Estranged

Notes: Find me on Tumblr at spoopercorp and on AO3 as Local_Asshole.

I posted this way early because a lot of fellow Karlena/Supercorp shippers were upset with this week's episode (2x13), and reasonably so; I decided to end your suffering of Kara and Mon-El, so I give you...

More suffering.

Only it is for Karlena/Supercorp.

HEADS UP: THIS IS A VERY DARK STORY AND DEALS WITH ABUSE, DEPRESSION, PTSD, AND SUICIDE.

Happy ending though. Happy ending. Karlena/Supercorp endgame.

Story Summary: Kara is a senior in high school when a student transfers, who is immediately the center of attention. Her surname is notorious, but no one knew that the Luthors had a daughter. She is silent, keeps to herself, and others avoid her presence. It seems as if she prefers it that way, but they cannot help but be drawn to one another, something more gradually blossoming between them. However, as soon as they get closer, trauma separates them, only for them to find their ways back to each other almost ten years later.

But a Super and a Luthor? Impossible.

Summary: A new girl transfers in the middle of the first semester. It has only been a day, but Kara has already heard some very nasty rumors. To her surprise, and hidden chagrin, she finds that the girl's name is Lena, of the infamous Luthor family, and that she is seventeen and in her grade as well.

TRIGGER WARNING: BULLYING.

"I didn't know the Luthors had a daughter."

"No one did. I guess Lex was the only kid that mattered to them."

That's true.

"Are there any other hidden Luthor demons National City should be worried about?"

"No."

"And how exactly would you know that?"

"I have my connections, I'm positive."

"So what's with her then? She's really quiet."

No. Afraid.

"I don't think she's shy if that's what you're saying. There's such a thing as an introvert you know, and even then, no one talks to her, gets near enough to touch her even with a ten foot pole. I mean, if they do, it's usually to cuss her out and in the end she gets a few bruises from what I've heard."

"A bitch Luthor that comes from a monster family deserves more than 'a few bruises' in my opinion."

"Agreed, and she just got here, they're just testing the waters before going all out on her I think."

"This's the exact opposite of when her brother was here. He was the most popular guy in school before...you know...Metropolis... Well, I'm honestly not surprised that he was the favorite, he definitely seemed more like a charmer."

Definitely.

"I guess, when it comes to the Luthors, you exchange your sanity for drop-dead good looks and genius intellect."

Is that a compliment or an insult?

"Apparently, she transferred from a boarding school in Ireland? Then she came back home to National City; she's almost eighteen, a senior I think. I also heard that before boarding school she was homeschooled."

"Talk about sheltered snotty rich kids."

"No shit. I heard she's taking college courses outside of high school as an extracurricular on top of all this other shit she's forced to do and learning to take over the family company once she gets her degrees."

"I also heard she's fluent in ten languages, plays seven instruments, dances, paints, sculpts, writes, and builds a mean Langston black body field generator, whatever the fuck that is."

"What the hell? I don't know if she or her parents have noticed, but this isn't the Renaissance."

"The family's like the Black Plague though, so they're more Medieval to me. Emphasis on the 'evil'."

Funny.

"Maybe the new Luthor will be the new favorite if she targets a larger population than Lex did."

"Not a chance, Superman's got beef with the Luthors, he'll eventually find a way to incarcerate them before they decide to do anything sketchy."

Lena frowned from her stoic veil at their not-so-subtle-and-inconspicuous conversation regarding her and her family.

Not that she was surprised in the least bit. It was to be expected after what Lex had done, after he massacred cities, homes, real people with very real lives just to get in the face of Metropolis's beloved superhero.

He was always so petty.

The rumors were intriguing, entertaining to hear and often amusing. But a lot of them were also on the spot, strangely accurate.

The raven-haired girl silently plopped down onto her desk, which she conveniently chose all the way in the back to avoid any unwanted attention. Or worse, confrontation that would most likely result in conflict and, of course, injuries. Though, there was rarely a broken bone nor serious bleeding recently. But the Luthor knew all too well that the bullies needed to gauge her reaction, make sure she was not her insane lunatic brother who could fight back.

