Title: Heart of a Hero

Chapter Title: Timeline 3

Fandom: Supergirl (2015), Elements of Man of Steel, Lois & Clark: Adventures of Superman, Comic book world (so many of them), Superman Unbound, New 52, Supergirl (1984), Smallville, Young Justice

Rating: Low M

Pairings: Canon only

Background: Personal interpretation of Kryptonian Culture/ History/ Social Structure/ etc

Summary: Kara knew there was only a small chance she could stop Non. He had years of experience over her. But never did she expect, even as she laid dying, that she will wake up in her bed. The same day of Alex's flight to Geneva.

Disclaimer: I don't own Supergirl

Note* Warning. This will end up as Non/Kara, but it will also be a slow burn.

WARNING! Graphic description of torture + Graphic description of murder

00000

Timeline 3

BEEP BEEP BEEP

"Will this keep her alive while we drain her blood?"

BEEP BEEP BEEP

"Tell me the truth!" SLAM SLAM SLAM The stinging rips through her body from her back.

BEEP BEEP BEEP

"The eggs wouldn't fertilize-" Ha ha ha ha ha. "Fucking bitch! You knew!"

BEEP BEEP BEEP

Pain ripped through her as her vision went completely green. A large sound echoed in her ears and she opens her mouth to scr-

Kara screamed as she sat up suddenly. She took deep breaths through her mouth as she looked around. Her long hair moving with her head-

Wait.

What?

Kara reached up, her hand shaking, and touched her hair- her long hair.

She looked forward and found herself back in her apartment. She raised her hands to her face and flexed all 10 fingers. She then brought her hands back to her face. She felt at her unscarred face. Her normal eyes. Her nose and ear were back. She could see properly!

She threw off her covers and looked at her feet. All her toes where there and her feet looked normal, not the mangled splinters she was used to. She swung her feet over the side of the bed and carefully placed her weight on them…

Kara choked as no pain came from her feet. She wasn't sure if she wanted to cry or laugh. No… She wanted to dance!

Kara grabbed her laptop and opened her music. She turned up the volume as high as she could and just started to spin in circles. She danced to the rhyme, laughing each time she pressed her feet against the floor. She spun and spun before falling, tears running down her face as she kept laughing.

She sat up, a large smile on her face before calling out, "Astra! Come look at thi-"

Kara stopped smiling when she realized that Astra wasn't there. The woman probably didn't even know that Kara was alive.

There was no soft bed or Non smiling after he's spent some time with Lane and his people. There was no Astra that held her hand as she helps her take steps on her broken feet. There was no Non that make her gloves to give her back the fingers she lost. There were no hands in her hair or soft songs…

They didn't know about her and depending what she did…

They'll be her enemy… they'll hate her.

Kara felt the tears run down her face, no laughter in sight. She stood up, uncaring as the water ran down her neck. Kara grabbed her phone and looked at the date. October 26, 2015

Now what?

0000

Kara smiled at her reflection as she carefully applied her make up. She hated looking at herself before. She hated seeing what Lane did to her. What those 'doctors' did to her. But now it never happened.

(Yes it did. She still remembers the knife slicing into her body. She remembers the sound of whips as they connected to her flesh. She still remembers the smell of herself as she soils herself. She still remembers the taste of her flesh as she bits of her finger to get rid of the pain. The hopelessness. Knowing she was going to die and no one was coming for her. She remembers wishing she was dead, begging them to just kill her.)

The brush slips from her hand as her memories play in her mind. She stares at herself and sees only the monster she became- the monster she is.

(Monster. Monster. That's all he calls her. Some days she even forgets her name-)

Kara closes her eyes and looks away from the mirror. Bile rises up, but she quickly squishes it down again. She bends down and picks up the brush, putting it on the sink without looking at herself.

She needed to get to work. Then she had a date and then she has to save Alex from the plane crash. Then she has to become Supergirl and get taken by the DEO-

Kara quickly bends over the toilet as she threw up at the thought of even being near the DEO again.

