This is unfinished. But I ended it with a finished kind of unfinished. Basics: Astra is Kara's mother, Alura and Zor-El survive, and somehow, Kara called J'onn dad for a couple of years. Meh. Reunion fic of sorts.
"Aunt Alura-"
"Shh, Kara, shh," Alura stroked the sides of her niece's face, eyes shining. "You need to go. Your cousin, Kal-El, will be going ahead you – he will be the last son of Krypton, as you will be the last daughter."
Kara cried, shaking. Everything was too loud, too bright, too dark, too unstable. She wanted her mother, who would hold her tight and hide her from the world. "I want my mama- Papa-"
"Centre yourself, daughter of mine," Zor-El rested his hand on her forehead. "Do not fear. We will follow behind in a craft of our own – but we must hurry. Our ship is manually piloted, so we must follow you the entire journey."
Kara sobbed, before nodding, pushing their hands away and clambering into her pod. "Papa, go! Go!" She looked forwards as Kal-El's pod shot off into the sky. Sitting down, Kara was momentarily shaken by a tremor, before she sat back, her pod lifting off. She didn't look back until she was far up in the sky, when a shockwave pushed her pod faster and higher into the blackness of space, briefly spinning her around so she could see Krypton explode.
Her aunt and father's pod no-where in sight.
When Kal-El landed in Kansas, his pod sent off the programmed homing device. Kara's pod didn't pick it up, due to being drawn into the Phantom Zone – however, Alura and Zor-El's ship did, and they flew down to collect him from the Kent's, who were only saved from the residual heat of their drop due to the close proximity to Kal-El's pod, which enacted a force-field around itself as an automated precautionary method. The Kryptonians were kind to the Kent's, and in return the two helped them assimilate into Earth's culture after they finished scouring Earth using their ships sensors to find Kara.
When they weren't able to, they were devastated. Alura grieved for her niece, for the girl she'd looked after in her sister's absence, but Zor-El grieved for his biological daughter – it wasn't uncommon for temporary body-swaps on Krypton, due to the presence of a radioactive mineral that dotted their landscapes. Only, twins were rare. An honest mistake caused Alura – in her sister Astra's body – to become impregnated, a true rarity on Krypton. Kara was the first blood-borne daughter of Krypton in an age. The Science Council almost abducted Zor-El and his brother, Jor-El, when it was discovered they had both borne blood children with their wives, or rather, Jor-El with his wife, and Zor-El with his sister-in-law.
However, they never gave up hope. El Mayara, Stronger Together – they raised Kal-El together alongside the Kent's, who put them up and gave them a place to live, renovating the hay-loft of the barn and pretending to be the adoptive parents of 'Clark' whenever the government was looking. The Kryptonians swore to find Kara if she ever crash-landed on Earth, to care for her as they always had – and when Kal-El grew up, he swore too, to always be on the lookout for his beloved, long-lost cousin, just as he looked over the humans, as the superhero known as Nightwing, having been forbidden to wear his family crest as an emblem as he originally wished.
(In another universe, he would have been called Superman – but in that universe, Zor-El and Alura weren't there to punish him for changing what the House of El meant. They weren't warriors – they were scientists, and he would not tarnish that reputation by wearing it into battle. The one time he did, even though it was barely able to be seen – not even a hands breadth wide, sitting on his lapel, Zor-El rose up from seemingly nowhere, and the entirety of Metropolis saw their beloved Nightwing get a deserved beat-down.
But like in the other universe, Lois Lane at the Daily Planet gave Kal-El his superhero name, and he still revealed his identity to her, long after they first kissed. They were still a couple – Lois just got to meet more than one adult Kryptonian this time round.)
It would be bad luck when Kara did land, bringing Fort Rozz along with her, only to be stolen away in the night by the one alien no-one would ever expect.
"Ky'ara, you must run! Fly away – far, far away!" J'onn roared in Martian, waking Kara from her fitful sleep in the trees above. "Ky'ara, you need to go! Now!"
Heart racing, Kara looked around blindly, x-ray vision working its magic. What she saw terrified her. Humans! Kara didn't pause before jumping up, flying through the leaves and vines and branches, up and up and up, until she was in the clear night. But even then she didn't stop, flying higher and higher until she could only just breathe, frost forming on her wet skin and simple clothes on her back – a white t-shirt, grey three-quarter length khakis and a white zip-up hoodie she'd adapted from the material of her old dress that she'd first arrived in.