She was used to abuse, thought it was normal, found it appalling when she discovered that it was her own family that was unique in its upbringing compared to others; others, who were considered truly normal, utilized touch as a form of affection and not discipline or punishment or to inflict pain for fun.

And she found that she was unknowingly craving that foreign form of touch everyone else shared.

That Lex had.

Her classmates could do their worst, but it would never be on par with what her mother could do. They could never wrought that.

Lena caught a blonde girl in the corner of her eye that seemed to be staring at her, indicating that she had likely been eavesdropping as well, listening into the conversation which Lena assumed she agreed with. However, she was only judging from the fact that when she nearly locked eyes with her, the blonde snapped her head back so fast that Lena was concerned she had whiplash.

Instead, she frowned again, mistaking it for fear.

She shrugged internally, that reaction from others was expected as well.

After all, the Luthors were associated as harbingers of death and suffering to put it honestly, albeit melodramatically.

Lena frowned even further, if that was possible, unable to see the girl's face nor reaction as she turned away so fast.

Kara sighed as she slid into her seat, part relieved and part annoyed, fumbling with her glasses nervously.

Relieved because she was sure she had not made eye contact with the new girl.

Annoyed because of the vitriol that surrounded Lena, and it was only the first day; she deserved better than that, than such quick and negative judgments based on her family's actions, not her own.

A lot of the rumors were far-fetched and Kara refused to dwell on their probabilities.

But the whispers about Lena being adopted was the only really plausible thing for the blonde to comprehend; the Luthors were probably the perfect poster family for Hitler's Aryan race and Lena looked extremely out of place compared to the rest of them.

Different.

Not a bad different though.

Kara's lips twitched as she forced herself not to smile, as she tried not to let her mind wander about Lena's foreign, though not exotic, appearance. Everyone was tan in National City, of course, it was California. However, Lena's skin was a fair, pale white, contrasting her long near-black hair and deep green eyes that held that ninety-nine percent coldness and indifferent Luthor trademark.

The one percent she could not quite figure out.

But she was breathtakingly beautiful.

Lena was easy to pick among crowds and Kara frowned, troubled at the thought that she was an easy target to keep track of for the supposed bullies lingering in her radius.

She loathed, absolutely hated any interactions meant to cause harm to another.

Kara hated the sin, not the sinner.

Krypton was a merit-based society, so arriving to such an architecturally, scientifically, and socially anarchic and primitive planet like Earth was a colossal step backwards.

So, she believed everyone should be judged for their own actions, not of others affiliated.

Her chagrin at Lena's appearance was more directed towards her friends, not the super gang though, but the other more distant acquaintances she had made during her high school years.

Kara was worried she would be disappointed in some of her more familiar peers if they bullied another student; she had great faith in humanity, believed that goodness was innate, inherited, but her trust and expectations often let her down.

Her worries were made true by the beginning of the second quarter, much to her dismay.

Kara never heard anything directly pertaining to Lena since her arrival a few weeks prior, they were always rumors, but she had a nagging hunch that for the entirety of the term, the Luthor had experienced less than welcoming students. Students that were supposed to make her comfortable, or at the very least not shun nor bully her senseless.

Same with the teachers, but they were too abhorred by her family, so they diminished their socializing into nothing more but clipped and curt greetings.

When she did spot the Luthor at school, there were times she had an accidental look at the injuries haphazardly covered with sleeves or hats or scarves or even gloves.

Or at least that was what she thought they were, it could have been her imagination, she never had time to lock her gaze and analyze before Lena's nervous and shifty eyes rested on hers, scrutinizing her along with all the other students.

Saying that Kara was disappointed when she caught sight of a group of kids her age surrounding a vulnerable Lena Luthor was an understatement.

She was furious.

The fact that she was on conversing terms with all of them definitely did not help.

Oh yes, Kara was absolutely going to intervene, until a comment from Lena made her stop in her tracks.

She was not supposed to be able to pick it up, but she had the perk of super hearing and the voice sounded so broken, but not small as it was confident and firm at the same time.

A paradox really.

"Please leave me alone."

Kara did not think her heart could ache any further, but the next sentence proved otherwise.

"I'm not worth it, you'll only waste your time on me."

