The New Adventures of Kara Starr

by veraklon

Two Part attempt at the NaNoWriMo. 50k words in 30 days. This is the story of a Kryptonian chased out of her home reality that finds love and adventure on another Earth, so close to one she visited before. Includes so much of the DC Universe that I almost listed this story as a Crossover. Enjoy! Part Two coming soon.

QUICK AUTHOR'S NOTES

So... the Earth I've chosen is closer to actual reality, in that I'm going to use actual cities. I've tried to follow along with DC Continuity as to where their cities were located and/or supposed to be. Also, since Kara is on a different Earth, I'm going to play hard and loose with timelines from the various Arrowverse shows, as well as other DC properties.

The following is also my attempt at taking on the 50,000 word challenge for the NaNoWriMo. I apologize that this means my other works were left all alone, but I felt that this was the first time I might actually be up to the challenge. I started work on 'The New Adventures of Kara Starr' on November 3, 2018 and the first part of two completed at the halfway point on November 8, 2018.

I hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading.

Sincerely,

Veraklon

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Earth 38

May 2018

Doctor Wells had been wrong about the fifty-three universes within the multiverse. For such a genius, he'd kept his findings on a two dimensional scale (sadly, much as Star Trek had; all those spaceships flying along a linear plane. The original Wrath of Khan was the only one to really ever talk about it) instead of branching out. At the very least, each reality had a cube of connecting mirrored universes. And sure, that meant there were multiple ways to cross into another dimension... not necessarily one to two to three, but maybe one to seventeen to ninety-one to three. It just depended upon which direction you took.

But, of course, The Flash ran, so side to side (like a scrolling video game), would be the obvious paths; but Supergirl could fly. And that didn't even take into consideration the Legends and their time ship. If the multiverse was fluid, then maybe adding Time into the equation changed which universes were connected. Maybe thirty-seven and two were side-by-side three centuries ago and would be again in four thousand years from now.

But no matter, really. It was mainly an observation due to the fact the Kara found herself on Earth One Hundred Fifty-nine... so very close to Earth One in so many ways, that she considered the distinct likelihood that her appearance on this Earth is what created the differences from Earth One... but that she really had no idea what she'd done.

She came here eight years ago. Decided here it was safe enough that her home reality wouldn't be able to follow her through all of the breach portal jumps and false trails that she had created. Originally, it had just been trying to escape capture by President Luthor and his revamped Department of Extra-normal Operations due to the warrant for her immediate apprehension and execution. Her Earth was not the place to be if you were anything other than regular human; no metas, no aliens, nothing special. Not that there had been really any left but Kara prior to her escape.

About two years or so before finding this haven, Kara's Earth had been subject to a multiple galaxy-spanning conflict that really had nothing to do with Earth at all, other than the fact that so many refugees had fled the war between Thangar and Rann, two planets that each brought allied planets into the conflict. When it was discovered several years into their war that certain personages had tried fleeing the conflict, assassins were sent to find then... and some had hidden on Earth.

The resulting damage the alien assassins caused before the heroes of Earth could contain them was near catastrophic, and within it all, President Marsdin was discovered to being an alien imposter... having held the position as POTUS for her entire term as Leader of the Free World. The resulting outrage led to her assassination just hours after a call for Impeachment had been put forth in Congress. The world didn't mourn, but rather cheered - and then her entire cabinet and elected officials were forced out of office; named positions immediately fired. In fact, her entire Party was decimated in less than a month. And then literally every human criminal imprisoned for acts against aliens had been set free; records expunged; not term served, but deemed innocent with an apology.

Within three months, the charismatic Lex Luthor was being heralded as a prophet - that he had foreseen the alien menace for what it truly was, long before everyone else had. Luthor had never been blinded by the public aliens with their good looks and amazing powers. The Alien Amnesty Act was thrown out. Aliens were being rounded up and incarcerated without trials or any type of due process.

It was horrible.

Any attempt at putting a positive spin on any extraterrestrial by the media caused rioting. Journalists that had made their livings based around the superheroes and their exploits were blacklisted; entire news programs and solicitations were gone faster than thought possible. The Daily Planet's circulation tanked overnight. CatCo Worldwide Media stock was at an all-time low.

Every Federal, State and Local Government agencies were given a hard line against anything other than apprehending every alien they could find. It was a witch-hunt not seen since the Japanese Camps from the nineteen forties. Suspected aliens and their sympathizers finished overnight; some fleeing, but most were arrested and taken before they had gotten the chance. It was only due to J'onn's telepathy that gave Kara the opportunity to escape, though the desert facility had fallen... Director Lucy Lane has been executed - shot - when she'd tried to bar the military from entering the prison slash base.

It was only luck that Kara didn't fall along with her cousin and his crew. Kal had retreated to the Fortress, which ended up being too obvious a choice. Sure, it had been cloaked, but Lex was a genius beyond every expectation: he dropped Kryptonite (stolen from his sister's created stash and formula) laced bombs that fell over the entire Arctic region. His fortress fell... killing everyone inside, Kal included.

She couldn't even get close to rescue the bodies or any of the technology that might have survived. Luthor and the Government were already there, scavenging like the buzzards they were.

Mother Nature then decided to add her aid to her native denizens, as the weather shifted and the kryptonite irradiated air and snow was pulled southwards, driving Kara towards the Equator and its regions. Eliza fell sick not long after relocating along with her daughters... it was the blow that got the few remaining; Kara and Alex, J'onn, Vasquez and Brainy. So many of the others were already gone - due to dying, incarceration or joining the other side. This Earth was lost to them.

After news reached Alex that Maggie had died in a prison riot, where she had been just another alien sympathizer, had been when the final decision to use Cisco's portal had been finally decided upon. It had seemed the perfect escape, but that the schematics had been left in the D.E.O.'s servers, which Lex Luthor currently had and already was prepared for such an escape attempt - meaning that they were walking into a trap.

The attempted breach had been redirected into a Kryptonite laced prison; they would have been finished, but that J'onn gave his life to hold the portal open, expelling his great strength to force the trans-dimensional gateway towards a new destination. It worked, but the last son of Mars was forever gone... and they were transported to an Earth they didn't know.

And, of course, a portal immediately opened behind them with their own world chasing after them. Supergirl and her ragtag band of fugitives dove through another breach of their own making, duplicating the process for nearly an hour... and through countless realities. So many Earths. They even backtracked through a few portals to start laying false trails. It was exhausting.

They lost Vasquez in a world inhabited completely by shrimp. Shrimp! Apparently, Susan was deathly allergic. She had fallen before a new portal could even be opened.

Brainy left them voluntarily after they came upon a world that was completely computerized. The green skinned man from the future claimed it was so much like his own home world that he would be welcomed and kept safe. He refused to leave after they opened the portal to move onwards.

Eventually, the Danvers sisters reached this world, Earth One Fifty-nine. They decided to rest... their currency even matched to buy food and other necessities. This reality, after an hour of looking around, Alex determined that this Earth was extremely close to Earth One, their original destination. They only noticeable reason they felt it wasn't actually Earth One was due to the fact that there was already a superhero presence here, but the date was two thousand and six... three years before the first sighting of the vigilante that would become known as the Green Arrow.

They were in Atlanta, Georgia. The weather was nice and they were easily able to get lost in the city. They spent a month there, considering staying, when explosions went off all around them. So used to their Earth's authorities refusing to give up the chase, Alex activated the portal generator for their escape when the improbable occurred; a piece of shrapnel struck the hand Alex was using to activate the gateway. The device sparked a deep violet and then Alex was gone, the portal closed.

Kara has screamed after her sister, almost instantaneously arriving at the spot where she had last stood... hoping for a residual spark of energy to take her after her sister, but it wasn't to be; Alex was gone.

And in the unholiest of cursed luck, the explosions had nothing to do with their Earth chasing after them. A local super villain (of all things!) was robbing a bank. Kara watched as a blue flying bug shaped ship flew overhead and three heroes in brightly colored costumes took down the bad guy, quips and jokes thrown around throughout the entire encounter before they left the poor wannabe super villain tied up and in the hands of the Atlanta Police Department.

It was all surreal.

Kara was alone. Everything and everyone was gone. Alex had held on to all of their possessions so that she could protect them both, unencumbered... and now she had nothing. She sped away as fast as she could until she hit a beach facing an ocean (such one she didn't care) and sat upon the damp sand and cried.

It took days – four to be exact - before she would stop, but stop she did. She was ultimately Kara Zoe-El, the last child of Krypton, and she would find her sister one day. This, she swore to Rao. And to do that, it was time to take ahold of her own destiny once again.

(( Author's note – completed to here by 11-03-2018 ))

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Earth 159

September 2009

The bell above the door jingled, signifying that there was a potential customer. Kara took a moment to set down the piece she was currently considering restoring and reached for the rag she kept close at hand to wipe then as clean as she could. Stepping through the curtain that acted as the barrier between the show slash business floor and the 'employees only' part of the building, Kara was not surprised to see David Hyde, her closest business rival, once again making his unwelcome presence known.

"Davey. Hi." He hated the familiar use of his name. "What brings you by? Need me and mine to recover a salvage for you again? Is that Civil War ship giving you trouble? I'd give you a friend and family discount."

She could hear his teeth grinding. When she'd first started trying to gain some capital to live in, Kara had searched the ocean in front of her (it ended up being the Atlantic. She'd run all the way from Atlanta to Jacksonville, Florida) and found a sunken ship with some gold. Not a lot of gold, but enough to get her started. It turned out that Hyde, Inc. had been in the process of trying to secure salvage rights. She'd swooped in just before he'd received the lock on the wreck, meaning he got the ship, but Kara was free and clear on the treasure she'd acquired.

That an unknown person had, in a fraction of the time and money (ha!) that Davey had spent, had stolen the goods created an immediate hatred and rivalry. It only got worse when Kara had liked the idea of making money from lost treasures and started her own salvage business.

With her first haul, she'd spent quite a bit creating a new persona. And so, Karen "Kara" Eldee Starr was born. Eldee for the House of El and Dee in honor of the Danvers name. A driver's license from a fake birth certificate and stolen social security number and a loan from the local bank that had taken the remaining gold and jewels as collateral, and Starr Shine Salvage and Sales was born.

It had taken a year or so for S4 to take off financially, but with Kara and the sales and office crew (that she hired to man the store while she did the recovery) they had made a name for themselves for those looking to hire. And during the off times where she wasn't working for someone else, she was busy marking the locations she found locally where treasure could be found... and there was a lot to be found.

"No. I'm not here to hire you, Miss Starr." He continuously wipes his hands together. A nervous tick, she figured. "I'm here to once again tender an offer to buy you out. If you wil..."

"Starr Shine's not for sale." Kara tried to keep the exasperation out of her voice. "I get that you don't like the competition."

"Competition." He sputtered.

"And the fact that over the past six months, I've taken two of your regular clients and successfully found and recovered their claims in less than half the time you took at your best recovery for them... well, I get it. But I'm not for hire. And Starr Shine isn't anything without me."

He tried to interject her speaking, but Kara kept going. "Sure, acquiring S4 would give you our current stock which you could sell and, if you marked it up high enough, would offset having to spend as much as it would take for me to even entertain an offer, but it's not for sale and I'm not looking for a new job. Or even my current job under someone I don't like giving me orders and signing my paycheck."

"Now see here."

"The answer is no, Davey. Sorry, but not sorry."

"You'll regret this, mark my words."

Any response she might have offered was lost as the bell above the door chose then to jingle once again. Kara smiled as Lisa, her front desk salesgirl, makes her way into the shop with several sandwiches from the deli across the street.

"Miss Morel." Mister Hyde offers briskly as he brushes past the girl to make his way out the door.

"Another offer?"

Kara nods as she reaches out for the sandwiches. "Yup. Though I never really gave him a chance to make it to the money this time. He just irks me."

"Can't imagine why."

"Shush you. You're on my list. You left me here alone and I had to deal with that jerk face."

"Better you than me, boss." Lisa smiles wickedly before taking a bite from her tuna fish.

"You're fired." Kara offers before biting into her double club.

"Okay, boss."

How Kara had taken on the Cat Grant position of constantly firing her assistant, only for said assistant to agree but still show up the next day was beyond her.

One of the first things Kara had done was to start looking up all of the heroes and their secret identities that she could think of to see if they were available, or if they even existed on an Earth that was populated with Meta humans already. Them and their supporting friends and family.

The Danvers weren't the same. At all. Jeremiah was still a scientist, but he never met Superman. There was no Superman to ask for help learning about his powers. And that meant there was never a reason to bring in Eliza Young to meet the supposed love of her life. Without them together, no Alex. In fact, Jeremiah was twice divorced with no children of his own. Eliza married a lawyer and had three children; all boys, though one was named Alexander. Maybe it was best that her Alex wasn't here in any form.

Cat Grant was a young, divorced mother of a two-year old Carter. No Adam here. But that might have been due to Cat being a news anchor for CNN News based out of New York City, this reality's Metropolis. Her once rival, Lois Lane worked for the New York Times - and was single, but still a Pulitzer Prize winner... for an expose on the second Green Lantern in San Diego, California.

Again, no Superman.

A non-powered Barry was in Kansas City, Kansas... not Central City (sigh), working as a Crime Scene Investigator for the KCPD. It seemed that a lot of the cities and landmarks that Kara had been expecting were different. They were in the same place and looked about the same as far as buildings and other structures went, but just known as something else. Oliver was due to return to Starling City, well... Boston, Massachusetts here on this Earth, in about two months. And she hoped that a lot of what happened on Earth One happened here. But the current superhero landscape was so different that she was sure that there would be differences.

Her research into how things went so cockeyed was fairly easy as it all seemed to be available as public record, but why things were different here she couldn't really ever determine. It seemed that in nineteen forty-nine that a group of superheroes (some with powers, some without) stepped out of the shadows and began working with the United States Government out in the open rather than staying some dirty little secret. They called themselves the Justice Society of America.

This Society of heroes captured the imagination of the American public, and very soon they were looked upon as the first superstars of the world. It was a later team of the Justice Society that had been there the day Alex vanished to another Earth.

And then the first acknowledged alien hero made his presence known in the mid nineteen fifties. J'onn J'onzz - colloquially known as the Martian Manhunter- took to the skies over Los Angeles... Kara's National City, with super strength, flight and was bulletproof. The entire world was enraptured. By the end of the fifties, another flying hero had appeared... the first Green Lantern.

The obviousness of proof of life beyond the Earth led to the creation of the Department of Extraordinary Operations, this world's D.E.O. At least it was a public branch of the government, rather than the classified secret it had been previously. Kara was mildly upset to see the original Hank Henshaw in charge, but maybe he'd be different here. After all, the Luthor family here were philanthropists and pillars of society. Maybe Clark really had been the one to screw it all up in their world.