She didn't want anything to do with the DEO. It didn't matter what Alex said or what they did… if they fuck with her again, they will pay.

Kara angrily wiped her mouth, glaring at the hallucination of Lane and his grunts. No one will ever do something like that to her ever again.

0000

Kara twitched as she walked through CatCo without her hood and face mask. She never left her room without it and to suddenly not wear it anymore… Kara flinched when a person looked at her face, before looking her up and down. She has to stop herself from covering her face as she held onto the coffee cups tightly.

Winn greets her like it hasn't been months since she last saw him. And for him it hasn't been.

"Wow, Kara, you look awesome today," Winn said.

Kara blushed, reaching up to her smooth face (she feels a bump and think her scars are back, but it's just her lips. And wasn't that strange, her lips being one smooth bump).

"Thanks," Kara said as she places everything on her table. She looks at everything and for a moment she has a small panic attack. Would she still remember how to do her job? Will she remember all the numbers she needs to know? Will she say the right things to make everything go the same way?

Would she want to?

"Kiera!" Ms. Grant's voice pierced through the floor.

Kara looked up, coffee still in hand to see Cat Grant already sitting behind her desk. Obviously, she was late, having decided to walk- walk!- to work.

Not sparing a glance at Winn Kara ran into the glass office-

Like her cell.

Kara's heart hammered in her chest as she half-run slowed to a difficult walk. Why were her feet hurting her suddenly? Swallowing- and wasn't that hard in itself- Kara took a deep breath through her mouth- her nose wasn't working, did she still have it? She reached up with her free hand to touch the point of her nose- still there.

Her stomach turned and everything green caught her attention. The noise of the floor increased, dozens of people talking at once:

"How do you spell 'attendance'?"

"No, move it to there."

"-some purple alien-"

"Kiera."

"-I then I found her in bed with the gardener."

"Kiera."

"-cking copier."

"Kiera!"

Kara's head snapped to the woman in front of her, her hand squeezing the coffee cup in her hand. She broke the disposable cup, coffee spilling all over the floor.

"What is wrong with you!" Ms. Grant asked her as she stood up from her desk, "Is the bottle blond going to your head?"

"What?" Kara asked confused.

"I feel like I'm losing IQ point just being around you right now," Ms. Grant told her.

"I'm sorry. I'm not-"

"I don't care," Ms. Grant said, interrupting her, "You are supposed to be concentration on my needs, nothing else. Understand."

"I- Yes Ms. Grant," Kara muttered, sounds still loud. She felt cold, numb, like she was walking in a dream. It was like everything was… not real.

Was it? Or was her death causing her to hallucinate? Was she still in that field, in Non's arms as he sang to her?

"Na'vor ma shan te kaar," Kara sang softly to herself as Ms. Grant told her to cancel lunch with her mother.

Give heed, the Chieftess comes.

The Ballet of Chieftess Hara. The chieftess that made it her mission to conquer all tribes ran my males. She didn't believe they were good enough to lead. In fact, Hara believed that men should do nothing by themselves and just listen to orders given to them by a woman. She believed men to be beneath her. So she decided that never shall a man lead.

She succeeded in what she sent out to do and thus started the Age of The Mother.

High Chieftess Hara ruled over Krypton when matriarchy reigned. She was the ancestor of the first Queen of Krypton. Of the Last Queen… of Kara.

"Are you listening!" Ms. Grant shouted.

"um, Meeting, Cancel Lunch, Cancel Therapist, Layouts and… Tribune letters?" Kara asked, half-remembering from the first timeline, the rest she remembered when Ms. Grant started talking.

"Yes," Ms. Grant said condescendingly and held out a paper, "Now go!"

"Yes Ms. Grant," Kara muttered, grabbing the paper before leaving.

Layout… James.

"Hey Kara," Winn said as she walked off, causing her to stop.

"Yeah?" Kara asked.