What made it worse was that there were bystanders and people who ignored the scene altogether.

Then it got even worse when Lena started to apologize for things she could not control, things she did not even do.

She was just a student like the rest of them, but the only difference was that she was trying to survive and get by as unscathed as possible.

That was the moment the blonde snapped and lost her faith in humanity for a split second.

Lena was being shoved around by the group, every time she regained her balance another pair of arms roughly pushed her away into another and another before her textbooks were slammed out of her hands.

She sighed inwardly, moved to retrieve them, but before she could do that she felt a boot make itself comfortable against her chest, sending her collapsing onto the concrete.

The hit was unexpected, robbed her lungs of precious air as they contracted, struggling to sip back in oxygen until they were full-fledged gasps.

There was going to be a nasty bruise there later.

Lena grunted, got up on all fours and continued to gather her books.

Apparently, one of them thought it was an invitation to sock her in the face, laughters all around as the group and the bystanders complimented the action.

Lena bit her lip, swallowed back a whimper, felt her two nostrils flood blood out and a pulsating tenderness in her left eye.

They all threw insults at her, slandered her and her family, and she found herself zoning out, bored of the same old garbage that spewed out of everyone's mouths and rolled off their tongues.

For a moment, Lena found herself hating her brother even more if that was possible; because of his actions, she could not live a relatively normal life outside of the family.

She grit her teeth, clenched it shut so tight she could feel them grinding against each other, then she closed her hands into fists against the cold ground.

She never enjoyed conflict, hated fighting back unless it was absolutely necessary.

So instead, Lena always appeased them, always apologized for actions that were not hers, but she would not cry. She let the tears build up, but never let them spill over.

"I'm sorry."

It came out like it was second-nature to her.

And she was still too dazed from the punch to notice a fuming Kara stalking towards them.

"What are you all doing?"

The group of students was startled by her sudden outburst; the blonde was probably the most popular and most likable girl in the entirety of the school, a puppy-like person that no one thought could be provoked and enraged.

They were dead wrong.

"You're bullying someone! How could you all do this?" she was shocked into speechlessness, her loss of words clearly showing. "What's wrong with all of you?"

"She's a Luthor!" someone defended, as if it was a great reason to treat someone with such disrespect.

Kara snapped her head at the boy, glared daggers into his nonexistent heart through his unkind eyes, "Save it, Thomas. Her last name doesn't define her."

He sank back, muttering to himself.

At this point the group and bystanders dispersed.

The blonde was tormented herself when she first came to Earth and had no room for tolerance when it came to bullies.

She watched them all go, shaking her head all the while.

Then Kara heard a shuffling as Lena rushed to try to pick up her books with one arm while cradling her chest with the other.

"Here, I'll help you," the blonde insisted, reaching out.

Lena flinched so hard that she fell backwards, shaking slightly, grimacing.

Kara retreated, heard the booming heartbeat erratically playing within the girl's chest.

She frowned as a sad realization dawned upon her, that Lena had a difficult time trusting, expected pain from everyone, regardless of the genuine kindness shown to her.

The Luthor recovered quickly and used both her frail arms to get her books back and winced at the pain.

"Hey, are you okay?" Kara asked, and cursed herself internally when she made a habitual mistake of gripping the girl's hand.

She was always such a touchy person.

Lena panicked and pulled away.

"I-I'm so sorry, I should've asked if I could check first before..." the blonde trailed off feebly, then sighed.

I'm such an idiot.

"Your eye," Kara pointed to her own, trying to communicate that it was blackening and swelling with vague and silly hand gestures, "Do you need ice or-"

"I'm fine."

If Lena was not so eager to leave, her lips would've twitched as she found her savior endearingly amusing, and she was unused to such kindness. It was foreign and strange and scary, and she found herself much more comfortable with a beating rather than a hug. Touch was always reserved as punishment and torment, same with words, anything different was terrifyingly unfamiliar, regardless of whether she craved it or not.

Lena shook her head lightly, but it was hard enough to cause a shattering headache and make her sway.

Kara tensed, prepared to catch her if she fell, but at the same time refusing to overstep her boundaries unless it was absolutely necessary to prevent further injuries.

