Concerning Contemplations (February's Chill)
Sam came in with a fresh brew for her wife, along with a basket of creamers and a shaker of sugar. She knew just how sweet the ridiculous addict of coffee was and the crankiness anyone whom approached her would endure without at least one cup in her system. The moment she handed it over, along with all the fixings, the smile she received brought butterflies fluttering all over her stomach.
"Thank you baby." Alex purred bringing a slight blush to her wife's cheeks. Sam stood there and watched the routine of additives shaking her head. The Director looked up quirking an eyebrow. "Everything alright Sammy?"
"Skye went out to patrol earlier than she usually does."
"How early exactly?" Alex asked stirring up her cup bending her head down to breathe in the delicious aroma.
"Three AM." Her wife nearly choked on her coffee with first sip from the news widening her eyes some. "Yeah." Both of them sighed knowing for Ruby to leave that early in the morning there had to be a reason. It brought shivers down Alex's spine making her set down her cup.
"Is she.." Sam wasn't sure but she hoped it wasn't why their daughter left before her normal routine. "She can't Sam." Her wife looked out the window, walking over to inspect the view, hoping that Ruby hadn't been hunting.
Ever since the incident with the Danvers sisters that lead to them falling in and out of consciousness for almost two weeks, things had been a little tense for their family. Lucy had overseen the agency with her wife doubling up on patrol. Lena had asked the President for some personal time, which Cat of course approved. Nia did her best with CATCO duties but ultimately left James in charge, while her and Brainy had focused on meditative exercises and temporary dream states for anything to help. Susan had returned to the AOD with Amelia returning to her position so she could not only aid in the recovery of agents, but keep an eye on Alex and Kara with weekly check ups.
"Sam?" The kryptonian looked back as her wife walked up to her which brought her turning around to face her. "What if..is she?" Alex shivered at the notion. "She can't love. She..what if she finds him.."
"If she does I pray she lets us know instead of engaging. Ruby knows exactly what he's capable of Ally." She turned to face the window once more with Alex and her looking out at the city. "Please Rubes.." Sam whispered. Please Skye...please stay away from him..
Lena immediately noticing the sluggish behavior of Kara whom made her way over to the kitchen for her usual morning drink. Emeralds kept an eye on the slight baggs under worn cerulean blues which concerned her but observed quietly. She wasn't sure if she should ask about it, but something told her it was about time to confront her wife.
"Darling?" When the blonde turned her head she could see just how exhausted Kara looked. "Can I ask you a question without...upsetting you?"
"What is it Lee." Kara knew just how weak her voice sounded and she attempted to clear her throat while turning back to add creamer to her coffee.
"Baby...you've been like this for almost a week. What's wearing you down darling."
"I…" You know they won't believe you if you tell them.. Kara looked from Lena back to the counter shaking her head. "Just patrolling. Maybe I can ask Sam and Ruby to ummm..pick up the slack for me." That sounded good enough, Kara hoped.
"Love.." Lena came closer and brought her hand over her wife's back to softly rub it leaning in. "..are you sure that's all it is?" Kara nodded to lean her head against her beloved. "I just...I worry."
"I know. I really will just have them double up okay?" Their heads parted with Lena patting her back nodding.
"Okay." Lena watched Kara step back with her mug to stroll over to the donut box chuckling shaking her head. "I left you the chocolate glazed." The blonde gave a huge grin flipping the lid to reach in and grab her favorite, literally engulfing it in two bites. Lena rolled her eyes shaking her head smiling. "I've got a few things to go over with our sister okay?" Kara nodded reaching in for a glazed donut. "Enjoy them love. I'll see you later. I love you darling."
"Love you too." She smiled engulfing her second donut as Lena grabbed her purse and keys after slipping her phone in the side pocket, leaving their penthouse. Kara looked at the door when it shut feeling her smile drop turning away to stagger to the table nearly dropping in one of the chairs. "I've got to get a handle on this before...before they find out." She put her head down on the table as her arms slid off it passing back out completely drained of all energy.
