Supercorp AU Fic Recs Part 1 – Distorted Realities: of Time Travel, Amnesia and Black Mercies

In this SuperCorp (Supergirl) Femslash Fanfiction Recommendation, I have collected 9+1 excellent Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor Alternate Universe (AU) stories:

This is my review / rec for @femslashreviewfest (2017) Day 7: An AU fic (although I am very late for that)

SuperCorp is not a canon relationship thus to a certain degree all SuperCorp stories are canon divergent or somewhat AUs. However, what I have included as AUs are either stories that already change the basic premises of the show or diverge strongly from canon.

Originally, I wanted to do just one post, but there are far too many great AUs and thus I needed to split it in at least 2 parts. The second part will be done in (early?) 2018.

In this post there is only one no powers AUs, in most of the stories Kara is Supergirl. None of the stories is primarily driven by an action or villain/alien of the week plot, in most this is not even touched at all. Sanvers is a secondary or background ship in many of the stories.

Overview of the 9+1 Kara / Lena stories

(detailed recs and links after the cut)

A) Time travel AUs

  1. [yeah, we really are] by bs13: The one in which Lena travels to a future where she has a family
  2. Supergirl In Training by wtfoctagon: The one in which Lena’s and Kara’s daughter travels from the future to the present
  3. What the Future Holds by touchfinish: The one in which Kara travels to the future to meet her wife
  4. The Universe Always Sends Someone by liznotlizard: The one in which they are both send to the future to find themselves

B) Amnesia AUs

  1. Did I Wake Up In My Happy Ending? by Rhino (RhinoMouse): The happy Lena amnesia fic
  2. Say You’ll Remember Me by canadiancop: The sad Lena amnesia fic (with happy ending)
  3. I wish that I could wake up with Amnesia by Starsintheireyes: The one in which Kara has forgotten her boyfriend Mike

C) Lena and the Black Mercy AUs

  1. Black Mercy by D_writes: The Black Mercy fic that is actually not that angsty
  2. Mercy on Me by sten06: The one in which Lena fears that she has lost Kara twice
  3. A Luthor’s Mercy by CSIGurlie07: The angsty one about the (possible) end of a friendship

This series includes

A) Time travel AUs

In these four SuperCorp Time Travel AUs, either Kara or Lena or one of their children travel through time. The first two are not particularly angsty and the second two are light and practically angst free. All four fics have happy endings and require no warnings.

1. The one in which Lena travels to a future where she has a family

  • [yeah, we really are] by bs13 @pippytmi
  • Setting: Supergirl TV 2015 (DCU), Time travel & kid-fic AU (Alternate Universe)
  • Relationship: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor (Supercorp) (f/f)
  • 1 Chapter, 18k words (completed)
  • Published: 2017
  • Rating: Teen and up
  • Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Lena hasn’t heard from Kara Danvers in three years and is perfectly okay with the fact. But when she wakes up in a world that isn’t hers, with Kara in her bed and two kids she doesn’t recognize calling her Mommy, she’s quickly coming to the realization that maybe she’s not as okay as she thought.

A time travel AU (that is pretty much also a kid-fic AU) in which Lena wakes up 8 years in the future. 8 years of which she cannot remember a single thing. Maybe this is not her world, not her timeline at all. While it is difficult for her to fake, in this story (in contrast to the other time travel AUs) Lena does not confide in anyone that this is not her world.

This story is told from Lena’s point of view and it is written so well: Lena’s confusion, Lena’s doubts… her struggle to be in this strange world. Until she can finally accept that yes, she is in love with Kara.

I loved this brilliant story. It is my favorite SuperCorp time travel AU.

Favorite Quotes:

Here’s the thing: Lena isn’t the best with kids. And as she promptly finds out, waiting too long to pick up babies makes them cry. Very loudly.

“Mommy!” comes a shout, ringing out over the sobs. “Ieiu, Mommy’s back!”

Overwhelmed, Lena hurriedly picks up the baby, who quiets the instant she’s being carried. The little girl who had accosted her earlier comes running into the kitchen at that exact moment, excitedly throwing her arms around Lena’s legs.