J'onn had found her when she crash-landed on Earth, had saved her from the White Martian who'd found her pod. Kara had been quick to follow him after that, not knowing what else to do – Kal-El was nowhere in sight, and her father and Aunt Alura were nowhere to be found.
They'd been together for a long time now. Almost seven years. After he helped her master her powers, at Kara's prompting, J'onn had taken over the life of a dead man, Jake Callaghan, creating a daughter for him by the name of Kara Callaghan, giving her a way to get into human school, quickly proving how complex Kryptonian minds were when they passed her through all her mathematics, science and English examinations with full marks, once she had mastered English. J'onn had been so proud of her, especially when she continued to learn language after language just to impress him, and took up so many hobbies J'onn was only able to keep track of due to his impeccable memory.
But then came the day where the Department of Extra-Normal Operations, who had been hunting J'onn for decades, finally caught up with him. They'd barely made it out, and for the past few months they'd been on the run. Now though, it seemed they were finally done – J'onn was finally done. She'd seen him there, running from the humans with their guns and Martian repellents. There was no way he was getting out of there unless she helped him.
Kara felt her eyes sting.
If only I hadn't sworn not to.
She stayed up there for what felt like eons, before the sound of super-sonic flight caught her attention. She turned, looking, hoping…only to tilt her head and frown at the sight of a man…her eyes widened.
A man wearing the symbol of the House of Van.
"Kara Zor-El?"
"Yes," she breathed, before lowering slightly so they could speak easier. "Who are you? How are you here? Are you of the House of Van?"
The man smiled at her, and it was so familiar, but Kara just couldn't place it. "Kara Zor-El, my name is Kal-El, son of Jor-El, and we have been searching for you for such a long time." He flew forwards, taking her hands. Kara shook, staring.
"No, you can't be, Kal-El would be a child…"
"You've been gone a long time, cousin," Kal-El replied, before tugging lightly down towards Earth, "Uncle Zor-El and Aunt Alura raised me. They have missed you so much."
It was then that Kara gripped his hands with an intensity that didn't seem to surprise him at all, "Take me to them. Please."
Kara would reunite with her father, and aunt, and for a while she'd play happy families before the Kent's managed to get everything in order for her to return to her life from before as Kara Callaghan. With her aunt's help, she was accepted into National City University, doing a triple major in Journalism, Fine Arts and Chemistry, gaining her Masters in each in an extraordinarily short time – though if she'd had her way, Kara would only be doing Journalism and Fine Arts. She did a Minor in Administration, too. Unfortunately, her father insisted on the Science degree, because they were the last House of Krypton, and he would be damned to eternal darkness before they raised her without qualifications in her House's primary aspect.
Later, she found out that Kal-El went through something much similar, only instead of Fine Arts, it was Mechanical Engineering. Like her, he had wanted to work in a newspaper – she knew that he worked at the Daily Planet under the name Clark Kent, while also sporting his double-life as Nightwing. Unlike her though, he wanted to be a journalist. Kara just wanted to help.
(Just like in another reality, Kara would go to CatCo Worldwide Media and become the personal assistant of the infamous Cat Grant. But unlike in that other reality, Kara wouldn't become Supergirl. No – instead, the superheroine, Twilight, arose. She was the shadow in the alley-ways of National City, saving man and woman alike, first coming to prominence in the Tribune the day after she flew a crashing plane up and over bridges and roads and buildings, all the way to the airport, where it was supposed to land in the first place. Unlike Nightwing though, she made sure not to be seen, only to be photographed at night, in the dark where only a faint gleam of long, gold-flaxen hair could be seen.)
There came the day though that she faced the DEO – but much changed in the last seven years, with Jeremiah Danvers in charge. Hank Henshaw had died that night in deep Peru, falling off a cliff. J'onn J'onzz had been brought it, and instead of being killed, Jeremiah – the acting Director, and then the true Director – asked him to tell his story to everyone who would listen. He eventually became Co-Director of the DEO, because who else was better to deal with aliens than an alien?
