Alex and Hank part 16: Confessions
I woke up feeling down more than ever. Last night I had heard J'onn crying softly in his sleep. I had stroked his cheek telling him that everything was fine, he hadn't woken up. But I was there never less comforting him.
I got up and decided to go visit Kara and find out if what J'onn had told me really was true. Was she going to abandon the DEO? I thought it best if I went and got her something with lots of sugar. That normally helps her mood a bit.
I finally pulled up outside Kara's apartment and knocked on her door. She opened the door and the first thing she noted to my not-so-shocked expression was.
"If I x-ray vision that box, will I see a colour?" She asked hopefully
"You will not. They were out." I saw her give a disappointed groan "But I got you the powdered ones." I tried hopefully feeling even more down then I had been last night.
"And yet you know I'm all about the colour." She complained
"An offering of donuts. Whatever could you want from me?" She asked curiously grabbing the box out my hands in anticipation
"I just thought that you might need the extra sugar kick before you know, coming back to work." I tried praying that she would come back, praying that she wouldn't make mine and J'onn's life even worse.
"I'm not going back to the DEO, Alex. I can't."
"Kara, Hank was only doing his duty. Okay? Protecting the planet. Just like you do, every day."
"I don't kill. But soldiers do, when they have to." I paused guiltily before adding the one thing that was a complete lie but I just couldn't bring myself to tell Kara the truth
"And Hank had to."
"I had the chance to bring Astra back into the light. And Hank cheated her and me out of that chance." I looked away she really had believed
"I know I should be better than this, but I don't think I can forgive him for that." Those last words felt like a punch to the gut I had to stop myself from screaming
"I love working with you, but maybe it's time for me to be my own Supergirl." She looked at me I had no idea what to do, J'onn was part of me that I couldn't live without but now the other person that I can't live without never wants to see him again.
"Shoot, I got to go to work." Kara said as she noticed the time, she grabbed two donuts and ran out of there.
As soon as I was out the door I leaned against the strong wall, it felt like the only thing stopping me from falling to pieces.
"What am I supposed to do? I need both of them."
I put my head into my hands and wept.
-00-
I knew something was wrong with Alex the moment she stepped into the DEO, I could feel the defeat, sadness and utter loss streaming of from her mind.
"Alex, are you alright?" Okay that was a stupid question of course she wasn't alright but what else could I ask
"Can we have a spar? Please." At the best of times I couldn't say no to her but seeing her like this I just felt powerless to help her.
"Of course let's go."
We were in the sparring room and I got ready for a hard battle. Alex was anger and upset it wasn't safe for anyone else to spar her right now unless they had a death wish.
We circled each other before Alex made her move. She tried a right swing I ducked I didn't try to grab her in case I used too much strength. Suddenly she was like a tornado one whom was anger. I kept on avoiding her strikes but suddenly before I could move her fist collided on my right cheek.
It was so forceful that it got me flying towards the wall. I hit my head against the wall and groan escaped my lips. She charged forward to end the fight but I gave a small smirk. I wasn't going to let her win.
She grabbed me but before she could strike I flipped the positions so quickly that Alex didn't have time to even breathe. I held her against the wall by the throat pinning so she couldn't move. On impulse I shifted into my true form just to put my point out.
She started to gasp and Alex tapped my hand letting me know that she wanted to move. I moved but not before I bent down to kiss her.
"As effective as kicking and punching is, next time you're angry about something." I rubbed the back of my head which was quite sore since I had hit the wall pretty hard
"Let's have coffee."
"I'm not angry. I'm sad." She panted between huge gasps of air "I miss having Kara here."
"Her choice, Alex." I turned around knowing what she was going to say next
"But it's not. It was mine. When I decided to let her believe that you killed Astra and not me."
"Telling Kara will only cause you both more pain. And it won't stop another alien attack." I reasoned not really wanting to have this conversation all over again
"What if we fail because Supergirl isn't at our side?"
I sighed wondering if that was what Alex really thought "This organization functioned long before your sister. Long before you even." I added looking at her
"I'm not belittling her importance, but the DEO will go on. As will your relationship with Kara." I wanted to leave it at that but knowing Alex she was about to bring up something up. I was half running to the door.
"What about your relationship with her? You've lost so many in your life." I was about to open the door when she stopped me with that sentence, I froze.
"How can you stand to lose her too?" She had tears in her eyes when she looked at me
"As long as I have you, I can take anything. Alex." I walked up to her and took her face into my hands and wiped those small tears dripping off her face away.
I then dropped my hands and walked out of the door.
-00-
I was watching the news at the DEO waiting for something to happen so I wouldn't be so bored. Anything even just some paper work to do would be fine. I was pacing restlessly up and down the hallways and I saw people giving me sympathetic looks. They all knew what a work-aholic I was.
