Driven to Flames (May's End)
'Some days it's hard to make it,
But I know we'll make it through..
These winds are always changing,
But I'm holding on to you..
I know that there are ups and downs,
It's hard to stand and face it..
As long as we're together now,
The moment's never wasted..'
They watched, from different perspectives the scene before them. Some from the balcony, some from the window, but most by their seats around the pool smiling at mother and daughter splashing around in the water. Laughter and praise added to the atmosphere, claps and laughs to dedicate this time to their tight knit family.
Alex took a sip of her iced tea while Jehna came over with another filled glass. Both sisters had grown much closer, sharing their views on things, but most importantly their fierce devotion to the blonde teaching her daughter the arts of water play. They had been working at the issue from last month, day after day and night after night. Still, nothing had restored her powers. They weren't the only ones pushing the issue.
"She looks genuinely happy Mom." Ruby stated standing beside Alex as Lena stood beside Jehna. "She still has no idea does she?" Danvers shook her head breathing out heavily as she took another sip of her beverage.
"The suit is still in the closet." Alex told them and wondered if maybe this was for the best after everything they had all been through. Yet a part of her knew that her bubbly sister would feel that urge to take to the skies again and when those tears fell, she wasn't sure she could handle them if she was the one that caused them.
'Some love is made for the daylight,
Some love is meant just for midnight.
Our hearts will fade into black skies,
Then we'll come back to life in the sunrise..
Hello will turn into goodbye,
But you know we're still on the same side..
Our hearts will fade into black skies,
Then we'll come back to life in the sunrise..'
"What.." Lena steadied herself, configuring her thoughts before continuing. Her life appeared so complete, but she was no fool. She saw past the smiles, the laughs, the hugs. She felt the change in her love's demeanor. Lena had spent years studying mannerisms and shifts in body language, hell she had learned quite a bit more meeting Alex Danvers. After all, there was a woman who made agent look downright simple and dressed it up with all her bad ass ways. Kieran had taken some rather unique lessons from her Director along with dishing out a few of her own. But gazing at her wife and their daughter, she felt completely lost even when she should be joining them and making that path easier.
"Forty-Two." Nia shared as she joined their gathering. She held a pitcher out for those all on iced tea, which happened to be everyone. Pouring more into each of theirs, she set the pitcher down. "That is how many formulas we have gone through."
"..and the bitch in the box?" Jehna pushed down the growl in her tone.
"Silence of the lambs." Maggie retorted with her wife at her side as they strode up to join the rest of them around the island. "How's the ribs comin' Sammy." A set of tongs were waved Sawyer's direction.
"If you want your's charbroiled you will continue to call me by that name." Sam warned her.
"Cheer up Sam Sam." Lucy smirked shaking her hand holding a beer out for the brunette. Sam grumbled snatching it up from her. Yet the smile didn't last with Artemis looking the same direction as the others. "She...there is peace there."
"There isn't." Alex shared with them as a few glanced at her from the corners of their eyes.
'Sometimes it's like a rainstorm,
All our problems pouring down..
But I'm not running from the real thing,
This feeling we've all found..'
She knew most of all, the art of deflection. She had learned it over the years training at the DEO. She learned to make it the mask she wore around her bubbly sister when she didn't know about her real job. But deep down, she knew Kara had learned to hide all she felt just so others could feel instead. Her selfless, sacrifice everything of her being, hero that she knew was hurting at losing a part of that thinking they were all oblivious to her movements. "She's in pain. She smiles and brings the sun to her daughter. She delivers the looks of love and hope for us. She...she does it at the expense of Kara. Just like she's always does."
"What can we do Mom." Ruby had done her own tests, tried her own formulas and run through dozens of variables and still nothing. What could they do..
"Hey guys!" Kara called as they all glanced over at the pool with their blonde motioning them over. "Ya know Rose would like some company in here." Right on cue their little kryptonian clapped with a big grin. "Can ya take over for me Ruby?" She asked her niece who nodded and removed her towel diving right into the water. Kara watched them splash and play, turning away wiping her face as her breathing grew more ragged. She ignored it taking slow steps to the deck, to her chosen lounge chair.
