Anyone who knows Kara would tell you the same. She's a beacon of light, bright and shining. With a smile so warm and radiant, it could put the Sun out of a job.

It touches everyone who sees it. Passes along that warmth and they're helpless against it. Unable to stop themselves from smiling in return.

Lena calls it 'The Kara Affect' and Kara laughs and rolls her eyes every time, because she doesn't understand. Can't see herself the way others do. She's always strived to be a happy go lucky person, even as a kid. After suffering so much sadness, sometimes forcing the happiness is the only way to make it through.

Of course, it wasn't always forced. Being a part of the Danvers' family made her happy. Being Alex's sister made her happy. Being a friend to Winn and James, being Supergirl, helping people; somewhere along the way, Kara stopped having to force it. She was happy.

And then she met Lena.

Lena, who is brilliant and bright in a different kind of way, but has carried a shadow of darkness with her ever since she was a child. Forever being reminded that she was never good enough. Never perfect enough. Never Lex.

And learning that had stunned Kara.

Because how could anyone possibly think of Lena as anything less than perfect? How could anyone want her to be anyone other than the person she is? Strong and brave, and beautiful.

There was weakness there, of course. Born from years of being put down and the fear that the Luthor name might somehow be so embedded into her genes that she couldn't escape it. That she might become everything she hated about her family.

But Kara had believed in her. Believed in her goodness. And somehow, that had been enough for Lena. All she ever needed was for one person to truly believe in her as a person and not put any stock in her last name.

In turn, Lena had befriended Kara for the person she was. Much like Winn had in the beginning. With no idea that Supergirl lay hidden beneath her mild-mannered reporter exterior, Lena had sought Kara out for lunch dates and evening chats.

And Lena had cultivated a relationship with Supergirl, too. Which had been hard for Kara at times, hiding that they were one in the same, but it had also given her a rare opportunity to grow that friendship with Lena twice over.

But it was still Kara that Lena called to talk to. They'd become close, so close that Kara had begun to wonder if there was more there, beneath the surface.

Something more to the lingering glances and touches that only seemed to grow longer each time they were together.

It was inevitable really. Lena was going to find out the truth someday and when L Corp became the target of a crazed former employee who had been fired due to a discovered connection to Cadmus, Kara was right there.

She was actually on her way out, chatting with Lena in the lobby after having a late dinner in her office, when a man stormed the building. He'd been screaming, calling Lena all kinds of names and yelling about how Cadmus was the new world order. That L Corp had to be purged.

And that was when Kara saw the bomb. Strapped to his chest beneath his open jacket. Lena had spotted it at the same time and immediately started shouting for the people on the floor to get out. Luckily, it was late enough that only a few security members were on staff, and they managed to clear the building in time. She'd told Kara to leave, fear shaking her voice, but Kara had refused.

She'd tried to talk the man down. Thought if she could break through to him as a normal person, not Supergirl, that he might stop. But he was too far gone and Kara had acted instinctively.

She saw him press the detonator button in his hand and raced forward, her super-speed carrying them both away from Lena and into the centre of the lobby. Kara sank her fingers into the concrete of the floor and held tight as the bomb detonated with her on top of him. She felt the concrete rip away under her hands, felt herself get blown into the air under a ball of fire and tossed back against a pillar. She heard the crack of her skull as it hit and Lena's scream of terror and despair.

She'll never forget that sound.

Or the mess of gore that had once been a man now strewn across the lobby floor.

She'll never forget Lena's face, streaked with tears and pale with shock, as she knelt beside Kara seconds later. Kara remembers Lena looking down and how she'd followed her gaze to find her own outfit ripped to shreds from the blast, the Supergirl symbol clearly visible through the scorched material.

Their eyes met once more and Kara opened her mouth to speak, but Lena shushed her, gently, and cradled Kara's face in her hands as tears brimmed anew in startling green eyes.

Kara heard sirens in the distance.

"I thought..." Lena's voice broke over a sob, her eyes closing until Kara lifted a hand to lightly grip Lena's wrist.

And then there had been so much to say. So many words on Lena's lips and a hundred fearful thoughts behind her eyes.

In the end, words hadn't been enough.

Only the press of Lena's lips to hers and the sound of their hearts beating, drowning out the sirens.

That is how it started.

Alex is cautious. Kara likes to think it's because Alex is her big sister and she'd be cautious of anyone, and that it's not because Lena is a Luthor. She likes thinking that because if she has to have that conversation one more time, with anyone, she's going to solar flare herself into outer space.

It takes time, but eventually everyone accepts that Kara and Lena are together. After that, it takes even less time for Lena to become part of the family.

It's clear to everyone that Kara's inherent Sunshine is only bolstered by the other woman. Every time Lena looks, or smiles, or speaks to her, Kara shines. Every time Lena enters the room.

And the reverse is the same. The shadow Lena has carried with her all her life recedes in Kara's presence. Shrinks away to nothing and leaves Lena smiling, awed.

She's never known love like this.

She tells Kara that on their wedding day.

In front of family and friends at the Danvers' farm. In front of Eliza and Jeremiah, Alex and Maggie, Winn and Lyra, and James. Cat Grant is there, as is Lucy. J'onn gives Lena away.

Lena tells Kara how she never believed in love, not really, until she met her. How she thought relationships only ever ended in tears and misery, and how that could never happen with Kara.

Who is sunshine personified.

