You came back

Chapter 3

Fall 2016

-"I hope this isn't the last time we talk".

-"I hope not either".

It's been two days since that last exchange and Kara couldn't stop thinking about it. She was at her desk, supposed to be working on an article but the only thing she did all morning was to stare at the small scrap of paper in her hands. It was all wrinkled now but Lena's number was still readable. The brunette gave it to her discreetly when she shook her hand after their last meeting with her cousin in the CEO's office. Kara didn't really noticed the piece of paper in her hand until later, she was too mesmerized by the look Lena gave her at that time. It was more than just "I'm glad to see my long time friend again" kind of look, it was much more intense, more hopeful. Kara didn't know what to make of it. Lena often teased her when they were younger but she was never this... flirtatious. Between the departing look she gave Kara and that "you could have fooled me" moment, the Kryptonian was confused. She had a crush on Lena when they were in high school but the latter never showed signs of reciprocity. At least, any that Kara was aware of, but as Alex would say, she was not a reliable source on this particular issue, being often the more clueless person in the planet in matter of people's interest in her.

However, that wasn't what perturbed Kara the most. Lot of people bump into old friends and they don't stress over a phone number for two days like her. No, the problem was that this crush wasn't over. Far from it. The first time she realized it, was that day she saw Lena again, stepping out of the elevator in all her CEO glory. And then, the course of events that followed were just confirmations. How she volunteered to save Lena's chopper, letting Clark take care of the civilians before he even had the time to open his mouth, how nervous she was when Lena decided to went through her press conference even after her first missed assassination attempt... Despite the fact that Lena was now the CEO of a big company and dressed in haute couture clothing, she was still the strong, independent woman with family issues (judging by the absence of pictures in the brunette's office) she had fallen in love with. Kara was screwed. After the mess that was her try at dating James, she wasn't ready to risk another dear friendship and James, at least, had the advantage of knowing her secret identity. The only positive thing in her situation, was that Alex, even if she wasn't Team Lena yet, wasn't totally against the CEO either. Apparently, saving Alex's life gives you the benefit of the doubt Kara thought.

***

Finally, Kara didn't have to think much longer about the number. It seemed that the planets have aligned to reconnect her with Lena anyway. Fate first manifested itself in the form of Snapper Carr. He waltzed in front of Kara's desk, barked at her that he wanted Lena Luthor's take on aliens for the end of the day, and left as fast as he came. So Kara found herself in Lena's office again for an interview. She would have preferred to meet her friend without the pressure of writing her first interview solo but that turned out to be the least of her concerns when Lena showed her the alien detector device. Kara managed to alter the damned object with her heat vision before the CEO asked her to try it but the whole experience left Kara uncomfortable. She used to love hearing Lena talk about her inventions in high school, especially the ones about spaceships and universal translators, but this one was very real and felt more Luthor than Lena to Kara. She was relieved when the brunette had to shorten their interview because of a meeting with some shareholders.

The next day, fate decided that Lena had to call Kara at CatCo and ask her to come see her. So, Kara was here again, waiting outside Lena's office for the assistant to let her in.

-"Hi !" Kara greeted Lena as the assistant closed the door of the office behind her. "I'm sorry to drop in unannounced, I just got the message that you wanted to see me" she continued, rubbing her hands in the pockets of her dress nervously. Lena didn't said why she wanted to see her and that got Kara a little stressed. The CEO was waiting for her, seating on her couch cross-legged with her shoes disposed under the glass table in front of her, the last copy of CatCo magazine opened on her knees. This new way of greeting her unsettled Kara a little more. It was nothing like the previous times, this was more casual. So, like every time she was nervous, Kara started rambling. Topic of the day ? The white flowers she noticed on the table.