And upon seeing J'onn again, Kara didn't even care about the Kryptonite dart they'd knocked her out with.
(She didn't think to ask why they even had them, if both she and Kal-El obviously had people to reign them in.)
Present Day
"Hello, how can I help you?" Kara answered the phone deftly, jotting down a note for herself on a yellow post-it note.
"This is Catherine Grant, Kitty's mother – tell her I can't pick up Carter for our outing today, I have a book signing, and I'm going to be late if I don't hang up right now." Kara went to reply, shocked and scared, but as she said she would, Catherine hung up. Almost immediately Kara put the phone in the cradle, ignoring Siobhan as she stood, walking around her desk to Cat's office.
"Miss Grant-"
"Not now, Assistant Number Two," Cat snapped, "Can't you see I'm having a video conference? Get out and don't interrupt me again." Kara panicked. This was Carter. She'd never be forgiven if Carter was left alone.
"But Miss Grant-"
"Out," she glared, and Kara withered under the baleful look, stumbling back outside the office, skin pale. Siobhan raised an eyebrow.
"What's so important that you had to interrupt her meeting? You know she said no interruptions from anyone."
Kara swallowed, before shaking her head. "I need to go pick up-" she stumbled over her words, not wanting Siobhan to do anything stupid. Cat trusted no-one with her son – not even herself. Kara needed to get him, needed to pick him up now. "I need to run an urgent errand for Miss Grant right now. If she does ask where I am, tell her that-"
"Oh, I know what to tell her," Siobhan interrupted as Kara gathered her handbag, tugging on her white jumper, El Mayara there for everyone to see, "You obviously don't care for your job, or about the fact that you're behind on filing-"
"I'm not behind, actually – I finished weeks ago," Kara interrupted, barely keeping her voice steady. "And before you mention it, I've already sorted out the proofs for tomorrow's magazine, and they're here." She patted a folder on the edge of her desk, with a post-it note declaring PROOFS FOR TUESDAY. "You seem to forget that I've been in this position for four years. And as I was trying to say," Kara tugged her handbag over her shoulder, "if Miss Grant asks where I am, say it's Code Catherine." Kara didn't bother listening for a reply, instead walking towards the elevators, looking at her watch and cringing at seeing she only had a few minutes before Carter got out of class. It was just like Catherine to call at the literal last minute. I'll have to fly.
Diverting, she went to the stairwell, going up onto the roof and only glancing around for any potential watchers before changing into her black tac-suit with its small, near-invisible House of Ze crest on her right lapel and taking off, shooting up into the sky. It had been Kal-El's idea, from long before she returned to them, that instead of the House of El's crest, that they used their mother's. For Kal-El, it was the crest of the House of Van, and for Kara, it was Ze.
It took barely a minute to get to St Edmunds Hall, and when she arrived, Kara dipped down into a bush before changing into her civilian clothes again, stepping out casually and waiting anxiously. How would Carter react to seeing her, when he realised his grandmother wasn't coming? How would he react to her in general? Last time she saw him, he'd hugged her, which was apparently new to Cat – Carter hugging other people, that was what was new, she meant. Cat hadn't even known how to react at all…
The school bell rang a few seconds later, and Kara went up on her tiptoes trying to spot Carter among the hoard of school-aged children. Eventually though, she saw him and waved. His eyes brightened at the sight of her, before becoming confused. Kara gave him an apologetic look, before waving him over.
"Hey buddy, your grandma couldn't make it so-"
"So mom sent you?" Carter didn't seem very disappointed – just tired. Kara gave a small smile at that though.
"No, not really – she was in a meeting when your grandmother called, and didn't want to be interrupted. So…I came."
Carter stared at her for exactly seven seconds before his lips slowly turned up into a grin, and he bounded forwards, arms coming up to loop over her shoulders, hugging her tightly. Kara hugged back lightly, pressing her cheek to his head.
"Nice to see you again as well," she said jokingly, before he pulled away. "Now I unfortunately don't own a car. So, do you want to wait for a driver? Or do you want to go to that ice-cream parlour three blocks away then wait?"
Carter, in answer, took her hand and started dragging her down the pavement towards the exit of the school grounds. "Ice-cream, definitely!"