She drinks coffee out of a chipped mug that reads “World’s Worst Driver” that probably belongs to Kara, and Kara occasionally throws popcorn in her hair when she doesn’t sing along to every single song in The Little Mermaid. It feels as domestic as one would expect, but Lena doesn’t feel the slightest bit uncomfortable. A bit like a stranger intruding on something that’s not hers, sure, but not in a way that singles her out as unwelcome.

2. The one in which Lena’s and Kara’s daughter travels from the future to the present

  • Supergirl In Training by wtfoctagon @wtfoctagon
  • Setting: Supergirl TV 2015 (DCU); Time travel & kid-fic AU (Alternate Universe)
  • Relationship: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor (Supercorp) (f/f)
  • 18 Chapters, 70k words (completed)
  • Published: 2017
  • Rating: Teen and up
  • Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Lena Luthor doesn’t plan to have any kids. Or to get married, even, really. After the revelation that she is actually of Luthor blood after all, she’s quite set on ending the family line with her and not taking the risk of any more drama.
Then Lorelai L. Danvers crashes into her life, claiming to be her seventeen year old daughter from the future.
(picking up after 2×12)

Lori arrives before Lena and Kara had started dating and the sudden arrival of her (future) teenage daughter initially shocks Lena quite a bit. Lori is very protective of her mothers and she goes out of her way to make sure that Kara can see how horrible Mon-El is.

This is by far the most popular Supercorp fic on AO3 (7400 kudos at the time of writing) and I can understand why. There is some angst, some humor and a bit of action.
The story is very well written and brings Lori’s character to live. Seeing and listening to Lena’s point of view is nearly heartbreaking and written so well. Alex and Maggie play small, supporting but memorable roles.
This is a wonderful travel and kid-fic AU. I especially loved the first third of the story that was so heartbreaking, it made me cry several times.

Note: There is a wonderful fan art from plastic pipes for this fic.

Favorite Quotes:

Lena holds onto Lori’s hands, squeezing her fingers harder and harder with every word, trying to hold back the tears. The thought of it—her being the mother she always wanted, the one she has no idea how to be—makes every heartbeat ache like a bruise, somehow makes all the old wounds in her memories open like there’s no tomorrow.

“What, I can’t have fun finding out that there’s not a single straight Danvers girl in the batch?”
Alex chokes and Lori burrows further into her arms with an embarrassed groan while Maggie laughs, beyond pleased with herself.

3. The one in which Kara travels to the future to meet her wife

  • What the Future Holds by touchfinish
  • Setting: Supergirl TV 2015 (DCU), Time travel AU (Alternate Universe)
  • Relationship: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor (Supercorp) (f/f)
  • 5 Chapters, 9k words (completed)
  • Published: 2017
  • Rating: Teen and up
  • Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Kara is fighting a new alien that’s more than she bargained for. When the alien gets the better of her, she awakens in an unfamiliar room. When Lena comes striding in, Kara’s life ceases to make sense.

Kara time travels 5 years into the future and discovers what’s in store for her. SuperCorp. Mentions of Sanvers. A happy little story line that would not stop plaguing me until I wrote it. Looks like I’ll be working on this story and my other story, ‘Should’ve used a Condom’ simultaneously for a while. This one will end up shorter than that one.

There is no angst and no action at all in this fic. It is a beautiful, funny and well written story, told exclusively from Kara’s point of view: Above all it gives a beacon of hope for Kara: that things will work out. That they will be happy.

I especially liked how Kara tentatively explores her and Lena’s future apartment and their life together, of which she has no memory.

Favorite Quotes:

“Om my god-” Lena gasps, “You really are from the past.”

“Why- why would you say that?” Kara’s self-conscious.

“Your reaction.” There’s a confidence around Lena now, a seductive teasing tone to her voice, “You quit becoming a stuttering mess around me years ago. Now I look at you like that and I’m bent over the counter.”