"Agent Danvers, you should have a look at this." I ran up to the front wondering what could have happened, I saw Hank there looking at the screen in confusion.
"What's happening?" I asked
"There's some sort of alien interference in the network. All the lights in the city turned green." He explained looking at the readings
"What?" I gasped in shock as I saw so many collisions happen at once, many people would die tonight.
"Quick track the signal, we need to stop this threat." Hank ordered Vasquez
"Sir found it." Was the almost immediate response.
"Where?"
"At 21 Augusts road city centre." I gasped in shock that was Kara's apartment
I looked at Hank whom just nodded and started to run. I followed him. I went straight to the Ute but he stopped me.
"We don't have time." And to my surprise he shifted and picked me up by the waist. He flew off into the night he was going as fast as he dared with me there.
He landed on the roof before shifting back into Hank. He grabbed his gun from the back pocket before running down the stairs. We were at her door within seconds, I saw that it was locked we didn't have time to pick it. So Hank just bashed it down with his foot. To my horror I could hear a strange voice.
"Which one of your friends should I skin first?" Hank gave one last kick and finally the door gave way
"Hold it right there! Hold it right there!" He shouted he scooted in front of me so if that thing decided to attack it wouldn't hit me, I was a bit annoyed at that but it wasn't the time to complain. This alien was holding Winn and James up threating to kill both of them. Suddenly that alien whom seemed to be an indigo colour. Dropped both of them and disappeared into the computer system.
"Oh, thank God we have our own personal black ops unit." Winn gasped as he tried to steady himself.
Kara saw Hank and glared she walked past us into the hallway buttoning her shirt up.
"Are you following me now?" She spat refusing to look at Hank
"I wouldn't do that." He sighed in defeat not knowing what else to say, I jumped to his defence
"We tracked the Wi-Fi signal from the computers controlling traffic lights. There was something else embedded in the signal. Something alien. And it led us right here." I was on the verge of screaming at Kara.
"The rest is classified. Available only to active DEO agents. What do you say?" I saw hope light up Hanks eyes, no matter what he said I knew that it was killing him that Kara was rejecting him.
"I got this far on my own. Elevator's around the corner." With that Kara swung around and stalked off like she owned the Earth
I saw Hanks crestfallen face. It was hurt, so much hurt framed his eyes. I didn't know what I should say or do. I stood there watching the empty space where Kara had been literally stabbing Hank. I had no idea that she could be so nasty, especially to someone whom had lost everything.
"Let's go J'onn." I whispered grabbing his hand and lacing my fingers with his
The next day
"Alex, I was wondering if you could go and recruit Mr Schott. His help would be invaluable." I looked up in surprise as Hank asked me that
"Really, Winn?"
"Well when you were under the black mercy Mr Schott's help was a good resource." He explained
"Right I'll go, I don't know what Kara would do if she saw you at Catco. I wouldn't guarantee your safety." I told him grabbing my jacket.
"Right." Was all he could say before he walked away
This was going to be fun I thought drily since Kara wouldn't be happy that I was taking away Winn especially if Hank had ordered it
I arrived outside Catco plaza and when security stopped me I flashed my DEO turned FBI creds. They let me through with worried expressions. I walked straight up to Kara's level. I saw Winn almost immediately.
"Oh, Alex I'll get Kara." He seemed flustered
"Alex! I thought we talked about this. I'm out." She spat looking at me in spite
"I know." I sighed dejectedly "I didn't come for you. I came for Winn." I explained looking at him
"You what?" Kara sounded quite surprise
"You what?" He looked at me in utter confusion
"He's got better grasp on Python 6 malware encryption than anybody at the DEO. If we want to permanently disable this alien cyber threat, he's our best shot."
"I definitely will not go, if you don't want me to." I rolled my eyes even though Kara had said that they were both just friends he still had a crush on her that was obvious.
"No, no. It's fine. Just because I stepped away from the DEO doesn't mean you can't step in." Kara looked a bit upset
"At least we're both still on the same side." She said, I winced I knew she was referring to Hank
"Come on." I said to Winn giving Kara a glare, I was pretty sure she had forgotten that I was married to Hank.
She looked at me in shock when she caught the glare. I lifted my left hand to brush a strand of hair away which the sun just happened to catch the ring on my finger. Her face screamed betrayal.
I walked away with Winn following me looking confused at our interaction.
"Alex what's wrong with you and Kara?" He asked when I got to the elevator.
I sighed but I found myself wanting to tell someone what was going on. But I left the part of me killing Astra out.
"Kara hates Hank for reasons she's probably already gossiped about to you. But as you know he is my husband. So there's a bit of a rift." I looked down feeling the tears start to clog my eyes again
"Can't you talk to her about it, I know she would listen." Winn put in shuffling his feet awkwardly
"She wouldn't listen. I already tried."
