Archive of Our Own

“Is this real, Lex?” Lena asked softly.

Lex leaned back, his bright orange jumpsuit a sharp contrast to his custom-tailored suits. Lena hated seeing him like this, cuffed up in a dirty visiting room at some Metropolis prison. It was a far cry from the brother who had helped her scramble up a treehouse, who taught her chess and encouraged her science experiments. “It’s real,” Lex said, his face disdainful. “I got… complacent.”

Fraud. Insider trading. Money laundering. Conspiracy. Lena swallowed hard, reciting the litany of charges in her head. Her brother and her stepmother - along with their horse trainer, Lockwood - were going to prison for a very long time.

She was 18 years old, and suddenly her future had evaporated before her. She would be set to start MIT in the fall, for a tuition she could no longer afford. The generational family business - thoroughbred horseracing - would be coming to a close. “They’ve taken almost everything,” Lena murmured.

“The ranch counts as a primary residence,” Lex said, “You’ll be able to keep that.”

The Luthor Manor and the associated stables would remain with her - and she knew she could sell off the land, make up the costs to get her through college, leave her Luthor family behind and never look back. But she couldn’t bring herself to do it. To walk away from the mainstay of her childhood, for better or worse, to leave behind her second family when she had already lost her first.

Most of the horses had been sold off, most of the stable hands had quit, Luthor Stables didn’t even have a trainer anymore…

“You’ve got a horse,” Lex said.

“The one that didn’t sell at auction,” Lena murmured, glancing down to the papers at the name, next to a picture of a stunning black colt. Kryptonite Glow was an unruly three-year-old with a habit of throwing his jockey, and Lena wondered if she could find anyone still willing to ride him… or willing to work with a Luthor at all. “The only staff we have left is one stablehand. I don’t have the money to pay for much more. I’ve spent the last 6 years at boarding school. I don’t know a damn thing about horseracing, Lex.”

“You’ll figure it out,” Lex replied casually, “What have you got to lose?”

Lena leaned back and sighed. The answer, of course, was everything.

“Good boy, Spark,” Kara said, scratching behind the ears of a friendly chestnut. Spark shook his head, huffing in an annoyance that could only mean give me food.

Kara smiled, slipping off his halter inside his stall. “Soon, boy. I hope your new home loves you,” she said, as the gelding sighed back.

She quietly exited, latching up the stall behind her, making her way towards the small lounging area for jockeys at the racetrack. I think I’ll make my rent this month, she thought, happy about her winnings that weekend from the many races she had done. Maybe I’ll start being able to do higher races soon.

Claims racing was the bottom of the barrel when it came to thoroughbred racing. But Kara had to start somewhere. When 17-year-old Kara Zorell had been orphaned two years ago, she had taken whatever jobs she could - mucking stalls, grooming horses, anything to pay the bills.

At least I get to be around animals, Kara would think to herself, knowing her dream of becoming a vet was too distant to her new reality. But it wasn’t all bad. Kara had a knack for working with horses, and maybe if she could work her way up-

“Miss Zorell?” 

Kara turned, her brow crinkling as she noticed a well-dressed woman heading her way. In a world of dirt and mud, the woman’s high-end loafers made little sense. “Can I help you?” Kara asked.

“I’m hoping you can,” she said, holding out her hand. “My name is Lena Luthor.”

“Luthor,” Kara said, her eyebrows raising as she took Lena’s hand. I didn’t know Lex’s sister was so pretty, she thought, fighting the odd skip of her heartbeat.

“I guess you’ve paid attention to the news,” Lena said. “I would like to hire you.”

“To do what?” Kara asked.

“To be my jockey. I have a horse, and I want to win the Kentucky Derby.”

“The Derby?” Kara sputtered. “You know I’m just a claims jockey, right?”

“I do,” Lena said. “And, frankly, I barely know what that means. But I do understand statistics.”

“... Statistics.”

Lena’s mouth twitched, and she pulled out a small notepad from her coat. “You haven’t been at this long, but you perform at two standard deviations outside of the norm for other claims jockeys.”

“I win a lot,” Kara summarized.

“You’re good with horses,” Lena said. “Even long-shots do disproportionately well with you as a rider.”

Kara watched Lena. “Which horses do you still have?”

“Just one,” Lena said, “Kryptonite Glow.”

Kara’s brow raised. “The one Mike Matthews refuses to ride again?”

Lena fought back a grimace. “It’s my one shot.”

“Who’s your trainer?”

“I don’t have one,” Lena answered, realizing she was straining credulity. She could see how hard Kara was fighting to remain polite, but the blonde clearly thought she was insane. “I can pay you a salary for the next few months until the Derby. Longer, if we win.”

“I’m not a trainer, Miss Luthor.”

“I know,” Lena said, “But this is the only shot I have. You have a habit of riding long-shots, I’m hoping I can be one of them.”

Kara’s brows raised to the ceiling, and Lena - having realized her own wording, and feeling herself turn some ridiculous shade of red - prayed to melt into the ground instead.

But luckily, Kara moved on. “I’d like to ride the horse before deciding,” Kara said, “I can be over this afternoon?”

Lena smiled. “Thank you.”

Three hundred thousand dollars, Kara thought.

That was how much the winning jockey made in the Kentucky Derby - not to mention the fame associated with winning the legendary Run for the Roses. She tried not to think about it. Her winning - or riding in the race at all - was highly unlikely. But the thought still bounced around in her mind. That would be enough to go get my college degree, she thought, I think I’d still have enough for vet school-

But she shook it off. Old dreams weren’t worth dwelling on, and she expected to be back into claims racing in a month.

As she pulled into Luthor Stables, she could see Lena in the distance, past the mansion out towards the barn. A stablehand - Winn, if Kara remembered correctly from crossing paths at the racetrack - had spotted Kara’s car, and waved her over to a parking spot near the barn.

Kara exited her car, making her way to the barn entry. “Hello again,” she said to Lena, before turning to the stablehand. “And you’re Winn, right?”

“Yup,” Winn said.

“Winn’s my one remaining staff member,” Lena said quietly. “At least until we get back on our feet.” If we ever do, Lena thought to herself.

“We just have Krypto now,” Winn said, “I’ve been taking him out on the lunge line to stay conditioned.”

Kara nodded. Lunging a horse - keeping the horse on a rope, to run in circles - was less of a workout than riding a horse, but if Krypto was a challenge for riders, it was at least something to keep him in shape and build his stamina. “Let’s take a look,” she said, as the trio headed inside.

Krypto was already in the crossties, tossing his head. Kara tilted her head at the horse. “I’ve heard he’s a problem to ride - is he a problem on the ground?”

“Nah, he’s a sweetheart,” Winn said. “Not sure why he keeps trying to throw his rider.”

“He’s tossing his head a lot,” Kara said curiously.

“I read that headtossing is a sign of aggression,” Lena said.

“Or injury,” Kara mulled, “Though this doesn’t look like either.”

It didn’t take long to get him saddled up. Krypto continued tossing his head from time to time, but patiently followed Kara out of the barn. He stood still as Kara hoisted herself up, and sighed as she clucked to get him moving.

Winn opened the gate to the track as they reached it, letting Kara and Krypto through. Lena held back with her arms crossed, nervous at what the blonde might think.

Kara first pushed Krypto into a trot, and he continued to toss his head as he warmed up.

“Huh,” Winn said.

“What is it?” Lena asked.

“She’s not schooling him.”

“Schooling?”

“Normally riders try to stop him from tossing his head,” Winn said, “It’s considered bad horse manners to let him get away with it.”