Kara can’t believe how many times she’s blushed today. She’s the one bending Lena over the counter? Delicate, human Lena? With her expensive clothes and fuck me heels? Well… The idea doesn’t sound unappealing.

A dark chuckle from Lena draws Kara out of her pondering. “You had the same reaction the first time I suggested it.”

“Do we do… you know… that stuff, often?” Kara whispers.

Lena licks her lips, “Daily.”

4. The one in which they are both send to the future to find themselves

  • The Universe Always Sends Someone by liznotlizard  @liznotlizard
  • Setting: Supergirl TV 2015 (DCU), Time travel AU (Alternate Universe)
  • Relationship: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor (Supercorp) (f/f)
  • 7 Chapters, 13k words (completed)
  • Published: 2017
  • Rating: Teen and up
  • Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Sometimes you try to admit your love, and then sometimes you get sent forward in time 20 years.

This one is a bit of a crack fic. Lena is sent 20 years into the future and Kara travels after her. This story is lighthearted, happy and very funny and I enjoyed it a lot. I really liked the interactions Kara and Lena have with their future children.

In contrast to the other time travel fics on this list, in this one Lena get to meet future Lena and they have a talk.

My favorite quote includes this wonderful discussion of the two Lenas about her and Kara’s relationship:

Lena nodded. “Do we fight? Does she leave us, at any point?”

Future Lena gave a half smile at that. “Of course that’d be what you would ask. I’d ask that too. I can’t say we don’t get into fights. It does happen sometimes. Especially over Kara’s safety because we get quite stressed over that. But she never leaves. She knows we fear that, she knows that everyone in our life has left at some point or another. She knows. No matter how bad the fight, she’s always there at the end of the day.”

20161229-kara x lena(ffh)-line

B) Amnesia AUs

There are three Amnesia AUs. The two Lena stories start with nearly identical beginnings, but then develop into nearly mirror images. Were the one is happier, the other one is more sad and angsty. The third one is different again, and not just because in this one Kara suffers from amnesia.

1. The happy Lena amnesia fic

  • Did I Wake Up In My Happy Ending? by Rhino (RhinoMouse)
  • Setting: Supergirl TV 2015 (DCU), Amnesia AU (Alternate Universe)
  • Relationship: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor (Supercorp) (f/f)
  • 5 Chapters, 12k words (completed)
  • Published: 2017
  • Rating: Teen and up
  • Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Lena wakes up in a hospital much to her irritation. She’s in the middle of moving her company to National City and doesn’t have time for whatever caused her hospitalization. Or, that’s what she thought. But now she’s being called Mrs. Luthor, apparently has a reporter for a wife, is already in National City, and has a dog. If it weren’t for the tech developments she wouldn’t believe it. So many questions at her unexpected success. For starters why is everyone so happy to see her and keep calling her family? Did she join a cult or what?

Lena wakes up in a hospital, the last thing she can remember is having worked on preparations to rename Luthor Corp.

In this beautiful story we see a Lena who sees her wife and her life for the first time, having lost 4 years of memories. A Lena who really can’t believe what she is seeing: people who trust her, people who love her. But at the same time she is struggling to live with years of her memories gone.

This is a wonderful, lovely and sweet story. I love Maggie’s and Alex’s small roles and especially Krypto. There is a happy but not a deus ex machina ending and as the whole story, it is very well written. This is my favorite amnesia fic.

Favorite Quote:

“We didn’t bond over not being able to live up to our families reputations for you to falter at your own reputation.” Kara shifted and easily pulled her down onto the floor with her into a tight hug.

Lena let herself go limp in as she absorbed the closest thing to safety she’d felt since she’d woken up in the hospital bed. Burying her nose into her neck she breathed out. “I don’t’ know you, but I understand how I loved you.”

2. The sad Lena amnesia fic (with happy ending)

Kara doesn’t think she’s ever seen anything as beautiful as Lena Luthor smiling back at her from the passenger seat. That’s not to say she hasn’t seen anything beautiful, because she has. She remembers sunsets on Krypton, and days at art galleries with Cat, and Alex and Maggie’s wedding. She remembers every beautiful thing she’s ever known, and Lena surpasses them all.
or
the one where Lena and Kara are married and Lena loses her memory. based off the movie the vow.

