SuperCorp+

Semicolon (Part 10)

Lena can't hide the fact that she's awake, not when Kara's in a full blown panic attack. She darts upright when Kara's gasps and trembling shake the whole bed. She can't stop herself. Lena runs one hand up and down Kara's back with the other rubbing her arm.

"Breathe, Kara. Just focus on your breathing." Lena keeps her voice low and as calm as possible. Her heart on the other hand is racing. Kara's body was already put through so much. This can't be helping. How did they get here? How did it come this far? "Take a deep breath. Feel the blanket, listen to the hum of the lights, smell the bleach."

Lena listens to Kara's breathing slowly stagger to normal, but Kara keeps sobbing with her face buried in Lena's lap. The heroine's hands are gripping the blankets so hard that her knuckles are white. Lena runs a hand down the blonde's arm until she can pry away the blanket and slip her own hand in its stead. As soon as it's her own hand, Kara's grip lightens up. She still holds it firmly, but she doesn't want to crush Lena. Kara's hand returns to her usual sun kissed color as blood is able to flow again.

"There you go. Keep taking deep breaths, darling," Lena whispers. Her free hand tangles in blonde hair and scratches her scalp lightly. "You're okay. You're safe."

"L-L-Lena," Kara says hoarsely.

"I'm here. I'm right here." Lena has to bite her tongue from saying that she won't go anywhere. She can't promise that, but she can be there for Kara right now.

"'m sorry.... so... sorry."

Lena takes a deep breath in. She blinks back tears and looks up to the ceiling, her lip trembling. "I know you are."

She winces as she hears her voice cracks. Ultimately, she knows that the blonde is truly sorry... but that doesn't eliminate the pain. That doesn't undo all the damage. Lena's panic starts to rise. She isn't ready to have this conversation. She's getting overwhelmed by her own emotions. She's relieved Kara's awake, worried about her state, mad about the situation, and disappointed that she isn't as angry as she was before. She should be angry. She should still be furious that her best friend lied to her, but instead she just feels hurt - incredibly hurt. She isn't ready for any of this.

Like her thoughts had been answered like a prayer, Alex comes back in. She freezes for a moment when she notices her sister no longer in bed. The moment she lays eyes on Kara huddled in Lena's lap, she rushes over and hugs her sister from behind.

"You scared the living daylights out of us, Kar." Alex squeezes her tightly.

Kara squeezes Lena's hand once more. She tries to look at those green eyes, but Lena's facing away from her. She pulls herself out of the woman's lap and turns to hug her sister. She's not sure what she is feeling. She's got a hole in her chest, and it feels like she's lost anything meaningful in her life. She shouldn't think that. She still has her sister and her friends and J'onn and Eliza. But losing Lena feels like... she's lost everything.

"I should get you hooked back up to the IV's. You need more nutrition. We can't have you passing out again," Alex breaks her train of thought. "Come on. Back into the sunbed."

Kara only grumbles lightly but follows her sister's guidance. She lays back in the sunbed, and as Alex is prepping to reinsert the IV, Kara looks over at Lena. The CEO moved. She's sitting at the edge of the bed with her back towards them. She looks tense and like she is ready to bolt. That sight... it breaks Kara's heart.

Alex notices of course. She whispers to keep it between the two of them, "Give her time, Kar. Her even being here is a huge deal. She was worried about you. She still worries about you and that means she still cares. She just needs some time to come to terms with everything."