"I was wondering, if you're not busy, if you wanted to, maybe of course, catch a movie with me?" Winn asked, half not looking at her while playing with a pen.

Oh no.

She forgot about this. About Winn's crush on her. What did she say last time-

"Oh, I'm sorry. I actually have a date tonight," Kara said.

"Oh. A date," Winn said and Kara could smell the pain and disappointment from him.

"Yes. It's an internet date…I'm not- I'm not putting much hope into it. I'm not really looking for someone at the moment, but my Forster mother gets upset when I don't date a few times," Kara said, telling the truth.

She wasn't interested in finding someone right now. James… James belonged with Lucy, not her. She was currently stuck in some kind of time loop and every time she someone looked at her she wanted to hide her face…

(They call her the most beautiful woman in National City. Like that's all they saw. She's seen people, even under Myriad, wince at her appearance after she was rescued from the DEO. She was a monster

She still is.)

"Oh," Winn said and looked away completely. Did he believe her, or was he thinking she was trying to 'let him down gently'? Did it matter? She has only ever seen Winn as a friend. Never once has she thought of Winn as more.

0000

She walked into James's office with a sense of… anticipation? Would she take one look at this man and fall in love again? Would she look at him and see the man that married Lucy?

"Hello?" Kara called as she walked into James's office, even though she knew where he was.

"I'll be just a minute," she heard James's voice. Her heart gave a sudden leap, but no butterflies appeared in her stomach. Her hands weren't clammy and she didn't get the urge to hide.

What did that mean?

"Ms. Grant sent me for the layouts and she doesn't like to wait," Kara said, trying to keep her voice calm as she turned the corner and saw James on his knees, digging through a box.

"Well, she can wait a minute," James said.

Kara smiled. She remembered how strange it was to meet someone that wasn't afraid of Cat Grant. How much braver he was next to her.

"Have you met Miss Grant?" Kara asked, her memories supplying her lines. She was surprised how much she could actually remember. Not that she should… Kryptonians were bred for learning and remembering things. Like humans, they had difficulty remembering things from a young age, but once they get to what humans call 'teenage' their memory was almost… perfect.

In comparison, humans were… primitive.

"Yeah, what is she gonna do? Fire me right after hiring me? Her loss," James said and looked around to her. This time Kara saw the look of reorganization in his eyes. Strange really. She hasn't seen or even spoken to Kal in years…

What did her little cousin want from her?

"Hey," James smiled and stood up, holding out his hand, "I'm the new guy."

"Kara Danvers," Kara said, smiling, "I'm Ms Grant's personal assistant."

"James Olsen," James said as Kara took his hand and gave a firm shake. She felt her mouth twitch when she gripped a little too tight and he tried to hide the wince. Quite well too. Obviously Kal didn't have such a great control of his powers as he wanted people to believe.

"The photographer form the Daily Planet," Kara noted, "And CatCo's new Art Director."

"That's me," James said smiling widely as he put his hands just above his pants.

Kara stared at him, her eyes sliding to the print of her cousin flying, but she didn't make a big deal out of it. She knew if she got it this time she would just end up burning it.

Kal didn't care for her. Other than her being another messiah for the humans.

"The layout?" Kara asked, holding out her hand.

"Oh, right," James said and moved to get the laminated prints before handing it to her.

"Thanks," Kara said and walked off. She didn't turn around, she couldn't.

Her James… the one she knew, the one she loved… he didn't exist anymore.

0000

Kara sat in her apartment, staring out the window. She had canceled her date, not even remember the man's name she was supposed to go out with.

'-And make sure your numbers on it.'

Those words were humiliating. That unless someone knew she was Supergirl they wouldn't be interested in her. If she wasn't pretty, she wasn't worth the effort…She had no courage to go through that tonight.

Instead, she was waiting for the flight to Geneva to start experiencing engine problems. Alex on the flight, never having to come over to help with her date. She called, asking if Kara needed help, but she refused, telling her to enjoy her conference.