The late seventies brought the second Green Lantern. That's not to say that there weren't several others that filled the streets, both in the dark of night, as well as the brightness of day. There were plenty, but most weren't the movers and shakers that were changing the course of history. No. The media kept up with them all in one way or another, but it was easy to see who needed watching.

Green Lantern (the second one) was followed in nineteen eighty-four by Wonder Woman in San Francisco, California. She became the poster child for the hero movement whether she wanted it or not. A buxom and very beautiful Amazon in a skimpy costume colored in red, white and blue? A no brainer, for sure.

The last of the big Four (as Kara had found they were often referred as) was Captain Marvel at the beginning of the nineties in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was so much like Kal that Kara almost thought it was him, but after studying the Earth's Mightiest Mortal, she was sure he was something completely different. And besides, his two miniature clone-like versions... Mary and Junior, that we're suddenly all around him? No, Captain Marvel was something else.

She remembered Dr. Stein from the Legends telling her about the Justice Society and how they'd met them and pulled them into one of their adventures and that had effectively ended the Society. Maybe the time traveling group never met the Society in this universe. And maybe that small change created the difference for this Earth.

Maybe.

Kara wondered if her being here had caused the change.

"So, whatcha working on right now?" Lisa brought Kara from her thoughts.

"Before jerk face interrupted I was considering the mirror that we recovered last week. As is, it should fetch upwards on high five figures. But if we take the time to restore it, probably low six."

"Is the trouble worth it?"

"Maybe." Kara offered with a shrug. "Wear and tear on antiques is all the rage currently, but if underneath it revels something unique, like an artist mark or it's a part of a set, then we miss out on a major find."

"Is that why Mister Hyde is chomping at the bit for our company? Do we have something?"

"Any thing's possible. But trying to find what it is, if there's anything at all, could cost us a bunch if it ends up being a wild goose chase."

"That sucks."

"It does indeed."

Kara used the last of the napkins to wipe her hands clean and then took the empty sandwich wrappers and cleared off the table. "I'm going to do a bit more research about some of the stuff we've pulled. Make some guesses about what he might be looking for. You good out here?"

Lisa looked affronted at the inquiry. "Of course."

"Good. Yell if you need anything."

"You always act like you're so much older than me."

"Old soul versus your new one, I guess." Kara laughingly retorted. She couldn't necessarily explain that despite looking twenty-one or so she was actually somewhere over sixty to seventy years old if you counted the Phantom Zone.

It took the rest of the week and nearly the entirety of the next for Kara to find what Davey was after. It couldn't have just been the mirror she'd been working on, or even something already in the workshop slash warehouse in back of the S4 ship. Oh, no. Of course not. It was all about the salvage bid Starr Shine had successfully won a month back. It seemed that the suspected wreck (that Kara had already found - superpowers were so helpful) was thought to have been carrying artifacts associated with Hawkman from Egypt.

And, of course, anything even remotely linked with metas or any other superhero was considered high bank.

She kinda wished that she'd passed on the bid now that she knew more about what the whole deal was. When Kara had initially thrown her hat into the ring, so to speak, it had just been a joint venture between the Chicago Museum of Art and the Martha Wayne Foundation our of Newark, New Jersey. Wayne. She definitely should have looked at the name involved. She missed her Earth's city names. Gotham sounded so much better than Newark.

Well... considering that from everything she'd seen and researched since coming to this Earth, they didn't need a Supergirl. And besides, for her to just pop up now and to become the most powerful person on the planet? After hiding here through so many catastrophes that she could have prevented that this Earth's heroes had struggled with... no. It was better to just stay hidden in the background and only offering the rare helping hand when it was safe to do so.

Yeah. That'd be for the best.

(( Author's note – completed to here by 11-04-2018 ))

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Earth 159

January 2012

Well, it's all over the news. It's finally happened. It was a close thing in this timeline and within this reality. In fact, Kara wasn't sure it was going to happen considering it was actually supposed have taken place two weeks ago instead of just yesterday. But finally, the Particle Accelerator has exploded. Doctor Wells... maybe Reverse Flash Thawn… is in a wheelchair. Barry Allen is in a coma. So many innocent people all around the STAR Labs location are either hurt or have vanished completely.

Unlike Earth One, however, the superheroes of Earth One Hundred Fifty-nine jumped right into the cleanup and are investigating what happened and Kara can already see the changes as they are happening.

Caitlin's Ronnie Raymond has already been located and is getting the help he (and Doctor Stein) so desperately need. Caitlin deserves her marriage to happen and last this time around. Maybe that will help the transition into Killer Frost and becoming a hero herself something so much better than it originally was.

And Cisco's potential as a Meta human looks to maybe have been found, as well. This Earth's had to deal with superheroes for over fifty years or so. Every major city has some type of Scientific Police Division... not just Metropolis and National City like from her Earth. STAR Labs' going up here wasn't the first meta creation focal point of its type here, just so much bigger... so everybody kinda knew what to be looking for. It's actually interesting, here on this Earth and to see the differences that what initially appeared to be minor changes could make such sweeping alterations.

The D.E.O. here is not clandestine. It's out and open and appears to do so much good, even under Henshaw's control. The Department had been created in nineteen sixty-eight under President Kennedy after the United Nations' investigative body working for International Court of Justice levied worldwide sanctions and admonishments against several countries, the United States included, that had meta-humans involved in the wars and skirmishes since World War Two. Documentation and photographic evidence had definitively proven that the Korean War and the Vietnam War had been won in the U.S.'s favor due to extraordinary involvement.

Specifically, several testimonials and firsthand accounts towards several of the enhanced Justice Society of America were brought forth that led towards reparations being demanded by the losing sides of these wars. Needless to say, the winners (i.e., the U.S. and its allies) refused. President Kennedy's second term as leader of the free world ended in controversy and international cooperation at an all-time low. The D.E.O. was created to watch over and patrol the emerging superheroes.

The biggest caveat that came from the Extraordinary Department's charter was the Registration... that very List that Kara had been so fearful on her Earth. Here there was a list of each superhero, their specific abilities and their secret identity. It was so crazy. Everyone on The List was put through a series of tests and trials to determine that they were ready for the life that were about to take on and, if they passed, were Federally Deputized to act as lead and slash or support in all cases where other governmental agencies might be required to protect the public safety.

If they didn't pass, however, the Government exercised its 'right' to either continue a very heavy mentorship - see leashing them - or removing any external source of superpower, when possible. Case in point was involving Robert Reed and his discovery of a phone dial that could temporarily change him into a superhero. He 'failed' the Trials and the device was subsequently removed from his possession.

And there were holdouts, of course. Vigilantes and others that worked from the shadows. Batman in Newark was the best example. His harsh actions versus the Mob, as well as the motley crew of insane lunatics that threatened so many in his city, was constantly being brought up within the media. Kara felt that she sorta fit the vigilante mold here as she refused to sign any List... not to mention everything she'd done had been in secret.

Who needed to know that she'd prevented the major Gulf Coast oil spill back in twenty-ten... or stopping the destruction of Joplin, Missouri from the tornado a year later? No one ever made any mention of superhero involvement; just luck in both instances as far as the world was concerned.

And besides, 'The' Big Four... Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Captain Marvel and Green Lantern... they also were extremely reluctant to be a part of the Registration. Several attempts had been made from various sectors to get them, one through all, to follow along with the Federal mandates and guidelines, but all were rebuffed at every turn. It seemed like because they were so much more powerful than all of the others combined, they got a free pass.

Kara often hypothesized that the U.S. Government was too afraid of what could occur if the Four decided to exit being heroes across the West Coast. Too much of America's classification as a world power came from the biggest metas on the planet choosing the United States as their home. In fact, considering how the U.S. held just a small percentage of the world's population, it often seemed strange how the other countries had so few enhanced individuals. In fact, Kara had noted that only China, Germany and the United Kingdom really had anything more than the regular human hero variety. What was different here than everywhere else?

But the particle accelerator went kabloom and now she's just waiting for Barry to become the Flash, which now leads to a whole new set of timeline questions? The Flash meeting Supergirl is two years away, but if Kara goes ahead and meets him, which might change her own timeline, except she's pretty sure that this Earth isn't her Barry's.

Or maybe her meeting Barry early and on his Earth led to the changes to history here. No damage done.

Right?

Yeah, way too confusing.

But, really, from all that she'd learned from hanging out with the heroes from Earth One during the various visits, Kara realized how this world had changed many drastic events that the people she was looking for help from might not be who she needed.

Green Arrow… Oliver, well, he became the Green Arrow right away. No dark vigilante. No 'you have failed this city' this time around. Ollie, while still way too serious, had become a good hero for Boston. And while he had apparently signed the Registration, it didn't hurt that Queen Consolidated was working with Palmer Technologies this time around… and earlier than previously... so funding the superhero lifestyle was easy enough to do.

Not that everything was perfect for the Green Arrow, however. One fallout was that Laurel Lance and Tommy Merlyn married instead of the Merlyn heir dying early in the Arrow's career. It was both heartbreaking and life affirming for Kara - having to witness Oliver Queen watch his first real love marry his best friend. And to add another kick to the Green Arrow was that the next big change was that Oliver didn't meet Felicity Smoak on time; meaning that she eventually left Queen Consolidated for a different venture, surprisingly enough with Wayne Technologies.

Go figure.

And in the few years that Kara had been on this Earth, it had been necessary to start making some changes of her own; to play it smarter. She had to remember that there were a lot of really smart people out in this Earth… and she should know, since she'd probably interacted with their doppelgängers a time or two in her old life.

Her employees at Starr Shine Salvage and Sales started to notice that Kara never seemed to age. Sure, she would cut her hair and change her makeup around, but people weren't stupid… and the idea of using glasses and a ponytail just didn't appeal to her as it once had. She had eventually allowed for providence to take a hand in what would come next… and fate definitely had a sense of humor.

S4's success over the years had definitely garnered some interest, especially after she had successfully recovered one of the JSA's missing aircrafts lost in the Pacific Ocean nearly thirty years ago. Since then, both Kara and her little salvage company had been fending off bids from some serious companies… all offers that the former assistant had declined until she decided to accept one, finally. It was just her luck that the newly formed SL-Corp Global (the brainchild of newlyweds Jack and Lena Spheer-Luthor) made the best offer when she decided to sell.

Taking a chance, Kara had allowed herself to be hired by SL-Corp Global as a consultant with an option to buy into the company via various stock options. Both Lena and Jack had been pleasantly surprised at her interest, and soon the three of them were slowly changing the world one idea at a time.

Eventually, Kara decided that her friends deserved the truth...

"Oh my god, Kara." Jack sat back in his chair and made like he was about to unbuckle his pants right there in the restaurant. "How do you stay so skinny and eat so much? I'm going to hurl. Just thinking about eating anything else is too much."

"You will not." Lena shrieked and threw her napkin at her husband. "I'll divorce you and take the dogs if you keep this up."

"You won't do it. Barney and Fred would miss me and howl all night long. Besides. you love me too much."

"Eh."

Jack laughed. "You wouldn't boot me to the curb, my love."

"Sure I will." Lena grinned mischievously over towards Kara. "You know both Kara and Lex will help me, don't you know. Kara's my bestie and my brother never liked you after he caught you sneaking out of my room that Spring Break."

"Oooh. Good times."

Kara couldn't help but laugh at the two of them. They were so ridiculously in love that it was almost enough to put her off of food. Well, food later. This Death by Chocolate cake that she'd ordered was too good to waste.

"I'm calling Lex right now."

Kara placed her hand over Lena's in order to prevent the other woman from actually calling her brother. She liked Lex (a very unusual fact that even now made her want to have her head examined) quite a bit, but Lena was bound and determined to set Kara and her brother up together and turn their threesome into the perfect family foursome. A world of no that Kara couldn't rightfully explain, although tonight was going to be her revelation of possessing superpowers.

"Let's let you poor brother alone for a night, Lee." Kara laughed. "He can help you save your dogs from Jack tomorrow. When there's daylight. And less alcohol involved."

"Hear, hear." Jack raised his empty beer mug in the air. "Listen to blondie."

"Sure. Listen to blondie." Kara deadpanned. She stuck the last of the cake into her mouth, her lips almost refusing to let the fork go… knowing she'd miss the chocolate once it was gone.

"Fine." Lena put her L-Phone back into her bag. "If I'm not kicking this poor excuse of masculinity out of the house tonight, why don't we get to the reason we're all here."

"We needed a reason other than its Wednesday?"

Taking a deep breath, Kara set the fork down and properly wiped the napkin across her lips. No time like now, she supposed. "While being Wednesday is a perfectly acceptable reason, my dear Jack, I actually asked you out tonight to talk about a few things."

"If it's that you're a lesbian, we already figured that one out, love."

"Bisexual, actually, but I'll take lesbian if it means Lee will stop playing matchmaker for me and her brother."

Lena blushed at being called out. "Look, I think that the two of you would be great together. You're both too smart for your own good; you both are seriously hot… and if you ever tell Lex that I said he was hot, I'll shoot you in your tit; and you both seem so lonely."

"Lena."

"No. I get that you're not interested. Jack pointed it out that you look at women more than men. Ages ago, actually. And I kinda was throwing Lex at you to see how long it would take for you to break and admit you like girls."

Kara nodded. "Makes sense, I suppose. But that wasn't what I wanted to talk to the two of you about."

"Oh, is it the 'you're an alien' talk?" Lena offered.

Okay. Kara hadn't been expecting that one. She felt herself blink a few times while the brunette demurely sipped at her wine, her eyes sparkling.

Jack was pounding the table in laughter.

"Bu-wha-ma… how?"

Lena preened a bit. "Honestly, Kara. You are horrible at keeping your abilities secret."

"I am not."

Lena rolled her eyes. "You eat like an entire starving Fraternity. You can lift more than any normal man I've ever seen… maybe more than some of the superheroes I've seen. You are really fast. You don't seem to age, not to mention that your entire identity is fabricated." She paused. "But the kicker is that you talk gibberish when you get sleepy."

She opened her purse and pulled out an old, folder up spiral notebook. "And besides, your notes are in some language not from this Earth. Alien."

"You're not upset?"

Jack leaned over the table and grabbed Kara's hands. "Love, we think you're the best. You're our friend, Lena's best friend ever, and you have brought joy and fun and laughter into our lives. You had to be from another world."

Kara wiped at her eyes. "I love you both. So much."

Lena put her hand on top of Jack's and hers. "We love you, too. And we have been waiting for you to tell us. No guilt. No admonishment. This was a big one. I'm sure that if the League or Society or any of the others got wind of you, they'd want to try and force you into something you don't want. I'm a Luthor and I've seen how these so-called heroes take advantage of Lex. They'd do worse to you."