The pair watched as Kara and Krypto made their way around the arena, eventually working to a faster canter where Krypto stopped tossing his head, and then an even-paced gallop where he seemed determined to go faster - it was Kara that held him back from going all out.

“Why’s she holding him back?” Lena asked, noticing the blonde pulling tightly at the reins.

“He hasn’t been ridden in a while. She probably doesn’t want to injure him.”

After about an hour or so of riding, Kara made her way back to the gate, and Krypto tossed his head cheerfully. “He’s a wonderful ride,” Kara said, patting at his sweaty neck. “I think he just needs a chance.”

Once Krypto was cleaned up, and Winn left for his other job, Kara and Lena made their way up to Luthor Mansion. “Gosh, this place is huge,” Kara said.

And weirdly quiet, Lena thought to herself. With the past few weeks without Lillian or Lex or the housestaff, Lena often felt like a ghost roaming the halls. She didn’t feel too worried - her security system was proficient for detecting intruders - but after years in boarding school with only occasional visits to a usually-crowded home, she realized that she felt… alone.

Lena made tea in the commercial-style kitchen, and the two took their seats there instead of the dining room. Somehow, the wooden table with 18 chairs in the imposingly large space seemed like an absurd place for a cozy discussion with two people. 

It looks like she spends most of her time here, Kara thought, looking at the piles of notes on the kitchen table. “These are your old trainer’s notes?” Kara asked.

“Lockwood,” Lena said. “I think I’ve constructed a training plan from what he intended.”

Kara hummed in response.

“So have you thought about my offer?” Lena said.

Kara frowned thoughtfully. “Krypto’s a good horse. But I’m not sure it’s fair for me to take a salary from you. Without a trainer, we have very little chance of winning.”

“Little is better than none,” Lena said softly.

Kara watched the woman for a moment. “How about this. I won’t take a salary. I’ll continue claims racing in the mornings, then come here in the afternoons to work out Krypto. Winn can continue his morning lungeline workouts to keep him in shape. We’ll go from there.”

Lena’s relief was palpable, mentally noting that she’d backpay Kara a salary if they somehow ended up winning. “That works for me,” she said.

Kara smiled. “In that case, I should get going. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon?”

Lena nodded, and the two got up to make their way to the door. “You’re welcome to stay here while you work for me,” Lena said. “I realize it’s an odd situation, but… I have plenty of room, and it’ll make your commute easier.”

Kara watched her for a moment. “I have a cat,” she said. “He’d like the barns, if it’s ok if I bring him?”

“Of course,” Lena said.

Kara held out her hand, and Lena took it. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” Kara said.

Luthor Mansion was depressing at night.

Propping open her computer on her old childhood bedroom desk, she began to sift through whatever data she could. Horse nutrition, biometrics, workout data - anything and everything that could give her some sort of advantage in her insane quest to revive Luthor Stables.

The mansion creaked as it settled, and Lena felt that lonely pit in her stomach again that she tried to ignore. The dark hallways, the quiet of night, the quashed dreams of attending MIT were all she had for company. All she had was this longshot of a horse and a stranger for a jockey to try to scrape up something in her life again.

The odds were low, that she knew.

At 4am, she finally fell asleep.

The sun hadn’t risen when Kara dropped off her bags - and Streaky - at Luthor Stables that morning. She knew Lena wouldn’t be up yet, but she saw Winn already lunging Krypto in an arena. She waved in the distance, and made her way to Lockwood’s old office.

She dumped her bags on the floor, releasing Streaky from her arms. The cat immediately surged up a column into the barn rafters, seeming content to lord over the pathway below. You’ll love it here, Kara thought, listening to the soft purr. You can chase mice for a few weeks.

She took in the office, glancing around at the piles of Lockwood’s old notes and books, marveling at the academic approach he seemed to take in training his horses. 

Kara sighed, making her way back down the barn aisle towards her car, passing saddles and old piles of used horseshoes and bottles of leather oil. She wondered what the barn had looked like before, bustling with horses and stablehands in all directions. Could she really help Lena rebuild the ghost town into a thriving stable again?

God, she wanted to.

Lena was beautiful, sweet, smart - and desperate. It was a heady mix for Kara, someone coming to her in need. The woman had lost everything, just like her, and somehow she had started feeling like they could find themselves together. 

I’m not the hero she’s looking for, Kara reminded herself, knowing that her seemingly-noble urges were driven by something just a little more base, winning the Derby is impossible. In a couple of months, I’ll never see her again.

But she couldn’t help but try.

Heading back to her car, she mulled her lineup for the day, three or four races depending on jockey dropouts. She soon reached Metropolis Downs Racetrack - not all too far from Luthor Stables - minutes later, exiting her junker of a car to head to the jockey lockers for her first weigh-in.

“That family ruined my life,” a man muttered. 

“Your life isn’t ruined, Tom, you just gotta start over,” another man replied.

Kara glanced to the side, noting the two men standing in a corner, the first man seeming a bit unstable on his feet. Drunk, Kara thought, looking over the face and trying to place him. Tom, Tom, why is that name familiar…

Then it occurred to her. She had seen Tom with Lockwood, back when Lockwood was training the Luthor horses. He was the assistant trainer, Kara thought, looks like he’s back to being a stablehand now…

“That Luthor bitch isn’t in a cell,” Tom growled.

“You gotta let it go. Move on,” his friend replied.

Kara frowned. Lena isn’t her brother, she thought, as she passed them and continued on.

Lena thought she was seeing things.

The sun had risen, and Lena’s second espresso gave her the energy to make her way down to the stables. She could see Winn by the hay shed on the other side of the stalls, pulling down a bale.

She peeked into Krypto’s stall, not surprised to find the colt. But what she didn’t expect to find was a tortoiseshell cat sitting on his back, watching Lena closely.

“They seem to be getting along,” Winn said as he approached, tossing the hay bale into the stall for a very grateful Krypto.

“This must be Kara’s cat,” Lena said.

“Streaky,” Winn replied. “Kara came by to drop off her stuff this morning, it’s in Lockwood’s office.”

Lena nodded, making her way to the office that was attached to the barn, planning on grabbing more of Lockwood’s notes. Lockwood had, by all means, been a strong horse trainer - and his decidedly academic approach made it easy for Lena to catch up on his notes and start formulating a new plan.

Lena noticed Kara’s pile in the corner - a couple of duffle bags, and some tin cans of cat food. Lena smiled, feeling a small flutter in her stomach at the thought of seeing the blonde later.

She sat down, intent to shuffle through more notes.

Kara smiled when she reached the doorway.

Another three winning races under her belt - claims races, but at least she had some earnings - she arrived back at Luthor Stables in the early afternoon. She had quickly found Lena, studiously absorbed in a horse physiology book, completely unaware of Kara’s presence outside of Lockwood’s old office. Hunched over in a sofa chair, the brunette hovered over the book, biting at her lip in thought as she jotted notes.

Kara wondered for a moment what it would be like to kiss the concentration off of her lips. But Kara shook her head. Get it together, she thought to herself, knocking on the doorframe.

Lena’s head shot up. “Kara!” she said, “Is it time for Krypto’s workout already?”

“I’m going to get him tacked up now,” Kara said, pulling herself away from the door as Lena jumped up to follow.

“So I think we can fit in two races before the Derby,” Lena said as she exited, following Kara down the hall. “I want to be conservative with his training, but a few weeks between races gives him plenty of time. He had some wins before Lex’s arrest - if he does well in one race, he’ll qualify for the Derby.”

“And two wins gives Luthor Stables more money to stay afloat,” Kara said, getting a nod from Lena. “The first two races are in Metropolis?”