She wanted to see her, but knew she would tell her everything, beg her to not get on the plane if she saw her in person. So Kara took the whiskey bottle she usually kept for Alex and brought it to her lips.

It wouldn't work, human alcohol never does. She'll probably head over to that Alien Bar she found out from Non and Astra in the last timeline.

(There when human looking people walking around, not under the control of Myriad. Astra investigated it, surprised to find so many refugees on the Class 3 planet. All of them being forced to hide what they were. With Myriad they could walk around in their own skin she told them, the humans wouldn't care. Couldn't care. But they were afraid of her, of the Fort Rozz Criminals. Most joined the resistance, others went into hiding.)

Kara blinked away the memories of the deserted bar and concentrated on the skyline. Within moments she saw the plane's engine catch fire. She knew she couldn't act immediately. It would be too suspicious and she had no intention of going back into that kryptonite cell.

Instead, she turned on her tv to the National City news and took out a sketch pad and started creating a new 'look' for Supergirl. She quite likes her suit actually, even though people like Leslie Willis called it unflattering. She like the full body covering and had no intention of turning herself into a sex symbol for a bunch of teenage boys.

(She searches herself once in the original timeline. Saw the 'fan art' of her breast enlarged and threatening to spill out of her suit, not to mention the rest of the sexual objectifying 'art'. She hated it, wished she could scream and rant and demand they remove such filth from the internet, but knew no one would listen to her. She was, after all, just a 'girl'.)

But she also remembered the fight against Astra and several other enemies. She remembers how they used her cape against her. She loved her cape, but knew it wasn't very useful for fighting, so maybe something that could easily detach?

Honestly, she just wanted to incorporate a bit more 'Kryptonian' in the suit.

"- This just in, shortly after take-off, National City Airlines, Flight 237 bound for Geneva started experiencing engine failure. The pilot now seems to be circling the city-"

That's her cue.

00000

Kara had always wondered whether her powers were based on mental concentration or physical ability. Could she use her powers because she knew she had them? Or did she have abilities because of physiology? Did she have such difficulty using her powers in the first timeline because she hasn't used them for years, or because she was so determined to be normal that she suppressed most of what she could do?

Even now as she took one leap into the air to start flying she still wondered.

Kara flew to the plane, moving to the burning engine and started to blow. It took three breaths before the fire was properly extinguished. Satisfied, Kara flew under the plane and helped it level off. It was hard, her muscles screaming at her from disuse. Once the plane was levelled, she turns it to the ocean and descends slowly. Making sure they were clear of the bridge, Kara helps the plane land safely in the water.

She took a deep breath before her body was submerged. She then swam to the wing and with difficulty heaved her body on to the structure. Her arms screamed at her and she knew she was going to have to spend a few weeks getting back into shape. Or at least get her body used to her powers again.

A light shined on her as she rested on her hands and knees. Standing up, she took one look at the plane before pushing off into the sky.

She landed in her apartment through the open window, quickly changing before grabbing a large battery operated light. She headed to the roof of the building, turning on the light and spreading her arms to the sky, closing her eyes and tilting her head back.

Kryptonian music filled her memories before she started dancing again. She spun and jumped, stretching one leg up to her ear before landing on both. She went up and down, landing on her knees as she hit the 'floor' with her fits in tune with the music in her head. She jumped and spun before clapping her hands at the side of her head.

She closed her eyes as she danced. Memories of festivals she attended as a child flashing behind her eyes. She vaguely remembered her first one when she was 4. Her grandmother had taken her, dressed her in the traditional clothes of her people. She remembers the clinking of jewelry as she spun around. She remembers the priestesses of the Religious Guild singing as they presented her to Rao.

Now… now she dances in thanks. Thanks that she was able to save her sister this time. Thanks that she could…

Could what?

Do everything over? Just the same as the first? Could she?

"Kara?" Alex's voice came from behind her.

Kara winded down her dance, ending up on her knees, her body bent forward as her head touched the 'floor' and arms outstretched, her left hand on top of her right hand and facing the light.