We stayed in silence for the rest of the trip. I didn't want to talk, I just wanted to get back and distract myself with work.
"Mr Schott welcome to the DEO." Hank was waiting outside for us
"What can I do, Mr Henshaw?" He asked looking a bit frightened at him standing there with all those guns hanging of him
"Come in and help our team get rid of this threat." He motioned for us to follow
Winn jumped straight onto a computer and started to type code into the system looking for something to get rid of this alien.
"Hank did you find anything else while I was gone?" I asked wanting to be updated
"No, absolutely nothing." He collapsed into the desk chair looking more than a bit exhausted
"Winn will find something in the meantime, do you have some Choco's?" I asked knowing that it would cheer him up
"Yes in fact I do." He bent down and I saw to my surprise that there was a different locked compartment.
"Did you change the lock because of my last attempt to break into it?" I asked remembering fondly of Hanks face when I had changed the lock so he couldn't get in there
"Yes, that was extremely annoying." He growled
"No it wasn't. You just used you super strength to bash open the door. I didn't know that you were that addicted to them." I swiped the packet before he could get one
"That really hurt my hand. HEY GIVE THOSE BACK!" He shouted when he saw that I had grabbed the packets
"Come and get them." I replied jumping of the desk and running around the desk
"Agent Danvers I will fire you if you don't give those back." He got up running around to where I had been a few seconds ago.
"I'd like to see you try. Director Henshaw." I replied cheekily I was about to go up and kiss him when someone knocked on the door.
"Sir some new information has come up. You would want to see this." Vasquez came in I quickly put the packet down on the table trying to look professional again.
"Right I'm coming." He nodded
"That was close." I sighed when she had gone
"Come Alex let's find out what's going on."
"The alien we're looking for is called Brainiac eight. I just need to decode this signal." Winn explained
"You identified Brainiac 8. You know her code. If you can successfully decrypt her signal, you'll lead us right to her." Hank marched right up to Winn with me by his side.
"You realize that I'm learning an alien coding language in the same amount of time it takes to watch an episode of Doctor Who, right. That's like really fast." He was watching it in fascination
I couldn't help wanting Kara here by my side. J'onn must have felt something wrong coming off me for he looked up at me. I saw a question in his eyes
"I wish Kara was here."
-00-
I watched as Winn got her location onto the screen.
"I got it!" He cried out in relief I saw all the agents look at him in appreciation and respect.
"Fort Pemberton is the nearest nuclear missile silo." Alex exclaimed when she saw the map
"But it's completely off the grid. No Internet access. That way, no one can remotely hack in and launch a missile." I was wondering how on Earth Brainiac eight would be able to get in there.
"She's in there though." Winn was typing some more commands into the computer I saw Alex on the phone
"Status report?" I asked her she looked up worriedly
"Sir, we are at DEATHCON 5." I looked at it in worry not knowing what to do
"Get the Pentagon." I ordered Vasquez Alex had run off to see if a team could be assembled in the minim time we had
"We're at DEFCON 4." I shouted at the DEO when I heard the disastrous news
"I can deploy a strike team to Fort Pemberton." Alex came running out when she heard the news
"You'll never make it in time." Winn turned around exclaiming still on the computer
I watched in dismay as I saw that a missal a deadly missal was heading towards National city. If we didn't act everyone here would die. Even Alex. I looked at her she was on the phone.
"ETA to target three minutes." I heard Vasquez exclaim even her voice was shaking
I heard Alex slam the phone down "That was the White House. The president just ordered us to DEATHCON 2."
I saw everyone there starting to look very ill at ease. I gave out a fretful groan not knowing what to do. I was staring at Alex whom caught my eye, I saw fear in them.
"Sir, we got a bogey." Vasquez interrupted the silence I looked at the screen and saw to my astonishment that someone was flying after the missal
"What the hell is that?" I looked at the screen in disconcert
"That's my sister." I heard Alex's amazement
"I've got Supergirl on the line." Suddenly my comm sprang to life
"Hank. I need your help." Came through Kara's panicking voice
"We're tracking you with the ICBM. We're going stop this thing, Kara."
"Together." I finished feeling hope lift up inside of me
"You need to shut down its on-board flight computer." I explained
"You need to shut down the silo's network. Keep Indigo from launching another warhead." Alex's voice was telling Winn whom was still frantically typing into the computer
"I think that I might have a way of actually shutting her down. I accidently created a pretty nasty computer virus a few years ago." I grabbed the file for the missal and waited impatiently for Kara to get to the computer
"Rip off the trap door to access the flight computer."
"28,000 feet and dropping." I heard Vasquez announce and know the whole DEO was watching me, Winn and Alex trying to get everything done.
"14,000 feet."