"Spheer-Luthor, thank you very much." Jack interjected.

"Yeah." Kara smiled. "You are definitely that."

"So," Lena almost seemed to begin vibrating. "You were going to tell us everything?"

"Everything?"

"Absolutely." Lena smiled.

"Okay." Kara motioned to the waitress to bring another round of drinks. "You asked for it."

It took the better part of three hours to get the main story out into the open. At one point, Jack had flagged down the restaurant's manger slash owner and offered him an obscene amount of money to stay open and continue serving the three of them. He had balked at first, but as Jack continued to add more and more cash… well, they were still there, weren't they?

Kara was careful to leave certain parts out. That she and Lena were friends stayed. That together they had to kill Jack was out, as was her brother Lex being the most dangerous super villain of them all was avoided. But she made sure to include so many of the good things, about their lunches and friendship and all of it. Jack was surprised at the different names for cities, stating that such a change had to go further back than the possibility of Kara preventing the Justice Society from scattering to protect a holy artifact.

When they had finally decided to head home for the night, Lena and Jack had pulled their reality misplaced friend into the cab between them, refusing to let her go away alone.

"We can find your sister." Lena offered in a whisper. "We'll get Lex involved. He's owed a few favors from some of the Society. Plus, he has connections with Queen and STAR Labs, Palmer and Wayne Technologies. We can bring in the big brains."

"You're smarter than all of them, Lee." Kara whispered back.

"Yeah, but don't tell the boys that. It makes them feel all insignificant and stuff. It's because of their dangly bits, you know."

Giggling, Kara leaned into her best friend. "I know, right?"

"And besides," Lena smiled wickedly. "Don't think I didn't catch you expounding on someone else in your life retelling besides your sister. I can't wait to try and set you up with their version on this Earth."

"No, Lee. They have a life here." Kara argued. "They don't need me."

"Oh, honey. They do. They just don't know it yet."

The next morning, Jack was up before the sun, per usual. Kara would like to think the best of him - that he forgot that she was sleeping on their couch, but there was no way that he could actually make so much noise every morning and that Lena would marry him anyway. His making breakfast was sweet, but she could murder him in less time than it took to blink and be back asleep before the pillow had time to lose its warmth.

"Jack! Really?! Is all that noise needed?"

At her tone of voice, the man in question stepped out of the kitchen doorway, clad only in Kermit the Frog boxers and a mostly open terrycloth robe that had definitely seen better days. "Oh, you're up."

"Obviously."

"Great." He smiled as he continued stirring whatever he had in the bowl in his grasp. "After Lee and I went to bed last night, we realized you left a few things out. Important things."

Going back to sleep was definitely off the table. Jack wouldn't let anything go once he had his teeth into something. "Like what?"

"Well, like Lena explained what she thought about why you were an alien, but you never confirmed anything."

"What things?"

"Well, you're strong."

"Yeah. So?"

"How strong?" Jack asked.

"You want a rundown of my powers?" Kara considered how to answer. While she wasn't hiding anything from them anymore, sometimes the truth could be a bit overwhelming. She decided to try a little discretion.

"Please. I'm dying to know." He glanced at the bowl he was stirring. "And Lee and I might've made a bet or two. I need to pay her back for making me sing that dinosaur song for her ringtone."

"Who do you think currently is the strongest?"

"Captain Marvel." Jack responded while Lena's voice answered from behind where Kara was sitting. "Wonder Woman."

Kara shrugged and raised her hand over her head. "Me."

"Really?" Lena asked as she walked further into the room. She, at least, was in her silk pajamas set with matching robe.

She nodded. "Currently, I'm the fastest, as well, though that should be changing soon."

"Like how fast is fast?" Jack asked.

Kara smiled and stood up. Letting the blanket fall to the living room floor. "One. Two." In a burst of super speed, Kara had cleaned her face, brushed her hair and gotten dressed. "Three."

"Holy sheets!" Jack cried in alarm, dropping the bowl. Kara zoomed over and caught the bowl and was back sitting on the couch carefully stirring the eggy mixture with a wooden spoon she had taken from the kitchen.

"How?" Lena's face was priceless.

"I'm a regular Justice Society team all on my own." Kara smiled impishly. "I can shoot lasers from my eyes; freezing breath, flight, invulnerability, speed and strength. Pretty much the whole gambit, I guess."

"You guess?"

She smiled at Jack. "I told you. They called me Supergirl. It wasn't just because I was cute in a skirt and cape."

"I'd like pictures of that." Jack smiled cheekily. His smiled dropped when Lena smacked the back of his head, mumbling 'moron' under her breath.

"And you had to run away from your Earth?" Lena asked Kara.

"There was nothing left for me there."

Lena hugged Kara as hard as she could. "Well, I'm glad you are here. I couldn't stand not having you as my best friend."

"I love you, too, Lee."

"And we'll find your sister. I promise."

"Okay."

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Earth 159

December 2014

Life continued on.

True to their word, Jack and Lena went straight into the Research and Development Department of SL-Corp Global with the mother of all challenges: to find a way to breach the walls between the universes that made up the multiverse. Lena's brother, Lex, when he heard of their ambitious goal, immediately brought his own team at LexCorp into the project. Nothing was necessarily kept secret, but the theories and technologies considered were groundbreaking and no one wanted to share outside of their little coterie until they had to.

It wasn't until nearly two years later that word got out about the work SL-Corp and LexCorp were spearheading.

First, that the Reverse Flash had been masquerading as Doctor Harrison Wells was uncovered by the new hero of Kansas City, the Flash… which meant that Lena and Kara could finally bring Cisco Ramone from STAR Labs on board (Lena hated to learn that someone other than her had come up with cross-dimensional technology before her, different Earth or not, and was determined to discover the breakthrough prior to anyone else. Kara tried explaining that Cisco had a leg up on creating it due to his powers being already able to create portals between universes. Lena was not placated in the least.).

Next, Wayne Technologies and Kord Industries forced their way into trying to come up with the tech, each using their Federal Government contracts and exclusivities to demand a seat at the table – an action that had this Earth's Lex Luthor almost revert to the version she was used to dealing with on Earth Thirty-eight. Kara had gone to her best friend's brother and revealed her true self to the man. The show of trust was such that the CEO of LexCorp had laughed and offered her a job doing whatever she wanted.

Lena, again, had not been amused. At all.

But while revealing the truth to Lex had been the right thing to do, it created a new problem that Kara had not really considered. Industrial espionage was rampant over the multiverse technology – so much so that Lex's office had been bugged by no less than six interested parties, only half of which was not governmentally associated.

The D.E.O. now knew that Kara Starr wasn't who she claimed to be, but was rather quite possibly the most powerful being on the planet… and that meant everyone now wanted a piece of the young woman that had been hailed as the Maiden of Might, the Last Daughter of Krypton, the Girl of Steel on her own Earth.

And the Justice Society was first to approach.

"Kara?"

Cassie, Kara's assistant at SL-Corp Global called through the intercom. It had to be somewhat important, seeing as she had requested not to be disturbed while going through the notes Jack's team had provided regarding the Nano-bots he wanted to use to stop diseases, namely cancer.

"Yes, Cassie?"

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but Lena called down from the eighteenth floor. She asked if you could join her in conference room three as soon as possible."

"She say what's up?"

"No, ma'am. Just that as quick as you could make it."

"All tight, Cass. Let her know I'm on my way."

She liked Cassie. It was a shame she worked for the Titans out of New York City. Kara really hoped that allowing the superhero to act as a spy on her wasn't going to come back and bite her on the butt.

Kara made use of the private elevator that Lena had insisted upon that connected her, Kara's and Jack's offices. Early on, they had realized that to work effectively, each of them needed to be on a different floor than the other two, otherwise no work would ever get done. Kara and Jack, especially, loved trying to play childish pranks against one another… and Lena indubitably always got caught in the middle. So, offices on different floors, but all connected by a small elevator.

Bypassing Jack's office on seventeen, Kara went straight to the eighteenth floor and stepped out of the back section of Lena's office, which was empty. Using her x-ray vision, Kara took a quick look over towards the conference rooms to get an idea of what might be up.

Superheroes had come to play, apparently.

Hourman, Blue Beetle and Liberty Belle were all standing against the back wall of conference room three, while Lena Spheer-Luthor sat in one of the chairs, appearing as calm as you please, across from the members of the Justice Society. All were quiet, though Kara spotted a carafe of coffee laid out on the boardroom table. That Lena wasn't drinking the coffee already meant that she wasn't really happy about this interruption to their day.

Kara offered a polite smile as she entered the room. She nodded to each of the guests before she quickly poured both her and Lena a cup of coffee first, before turning to their visitors. "Would any of you care for a cup?"

Blue Beetle… or Ted Kord, as Kara could discern using her x-ray vision, politely declined for the three of them. Kara glanced at the other two heroes, but whoever they were, she couldn't recall having seen their faces before, though she thought that maybe she'd met Hourman somewhere previously.

"No, thank you." The blue costumed hero spoke. He had a nice voice. Calm. Collected. "We are here, Miss Starr, to discuss the fact that you are an unregistered Meta. The United States Government requires all Metas to be on the List."

"That's actually not correct, Mister Kord." Kara rebutted. Her use of Blue Beetle's real name immediately put all three on alert. Good. "I've gone over the guidelines and strictures of the Registration. To be required to be on the List, one had to be involving themselves as a superhero. I am not."

"Not what? A Meta?"

Kara rolled her eyes at Hourman. "No. I'm actually not a Meta. But what I was referring to is that I am not actively pursuing any super heroics at this time. No hero-ing, no Registering."

"That's absurd."

Kara was about to answer, when Blue Beetle cut everyone off. "How do you know who I am?"

Lena snorted into her cup of coffee. "You thought the List was secure?"

She had to hand it to her best friend. Lena had no clue that the current CEO of Kord Industries was actually the Blue Beetle before Kara had said it just a few moments ago, but she sure knew how to run with the information while keeping her poker face clear.

"Of course it's secure." Hourman exclaimed. Liberty Belle was silent. Kara decided that she must have been brought along as a show of equality. Go, women power!

"And you want Kara to just sign up on your word?" Lena laughed. "Not bloody likely."

"Bloody? Really, Lee?" Kara couldn't help but laugh. Jack would absolutely die when Kara told him that Lee had used the British expletive.

"Shut up."

"Okay." Blue Beetle tried to regain control. "Listen, we are here as duly appointed representatives of the Government. We wanted to offer a friendly reminder that you need to Register and get on the List, otherwise someone is going to want to bring you in. Charges could be brought up."

"How about I'll consider Registering when you get the Four to sign. Okay?" Kara offered sweetly.

"You think you're in the Four's league, little girl?" Hourman chuckled darkly. "I doubt I'd need the full hour to have you at the D.E.O. and begging to sign the List."

Kara's gaze focused on the fairly well-muscled costumed hero. She studied him, considering, when the answer came to her. His power was chemically based. He took drugs to become Meta, but only for a short while. An hour. How crazy to name yourself after your greatest weakness.

"Take it." Kara offered. "Whatever you ingest to be a superhero. Take it and try. Let's see how well you do."

Her words were cold. She knew they were. And the fact that Liberty Belle and Blue Beetle were suddenly on guard meant that her threat had them spooked now.

"I think we may have gone about this all wrong." The female member of the Justice Society offered. "This really was just about maybe seeing if you were interested in the Hero Trials and then maybe considering joining one of the teams."

"Joining?"

"Yeah." She continued. "The JSA doesn't have any opening currently, but I know the Titans is a good place for a young newbie. Or the Outsiders. They always seem to be looking for new members."

Kara was about to respond, but Lena's laughter brought her up short. Leave it to her bestie to possibly make the situation worse.

"Lee." She tried. "Stop laughing. It's fine."

"Newbie." Lena sputtered through the laughing.

Kara just shook her head and sipped at her now cool coffee. Deciding to be a bit flamboyant, the former Girl of Steel stared at the brown liquid until it obviously began to get hot… steam was rising and the aroma of burning coffee filled the air. All three of the Society members were now gawking at her.

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm good." She smiled as she sipped at her drink.

"But…" Blue Beetle seemed surprised that she had turned them down. Unused to being on the losing side, apparently.

"Well, this has been real." Kara stood and used her free hand gesture towards the door. "We'll have to get together again soon. I'll have my people call your people. We'll make a plan. Do it right, you know?"

"Do what right?" Liberty Belle asked.

Kara shrugged. "No idea, really. Just it'd have to be better than this, right? Maybe all go for drinks and compare powers and backstories. Secret identities and times saving the world. Sounds fun, maybe?"

"Uhm. Sure." Blue Beetle offered, sounding confused.

"Bye, Teddy." Kara smiled.

Lena waved at the man that had blocked her acquisition of Lord Technologies back when Maxwell Lord had been convicted of a few nefarious plots against some of the more outlandish superheroes. "Can't wait until the next Chamber of Commerce Meeting."

The look of horror on the millionaire's face, what they could see around the mask, was enough to make both women grin like it was free chocolate mochas at Jitter's all day today.

Jack turned the corner headed towards them just as Jess, Lena's long suffering assistant led the three superheroes to the elevator. Lena's husband looked like one of his Jack Russell's had just died when he realized that he'd missed all of the fun.

"Are they gone? Already?" He whined. "I was on a call with Palmer. He wouldn't shut up about his idea for compacted space."

"Invest, if he's looking." Kara offered. "His end result is amazing."

"Well… okay."

"Kara." Lena's face was still smiling. "Did you really just out Ted Kord as the Blue Beetle, current chairman of the Justice Society of America?"

"Oops."

"Wait." Jack spoke up. "What? Kord is Blue Beetle."

The blonde nodded. "And Hourman is a drug addict. He's hooked on some type of opioid or some other chemical that enhances him into superhero levels. Definitely not safe."

"And Liberty Belle?"

Kara glanced at Lena. "Not really sure. Definitely cute, but maybe a bit too much of a wallflower for me."

Lena wagged her finger back and forth. "Nuh-uh. Don't go there. Jack and I almost have your meeting with you-know-who ready."

"Voldemort?"

"I miss all the good stuff." Jack sat down, despondent. "You couldn't have waited for me?"

"Sorry, Jack." "Sorry, Honey." Lena and Kara looked at one another and burst into laughter, having to reach out and hold the other up.

Jack scowled. "I hate you both."

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Earth 159

June 2015

"So… what was I like on your Earth?"

At the older woman's question, Kara shifted the pillows around the bed so that they both could look at one another without either of them straining. She knew that this type of inquiry was bound to come up sooner or later, the once superhero sorta wished it wasn't yet time.

"You, Cat Grant, were amazing no matter what Earth I found you in."