She breathed deeply as she sat up, opening her eyes and looking over her shoulder at Alex.

"Hey," Kara said, breathing deeply. Alex walked over to her, stopping to stand next to her as they faced the light and the stars in the distance.

"What are you doing?" Alex asked.

"Dancing for- I'm probably not even doing it right," Kara said, chuckling slightly.

(How much of her culture has she forgotten? How much of her religion slips from her mind daily? Could she even call herself Kryptonian? or was she playing pretend like Ka- like Clark.)

"I've never seen you do that," Alex said.

"I tied once, just after I started living with you… your parents made me stop," Kara said, "They said it was too dangerous. That if someone started wondering what I was doing it could expose me…"

"Like what you did when you stopped the plane from crashing," Alex said, her voice… hard? No, fearful. She was afraid. Afraid the DEO will get her?

"I'm not going to apologize for saving your life," Kara said before standing up.

"They saw you, Kara. They know about you now," Alex said.

Last time Kara thought she was talking about the everyday humans. But this time… was it the aliens, her mother's victims, that Alex meant? Or was it the DEO and other organizations like Cadmus?

"You're scared for me, I know. But Alex… What if this was what I was meant to do?" Kara asked, wondering that herself. Was she meant to be a hero to the humans? Was that the purpose her parents intended for her after Kal was grown?

Why did they send them to this planet? Why this one and not one that knew about Krypton? A Class 5 planet, one that knew about Aliens? Or maybe even one of the kryptonian colonies.

Why this… primitive world?

"You put yourself in danger! You know- you know how many enemies Clark has, what if they find out your relation to him, and then come after you?" Alex said.

"They're going to find out eventually. We can't hide it forever… I might as well be ready to defend myself," Kara said.

"No, Kara! You are not going to do this!" Alex told her, gripping Kara's arm in what Kara assumed was tight hold.

Kara looked her sister straight in the eyes, "You are not the boss of me Alex. I am sorry that you believe that you have to spend every moment protecting me, but that's not the case… not anymore."

Kara griped Alex's wrist and gently but firmly, pulled her hand off Kara's arm. She stepped back, away from Alex.

"Don't do this. Please," Alex said.

"I'm sorry," Kara said before taking her light and heading back to her apartment.

No one was going to control her anymore.

0000

Winn was as excited over her being the 'girl from the plane' as he was the first time. And like last time he offered to make her a suit. She gave him the idea she had, the idea that was originally his. He complained about the cape, but after she said she wasn't going to use it for fighting, he relented.

While he was sewing, Kara took the electronic scraps she got from a junkyard and some arts and carts and started on a few 'jewelry' pieces.

"What are those?" Winn asked as he cut the fabric.

"Cultural pieces… the sad thing is I can't even remember what they mean," Kara said as she worked on an ear cuff that had red spikes coming from the curved part, almost like a sun.

"Why are you making them then?" Winn asked.

"I'm putting solid holographic projectors in them," Kara said as she inserted mechanisms in the spicks. The second cuff would tie in with the first and put a hologram over her face.

"Wait so it's like a hologram but solid?" Winn asked.

"Not exactly," Kara said, "It's more like it's a hologram that is 'attached' to something. In this case, it's my hair and eyes. My plan is to dye my hair back to brown, but when I'm Supergirl my hair would be completely blond and my eyes will be a bright gegar- no sorry, sapphire blue."

"Supergirl?" Winn asked, snorting slightly.

"Why, what's wrong with the name?" Kara asked as she looked up.

"Nothing- Nothing," Winn said and continued to work on the suit.

They worked in silence a few hours before Kara handed him some 'rings' he could attach to thumb part of her suit.

"What are these for?" Winn asked.

"These and the ones on my boots are interconnected to make me look just a bit taller," Kara said as she started placing a row of 'studs' along the top edge of her boots.

"Taller?" Winn asked.

