Woke the F*ck Up

28

May 14th 2018

"Are you sure?" Lena's finger traces a pattern over Kara's chest, sweat cooling on the skin there.

Kara tightens her arm around Lena's shoulders and sighs out a breath. "Yeah, I am. I want a future. I want a future with a family, and this life I've been leading doesn't allow for that. You're right. If she is needed again, she'll be back. Until then, I can save lives in a whole new way."

"And you aren't doing this for me? I'd hate for you to give up something you love because of what happened between us."

"My love, of course, I am. I don't just want a family. I want one with you. I want a future with you. If that's not stepping over a line too soon to say."

Lena leans up to place a soft kiss on Kara's lips before settling back down on her chest. "No. Never. I want that too. It feels like we've been through a lifetime of trials already, but I honestly can't wait for a lifetime more."

Kara smiles under her hood while Winn sets up the broadcast. It will temporarily take over every television in National City just long enough for Kara to make the speech she's been rehearsing the past two days. Winn fusses around and checks the lighting again, making sure Kara's face is obscured enough not to be identified but recognizable enough for people to know it's real.

Winn had taken the news well enough. He had been disappointed, though he had hidden it pretty well. He loves what they are doing, but he understands Kara's choice. He understands better when Kara promises that they aren't done changing the world yet. There's no way Kara could run the gyms without him.

"You ready for this?" Winn asks. Kara nods, swallowing hard. She hadn't realized how hard this would be. She's grateful for the voice modulator to hide the quiver she knows will be in her voice.

"All Right. Live in three, two..." Winn mouths one as the red light on the camera blinks on.

"People of National City. I am Power Girl. Our city was under siege by those who sought to do away with anyone different. Anyone that didn't fit their mold of who we should consider humans. Those people wanted to strip this city of what made it unique, of what made it my home and yours. Sure, it was a little broken, but it is Our city. So I stood up and fought back, because when we face an attack like that it's easy to feel hopeless, to retreat, to lose strength, lose ourselves. I have lost so much in my life, I couldn't lose my home too. Now I have fought many battles, and this single war has come to an end. I hope I have tipped the scales into the balance of good. I hope that each one of you will step up. Do something good every day. No matter how small or how big. I hope that you will remember that you can all be heroes because it is time for me to step down. It's time for me to help this city in a new way. But always have hope, because if Power Girl is ever needed, I will be there. Goodnight, National City. Tomorrow is a new dawn. I Hope we rise up, burning and free."

Winn cuts the feed and turns off the bright light that had been throwing the darkness of Kara's hood into stark relief. A few quick keystrokes and Winn has the eleven different major news outlets of National City up on the monitors. Kara pulls her hood down and mask off. She crosses her arms and waits as news anchors scramble to cover the breaking news. Soft arms wrap around her waist, and Lena's chin rests on her shoulder.

"So that's it, huh? Hanging up your hood?" Lena asks, tightening her arms around Kara.

"Yeah. For now at least. Who knows what the future holds and what psychopath will try and level half the city again."

"Yeah, Luthors are not alone in the crazy," Lena says sadly.

Kara turns in her arms and cups her face with a hand. "Thank you for staying an extra couple days. I'm glad you were here for this."