The blonde media personality smiled as she kissed Kara's nose. "And you are avoiding the question. I've been an investigative journalist for too long to fall for the compliment slash avoidance tactic. Really, Kara. I want to know."

The sweat still cooling across her naked torso, the Kryptonian considered carefully what she could say. Should say.

"You were older for some reason."

"Older?"

"Yeah. I think you were around fifty or so. Your eldest son, Adam…"

"I had a son before Carter? Adam, you said?" At Kara's nod, Cat became quiet. "I almost named Carter Adam, but it never really fit. He came so quietly into the world that he made me think that being named for the first man God created didn't fit. My Carter would be smarter than to accept some strange fruit from a pretty face."

Kara grinned at the story. "Adam was twenty-five. And Carter was thirteen. I think you had Adam when you were in your twenties, so…."

"Oh my god. I 'was' old. And you still wanted me?"

Kara smiled as she looked deeply into her lover's eyes. "Cat, you were my world, though it was never like this. You were my mentor and my rock. It was never to this point, though a girl could dream."

"Ugh. And I'm not just a younger model that you missed out on?" Cat's voice held a hint of desperation; of not measuring up. Nothing could be further from the truth.

"No, Cat. Never." Kara hugged the smaller woman against her. "The Cat Grant of my Earth was something to behold, but she wasn't for me. Not then. She was the Queen of All Media."

"What?" Cat laughed. "Queen?" Kara smiled at hearing the sound.

"Your empire, CatCo Worldwide Media. You were the biggest thing in media, bar none. You owned the National City Tribune and built an entire network around your talk show and the news programs you created. CatCo Magazine was the pinnacle of fashion and monthly topics across all formats. Radio, television… even pay-per-view. Everyone knew your name."

"As they should." Cat sniffed, sounding so much like the Earth Thirty-eight version that Kara had to bite her lip. "And that I'm not all that here? Just a thirty-one year old reporter on T.V. that makes politicians and smarmy businessmen cry?"

"I idolized the other Cat. It's true." Kara took a deep breath. "But I'm in love with the Cat here with me now."

"Love?"

"Oh, yes. You and Carter are what I want to be a part of my life every day. I want to go to sleep knowing that the two of you are in my home, with you in my bed and Carter down the hall, safe in his room."

"You're not about to propose right now, are you?" Cat snarked, but Kara could glimpse the wetness in the corners of her eyes.

"Not yet. It's only been a few months of us dating. I only just officially met Carter two weeks ago."

"Six months is more than a few."

"It is." Kara smiled. "But you needed to get over the fact that your next big exclusive story was about to become your exclusive girlfriend. And that she was a dimensional traveler…."

"That knew me on another Earth."

Kara nodded. "Yes. That knew a version of you before. And had superpowers…."

"Because you're an alien."

"Oh em gee, Cat." Kara let out a breath of air. "Yes. Alien. Superpowers. Most powerful woman in the universe, maybe. All of it. Completely in love with you, multi billionaire or simply a well off news anchor. I don't care."

"I love you, too." Cat offered.

"You do?"

"How could I not?" Cat rolled on top of her. "Besides being absolutely breathtaking to look at, you are too sweet to be real. You light up every room you walk into. You're funny, intelligent…"

"Loaded."

Cat smiled. "Being one third of the ruling management team of SL-Corp Global and bringing in some serious money is definitely nice, as well."

"I'm the rich one now."

Cat rolled her eyes and then leaned down and kissed Kara. "You accept Carter. From the beginning, you knew he came first and that didn't drive you away. How could I not love you, Miss Starr."

"Cat…"

"And when you do ask me to marry you, sometime down the road?"

"Yes?"

"With a tastefully classic diamond ring in your hand," Cat smiled. "Expect the answer to be yes."

Having been told that one of her greatest dreams, one she never thought might be possible, was just waiting on her to find the right time? It was going to be much later before either one of them would make it out of this bed. Carter waking up for Saturday Morning Cartoons was what it ultimately took to convince either blonde to come up for air at all.

After an extremely unhealthy breakfast of chocolate chip waffles and scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese (it had to be bad for them since Cat had disapproval written across her face throughout the meal), Kara took Cat and Carter to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the Met Collection. It was such a beautiful day, that when the traffic ground to a standstill due to some weekend event happening in the city, the three of them got out and walked.

New York City was such a contradiction to Kara's perception. It had all the earmarks of being this Earth's version of Metropolis, but so much of the futuristic landscape and architecture was missing. The buildings seemed just like they could belong in any other city. Kara found herself missing the towering spires, as well as the turning globe that should sit atop the Daily Planet. She would have been sad, but Carter Grant was dancing between her and his mother, talking about the latest Captain Marvel action figure he wanted to buy. Kara wondered if this Carter would one day be playing with some type of Supergirl figure.

But that was a thought for another day since she had Cat's hand holding onto her own, their weekend in full swing.

Shadows zooming overhead, momentarily blocking the sun, brought theirs and everyone else on the streets attention to the skies above. Alien-looking ships, three at her initial count) were zigzagging around the tall buildings overhead, while an orange skinned girl flew after them, several other costumed teenagers in pursuit.

"The Titans!" Carter called out at seeing the heroes live and in person.

"Carter!" Cat yelled out for her son. The boy glanced back at Kara and his mother, but he seemed too enraptured by the appearance of his toys brought to life, that he didn't listen. Cat moved to intercept Carter's rash decision to chase after the super-powered teenagers way up high and out of reach. Her girlfriend had just gotten her hand around Carter's shirt when Kara realized that the alien crafts had circled around and were headed back their way.

"Cat." Kara called quietly. It worked, because the soft but insistent use of Cat's name brought the shorter woman's gaze to hers. "Stay close, okay?"

The CNN reporter nodded. Kara realized that while Cat was told about all that she could do, had even seen some of what Kara was capable of, that the woman had never experienced the level of power and protection that she could offer. But even with the chance of not fully understanding, Cat trusted her to keep them safe. Kara would not fail.

Taking a moment to pull her L-Phone out from her back pocket, she dialed her best friend's number from memory.

"Kara? Why are you calling? Is everything okay?" Lena answered after just one ring.

"Lee. Turn on the news. Check New York City. What's going on?"

"Hold on." Kara listened as Lena apparently was getting out of bed and turning the television and computers on. "Okay. Hold on." Kara listened as Lena woke Jack up… apparently they were having a lazy Saturday in bed.

"Lee."

"Sorry. Jack's on the Super Spotter App and I've got the Hero Helper website open. Uhm… looks like reports of three alien space crafts that entered air traffic lanes over NYC and caused an almost plane crash over the Hudson River. Team JSA got to the plane and the Titans are trying to catch the UFO's."

"Other than the crash, I can see everything else."

"See every…?" Lena gasped. "They're near the Metropolitan! Your date with Cat and her son."

"Yeah."

"What are you going to do? What can Jack and I do?"

"Get the lawyers ready for taking on the Registration, if it comes to that."

Lena's voice was calming. Kara was, frankly, not ready. "You got it. Take care of them. And yourself, as well."

"Will do, Lee. Talk later. Love."

"Love you, too. Jack says kick their arses."

Cat had Carter safely in her arms as Kara disconnected the call. Offering an encouraging smile to her girlfriend, she drew them closer and rubbed Carter's back in support. "Lena says that this is pretty much it. Just lucky to see it, I guess."

As she spoke, sirens started going off in the distance, although maybe only a few blocks away, at most. Cat grimaced at the sound. "What should we do? I doubt we can get a cab right now."

"No. Not likely. The Museum is only about four more blocks. Let me carry Carter and we'll probably miss all of this."

Cat nodded. "Hey, Carter. Will you let Kara carry you?"

"I can walk." The almost ten year old said with an adorable pout to his lip. "I'm not a baby, Mom."

"I know, dear. I'm just worried." Cat sighed. "I just need you to listen. Okay?"

"Okay, Mom."

"I mean it, Carter. This might get dangerous."

"I promise."

Cat studied her son, their eyes locked, before she finally nodded and turned to look up at Kara. "Okay. What do we do?"

Kara smiled and took Cat's hand, interlacing their fingers. "Now? We go to the museum."

As so the three set off again on their original path. Cat determinedly refused to look up into the skies to witness the aerial battle that seemed likely to never end. She was keeping it together by avoidance alone, which might have worked but that her son was constantly staring wide-eyed at the events overhead.

Kara considered the fact that she at the very beginning had been better than these supposedly trained heroes were currently as yet another black mark against the Registration and List they were determined for her to be a part of.

(( Author's note – completed to here by 11-05-2018 ))

Jack had decided early on after learning all that Kara could do to take the fight on the offensive rather than the defensive. They were right; having extraordinary abilities wasn't reason enough to sign the Registration and be forced onto the List. You had to actively pursue attempting to be a Superhero for the listed guidelines to come into effect. Kara was not a costume wearing hero. She was a citizen (illegally, maybe) and had rights.

The three had to stop all progress along with all of the rest of the gawkers and worried pedestrians as rubble from the battle above was creating some seriously dangerous situations for those on the street below. Kara was getting angry… but more than that, she could see that her girlfriend was getting scared; and while Carter, so far, seemed into it, he was maybe just a bit too star struck to understand.

"Hold tight, Cat."

Kara shifted Carter into her left arm as Cat quickly seemed to get Kara's plan and looped her arms around the taller woman's neck. "Slowly, please."

At the News Anchor's plea, Kara nodded and smiled at Carter who was currently trying to squirm out of her grasp. "Up, up and away, buddy?" And then Kara carefully rose into the air and away from where the people on the street realized something new might be happening.

"Whoa. Kara. You can fly." Carter laughed. "Are you secretly Wonder Woman?"

Even Cat grinned.

"Nope. I'm someone brand new." Kara carefully flew them over to the top of the building that was away from the shenanigans the superheroes and alien joyriders were enjoying – none apparently taking the time to care about the people they should be protecting.

Once her girlfriend and her son were safely on the roof and away from the battle, Cat quickly hugged her. "Be safe. Come back to us."

"I'm never leaving you, Cat." Kara smiled into the kiss. "Let me make my grand debut. Sorry you don't have your camera."

"I'll get the interview from you later."

Smiling, Kara ruffled Carter's hair and reminded him to listen to his mother. She adored the look of admiration in his eyes. His Mom might've just gained some major cool points, dating a superhero. She'd have to make them both proud.

"See you." Kara offered before she shot off into the sky. She missed not having her cape, but she'd been flying long enough that it was only a minor inconvenience compared to when she'd first started.

Well, her girlfriend was about to become this Earth's version of Lois Lane.

Lena had made good on her threat, having listened to Kara wax poetic over Cat Grant from Earth Thirty-eight and how she was the person she might just miss the most after her sister. She'd never had the chance to see how Cat had faired with President Luthor and the entire Federal Government's hunting and exterminating of Aliens. She prayed to Rao that she and both of her sons had escaped the worst of it. Leaving Miss Grant was almost as bad as losing Alex.

But Jack and Lena had contacted the feisty blonde journalist and had vetted her, confirming that she was exactly who she portrayed herself to be on this Earth – a strong advocate for truth, justice and the rights of everyone, despite class or race or gender or even planet of origin. Cat Grant had been courted by SL-Corp Global (without Kara's knowledge) to be brought in on the ground floor of stories that would shake the world.

The very first of which was leaking their own secret… that the multiverse theory was true. Grant had jumped in a plane and had left New York City for SL-Corp Global's home base city of Atlanta, Georgia at the word 'exclusive'. The interviews with Lena, Jack and (oh, yes) Kara – both independently and as a group – took place over the course of three days. She and Kara had hit it off, almost immediately, and with only the barest of encouragement, Cat had stayed the weekend, as well.

That Carter was safe and cared for with his grandmother, Katherine Grant, had thrilled Kara to no end, but couldn't yet explain the reasoning for her giddiness to the other woman. But Cat and Kara had taken the time to get to know one another, enjoying the newness of the potential for something great, they both thought quietly to themselves.

It was on the Sunday evening of Cat's rebooked flight home and back to reality that Kara had promised her the larger story… her story… even if Cat chose for their weekend to be all that it was. After Cat's tearing Kara apart for thinking that she was the type of person to 'top them and drop them' as Kara had implied, she had kissed the displaced dimensional traveler and told her she'd call when she landed in New York City… and that they would be having several serious conversations, by phone and on L-Chat, in the coming weeks. Kara's smile went all the way into work the next day. Lena was smug even for her. Jack said his wife was almost unbearable to live with. Kara had just shrugged and sipped at her coffee as they made plans.

That had been just over six months ago. Cat's CNN exclusive over the major joint venture of SL-Corp Global (always listed first) and LexCorp, along with Palmer, Kord and Wayne, set the business world on fire. And then when the possibility of multiverse technology getting the science side of things involved, the science community were now foaming at the mouth to get in on the newest undiscovered region to explore… Cat Grant was at the top of the media world. A queen, almost.

It had taken several conversations with Cat and Lena and Jack to decide to allow Cat to interview her as the alien superhero she had been, from another Earth completely. There was a lot of fear that with Kara revealing herself, the D.E.O. and the other superheroes would attempt to force her into their mold of being something special, their way and not Kara's.

Lena had laughed so hard at what Kara had considered a legitimate fear that the blonde almost left the room in tears; until her best friend had explained that between Kara's amazing abilities that were so far beyond any other hero, not to mention the millions and billions of dollars that through the Luthor's, as well as Kara's own fortune, no one could make her do anything she didn't want to do. Cat had agreed, wholeheartedly, and soon Kara Starr was giving her life story to Cat Grant.

The exclusive that was set to debut in five days… one of just the many reasons that Cat had Kara spending the weekend at hers and Carter's Manhattan Apartment. But, like so many events in Kara's life, it seemed like it was time now to reveal herself to the people of Earth One Hundred Fifty-nine.

In those few moments Kara had spent safely carrying her loves to the rooftop, returning to the scene of the chaos only made her even angrier. People on the streets below were dodging debris and laser beams and whatever else the heroes and villains were throwing at one another. The orange girl from before was throwing pulses of green energy that matched her eyes, while a Hot Topic reject in a purple hood and cloak was telekinetically tossing cars (thankfully empty) towards the alien ships high above.

Oliver's sister, dressed as Speedy, was firing arrows that kept missing the space crafts, but were causing miniature explosions wherever they hit. There was even some cyborg like kid that reminded her somewhat of Hank Henshaw from Earth Thirty-eight with the red glowing eye and massive strength.

But it was that these… kids. Not superheroes, but teenagers. They were throwing funny quips back and forth at one another; actually laughing at the dangerous situation they were putting the public in.

Kara had had enough.