"Are you sure? I don't feel comfortable with you walking home like this, alone for that matter, plus your nose's bleeding a lot and-"

"I said I'm fine," Lena stated, her breathing unsteady and uncertain, rushed out and stern before pivoting and walking away.

Kara successfully fought against the overwhelming urge to go after her and stayed put, watching her leave until she was completely out of sight.

"Honey."

Kara shook her head out of her reverie and turned at the source of the voice.

Eliza's eyes dropped, "You've been picking at your food since dinner started. Is something wrong?"

The blonde shook her head again, "No, I'm just...not hungry, I guess."

Alex dropped her fork and repeated the phrase slowly, enunciating each syllable, "Did Kara Danvers just say she...wasn't hungry?"

"So there is something wrong," Maggie stated next to her girlfriend.

The blonde shrugged, "Yeah, I guess? I don't know."

They all stopped eating and turned their attention to the Kryptonian sitting on the dining table, waiting, expectant.

Kara shrunk under their anticipation and twisted her fingers together, "It's about the new girl, Lena Luthor I think?"

Her older sister tensed, "If that Luthor bitch tried any-"

"Alex," Eliza and Kara both growled.

"Sorry," she apologized sheepishly, "No vulgar language at the dinner table."

"I'd prefer no vulgar language at all, but we know that's not going to happen," her mother commented.

"That's not really what I was angry about," Kara muttered, folding her arms.

Alex noticed the cross look her little sister gave her, "What is it? Spit it out."

"You don't know Lena, she's a good person."

"And you know her enough to make that judgement?" she countered.

"Guys..." Maggie whispered nervously, ready to negate the intensity of the conversation.

Kara narrowed her eyes, but then her expression softened as she sighed, standing up, "I'm going to bed."

She was in no mood for confrontation.

"It's seven."

Alex's comment went ignored, and she turned to give her mother a pleading look.

Only what she received was the classic parental glare.

The auburn-haired girl raised her hands in defense, "What'd I do?"

Maggie face-palmed, "Seriously?"

"What?"

Eliza recalled the exchange from a few seconds ago, "You know, I'm pretty close with a lot of parents of kids in Kara's grade, and they're not very fond of Lena."

"Why should they be? The Luthors are crazy. Maggie, you should know that better than most people."

"Alex, babe, I know you're protective of Kara, but she can handle herself," the detective sighed, smirking when her girlfriend rolled her eyes in mock annoyance, "What happened between the Luthors and my family's in the past."

"And you're going back to your second year of college after this weekend, and you're majoring in biochemistry. Not only that, but you're a D.E.O. operative," Eliza frowned, "I'd think my own daughter would know not to make such accusations on a girl she doesn't know just 'cause of her family's history."

Alex groaned in response.

"Don't give me that attitude or you won't get dessert."

Then she pouted, "But, Mom!"

Maggie snickered.

The next day towards the end of school, Kara saw Lena scampering through the hallways, trying her best to dodge the sneers and glares made her way.

The blonde thought that the girl was skilled in hiding herself very well because since her transfer, Kara was unable to really pinpoint her location.

Lena was not necessarily small as she was definitely taller than the average female human height.

So it confounded the blonde why she was unable to spot her before, but then again, she had not had that encounter with her until yesterday. Never really paid any mind nor attention.

Now maybe she was subconsciously looking out for her new...peer?

Lena tried her best to sneak through the hallways, but after yesterday's scuffle that was interrupted by arguably the most popular girl at school, she found it immensely more difficult to be invisible and silently cursed her savior.

Her savior, who was now making her way into a class they shared.

Math.

Lena successfully moved out of her line of sight and poked her head back out from the end of the hall when the girl walked in.

Early.

Class did not start until ten minutes.

She internally sighed, saying her goodbyes to what was potentially a quiet moment she could keep to herself.

An obstacle that abruptly startled her path made her stumble and fall to the ground, bruising her already bruised ribs even more. She watched as her textbooks spilled out of her backpack and groaned, but before she could make a move to retrieve them, a pair of strong hands shoved her against a locker.

"What's up, Luthor?"

She recognized the boy as Thomas, from what she recalled from their last encounter.

At her prolonged silence, he slammed her into the locker again, "I'm expecting an answer."

