Without You

Chapter 2

The next week was torture. Mon-El felt like he was living a half-life, unable to focus on anything except Kara. Except for the fact that she was still breathing.

They continue to battle against Brainiac, and Mon-El had to fight himself whenever Kara had a solo mission not to go with her. Knowing it could be the last time he ever saw her. Being Kara, she would notice his internal turmoil, and give him a sad smile and a kiss before taking off. They had had enough teary goodbyes to last a lifetime.

It astonished him, as she always did, how little Kara's impending death seemed to affect her. If anything, she fought harder, moved faster, as if she wanted to help as many people as possible before...

Before the end.

They hadn't told everyone. Only Winn and Imra. Their baggy eyes and lingering hugs were the most Mon-El could take before drowning in other people's sympathy.

They were all holding their breath. Waiting for that one mission, the one Kara wouldn't come back from. They would all likely die in battle eventually, of course. They were prepared for that.

But knowing, knowing that she would soon be gone—

It was unbearable.

Mon-El sighed and shifted on his back to stare at the ceiling in their dark bedroom. He hadn't slept since...since the trade. He couldn't bring himself to do anything but listen to Kara's quiet heartbeat, to watch her chest rise and fall with every passing breath. He was afraid that if he closed his eyes for even a second, she would be gone forever.

An unexpected warmth spread through his side as Kara rolled over to wrap her arms around his torso, resting her head on his chest.

"I'm not gonna die in the middle of the night, Mon-El," she mumbled sleepily. "Go to sleep."

He sighed, pressing a kiss to her head. "Love you."

She clumsily pecked his chin. "Love you."

Mon-El rested his cheek on her head and drifted off, two heartbeats in sync.

He dreamt of her dying in his arms.