“Yup,” Lena said, “I’ve booked the travel and hotel rooms to the Derby.”

It’d be cheaper if we shared a room, came an idle thought in Kara’s mind, causing a blush that went up to her ears as she brushed at Krypto’s coat. The likelihood of actually making it to the Derby felt low anyway. “Sounds good to me.”

“So how’d you get into horse racing?” Lena asked, digging her chopsticks into the lo mein container. “You like animals?”

It was Kara’s first evening staying at Luthor Mansion, and Lena had initially been nervous. As lonely as the mansion was, it was just odd to have company, company she knew Lillian wouldn’t approve of. But… her family was in prison, so she supposed it was up to her to make the rules.

“I wanted to be a vet,” Kara said, leaning forward to grab the box of potstickers, “I’d love to help animals. At least this way, I still get to work with them.”

“How long have you been doing this?” Lena asked curiously.

Kara shrugged. “I took a job at a hunting ranch for vacationers a few years ago. Pretty popular place. I started by shoveling stalls, grooming horses, that sort of thing. They eventually taught me to ride.”

“A few years ago,” Lena mulled. “How old are you?”

“Nineteen. I got emancipated after my mother died. My father died years ago.”

“Oh,” Lena murmured, “I’m so sorry.”

Kara smiled back softly. “It’s hard, but… the only way through is forward, you know?”

Lena’s eyes met Kara’s, as a brief flutter went through her chest. I guess we both know what that’s like, she thought.

“Anyway, the owner of the ranch - Cat - she’d visit sometimes. She said I was getting too comfortable.”

“Cat… Grant? This was one of the Catco properties?”

“Yup,” Kara said. “She encouraged me to do more - go to Metropolis, try horseracing. That was about a year ago. She said my talent was too good to be stuck at a dude ranch.”

“Well, she was right about that,” Lena said.

Kara smiled back. “How about you? It sounds like you never went into the family business?”

Lena shrugged. “I’ve been at boarding school most of the time. Not much time to learn the family business between my AP classes and my girlfriend.”

Girlfriend, Kara thought, eyes darting to Lena in surprise, noting the flush on the Luthor’s cheeks. “Makes sense,” Kara said, “So you’re long-distance now?” Is that too obvious a question?

“No,” Lena said, “We’re not together anymore.”

Kara felt the quick patter of her heart, and wondered if Lena felt the same.

Lena watched curiously as she walked across the mansion lawn to the oval track, wrapping her shawl tightly against the cool morning breeze, as she watched Winn try to mount Krypto - with Kara only a few feet away, holding Streaky in her arms.

“Whoa there,” Winn said nervously, as Krypto shifted forward.

“You’re fine,” Kara said encouragingly as Lena reached the trio, just as Winn successfully got on top. “There you go- take the reins- go ahead and trot him for a lap. Don’t try to school his head nod.”

Winn nodded nervously, clucking to urge Krypto forward along the track.

“Winn’s riding today?” Lena asked.

“Yeah,” Kara said, scratching at Streaky’s back, “It’ll be useful if Krypto can get real workouts while I’m doing the morning races. The lunge line workouts are helpful, but this’ll keep him in better condition.”

Lena nodded as she watched Winn make his way round, eventually posting smoothly on Krypto’s back. “Next lap at a canter!” Kara shouted, watching as Winn nodded back, and Krypto sped into a faster gate.

The early training weeks went by in a blur. With Krypto getting regular workouts - morning and afternoon - his speed and stamina quickly surged. Winn’s workouts in the morning were simple conditioning workouts, with Kara providing the more demanding afternoon workouts. It seemed, as long as no one tried to keep Krypto from tossing his head, he was friendly to his riders.

For Kara’s part, the jockey had kept things professional - or as professional as one could, given that she was now living with Lena. Still, she gave Lena space, and it wasn’t hard given their different schedules. They did spend their evenings together, often scrounging up leftovers and talking late into the night before turning in. But Kara never crossed a line.

Lena, admittedly, was starting to want her to.

Still, the weeks passed smoothly, and Lena felt taken by surprise as the first race day finally arrived.

She fidgeted as she watched Winn and Kara groom Krypto, as the colt cheerfully tossed his head. The first two races she had selected - the ones before the Kentucky Derby - were local to the Metropolis Downs Racetrack. It meant a short ride from Luthor Stables in the trailer.

She was cautiously optimistic. Krypto’s times were strong, and improving by the day. Let’s hope it’s an easy ride today, she thought. A third place victory would guarantee his entry into the Kentucky Derby. A first place victory would make the finances a little less difficult.

Metropolis Racetrack was abuzz with other horses and riders and grooms, many with bigger teams than Lena’s stablehand and jockey. It made Lena nervous, especially as she noticed the glare of one man in particular. “Who’s he?” she whispered to Kara, nodding subtly to her side.

Kara glanced over. “Tom Henry. He actually worked for Lockwood.”

“Ah,” Lena said, “So he doesn’t like me.”

“Yeah, I’d keep my distance,” Kara agreed. “I think he works for Morgan Edge now.”

Lena swallowed back nerves, watching as the saddle was cinched to Krypto’s back, and finally Kara led him outside and mounted, waiting for a lead pony to fetch her. “Good luck,” Lena said.

Kara smiled. “See you at the finish line.”

Winn nudged Lena, and the two found their way to bleachers, taking in the track. The race field was large - 11 horses, with Krypto pulling the 5th slot in the gate. Not ideal, since the higher-number gates were farther from the inner rail. Lena prayed it’d be enough.

One by one, the horses loaded into the gates - mostly smoothly, which was surprising for younger horses. But Morgan Edge’s horse - a chestnut by the name of Acre Lee - seemed to panic as he loaded into the 6th gate, causing delays.

But finally, the horses were set, and the gates flew open. “And they're off!” the announcer cried.

Lena’s heart skipped as Krypto stumbled out of the gate. The horse immediately surged forward, apparently no worse for wear, but the race was already in peril. “Not good,” Winn said.

Lena’s heart pounded as she watched Kara and the black colt make up ground, his easy large strides proving exceptional compared to the field. But there was only so much that could be done. “She’s boxed in,” Winn said. 

“What happens now?” Lena said, as the horses rounded the first of two turns. 

“She either prays for an opening, or she slows to go around.”

“Do you think she’ll do that? Go around?”

“Not sure it’ll help,” Winn said. “That big a cluster, they won’t make up the time.”

Lena felt her heart pounding beat-for-beat with Krypto’s hooves, watching Kara take glances at her sides, trying to figure out the strategy as they approached the last turn. Locked into place by the horses around her, the screens above showed Lena that Kara was solidly in fifth. Come on, come on, Lena thought, just two more places, and we can make it.

“Oceanside is breaking away!” the announcer called over the microphone, “He’s two lengths ahead now!”

“She’s making her move,” Winn said, standing to get a better look. “The fourth place horse is fading back too.”

As the first place horse surged forward, Kara angled Krypto between two others, refusing to let them get further boxed in. As the horse on the inner railing gained ground and pulled ahead by a length, Kara found herself head-to-head with the horse on her other side.

Third place, third place, Lena prayed, watching as the two horses went neck-and-neck. That’s Morgan Edge’s horse…

She could hear the announcer, becoming more and more animated as the horses approached the turn. “Oceanside is breaking away, Washington Starling a few lengths behind in second place, we have Kryptonite Glow and Acre Lee vying for third place- and it’s Oceanside in first! Oceanside in first, Washington Starling in second-”

Who got third?, Lena thought, watching as the two horses seemed to cross the finish line almost in unison. “Did she do it?” Lena asked Winn, trying to get a better look. 