"Sam." Maggie whispered, knowing both her ex and her wife could hear. "Listen." It was as if Sawyer had the super hearing, pointing out what both Artemis and Phoenix instantly picked up. Kara's breathing was rough, her heartbeat erratic. Tijrea motioned to the staggered movements, which Luvrii noticed as well. Theirs weren't the only eyes on their angel. Kieran saw it too.
"Kara.." Jhune dashed forward the moment she saw her sister's legs fold, catching her before she could collapse to the deck. "Kara?" Jehna's actions had alerted Ruby too, who picked up little Rose and flew right out of the pool. "Skye, take her inside." Her request was met with a slight urge to push against it, caving to her aunt's wishes. Jehna waited until a crying nervous Roselyn was taken away, before setting her sister down on the bigger lounge. Their choice to nullify their little kryptonian's powers had been for the best. For now..
"Kar?" Alex knelt down and brushed blonde strands out of her face, with her eyes locking on what was trailing down from Kara's nose and mouth. "Kar.."
'Our hearts will fade into black skies..
Then we'll come back to life…
..in the sunrise..'
Ruby put her head back, holding the results in her hands as she looked up not really seeing anything at all. Her senses all dulled by what was on the paper in her shaky grasp. How could she even find the courage to deliver grim news to those needing hope in the other room. Hope, that her aunt couldn't provide now, out of the strong persona she had once shown before them all. This was going to break them worse than when they found out Supergirl was gone, left with a human body in the hero's place.
Putting her head forward once more, Ruby went over the results again for the fifth time. Nothing had changed and it was time to put on a brave face and face her family. When she rounded the corner all the air left her lungs at the sight before her. Heads in hands, bodies slumped back in chairs and silent prayers muttered all for Kara's recovery. Lena was the first to snap out of her thoughts nudging Alex with both of them looking up.
"What's the news Rubes?" Danvers remained positive, even if her heart was crumbling on the inside. One look in her daughter's forfeit gaze of desolate ruin, provided Alex the answer she sought but did not wish to be so. Before Lena could reach out the Director stood and walked right out of the room. She couldn't be there when Ruby told them the truth. Alex knew already in those broken hazel green hues of Skye's, the agony of defeat.
Instead of just taking off to unleash all hell out of something or someone, Alex made her way into her sister's room walking over to take the seat by Kara's bed. Before she did, she leaned over her face and kissed her forehead softly. As she went to take a seat she heard a groan then a cough and remained standing taking one of Kara's hands. Beautiful cerulean skies were visible to her and Alex smiled to her. "Hey sis."
"Feel..like..crap." She chuckled at Kara's response.
"Never were good at the Earth sicknesses Aoe." Those eyes felt like they were looking right into her soul and it made Alex shutter. "How are you feeling?"
"Zhizhaf." She told her.
"Freezing huh. Let's get you a thicker blanket okay." Alex went to remove her hand from Kara's until she felt a slightly stronger squeeze. She turned back to her sister when she felt the force of that one gestured grip. "Kar, squeeze my hand again." When she did so, Alex felt the inhuman strength by that one sign of hope. But her sister's hand was so cold and one look at her face and Danvers saw the chattering of teeth. "I am gonna get you the warmest blanket I can find."
"Lee's...blanky.." Kara coughed out rolling her head to the side. Another cough came and the sound of it still had Alex worried sick for her little sister. She took the oxygen line and slipped it over her face resting the two nozzles in Kara's nostrils.
"Take some deep breaths and I'll get blanky." She made haste out of the room only to fly right in as five words were heard, that would forever be locked in her mind.
"Her organs are shutting down." Ruby told them, glancing up as Alex touched down nearly ready to faint right on the spot. "Mom?"
"She...she..she squeezed my hand." Alex struggled to say but pushed out the news. When she looked up she saw the bewilderment in her daughter's orbs. "She squeezed my hand Rubes." Danvers saw the realization hit Skye who looked at her with an immense relief. Alex immediately felt the gust of wind and nodded to her wife who grabbed the one of beautiful emerald hues as they flew out of gathering space, down the hall to enter a rather familiar room along with her oldest sister.