Afterwards, once they had kissed and thrown their matching bouquets - Eliza had caught one, Lucy the other - they bicker over who looks more beautiful and dance until the sun retires for the evening.

But Kara lights up the night and Lena wonders if that will ever fade. The feeling of awe and warmth, as she stares at the face of the woman who is now her wife, smiling and laughing beside her. Their hands clasped together, fingers tangled.

Joined, forever.

And Lena feels encompassed in light.

Like her shadows won't ever be able to touch her again.

This is how it ends.

It's only by chance that Lena is working at the D.E.O. that night. Hank had called her in to work with Winn on implementing some revolutionary L Corp computer software.

She'd known Kara was out battling some new threat, but like always, Lena had tried to distract herself from worrying as best she could.

Kara knows what she's doing. Kara's been doing this longer than they've been together. Kara was sent here for this. To protect her cousin and then Earth. Kara does things no one else can, sometimes not even Superman.

But still, Lena worries.

Tonight is no different.

Except...

"Sir." Vasquez's voice is strained and strangled, Lena hears it in that single word, and she looks up from where she's working on one of the consoles. There's a flashing red line on the huge monitor in front of them but Lena doesn't make much out before J'onn steps up into her line of sight.

"What's happening?" J'onn's question is brisk, concerned.

"I don't... I'm not sure, sir. Her vitals were fine SECONDS ago and now-" J'onn cuts Vasquez off, turning to address the room and barking out orders for a medevac team to get to Supergirl's location immediately.

Lena hears things like "heart rate" and "fading" before everything is washed out by white noise. She sees Alex but can't make out what she's saying. She talks to her, Lena thinks, but it's as though her head and ears are filled with cotton. Then Alex is gone.

She doesn't move until Winn eases her down into his seat. He's talking to her as well, but she can't hear him. His face is pale and his smile, she dully supposes, is meant to be reassuring.

But all Lena feels is numb.

She doesn't know how long it takes, but sound only rushes back in again when her eyes land upon a stretcher being wheeled in. She knows the body lying on it. Red and blue, and blonde.

Alex is yelling, screaming for J'onn to ready the sun room, but J'onn doesn't move. Only stares at Kara as she's wheeled in.

He knows.

And that's when Lena stands.

On shaking legs, she moves towards where the team, minus Alex, is dispersing. Removing their helmets and backing away from where Supergirl lies.

Lena can smell blood and sweat as she gets closer. Alex is still yelling at J'onn, ripping her helmet off and throwing it across the main area. Her face is red and stained with tears that are still running, but Lena's eyes don't remain on Alex long.

Kara's body isn't quite limp, there's still life to it, but her eyes are closed. Her veins glow a vibrant green for a second before dimming and then her body stiffens. She starts to convulse, the stretcher breaking beneath the strength of the tremors, and as Kara tips to the side, Lena is there.

She cradles Kara to her and it's as if that contact staves off the convulsions. They stop and that's when Lena sees the multiple wounds that riddle Kara's body. Jagged lines and perfect circles, all glowing green and leaking red.

She chokes on a sob and gathers Kara's cape in her hand, trying to stem the flow of blood from the opening in her stomach.

"Do something," Lena hears herself whisper, still staring down at the woman in her arms. There's no reply and so she looks up, eyes rimmed red, and stares at J'onn. "Do something!" He opens his mouth to speak, tears welling in his dark eyes, but all he can do is shake his head.

It's too late.

Struggling for breath in between her sobs, Lena clutches at Kara. She's vaguely aware of Alex pacing before them, her hands tangled in her short hair as she cries and keeps yelling for sun lamps that Lena knows won't do anything.

It's too late.

"Lena..." The voice is weak but Lena would know it anywhere. She gasps as she looks down and finds Kara's heavy-lidded, baby-blue eyes looking back at her.

"Kara." Her own voice sounds foreign to her ears, broken and hoarse. She can feel Kara's blood on her hands, thick and warm. Feels it stick to the sides of her wedding ring and muddy Kara's blonde hair as she holds the Kryptonian's limp head up. Blue eyes roll back slightly, then refocus.

"I..." green flares to life under Kara's skin again and Lena watches the colour fade after a few seconds. It seems to take a piece of Kara with it each time. "I'm... Lena, I'm sorry-"

"Shhh," Lena presses her lips to Kara's cheek. She feels a tear slip free and land against the blonde's skin. "Don't. It's okay. I've got you. You'll be okay."

"I won't," Kara whimpers, her eyes glassy with tears now, too. "I'm not-" she coughs, blood gurgling forth and spattering her suit and Lena's cheek like an impressionist painting. One that speaks of life and death, and tearing asunder. "I'm going to leave."

She sounds a little frightened, but mostly like she's trying to make sure Lena understands what's happening.

Only Lena doesn't. Can't. Won't.

It feels like she just found Kara; she can't lose her now.

Lena's breath comes quick and ragged, on the verge of panic.

"You can't leave me, Kara." Lena clings tighter to Kara's cape, as though that will somehow tether her. "Please. Please, please don't go."

And Kara somehow finds the strength to lift her hand, and she brushes it against Lena's cheek, smiling.

"You were always my sunshine," Kara murmurs, happy.

Then her arm falls away and Lena feels her body go limp in her arms.

Alex wails.

Winn falls to his knees with his hands at his face.

J'onn turns away.

And Lena, still holding Kara to her, still begging her not to leave, feels the sun go out.

And the shadows return.