“It’s a photo finish,” Winn said, “They’ll take a minute to pull it up.”

With bated breaths, Lena and Winn waited, watching as Kara brought Krypto to a halt, watching as Oceanside was led to the winners circle for photos. We just need third, we just need third, Lena thought.

And then a photo flashed onto the screen.

“YES!” Winn said, “We’ve got it!”

Lena smiled wide, noting Krypto’s dark muzzle just an inch ahead of Acre Lee. “We did it!” Lena said excitedly, “We’re in the Derby!”

“Fuck,” came a voice behind her. Lena turned, watching Tom Henry stomp away.

“I’m so sorry, Lena,” Kara said as she dismounted.

“Why?” Lena said, “Kara, you did great!”

“I shouldn’t have let us get boxed in,” Kara said, “It’s not Krypto. Krypto’s amazing, it’s like he can fly-”

“Hey,” Lena said, grabbing Kara by the shoulders. “You got us qualified for the Derby. We can make it until then. Everything else is gravy.”

Kara smiled back. In the next couple of hours, the trio loaded Krypto into the trailer to bring him home, giving him an extra helping of hay as they settled into the normal night.

Winn left early, leaving Kara and Lena to roam the barn hallway, discussing plans for the next few weeks. 

“Want to put on some music?” Kara asked, gesturing to an old stereo that sat on a pile of used horseshoes.

Lena frowned as she examined the radio, punching some buttons until the speakers came to life. “I’m surprised this still works,” she said, drawing a smile from Kara.

Winn resumed Krypto’s workouts in the mornings, with Kara giving him a second workout in the afternoons. Lena charted his progress, blown away by how fast the colt was progressing.

Nights continued to pass in quiet coziness with Kara at the mansion. Making tea, reading books, laughing at movies. Once, after a particularly tiring day, Lena had drifted off and fallen asleep onto Kara’s shoulder. 

She had been embarrassed to wake, having invaded so much of Kara’s personal space - but there was a shy warmth in the blonde’s eyes. “Maybe it’s time for sleep,” Kara had said gently.

Lena started waking earlier in the mornings, seeing Kara off before she headed to the track, before heading down to work with Winn. Between Winn and Kara, she found herself learning how to handle Krypto on the ground - basic grooming, basic care. 

Krypto was friendly enough. “You could kill it in the Derby, boy,” she said, scritching behind his ears as he looked back with warm brown eyes. She could feel hopefulness in her chest as his times improved.

But she tried to temper her expectations. They were a team without a trainer - and workouts on an empty track wasn’t the same as race day. But still.

“Second race tomorrow,” she said to the colt. “Are you ready?”

Krypto tossed his head proudly.

The sun had just set when Kara and Lena made their way down to the barn again, giving Krypto and Streaky their evening meals. What would be any other day felt more tense at that moment - tomorrow was the second race, hopefully one that could provide Luthor Stable with a better financial cushion until the Derby.

But their nerves were in the air. Krypto shifted in his stall, and Streaky would occasionally abandon his meal to weave chaotically around Kara’s legs. “Seems like they’re really feeling it,” Lena said.

Kara glanced at an old stereo sitting outside Lockwood’s office. “Maybe we can put on some music.” Lena nodded.

Moments later, pop music bubbled to life, drawing a grin from Kara. She turned to Lena, offering her hand. “Want to dance?”

Lena’s heart skipped a beat. “Sure,” she said, placing her hands in Kara’s. Kara quickly twirled Lena, before catching her in her arms. Lena laughed, feeling the tinge of energy as Kara’s hand brushed her side.

She found it easy to relax, get carried away in the upbeat. Kara didn’t seem to know what she was doing, but she was easy to follow, and Lena found she was able to let loose. Kara would goof off, make silly moves, and Lena felt comfortable making them in turn. It didn’t matter if she danced right with no one else watching - only that she felt free.

Then everything stopped. 

The barn lights flicked off, the stereo shut down, and Kara and Lena were suddenly cast into shadow and moonlight, left with no noise aside from their heavy breathing. Must be a power outage, Lena thought, glancing to Kara’s now-shadowed face.

A shock ran up Lena’s spine as she realized just how close she and Kara were. She could barely see the warm blue eyes in the darkness, could feel the panting breaths, could feel the hands on her waist.

Moreover, she could see how Kara was affected, too - the blonde’s eyes had dropped to her lips, and Lena realized she wasn’t the only one feeling this.

“Lena…” Kara murmured, “Tell me this is all in my head.”

Lena hesitated, letting herself catch her breath, mulling over her answer because… she couldn’t tell Kara she was wrong. “I’m on the verge of losing everything,” Lena finally said, “I’m not sure I should pull you into this. It’s better if you can walk away.”

“I've already lost everything,” Kara murmured, “And I don’t want to walk away. Not if you want me here too.”

Lena’s hands fell gingerly to Kara’s waist, as she looked over her eyes. It felt so simple, somehow - she felt safe in a way, like the world wasn’t all on her shoulders. Starting over would be rough, but it wasn’t unimaginable anymore. And if she could be with Kara… “I want this too.”

Kara smiled, tilting her head for permission, asking a silent question. Lena smiled and leaned closer, feeling the tickling of Kara’s breath against her lips-

“Where is she?”

A man’s slurred voice reverberated through the barn, startling the two women apart, their heads turning to look down the barn row to the entrance. In the dark, Kara could see the outline of a man looking at them, spotting a glint of moonlight reflecting from his hand. Is that a knife?, Kara thought worriedly, realizing that the power outage had not been accidental.

“Where is she?” he shouted again.

“Who is that?” Lena whispered, wide-eyed.

“Tom Henry,” Kara realized, recognizing his voice, finally registering that he sounded drunk, “Get into Lockwood’s office and call the police.”

Before Lena could object, Kara began walking down the aisle. “Tom? What are you doing here?”

“Where’s Lena Luthor?” he shouted into the darkness.

“Tom, you need to go home-”

“That bitch ruined everything-”

“Put the knife down and let’s just talk-”

Knife?, Lena thought, her heart hammering as she reached for her phone. But she glanced around frantically, trying to find a weapon instead, something she could use in the short term to protect Kara - or herself. Why don’t I have a baseball bat or something-

“Tom!” she heard, and she was moving before she realized what she was doing. Running into the barn aisle, she could make out Tom and Kara ahead in the dim moonlight, him trying to wrestle her against a stall door as she gave him a swift knee in the gut.

Lena passed the small pile of steel horseshoes on the ground, picking one up as she approached the pair.

“Lena!” Kara shouted, struggling as Tom had shoved her against the wall again, “Run!”

That got Tom’s attention for a moment, as he turned towards Lena, a wild glint in his eye as he charged at her. But Kara made a grab for his arm and attempted to punch at his head, before he swiftly turned back to her.

Kara made a noise that Lena didn’t recognize, didn’t understand, couldn’t process. Acting on instinct alone, Lena ran up to Tom as he was turned away from her, bringing the steel horseshoe down on his head as hard as she could. Tom crumpled to the dirt, silent and bleeding from the head, and Lena looked up at Kara.

Kara had her back to a stall wall, sliding to the floor as she panted heavily. But most concerning was the red patch growing on her clothes, and the knife plunged in her abdomen. “Kara!” Lena shouted, grabbing the blonde as she collapsed to the floor, “Kara! Kara, stay with me-”

Lena panicked, frantically checking her pocket for her phone, as Kara’s world faded to black.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

The steady drum of Kara’s heart played out on the hospital monitor, as Lena sat at Kara’s side, head tiredly resting on the bed next to Kara’s lap. This is hell.