"I-I...I was just...going to class. Please, I don't want any trouble."

"Awww, no trouble?" he chuckled, then his mouth distorted into a severe frown, and he kneed her in the gut, "Not something I'd expect to hear from a Luthor, that's rich."

Lena gagged, doubling over and a fist was slammed into her cheek when she heard her name spit from the boy's acidic mouth.

Kara's silence was interrupted when she heard the sound of shaking metal, but waved it off. Students were always messing around in the halls before class, so she opted to finish reading her book in relative peace.

However, when she saw a figure enter the classroom, her eyes were drawn up.

It was Lena, though Kara noticed she was slightly hunched over, carrying her books in one arm and letting the other fall against her ribs; her hair was draped over her face as if to hide something.

She winced when she sat in her seat and the small squeak of pain she made alarmed Kara.

The blonde, for a split second, saw a nasty bruise forming on her cheek, and she knew very well that it was not from yesterday.

The Kryptonian's face morphed into one of complete anger and before she could stop herself, she made her way over.

Lena panicked, shrinking into her seat immediately when she saw Kara walking towards her with an enraged expression.

Apparently, the blonde noticed the young Luthor's shaking and look of fear.

Her anger was not directed towards the girl, and she felt awful for scaring her, so her features softened, "Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you."

Lena struggled to relax at the statement and Kara noticed.

This time, the blonde's voice was more gentle and tender, and she pointed at the location of the new girl's bruise on her own face, "Is it new?"

Though she already knew the answer.

But she found herself surprised when Lena stated otherwise.

"N-No."

The Kryptonian heard the human's heart rate pick up at the lie.

"I-I..." her eyes darted around, avoiding Kara's gaze, "I fell. This morning I mean."

The blonde frowned at the stuttering beat again, then she smiled slightly, deciding to probe no further, "Do you mind if I sit next to you?"

Lena was caught off guard, but managed to find her voice, "W-We have assigned seats."

"I'm sure I can persuade our teacher into letting us sit next to each other."

The Luthor hesitated at first and was about to say no until her vision rested on the eager blue eyes towering above her.

It was this moment she finally got to take in her savior's appearance.

Her hair was long and curled neatly, but almost had a wild side to it as well, like she was in a rush. And her innocent, soft face was framed nicely with her glasses.

Lena snapped her head away, refusing to trail her gaze down her classmate's body, so she just nodded, inviting Kara into her lonely area.

The blonde grinned happily and Lena swore that her teeth were the purest white that she had ever seen.

The Luthor appreciated that her elbow partner respected her personal space as she slid the chair slightly away.

Oddly enough, Lena found that she wanted the blonde to be closer.

"I didn't know we had this class together."

The Luthor nodded, found herself surprisingly disappointed. Of course she would pay no mind to a pathetic Luthor.

"What's your schedule?" the blonde tried again, "Maybe we share some more classes?"

Lena hesitated, unsure if her classmate would take advantage of that information and exploit it to any bullies.

For some reason unknown to her, she relayed her schedule to the bubbly student, but only of their shared classes to compromise.

"We have chemistry together as well. And English."

Kara studied her for a minute and the raven-haired girl's heart stuttered nervously.

"Your ribs."

Lena's mind fizzled for a second at the unexpected statement, "What?"

"You're holding them more tightly, closer to you. Did you bruise them when..." she trailed off.

When they hurt you?

"When you fell?" Kara finished instead.

"I'm fine."

The blonde's smile never faltered, but her eyes were downcast, "That wasn't the question."

"Yeah."

"You should probably go to the nurse's office. I can show you the way."

"I'm fine."

Kara did not think she could hate a simple phrase like that so much, but she relented, thankful that short replies were better than none, "Okay, I'm just making sure, just tell me if you change your mind. Or if you need anything, okay?"

Lena nodded once, tersely, obviously dumbstruck by the endless amount of kindness this girl she barely knew had been offering her since she arrived.

When the bell rang, the Luthor saw herself out in a second, as fast as possible.

Kara did not bother to go after her, opting to watch from afar with a sad look as the figure moved into the hallway, slowly gathering her things.

Notes: Constructive criticism appreciated.