She wasn't even aware of another presence approaching her as they'd done every night before. Oblivious and weak, he sprinkled the silver and gold flecks over her head to step back and leave again. His plan would strengthen now that her exhaustion caused her to drift off even in the sunlight hours. This would quicken the process of what was being done to the last daughter of Krypton. Soon...soon. So very soon, everything would change..
Alex shook away her tired state as she sipped her coffee bending down to open her desk drawer, to grab her espresso bottle. Two drops should do the trick.
"Ugh..this is growing so aggravating. Fucking night terrors." She'd been plagued with the memories that the bastard had caused her. Alex kept herself from a drink not wanting to return to that habit. She was two years sober and everyone had kept their beverages down to wine which she didn't mind in the least. Now coffee...oh no way in hell would she quit that.
She jumped slightly when her phone buzzed snatching it to see whom was texting her. Her chocolate browns grew larger when she read the message.
We've caught a dealer. He says one of his clients is Kara.
Alex was stunned by the simple twelve words on her screen. "What?" What the hell is Kar doing? Several things ran through her mind and every thought had a grave worry building in her. She quickly swiped her phone to scroll through her contacts, calling whom sent her the text. Four rings later Lucy picked up. "Hey. Did I...did I read.."
"Either he's lying or he's dying Danvers. I figured you'd wanna be here for the interrogation. I'm trying to get a hold of J'onn but he's not picking up. I've even tried the psychic 411 and that seems to be a bust too."
"I'll be right there. Keep his ass chained to the fucking wall alright?"
"You got it boss. See you in a few." Alex wasn't sure what to make of the whole situation. So many questions battered her skull. Now wasn't the time for that talk. No...now was a time to go all Director and Agent Danvers on this cocky little shit..
First things first though as she snatched up her keys her jacket and rider vest to head down to the garage below the luxurious townhouse, her lovely sister in law had given as a wedding present to her and Sam. Alex couldn't shake the grip on her heart by the information delivered.
Down at the garage, the Director made haste over to her shiny black Ducati bike with her signature Phoenix shield along the sides. She unlocked the helmet from the side punching in her code on the deck which popped out the faub from the hidden compartment on the side of the seat. Alex put it in it's slot with the engine's cylinders working their magic while slipping on her helmet buckling it in place. She waited until it was warmed up enough to back out only to speed out of the garage, up the ramp and off to the AOD.
On the way she decided to dial up the rest of their family. It was better that they all be together when it came time to talk to her sister, even though Alex hoped this dealer was just pulling their chain.
"Please, please, please…" Let this not be right..
"Good news darling! I got the reservation for the bay view for us for tonight." Lena excitedly announced after unlocking and opening the door. "Baby, you home?" She set her bag and keys down on the counter, seeing her love's phone and bag still there, looking around about to check the bedroom when her heart stopped only for it to jump start the moment she rushed over. "KARA!" Lena dove down only to see her wife unconscious on the floor with the chair tipped over on it's side. "Kara?" She quickly checked for a pulse feeling relief at finding one. "Kara?" Lena called her name again then carefully checked the blonde for any wounds not finding any. She then rolled her onto her back to slip the hair from her wife's face and pull back her eyelids but what she saw sent an icy chill down her spine.
The kryptonian's normally cerulean blues were far more grey than any overcast set of clouds. But what had Lena trembling the most was the slight silver along more visible veins on Kara's face, even her neck. "Not good, not good.." She dug into her coat pocket to frantically get to her phone with her hands shaking like crazy. Yet before she could make the call she froze from a bigger fear. Then it donned on her that Susan and Amelia were looking after little Rose today. Turning her attention back to the woman, whose head was in her lap, in need of attention Lena quickly called Sam. Yet when it kept ringing with no one picking up she looked down at her wife swallowing down the lump in her throat, noticing the missing call from Alex about thirty minutes ago. "Dammit.."
Desperate times called for desperate measures. Lena scrolled through her last calls to hit the screen bringing the phone back to her ear. "C'mon...c'mon."
"Hello?"