Kara had lost a lot of blood - soaking the dirt floor of the barn. The smears left behind as the paramedics loaded her into a gurney kept flashing before Lena’s mind. Is she going to be okay?, Lena wondered.

When the paramedics had arrived, Lena had been pushed to stay behind. She had called Winn, who had picked her up and taken her to the hospital, where they quickly learned that Kara was in surgery - for how long, or for what injuries, they didn’t know. 

Winn offered to stay, but Lena urged him to leave. “We don’t know how long this will take,” she said tiredly, “Check on Krypto and Streaky, I’ll let you know what happens with Kara.”

Her head pounded with anxiety as she waited alone, occasionally getting a ping from Winn - Krypto and Streaky are fine, I got the power back on - but otherwise, she sat in eerie silence. The hospital was quiet and sterile. 

“You’re Kara’s family?” a nurse said, hours later as she walked into the room.

“I’m, uh- her roommate,” Lena said nervously.

The nurse nodded. “She’s out of surgery. You can follow me.”

Lena felt nauseous as she followed the nurse down the hall, finding the unconscious Kara in a room. A quick glance to her vitals showed her blood pressure was low. Maybe that’s normal, she thought. “Will she be okay?” she asked.

“The doctor will be here soon,” the nurse said. 

So that’s where Lena waited, exhausted, half collapsing on the bed as Kara’s chest steadily rose and fell. Please be okay, please be okay, she thought over and over again.

This was her fault. Her fault. She had dragged Kara into the curse that was her family name, on the verge of losing everything, and now she had nearly cost Kara her life. She’s in this bed because of me, Lena thought.

Because she was trying to protect me…

Lena swallowed harshly, pushing back the longing and regret. Because in the seconds before she realized she was in danger, her heart had already been pounding for a very different reason. For a moment, she could feel it, two people trying to make it in this world, and maybe they had found each other at the right time. Maybe this was more than a business arrangement, or even a friendship. Kara’s arms had been so warm, her voice so gentle. “I don’t want to walk away. Not if you want me here too.”

“Ms. Luthor?”

Lena’s head jerked up, quickly wiping at the tears she didn’t realize were slipping down her face. “That’s me,” she said.

The doctor entered the room. “I’m Dr. Torres,” she said. “I operated on your friend here.”

“What are her injuries?” Lena asked.

“She got very lucky,” Dr. Torres responded. “Soft tissue injuries, but no damage to any major organs. She lost a lot of blood which caused her to faint, but I don’t anticipate a difficult recovery.”

Relief swept Lena over. “What will her recovery look like?”

“She should avoid exercise for three to four weeks,” Dr. Torres said. “Plenty of fluids, food with iron. We’ll make sure to give you a recovery sheet.”

“When will she wake up?” Lena asked.

“Maybe a couple of hours. She will be very tired for the next week or so.”

Lena nodded and thanked the doctor as she left. Eventually, Lena found herself lowering her head again to Kara’s bed, crying in silent relief, until she too drifted off to sleep.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

It was the first sound Kara noticed as she came to. Annoying, repeating, over and over again when she really just wanted to drift off to sleep. She floated in and out, slipping back into oblivion before being dragged into sensation again as the damn noise continued.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Somewhere in the ebb and flow of consciousness, memories began to return. She could feel a warm hand on her own, and imagined a brunette by her side, a warm smile and brilliant green eyes that would make her heart pound.

But as her brain spun up, she slowly pieced together the facts of her life again, remembering things like her name and her dead parents and learning to ride - and a crucial fact that kept bubbling to the surface. Tom Henry had a knife.

Her eyes opened.

“Hey,” came a tired voice, as Kara’s blurry eyes glanced to the side. Kara felt a squeeze to her hand.

“Lena,” Kara whispered, “You’re okay.”

“Thanks to you.”

Kara tried to smile back, and maybe even succeeded a little. Lena reached over, offering Kara a sip of water from a straw, which she gratefully took. “How bad is it?” Kara asked.

“He didn’t hit any major organs,” Lena said, “The doctor said you got lucky. You’ll need a few weeks to recover.”

“A few weeks? The race-” Kara panicked, suddenly feeling more awake.

“Don’t worry about the race,” Lena said adamantly, “The most important thing is you’re okay.”

Kara sunk back into bed.

Nurses came by, bringing breakfast and bandage changes, helping Kara sit up in bed and discussing the plans to discharge her later in the afternoon. She could see the exhaustion on Lena’s face - perhaps not quite matching her own, but feeling all too familiar - but there was relief there, too. It was no different from Kara, who was thanking whatever powers may be that Lena was alive.

And then Kara drew quiet and shy.

“What are you thinking?” Lena asked. 

Kara’s mouth twitched. “I thought I was going to get to kiss you.”

Lena held back a small grin. “You still can.”

“I think you’ll have to be the one to lean in this time.”

Lena’s eyes darted between Kara’s for a moment, before leaning forward again. Kara’s hand floated up to cup Lena’s face. A small laugh escaped Lena’s lips, drawing a smile from Kara in return.

And their lips finally met.

The sun had just set by the time they reached Luthor Manor, relieved and exhausted. They had gotten news that Tom Henry survived Lena’s defense, but was under lockdown in the hospital, to be going into custody after recovery. 

“Maybe you should sleep in my bed,” Lena murmured as she helped Kara up the steps of Luthor Mansion. “It’s king sized, you’ll be able to wake me up if you need me.”

“Makes sense,” Kara said, turning a slight shade of pink.

The two hobbled to the bedroom, before Lena slowly eased Kara on to the bed. “I should check your dressing,” Lena said, gesturing towards the wound.

Kara nodded and laid back, pulling her shirt up enough for Lena to see her side. “Not how I imagined this,” Kara muttered.

“Looks like you didn’t tear any stitches,” Lena said, shifting Kara’s shirt down again before shyly meeting the blonde’s eyes. “You imagined, what? Me undressing you in bed?”

Kara swallowed nervously. “I plead the fifth.”

“This isn’t a court of law,” Lena smirked, as she removed the bandages.

Kara took a sharp intake of breath as Lena pressed a salve to her wound. “I think I can start riding in a few days,” she said, trying to ignore the pain, “Krypto needs his workouts.”

“You’re not riding for weeks,” Lena said sternly. “Doctor’s orders.”

“But the Derby-” 

“If we don’t run the Derby, so be it,” Lena said, “My entire plan has been a long shot since the beginning.”

Kara frowned as Lena redressed the wound. Lena glanced up at Kara’s skeptical face. “Winn said he can do Krypto’s afternoon workouts,” Lena said, “We’ll see where you are in a few weeks, okay?”

Kara nodded, and laid back down.

Weeks passed, and Kara steadily recovered. Winn took over for Krypto’s workouts in the afternoons as he became more comfortable with riding. It was still a far cry from real racing, but it kept Krypto in good condition as Kara healed.

Tom Henry took a plea deal, which was a great relief to Lena, to not need to think about a stressful trial. It gave her more time to sink into the stables’ finances - a stress that she tried to hide from Kara, though the blonde was perceptive. During one particularly bad night, Kara had reached to Lena in the dark, and Lena found herself crying in strong arms. They didn’t speak of it in the morning.

It was at that point that Lena decided to visit Lex again in prison - to review her plans, to look over the finances. “I have Krypto running the Derby,” she said to him, watching from across a prison visit table.

Lex examined Lena curiously. “I heard you were attacked.”

“Yeah,” Lena said, “Kara fought him off.”

“Kara?” 

“She’s…” Lena hesitated. A few weeks ago, it would’ve been easy to tell Lex that Kara was a jockey. But they were slowly becoming more. Kara wasn’t just a girlfriend - Kara was the only source of stability Lena had at this point.