Cat Grant was not dumb, and neither was she blind. The day her assistant had been oh-so not very helpful in the slightest, she had been watching. In no universe had that been Kara 'Sunny D' Callaghan, and if it was, Cat would probably be within her rights to ask her if she was suffering brain damage, or on drugs.
However, it had only lasted a day, but Cat had to be seen doing something – Toyman Junior and James Olsen obviously knew who it really was, because they were being pretty friendly throughout the day and continuously correcting her, but no-one else did. For Kara's 'insubordination', the entire floor got to know a new member of personnel – Siobhan Smythe, who Cat took a slight interest in. She had ambition, that was for certain – more than Kara did, actually – and drive. Cat would make sure she'd get a good post somewhere after she eventually fired her. Siobhan was only there, after all, to make Kara see the error of her ways. She could have called in her sick days, if that was what she needed – not send in a clumsy, confused imbecile of an impersonator.
Just the memory of that whole milk coffee made her want to throw up. Kara at least knew she was lactose intolerant.
Looking over to her empty desk after finishing her conference with Senator Ensley though, made Cat feel edgy. What had she interrupted the meeting for again? Oh right, I kicked her out. Humming in distaste, Cat barked out a call for Siobhan, who came quickly and elegantly, heels clicking annoyingly on the wooden floor outside her office.
"Where is Keira?" She questioned, watching as Siobhan instantly became more curious before speaking.
"She said she was running an urgent errand for you." Cat's eyes narrowed. I didn't send her out for anything – that's your job now, Assistant Number One. Siobhan's head turned slightly. "She said something about a Code Catherine."
Immediately Cat froze.
"Oh…oh that hag. Get back to your desk, Shannon." Swiftly turning to her desk, she picked up her cell-phone and speed-dialled Carter, turning to face her wall of televisions. When he picked up, she was the first to speak. "Carter, where are you?" Through the phone she could hear giggles, which both set her at ease and put her on edge.
"I'm- I'm on my way home. Soon. Kara's here – she took me out for ice-cream, because Grandma bailed. Some book-signing or whatever – I don't care. Ice-cream's better than some silly old art gallery."
Cat let out a breath of relief, "But you're okay?" There was a moment of silence, and a shuffle, before Kara's low tones swept through the connection.
"Carter's fine, Miss Grant. I made sure he wasn't alone when school got out, and one of your driver's is already on their way here to pick us up. They'll take Carter home once we're finished our ice-cream. And watching a movie. If that's okay with you." Cat could tell Kara was about to start blathering and put in her fair word.
"What movie?"
"Uh, let me ask Carter." There was a pause, and Cat could hear Carter's voice, though not what he was saying – then Kara's disapproving voice, angry even. It surprised her.
"Keira?"
There was another pause. "Carter thinks he can get away with asking to watch 'Carrie'."
Cat raised her eyebrow. "Does he? Well, tell my son that instead of watching a movie he'll be coming back to CatCo with you, and sitting without his game console at your desk until it's time to go home."
"Yes, Miss Grant, and- and sorry, if I overstepped with this."
Cat shut her eyes briefly, remembering how Kara had tried to get her attention during the meeting. "You did as well as you could in the situation I put you in…Kara." She heard an intake of breath, before she continued to speak. "Now, why don't you and Carter finish up – pay for the expenses on my card." She'd given one to Kara, for when she bought things in her name.
"Oh, there's no need, Miss Grant – I've already paid, anyway. My treat for Carter." If anyone else had said that, Cat would have been on edge. Not so, with Kara. "The driver just pulled up outside. We'll be there soon, Miss Grant."
"Good. Give the phone back to Carter, please." There was another shuffle, before Carter's familiar breathing was crackling in her ear. She should probably consider updating her phone to the next model, if she could hear static. She'd have Kara do it next week. "You be good for Kara, Carter."
"Don't worry about me, mom. I'll be fine."
"Last time Kara babysat you," Cat curled her fingers around the arm of her chair, "I distinctly remember you running off to ride Maxwell Lord's bullet train."
"There's no bullet train anymore though mom," he replied cheekily. "I'll be fine. Stop worrying. See you later." He hung up before she could say goodbye. Cat pressed her eyes shut, trying to force her instinctual worry away before she turned her phone off, turning back to her desk.