"Ru...Ruby...I...Ruby I…"
"Slow down Auntie Lena. What's going...I'll be there in a few." Lena pulled the phone away only to stare at it as a single tear escaped one of her eyes. Before any other tears could slip down she felt the rush of wind at her face only for a figure with shoulder length brunette hair streaked with auburn's to approach her. Her suit similar to her mother's and aunt's with the House of El insignia that instead of a shield had a circle of flames over her heart like a badge in all black with the suit the darkest of greens, but the coat of arms was of the lightest of greens like a glistening emerald, fit tightly to her well built yet slender body. Skye-Ariea also known to most as Astra Skye, could not shake the darker reds from her glowing eyes. That was until her orbs glanced down at whom was unconscious in her aunt's arms. "Supergirl!" The glow quickly faded with her hazels shaking as she knelt down. She looked from aunt Kara to Lena but the woman nodded and she swept the blonde's body up into her arms to back away.
"Take her. I'll meet you at AOD." Lena struggled to say but knew her niece had got the message. Ruby didn't waste another moment, taking off out of the double doors with her aunt. Now alone in their home, Lena got up shaking off her nerves to right the chair back up then go to pantry and grab kit in back. "She'd been there.." The woman slipped the gloves on and opened her box grabbing the small bristle brush carefully swiping it along the table, all over where no doubt her love had sat. Lena opened the clear bag and gathered every particle she had gathered to sweep into it. She sealed the bag, removing the gloves after dropping the brush in another bag and tossed them in the same back as the brush sealing it too.
Lena quickly dialed another number and was grateful when the person immediately picked up. "Susan! Oh thank Rao. Hey, did you get the message from Alex?"
"I did. You sound frantic. Rose is okay. She's in the other room with Amelia building the Millenium Falcon. How the hell this kid does this with a set made for adults I'll never…"
"Susan.." Lena cut her off swallowing down her nervousness. "I came home to find Kara unconscious on the floor. I couldn't wake her. Ruby just flew her to AOD."
"Shit.."
"That's a dollar Suz!" Lena heard Amelia yell.
"We need to go to the AOD now Amelia! Kara's down!"
"I'll meet you there." She hung up on them before either could respond. Lena gathered up both hers and her wife's bags, their keys and phones. She said to hell with it and went to side of pantry slipping back panel to punch in code. The moment both codes were entered and her retina was scanned the other panel slid back and she grabbed both the holstered alien gun, the box of formulas, and two necklaces Alura have given her for emergencies. Lena wasn't taking any chances and after grabbing everything, including kit and evidence box, she made her way out the door locking up as she left.
After she'd thrown everything in the front seat of her slick dark blue Ferrari and locked the doors to the weapon proof frame, she took off as quickly as she could out and onto the street. The sun had just set as she drove to her building where the agency resided, with several things on her mind. She tapped the button on the steering wheel. "Call Alex." The line rang and rang but after three rings Lena hung up. "C'mon dammit. Fine. Call Lucy." The line rang three times when someone picked up. "Luce! Oh shit I'm glad you picked…"
"Lena? Lena it's Maggie. Listen...Ruby just got here and Alex is in the interrogation room unleashing hell on a suspect. Are you on your way?"
"I am. Susan and Amelia are on their way with Rose."
"Nia and Brainy have just arrived at the garage. Just get here in one piece okay. I know how you drive and from the sounds of it that's your 812 right? Just don't crash the ferrari please."
"I won't. Are everyone's suits in our place still?"
"As far as I know. Hey SKYE! Our suits still...okay. Okay. Yeah they are." Lena felt a little better but her shaking had gotten worse. Who the hell was Alex interrogating?
"I got the message for a Round Table but I wasn't sure what for."
"Get here and we can talk. Kara is safe and with us Kieran. See you...oh daaaamn.. I'm surprised you haven't gotten a speeding ticket. Ruby hears you at the garage."
"Most are on my payroll but they know when it's an emergency. I run the lights on my own. Listen, I need someone...oh hi Sam. See you shortly." Lena hung up and before she could open the doors the kryptonian was there to assist. "Grab the...yeah grab those."
"Kara's with us. Alex had just gotten out of the box. Got your stuff?" Lena nodded snatching up her bag, slipping her phone into it removing key faub from car. They made their way out of the garage towards the doors as the car doors shut and the whole vehicle locked up. "Ruby filled us in."
