Kayn drove through the winding streets of National City, the rhythmic hum of the engine filling the otherwise quiet atmosphere inside the car as they moved towards their destination.
Kara sat beside him, her hands clasped in her lap as she stared out the window, watching the city blur past building by building.
Everything had just been a blur that day, from the FBI questioning, and her anxiety about knowing Kayn's identity was eating her up.
The cute boy who had sat beside her in her classes, who had joked so freely with her and even took her out for a meal one time, was actually Harbinger, a hero she respected so much.
And now, he wanted to talk. Kara occasionally stole glances towards Kayn, her expression unreadable as she watched him drive out of the City.
He navigated the streets with ease, obviously knowing exactly where he wanted to go as they headed towards the outskirts where open land and rolling hills waited.
The buildings gave way to large, open fields stretching out beneath the sky, where the horizon was painted with the warm colors of a setting sun. Kayn slowed the car as they reached the entrance to a small, hidden trail that wound up a hill.
"This is it," Kayn said softly, pulling the car into a clearing near the edge of the field. The area was quiet, far removed from the noise of the city, and the soft breeze that rolled through the tall grass brought with it a sense of peace.
The setting sun's golden light bathed the environment in a warm, charming glow.
The golden light of the sun bathed everything in a warm glow, casting long shadows that danced across the ground. Kara looked out at the field in awe, momentarily forgetting the turmoil of the past few days.
The landscape was breathtaking, and for the first time in a while, she felt a sense of calm. Kayn parked the car and stepped out, walking around to open Kara's door for her. She stepped out as well, looking around, taking in the beauty of the place.
Kayn motioned toward a small rise where they could sit, overlooking the field. The view was spectacular, above them, the sun dipped lower, its orange light spilling across the horizon in brilliant hues of pink and gold.
They sat down on the soft grass, side by side, and for a long moment, neither of them spoke. The world seemed to hold its breath, waiting for one of them to break the silence.
Kara finally spoke first, "This place is beautiful… Do you come here often?"
Kayn glanced at her, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, "Sometimes, after I'm done being a Superhero It's quiet out here. Helps me think." He paused for a moment, looking out over the field before turning his gaze back to Kara, "But today, I thought it would be a good place for us to talk. I figured you might have questions."
Kara's heart raced slightly as she heard Kayn's words, "You're Harbinger," she said softly, almost as if she were testing the words.
Kayn nodded, his expression calm and understanding, "I am."
"And I'm guessing that makes Violet Spectra?" Kara asked, and Kayn just nodded with a smile.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" she asked, her voice carrying both curiosity and a touch of hurt.
"We all have our secrets," Kayn said, stealing a glance towards Kara and looking at her intently, making her widen eyes slightly in shock.
"Ho...How do you know?" She asked with a bit of a stutter.
Kayn snapped his fingers, a wave of Cosmic Energy forming and slowly easing into Kara's eyes, stinging her for a second before moving back to normal.
"Woaaahhhh!" Kara said as she looked around, her eyes wide. With the imbued cosmic energy, she could now actually "SEE" so much, from the life energy in herself, to the life energy in every strand of grass on the floor.
"Your life signature is different from Humans, although you look alive. So as soon as I met you I knew you were special." Kayn said.
Kara blinked in surprise as the Cosmic Energy continued to wash over her, feeling its subtle presence in her eyes. Her heart began to race as Kayn's words settled in.
"You knew all along?" Kara whispered, her voice barely audible as she processed what Kayn had revealed.
Kayn nodded gently, his expression soft but focused. "I didn't want to push you. I figured you'd tell me when you were ready."
Kara let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, and then, suddenly, she found herself laughing slightly. It was a light, relieved laugh, one that seemed to lift the weight off her shoulders.
All this time, she had been hiding her identity, worried about how people would react, and here was Kayn, not only knowing the truth but accepting it with ease.
"You're unbelievable," she said between laughs, shaking her head in disbelief.
Kayn chuckled as well, his eyes warm as he watched her. "I figured we were both keeping secrets, so why not just come clean now?"
Kara smiled, feeling a warmth blossom in her chest, "Yeah....I guess." she said, turning her gaze towards the horizon as she remembered her past, contemplating whether to dive that deep into it with Kayn.
She could feel the tension welling back up inside her, a knot in her throat that she had been holding back for so long. All the memories, the pain, the loneliness, it was all so close to the surface now.
"I was just a girl on Krypton," Kara said, her voice fragile as she revisited her past, "I had a family, a mother, a father... Zor-El and Alura. They were everything to me. We were so close. I was happy, I had friends, I went to school, aced my classes. I dreamed about becoming like my mother, who was a leader on Krypton..."
