So We Can Stay Alive

by: Sam Lincoln

Disclaimer: All the characters contained in this story are the proper of DC Comics, and Warner Brothers. No infringement is intended.

Summary: While Kara Danvers is in Gotham looking to distract herself from the aftermath of the Daxamite Invasion Barry Allen shows up with a problem that needs her help to solve. Punching bad guys is an acceptable way of dealing with grief, right?

Spoilers: This story takes place in during the current hiatus for all of the CW:DC shows, though the only finale that plays a role in the story is Supergirl's.

Prologue

Barbara Gordon and Kara Danvers sat on top of an office building that overlooked the Gotham skyline. They were both dressed in their costumes and sat with their legs dangling over the side of the building. The pair were eating large, foiled-wrapped burritos and had large paper cups of soda to wash them down.

"Babs, this is so good!" Kara said between bites.

"I told you it was," Barbara said. She had unzipped her jacket, but still wore her Batgirl helmet.

"You did, but I'll be honest, when you said you could get a better burrito in Gotham than National City I didn't believe you because hello, we make amazing burritos in National City and how could an East Coast city compete with us?" Kara took another bite from her burrito. "But I was wrong, I was oh so very wrong."

Barbara laughed. "I'm glad you approve of our burrito making skills."

"Approve? I think I'm going to have to steal the chef who makes these or at the very least make daily pilgrimages to Gotham to get my fix."

Barbara sat down her burrito and wiped a mote of dust off of her hands. "So Kara, how are things? We haven't talked since the Daxamite invasion and what happened to Mon-El."

Kara lowered her burrito. "I'm fine. I'm not going to lie and say what happened didn't suck, because it did. Or that I don't miss Mon-El, because I do. But Mon-El sacrificed himself to save the people of this planet, and I can't honor his sacrifice by moping and feeling sorry for myself." Kara's eyes narrowed. "Have you been talking to my sister?"

Barbara took pull from her soda before answering. "Your sister isn't exactly my biggest fan. Why would we be talking?"

"Because she doesn't think I've dealt with my grief properly." Kara picked at a piece of meat in her burrito before she popped it into her mouth.

"Where does that bitch get off being concerned about your mental well-being?" Kara glared at Barbara in response. "To answer your question, no. Alex hasn't talked to me. This is me asking you all on your own."

"I know how to process grief," Kara said. "This isn't the first time I've lost someone close to me after all."

Barbara held up a hand. "No, you're right, you have, and I didn't mean to suggest otherwise. But Kara, I've seen the news, I know how busy you've kept yourself. Don't you think you deserve a little time to yourself?"

"This is me taking time for myself. Why do you think I'm here on this roof with you, and not stopping that burgler breaking into an empty apartment three blocks from here?" Kara replied.

Barbara reached into her pocket and tapped out a quick message on her phone to the police about the robbery attempt. "Because you know how much he hates it when you or your cousin interferes with 'his' city," Barbara said.

"I've got to admit, I don't get that," Kara said. "Kal and I would love to lend a hand. We could help make a difference."

"His city, his problems," Barbara said. She took a pull from her soda. "And I get it, sort of. You have your own problems. If National City is being invaded by aliens you can't be expected to also help stop the Mad Hatter or the Clock King when they try to rob a bank."

Kara looked down at her hands. "But we're stronger when we work together, I firmly believe that."

"I know you do, and it's a lovely sentiment, but some people work better on their own, and that bounced right off of you didn't it?"

A look of determination crossed Kara's face. "I'm not giving up on him Babs, he'll come around to my way of thinking sooner or later."

"And I'm stuck between the unstoppable force and the immovable object, great," Barbara said. "But stop ducking my question. When are you going to take time for you? It's not healthy to keep everything bottled up."

"Helping people is how I grieve," Kara said. "Don't look at me like that, it's true."

"There's more to you than helping people Kara," Barbara said. "That might sound selfish, but it's true."

"But there's nothing I do that's more important than that," Kara said.

"If all you do is help people as Supergirl where does that leave Kara Danvers?"

"Kara Danvers is just an alias for Kara Zor-El, last daughter of a dead planet and defender of this one."

Barbara rested a hand on Kara's shoulder. "You do realize you're more than that don't you?"

Kara shrugged off Barbara's hand. "Can I just eat my burrito in peace? I thought you of all people would understand the importance of the work."

"Oh I understand fine," Barbara said. "I also understand what happens if you let the cape consume you. You become like, well, him." She pointed at the Batsignal that hung illuminated in the night sky. "But if all you want to do is ignore your problems and eat burritos I can do that too, because so help me I'm your friend and I have plenty of experience in dealing with self-destructive friends."

"I don't deserve a friend like you Babs," Kara said.

"Yes you do," Barbara replied. "Because you're Supergirl and you embody the best of us."