Seeing one of the space crafts attempting to make a sharp turn around the building a block away, Kara shot off (faster than a speeding bullet!) and stopped the ship mid turn. There was no give. No relief. The front of the alien ship's nose crumpled at the sudden stop. Kara's hand held tightly, twisting the extraterrestrial alloy like tissue paper, as she used her x-ray vision to see the panicking Exorians (from her initial guess) at being caught. The little Goth hero stared at Kara, eyes wide with wonder. Kara dropped the ship hard on the empty street below and looked at the purple costumed girl.

"Stay." She commanded. Kara didn't wait to see if her order was followed. She knew it would be… or else.

The blonde superhero took just a few moments more to catch the other two space crafts and putting their broken carcasses down next to the first.

Kara landed hard, the asphalt of the street cracking outwards from where her Alexander McQueen custom leather boots rested. Casually watching the children playing at being heroes stood there, nervous, she turned to stare at the ships… smoke drifting upwards from their ruined star engines.

In Exorianese, Kara called out for the 'invaders' to get out of their ships or she would break them open and pull their crews out by their ears. All three doors to the space crafts opened immediately after Kara's demand. In all, eleven Exorians stepped out into the open to face Kara for their crimes. Strange that it was an odd number. She ignored the purple monkey.

"Wow." The orange skinned girl whispered to the cyborg.

Turning her gaze to the teenagers, she glared so hard she was amazed her heat vision didn't roast them on the spot. "I'll deal with you next." Speedy looked like she was going to respond, but the orange girl shushed her quickly. Smart.

Turning back to the Exorians, Kara was about to start in on them when the superhero cavalry decided to finally make their late appearance. First, that weird bug looking ship that had to belong to Kord hovered over where Kara and her prisoners were all sitting, before finally landing a few hundred yards away at a street intersection. Kara noted that with setting down where they did, the bug ship tore several power lines and other necessary cables from where they had been placed.

Morons, the lot of them all. Kara reflected that on Earth Thirty-eight that both J'onn and Miss Grant had often expounded on the cost of repairing damages caused during superhero battles. So much so that Kara as Supergirl had started trying to make a concerted effort to get those intent on causing destruction away from the city and the populated areas of National City.

"Don't move." Kara told the aliens before she went to speak with the Justice Society. A look was all it took for the teenagers, these so-called Titans, to stay still, as well.

"Miss Starr." Liberty Belle acknowledged as she was first out of the bug ship. Following behind her were Vixen (although not the one she remembered from meeting the Legends) and a staff carrying steampunk dressed kid, goggles included, and Blue Beetle.

"Liberty Belle." Kara nodded.

"We'll take it from here." Ted Kord smiled. Kara did not.

"Really? After I took the time to stop them? You just sweep in and do what?"

"Miss Starr…"

"Do you even know who you're dealing with?"

Blue Beetle looked past Kara's shoulder, taking in the scene. "Seems some aliens decided to mess with our city."

"Yes." Kara gritted her teeth. From the corner of her eye, she watched as Cat and Carter had approached the confrontation along with many of the other people that had been caught within the battle zone. Cat was filming using her L-Phone. "Aliens. Do you know from where?"

"Well…"

"Or what they can do? How to contain them?"

Liberty Belle tried to rescue her teammate. "We've got the Martian Manhunter on his way. Green Lantern is coming, too."

Just great.

"Well, I'm happy for you. In the meantime, are you prepared to deal with the Exorians?"

"The who?" Kord asked.

Pinching her nose, Kara took a deep breath. "Those aliens over there? The Exorians? You do know to keep the siblings away from one another, right?"

Vixen shrugged and looked at the other Society members. "I'm assuming that's bad."

Kara was about to lose her cool when the sky above was filled with a deep green light, announcing the arrival of the Space Cop. Kara took not a small amount of pleasure at watching the Lantern do a double take at seeing Cat Grant at the scene. Her expose into the many failures of Hal Jordan before taking up the mantle of this section of the galaxy's supposed protector role had cost him a lot of political sway. He was just lucky that his bosses were on another planet.

An emerald dome covered the Exorians while he landed. The Green Lantern immediately disregarded Kara as inconsequential and moved to speak with the Justice Society members and the Titans who apparently felt that since their adults had arrived, that it was safe to move. All of them avoided Kara by several yards.

Kara winked over at Cat. Her girlfriend slash news anchor was going to have the scoop of the century with the way today was playing out. Kara was just happy to see Carter was smiling and enjoying himself; she had been worried that with all of this taking pace now that he would be unhappy. Kara really needed for Carter to like her. He and his mother were too important to Kara to not be in her life. Not after finding them again.

"Excuse me." Kara turned to see the Green Lantern had approached.

"Yes?"

He smiled what was supposed to be a charming smile. It was wasted on Kara. "I understand that 'you' apprehended the Exorians?"

At his tone, Kara knew that Cat was going to get more than either had bargained for. "Right. So? Is there a reward or something? The Teen Titans over there couldn't do it and, frankly, people were going to get hurt."

"Miss Starr, right?"

"And you're Mister Jordan." At his real name, the Green Lantern grimaced. "You and Ted Kord over there are friends?"

"You seem fairly well informed, Miss Starr."

"I am. Information is power."

The self-proclaimed emerald knight nodded as he drew himself up. "One kind. There are all sorts of powers that you should be wary of."

Kara laughed. "I have those, as well. Would you like to ask your Ring about it?"

That she knew that his Ring was sentient floored him. Kara watched as his eyes narrowed and he considered how much of a threat she actually might be.

"Ring." He said softly. "Analyze and report." Kara stood still as she was suddenly bathed in an emerald glow.

"Analysis complete." The voice from the Ring reminded her of her mother's A.I. Cold and distant. "Anomaly: Kryptonian. Anomaly: age unknown. Anomaly: power level unknown. Guardian Priority Notification – zero, zero, zero, four. Notification sent: now."

"A Kryptonian?" The Green Lantern seemed stunned. "Krypton was destroyed by New Genesis and Apocalypse nearly four centuries ago. You can't be here."

The information was definitely something new. Kara had sought out her home planet using her super sight, as well as the best telescopes currently on the planet. She found Rao. She even found Daxam, whole, but her home world was not there, almost as if it had never been there at all. Seems there was a reason for that.

"Well, I am."

"You definitely need to meet with the D.E.O. You have to Register for the List."

"The List you refused to sign?" Kara asked.

"Listen, Miss Starr, but I can make you."

"You can try. You will fail."

Apparently the other heroes had been listening in to their conversation, as almost all of the Society members and the Titans took on more aggressive stances. Kara idly glanced around, unimpressed.

"Lantern?" J'onn J'onzz's deep baritone voice suddenly was there. The Martian Manhunter had arrived. Kara considered that with his arrival did the group have a chance at apprehending her, though it would be close… and only then due to the fact that Kara really had no wish to hurt her unofficial adoptive father, the Martian, but Kara wasn't going to Register or be on any silly List without the SL-Corp Global legal team going through the damnable thing with an electron microscope.

"Hey, Double Em."

"What seems to be the problem?"

Green Lantern's eyes never left Kara. "I'm looking at a Kryptonian that just apprehended eleven Exorians while schooling two Registered superhero teams; and said Kryptonian refuses to Register for the List; and finally, has made some aggressive statements towards me."

"And us, too." Blue Beetle called out.

"A Kryptonian? Truly?" J'onn said. "And her power level? From the Martian Chronicles, I don't remember any mention of their race bearing any particular abilities, although a treaty between Darkseid and All-Father to destroy their planet would make for a compelling case as to her being dangerous."

"She flies." The ex-Hot Topic employee offered. "And is really strong, too."

The crowd around them was becoming antsy. Many seemed to realize that their superheroes were looking to apprehend Kara, who had actually saved them, as opposed to congratulating her for doing their jobs. A lot of people had begun jeering and booing the superheroes, a sound that the heroes here were not used hearing. Public opinion was a major concern for those that fell into the spotlight… credibility could be lost.

The squeal of sirens approaching added to the cacophony of the situation. They really didn't have a reason to hold Kara other than that she had used her powers in full view of everyone around, though her being dressed in a knitted oversized sweater and tight denim jeans stood in stark contrast to the garishly colored costumes the others were wearing.

"The D.E.O. has been called, Gee El." Speedy spoke to the Green Lantern, who from the looks of things, was still seriously debating taking Kara into his custody. "Want us to stick around?"

"No." Jordan finally replied

Kara just grinned. Turning away from the intergalactic police officer, she nodded as she passed her once boss. "J'onn." Gaining his attention, Kara smiled softly. "If you want to talk soon, I've got plenty of Oreos and milk at my office at SL-Corp Global."

The look on the Martian Manhunter's face was priceless. Kara floated a few inches above the ground and moved over to where Cat and Carter were both smiling at her. Setting down, she knelt in front of Carter.

"I think the museum is out, buddy. What say we grab a pizza and head back to your place for a movie marathon? Sound good?"

"Yeah." The nine year old cheered. He grabbed both Kara's and his mother's hands. "Let's go. Okay, Mom?"

The crowd parted for the three of them, many taking photographs with their phones… while others cheered or clapped. It felt good to Kara to use her powers for the right reasons once again. A look over to the gob-smacked superheroes showed that none of them were at all sure as to how they should react, so used to being the ones cheered rather than ignored… and that they were now trying to answer the questions of the local authorities, as well as have their responses straight for when the Federal Agencies wanted the truth should keep them all busy for a while.

After walking about three blocks, Cat was finally able to flag down a taxicab. Once the three of them were safely on their way back to Cat's apartment, Carter looked over to his Mom's new girlfriend. "Why didn't you fly us home?"

Kara ignored the look their driver was now shooting her from the rearview mirror. "Sorry, buddy. Maybe another time." She ignored the look Cat was giving her now, too. "We need to save those for special occasions. Right?"

"But you stopped the aliens. And talked to Green Lantern." He protested. You should join the Justice Society."

"No." Kara smiled at Cat's son. "Being a superhero all the time might seem fun, at first, but I bet I'd have to miss all the really fun stuff."

"Like what?"

"Well, your science project due next month. What if I had to miss it to save a cat in a tree? Or worse, a snake in a tree?"

Carter laughed. Cat was tearing up again. "Or if your Mom and I had a date and I had to cancel at the last minute?"

"Mom wouldn't like that."

"No, I definitely would not." Cat added as she poked her son in the side, making the young boy squirm and laugh some more.

"So, you see, Buddy." Kara regained his attention. "I might help out when things get bad…"

"Like today?"

"Exactly like today. They needed help and I was able to do that."

"But why were they upset with you?"

Cat seemed to realize that she was getting into a tricky territory, especially for a boy Carter's age, so Cat took over answering. "Remember when Mommy had trouble at work? Those stuffy over-privileged men that thought they knew how to do my job better than me?"

"Uh-huh."

Cat nodded. "Kara is better than they are. Though you don't know it, and the other superheroes don't know it yet either, but Kara has been a superhero for a very long time."

Carter looked at Kara, his expression so very serious. "I'm sorry they were mean to you."

Kara couldn't help but hug Carter as best she could in the back of the taxi. "Oh, Carter. Thank you. That's what I needed."

The cab had arrived in front of Cat's building. Kara let Cat and Carter out while she paid the cab driver.

"You that girlie that stopped them bozos in the sky?"

Kara nodded. The driver waved off her trying to pay. "Good for ya. Ask for Freddie any time you or yours needs a ride. I'm your guy. Got it?"

Touched, Kara forced the driver to take a tip at the very least. "Thanks, Freddie."

"Keep doin' good."

Stepping out from the back of the taxicab, Kara watched as the yellow vehicle drove off. Maybe some version of Supergirl could do some good in this world, after all. As she tucked Cat under her arm, allowing Carter to pull them both into the building, she and her girlfriend both laughed as her L-Phone began blasting Lena's ringtone.

"Hey, Lee." She shared a glance with the smaller blonde. "Did you like it?"

TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS

Earth 159

October 2015

Barry… well, her Barry from Earth One, had often talked about the old fashioned values of Earth Two; about how the manner of dress reminded him of the old black and white television shows he used to watch on Nick-at-Nite. Of how things were technologically advanced, but there was an old soul type of feel to the world. Kara had always though that sounded kinda nice.

Earth Thirty-eight, much like her Barry's Earth One, was not like that. By the time Kara had arrived, much of the joy of being a kid had vanished. Eliza used to talk about Saturday morning cartoons instead of entire channels being dedicated to those types of shows. She would talk about how children could play outside from dawn until dusk and there was never a thought of anything bad happening, except for the occasional scraped knee from a bicycle wreck or broken arm from falling out of a tree.

Parents made cookies that every child in the neighborhood shared with one another. One house having a pool meant everyone had a pool. Doors in the suburbs were seldom locked and windows were left open during the summer months instead of air conditioners running all the time.

The Earth that Kara found herself on was an interesting blend between Earth One and Earth Two. While it wasn't as open and carefree as the Earth Two stories Barry would tell her about, but things didn't seem as cynical and dark as Earth One or even Earth Thirty-eight. Kara's decision on the matter was based around her helping Cat get Carter ready for Halloween.

Unlike the twenty-first century on her Earth, the thirty-first of October was a kid's dream for getting candy. Accompanying her girlfriend to her mother's house, a stately manor located within the North Hills subdivision in New York… all of the houses were decorated with spooky ghosts and black cats, orange lights along every porch. Clusters of adults stood along street corners gossiping with one another as children in costumes danced from home to home, weighted down by the number of chocolates and other goodies that could be fitted into their decorated bags.

Carter was dressed Archie, which left Cat and Kara in the roles of Betty and Veronica, respectfully. Where her girlfriend had found the costumes that were so accurately designed to match the comic book characters, she had no clue, although she often considered the idea that Cat knew where the superheroes all got their outfits (not costumes, Green Arrow argued) designed and made. She was also quite sure that Cat was just waiting for Kara to decide on becoming a superhero and letting Cat design the outfit. She already had Kara's name picked out: Power Girl.

It had been an almost repeat discussion about the use of 'girl' instead of 'woman' with Kara losing again… but with Kara apparently still not aging, the girl appellation might actually fit better than the other, anyway.

But for now, Kara was enjoying holding Cat's hand under the corner street light while Cat carried on a conversation with a neighborhood mother; all three of them waiting for the kids to come down from the latest house to be hit with trick-or-treaters in search of sugar. Kara idly was listening to Cat, choosing rather to sneak some of the candy Carter had left with them to guard… a folly he would never do again after seeing how much of his stash got eaten. Cat had shared a bite of homemade fudge from the nice couple a block over, so Kara could share the blame with Carter's mom.

Cat tugging at her hand brought Kara out of her musings. Turning to look at her girlfriend, she smiled to match the grin on the shorter woman's face.

"What?"

