"So, you're heading back to the future again?" Alex asked Winn as he stood before her in his new and improved Legion flight suit.

"More space rocks to collect," Winn grinned.

"You look like you've spent quite a few years collecting space rocks," she pointed out the greying hair at Winn's temples. "How long has it been?"

The two were standing on the DEO balcony, overlooking the rest of the complex below. He had come to talk to Brainy and visit his friends. As far as Alex was concerned, Winn had only been gone for about 7 months.

To Winn, however, it had been far longer than that.

"About 15 years for me, but I did come to visit a lot when I was younger – or, I WILL come visit… in YOUR future… I guess? Tenses get confusing sometimes. And just so you know," he held up his hand, showing Alex his Legion flight ring. "When younger!me first comes back, I show this off to everyone. Like… A LOT. Promise to stop me before I end up flying up to the ceiling and knocking myself out?"

"Promise," Alex smiled.

"No, you don't," Winn pouted as he touched the back of his head, "I still feel the scar there."

Alex laughed, then glanced down to the lower level, seeing Brainiac-5 in conversation with some of the other DEO agents.

"Brainy was okay with staying?"

"Time travel is funny," Winn explained. "He actually stays here for several years, then returns right after Brainiac-1 is defeated in the future – which was about one year after I joined the Legion." He shrugged. "If he leaves here too early, it will disrupt the timeline."

"What, in the timeline, will it disrupt?" Alex asked, eyebrow raised.

"Ah ah, Director Danvers. No spoilers," Winn playfully shook a finger at her. She smacked the finger away. "Ouch! Respect your elders!"

Alex rolled her eyes, "Can you at least tell me how much longer Brainy will be… awkward?"

"Forever," Winn shrugged. "But he does get better. Kind of. With a lot of help."

Before Alex could question Winn further, there was an excited squeal behind her.

"This is so cool!"

The new director of the DEO spun around to see a young Coluan girl landing on the balcony. She was no more than 13 or 14 years of age with pale-blue skin, blonde hair, blue eyes… and the tell-tale symbol of the Brainiac clan on her forehead.

Winn immediately tensed up, "You were told to stay on the ship, Six."

"Mom and Dad wanted to be alooooooone," she grimaced. "And you're here, so I'm bored."

"Well, I'm busy, and your parents haven't seen each other in a week," Winn explained. He glanced at Alex, "Legion business and all."

"Yeah, still gross." The girl suddenly turned to Alex and grabbed her hand, shaking it vigorously. "I'm Brainiac-6, by the way! It's nice to meet you! Actually, we kinda hang out a lot, but still – it's nice to meet you for YOUR first time."

Alex winced at how strong the girl's grip was.

"Spoilers, geez!" Winn exclaimed.

Six responded to his concern with a roll of her eyes. "By my calculations, the chance of my words having any effect on the timeline is 0.75 percent."

Winn threw his hands up, "12th level intellects," he scoffed.

"It's nice to meet you too, Six," Alex responded, gently massaging her sore hand.

"Weren't you busy working on the ship's engines?" Winn interrupted. "You kept going on and on about this great idea you had to speed them up."

"Yes… yeah, sorry. I just…" Six smiled excitedly as she glanced around the DEO. "This is their history, you know." Something caught her eye on the lower level. "They haven't aged." She then turned back to Winn. "Not like you have, Uncle Winn! Humans are so fragile."

"Just go back to the ship, Lexie," Winn groaned.

"Right. Sorry. Gone."

Six moved in a blur of blonde hair and pale blue skin, flying off the balcony and disappearing faster than Alex could see.

"Lexie?" Alex asked Winn curiously. "Not exactly a Brainiac-type name."

"She … uh… wasn't named after a Brainiac," Winn offered nervously.

"She doesn't really act like a Brainiac either," Alex pointed out.

"Yeah… um… she has her mom's personality - and please don't use the Finger of Doom on me. I really can't tell you more than that."

"Uh-huh," Alex muttered suspiciously, "And… you're Uncle Winn?"

Winn shrugged. "The Legion is a great big family. Lots of Legionnaires marry and have kids. Everyone is Uncle or Aunt. Heck, Mon-El and Tasmia's kid calls me Uncle, too. That little girl is the champ at playing hide-and-seek, let me tell you!"

"I'm more interested in Six, so stop trying to change the subject," Alex's eyes were now laser focused on Winn, and he instinctively took a step back. "She's a Brainiac who can fly, and she wasn't wearing a Legion ring!"

"Six… Six is … um… different…" Winn stumbled over his words.

Alex narrowed her eyes, "Who are her parents, Winn?"

"Uh… well… some Legion members," he offered innocently.

"A Brainiac Legion member?" Alex pushed.

"Not-not all Brainiacs are evil, you know." Winn squeaked out, "Well, okay. MOST of them are evil." Alex didn't take her eyes off Winn and stepped even closer. "Spoilers?" he added hopelessly.

"WINN!"

"Okay, fine!" Winn finally relented. "You know there's only ONE non-evil Brainiac! Well, TWO now, I guess…"

Alex's attention went back to the main floor of the DEO, her eyes falling on Brainiac-5 and Kara quietly talking in a far corner. Her sister was laughing at something the Coluan had said and he was smiling bashfully in response, a small tinge of purple on his pale blue cheeks.

The Director couldn't help but notice that the two were standing far closer to one another than co-workers normally did.

"Winn…" Alex began slowly as she felt her stomach drop, "If Brainy is Six's dad, then who is her mom?"

Blonde hair, blue eyes. Can fly. Seems to have super strength and super speed, as well as her mom's personality… Alex ran the points around in her head.

When there was no answer to her question, Alex turned back to Winn - only to find him gone.

Once glance over the balcony railing revealed the tail-end of the human Legionnaire disappearing into the night sky.

Alex frowned, hands on her hips. "Stupid Legion flight rings…"

END