"Sarah! Where are the proofs for tomorrow?"
Kara doesn't use her laser-eye vision in public, or a lot of her powers other than flight, strength and freeze-breath. Kal-El does, however, use laser-eye vision, but rarely his freeze-breath – Metropolis long got their Fire Department up to par, reacting on a minute's notice. It helps that Maxwell Lord has basically updated the entirety of the West Coast's fire hydrants to automatically spew water at burning buildings. National City is differently built, so places where freeze-breath would be needed – like the port, for instance, doesn't have that instant saviour, so Kara is sometimes needed.
It's probably the only thing, they're dual non-use of either power, that keeps them separated for so long in the news – they call the near-identical tac-suits they wear coincidence, or part of a national superhero agreement that means, if you wear something like it, you help the city. It's another reason for people to call Batman out on his violent escapades – people ask, "Why isn't he wearing the right hero suit if he's really helping?"
But one day, an asteroid that got shot to pieces by NASA is coming down around National City – and Nightwing and Twilight both come out into the open, flying side by side and used copious amounts of laser-eye vision and super-strength to stop larger pieces of the asteroid from hitting buildings and people. Basically, they saved the city, and had to keep at it for an entire month, in which Kara Callaghan and Clark Kent are taking all their holiday time to spend with their sick relative out in Kansas. People are videoing them twenty-four seven, as they forgo sleep to spending as much time in the sun as possible, openly using sunbeds provided by the DEO when the clouds cover too much for them to be effective. The city even witnesses Nightwing blow out his powers, Twilight the only reason he didn't fall over two thousand feet to his death.
When Kara comes back to work after three days of non-stop sleep, her entire floor thanks her, because she is a terrible liar and they've known all this time that she's an alien – they just didn't know she was their own guardian angel. Which is when, belatedly, Kara remembers she tied her hair back for the majority of Catch the Asteroid.
The next time she picked up Carter from St Edmunds Hall? He made her fly him to CatCo.
"Everyone, listen up," Cat declared as she exited her elevator, taking her latte from Kara. "Senator Ensley and her entourage will be arriving in precisely fifteen minutes, and we'll be having a live interview-" her phone beeped, and she looked at it in annoyance, before her stern face crumpled. "Keira, the school isn't open today. Go pick up Carter and bring him back for ten o'clock. The interview only lasts half an hour, and starts at half past nine, but Senator Ensley is infamous for coming and going in a blink of an eye, so ten o'clock is perfect. Use my elevator, and take a driver – do not fly him here again." She glared lightly at her assistant, who flushed lightly, "And on that note, as per usual, no-one is to mention Keira's name – not even in passing – while we have visitors. She's already famous as both a heroine and my longest assistant running, I don't need anyone realising exactly who she is in this building. Am I understood?" There was a general chorus of assent, before she motioned to Kara. "Well? Get going."
Kara flushed again. "Yes, Miss Grant." Kara approached her boss' elevator, getting inside, pressing the button for the valet parking and fidgeting as the doors shut. For a moment she shut her eyes. The elevator smelt of Cat, and of Carter, and it was slightly overwhelming.
(Did this author fail to mention Kara's huge, smouldering crush on Cat Grant, Queen of All Media?)
When her phone plinged, she took it out, reading the text that turned out to be from Agent Danvers – Alex, or Alexandra, Jeremiah Danvers' daughter, an agent at the DEO. Twilight, you need to stay at CatCo today. Potential threat arriving between 0915 and 1000 within Senator Ensley's entourage. Kara frowned lightly, before exiting the opening elevator, getting into the waiting car.
"Miss Callaghan?"
"St Edmunds Hall, thank-you," she replied distractedly to the driver – it was Dustin today, she thought. Replying, she shook her head lightly. I have to get Carter. His school shut down for the day.
I can get someone to pick him up.
Kara shook her head again. No, it has to be me. But really, how dangerous are we talking? You could get James to patch through to Kal-El, or better yet, my father. Just call Metropolis University and ask for Edward Callaghan. Alex didn't reply for a while, making Kara anxious. When she finally did, they were approaching the traffic jam of cars in St Edmund Hall's car ring.
