Sipping a glass of dry gin and tonic- Lillian stood out at midnight looking over the city she'd come to call home in part for the past few years. Lipstick slick around the rim.. hair tied up in an immaculate shiny bun she leant freely against the ledge of her safehouse... lower legs crossed behind her as her foot lingered rubbing against the back of her calf. It wasn't often she'd let herself indulge like this... honestly she was so used to being on the run or hiding and contained within some repugnant underground bunker that she'd forgotton to observe the world from her opponents perspective.

To know your enemy.

It shouldn't be long now... only hours ago she'd received a call from one of the variety of moles she had embedded within the DEO. Agent Danvers and the rest of that ridiculous gang were now onto her concoction... and granted she had to give it them... that was quicker than once she would've expected. However that being said she'd learned quickly not to underestimate their resourcefulness... thus in order to stay far far ahead.. she'd found herself having to continuously reevaluate they're capabilities.

She'd worked through every outcome and they'd checked every box ...it seemed that Cadmus was still on track to complete Project Saviour without any disastrous hiccups to their intentions.. for now.

It certainly keeps one on ones toes.

Periodically Lillian would purposefully assess her moves and playing style. Depending on the day she might decide to go big.. create an absurd move to rattle their cages.. but nothing was ever done without certainty that it'd work to her advantage... and never anything to put their plan at risk.

Smirking devilishly, Mind rewinding to a time were she found herself down in the laboratory with Francis working on phase zero the creation of the serum and reliving when they'd had the biggest breakthrough of them all- the one they'd been oh so desperately searching for...

"I've done it!" Francis excitedly bounced unlike his usual reserved self... Snapping up from her work... glasses still on... Lillian strode over pushing him aside and out of the way... "your sure?!"

Giddy with scientific ingenuity "Yes! this'll make sure her cells won't reject it... without her powers her body will be far more inclined to bind with his..."

Turning serious he continued "... human sperm are far weaker than a Kryptonians.. too weak to penetrate her bodies natural defences but without solar energy she's practically human... her physiology is close enough that genetics shouldn't be a problem... the only reason it couldn't have been possible for her to conceive without scientific intervention before would be due to her cells added strength and aggressive nature..."

Rolling her eyes "you telling me as if i'm not a physician with miles more experience in scientific invention than you...hurry and make your point before I have you dealt with out of irritation."

"Sorry sorry... i forget...i'm fairly sure this will work ...though if you want i can always develop something to add that could boost her reproductive process into overdrive just incase your not convinced that at this point it's guaranteed to work."

Nodding rubbing her hands together "yes...do it we only get one chance and I don't want any failures."

Leading on "Ok all is left to do after that is to make it viable in the form your wanting to dose her with.." biting his lip, twisting on the balls of his feet... looking up like he wanted to say more...

Lillian sighed "What is it Francis?"

Swirling around the table to grab a sample to show her.. popping it into the microscope.. she cocked an eyebrow and lifted up her glasses to take a look... as she was peeking Francis babbled...

"You want to know the best thing? the best thing is the serum practically eats up her solar stores throughout her entire anatomy, it won't only allow her reproductive system to be more accommodating but it'll deplete her powers significantly as a whole so that when you do attack her she won't be able to fight back... couple that with the fact she's still vulnerable to kryptonite if not more so now- due to the serum and because of that pure concentrated form you've developed and i'd call your plan a great success."

Sarcastically she replied "I wouldn't call it that just yet... it's a little early in the game for celebrations."

Smirking and whipping out a pipet full with a translucent green liquid Francis dabbed it onto the slide containing the serum dampened Kryptonian DNA samples as Lillian watched with a smug grin as the kryptonite did it's magic... it practically sizzled.

...that Kryptonian brat wasn't going to get out of this one... that was a certainty.

"Fascinating"

In present day... Kara had been discharged and was sitting next to Alex as she finished packing up her stuff... she was being extra clingy.

Almost done... Winn came strolling around the corner, tablet in hand until he looked up and saw Kara awake and seemingly more functional than before. Bright irises widening.. a huge grin tugged across his face at witnessing his best friend looking a little more chipper, a lot more alert and not as distraught as two nights prior. "Heyyy!"

Quirking towards him.. Kara was dangling her legs playfully... a hesitant bashful smile subtly guarding her face... stuttering "Hi-i"

Spotting the imminent moment between those two Alex brushed her fingers on Kara's shoulder lovingly before announcing "i'll leave you two to talk"

Nodding... gulping lightly.. Kara turned back as slow as she could.. cautious, watchful and timid until she came face to face with Winn's charming theatrical pose and eyebrow raise.