"Yeah, just to be a bit more intimidating. Humans seem to listen to others better when they're taller than them," Kara said.

"Humans," Winn muttered. Kara looked up, but Winn wasn't looking at her, a small frown on his lips.

"I didn't mean it to be mean," Kara said, waiting for Winn to glance over at her, "I'm just saying kryptonians aren't bothered with the whole height thing. We don't associate height with power."

"So if we were on Krypton, you wouldn't do that?" Winn asked.

"If we were on Krypton I would even be doing this. I would've been forced into being a scientist… a mechanical engineer specifically," Kara said.

"So that's how you know how to build that," Winn said.

"Kind of. It's a project we were given in kryptonian education when we're around… 10 I think. Every 'teenager' could build a solid holographic projector, it's how we 'kept up' with fashions," Kara told him, remembering the one time she walked around with something similar to 'cat-ears' along with everyone in her age group.

"Oh," Winn muttered before clearing his throat, "So you would have been forced into being a scientist?"

"The House of El was known as the House of Science. I could have done something else, but… as the heir to the Ladyship of the House it wouldn't have looked very good," Kara said.

"Wait-wait-wait-wait-wait-wait. Did you say 'heir'? As in princess kind of thing?" Winn asked her.

"Something like that, but not really. It's an old title that most people didn't really use. What it basically meant is that I could have taken over my father's seat on the High Council," Kara told him.

"It wasn't a sure thing?" Winn asked.

"No. I had first pick since my father could teach me personally what to expect, not that he ever really did, to tell the truth, but if the other Councillors felt I wasn't doing a good job I would have been replaced by another El, who would take over the El Seat and thus the main branch," Kara told him.

"Wow, so you would have been super important on Krypton," Winn said.

"… yeah," Kara muttered and turned away from her friend.

She didn't like remembering what could have been. Didn't like remembering that she survived when so many others didn't. What made her so important? That she had the right to live where others died?

What made her so special?

0000

Kara speeds out in the night, her blond hair pulled back slightly so they wouldn't get tangled around her ear cuffs. She breathed deeply, her heart hammering in her chest as she moved to the building that was on fire.

She knows what's going to happen. The DEO was going to shoot at her… with Kryptonite dart things. They were going to try and scare her. She could let them do it, wake up in the room and strapped in via kryptonite cuffs or

BANG

Kara heard the gunshot and easily speed out of the way.

BANG

The second shot rang out in her ears and she disappears-

(Alex forces her to train her speed. Tells her she need to be able to switch between Kara Danvers and Supergirl in lest then a second. It takes her s few weeks, but she final get enough control of her speed to do it.)

-Reappearing in front of the masked DEO agents.

(She wasn't going back there. She wouldn't step one more foot in that building. Not after what they did. She still remembers digging the bullets out of her body, J'onn not even having the decency to help her after capturing her.)

One of the agents points a gun at her and she rips it out if his or her hands. She breaks it before doing the same to all of the other guns. She reappears in front of the 'leader' and grabs them by the neck, lifting them into the air.

"Ka-ra. S-stop!" Alex's voice, choking as Kara cuts off the air.

Kara's eyes widen before dropping her to the ground. She took a step back as she stares at her sister in… horror? Fear? Anger?

She never knew Alex was with the team that took her down. She always assumed that the older female only found out about her 'abduction' when she arrived at the DEO.

She sees one of the agents pull out a Kryptonite knife next to her and she immediately brakes their arm, the knife dropping to the floor.

"Don't," Kara said firmly.

"Stand. Down," Alex said, still gasping for breath.

"What are you doing Alex," Kara asked as calmly as she could. But she still spoke through clenched teeth, her nails digging into her palm as blood dripped onto the road.

"Let me explain," Alex started.

"You just tried to shoot me with Kryptonite!" Kara yelled, taking a step forward. She saw all the agents take several steps back, all except Alex, whom just took off her helmet.

"I was ordered to bring you in," Alex said, having regained her breath.