We're talking Level X Fort Rozz escapee, Kara.
Kara swallowed.
Call my dad. Now. Turning her phone off, she got the car sunlight open, standing up through it and searching out Carter, waving him over. The boy grinned at the sight of her, going to run over, only for a nervous-looking teacher to grab his shoulder and look right at Kara, holding up a clipboard and pen, shaking it lightly. Kara nodded, before getting down and shutting the sunlight, opening the car door and getting out, hurrying over, swerving between cars to where they stood. Carter hugged her, Kara ruffling his hair.
"Hey buddy."
"Hey," he stepped back, looking to the nervous teacher. "Miss Salisbury?"
Salisbury smiled nervously at Kara, "Miss Grant?"
Kara flushed, "Ah, uh, no, I'm Kara – Kara Callaghan."
"Oh, I'm so sorry – a colleague said Carter only- uh, he doesn't hug a lot of people. Sorry, again, if I offended you." the teacher apologised, before holding out the clipboard, pointing to a group of columns beside Carter's name. "Just find your name then sign underneath, twice."
"It's fine, and I got it," Kara paused though, looking at the sign-out sheet. 1st Carer (legal guardian): Cat Grant. 2nd Carer (legal guardian): Kara Callaghan. Her heart suddenly beat doubly fast – Cat made her a legal guardian of Carter?
"Something wrong, Kara?"
Kara looked to Carter, who didn't seem bothered by his teacher's words, smiling shakily, "No, everything's fine," she looked back at the sheet, signing her name, then signing it again in block letters. Holding it out to Salisbury, she gave a smile. "Here."
Salisbury gave her own smile, before glancing behind her. Kara turned, looking to where Carter was already climbing into their car – whose driver had obviously done some nifty manoeuvring in, because there were half a dozen cars that had been in front, but were now behind. Getting in behind him quickly, Kara shut the door, looking to Carter, still slightly mystified. I'm a legal guardian to Cat Grant's youngest son. How had that even happened?
"So what we doing now, Kara? Are we going to mom's work?"
"Uh, not yet," she looked to the driver. "Dustin?"
Dustin glanced back through the mirror, "It might be better to actually head there now, ma'am. Traffic's hell right now. Any longer route would probably have us getting there by lunch." Kara grimaced.
"Do what you think is best," she requested, before looking to Carter again. "Have you got any work to do?"
He shrugged, glancing at his bag guiltily. "Dr Paisley set us some chemistry stuff for today that I didn't finish, but there's no school, so…"
Kara, however, brightened, "I can help, if you like – I have an MA in Chemistry." Carter paused, before frowning, glancing at her oddly.
"You have a Masters degree?"
She hummed, "Yep. I've got Masters degrees in Chemistry, Fine Arts and Journalism – and I took Administration as my Minor."
Carter's eyes widened, "How? It takes so much time-"
"I was in Uni for three years, school in total for…nine years?"
"Is that just on Earth? Do you have a PhD? Do you have any Kryptonian qualifications?" Carter questioned, rapid-fire.
Kara didn't even blink at his questions, "Yes, yes, yes, in that order." She pinked slightly, "I was actually sort of a prodigy on Krypton. I was accepted into the Science Guild a year before my planet died, which would be…well, if I made a comparison to like, schools, my peers were just finished middle school, and I had been finished university for about ten years." Carter stared.
"So you're actually…Doctor Callaghan? And like, Scientist Zor-El?" Kara laughed a little at the last bit.
"No, no- well, yes to the Doctor Callaghan bit, but I like Miss better. People underestimate me," she winked, before rearranging herself on her seat a little. "On Krypton I was given the title- actually, translated to English it is like doctor, but more like…Researcher?" Kara grimaced. "I can't really translate it correctly to English. In the Guilds, there were levels – the Science Guild was no exception. We had five official levels, fifteen unofficial – the other ten were for those wanting to become part of the Guild. I was halfway between three and four, and I would have stayed there until either my father or my uncle died."
Carter looked horrified, "Why?"
Kara shrugged, "Because they were above me. My Uncle Jor-El – Nightwing's father – was on the Science Council, at the second level. Only one person sits at the first level – they preside – and then there can be as many people in the fourth and fifth levels as is sensible, but only one member from each family in the third and second. My father, Zor-El, was on the third level. Because of my intellect, I was bound for the third level, above any others in my family."