"How much force?" Ruby went into full doctor mode grabbing the pressure handle, attaching the cord to the machine as she unclipped the rest of the line that dropped onto the floor. Sam was at the other side of the bed, watching the vitals and noticing right away how much better the numbers appeared.
"Enough to warrant what we've been throwing all our hopes to. I put the hose back on, her breathing is still a little rough." Alex moved closer with one of her hands holding one of Lena's. She instantly felt the shaky squeeze on her hand. The Director knew no doubt that Kieran was praying to him too. 'Sokao Rao Vokai Zhed.'
"Please...please help her heal. Vokai Zhed Zhehiov."
"Sokao Rao..return her to us, healed." 'I need her back. I need my person back.' Alex told him, knowing somehow that he was listening. At least..that's what she was hoping..
"I know this place." Kara said softly, looking out at the beautiful scenery before her more sky blue eyes. "So pretty." She felt a soft hand on her shoulder, looking to who that touch belonged to while at the balcony.
"Always of the artist's eye Little One." Her aunt said smiling at her. Their gazes returned to the city. "You never change Kara. No matter the circumstance, you see the beauty in everything." Astra watched her niece, praying to who she knew was listening and give the hero before her the strength to rise again. To touch the clouds again.
"This is all so familiar Aunt Astra." Kara mentioned. "Why do I know this place? Why do I know that...that name. Aunt Astra?" She saw the warm rich blends of out worldly hues, gaining the answer she sought. "Aunt Astra?"
"What is it Little One.." She knew that her niece was finding those missing pieces that her sister had tried to take from her.
"She knows Aunt Astra..my sister knows." Kara smiled looking back at the vibrant city. "Brave One knows."
"She has joined at your side, how I knew she would. You two have a bond that surpasses all others Kara. Never lose that. Love comes in many forms. You taught me that. You see beyond the Matrix dear Niece. You always have."
"Did you know about Jehna, Aunt Astra?" The heavy sigh didn't go unnoticed by Kara stirring other questions, but before they could leave her lips her hand was taken and held.
"I know all about her Little One. I know that she too was taken from me at birth. She too was fed lies and when she refused to comply, she was cast to the same prison as I. I only wish I had known she was there. I would have fought to get to her. To save her."
"Sam isn't...your only.." Kara looked at her aunt but as Astra's lips moved, she was unable to hear what was said. It was then she felt a warmth surround her, holding tighter to the hand in her own. She screamed with full on tears but one smile told her everything she needed to know. Kara shut her eyes and gave herself over to what had come for her..
"The tests prove it!" Sam stated with absolute excitement, handing the paper over to her wife as both Captain and Co Director glanced at it too. She looked to who was holding the blonde's right hand with both of hers and shared a strong gaze with Jehna. Lena held onto Kara's other hand but was paying attention to the report that had been handed to her. The moment she went over the findings she looked up at Sam then at Ruby. "She's gaining it back."
"We should probably get the sun lamps on again then." Kieran chuckled as Danvers laughed nodding. "Do you think she'll be.."
"Wai Aoe..Sehjehb.." Jehna looked at Kara's face with cerulean blues meeting her darker blues, nodding. "You are..Samantha's Aoe."
"Wait what?" Lena looked from her wife to Jehna, then to Alex and finally to her other sister. "Darling are you telling us.."
"Aoe." Sam said it and for some strange reason, saying that felt right. Now the questions were festering. "Kara, how do you know this?"
"Your mom says hi." She smiled and the warmth in a face that had been covered in pain, had nothing but hope and love expressed there. Everyone rejoiced and called the others in, who trampled to the room filled with just as much excitement. Hugs were given to their blonde angel and hands were shaken.
"Okay okay...move ya dorks. I need to get some solar cells into our goof." Laughs continued and Alex and Lena rushed over to pull the lamps over on the pedestals. Once positioned and they had pushed the gang back, they all looked on with the hope that had returned to them with a set of cerulean blues and a smile of pure happiness.