“A jockey?” Lex said, with a judgmental quirk of his eyebrow. “You’re a Luthor, and you’re sleeping with a jockey?”

Not yet, she thought, shifting uncomfortably under her brother’s gaze, but that’s not your business.

Lena gazed at her brother ahead. She had felt crushed, crushed, when she learned of Lex and Lillian’s financial games, how the pair’s greed had devastated all of their lives. But she was still here, still… seeking approval. 

You did this, and you’re judging me?, Lena thought, her jaw tensing. Why am I here? “What can I say?” Lena said coolly as she rose from her seat, “She’s a good lay. Maybe even good enough to marry.”

“Lena…” Lex said warningly.

“Goodbye, Lex,” Lena said, as she walked out the prison door.

Kara’s first ride back was exciting.

Not the ride itself. The ride itself was a gentle workout, all things considered. Krypto seemed especially cheerful as he watched Kara tack him up, before the blonde mounted swiftly. She had lost some conditioning of her own, but some home workouts helped her keep most of her muscle.

The easy walks eventually became smooth gallops over the course of an hour - not racing speed, but a steady gait. But even then, Krypto’s pace was good. “Four weeks,” Kara said, as she dismounted. “I think we can be in good condition in four weeks.”

Streaky hopped onto Krypto’s back, and Krypto tossed his head.

Of course, those four weeks back weren’t all work.

There were movie nights and silly dancing and more than one makeout in the barn. Winn threatened to spray the two with cold water if he ever came across that again.

The nights became more intense, with kisses that deepend and teased, slowly driving Lena insane. It wasn’t that she was entirely inexperienced - she had been Andrea’s roommate for a year, and that had led to plenty of adventure on its own - but she sensed that there were lines that Kara hadn’t yet crossed. So Lena didn’t push, following the blonde’s lead on where to start and where to end.

But that didn’t mean Lena couldn’t be inviting.

It hadn’t taken long for Lena to notice Kara’s enchantment with certain… assets. Normally a conservative dresser, Lena found herself going for a lowcut top one day. Kara had looked like she was ready to swallow her own tongue when Lena stepped out to head to the barn that morning.

Kara was all professional as she rode Krypto. But the grooming afterwards was hilarious to watch. She forgot to latch a crosstie (Krypto stood correctly out of habit), set her saddle down about three inches to the left of where the saddle stand was so that it immediately fell, and she nearly stepped on a disgruntled Streaky’s tail.

When they got back to Luthor Manor, Kara excused herself to shower off the dirt and sweat, though Lena noticed a distinct lack of steam coming from the bathroom. She found herself smirking as she situated herself on the couch, reading a book.

Kara made her way back, dressed in a tshirt and boxers - an outfit she had become comfortable in around the Manor after the stabbing - distinctly avoiding looking at Lena as she sat down. “Want to watch a movie?” she said a little breathlessly.

“Here, or in the bedroom?” Lena said casually.

Kara glanced back at Lena, before her eyes dropped to Lena’s cleavage again. “Or we can do something else,” Lena murmured shyly.

Kara was able to tear herself away from Lena’s curves, and look up her eyes. “Wait, were you doing this on purpose?”

Lena flushed. “Did it work?”

Kara didn’t answer as she tugged Lena in for the kiss. Yes, Lena’s mind screamed.

Chaotic and impatient, Kara pushed Lena back down onto the couch, as Lena teased at the blonde’s lips with her tongue. Kara groaned. “Tell me what I can do,” she murmured.

“Anything,” Lena answered.

Kara glanced up nervously at Lena’s eyes, but Lena smiled reassuringly.

Kara leaned down again, kissing at Lena’s neck, as hands began crawling along the inside of her shirt. Eagerly, Kara worked her way down Lena’s shoulder, before kissing at the swell of her breast. “Can I take this off?” Kara asked, tugging at the first.

“Please,” Lena asked, arching her back in permission as Kara shimmied her shirt and bra up and over her head.

She watched as the blonde above her drank her in, eyes drifting back to her breasts, now fully exposed and hitting cool air that caused her nipples to harden. “Beautiful,” Kara murmured, right hand crawling up Lena’s side to cup her breast, Kara’s thumb flicking over the hardened pebble. 

God, don’t stop here, Lena thought, begging internally as she throbbed somewhere lower.

Kara lowered herself again, kissing at the top of the swell of Lena’s cleavage, kissing along the arch of Lena’s breast until her lips drifted to the other nipple. Lena cried out as Kara’s mouth enveloped Lena’s nipple, the other hand diligently flicking against the one that was still exposed, causing Lena’s hips to buck instinctively in search of friction.

Kara’s free hand began to migrate lower, finding a new home on Lena’s ass, tugging at the jeans to bring Lena’s body closer. “Lena,” Kara murmured, her tongue still flicking and teasing at the nipple.

“Please, Kara,” Lena begged.

Kara pulled her head up, slightly out of breath with her own arousal. “How far do you want to go?”

“As far as you’ll take me,” Lena answered.

Kara glanced up, with intensely blue eyes. “I want you in bed.”

Kara dismounted off the couch, and Lena followed - eager to follow Kara’s tugging hand, making their way down the hall to the bedroom. But once again Kara was too impatient. She pushed Lena against a wall, kissing her again.

Lena wondered if they’d ever actually make it to a bed, but she didn’t care - not as Kara worked her way lower, kneeling to the ground as she tugged off Lena’s pants and panties, lifting Lena’s leg over her shoulder before delving in.

Lena gasped and shoved her head back against the wall. It seemed Kara’s shyness had totally evaporated in her impatience, and suddenly her tongue was circling Lena’s clit, sucking and teasing in a way that made Lena want to melt.

She caught a glimpse of herself in the hallway mirror across from her, seeing herself - tousled and aroused and now completely naked, with the back of the eager blonde kneeling between her legs. It was wild and improper and everything she shouldn’t be, and she moaned from the thought.

But Kara rose before Lena could reach her peak, and Lena whimpered from the loss. If Kara was inexperienced, it simply didn’t matter. She’s already an expert in driving me insane.

The blonde grabbed at her ass, encouraging Lena to wrap her legs around her waist, and Kara hoisted her up in a way that made Lena desperate.

Kara finally dumped Lena onto the bed, dipping down to kiss at Lena’s neck again before reaching her mouth, and Lena tasted her own arousal on Kara’s lips. The overwhelming stream of kisses continued as she felt Kara’s hand drift down further, finally slipping a finger lightly against Lena’s entrance.

“Yes,” Lena gasped, as Kara thrust inwards, “More.” Kara soon added a second finger, then a third, thrusting and twisting and curling as she continued to nip and kiss at Lena’s neck. Lena bucked impatiently, desperate for friction on her clit, in an exquisite distress - Kara ignoring her silent pleas all the while, leaving Lena hopelessly suspended in time.

Finally, when Lena was on the brink of tears, Kara made her way down Lena’s body, nipping at Lena’s belly as her fingers continued to slip between Lena’s folds again and again. Lena whimpered for the resolution that her body was begging for, when finally, finally, Kara pressed her tongue to Lena’s clit again.

Lena could feel the surge of waves within her, the roar of her body and the pulse of blood in her ears drowning out anything but the sensation of Kara’s tongue. Kara kept fucking her through her orgasm, pressing mercilessly against her clit as every drop of tension rushed through Lena’s body.

As the roar faded, Lena found herself collapsing back onto the bed, panting and weak for a long daze, until she finally forced her eyes to open again.

She found warm blues looking back at her, dark and satisfied and maybe just a bit smug, and Lena felt herself flutter again around Kara’s fingers in response.