"Ordered by whom? Take me where!" Kara asked even though she knew the answers.

"I was ordered by my commanding officer, Director Hank Henshaw," Alex said, "And I was to take you to the DEO, Department of Extranormal Operations."

"So instead of asking me, you shoot at me. What the hell, Alex!" Kara asked.

"I wasn't trying to hurt you. The kryptonite is low grade-"

"I don't care what kind of grade it is! Do you know what that does to me!" Kara yelled as she picked up the knife.

"I know it weakens you," Alex said.

"Weakens me," Kara said with a humorless laugh before walking up to her sister, getting right into her face, "Kryptonite doesn't weaken me Alex. It kills me. It destroyed my cells one by one, just like cancer, but faster."

"Kara-"

"Shhh," Kara said her hand gripping tightly the handle of the knife, "My body burns and my nerves inflame. Even breathing becomes difficult. Stay too long around it, touch it for too long and it starts to rot me."

"I was told-"

"Don't always believe what you're told," Kara said before slamming the knife into one of the black SUVs, burying it to the hilt, "Now. Let's go talk to your 'commanding officer'."

Alex swallowed and looked like she too was going to step backward.

0000

Kara sat on one of the SUVs outside the DEO building entrance. One foot swinging freely as her other leg was pulled up, her arms resting on the knee. She wasn't lying when she said she will never step a foot in there under her own will.

She didn't have to wait long before J'onn came out, followed by Alex, who was now wearing the basic DEO uniform. She looked at the Martian disguised as a xenophobic man. She knew he had reasons for his actions in the previous loop, but…

She still felt betrayed.

She started to see J'onn as a father figure back in the first timeline, her own father being a distant man, but now… could she ever trust him again?

"Miss Danvers," J'onn said as she stopped in front of her.

"Director Henshaw," Kara said and jumped off the SUV. She didn't walk closer.

"I was told you have no intention of coming inside," J'onn said, also not moving from his spot.

"Free willingly enter a building filled with Kryptonite weapons? You must think me suicidal," Kara said, internally letting out a humorless laugh at the irony.

(She grasped the scissors and held out her arm, she puts as much force into the swing, trying to dig it into her flesh, but the metal just bent. Kara wants to scream in frustration but knew she would only attract the attention of the humans below her. This human family Kal-El left her with. The one that forces her to be like them. She doesn't want to be here anymore! She has no mission- no family- not anymore. She wanted her mother, her father, Astra. She wanted to be with them again!)

"You don't trust us," J'onn said.

"I don't know you," Kara said, "I don't know the DEO's intentions. To me or any other alien… Why would I trust you?"

"The DEO monitors and protects Earth from extra-terrestrial presence and/or invasion," J'onn said.

Was that the line he was always going to feed her? Or was that the official description?

"And does that mean me?" Kara asked an amused smile on her face.

"You're the reason we do what we do," J'onn told her

"Me?" Kara asked, fake confusion coloring her words, "But Kal-El has been on earth two dozen years before me."

"While it was his arrival that triggered the need for this organization, the realization that we weren't alone in the universe," J'onn said and held out his hand for Alex. She placed a pad in his hands and he turned it so she could see the screen and the image of Fort Rozz, "But you brought Fort Rozz with you when you escaped the Phantom Zone."

"Krypton's maximum security prison," Kara muttered.

"You've heard of it?" J'onn asked and his stand became more dangerous, like he was getting ready to attack her.

So even here he thinks she's on the inmates' side. Did he suspect Astra and Non's involvement? Did he believe that she would choice Astra over Alex?... Would she?

But no. The DEO didn't even know about Astra and Non now, it was only after they encounter Astra in a few days that they get the information from Kal-El.

"My mother spoke about it sometimes. Not to me, but I… eavesdropped," Kara said.

Not a lie. The first time Kara heard the name Fort Rozz was after Astra was 'killed in action'. She remembered sitting close to her mother's room, listening to her cry and pray to Rao. She had been found by her father and punished for invading her mother's privacy.