"Why don't we let her settle in alright? I promise, any changes I will call you back in." Sam shooed their rather bubbly conversationalists out of the room. As the noises calmed she turned to see Kara, with her face scrunched up and a krinkle evident. "Better?"
"Yeah." She nodded, seeing glances and raised eyebrows. "Pull up some chairs and...hi Nia." Dreamer walked over to her friend, her family and gave the brightest of smiles in return to Kara's own. The blonde glanced back at those still in the room. "Alex. Lena. Sam. Ruby. Jehna. Nia. Where is.."
"With Maggie and Luce, kicking their ass at cards." They all chuckled along with Kara. "Okay, give us the dish Aunt Kara."
"I dreamed and...Aunt Astra was there." She explained. "She says hi again Alex. She also told me about how my...that person..took you out of her arms, then when you went to Fort Rozz she didn't know it was you Jehna. My guess is Non knew and.."
"My father. Did he know I was...was.." Jhune needed answers now and hoped her..cousin but sister has them. "If I am Sam's sister and Alex is married to her..that makes me Alex's sister which makes me...your sister. If...Lena is married to you.." Jehna noticed Alex rubbing her temples. "Sorry Alex."
"Trust me, it confuses the hell out of me too."
"How do you think I feel?" Lena laughed as she massaged her forehead. "But besides that..how do you feel darling?"
"Like I've had this hole and now it isn't there anymore." Kara looked up at the lamps, shutting her eyes smirking. "I feel these babies though." Alex shook her head but it was Ruby to retort.
"Help this aunt of mine, ten cents a day." That got more laughs and Kara sticking her tongue out at her niece. But there it was again, the infamous crinkle. Let's um...why don't we give Aunt Kara and.." Alex put a hand on her daughter's shoulder.
"I love you darling." Lena leaned down and softly kissed her wife as Sam put a comforting hand on Kara's shoulder. When she turned to leave the room she felt an arm around her.
"Let's chat hmm?" Jehna offered with her blood sister nodding.
"I'll be right in the other room okay?" Kara nodded. That left Alex and her alone, with her sister walking over to the radio putting a calmer dance station on to return to her side. She pulled up the taller of the stools and took one of Kara's hands again.
"What happened Lexy?" She knew her sister would actually tell her the truth. Kara could see the nervousness all over Alex.
"Do you remember being in Maggie's room when she was injured?" Alex saw the confirmation in a nod. "Do you remember grabbing the sword?" Another nod. "It was laced Kar. There was a lethal pathogen coated on the kryptonite blade and within it too." Kara looked at her utterly confused. "When you touched it, the compound absorbed into your skin. When you cracked it, snapped it apart, you breathed the pathogen in."
"What..what was in it?" Alex saw the gut wrenching fear in her sister's trembling eyes and she took both of her sister's hands to try to center her, protect her from what she was about to lay out.
"The trials you had been doing on yourself.." Kara started to shake worse. "Yes. I know about them. I know Kar. Zha Lizrhom Aoe. No more okay?"
"Okay. The...paras.." Alex shook her head.
"It's gone. I think that between the last trial you did, the parasite and the pathogen...something cancelled the other out." Kara was giving her a look that once again seemed to see all of her somewhat tainted soul. 'My blood, the blood you gave me to live..I gave to you.' Cerulean hues grew wider. "Yeah." 'When you were scared, when you were fighting what was happening to your body...I was with you. I heard you.' "I will always hear you sis."
"What the sword had, it made me practically human didn't it?" Alex hesitated but nodded. "How long?"
"Long enough." Danvers grabbed the metal rubber coated clamp, handing it to her sister. "Squeeze it Kar."
"Okay." Kara began to close her fist around it, watching the machine's readings then looking back as she clenched tighter and then grit her teeth and crushed it in her hand. Her eyes widened and Alex grinned. "I broke it."