"I didn't...I felt that if I…" The moment they were off the elevator and had made their way to the med wing, Lucy was walking over. "Here." Mrs. Sawyer looked from the kit and box in Sam's hands to them to the stuff taking what was offered up. "I can explain as we walk. How's Kara?"
"We need to talk." Lucy stated, with both women following close behind her. "Let's get the place sealed up and then I can explain.."
"What do you mean explain?" Before Lena could say anything else Alex had approached after typing in codes to adjust the vents and rush air through them as a background noise while she locked down the facility with the Nth metal reinforced walls. "What the hell?"
"There's a lot to talk about. C'mon." The three of them made their way into the massive medical wing room where a familiar blonde was laying, yet not under sun lamps. Lena felt something off, especially since her wife wasn't getting any solar absorption. "We can't put them on yet." Alex reached out and grabbed one of Lena's hands squeezing it to let her know she was there with her. The Director pulled her boss back away from Kara and felt her sister in law's resistance to their distance.
"Those your...good." Ruby said as Sam handed her daughter the formula case. When Skye turned around after looking her aunt's direction, she moved away and into the open lab setting what she had in her hands on the table. "We've found traces of two kryptonites in her system." Lena and the others gasped sending shivers down all their spines. "Yeah."
"Wait..how? She's supposed to be immune!" Alex couldn't understand but then it came to her. Unless.. "There is a reason I got a hold of all of you." She quickly spoke up seeing Susan and Amelia walk in with little Rose along with Nia and Brainy. "Dreamer, can you take Rose down to the playroom?" Nia nodded and Brainy quickly took his shaky niece in his arms. He knew how frazzled the young kryptonian part daxamite was.
"Alex waited until they'd shut the door, knowing both of them knew the codes, then turned on the vents in the room before filling the walls with the gas used between window panels. "The bastard I've been punching around in interrogation had told me some pretty shady things. I didn't want to believe him until...until I forced a little exercise that he'd be crying like a baby to answer everything I demanded of him. Willingly. After that I…"
"We found out that Kara had been going to the dealer." Lucy continued for her practically sister, as far as she was concerned, knowing Alex was too emotional right now. They all were. "She'd been getting doses of ketamine and this." The Co Director set down the paper with everyone's eyes widening. "What Kara had been drugged with in that hell, is...what she'd been buying on the alien trade black market." Lena was floored. They all were.
"That isn't what I saw on her face when I found her passed out on the floor." Lena snarled slightly trying to calm her nerves. It wasn't doing her much good.
"The drug has nothing to do with what you saw and what I found." Ruby interjected. "I found traces of a synthetic gold k and a silver k mixture in her system."
"WHAT?!" A few of them yelled but Ruby held out her hand gritting her teeth letting her eyes partially glow red to shut everyone up. She shut her eyes centering herself to reopen them to their calmer hazel.
"What you saw along the veins in her face and neck wasn't just there. Someone's been dosing her." Skye explained. "Now, I could be wrong here, but I think it wasn't injected."
"Was it ingested like in a drink or food?" Alex asked an even graver concern and fear coursing through her. Ruby shook her head. "Then how?"
"Was it pumped into the air like a gas?" Lucy was trying to figure it out too, hell they all were. But when the young woman shook her head. "How then?"
"Like pixie dust." Susan suggested with everyone looking over at her like she'd lost her mind.
"Yes." Ruby told them with them all looking back at her. "It was thrown or blown on her. If I had to guess, when she's unconscious."
"But I'd...I'd know. Wouldn't I?" Lena didn't like where this was going. Then she thought about how the last few nights, hell the last almost seven nights, when they'd gone to bed she'd found herself a little more tired than usual every night. The pieces began to fit together. "Have Aaron's team go over to my loft. I need a full work up of the bedroom and bathroom. I need to know if I was drugged with something to…"
"To keep you asleep?" Ruby mentioned and Lena nodded. "It's possible."
"Who's been doing this to her...to us?" Emeralds shook when she looked at her wife. "Will what is in her system fade?"
