Dreams do come true

Chapter 5

T-minus 95 days to launch
The media was loving the story and all the gossip and rumors about them and their mission. They gave interviews and all of them were asked the same annoying question: "How do you feel about the fact that you get to go only because you're a woman and won't have sex up there?" Their answer was rehearsed but it was still true. They explained that that was definitely not why they had been chosen, and that they believed in their training and in the abilities of the entire crew.

Nia publicly came out because she thought trans kids needed to know they could also do this if they wanted to. That inspired Kara, who then went on record saying she wasn't even having sex on Earth. Suffice it to say, they both got some backlash from haters who believed Nia shouldn't be allowed in an all-female crew and from trolls who said Kara was pretending just to be able to go to Mars. But it was nothing they weren't expecting so they focused on the positive comments. Some magazines tried to find Ruby's father, and some reporters got really close to disclosing Maggie and Alex's previous relationship, but NASA could kill a story when they really wanted to. The articles about Lena, well, they were still about her family drama, and for once she was mostly happy about it, she didn't want them to be sticking their noses on her personal life — not that she had things to hide anyway.

Mostly, though. Because they were speculating new things about Lillian that didn't sit right with her.

So Lena closed the magazine, drank her whiskey and curled up on the couch. That's how Kara found her. "I take it you read it?"

"Yeah, but it's nothing new."

Kara started pacing. "That's the thing, there should be. That whole article should be about you! Not only are you going to Mars, Lena, but you're also a genius and most of this mission wouldn't be possible without you! For starters, we certainly wouldn't be getting there in only six months and th—"

"Kara, it's okay. Come sit with me?" Watching Kara this riled up because of this was as heartwarming as it could get for Lena.

Kara complied. "I'm sorry. It's just not fair."

"I know. But I really don't mind. Yes, I'll admit it sucks that they can't get past the Luthor family drama, but it's what sells. I get it. What they wrote about my mother, though... she's not a bad person. I mean, she's not great, but I know she wasn't in on Lex's plan."

"I know." Kara got closer and took her hand. Lena looked at her then, wondering how one person could look so open, so ready to listen without judgement, so ready to catch whatever she'd throw at her.

"She wasn't a good mother, not to me anyway. I really think she didn't know better. Maybe it was because I wasn't her daughter so she could never have cared for me the way she did for Lex. Or maybe she always knew I could be better than Lex at pretty much everything and thought she needed to push me harder and demand more of me. Either way, she never did anything with malice and she is the only mother I can remember so..."

"So you love her. Of course you do, Lena, it's not a bad thing."

"I know, it still hurts that she lets them speculate like this... It hurts that she still hasn't acknowledged the fact that I'm going to fucking Mars because her precious Lex doesn't want to stay in prison where he belongs."

"She'll come around. Same blood or not, she's still your mom, Lena. I'm sure she loves you."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because it's impossible to know you and not love you."

Even though Lena knew she meant it in the friendliest way possible, those words still warmed her heart. She silently thanked Lillian for teaching her how to control her emotions because she didn't want to cry at that moment. She showed her a small smile instead and Kara squeezed her hand in response, which gave her the confidence to confess one more thing, "I'm always scared I'll turn into her, or worse, into him. I don't know if I'd have the strength to fight the darkness if it wasn't for Sam, Alex and you."

"I think you would. You're one of the strongest people I know. But the good thing is you don't ever have to find out. That's what friends are for, we get each other through the dark times."

Kara hugged her and Lena might have shed a tear or two, which was totally fine as long as she was in the other woman's arms.

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On time again! Hope you enjoyed it.