Lena can barely hold back the anger that is further fueled by fear and disappointment, her eyes blazing behind her sunglasses as she watches the paramedics tend to Dallas. She’s fine, barely needing even a band-aid, the checks merely protocol, but all of this could have been so much worse.

Dallas had purposely placed herself in danger, her hubris allowing her to act without properly thinking, and Lena can’t even bring herself to think about what could have happened. The little one is beyond lucky to have escaped with nothing more than a bruised ego and a lecture from the dark-haired agent who had helped her from the building, but the consequences for her bad decisions are far from over.

The wide-eyed glances sent in her direction every few seconds tells Lena that Dallas has realized this, but right now, she is far too furious to do little more than usher Dallas to the car as soon as she is able to leave.

Lena is silent as she opens one of the back doors and points inside the car, the little one scrambling to buckle herself into the backseat without even a moment of her usual complaints. Lena closes the door and remains outside for a few moments as she attempts to compose herself, praying that her temper will be carried off with debris by the strong breeze that still lingers in the aftermath of the storm.

She has been upset with Dallas before, both as an act and as a worried Mother, but Lena has never felt like this before—has never once felt much too angry to safely punish the little one for her transgression.

Lena sighs and leans heavily against the car, staring up at the morose figure hovering just above the building. Supergirl—Kara—watches her for a long moment and, even from a distance, Lena can almost taste her guilt in the air, but for now, she is not in the right mind for forgiveness, not until Dallas has been dealt with and her little one is tucked safely into bed.

It will come, especially after Kara had thrown herself on top of Dallas to protect her as the ceiling caved in, but the actions beforehand will leave a scar in Lena’s gut for a long time to come.

Lena is silent on the drive home and is relieved that Dallas makes no effort to plead her case, the little one blinking back tears and pitifully pouting. It’s a pout that seems to grow worse each time Lena glances in the rearview mirror and if Dallas isn’t careful, she’ll trip over her bottom lip when she gets out of the car.

Anger still burns inside Lena’s chest and lingering fear still churns her guts, unable to hold Dallas’s eyes for more than a moment when they lift to look at her in the mirror. Lena doesn’t know what she would have done if her little one was seriously injured, or worse—but that’s something she can’t bring herself to think about—and it’s a miracle that she wasn’t.

That little girl is her whole world and Lena will do whatever it takes to keep her safe and well.

Even if that means being the source of Dallas’s tears every once in a while.

Lena offers a brief hug and a kiss to Dallas’s cheek once they reach the apartment, but she is quick to send the little one to their bedroom for some much needed thinking time—for both of them. Thoughts must be collected and tempers must be cooled before a productive conversation can take place, punishments only discussed once both are on the same page.

Heading into the kitchen, Lena takes the time to handwash their breakfast dishes instead of using the dishwasher, always finding it soothing to keep her mind and hands busy.

She can focus on scrubbing stains away and watching soapy bubbles rushing down the drain as she methodically rinses each dish. There are only so many dishes available to be cleaned, though, and eventually Lena has to settle for making herself a cup of chamomile to calm her lingering nerves. She sits at the kitchen table and sips it, wincing when it’s still a little too hot, but the steam helps to clear her head, anger slowly slipping away until only disappointment and concern is left.