"Yes you did." Her sister's eyes locked on her's. "Kar...Alura..tried to kill us. She intended to take me and Ruby to Argo. We would have faced her new council, corrupt by her hand. Then she would have come back for you." Alex squeezed her sister's hands, feeling how bad they were trembling. "Kar..Kar..Rrip Kehp a Ue." One look at Kara's face and she could see her falling apart. Alex took her sister into her arms as tremors raked her frame, but still she held her. There was a part of Danvers that believed her person knew what the news of a male sibling brought to the table.
One silent vow and Alex would wait until they all were resting, including Kara. Then..then she'd find the bastard..
One week had passed with better results on Kara's condition. Even with the vibrant sun available, those that weren't kryptonian were practically melting on the spot. Over a hundred degrees and the pool was bombarded with bodies. Susan and Amelia were on lounge floaties with Maggie and Lucy on one side of the net, Alex and Sam on the other. Lena was laying on her back occasionally feeling splashing her way by her wife and their daughter. One glance over and a smirk when Jehna broke out in laughter jumping back in to swim over and deliver the soda to her.
"C'mon Danvers! Either you or Sammy comes on...over." Maggie wiped her face from Sam splashing her. "No fair to power players on one team." Sawyer heard a deep purr dropping her jaw as her two piece bikini covered hot wife swam under the net and right over to her ex. The Captain glared as the Director pulled Luce right against her front. "Don't be copping a feel Danvers."
"Oh...c'mon Mags.." Sam softly purred as she came to the surface behind Maggie whispering that into her ear. "Why don't you show me how good those arms are." Sawyer turned around splashing her teammate.
"Ha ha...payback's a bi.." Alex slapped a hand over Lucy's mouth.
"Kiddo in pool." Danvers scolded removing her hand.
"Yes mother." She was hit by more water and fired back onto to have them both fired on with a couple of double barrel super soakers. "No fair!" Alex swam over to Lena who was hit with a few jets of water grumbling as she set her soda down and took her own gun from the ledge of the pool. "Hey!" But Kieran turned the soaker right on her Director. Alex put up her hands in mock surrender gasping as she was fired on by five sprays in all different directions. "HEY!"
"Spray! Spray!" Rose clapped with a big smile as her aunties nodded and kept firing on Alex, who finally ducked under the water. They all looked down as Kara sighed and set Rose on her float boat to dive down too and swim toward her sister. "Mama plotting Mommy?" Lena quirked an eyebrow up then glanced down.
"Does she have tike telepathy Kieran?" Maggie asked chuckling.
"Did you too forget that kryptonians don't need to.." Sawyer gasped, took a deep breath and dove down. She remembered the day all too well. The unveiling at the waterfront and the words that Alex had said to her.
"She can't breathe underwater.."
Maggie knew something was terribly wrong and she hoped like hell she was exactly that. But as she dove deeper and deeper down, her eyes widened at what she saw. Neither of the Danvers sisters were there. Her heart began to pound and she swam to the surface as quickly as she could, breaking it gasping. All eyes were on her and her frantic expression. "They...they're...not.." Sawyer watched both Artemis and Kieran dive under quickly and just as quickly they came back up.
"Mama...Auntie.." Little Rose sniffled as she began to shake. Ruby didn't waste any time and dove down directly to the floor of the pool looking around. It was then she spotted two cylinders attached to the bottom. She swam to one, ripping the bolts out and doing the same with the other. Skye returned to her comrades holding both items, lifting them up in the air.
"Portal devices." Lena gasped, shocked at what she was seeing. "Those..my design.."
Everyone looked at one another with Nia and Brainy walking over to.
"Suit up guys. We have a set of Danvers to find." Lucy commanded with them all jumping out of the pool, helping Ruby out of the water. "You okay?"
"Get...get...m...brace.." She felt nauseous and her legs quickly gave out as she hit her knees. Her mom ran over with both their bracelets and slapped her daughter's around her wrist, doing the same with her own. "Thanks Mom."
"Let's get these back to my lab and hook them up to my computer. Hopefully they will get us a location." Jehna growled which didn't go unnoticed. "Jen?"
"It's Kyle. It has to be.."
"Who is Kyle?" Sam asked, feeling a massive sense of dread.
"Our cousin. Kara's brother.."