It couldn’t be helped. Kara smirking in the aftermath was the hottest.

The blonde gazed down at her, shifting her fingers again as she let out a groan. “God, Lena. There’s so much I want to do to you.”

But Lena reached to Kara’s cheek, tilting her head and meeting Kara for a kiss. “I think it might be my turn now,” Lena said, tilting Kara’s body as the blonde shifted out of her.

Kara rolled shyly onto her back, and Lena took her time drinking in Kara’s physique. Lean and wiry, the blonde seemed like the epitome of strength, optimized for her sport - and other athletic activities that Lena could think of.

Lena’s fingers drifted over Kara’s sensitive nipple, rounding the bottom swell of her breast before shifting down. Kara’s abs jolted at the gentle touch of Lena’s fingertips, and Lena could feel the pounding of heart in her chest.

Lena’s hand drifted further still, gently caressing over the fresh scar on Kara’s side, causing her mind to drift to more solemn thoughts for a moment. How close did she come?, Lena thought, a flit of worry crossing her until Kara’s hand covered her own. “I’m okay, Lena,” she murmured.

Lena smiled, leaning forward to take Kara’s lips, before parting to let her mouth trace the path that her fingers just took. Kara’s hips rolled instinctively as Lena reached her abs, and Lena could feel the pounding of her heart in her chest, some part of her thinking how can this be happening? as she made her way down Kara’s body. Lena kissed languidly at Kara’s hip before sliding down further, finally settling between Kara’s legs.

Kara parted her knees, shy and eager, panting softly in anticipation. Lena’s heart skipped a beat as her eyes landed on Kara’s cunt, her gaze tracing from where the soft peach of Kara’s skin turned into a dusted pink. Kara’s lips glistened with want, the swell of her clitoris calling to Lena’s mouth, and all Lena wanted to do was descend and take the sensitive nub into her mouth.

But unlike Kara, Lena was patient. She planted her lips on the inside of Kara’s thigh, causing Kara to gasp, the slight ticklishness building anticipation in the blonde. 

Kara glanced down, catching Lena’s gaze, her blue eyes nearly subsumed in black. Lena drifted inwards, keeping contact with Kara’s eyes all the while, playfully drifting her tongue along Kara’s inner lips, causing the blonde’s hips to jolt. “Lena,” she whimpered impatiently.

Lena smiled, dragging her tongue up Kara’s slit, toying with the sensitive lips, ignoring the desperate bundle of nerves just at the top. Lena closed her eyes, taking in the sensation of Kara’s soft, slick skin, feeling her own arousal grow again in response to Kara’s taste and scent. Lena dragged her way downwards again, her tongue dipping a little deeper this time as it slid between Kara’s folds.

Lena opened her eyes again, watching in wonder. Kara’s entire body was taught - hands clenched in the sheets, abs tight with how hard she was holding back, thighs trembling from the effort of holding back. Kara was close.

Lena needed to see her fall over the edge.

Lena drifted up one last time, proud to hear Kara’s whimper above her, before Lena pushed her tongue forward for a teasing flick against Kara’s clit. Kara cried out, eyes closing from the sensation, her body getting tighter with each press of Lena’s tongue.

Lena was done with teasing. She pushed forward harshly, circling at Kara’s clit again. Her arms wrapped under Kara’s legs, tugging the blonde closer, picking up the pace. Kara’s pants stopped as she arched her spine, throwing her head back into the bed, a quiet whine emanating from her chest as Lena continued the assault on her clit.

Lena could feel the hard and wanting nub press back against her tongue, and with one last circle, she finally felt Kara break. Kara’s hips canted uncontrollably, a sob escaping from her chest as Lena tried to chase after Kara’s center, working her through an orgasm that seemed to wreck her entirely.

In the aftermath, Kara pulled Lena in, kissing her softly and moaning at her own come. “I don’t want to stop,” Kara murmured into the kiss, as she pushed Lena back on her back.

Lena smiled. She wasn’t going to get much sleep tonight.

The weeks passed quickly. Lena found herself swimming in travel plans and the slate of the race. Owners and trainers and jockeys in a world that she had never heard of, all becoming critical elements to her strategy. “We pulled the number 6 gate,” Lena said one afternoon, as Kara returned from working out Krypto.

Kara frowned. “It may be better for me to swing wide than get boxed in.”

Lena bit at her lip. Swinging wide could guarantee Krypto a straight shot, but it also might tire him out sooner. “It looks like Maxwell Lord’s horse is the one to beat.”

“Jockey?” Kara asked.

“Mike Matthews.”

Kara nodded. “When do we fly out?”

“We’ll leave here at 4am.”

The travel day was exhausting.

Krypto was grumpy as he was loaded into the trailer, though Streaky was much worse. 

After a nightmare drive to the airport - Metropolis traffic was no joke - the flight itself was a calm one. Lena took a window seat as Kara sat next to her, with Winn taking another window seat a few doors down. The two hour flight passed by quickly as the pair watched out the window, quiet and contemplative on what happened next.

But Lena’s fingers drummed nervously on her thigh. With the tight budget, she couldn’t get Krypto out to Kentucky the week before the Derby ran - she just didn’t have enough in reserve for hotels and boarding for that long. She and Kara agreed that Krypto wouldn’t run if he seemed exhausted or badly acclimated after their travels.

But luckily, Krypto was in good shape once they landed and reached Churchill Downs Racetrack. Can he win this?, Lena thought, as she watched Kara give him a light workout around the racetrack. With finances being what they were, this was her one and only shot. And they had to win.

When all was said and done, Lena and Kara collapsed in their hotel room that evening. Tomorrow was the big day, and they would try to sleep early.

But there was still something Lena wanted to say. “Kara?” she murmured, as the blonde’s arms held her.

“Yeah?”

“Whatever happens tomorrow,” Lena said, holding Kara a little tighter, “Thank you for trying. It means the world to me.”

Kara’s body tensed - which wasn’t the response Lena had expected. “Is everything okay?” Lena asked.

She could feel Kara swallow hard. “I wouldn’t blame you if you never want to look at me again,” Kara said quietly, “If things go south.”

Lena shook her head. “Kara, I want to be with you. With you. The rest can change, I don’t care. I want this.”

Kara gazed at her, and softly smiled. She leaned forward, pressing her lips to Lena’s. “I want this too.”

Race day arrived.

Kara and Lena left in the late morning for the racetrack, meeting Winn at Krypto’s stall. The Kentucky Derby was always a spectacle - bringing throngs of crowds, dressed in their Sunday best, waiting to glimpse the horses that could win the Derby and perhaps the Triple Crown.

Lena held back that day - wearing an appropriately formal dress - as Kara and Winn took to the task of grooming Krypto. Kara changed into her racing silks bearing the Luthor colors, satin cloth with black-and-green checkers, before taking her saddle to weigh-in.

When she returned, they finished tacking up Krypto, his eyes friendly and curious as he glanced around the unusual barn, picking up on the tension in the air.

Finally it came time for Kara to mount. Lena stepped over, careful to not drag her dress along the dirt, and pressed a soft kiss to Kara’s lips. “Whatever happens, happens,” Lena murmured. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Kara smiled. “See you at the finish line.”

Lena watched as Winn gave Kara a leg up onto Krypto’s back, and waved as Kara and Krypto turned away. Winn gave Lena friendly nudge, and they made their way to their box in the bleachers.

“Welcome,” the announcer said, his voice booming over the speakers, “To the 134th Run for the Roses.”

Kara took a steady breath.

