Page 100 of Keeping Kara

And Kara wasn’t having it.

She understood that she was feeling guilty. Hell, Kara had a lot of guilt herself. Because of her, Nolan had entered Jen’s life, duped her, used her to get information and as a means to get closer to Kara. But ultimately, his actions were on him, not Kara. Not Jen. And Kara was done sitting back and letting her friend suffer for something that wasn’t her fault.

She’d begged Arrow to bring her over to Jen’s apartment. Penny had texted and said she was home at the moment. He’d reluctantly agreed, and said he’d visit Bowie and Penny while she was with Jen, just in case she needed anything.

Kara wasn’t going to need anything while she was with Jen, but she let that comment go, aware that Arrow had been through hell just as she had, and he needed to remain close to her. Not the life-threatening kind of hell, but hell all the same. If the tables were turned and he’d been the one missing, and she’d walked in on someone about to end his life, Kara didn’t think she’d be coping nearly as well as he was right now.

It was weird in a way, but since Nolan had already kidnapped her and held her captive and done awful things to her, she felt more capable of dealing with the emotional aftermath a second time.

A lot of that was because of the strength being with Arrow had given her. The confidence. Knowing what he did on a regular basis with his job as a Night Stalker had given her a new appreciation of what the human body could endure, physically and mentally.

But most of all, she was doing as well as she was because of his love. His unconditional support. His concern about her mental health.

Jen didn’t have what she had. Yes, she had friends who loved her unconditionally, but that wasn’t the same as having someone by her side twenty-four/seven, who constantly showed you without words how treasured and valued you were.

It was time to have a heart-to-heart chat with Jen and bring her back into the fold. She was wounded for sure, but her actions were hurting her friends too. Especially Edge.

The man had sat by her side in the hospital, refusing to leave. From what Kara had heard, he’d held her hand, talked to her nonstop, and done everything in his power to reach her, wherever she’d gone deep inside her head during her hospital stay.

After her discharge, he’d brought her home, then upgraded all the locks in her apartment and installed a high-end security system, to try to make her feel safer.

But since then, she’d ignored all his calls and texts, and refused to answer the door when he went over to check on her.

Kara didn’t know the story of what happened between Edge and his ex. Or exactly why she had the power to keep him from acting on his obvious attraction to the smart, funny, and amazing Jen. But according to Arrow, he was done holding back. Whatever reticence he’d had before, whatever fear or concern his ex-wife inspired, was clearly gone…but now it was Jen who’d put up thick shields, both against him and the rest of their group.

Kara was determined to get through to her. They had a trauma in common—Nolan. And while she knew a single chat wasn’t going to be enough to make her friend put everything behind her, she hoped she might be able to help, if only a tiny bit.

“You have your phone, right?” Arrow asked.

Kara resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “Yes.” The cheap phone she’d had since arriving in Virginia hadn’t been found, since Nolan had thrown it somewhere in the swamp. Arrow had replaced it with the newest model with all the bells and whistles. It was too expensive, and she wasn’t entirely comfortable with him paying for the service, as well as the phone itself. But when he’d looked into her eyes and said he was going to take care of her for the rest of his life, so she might as well start getting used to it, all her concerns seemed silly.

“If she says anything offensive, don’t take it to heart,” Arrow continued, as Penny buzzed them into the building.

“I won’t.”

“If your throat gets sore, drink some water. Or better yet, cut the conversation short.”

“Arrow, stop. I’ll be fine.”

He hit the button for the elevator and turned to her, taking her face in his hands and leaning in. “I just…I worry about you.”

“I know, and I appreciate it. But it’s not as if I’m headed into an op behind enemy lines. I’m just going to talk to Jen. You’ll be down the hall if I need you. But I’m not going to. Jen is my friend, who’s going through an extremely tough time right now.”

“I know. And I love you even more for your tender heart and for wanting to help. I just don’t want you to get hurt in the process. Mentally or physically. She could lash out because of the trauma, pain, and betrayal she’s feeling. And you should know this now, I’ll always put your needs before anyone else’s. That doesn’t mean I don’t like the other person or people, just that you’re the one I love. The one who’s my entire world. I don’t even like the thought of you getting a damn splinter if I can keep it from happening.”

“You can’t put me in a bubble, Arrow,” she told him as the elevator arrived.

He took her hand and led her inside, hit the button for Penny and Jen’s floor, and turned to her once more.

“The hell I can’t.”

Kara did roll her eyes at that. “Right. Then you can’t put me in a bubble and expect me to like it. Or be happy. I’m an introvert, I admit it, but I will also do whatever I have to in order to be there for my friends. If that means getting a damn splinter, that’s what it means.”

To her surprise, Arrow grinned.

“What are you smiling about?”

“I’m just so happy you’re here. I’m in awe of you, Kara. You’ve been through something that would bring most people to their knees. Instead, you’ve come out of it stronger.”