Swaying his hips in a neat little dance... diffusing the tension... Kara watched as he moved further forward with every flick of his ass. As he reached her bed... they looked at each other orbs silently connecting, quietly examining each facial movement, Kara was tearing up- subtly puckered lips quivering and her sweet little crinkle making itself known as she tried to determine why she was crying... before she could figure out that they were happy grateful tears, Winn had already pulled her into a tight warm... beautiful hug.

Leaning into his shoulder she let herself succumb to her best bud as he rubbed the corner of her back, connected... eyes closed.. Winn rocked gently as he felt Kara start to tremble against him. Navy shirt spotted with moisture.

Moving an arm up to tuck her hair behind her ears ... he leant back until he'd succeeded in his mission... the blonde looked to him doe eyed and apprehensive as he took his fingers and moved his thumbs gently against her jaw.. head angled down determined for her to hear him "You know... you'll always be safe with me, your my best friend and I love you.. okay?"

At that she whimpered... nodding overwhelmed it took a moment to gather herself together and that was when Lena interrupted, walking in suddenly she stopped short eyeing those two and sensing something was going on "Oh"

..."Um i'm sorry.. i'll- i'll come back later!"

Kara and Winn both chuckled looking to each other before Winn winked and conceded squeezing her.. turning to Lena "it's okay.. i'm going to go... you guys have fun... and Kieran you still owe me a star wars marathon!"

Strolling out... Kara looked abashed "Kieeran? .. and since when did you two know each other?!"

Lena looked embarrassed "my... my middle name... we got rather close recently.. I hope that doesn't infringe on the two of you..."

Dazed head shaking "No no-i uh i just didn't realise... um i'm glad you've got him.. he's good and you deserve someone to be buddies with.. to be an accepted part of this group."

That caused Lena's heart to melt... It meant everything.

"Kara I-"

Noticing Lena's anxiousness... vulnerable... her mask nowhere to be found "Lee?"

Patting the space next to her.. Lena hesitantly joined hands sitting gracefully and poised, heels removed signifying her willingness to open up.

Side by side barely an inch apart... Kara could feel the nervousness rippling off of the youngest luthor in gigantic gamma waves.

Steeling herself, sat frigid.. heart pounding and skin persperating Lena acknowledged... "I'm responsible"

That was it... blunt... dumped between them... Kara barely managed a "Whaat?"

Raw Lena was struggling with her control, unaccustomed to being so emotional in public and to anyone but herself... "It's my fault... they're my family and what they've done to you Kara... what they've taken from you... it's unforgivable... so i'll -i'll understand if you can't stand to see me anymore... if you don't want me here... in your life... i mean i'm a luthor and he was- is one too."

Kara just sat... unmoving unbreathing as the cogs in her head ticked... they were having trouble turning rao they needed oil.

Taking the silence as a confirmation Lena shuffled to sit up and leave... body not playing ball... her fingers shakily picked up her shoes as she made her way to the door... if it wasn't for a feeble fearful wail of words "Don't leave me... I can't loose anyone else."

Lena swivelled around suddenly her mistake dawning "Oh Kara darling"

Running embracing Kara's shrinking form... they held each other as Lena apologised "I'm sorry... i'm so sorry... if you don't want me to go.. i'll promise to never leave you... i just didn't think you'd ever want me here."

Responding adamant and slightly whiny "I'll always want you heeere!"

Nodding Lena felt Kara relax at her confirmation...

Mumbling against her skin "could you- soawqudVCUGUIgfugug"

Questioning the luthor asked "could you say that again i didn't quite catch that?"

Sneakily Kara peeked her head up looking worried and embarrassed "could you uh... maybe rub my hair like usual"

Lena smiled gleaming, they'd developed a ritual of sorts... once a week they'd have a movie night and binge watch kara's favourite animated movies... it'd all started when Kara was absolutely furious after she'd found out that the Luthor household had never shown any of them to their children. Squishing together on her couch, they'd laugh.. they'd cry at all of those seriously cheesy children's movies. Eventually that evolved into kara manoeuvring her head onto lena's lap... and that was that. From then on they'd kept that position.. Lena happy to string handfuls of Karas coveted hair.

It was friendship a true friendship... and as uncomfortable as she once found intimate platonic contact.. kara's tactile nature had soon brought her out of that shell.

and for that she was throughly thankful.