"Her powers aren't gone. I just didn't want to put her under the lamps until I got the results. No one discusses any of this outside of here. Anytime we talk about any of this, it has to be here. We are completely shut off from even any other kryptonian...listen...ing.."
All eyes fell on Ruby as her eyes burned far passed the red, slipping nearly as black as night. She clenched one of her fists and her throat rumbled. "I...hear...him.." She growled out each word slowly.
"What do you hear Rubes." Alex spoke as calmly as she could. She knew how enhanced her daughter's powers were, how they surpassed her wife's and sister's own immensely.
"Tiv Kuva Rthxurn Tul Zhadif Ahvrig Khuhtiv Jahghah Ihm Zor Ehl.." If ever the darkness was consuming Ruby, it was at that moment after hearing the monster's words.
"That...foolish...humans...never...find out?" Alex was trying to decipher.
"Not find out." Lena grit her teeth already fuming. "Discover...control."
"Human fools with never discover my control over Zor-El." Ruby told them with everyone backing away. Dark waves of energy were surrounding her body emulating along her frame in sharp shades of blood and smoke black. She was quickly losing her cool and she knew it. "Hold on." Ruby tilted her head some shutting her burning eyes listening. "Zhgam Ugem Ahmpahr Rrem Nim Krep Nahn Vah Jahghah of her." She'd never wanted to murder someone before but at that moment her rage at these two evils was pushing her closer and closer to that temptation. "When will we be in control of her." Ruby translated. Their group felt their blood run cold. All but the two kryptonians seething in the room. She looked up forcing the burning glow of dark red in her eyes away to reveal darker hazels of green. "Who is Non." Alex gasped as her entire body shook with unimaginable shock and gut wrenching fear. They all noticed the reaction.
"He...he was...Astra's...Alura's sister's husband." Confusion took hold and she shook her head. "He died. He died..oh my god.." Alex backed up nearly stumbling over a chair in the process as her back pressed against the wall. She brought a hand to her face covering her mouth some with her eyes growing wider in uncaged horror. "She blinded him...she incapacitated him...He tried to...tried to...he was sent with his soldiers..into the station...that...that she flew into space.." She staggered out each word with her vocals as shaky as her body. "He was...was banished. He was blinded.."
"Did he die Alex.." Lena was first to approach her sister in law carefully without frazzling her further. "Did. He. Die.."
"I don't know.." She wasn't sure. But if Non was back, they were ALL in grave danger. "What did he do to my sister Skye?"
"I...I c...can'tttt.." They all heard the mutter of an unconscious Super which brought all their attention on Kara's mumbling. "Th...they...hum...annn...n...nottt...b...ba..d…." Ruby forced her anger back bringing her head down to her aunt's to calmly whisper to her.
"Ta Nim Ni Zyvzrh Zor Ehl." Ruby spoke slowly.
"P...Pil...Z..Zh..Zhehd..dd...Ju...d...dow...down.." They noticed the slivers of silver run along Kara's arms her neck and face as her jaw tightened "Z...zhehd… Udol… Vr...Vraz..hium ..Vrrosh.." Her head slipped back with her body arching up some. "Ex...exile…"
"I'm gonna kill him." Alex growled clenching both her fists closed so tightly she dug into her hand. "He's trying to convince her we're all evil.." They looked at the Director seeing the brown in her eyes darkening from fury. "He wants her to send us to the Phantom Zone."
"Ruby." Lucy tried to speak without her voice cracking. Skye looked at her forcing her eyes not to glow. "How long has Kara been dosed with this."
"Six nights." Lena answered almost sure of it. "I've passed out nearly the same time every night. Today would make seven times. Every morning I've noticed the shades open and the window ajar. I just thought she was getting up in middle of night to either check on Rose or get some fresh air." Lena felt the pieces really begin to fit together. "He's been coming in after knocking me out. Dammit!"