When Lena wakes up after a car accident, she has not only forgotten the last years of her life and her marriage to Lena, but she has forgotten even moving to National City.

This is a much sadder and more angsty amnesia fic. I think the only reason why this story does not reach even higher levels of angst and heartbreak is because it is relatively short.

Up until very close to the happy ending the author does a fantastic job to set Kara up to get her heart truly broken. Kara who is understanding and sweet and desperately tries to save her marriage, but whatever she tries, Lena seems to slip through her fingers. One example for this is the scene when poor Kara needs to tell Lena the bad news that no, Lena cannot call her brother because … Lex is in jail … was really heart-wrenching to read.

This is a well written story that I enjoyed.
Note: I have not seen the movie that inspired the story

Favorite Quotes:

Lena looks down at her left hand. “It’s a beautiful ring. I’m sorry I don’t remember you.” She pauses for a minute before saying, “What’s your name again?”

“I’m Kara.” She tries to ignore how her voice breaks as she says it, but she knows Lena caught it.

“I’m sorry,” says Lena. “I wish I could remember you.”

“It’s okay,” says Kara, almost desperate to reassure Lena. “It’s not your fault.”

There’s a moment of silence before Lena says, “Were we happy?”

“Yeah,” says Kara. “We were.”

Note/update: Deleted from AO3, still available on the Internet Archive; The author started a rewrite in 2019 [AO3] (same title) that is still ongoing and that I didn’t read.

3. The one in which Kara has forgotten her boyfriend Mike

  • I wish that I could wake up with Amnesia by Starsintheireyes
  • Setting: Supergirl TV 2015 (DCU), Amnesia & no powers AU (Alternate Universe)
  • Relationship: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor (Supercorp) (f/f)
  • 9 Chapters, 15k words (completed)
  • Published: 2017
  • Rating: General Audiences
  • Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Kara and Mike (Mon-El) are happy together and have been for 2 years (at least he thinks they are). But after a particularly bad argument and a car accident, Kara doesn’t remember a single thing about him. Or in fact, anything about her life for the last 4 years. She does, however, remember a certain Ex-girlfriend. CEO Lena Luthor.

In contrast to the other fics, in this one Kara suffers from amnesia. This is also a no powers AU.

The story is just as much about lies as it is about amnesia. Lena does not want to lie to Kara, but also does not want to hurt her while she is recovering. There are more lies, but I don’t want to spoil too much of the story. There is a bit of Mike (Mon-El) in this fic and he is not the most likeable character.

I enjoyed this fic and I especially loved the plot twist in the last chapter and how Alex and Meggie protect and take care of Kara lovingly.

Favorite Quote:

“I’m your boyfriend.” Mike interrupted, taking Kara’s hand who quickly snatched it back.

“W-what is he talking about? I don’t have a boyfriend, I have Lena. Where’s Lena?” Kara’s voice began to rise in panic, making Alex’s heart beat rapidly.

“Kara it’s all-“

“No! Where’s Lena, I need to see her! Why isn’t she here!?”

Alex turned to Maggie in despair, wondering what on Earth they were going to do to fix this.

20161229-kara x lena(ffh)-line

C) Lena and the Black Mercy AUs

What if Lena got attacked with a Black Mercy? What would her perfect world look like? The following stories give three different answers to this question. Unsurprisingly for the theme all three stories are angsty: the first one to a much lesser degree, but the last one is very angsty – and actually not really a romantic Supercorp fic (see my notes below).

1. The Black Mercy fic that is actually not that angsty

  • Black Mercy by D_writes
  • Setting: Supergirl TV 2015 (DCU), AU (Alternate Universe)
  • Relationship: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor (Supercorp) (f/f)
  • 2 Chapters, 6k words (completed)
  • Published: 2017
  • Rating: General Audiences
  • Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Lena goes back to Lex’s lab to check there’s nothing left to harm Supergirl. Unfortunately, Lillian is there, waiting for her to use her DNA open the case of the only weapon that survived the explosion: the Black Mercy.