"Input the kill code 1-1-7-4-7." I said clearly waiting for the all clear, praying that she had been able to do it
"8,000 feet." I looked at Alex whom was watching me her eyes full of fear, she was a human she would die. If Kara couldn't complete the kill code
"Supergirl." I growled into the comm
"3,000 feet." Alex whispered but the whole room was so silent everyone heard
"You're out of time!" I shouted into the comm I ran over to Alex's side ready to fly her out of there. Suddenly I saw that the missal fall into the ocean. Pure relief filled me everyone was still tense they wouldn't know it was alright until I announced it. But I couldn't say anything besides
"Yes!" Everyone relaxed and started to clap I saw Alex put her head into her hands and Winn leaned back giving out deep breaths as if he had been underwater.
I saw that Kara was no flying back to finish the battle with Brainiac eight.
"How's it coming?" Alex asked Winn as the fight was getting rougher
"Thirty more seconds." He was typing so fast it was as if his life depended on it
"Hold on, Kara! Kara, do you copy?" Alex's voice buzzed through the comm
"Who is that you're talking to? I knew you were too stupid to be working alone." Suddenly I heard sharp exclamations and the sound of someone chocking. I ran up to the front terrified that it was Alex but I saw instead that Winn had a blue hand grasped around his neck.
"I am beyond a body. I am beyond time and space. All I have to do is squeeze my fingers, and your friend dies. I'm invincible." She boasted
"I am a God." She rasped tightening her fingers, Winn wasn't struggling instead he was typing even faster then before
"No. You're just a glorified Windows Vista." I saw something uploading and everyone waited in tense silence. Suddenly I saw COMPLETED. Blare across the screen. The hand that had been grasping Winn suddenly released him with a huge shriek.
"What have you done to me?" I heard Brainiac's terrified voice sound through the comm
"I just fed you a major helping of malware. Bon appetite." Winn gasped as he fought for air
The comm went silent and I guessed that she was dying now, I glanced at Alex whom seemed to still be tense.
"Are you okay over there, Supergirl?" I heard Alex turn on her comm again
Silence sounded for a moment before a reasons came through
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm good."
"Thank God." I whispered as I heard that
"Okay everyone, back to work." I announced to the DEO just because we nearly all died doesn't mean that we can abandon our posts.
"And also good job." I added as I walked out, I saw Alex run after me.
"Hank!" She called out
I turned around feeling warmth spread through me when I saw her. Alive, she wasn't dead. She was right there I couldn't resist. I bent down and kissed her.
"I was more than ready to fly you out of here if I had to." I told her remembering how I had been seconds away from shifting.
"Do you want to have a spar? I need to get some energy out." Alex asked and I laughed since she was asking to bash me up so politely
"Okay but please for my sake don't go overboard." As we both laughed our voice's echoed down the hallways in happiness.
We were battling but this time Alex wasn't so upset that it was actually a bit ore relaxed. But then just as I dodged a kick I heard the door open and someone cough. When I looked up I shifted in my feet uncomfortably.
"It's good to see you." I coughed awkwardly
"Well, the world almost ended because we weren't a team." Her arms were crossed over her Supergirl outfit
"We need each other. So, personal feelings aside, I'm back." She announced walking up to Alex and I
"Stronger together?" I commented looking at her crest
"Well, the first thing we need to do is assess if Indigo's attack was related to Non's secret Myriad project, or if the two were working at cross-purpose." I started officially I didn't even notice that Alex had moved away from both of us
"I saw Astra standing over J'onn." Alex's soft voice spoke up and I looked up in shock
"What?" Kara voice rose quite a few notes in a jolt
"Alex." I warned softly but already knowing that there was nothing I could do to stop her spilling out the truth
"He was defenceless." She looked at me in sadness at the memory I looked down as Kara turned her questioning gaze towards me. Alex moved to were Kara could see her
"She said she was going give him an honourable death. And I reacted. I couldn't lose him." She started to sob
"Hank didn't kill Astra."
"I did." She spoke barley loud enough to hear
"I did. And when you got there, he saw how devastated you were. He didn't want you to get angry with me. He took the blame." She added more strongly I once again didn't know where to look
"And I let him. Because I was afraid of losing you, and I can't lose you." She broke down in sobs I hadn't seen her this devastated not even when I had told her about Jeramiah. I saw Kara give her a cold glance and start to head towards the door. I watched her in shock.
My gaze turned cold if she were about to break Alex in this way I would never forgive her. Alex gave out a gasp for air since she had been holding her breath trying to stop crying. Suddenly I saw Kara look at her and embrace her.
I gave out a small smile. Everything would be okay between them. I started to walk out thinking that I didn't belong here right now. But before I could go Kara reached out a hand and stopped me. I looked up in surprise.
She looked at me and held out her hand. It was an apology and a plea at the same time. I smiled lightly and took her hand into mine.
This was my family.