"Zor El… Ni Zrhyth Nahn Bem. Zhav Udol. Non Nahn Udol." Ruby spoke with as much authority as she could as if ordering her aunt. "Zor-El...we are good. We aren't evil. Non is evil. Non Nim Kuvaiuhb to fool you into...turning you. Ruhrrhv Cheh orders. Resist his orders...his control over you. Now...Ehsihtn..AWAKEN!"
"EL...MA..YA...RAH!" They heard the power in her scream as her eyes opened, heat vision hitting the ceiling that Lena was grateful she'd reinforced with Nth metal too. She knew as her wife kept screaming that Kara would blow out her powers if she kept burning away at the ceiling. She lunged forward and crushed her lips to her kryptonian love's own forcing all her love and devotion, her strength and protection into that kiss.
Kara's screams were swallowed and finally her heat vision ended before she could solar flare. Her ceruleans came back from the grey they'd been and when their lips parted bringing a whimper from her instantly. Her eyes welled up with tears and the sobbing broke loose. Everyone stepped forward to reach out and touch Supergirl, assuring her they were there for her. "Lee...Lexi...Rubes..Sam...Mag...gie...Luce...Suz...Melia.." Kara couldn't stop the rivers of tears and she knew her body was shaking. "I...didn't want..to...his...voice..I...so scared.." But then she looked at whom wasn't there, concern etching her facial features. "Where's.."
"With Dreamer and Brainy." Susan assured her knowing she was looking for her daughter. "Safe." Vasquez smiled. "Safe." She nodded.
"Sa...safe...I…" She was trembling worse but Kara knew among'st these people, her family, that she wasn't alone. "All here...together.."
"El Mayarah." They all said confirming her that they were together as one. Their vengeance could wait. They had their angel back and this time...they wouldn't...let...Kara fall…
Alex could barely keep still nor could her sister in law, yet when the doors finally opened to the examination room they felt their hearts race. The look on both mother and daughter, the look on Amelia's face, spoke volumes as to what appeared to be bad news.
"Well?" Lena asked before her Director could. Yet when Sam's face lit up with Ruby giving a thumbs up and Amelia rubbing her sweating face, the two women felt so much relief. "What happened?"
"We were able to extract the two kryptonites from her body." Skye explained, discarding her exam gloves in the trash. "Mom couldn't be in the room when we did it. The three of us may be resistant to red or green k now but...that's why she was being laced with a synthetic gold."
"The bastard was trying to make her susceptible to green again." Alex snarled clenching her fists.
"I believe so." Hamilton added. "The amount of heat she produced to destroy both kryptonites had me sweating bullets, I think literally. I need to use one of the private showers Lena." Kieran nodded smiling to watch the doctor walk away. Susan wasn't far behind her.
"How's she doing Rubes." Alex had been tense through the whole seven hours they'd been in there. Both Lena and her had been through two pots of regular black just to stay alert. They were exhausted and with the news the need for sleep was taking precedence over everything else.
"Resting...finally. I kept shifting between worry to rage, but I centered myself to perform what I needed to for my aunt. I want to hunt the monster down, yet I'm holding back. I'm needed here right now." She could wait. She hoped..
"Can we see her?" Lena wanted desperately to slip her hand in her wife's and sit by her bedside with their daughter. "Speaking of…" She snatched up her phone texting Nia, whom immediately called her.
"Lena? Is she okay?" Kieran laughed.
"She is. Wanna bring Rose up here?" Yet Lena heard something that suddenly made her blood run cold by the heavy breathing on the other end. "Nia?"
"G...get...Sk..Skye..dow.." The line went dead before Dreamer could tell her whatever it was. When Lena glanced up Ruby was already down the hallway and around the corner. They all looked at Kieran.
"What's going on Lena?" Sam asked, yet her hearing already picked up why her daughter broke the sound barrier toward where her niece was. She was hesitant to leave them, especially with her sister of Krypton still out of commission, but something told her she needed to meet up with her daughter. Before she could fly off, Sam heard something that chilled her to the bone..
"Zhadif Adif Khuhp Khuhtov Inah.." No longer did she have the will to move, it was as if she'd been frozen on the spot. The words spoken to her through another's power, Sam was far too familiar with. Her own words tumbled out in a whispered tremble.
"Non...is my…"