"Seriously, Kara?" Cat bopped her on the nose with her finger. "Leslie asked what your intentions for me were. She says my mother is complaining that I'm giving the milk away for free,"

Kara laughed. "Your milk? You're a cow, now? What did she compare you to last time? Something red?"

"A scarlet woman." Cat laughed as did the other woman... Leslie. "She'd just finished reading 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' with Carter. Apparently, I'm a scarlet woman."

Turning to look at Leslie, Kara winked. "Well, since I'm apparently dating a scarlet woman and getting the milk for free, why should I put a ring on it?"

"Did you give it to her? Kara! You promised I could be there!" Carter was suddenly yelling at Kara. He was a ninja at sneaking up on her, super hearing be damned. "You were going to wait."

"Whoa, whoa, Buddy." Kara tried to placate the little Archie, but Cat's son was having none of it.

"You promised."

Cat knelt down and hugged her very distraught son. "Carter! What are you talking about?"

Kara looked heavenward as Carter sniffled. "The ring Kara's giving you. She said she wouldn't give it to you unless I said it was okay and I said it was okay and she said that we'd wait until it was the perfect time and I missed it being the perfect time if she gave it to you."

Leslie thought the whole thing completely priceless as she had apparently figured out Carter's ramblings before Cat did.

"Gave me what? Kara hasn't given me anything."

"The ring, Mom." Carter answered as if his mother was not all there. "The one you say 'yes' to."

Cat looked at Kara from her position kneeling next to her son, eyes wide. Kara rolled her eyes at them both, choosing to ignore Leslie's quick idea to start recording the whole thing on video with her L-Phone.

"We kinda need to swap positions, Cat." Kara offered. When Cat continued to just stare at her, Kara reached down and brought her girlfriend to her feet. "I'm supposed to be kneeling. Not you."

Cat stayed quiet, watching her, as Kara knelt down and mock whispered to Carter. "You suck as a wingman, Buddy. But we can do it now, okay?"

Carter wiped at his eyes and nodded. Kara nodded back and then reached into the backpack that currently held their supplies during their Halloween excursion. As Kara's hand pulled out the famously colored robin blue box, Cat gasped.

"Betty." Kara smirked. "I know we've fought over Archie here for years, but I think that it's you and me that should get together. You're amazing and beautiful and everything I've ever wanted to make my life complete."

The sounds all around seemed to go silent as the various costumed kids and their parents all realized that something special was happening. Kara and Cat ignored it all.

"So, Catherine "Betty" Grant… will you marry me?"

Beautiful teardrops ran down Cat's face as she allowed Kara to slide the diamond ring onto her finger. She took the moment to realize that Kara had actually proposed.

"Yes."

The cheers all around them was what it finally took to separate the two women from their kiss, with Carter yelling that he was getting a second mom.

Leslie was crying, though not near as much as Cat and Kara both were. "I'm calling Katherine. This'll teach her to not come out with us all. If she wants to see the video, she'll be baking me her famous pumpkin pie."

"I want a copy of that." Cat asked between kissing Kara and Carter, who was now in Kara's arms. Her fiancé's arms.

"Of course, Cat." Leslie grinned as she started typing on her L-Phone. "Though I wonder how much I could get for it. Acting CEO of SL-Corp Global proposing to Cat Grant while dressed as Betty and Veronica? I'd be rich."

"You're already rich, Les." Cat retorted.

"I could do for another beach house. Maybe a small five bedroom in Hilton Head."

Kara smiled at the other woman. "Georgia is my area. I can get you a great deal."

Carter was all smiles, squished between his Mom and his future Mom. "Where are we going to live? Can we go to Atlanta? I miss the Varsity."

"Food?" Cat exclaimed, laughter filling her voice. "You want to move because you want to eat at the Varsity again?" At Carter's nod, Cat smiled at Kara. "I blame you for this."

Kara just hugged her family.

She ignored the fact that Alex wasn't here to celebrate with her. Not yet.

But soon.

And while Doctor Leslie Thompkins didn't actually sell the footage of the Halloween proposal, someone somewhere else did… and then the news was out that Cat Grant was engaged to the woman who was being called Power Girl.

The Department of Extraordinary Operations had issued a warrant for the apprehension of Kara Starr after footage of her stopping the Exorians had hit the media. Cat's initial interview had been moved to a special Sunday edition slash episode of *Chatting with Cat* on CNN. It was a ratings explosion where Kara, in her own words, gave her history and life story to the world instead of letting the Federal Government try and force her into training and examination by demanding those answers.

Lena and Cat's master plan had ripped the teeth out of the D.E.O.'s threat. It also gave Kara a type of protection through the public; by being a type of celebrity and superhero for the public and not hiding who she was… it insulated her from the tricks the Society and other teams might attempt in their recruitment.

It also helped that intermixed with footage from the previous day, Cat was able to add to the pre-recorded interview the name Power Girl… and that CNN would have the exclusive follow-up in the coming weeks.

The world now knew that Karen "Kara" Eldee Starr was an alien from the doomed planet Krypton from a different Earth. SL-Corp Global's Legal Department then stepped in and made way for Kara to be legally considered an American citizen, owing only a few thousands of dollars in fines for her time as an illegal alien upon U.S. shores. It didn't hurt that between Kara's debut and the Government's final decision in allowing Kara citizenship that the Green Lantern had tried to take her into Lantern Corp custody and off world.

TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS

Earth 159

July 2015 – Flashback

Kara was pissed. This was not how she wanted her day to go.

She'd been at a barbecue enjoying the summer day. Carter was splashing in the water of Jack and Lena's pool, while Jack and Lex were arguing over the proper way to man the grill. Lois Lane was there as Lex's date (ignore the shivering spine over that), as was her sister, Lucy, and her husband, James Olsen. Lena was in the pool with Carter engaged in a splash war, while Cat was sunbathing in the skimpiest bikini Kara had ever seen.

Even Jack had commented on the lack of material in relation to skin Cat was showing… which was why he was sporting a Kara hand-sized bruise on his upper right arm. His grilling arm, he complained. She didn't care and Lena had just laughed at her husband.

There had been a lot of friends and older acquaintances that had been invited, though it being so close to the Fourth of July that many had to beg off their invitation. None of them minded, really. It was just a chance to unwind and have a good time.

Kara, herself, had been a little more modest in her choice of swimwear, though if Cat was willing to play then Kara would step up her game the next time. Currently, Kara was sporting a white one piece that, while fairly modest, did offer a peep show cut out of her cleavage, which had definitely caught her girlfriend's eye. She was sitting on one of the deck chairs with a red towel between her and the metal seat… not that the temperature would bother the Kryptonian, but if she got up and someone else sat down, they could get burned.

Laughter filled the air until the sky took a heavy green tint. The entire party was encased within a large, green bubble connected to the Ring currently resting with the right hand fist of the Green Lantern flying above them.

"By Order of Intergalactic Law as deemed by the Guardians of the Universe and as their duly appointed Official of Section Two Eight One Four, I hereby place you, Karen Eldee Strarr, under my custody to face charges…"

"By whose authority?" Lena interrupted.

"As I said, by the Guardians of…"

Lex stepped forward, his bearing that of his most challenging from the days Kara remembered from Earth Thirty-eight. That he was on her side here warmed her in a way that she really couldn't understand. If she hadn't already been in love with Cat Grant, she might've taken Lena up on her offer to set the two of them up.

"Yes, yes. Guardians of the Universe."

"That's right."

"And they have provide extradition paperwork to the proper Earth authorities, yes?"

Green Lantern faulted slightly. "Well, not at…"

"And you have the documentation here and now for Miss Starr's attorney and proper legal representation to read, yes"

"This is an intergalactic matter, Mister Luthor."

"Of course it is." Lex smiled. It wasn't a very nice smile. "And she's being taken in for what exactly? Questioning?"

"Her trial is…"

"Oh. A trial…" Lex motioned to his aide, Mercy, who immediately opened her phone and began dialing. "At a neutral third party site, yes?"

"On Oa."

"Oa? That's the Guardians' home world, right? Who brought the charges… I don't even know the charges." Lex glanced at Kara. "Do you know what you're being charged with?"

Kara shook her head in the negative, both Carter and Cat were beside her, offering emotional support.

"Right." Lex turned back to the Green Lantern. "And who brought these charges, as they are, against Miss Starr?"

"The Guardians…"

"Ah, yes. The Guardians. So, your bosses levy charges against Miss Starr… charges we aren't even aware of… to be placed on trial where the Guardians rule and they get to decide her fate. Is that about it?"

"Mister Luthor. Please. You've been a friend and ally to the League and Society. To all superheroes at one time or another. I'd hate for that to come to an end."

"An end. Right." Lex turned his back on the Green Lantern and rolled his eyes. "And they cannot understand why you, Miss Starr… Kara, are such a breath of fresh air."

And right then, Kara truly wondered if her cousin had been the reason Lex had gone bad on her Earth. Kal had always been just a little bit holier-than-thou at times. Could he have pulled this same type of crap on the Lex Luthor of Earth Thirty-eight? Did Kal turn what could have been one of his greatest allies into his greatest enemy?

"Mercy?" Lex's personal assistant nodded and he smiled.

"Well, Green Lantern…"

"Hal Jordan." Kara offered.

"Really?"

"Yeah." She nodded back.

"So, Mister Jordan. Or should it be Officer Jordan? No matter. While we've been conversing, I had my assistant, Miss Payne, speak with Governor Seigal of the Great State of Georgia, of which you are currently occupying the air space of, and requested an injunction and cease and desist order for your actions as a foreign officer on domestic soil."

"Now see here…"

"Yes. Quite right." Lex mocked back. "Understand that you will be expected to attend the court case, within a month or so if I'm correct, and can then present your case with evidence to support the Guardians' claim, I'm sure."

"We are leaving now." The Green Lantern started firmly.

Lex smiled. "Of course. I would like to say, for the record, that you have no warrant which means you are trespassing on private property. Too, you are not able to provide Miss Starr with any type of documentation that she is to be placed within your custody. And before you wave that silly ring about and create some fake writ, the State of Georgia currently does not support your office, meaning any document – forged or real – would not be upheld."

Lex took a breath. "Also, the grounds here are under surveillance at all times. This entire interaction from the moment you arrived and will continue well past your leaving, empty handed I'm sure, will be provided as evidence on Miss Starr's part against you in any future dealings with you, your office or your Guardians. Are we clear?"

The Green Lantern continued to float there, visibly getting more and more upset as the minutes passed by. He nodded just once and then started to rise. Kara had thought Lex had gotten through to the space policeman, when suddenly his green bands of energy swirled around her and yanked her into the sky after him.

Kara had been lucky to be as fast as was, pushing Cat and Carter away from her as to not have either of them caught up in this emerald prison. From below, she could hear Cat and Lois consoling Carter, while Lex, Lena and Jack had all immediately started making calls. Mercy and James were filming her unlawful apprehension. Mister Jordan was one superhero that was going to be out of the hero work… forever.

Kara pulled at the braided rope that the towel could use as a belt and draped it over her shoulder, giving it the look of a short red cape. She was going to fight the Green Lantern while dressed in a white bathing suit and a makeshift red cape. Winn's geek fest fantasy come to life. She was kinda sad he was going to miss it.

Kara flexed. The emerald bands holding her tried to withstand her escape, but even the most powerful of science and magic couldn't withstand Kara's strength… and with them both up in the sky with the July sun basking her in its glow, Kara knew she was nigh unstoppable at the moment.

As the green chains broke, Hal turned and started throwing green bolts of energy at her. "Give up, Kryptonian. You are going to Oa whether you want to or not."

"I will not." Kara threw in a bit of super speed and was now behind the Green Lantern. In his moment of confusion, Kara clipped the back of his head with her left hand, lightly as to not kill him out right.

He bounced away from her. His power ring must have been smarter than he was, as it created a force field like shell around him. Kara watched as his eyes narrowed. "So be it."

At his exclamation, a bubble of green energy encased Kara's head, preventing her from getting any more oxygen. Kara remained calm… she could go longer without needing another breath of air, but she would eventually need more. She considered her heat vision, but on the off chance that it might reflect back at her was too great a risk. Freeze breath was out, too, since that would deplete her remaining oxygen quicker.

Remembering Alex often telling her that a great offense was better than just a good defense, Kara flew directly at the Green Lantern at nearly Mach One. He had absolutely no chance of avoiding it, and was dependent solely on his ring to save his life. His own concentration broken while he tried to right his now downward trajectory, the bubble around her head vanished.

It was time to put an end to this.

Just as Hal seemed to catch himself from continuing to plummet towards the ground, Kara caught up to him and grabbed his arm that the ring hand was attached to. Kal had once told her that the Green Power Ring was based upon the will of the user. Well, no one had more willpower to overcome every odd against her than Kara.

"What are you doing?"

"You aren't worthy of the Ring." Wow. That sounded like it belonged in Peter Jackson's 'Lord of the Rings'. Didn't make it less true, however.

"The Guardians entrusted it to me."

"It's time for an upgrade." Kara closed her eyes. In the distance she could hear the whirling of helicopter blades drawing closer, as well as various sirens far below. She was sure that while most of them were the authorities, that the media had gotten wind of the situation somehow, i.e., Cat Grant, and was approaching as well. A story is a story.

Opening her eyes, Kara watched as the green costume covering Hal Jordan was beginning to fade, leaving him in a standard white tee shirt and denim jeans, as the Power Ring was no longer snug on his finger.

"I can't lose." He nearly begged. If he hadn't possibly endangered Cat or Carter, she might have been a bit more forgiving. As it stood now, the Four were going to be Three.

"You've already lost."

And with Kara's words, the Green Power Ring left Hal Jordan's hand completely. Upon catching the alien device, she could hear it whispering the words of the Green Lantern office in her mind, though she ignored the words. The Power Ring, sensing that she was rejecting it, fought to escape her grip, but she held tight. It could be a gift for Lex.

The fight was out of Hal. He lay limp in her grasp, knowing that if she was to let go now, he'd fall to his death… something she would never do, but he didn't know that. Taking a moment to smile and wave at the approaching news helicopter, Kara darted down back towards the Spheer-Luthor home and back to her friends and family.

The photo of Kara in the white bathing suit and makeshift red cape would cause the Internet to crash the next morning for over thirty-two minutes. A very wet white bathing suit.

Cat had it made into a poster that sits in a place of prominence on her office wall. Kara snuck in one night and autographed it for her., the only one in existence.

TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS

Earth 159

February 2016

Cat threw her hands up in that air, apparently exasperated with the direction of their conversation. Kara's feelings were hurt. Cat needed to explain this better.

"I love you. Do not doubt me on that. We've bought a house together. In Smyrna, Georgia of all places. If that alone didn't prove it, then..."