As Supergirl is fighting and losing against the Cyborg, Lena decides she’ll sacrifice herself for the hero and lets the Black Mercy take her. After all, in leaving reality for a perfectly happy dream she’s got nothing to lose and everything to gain. (Set after 2×12)

This is the shortest and happiest Black Mercy story in this list. Of course, there is a little bit of angst – it is a Black Mercy story after all. The story is very well written, and I liked it a lot.

Favorite Quote:

“Who would have thought,” Lilian sneers, “your weakness turned out to be… my daughter. At least she’s useful for something.”

Supergirl holds Lena in her arms and looks up at Lilian, shooting laser beams right in front of her feet in a fit of anger.

“Don’t you dare” she shoots again, forcing Lilian to take another step back, “talk about her like that.”

2. The one in which Lena fears that she has lost Kara twice

  • Mercy on Me by sten06 
  • Setting: Supergirl TV 2015 (DCU), AU (Alternate Universe)
  • Relationship: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor (Supercorp) (f/f)
  • 5 Chapters, 16k words (completed)
  • Published: 2017
  • Rating: Teen and up
  • Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

In order to save Lena’s life, she was going to need to tell her that this Kara wasn’t real, and that she wasn’t in love with her.
In order to save her life, she was going to need to break her best friend’s heart.

OR

Lena falls under the Black Mercy, and her fantasy of being with Kara comes true…until Supergirl comes to save her.
Angst, but you all know I make up for it 😉

Lena is not only devastated after she rejected the Black Mercy, but also humiliated/embarrassed because in order to save her, Kara had seen her perfect life and the role Kara played in it – something Lena had never wanted Kara to know. And now she fears that Kara is rejecting her.

This is an angsty story and beautifully written. It switches between Lena’s and Kara’s point of view.

Favorite Quotes:

As she lay there in distress, there were only two things she knew for sure:
Kara Danvers was definitely Supergirl, and Kara Danvers was definitely not in love with her.

Supergirl raced out of the room and off into the clouds, but not before leaving her heart in pieces on the floor. It landed next to the other shattered soul in the room.

3. The angsty one about the (possible) end of a friendship

  • A Luthor’s Mercy by CSIGurlie07  @lena-in-a-red-dress
  • Setting: Supergirl TV 2015 (DCU), AU (Alternate Universe)
  • Relationship: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor (Supercorp) (f/f)
  • 9 Chapters, 19k words (completed)
  • Published: 2017
  • Rating: not rated by the author
  • Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Following the Daxamite Invasion, Rhea leaves a Black Mercy at L-Corp for Lena to find. Kara is the only one who can help her friend survive it– but must sacrifice her biggest secret to do so. Canon-compliant, until it isn’t. (Supercorp pre-ship) / (Jack/Lena)

This is not a Supercorp love story. It is rather a story about friendship and the (possible) end of a friendship. And a story of Lena’s loss and grief.

The author tagged it as Supercorp pre-ship and I think you can definitely feel this in the way Kara thinks about Lena (in this is one of the two reasons why I included the story here). But to be clear Kara and Lena do not get together in this story and while nothing explicit happens, Jack plays the role as Lena’s lover in her fantasy.

It is a sad, powerful and very well written story, that I liked a lot (the second reason why it is included here). And it is very angsty.

My favorite quote is I think the best way to describe a Black Mercy:

“The true curse of the Black Mercy is surviving it,” Kara said. “The fantasy it creates isn’t real, but the loss, and the grief of losing it is. But it’s not the end. It may seem out of reach now, but you will find that happiness again, Lena. True happiness… “

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You have reached the end of part 1, but Lena and Kara will return in 2018 in Supercorp AU Fic Recs Part 2 – Hope and Despair: of Lighter and Darker Worlds.
And maybe also in soulmate AU or RedK AU recs.

Originally posted on femslashhistorian.tumblr.com in 2018; re-published here in 2019