Kara's reply was cut off by a strange distortion in the air behind them. Barbara leapt to her feet and drew a batarang from her belt. Kara reached up and rested a hand on Barbara's arm. "It's okay, you don't have to worry, I know what this is."

"And?"

"It's a portal between dimensions."

"That doesn't instill much calm in me," Barbara said.

"It should. The only people I know who can do this are my friends." Kara was cut off by the arrival of two figures. One a man dressed in a red suit and mask, while the other wore a leather jacket and futuristic glasses. "Barry, Cisco! What are you doing here?" Kara scrambled to her feet and ran over to the two men.

"Kara, hey," Barry said as he gave Kara a hug.

Kara then hugged Cisco. "What are you doing here? How did you find me?"

"Our first stop was the DEO," Barry said. "It looks much nicer than I remember it being."

"We moved since the last time you visited," Kara said. "Now why are you here Barry?"

"You aren't going to introduce us to your friend first?" Barry asked.

"Oh right. Barry, Cisco, this is my friend Barrrtgirl."

"Big Simpson's fan?" Cisco asked. "They have the Simpson's on this Earth right?" He held his hand out to Barbara.

"Don't have a cow man, but the name's Batgirl," Barbara said as she shook Cisco's hand.

"Oh that makes a lot more sense," Barry said. "What with the big bat symbol on your chest, not that I was looking at your chest. Have I mentioned I'm engaged?"

"Barry is the Flash, the fastest man alive," Kara said.

"That would explain the lightning bolt," Barbara said.

"And Cisco is like Winn, only he also has superpowers."

"I can create portals between dimensions, no big deal," Cisco said.

"Now that we have the introductions out of the way. Why are you here?" Kara asked.

"Before we get to that why are you in Gotham?" Barry inhaled deeply. "And why does it smell the same as the Gotham on our Earth?"

Kara held up her burrito. "Burritos, I'm here for burritos."

"Aww, I want a burrito," Barry said.

"The corner of Adams and O'Neal," Kara said.

"Kara, I'm not sure your friend has time to…" Before Barbara could finish her sentence Barry vanished in a gust of wind and lightning.

He returned a moment later with a burrito in hand. "Wow Kara, you weren't kidding, this is amazing."

"So that's how it's gonna be, everyone gets a burrito except for me?" Cisco asked.

"Come on Cisco, you know I wouldn't leave you hanging like that." Barry produced another burrito and handed it to Cisco.

"Come to Papi," Cisco said to the burrito before he took a bite. "Sweet merciful heaven, I am definitely coming back to this Earth." He pointed at the burrito then flashed a thumbs up.

"Now that everyone has a burrito would you mind explaining what you're doing on my Earth?" Barbara asked. She placed her hands on her hips and glared at Barry and Cisco.

"Oh right. We, er, need Kara's help with something," Barry said. "I sort of figured that would be obvious, what with us crossing dimensions to come here and all."

"Are the Dominators back?" Kara asked.

"No, nothing that dramatic," Barry said. "Just some super strong bad guys in need of punching."

"You didn't even need to ask. Of course I'll help with bad guy punching. That is my speciality after all." Kara looked over at Barbara. "Can Barbara come along too?"

Cisco crossed his arms. "I don't know, does she have any powers beyond a kicking rad costume?"

"She can hold her own against Oliver in a fist fight, and Felicity in a computer fight."

"That's, that's a very compelling combination," Barry said. "Okay sure, even if she's half as good as you say she is she can come along, if she wants too of course."

Barbara looked between Barry and Kara. "I didn't plan on traveling to a different dimension when I woke up this morning, but what the hell you only live once."

"Great, the more the merrier," Barry said.

"So how do we get there?" Barbara asked. She zipped up her jacket.

"Cisco, light it up," Barry said.

Cisco lowered his high-tech glasses over his eyes then raised an arm. Ripples in the air radiated out from his hands and formed a shimmering portal. "One portal to Earth-1, as requested."

"Okay everyone, hold on tight," Barry said. He then winced. "Maybe not that tight Kara."

"Ooops, sorry," Kara said.

"Here we go, next stop Earth-1" The group vanished through the portal in a blur of golden lightning.

To be Continued

Author's Notes: Okay, a little explanation might be in order. I wanted to get this prologue for the piece I'm currently working on up before the next season of Supergirl starts to stake my claim on where Kara's headspace is at before the show does. Plus it's Barbara Gordon meets Earth-1, which should be fun. The remainder of So We Can Stay Alive will be coming along whenever I finish the rest of the story. The first draft is maybe three thousand words from being done? So sometime around Christmas probably, given the speed with which I work. Also, 's cataloging system doesn't support indicating it, but this is definitely an "all hands on deck" Earth-1 crossover so expect to see plenty of Arrow characters. Now back to Synthetica edits.

-sam, 2017-10-08