"What did the Guild do?"
Kara glanced out the window, noting how far they still were from CatCo. "Before I explain, you should know about the rest of the Guilds. The largest and most important was the Military – my mother was a General before she was sent to the Phantom Zone – which is followed by Labour – Kal-El's mother belonged to Labour – Science – my Guild – Religious, and finally Artists – which I always wanted to join, but my father wouldn't let me-"
Zor-El was not usually shocked still by things, nowadays. When he was younger, and still unaware of most of what Earth had to offer, he jumped easily. Jonathan got a kick out of it all – every time he discovered something that he wasn't aware of, Zor-El would apparently make 'a face'. Alura was more passive in her surprise and shock, which wasn't quite as amusing as Zor-El himself – sometimes the Kryptonian wondered if all the Earthlings he befriended, no matter whether he told them of his origins, found amusement in his expressions.
But what now stood in front of him wasn't something to laugh over – it was something to cry over.
Astra.
When Alex Danvers called him in to fill in for his absentee daughter, Zor-El had been willing, if only a slight upset over how his biology students in Metropolis University would be missing their morning class. This time in the year meant many of them would panic – Zor-El was only thankful he thought to set up an online practice paper for them to do after that mornings lesson that they could do instead. However, it was one thing to miss a class to protect civilians from a Class X Fort Rozz Escapee. It was another to realise that 'Senator Ensley' was his own sister-in-law, and that her 'entourage' was Non and an entire platoon of Kryptonian ex-militants.
Thank Rao he made the symbiotic heart-rate generators, for this exact kind of situation – he wouldn't be caught out, as long as no-one recognised him beneath the grey hair and five o'clock shadow of white.
Slipping behind a pillar, Zor-El kept a sharp eye on them all as he texted Kara. Daughter. I have grievous news. Her reply was instantaneous.
What happened? Are you okay? Is anyone hurt?
No. He replied, solemn.
Then what?
It was then that one of Astra's guards looked over the office. Zor-El turned to face the other way, in case of the use of x-ray vision, only to catch sight of Kara's friend, Winn.
"Professor Callaghan? What are you doing here?" Zor-El met his eyes, and the man fell silent, but he could tell they'd caught the attention of the Kryptonians. Winn swallowed, breathing in deep before motioning for him to come with him. Zor-El shook his head, before Winn stepped back into the office of James Olsen – Zor-El recognised the name from Kal-El's stories and immediately looked around his office, smiling slightly before following him inside, making sure the door was shut and sealed before turning on a 'broken' light-switch.
"Impressive. Kal-El's work?"
"Yeah…" came a low, confused voice. Zor-El looked over.
"James Olsen, I presume? Kal-El has told many a story about your friendship – and my daughter, too."
James raised an eyebrow. "Okay. From that, I'll presume you're…Zor-El?" He glanced through the glass, before sighing. "Kara's not here. But you are. Which one's the criminal?"
"All of them," Zor-El didn't turn his head – he daren't. The militants couldn't afford to move to figure out how they couldn't hear their conversation, but if they recognised him, it was game over already. At his words though, the two humans had differing reactions. Winn seemed to take it seriously, and was – quite admirably – not looking.
But James – James laughed.
"That's the Senator. She's been going on about saving the planet for a decade now, using facts and figures to back up her claims. Yeah, what she said provoked riots – she needs people to protect her. But there's no way she's an alien." James shook his head, smiling. "Her bodyguards? Now that's believable, but not all of them, still."
Zor-El decided he didn't quite like this James Olsen as he stared at him, meeting his eyes, hands locking behind his back almost instinctually, feet drifting together as he spoke with the utmost calm – the utmost seriousness.
"James Olsen, that woman out there…that woman is Kara's mother."
And then he heard it.
The slow thud of a Kryptonian heart, accompanied by the fast-paced beat of a human child's, riding up the elevator on the other side of the floor, barely ten feet from the closest militant.
Too close, Kara you are too close!
