Superflash:Collison Course (Volume 1)

Chapter 20: Sacrifices

After Barry’s proposal, the newly engaged couple immediately moved off to his bedroom. In all their months together they had yet to embrace the full physical intimacy of their relationship. Not because they didn’t want to, but because their powers meant they had to be more careful. Kara had to learn to control her strength in different ways because in the moment she could seriously injure him, the same way Barry had to adjust his speed for the exact same reasons. Afterward both of them called their first time nearly perfect, especially when they were floating three feet above the bed.

The next morning, still wrapped up in the euphoria and glow of their engagement, they almost didn’t want to leave his apartment. But Joe and Iris were expecting them, and they had a few hours in Central before going to her apartment to meet Alex, Eliza, Clark and Lois.

“Barry…you know we have to get up. Joe and Iris…”

“Just five more minutes. I know you said yes Kara, but you didn’t tell me what you thought of the ring.”

“That’s what you want to ask first? Seriously Barry, I’m going to be your wife and that’s what you want to know?”

“Wedding ceremonies and proposals must be done really differently on Krypton. You don’t love the ring?”

Kara realized now how much this meant to Barry, and also remembered that they had never discussed how different Earth wedding traditions were from the ones she attended for her Aunt Astra and Non, and Uncle Jor-El and Lara.

“No Barry…I love the ring…it’s beautiful…I can’t begin to imagine how much it must have cost you.”

“Actually it didn’t cost me a dime…”

“Barry Allen, did you steal this ring just to give it to me?”

Barry chuckled at Kara’s innocent reaction. The look on her face only serving to endear her to him all the more in that moment. He also knew he had to explain quickly as she was looking more and more confused at his laughter.

“No Kara…that ring belonged to my Grandmother. It was the same ring my Grandfather had when he proposed to her, and she gave it to my Dad so he could propose to my Mom. When I decided I was going to propose, I knew it could only be with that ring.”

Kara’s eyes got misty at his explanation. Now knowing the history of the ring and Barry’s attachment to it, made her beyond ecstatic. She was going to be the third in a line of Allen women to wear this ring as her engagement ring. Now she knew she was never going to take it off. Even as Supergirl, the ring would be there with her. She gave him a quick passionate kiss that almost had him pulling her back to bed before she moved off to the shower. They did still have Christmas plans with family so as much as she wanted to stay in bed even more; they did have to get going.

While she was in the shower, Barry dashed around his bedroom at super-speed, cleaning up their scattered clothing and hanging it in his closet. He also had the time to rearrange so one side of the closet was completely hers and the other was his. After he had chosen the clothes he was going to wear for Christmas at Joe’s, and at Kara’s apartment, she was back in the bedroom, wrapped in a towel and drying her hair. Kara knew she had time, but after the excitement of the previous night, she had forgotten to give him his present.

While helping the D.E.O., she had gone back to her pod and upon examination found a hidden compartment. Inside was a pendant with two Kryptonian talismans. One was her family crest, and the other was the symbol of Rao. She knew what these two symbols combined meant as she and Clark were descendants of Rao, one who had been named after the Kryptonian God of the Sun and Light.