Her voice cracked, and she paused, looking down at her hands as her fingers twisted nervously in her lap.
"But then... everything changed. The sky... it was red. We didn't know it at the time, but Krypton was dying. My parents, they were scientists. They worked on a plan, a way to save me. But there wasn't time to save everyone."
She squeezed her eyes shut as the pain of that memory hit her hard.
"They put me in a pod... I remember my mother's face, the way she smiled at me, telling me everything would be okay, that I was going to a new home, Earth. I was supposed to take care of my baby cousin, Kal-El. I was supposed to watch over him and protect him, but..." her voice faltered, and she swallowed hard, fighting back tears, "But something went wrong. I got stuck... in the Phantom Zone."
Kayn remained quiet, his gaze steady, allowing her to continue at her own pace.
"I was trapped there for years," Kara continued, her voice barely above a whisper. "I watched as everything I knew, everyone I loved, vanished. Krypton exploded... and I wasn't there. I wasn't there to help my people. I couldn't save anyone. When I finally escaped, I—" she hesitated, her hands trembling as she wiped her eyes quickly, trying to maintain her composure,"I found out that Kal, my cousin, he had already grown up. He had already become Superman. He didn't need me."
Kara's breath hitched, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she struggled to control the flood of emotions coursing through her. "I—I was lost. I didn't know where I fit. Earth wasn't home. Everyone I knew was gone, and I was just this... this alien in a world that didn't make sense to me."
Her shoulders shook slightly as she brought her hands to her eyes, trying to stop the tears from overflowing, but it was no use. Her trauma, all the negativity she had buried for so long as finally coming to the surface.
"I miss them," Kara choked out, her voice barely a whisper now, "I miss my family. My mom, my dad... I miss Krypton. I miss the sky, the way it looked before everything fell apart. I don't belong here, Kayn. I try, but... it's hard."
Her voice broke completely now, her sobs escaping in soft, broken gasps, "I've spent so much time looking up to Kal. Everything is so easy for him. He grew up here, he's basically Human emotionally, the way he navigates socially, I...I just can't do that. I still remember Kayn, remember how things were on Krypton, I can't ever forget that. I can't ever integrate myself like him."
Kayn's gaze softened even further as he listened to Kara, the emotional impact of her confession hitting him in ways he hadn't expected. He shifted slightly, moving closer to her, his hand resting gently on her shoulder.
"You're not supposed to be him, Kara," he said quietly, his voice filled with understanding, "You're supposed to be you."
Kara shook her head, her eyes still filled with tears. "But I don't know who I am. I don't know where I fit in this world. And every time I try to be like him, to have friends, to go out, I just feel like I'm failing."
Kayn let her words hang in the air for a moment before he spoke again, his tone firm but gentle, "You're not failing. Your pain can't just go away, and you can't ever forget what happened. You've survived things most people can't imagine, and you've brought joy to people, to your Earthly family...they love you Kara. "
Kara wiped her eyes, looking up at Kayn, her gaze filled with vulnerability. "I know..I love them too, but it's so hard, I can't help but miss my mom, my family, eating dinner occasionally together, everything here is so foreign. I love my Earth family, but sometimes, I feel so alone."
"You're not alone," Kayn said softly, his hand moving from her shoulder to take her hand in his,"You have people who care about you. People who want to help. I know you miss your family, and I can't pretend to know what that's like... but you have me."
Kara's eyes met Kayn's, and for a moment, she saw something in his gaze that made her feel... safe. Safe in a way she hadn't felt in a long time. She let out a shaky breath, her tears slowing as she looked at Kayn, his words sinking in.
She had spent so long trying to live up to the legacy of Krypton, to the expectations she had placed on herself, that she hadn't realized how much she had already done, being just Kara to her Earth family, how much she had built here.
Kayn's hand tightened around hers, his eyes locked on hers with a quiet intensity. "You don't have to be alone anymore, Kara."
For the first time in what felt like forever, Kara felt a weight lift off her shoulders. She leaned forward, resting her head against Kayn's shoulder, her breathing finally steadying.
His arm came around her, holding her gently as they sat together in the fading light. His hug was warm and comforting. They didn't need to speak, but Kara knew from now on, he'd be there for her always.
For a moment, the two of them just sat there, the weight of their secrets lifted, as they achieved peace.
"I've got you," Kayn whispered, his voice barely audible against the soft rustling of the wind.
Kara closed her eyes, her body relaxing as she leaned into Kayn's warmth. The pain of her past, the loneliness she had carried for so long, it was still there, but for the first time, it didn't feel so heavy.
She wasn't alone anymore.