she added with a cringe, hoping that didn’t sound like she was rubbing modern miracles in her face. “We’re very comfortable roommates. We share a bed,” she tacked on quietly, hoping Kara would take the hint. “Among other things.”
L-Corp. Kara wasn’t sure she’d ever have considered Lena’s office building as a place to live, but right now, she’d have taken it without question. They’d managed to mix what tech they had with magic to create something livable, so it wasn’t entirely caveman chic here, but the sophistication of real plumbing and electricity was desperately missed.
“Roommates, bedmates, other things,” she echoed with a somewhat shy smile, hands shifting forward to slide over Lena’s knees where she sat. “That sounds like there’s something you’re trying to subtly tell me, Ms. Luthor.” She hadn’t always been the best at picking up hints, but she’d have to be completely oblivious to miss this one. It made her heart hopeful again.
Lena wanted to gush about everything, but she also wanted to be tactful. She didn’t relish knowing Kara was here without any of her people even if she wasn’t alone here. Her life here was vastly different from the life Lena shared with her in their Vallo, and she didn’t want to feel like she was rubbing salt on any emotional wound.
She took in a slow, deep breath and took Kara’s hands into hers.
“You and I are adopting a little boy in a few weeks,” she answered gently, studying her face. “Because we love each other, and that’s a decision we both made for our relationship and where it’s at.”
That’s why it was imperative for her to come here and bring her Kara back.
Kara blinked in shock for a few elongated seconds. They were adopting? They were together? She had always wondered if, someday, they would take that step. It was another one of those hopes she’d lost over her time in Vallo, as the days, weeks, and months ticked by with no sign of anyone she loved back home. No Lena, no Alex, no Nia, no J’onn. It was better that way, given what they dealt with daily here. So, she’d accepted it. And while she hadn’t moved on, she’d moved forward.
Now she had Lena – but not her Lena, another her’s Lena – telling her that in a kinder Vallo, they had a life together that she could only dream of. It was hard not to feel a pinch of jealousy, but that passed quickly as a full smile burst across her face. It was that stunning, superhuman smile that just came naturally to her when she was ridiculously happy.
“That’s wonderful, Lena,” she told her sincerely, gently squeezing Lena’s fingers in her grasp. “It’s… everything.” She searched Lena’s eyes for a moment before she added, “We’ll get your Kara back. She shouldn’t miss that. I know I wouldn’t want to.”
It was wonderful, yes. Lena swelled with pride thinking about how far they’d come together, all the challenges and obstacles - a Luthor and a Kryptonian mingled up like this after a tempestuous friend breakup that drove her to darkness. Her previous relationship with Alex, which they did their best to handle delicately and respectfully. Coming back to Vallo started as a mixed bag, and while she was sure that she would undoubtedly pursue something with Kara back home (especially after Alex’s wedding), she was happy to be able to write their own unique little story here.
She selfishly wanted that with every version of Kara, in any timeline. And that hadn’t happened here.
“I’m not thrilled that you’re here without people from home,” she whispered, bringing Kara’s hands to her mouth for a kiss. “I know you make the best of every situation because that’s what you do and who you are. But I know you must be feeling lonely, too.”
Kara shrugged and averted her eyes, looking at their intertwined hands instead. She didn’t deny what Lena said. She couldn’t if she tried. She’d always kept a bit of a distance from her fellow Outlanders; none of them were family the way her Super Friends were back home. It made missing the people she’d left behind even easier, with her attachments mainly that of hero to people in need more than anything else. There was no denying that was a lonely existence.
“Someday, things will change,” she said, lifting her eyes back to Lena’s again. She wasn’t sure how – maybe she would disappear, maybe the small crowd of humans that persisted here would, maybe they’d somehow triumph over the Treants – but she knew change would come. It always did. “Until then, I’ll be okay. I’ll make the best of it, like you said.”
That was her Kara, full of hope when things felt so grim. Lena wanted change for her. She deserved a better world, and not just a savage terrain that challenged survival – she deserved something like their Vallo, or their original world with family
“You have me here for a handful of days,” Lena promised. “I know there’s work to do and things to accomplish, but I would also like to spend every spare moment I have with you. I hope you’re not… opposed to having a roommate right now?”
There was also the ‘only one bed’ situation. Obviously, she didn’t mind.
“Very not opposed,” Kara assured her without hesitation. “I know it’s not much, but it’s a place to rest. Safe, too. The Treants don’t have any interest in the mountains right now.” That could change, of course, just like anything else. But she hoped with everything she had that if change was coming, the tyrannical trees taking over the one spot where people could feel safe wouldn’t be what came.
Relief washed over Lena. She didn’t think Kara would reject having her here, but she wanted the consent out and open. Panic had almost swallowed her whole when she had disappeared before her eyes at home - there one second, gone the next, a literal blink of the eye - and having her close, even if it was a variant of the one she’d built a life with, helped settle her nerves.