Zor-El turned, facing the group, just as Astra and Cat Grant finished their talk, opening the door and reaching up to his neck, turning off the extra heart-beats. It was so quick a change that all Kryptonian heads snapped to look at him, and he saw the recognition, the disbelief as he walked calmly towards them all, unblinking in the face of the dozen ex-prisoners, the dozen soldiers who could snap his neck at any second.
The elevator opened.
And Zor-El ran across the room, to where Astra stood, and wrapped his arms around her.
Kara looked around Cat's office, holding Carter's hand in her own as loosely as she could. It was still too tight. She saw them all – each Kryptonian, bedecked in suits and ties, shiny shoes and polished cuffs. She met the eyes of Non, her lips trembling – her step-father, the husband of her mother. Her eyes strayed that much to the left, meeting green – green so, so different to her aunt Alura's, no matter that they were twins.
She put a hand to her mouth, letting go of Carter's hand as tears pricked her eyes.
Kryptonian fell from her tongue easier than it ever had before.
"Mama."
Astra pulled out of her father's hold, walking forward and pulling Kara into her arms. Kara let her, hugging her tightly enough that her red sleeveless dress threatened to rip.
"I thought you were dead, I thought I'd never see you again-"
"Shh, Little One," Astra pressed her head into her hair, "I'm here, I'm not going anywhere."
"It's been so long…" Kara sniffed, before finally settling, slipping back into English out of habit. "I missed you."
"Too many years have passed since I last saw your face, child," Astra pulled back only a touch, looking down at her, frowning, "But now I am even more confused. You should be turning forty seven."
A shattering echoed through the room. "Excuse me?"
Kara jumped back from her mother's embrace, face flushed bright pink as Cat stared her down, M&M's and their glass all over the floor. "Since when were you almost my age?" Cat looked at her with incredulity, disbelief and plain confusion. Kara gaped like a fish for a few seconds, but then once she had her wits about her, she pointed to Carter.
"How about, since when was I Carter's legal guardian?"
Cat shook her head, pointing, "I asked you first."
"Phantom Zone," Kara answered simply, "My ship got knocked off course, I stayed there for a few decades awake the entire time, then the sleeping gas finally kicks in and the next thing I know, I'm barely half a mile away from the crashed remains of an alien prison ship, a White Martian about to eat me."
"What-" Astra started, only for Cat to cut her off.
"Shush. I'm interrogating Keira."
"No you're not," Kara replied, pointing at her, "It's your turn to explain now. Carter. Legal guardian. Why?"
"Because…" Cat fell silent, looking around at all her watchers, speaking a short moment later. "Senator, send your goons out of my office. I've had enough of them. Keira, balcony. Now. Carter, go hide out with the Computer Droid." She ordered, chin rising.
"Astra…" Non murmured, before Zor-El put a hand on his shoulder, speaking in cold but clear Kryptonian.
"You were invited as guests, a liberty that should not be yours in the first place. It would be wise to follow her instructions, especially if Kara intends to take the Lady as her wife." Non grimaced, while Astra raised her eyebrows, looking at Kara in surprise.
"You w-"
"No!" Kara squeaked, bright red. "No, no, no, no- I'm her personal assistant, that's all!" Non smirked slightly.
"What kind of things do you attend to, Kara-child? I would assume they would be…personal."
Kara slapped her hands over her ears, "No, you are not saying that kind of stuff to me, nope," she shook her head before walking over to the balcony.
Astra couldn't seem to resist, grinning, "She would make a fine match for you, Kara, I approve."
"Mom! Don't, please," Kara pleaded, whining.
"Why? It's fun to tease you," Zor-El glanced at her, making Kara whine again before taking Cat's hand and dragging her out onto the balcony, shutting the doors behind them. "You can still hear us, and you know it, Kara." Through the glass, she glared.
"Stop it. Now. I'm about to have a serious conversation with my boss." She gave one last glare, before turning back to Cat – only to let out a noise of surprise as Cat pressed their lips together. Astra hummed in amusement, before glancing over to where the glass had shattered. Using a bit of super-speed, she was easily able to clear up, disposing of it as her entourage, with the exception of Non and Zor-El gravitated to the doorway, hiding them all from view. A glance outside saw the boy, Carter, with two humans in the room she could not hear into.
She wondered if he was her grandson. If he was, she had many years of gifts to give him.