"Then why are postpo..."

"I want your sister there!" Cat yelled.

"What?"

"Oh, my clueless alien idiot of a fiancé," the blonde journalist's voice was slowly calming down. "Lena is sure that we're just a few weeks away from the portal generator going online."

"I know, but..."

"Kara, my love. I'm going to marry you." She smiled. "But there's no rush. We live together. Carter already likes you more than me."

"It's the cookies."

Cat nodded. "Yes, your bribing 'our' son with cookies has brought the little traitor over to you side for now. But we are not going any where. And I don't want Alex to miss this. You shouldn't have to make her miss your wedding day."

Kara was hugging Cat, both ignoring the tears on each other's faces. "I'm sorry, love." The Kryptonian whispered. "You are so good to me. I'm sorry. I just kept hearing you avoiding setting a date."

"Well, obviously your alien intellect leaves much to be desired."

Kara laughed as she wiped the wetness from Cat's cheeks. "Thank you for loving me."

(( Author's note – completed to here by 11-06-2018 ))

"It's a chore... but you're worth it."

Luckily, the weekend seemed to stay more positive once Kara had given voice to her fear; it was a phobia – of being not good enough, to being left behind – that she had to deal with. Not often, but enough that Cat and Lena and the other's in her life had come to recognize. It was a gulf that, while everyone was sympathetic, no one could truly understand the loss that the remarkable young looking woman was forced to bear. How did one grasp the enormity of losing your entire planet… not just once, but twice?

One of the main conversations that both Grants and Kara had to actually sit down and decide, however, had been brought up the night of their impromptu marriage proposal: where were they going to live? Carter had joked about moving to Atlanta with Kara, but his life and Cat's life were in New York. It was ultimately decided that during Carter's school year, the newly formed family would remain in Cat's apartment… something that the journalist secretly didn't want to give up… and the summer months and some holidays would be in the Atlanta metro area.

Which meant that Kara and Cat and Carter, too, needed to find a home since Kara's single bedroom loft in the Buckhead area would not support them. It wasn't the easiest of jobs, trying to find a new home that satisfied all of the criteria, but eventually they did… and it wasn't too far from where Jack and Lena resided, making it as perfect as they could get.

Today was an exception to the plan. Carter was currently in school back in New York, while Cat and Kara were shopping for furniture and other necessities that the home required. There were no available or easy flights to meet with Carter after he got out of class, so it looked like Cat would either sand Kara alone to care for their son and her follow along in the morning, or she'd have to be carried by the superhero the entire way… not something that Cat was particularly looking forward to.

Kara had just ended the call with the delivery service for the living room furniture, when Cat walked in form the kitchen area. "Has anyone called?"

"Called? Like who?"

The shorter woman made her way over to the open moving box next to the front door and began rummaging through. "It's nearly eleven. I can't believe that no one has tried joining us today."

Shrugging her shoulders, Kara started breaking down the empty boxes that had already been emptied. "Well, Lena is picking up Lex from the airport. You know how he hates driving in Atlanta traffic from the airport. And Jack is holding down the fort at SLCG; the Bee Oh Dee had some questions regarding the Atlanta Constitution and Journal acquisition."

"They think it's not worth it?"

"No. Just quibbling about investment options, I think. Jack knows what they're griping about so he'd be the one to ask."

"Okay."

"No one else is in town. We'll have more help finishing my move into the Manhattan apartment than the move of new stuff here."

"Lucky bastards." Cat grumbled.

"Hey, now." Kara laughed as she crushed another empty box with her bare hands. "This is our life. Together. No grumpy cats allowed."

"And the cat puns begin." Cat pointed a finger at her fiancé. "It would be a shame for you to be sleeping on the new couch the very first night its here."

She held up both her hands in surrender. "You win. No more puns."

"Good. Remember that."

Kara's phone decided to go off just as she had begun to approach the blonde reporter to steal a kiss. Checking the touchscreen, she felt her eyebrows go high.

"Hello."

"Kara?" Barry Allen's voice came clear through the L-Phone.

"Hey, Barry. What's up?"

She'd finally made friends with the Barry Allen; a.k.a., the Flash, of this Earth. He wasn't exactly the same, different histories and all, but he was close enough that he and Kara had seemed to bond almost from their first meeting. She felt somewhat bad, worried that her presence had changed so many things. After the defeat of the Reverse Flash, Barry and his crew hadn't had to deal with any really major big bad in a while.

From what she could remember of Earth One, a dimensional hopping speedster had been the adversary against Team Flash, but with this Earth being so much altered than what it might have supposed to have been that Zoom never arrived. Instead, the heroes of Kansas City were taking care of the 'villains of the week' and moving quickly towards their happily ever after: Iris and Eddie Thawne were married (since Joe West's police partner hadn't had to sacrifice himself to save the Scarlet Speedster) and Caitlin and Ronnie were happy together still, with Doctor Stein working alongside the others at the Kansas City branch of S.T.A.R. Labs trying to master the F.I.R.E.S.T.O.R.M. Project.

Last Kara had heard, Barry was dating a cute police officer named Patty or Patricia or something similar.

"So, we might have a situation happening over here."

Kara sighed and shook her head at Cat's inquisitive look. "What kind of situation?"

"We're pretty sure that Cisco just created a dimensional portal."

"WHAT?!" Kara screamed.

"Yeah." Barry coughed. "So, Cisco was practicing his Vibe ability, seeing what would happen if he matched the frequency of my running, maybe to match it and…"

"Get to the point, Barry." Kara ordered. Cat was now standing next to her, rubbing her back under the Def Leppard tee she was wearing. "What did you do?"

"See. I didn't do anything. Cisco…"

"Don't throw this all on me, man." She could hear Cisco arguing in the background. "I'm not taking the rap for this."

"Tell Cisco to shut up. Talk to me, Barry."

"I was going too fast. Cisco couldn't match my frequency and when he messed it up, some type of portal breach thing started happening."

"And then what?"

"What do you mean 'then what'?" Barry's voice rose a bit higher. "We're standing here looking at it right now."

Kara closed her eyes and prayed to Rao for patience. "Barry. You're telling me that Cisco opened a stable breach while the two of you were playing superhero tag. That's what you're telling me fight now?"

"Well… I wouldn't have used those exact words…"

"Barry."

"Yeah. That's what I'm saying.

Kara turned to look at her fiancé. She almost burst into laughter at Cat's flabbergasted face. Just another day in the life of a superhero. Cat mouthed "really?" at her. Kara could only nod.

"Okay, Barry. Here's what we're gonna do." She started to consider who to call first. Cat left her side and nearly sprinted to where her L-Phone was sitting on the kitchen island that separated it from the dining room. She listened as Cat started speaking with Lena.

"Okay." She started again. "Cat's calling Lena now. I'm sure that she and the SL-Corp team will be wheels up within the hour." The reporter held up a thumb's up sign. "We'll make sure that Wayne and Kord are called, but it'll probably be Palmer and Queen that get there first."

"But."

"Barry. This is important." She tried to remain calm. "I'm going to be there in about ten minutes after I hang up."

"Okay. That sound's good."

"Great. Here's the important part, Barry. Who else is there with you?"

"Me and Cisco. Caitlin is downstairs in the lab. I think Doctor Stein might be with her."

"That's good." Kara was walking through the house trying to find the outfit that Cat had custom designed for her. It wasn't really a superhero costume, per se, but more like a uniform that seemed for functional. "Call down to them to get the KCPD Science Police down there as soon as they can. We have no way of knowing where Cisco's breach landed or who's on the other side."

"Got it." Barry answered. "Should Cisco drop it if we see movement?"

And there was the twenty-five thousand dollar question. "That's your call, Flash." She intentionally used his superhero name. "I'd love for it to stay open, but the safety of the city and its citizens come first. Could Cisco do it again?"

Barry asked the question. After some mumbling, Barry returned to her. "He says that he should be able to."

"In that case, close it if there's any movement. We'll get him to create another one under more controlled circumstances. Deal?"

"Deal."

"All right. I'm going to hang up and then I'll be there in about ten minutes."

"See you in a few."

Kara disconnected the call. She turned to look at Cat, but the smaller woman was already handing her the gold and white uniform, along with its pockets full of the supplies that SL-Corp had thought to be included. "Go. I'll call Lois to pick up Carter."

She kissed her fiancé. "Thanks."

"I'll call my director. He'll probably want me there, so I'll catch up with you tomorrow."

"What about the delivery?"

"I'll handle it. If you don't leave now you won't make it on time."

"We're going to get me sister back, Cat."

Small hands reached up and wiped at Kara's eyes. "Yes we are. And then, you and I have a date to set."

"I love you." Kara said quickly before she spun into the Power Girl uniform and then shot out the door and into the western sky. Even already a mile away, she heard as Cat slowly walked over and gently closed the door.

"I love you, too."

The distance between Atlanta, Georgia and Kansas City, Kansas is under eight hundred miles as the bird flies, or in a direct line. Driving, it's just a hair under eight hundred one miles since roads are rarely laid down in s straight line. Kara covered the distance in nine minutes twenty-two seconds. Needless to say, her L-Phone was only able to ring once she landed on the roof of S.T.A.R. Labs.

Moving quickly, she moved the doorway headed down into the gigantic structure that made up the prime location and headquarters of S.T.A.R. Labs. She ignored the spaces that were left abandoned and unused. She should talk to Jack about trying to buy this place… there was too much wasted potential to just let it fade away.

Using her enhanced hearing, Kara sped through the maze like hallways until she reached the track where Barry and Cisco as waiting; both are standing in front of an active portal.

"Hey, guys."

"Oh, thank God." Cisco sat down on the floor, resting his head against the wall. "Back up. Finally."

Kara watched the portal while wishing that it could somehow reveal its secrets to her, while Barry in his Flash outfit, nodded and then walked over to his best friend. "You did great, man. Really impressive."

"I held a door open. Yay me." He deadpanned.

"You held a pathway between two universes." Kara offered. "Just you without any tech or science to help carry the load. You alone, and you're still holding it open. Don't sell yourself short. It's amazing what you can do."

"Yeah?"

Kara nodded. "Lena is going to be so jealous. Get ready for it." Barry laughed as Cisco Ramona's face lost a bit of color.

"I can blame Bare, here. He can outrun her."

Barry shook his head back and forth. "Nuh-uh. Leave me out of it. I'm not taking on a Luthor."

"Guys?" Caitlin Snow... well, Raymond now, her voice crackled through the intercom system. "Guys?"

Cisco pressed his finger to his ear, apparently to activate a Bluetooth connection. "What's up, Caitlin?"

"We've got several inbound requests, plus a few not bothering to ask for entrance, but demanding immediate access. What did you do? What's going on?"

Kara answered since the boys were too busy pointing at one another to answer her. "Hey, Caitlin."

"Kara?"

"Yep. It's me. Sorry for the leaving you outta the update, but Cisco successfully created a portal breach..."

"On purpose?"

Everyone laughed. "What do you think?"

When Caitlin didn't immediately respond, Kara continued bring the _ up to speed. Once done, it really only took a few minutes to explain what had occurred.

"That explains the requests."

"Besides Lena and SL-Corp Global, who else?"

"Wayne Technologies was calling before I hung up with Lena. Ray says his guys should be here in the next half hour or so. He'll beat everyone else by an hour. Easy."

Kata was nodding along although the future Killer Frost couldn't see the gesture. "Who else? You sound frazzled."

"ARGUS, for one." Amanda Walker is issuing orders like she's expecting to be in charge. Henshaw has also said he's on his way, too."

How'd they know already? We just did this a few minutes ago." Barry asked, liking between Kara and Cisco to look at the portal.

"My guess." Kara offered. "There's probably satellites orbiting looking for different energy signatures."

"No hidden spy cams?" Cisco joked.

Kara shrugged. "Those, too. I know at SL-Corp Global we've been doing sweeps every four hours. We've found nearly fifty listening devices and half as many cameras in the last month alone."

"We need to do better." Caitlin's voice reminded them that she was still a part of the conversation.

"I'll mention it to Lena. LexCorp has some great deterrents for spyware. We can get you the friends and family discount."

"Kara?" Caitlin spoke. "The Justice League is also on their way. I think they've got members from several teams with them."

The Justice League was a completely different animal than the other organizations like the Outsiders or the Titans - even the Justice Society. No, the League took the most powerful members from all of the other teams and acted like a representative body of Superheroes. While everyone else protected a mapped out territory as its base of operations, the League put themselves over everyone else.

Currently, the League's Membership also included the remaining Big Three; the Green Lantern Corp was in talks with the United Nations to be allowed back on Earth.

Wonder Woman was the cure leader of the League, with the Martian Manhunter right there alongside the Amazon. The Titans representative was the Cyborg and the Outsiders had pushed Metamorpho to be their member. There were even rumors that the Batman was a part of the League, but Kara wasn't too sure that she believed that one.

All in all, the League's roster held supposedly fourteen superheroes, with all but four also members of a part of their respective team. It could get confusing if you weren't careful.

"That's fine, Caitlin." She finally answered. "We always knew they'd force their way in. Having ARGUS and the DEO here at the same time will help keep them away from the people doing the actual work."

"Barry got invited to join the League." Cisco offered into the silence.

"Really?" Kara glanced over at the Fastest Man Alive. "And what did he decide?"

Barry looked nervous. "It's a great honor, you know."

"I'd heard that somewhere." She responded dryly.

It had been this Earth's version of J'onn that had, in fact, made the offer for Kara to join the Justice League. Something that had admittedly intrigued her, but one that she'd declined. It was too political. It wasn't about helping people. Not from what Kara could tell.

(( Author's note – completed to here by 11-07-2018 - if I keep this rate of writing going, I should hit 60,000 words by the 21st. ))

They had shared a nice snack of chocolate cream cookies and milk, something that the Martian had enjoyed on each Earth, while discussing the opportunity. J'onn had been intrigued about learning of the multiverse, as well as their relationship as members of the alien fighting department – but both were pragmatic enough to recognize that their interactions wouldn't be the same. This version of J'onn masqueraded as a white police officer named John Jones, for goodness' sake!

"That's okay? The League offer?"

Kara nodded again. "It's your life, Barry. The Justice League stands for a high ideal, and if you think it's worth you being a part of it, then I say do it."

"Good. Thanks."

She considered trying to change the subject, but the telltale sounds of several persons approaching had Kara turning to watch the newcomers. The doors opposite of where she had entered the room were jarringly opened and several people started to fill the not-so-large room that the portal breach was in.

"Magnificent." The first of about fifteen scientists was gawking at the portal. "How long has it been stable?"

"I'm not sure I'd call it stable." Cisco answered.

A dark skinned man holding something out of the 'Ghostbusters' movie moved around to take readings. "Doctor Stone." He offered as an introduction, maybe. "Anything over fourteen seconds is stable where we're concerned."

