The air above National City was much calmer than the streets below. Kara stood high above the people she swore to protect, balancing in the curve of the 'C' on the CatCo Worldwide Media sign. She could breathe here so close, and yet still so far, from the place she used to be. From the person, she used to be. So many things had changed since the first time she leapt off this building, revealing her identity to Winn Schott, her best friend. Her journey as Supergirl was only just beginning. She discovered who she wanted to be, what she wanted to mean to people. She became a symbol of hope, of strength, of protection to the citizens she protected. She could see that they believed in her. She could see it every time she took a bullet for someone else, or rescued a pet from a tree. They all looked at her like she could do anything, like they believed in her.
If only she still believed in herself.
Kara sighed deeply as she watched the people mill about, mothers and fathers on their way home to see their families, children laughing and playing as they ran ahead of their parents, people smiled and waved at one another. A little girl wore a blue t-shirt that bore her crest, her families coat of arms, proudly. None of them had any idea that Kara was there, watching, ready to jump down and protect them all at a moment's notice. They enjoyed the late winter weather, some bundled up in coats and others wearing a simple hoodie. Kara envied their joy.
Supergirl pushed off the 'c' she rested on, gently so as not to send the enormous glowing letter tumbling to the ground below, and drifted across the city skyline. Buildings were scarcely lit; most people had returned home for the evening so only a few offices remained glowing in the dim light of the setting sun. Kara found her gaze drawn to one such office, the office of one Lena Luthor. The raven-haired woman, despite Kara's best efforts, remained a bit of an enigma to Kara. They were friends, sure, but Kara didn't really understand the woman any better now than she did when they first met. That day seemed so long ago, the day she had tagged along with Clark to interview Lena when they thought she had been involved in the explosion that nearly made the Voyager crash. So many things had changed since then, so many things hadn't.
Back then, Kara knew who she was and what she wanted. At least, she thought she did.
Lena had drawn Kara in from the very beginning. Her determination to defy her family name so she could be a force for good, her kindness towards Kara who had been little more than a stranger at the time. Her bravery, because Kara knew that it had taken an awful lot of bravery to stand up to Lillian Luthor, but more than anything, Kara was drawn to her heart. Lena was ruled by her heart, by her emotions. She thought rationally about everything, of course, but how she felt was always the deciding factor. Kara knew that Lena's heart was good, even if everyone else didn't think so. It was part of the reason why Kara fought so hard to free her when she was arrested. Good people don't deserve terrible things to happen to them. Isn't that why Kara kept being Supergirl? So she could take the suffering for others because she was strong enough to handle it?
It's not that Kara didn't think Lena was strong because she did. Lena was incredibly strong, strong enough to defy her family, strong enough to believe in what was right and in herself. She possessed a strength that Kara doubted she herself would ever find.
"Supergirl?" The unexpected voice startled Kara so much that she fell right out of the sky, landing with a thud on Lena's office balcony. She hadn't even realized she was close to L-Corp, let alone hovering over the balcony.
"Oof!" Kara released an undignified grunt as her feet came into contact with the floor of Lena's balcony. Barely managing to stay on her feet, Kara regained her balance and looked up only to find a very surprised and amused Lena Luthor staring at her.
"I'm sorry, it wasn't my intention to startle you." Lena smiled as she apologized, clearly amused with Supergirl's undignified landing.
"It's fine, don't worry about it." Kara restrained herself from reaching towards her face to push back the glasses that weren't there.