Her lead pony and rider - the rider and horse tasked with leading racehorses around the track and to the loading gates - gave a friendly nod. “You’re that claims jockey?”  the rider said, as Kara nodded back. “I’m rooting for you,” the rider returned.

Kara found herself glancing to the other horses and riders. She recognized Barry Allen, a friendly jockey she had bumped into once before, riding Green Arrow from Queen Ranch. Two horses from Wayne Enterprise Ranch were in the race, another from Lord Estates, a scattering of other horses making up the field of 11 that she was to race against.

Her eyes spotted Morgan Edge’s horse, Acre Lee, with his rider Mike Matthews. They had been lucky enough to draw the number 2 slot in the gate, giving them a quick advantage to get to the inner rail. That’s the horse to beat, Kara thought.

She could feel the curious eyes in her direction, and she couldn’t blame them. The Luthor family troubles and Lex’s imprisonment had made national news. No doubt the thoroughbred racing world was abuzz about the 18-year-old sister trying to run a horse in the Derby without a trainer, with some unknown claims jockey on the colt’s back.

One by one, the horses were loaded into the gates. Krypto’s neighbor put up a fight, anxious as some horses get, but Krypto practically jumped into the gate, eager to race. “We got this, boy,” Kara said, patting at his neck. “Let’s have a good run.”

Finally, when all the horses were loaded, Kara waited. And waited. And waited. Krypto tensed, alert to the looming start of the race, snorting his impatience.

And then the gates flew open.

Kara could hardly hear the bells as Krypto surged forward, breaking cleanly from the gate and racing to the rail. She was dimly aware of an announcer’s booming voice in the distance, of the roar of the crowd’s cheering at the start - but mostly what she could hear was wind, and Krypto’s breathing, and the pounding of her own heart. Don’t get boxed in, she reminded herself.

She feared she already was as they headed around the first of the two turns. Just ahead to her left, Mike Matthews and Acre Lee hugged the rail as they galloped. Ahead to her right, the Wayne horses. Very immediately to her right, Barry and Green Arrow raced along, keeping pace.

Kara considered her options as they rounded the curve, heading into the backstretch. I can pull back and go around Green Arrow, she thought, squinting ahead as small chunks of dirt got kicked up into her face, or I can hope that Wayne’s horse fades. 

It was lose-lose, in a sense. If the horses were able to keep the pace throughout, Kara would be boxed in, unable to place higher than fourth. If she pulled back and went the long way around, Krypto would have to make up lost ground. But if there was a time to move, the backstretch would be it. 

I’m sorry, Lena, she thought, hoping she was making the right choice, knowing that anyone watching from the stands would think the move was insane. But Krypto’s energy seemed boundless in that moment, and she put her trust in the horse. Let’s give this a real shot.

She tugged Krypto back - at first, to his objection, the colt rejecting the thought of slowing down as the other horses came ahead. But as she tugged to the right, he seemed to understand what she was asking, slowing down just long enough to let Barry’s horse pass at the flank, before pulling around to the right. Let’s hit the rail before the final turn, Kara thought, letting her reins loose again.

That was all the guidance Krypto needed. Snorting, he pulled forward, elongating his stride, giving a small toss of his head that practically screamed freedom.

At that point, Kara was just along for the ride, grinning widely as Krypto surged ahead, passing both Green Arrow and the Wayne horse. By that point, Acre Lee had pulled ahead a length, hugging the rail as Kara and Krypto caught up along his outside.

They went into the final turn - Krypto still taking the turn a little wide since he could not yet grab the rail, and Kara tugged him in just a small bit, keeping even with Acre Lee’s flank until they finished the turn.

Mike Matthews had glanced down under his arm, taking stock of where he was in relation to the other two horses, but his eyes went wide when he spotted Kara there. Head up, he pushed his horse as the turn ended, urging for more speed.

Kara loosened the reins again, shouting “This is it!” to Krypto as she pushed at his neck, as he elongated his stride again. Krypto’s breath roared as he raced, pinning his ears back in aggression as he pushed forward, quickly catching up to Acre Lee until they were neck and neck.

The final stretch arrived, the two horses racing down the wire, and all Kara could see was the blur of the crowd, feeling the thunder of cheering and hooves. “Just a little longer!” she shouted to Krypto, who she could feel was starting to tire from under her.

But Acre Lee tired faster.

With one final push, Krypto thrust forward over the finish line, a clear neck ahead of Acre Lee. Kara eased back on Krypto, the colt huffing smugly as she threw a fist in the air, shouting to the heavens. “YES!” she cried, knowing that no one could hear her, not as the din of the crowd surrounded her.

“Kryptonite Glow has won the Kentucky Derby!” the announcer shouted, “Unbelievable!”

Kara knew there were tears streaming down her face as her leadpony came to her, the rider taking her rein to help cool off her horse before the photo ops in the winner’s circle. “I’ve never seen a race like that,” the rider said, “Holy shit.”

Kara smiled and laughed, reaching down to Krypto’s neck, patting the sweaty coat as Krypto tossed his head. The rider pulled back to keep Krypto from tossing, but Kara waved her off. “Let him,” she said, “He’s just like that.”

After a few moments, they were led to the winner’s circle, where Lena’s bright and cheering face was clearly holding back tears of her own, trying not to smudge her immaculate makeup. Winn waited too, taking Krypto’s reins as a blanket of roses was laid on the colt’s shoulder. “Great job, Kara,” Winn said, getting a snort from Krypto. “And you too,” he said, patting at Krypto’s neck. 

Lena walked over, reaching up to grasp Kara’s hand, squeezing tightly. Neither woman spoke, simply smiling at each other, before racetrack officials urged them into their places for photos. Record-breaking run and a second faster than Secretariat and those were some long odds were shouted and murmured among the various officials and reporters there.

And when the pictures were said and done, Kara swung off her horse, landing on her feet to pull Lena into her arms. 

When they kissed, they didn’t notice the stadium cheering again.

Kryptonite Glow went down in history not just as a Kentucky Derby winner, but a Preakness and Belmont winner as well - becoming the 14th horse to earn the elusive Triple Crown. Like most Triple Crown winners, he was retired soon after.

His first offspring, a filly with a bright copper chestnut coat, was born a year later. Red Kryptonite, as she was called, was born to a mare owned by a small neighboring farm called Danvers Fields. While she was owned by Luthor Stables, she was trained under Danvers Fields’ trainer, Querl “Brainy” Dox.

Red Kryptonite ended up being the beginning of a strong partnership between Luthor Stables and Danvers Fields. Kara Zorell and Alex Danvers had a habit of challenging each other to backyard racing, and the two families eventually grew quite close.

Kara began attending Metropolis University the fall after winning the Triple Crown, majoring in biology and later earning her veterinary doctor degree. She and Lena married the summer before she started vet school, the same year Red Kryptonite won the Kentucky Derby with rising jockey Kelly Olsen riding.

Kara taught Lena to ride, though only in the most casual sense, as Lena preferred calm walks on the trails after her days in the office. Lena had absolutely no desire to do anything as thrilling as horseracing.

Lena found herself enjoying building Luthor Stables back into the empire it had once been, and then expanding it beyond what Lex was ever capable of. She was always on the lookout for hidden talent, eventually hiring another claims jockey by the name of Nia Nal. As Luthor Stables acquired horses, Lena hired a talented trainer by the name J’onn J’onnz, and Winn became an apprentice trainer.

It was a Sunday morning like any other, Lena sleepily curled up in bed as Kara rubbed at her back, mulling how life had fallen together in a way she never quite expected.

Kara leaned down, kissing Lena’s cheek - and Lena could feel the smile on her lips.

“Wanna go for a ride?”