"And you're with?" Kara asked.

"Oh! Power Girl." Stone offered. "Sorry. We are all so excited. Work to be done. Most of the team here is a part of the Queen and Palmer Research Group working with Kord Industries out of Cincinnati."

Another scientist took his place, one that Kara was more familiar with… or, at least, a version of her. "I'm Professor Eliza Matthews, originally with Wayne Technologies and currently on loan for the Multiverse Project. It's nice to meet you, Power Girl."

"Kara, please."

"All right, Kara." Eliza smiled. "My sons will be so jealous."

"I could be bribed to meet them with a home cooked meal." Kara laughed. "Especially if there's pie."

The doppelgänger of her foster mother smiled. "I do apple and chocolate pecan, though I don't make it that often anymore. My husband, Damon, doesn't care for it."

"His loss. Make it for me and I'll be there."

Eliza smiled. "We'll set it up." She looked over her shoulder. "I should get back in there."

Kara waved her off. "Go."

Scientists were surrounding the portal. Photos were being taken from every angle, while handheld devices were beeping and whirring. Three men were opening boxes and setting up what looked like a Doofensmirtzinator of some kind, aiming it at the glowing doorway. A quick glance over to where Cisco was still sitting showed a cute doctor currently taking his vitals while a thermometer was in his mouth.

Barry had quickly put his cowl back over his face when the mini invasion had begun. "Flash?"

At her calling him, the red costumed hero slowly approached. "Power Girl?"

"Kara's fine. I'm not playing with secret identities anymore." At his nod, she continued. "This is going to go for a bit. I'm going to join Caitlin at the command center and wait for Lena and the others."

"You're worried about the Feds?"

"Not really. I think that there are more on my side than theirs."

"I've got your back." Barry's support felt good. "And Cisco is the only successful portal and I know he's on your side."

She clapped him softly on his back, smiling, before taking her leave of the room. Kara doubted that there would be any attempt to traverse the breach anytime soon, but both superheroes and the Government were involved so anything was possible. Taking her time to walk the corridors of S.T.A.R. Labs, she checked her phone for messages. Unsurprisingly, there were a few.

Text from Cat: 3:07 PM - Be safe. Lois has Carter. Evryone snds love. Plane arrivs in KC at 1045 tomorrow. I'll take cab. CNN payng. Luv you

Text from Carter: 3:14 PM – Can I invite David over to spend the night? Mom's not answering

Text from Lois: 3:15 PM – Ignore Carter. I've spoken to Cat. Good luck. I expect an interview as payment. :-P

Text from Lena: 3:18 PM – Call me when you land. I need data asap!

Text from Lena: 3:33 PM – You should be there. Why aren't you calling me?

(3) Missed Calls from Lena.

Text from Lena: 3:36 PM – call me now!

Text from Jack: 3:38 PM – PLEASE ANSWER HER FOR THE LOVE OF GOD

(1) Missed Calls from Lex.

(4) Missed Calls from Lena.

(2) Missed Calls from Jack.

Text from Lena: 3:42 PM – News broke. Heads will roll when I find out who. Be ready. Flight lands in 30.

Text from Lena: 3:44 PM – And don't think I'm not going to kick your ass for not calling me.

(1) Missed Calls from Cat.

(1) Missed Calls from Lena.

(2) Missed Calls from Jess.

Text from Carter: 4:01 PM – Have fun! Every channel is interrupting afternoon cartoons to talk about whats going on

Text from Cat: 4:17 PM – Make sure you tele thos vultures that I get th stry is mine or it's the couch fr you.

Kara chuckled under her breath as she checked the time on her L-Phone. From Barry's call until now, barely an hour had passed. How could there be so many texts and L-Chat notifications already? She decided to ignore the nearly one hundred more, making a mental note to try and respond to everyone later.

Walking into the main hub for STAR Labs, she was pleasantly surprised to see Joe, Eddie and Iris scattered about the room, talking. The conversation stopped as they all noticed her.

"Is it stable?" Caitlin asked.

She couldn't help but shrug her shoulders. "I think so. It looks stable. Lord knows that I've been through so many that you'd think I was the expert. It looks like a stable breach, so I'd say yes, but that's why all of you big brain types are either here or on the way."

Eddie Thawne stood as she looked his way. "Power Girl. It's a real honor to meet you."

"Please, Detective Thawne. Any friend here can call me Kara."

"Kara, then." He offered a smile that helped Kara realize why Iris had married him. "Having Barry as the Flash and some of the others helps, but…"

As his words trailed off, Kara nodded in understanding. "Human Metas with a relatable power versus big alien, right? I get it."

"It's just… wow."

"Okay, honey." Iris grabbed his arm and rolled her eyes at Kara. "Don't embarrass yourself. Or Kara, for that matter."

"It's okay. Really. It was very nice to meet you, Detective Thawne."

"Eddie, please."

"Eddie then."

When Iris directed her husband back over to where her father was sitting, Kara walked over to where Caitlin was keeping watch over the monitors.

"Everything okay?"

The redhead slash brunette nodded. "Satellites show all's quiet."

"Well, that's good."

"Yeah." The bio-engineer shoulder bumped Kara. "Good to see you again. I miss having more girls to hang out with."

"What about Iris?"

"Iris is nice." Caitlin offered quietly as to not let the other woman in the room know that she was the subject currently being discussed. "I don't really know her. She's Barry's sister and all, but she'd kind of a bitch. Like everyone should listen to her. It just…"

"Rubs you wrong?" Kara supplied.

"Exactly."

Kara considered how Team Flash was such a well-oiled machine on Earth One… but they'd only had Team Arrow to guide them along through the growing pains. Here, Barry and all of the STAR Labs support team had the Registration and List to deal with, not to mention the superhero mentor slash advisor he'd gotten. And while Hourman was not Kara's favorite, he had apparently done a good job. He'd even been a major point in discovering that Wells wasn't really Wells, but the Reverse Flash.

Vixen had been here, too, and that might have helped Caitlin not feel like the token girl member of the team.

"You and Ronnie could jump ship and join SL-Corp Global." Kara offered. We outnumber the boys by a lot. Jack would love for Ronnie to provide some testosterone."

"I couldn't."

"Caitlin." Kara made sure the scientist was looking at her and paying attention. "That's not an idle offer. No joke. I know you are a part owner of STAR Labs and that's fine. SL-Corp has a good relationship with you, but we know talent when we see it. You and Ronnie would have a place with us."

She laughed at Kara's words. "You couldn't afford both of us."

Kara nodded. "That's true, but I think you and your husband would thrive there. And Doctor Stein, as well."

"You know?" Caitlin asked in wonder.

Kara sighed. "I'm an abnormality that breaks all the rules. There are a lot of secrets that I know from the different Earths I've interacted with. Now, does that mean I know everything? No. Not at all. There are so many new faces and events that I can't even keep up sometimes… but the stuff I do know is usually pretty important."

"You'd said you knew me before." Caitlin confirmed0.

"I did." Kara noted that the monitor against the far wall showed a large contingent of people entering the building. "Not greatly, but enough that I know things that will surprise you. A lot."

"Like what? Tell me." She persisted.

"The Earth One version of you travelled to Earth Two with the Flash. There, you discovered that you were a super villain by the name of Killer Frost."

"Killer Frost? Really? My last name is Snow and I get… what? Ice powers? And I called myself Killer Frost."

The Kryptonian chuckled. "I know. Very 'Remus Lupin being a werewolf' of you."

"I wish you were making this up."

"I'm not." Kara offered back. "And after meeting your evil twin, Barry went back and changed the past. When he came back, you were Killer Frost on your Earth as well."

"He actually changed the past?"

"Yeah. It's kind of a thing super speedsters like the Flash and others sometimes have to deal with. The time barrier isn't supposed to be messed with, but their access to the Speed Force makes it a temptation that is sometimes too hard to resist. Especially when something catastrophic happens."

'Doctor Wells," Caitlin paused. "Eobard Thawne. He was from the future."

"And he probably made a lot of changes." Kara listened as a number of footsteps continued to approach. He Government was almost here. "I've made some, too, although I did try to not do anything at first."

"What changed?"

"Everything was already different. I was looking for Earth One. I found this one instead."

"Earth One Hundred Fifty-nine."

Kara laughed. "That's what I named it. Who knows what another reality's Earth would call us. We could be on Earth Twelve Thousand for all I know."

"Or Earth X"

Kara shook her head. "No. I've been to Earth X. We are definitely not Earth X."

Any response Caitlin might have offered was lost as Hank Henshaw led several obvious military type people into the command center. Everyone except for Kara seemed surprised at the new arrivals.

"Director Henshaw." Caitlin got over her surprise fairly quick. "A pleasure. I didn't realize we'd left the doors open. Otherwise, I would have had someone meet you when you go there."

"No bother, Doctor Snow." He turned and nodded at Kara. "Power Girl."

"Director." Kara greeted the man. That his face had been both a source of security and comfort, as well as one of her most hated enemies once upon a time, made it difficult to school her expression at his arrival.

A fact that he apparently took note of.

"The breach?"

"I'll show them." Eddie suddenly offered, having drawn closer with so many new people in the room. "I want to see it, anyway."

"Me, too." Iris joined in.

Hank Henderson curtly acknowledged them both before turning to the men he'd brought along. "Follow them. Don't interfere with the people already here. Assist and observe. I expect a full report within the hour."

Kara watched as everyone saluted, before following behind the married couple. She hated to admit it, but she was impressed.

"I take it Luthor is on the way?" He spoke after the room had gotten a lot emptier.

"Lena and Lex both, yes."

"Good. They still about fifteen minutes out?"

Kara glanced at her L-Phone, checking the time. "That sounds about right."

The dark skinned man looked around the command center, his gaze seeming to take everything in and saving it all to memory. Finally done, he turned to look again at Caitlin and Kara.

"Doctor Snow."

"It's actually Raymond now." Caitlin interrupted.

"What?"

"I'm married. I'm Doctor Caitlin Raymond now. Well, Snow-Raymond, technically."

Kara wanted to laugh at the expression on Henshaw's face.

"Fine. Doctor Raymond." He acknowledged. "Would you mind if Power Girl and I used the room over there," he pointed to a private, glass-walled room. "To have a conversation?"

"I don't mind."

Seeing no reason to deny the Director's request, Kara followed along behind him as he strode purposefully towards the room. Once they were both inside, he shut the door and then pulled what looked like a fancy lighter out of his pocket.

"Stops electronic eavesdropping." He offered before flipping a switch. A small blue light turned on. Kara didn't disclose that it appeared as a bastardized version of something Jack had created under the SL-Corp Global copyright and trademark.

"You wanted to talk." Kara prompted.

"I want you to come work for me." Henshaw stated bluntly.

Kara stared at the man, not quite sure she had actually heard the words that he had spoken aloud. The DEO was everything that Kara thought was wrong regarding the politics of this world. A List of super powered people, forced to Register or face imprisonment. Or possibly worse.

"What?"

He nodded like he had expected her reaction. "You. Joining the Department of Extraordinary Operations. I'd really like you as my second-in-command."

"I'm sorry… but, what?"

"Look. I get that you like to do things your own way. I'm the same. And while we see the world from different viewpoints, I think we both want the same thing."

"And that is?"

"Accountability." He answered immediately. "What you did in New York with the Exorians? Exactly what the DEO was supposed to handle, but we can't get the superheroes to follow along. And that jackass Green Lantern? An officer that thinks his way is the only way? Screw the laws of the land you're in? He needed stopped."

"I don't think…"

"Don't discount it, yet. This is a serious offer." He leant back on the desk behind him, his arms crossed in a relaxed manner. "I've read everything that I can about you and your Earth. I can see where you glossed over a lot of bad things."

"It wasn't fair. It isn't fair to hold people here guilty for what a different version of them did somewhere else."

"That's big of you."

Kara started to get angry. "Don't make fun of me."

He held his hands up. "I wasn't and I won't. That you don't hold grudges and you let former enemies maybe become friends… or allies, at least. That's impressive."

"Thank you."

Henshaw nodded. "I can't say I understand all of the motivations for what your Earth did. I will say that an alien masquerading as a human to be President was wrong. On so many levels, wrong. Should she have been assassinated? Of course not, but that alien did you no favors."

She hated to admit that she understood his point. "But working for you?"

"Look, I get that your DEO didn't start off right. And while it changed for the better for a while, it ultimately returned to its original purpose. It was bad from the get go. The DEO here was created to monitor and protect. The List isn't so a hate group can hunt anyone down, but a way for everyone, human or Meta of alien alike, to feel safe."

"But…"

"But it's not fair?" Henshaw chuckled darkly. "We register gun owners. We register martial artists. We have lists for scientists that know how to make dangerous stuff in their basements. Hell, there's even laws up for vote right now regarding new technology. Why shouldn't someone that can crush another man without a second thought not need to be on a list? The List."

He glanced at the military timepiece on his left arm. "I want a team. It's been named Cadmus, which I know from what I've read that you hate. Wasn't my call. It will be made up of scientists and soldiers. Police and supers. I want you to lead it. I have four people I want on a team of ten besides you. You get to choose the other five. They'll have to go through the vetting process, but I can't imagine anyone will say no to your picks."

"And I answer to you?" Kara couldn't believe that she was about to agree to this. "Just you?"

"There's a chain of command, but I answer to the Secretary of Defense. His boss is the President of the United States. That means no one else has any say over you."

"You're making this hard to say no to."

"Which was my intention." H smiled. A real smile. It reminded her of J'onn. "I will tell you that Lex Luthor is another one of my picks, so that you're friends makes it more for your favor than just your five. Including you, that's seven out of ten. Your team backed by the United States Government that can enforce the Registration and the List."

"I hate that List."

"Then join the DEO and change the damned list." He growled.

"I could do that?"

"That List and the Registration is nearly fifty years old and was written by a President that had survived an assassination attempt that killed his wife and while the United Nations and the rest of the world was screaming at us. It did what it needed to do, but it can be changed. Hell, the whole Constitution ought to be looked at again. The Founding Fathers never dreamed what life is like now."

Lena was going to kill her.

"I'm in, but only after I discuss this with Cat."

"Probably a good idea. Never a good idea to piss off the wife. Second divorce taught me that." He stood and walked towards the door. "I can offer her a spot, just not on the actual team. Official Press Agent or liaison or something. Full exclusive and inside look. Full transparency."

"Great. Now I can't refuse."

"That was the idea." Henshaw laughed. "Welcome aboard, Assistant Director Kara Strarr. Power Girl."

Definitely screwed.

"Now, let's go look at a doorway into a new world."

END PART ONE

(( Author's note – completed to here by 11-08-2018 ))