“You’re very clean for a cave girl,” she chuckled, giving her hands a lingering kiss before letting them fall. “I’d love you covered in dirt and filth, though.”
“We do bathe here,” Kara laughed. “And credit where it’s due, the yellow sun always gives me a few extra perks.” She wasn’t a neat freak, but she did like to be clean and have a bit of order. Even her little cave hutch here was organized and arranged a certain way to offer the most comfort. “I can go smear a little mud on my face if that gets me closer to what you were imagining.”
“You’d look very attractive in it, I’ve no doubt,” laughed Lena, bumping her body into hers - which would no doubt not move Kara. A part of her dared to think that there was something about this whole experience that might be a blessing in disguise. She would rather not have her Kara be kidnapped by means of a botched magical portal ritual, but there was something… nice, she supposed, to be able to meet this version of Kara.
“Show me around this Vallo? I’d like to know more about it in-depth,” she said, reaching over to squeeze her thigh. “I want to know what it’s been like here for you. The good, the bad. Everything.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Kara agreed easily. She didn’t make any immediate attempts to move, although she did lift her arms to loop around Lena’s back. She scooched in close to her on the rug and pressed their foreheads together. “Is this okay?”
“Of course it’s okay,” Lena answered her gently. The logistics of all this could be unconventional, and she doubted this would be the last time they would deal with variants of one another – she knew Kara had some special time with her future self, and this was still Kara. She couldn’t deny her any affections. “You can kiss me too, if you want.”
Kara’s cheeks flushed. There was a moment of uncertainty – this Lena was another Kara’s girlfriend, not hers, not quite – but it spanned only a few seconds before she decided it was okay. That Lena was Lena, and as long as their feelings were shared, she’d understand another self wanting her with the roles reversed. So, she leaned in closer. One hand moved to Lena’s jaw, fingers splaying across her neck, before she closed the distance and gently sealed their lips together. Her entire body softened in that moment, and her heart picked up its pace as the kiss went on.
There she goes, good girl. Lena didn’t hesitate. Kara’s lips were the same, and the way she kissed her was more or less the same – just with a hint of desperation, a hint of loneliness. Her stay wasn’t permanent and she wasn’t sure what the future held for Kara here, but at this moment, she wasn’t alone. Kara had her.
Lena’s hand went to her shoulder to urge her closer. She needed their bodies to touch more. Kara on top of her, or Lena on top of Kara; she wasn’t particularly picky. She just wanted.
Lena’s hand on her shoulder to urge her was enough to push Kara further along. She leaned forward, her hand on Lena’s back firm as she shifted their position so Lena’s back was completely against the soft fur of her rug. “You’re sure?” she asked, hands planted on either side of her as she gazed down at her.
“Yes,” was Lena’s firm reply, a little breathless from the kissing but determined. Heels hadn’t made it through the portal - she was trying to be practical - but she’d left her version wearing lipstick, which was now more on Kara’s lips than her own. She began to undo the top buttons of her blouse, one by one. “What’s the last thing you remember from home? The night of Alex’s wedding, by any chance?”
The brides had left, and she and Kara had their bodies flush together, dancing. And they’d left that reception together, with every intent to spend the night together.
Kara wasn’t sure her face could withstand any more heat. “Yeah,” she admitted with a nod. It was a memory she’d clung to in the three years she’d been here – one of many that got her through tough times when the loneliness hit overwhelming peaks. It gave her hope that their relationship back home had progressed the way she’d wanted it to, the way she’d been too afraid to admit for too long.
Knowing Lena remembered it, too, made sense. It was exciting to hear that Lena and the other Kara’s relationship had gone exactly how she’d hoped. They were together, they loved each other, they were adopting a child together. It sounded like one of her dreams come true – almost too good to be true, but she didn’t want to question it. Even if Lena was painting a fantastical picture for her to give her hope, she wanted to believe it.
It snapped the last vestiges of hesitance out of her, though. She reached out with one hand to help unfasten the remaining buttons of Lena’s blouse, then pulled her glasses off, tossing them up onto her small couch before her eyes returned to the woman beneath her. “But maybe you can give me a refresher?”
Lena was pleased to see the lack of hesitance. Having help in opening her blouse was clearly welcome, and it was cute, really, how she had kept the glasses during her time in a more primitive Vallo. It was a familiarity she enjoyed seeing and one that cemented that this was still her Kara.
Freeing her arms from the sleeves and leaving the fabric pinned behind her back, she reached up to touch her face, fingertips running along over one cheek, the slope of her nose, and then the next one.
“I’ll let you have your fill of me in between tasks,” she hummed, her smile paired with a sharp, provocative quirk of her brow – much like the implication of the words. Lena gently took her chin and guided her back down for a kiss.