"It was banished to the Phantom Zone and when your ship got unstuck, you dragged Fort Rozz with you," J'onn told her.

"Are you- Are you blaming me for that?" Kara asked, "You do know I was in stasis at the time right? I didn't even know I was in the Phantom Zone till Kal-El told me."

"Regardless," J'onn said, "Because of you these alien convicts, the worst criminals in the galaxy escaped and spread all over the earth."

"I still can't believe you're blaming this on me," Kara said, "It's not like I did it on purpose, or even know how it happened."

"But it's still your fault."

"And what? You want my help capturing them?" Kara asked.

"Hardly," J'onn said and gave Alex back the pad, "You, Miss Danvers, are a liability to the mission of this organization."

Kara huffed, disappearing and reappearing right in J'onn's face, "And what are you going to do to stop me? Capture me and put me in your Alien Zoo?" Kara looked him in the eyes and could see her control of her speed was alarming to him, "I don't think so."

"And why do you think that?" J'onn said, trying to get the upper hand again.

"Because I think my cousin knows about this place and if I suddenly disappear… do you honestly think he wouldn't come for me?" Kara bluffed.

She had no faith in the 'Man of Steel', but Astra… Kara knew she and Non would come for her.

J'onn swallowed and Kara stepped back.

"I have no problem staying out of your business Director. In fact, I'll even promise not to interfere unless these criminals directly involve me," Kara told him.

"And what do you want," J'onn asked.

"Stay away from me," Kara said and her eyes turned to Alex behind him, "All of you."

"Kara-" Alex started but Kara pushed off and flew off.

0000

"Hold her still," a voice said. She felt like she knew the voice, but she could be wrong.

Never less, she struggled as they held her down on her stomach. She was naked and for a moment she thought they were going to rape her.

But no.

Kara screamed as a think hot liquid-like substance was poured onto her back along her spine. The substance burned and sent shocks through her body. Her muscle seized up and she struggled to breathe…

Kryptonite. They were pouring molten kryptonite on her back.

"Stop!" Kara wanted to scream, but one of them was covering her mouth and nose.

Please stop! Please! She never did anything to them! Please! Just let her go! Please! Mamma! Mamma!

0000

BANG BANG BANG

Kara shot up, her eyes ready to shoot her 'heat vision'.

BANG BANG BANG

Someone was pounding on the door. Kara dropped her head in the hands, breathing deeply for a few minutes.

"Hey! Kid! You in here?" a voice came through the door. She vaguely recognized it. Kara was sure he was one of her neighbors.

Grabbing her glasses, she put them on as she walked to the door. Making sure the latch was on, she unlocked the door and peered through the small opening.

It was her neighbor from across the hall. He was an older man, around 50-60 years old. Kara knew he lived alone and since she moved in have always asked if she was doing well. He was kind to her and just a genially nice man.

"Hi Jack," Kara said, her voice gruff.

"Hey, Kid. I heard you screaming through the door," Jack told her, "You ok?"

"Yeah, sorry," Kara told him, "I've been having nightmares lately."

"Yeah," Jack said, sounding like he didn't completely believe her.

"Sorry for waking you," Kara said.

"It's fine Kid. You sure you're ok?" he asked her.

"Yeah Jack," Kara said.

He stared at her for a few more minutes before nodding, "Ok. Good night kid."

"Night Captain," Kara said and he laughed. She only called him that because she regularly heard the Pirates of the Carabine movies being played at his apartment.

Kara closed the door and headed to the bathroom. She splashed water on her face before glaring at her reflection. She knew she shouldn't have gone near the DEO, but…

Kara was used to nightmares. She probably spent around 3 weeks with Non and Astra before she died. And every night she had nightmares. And every night she would wake to Astra's fingers in her hair and sing to her softly.

"Na'vor ma shan te kaar," Kara sang softly. She wondered if she could get some music from the fortress. Did Jor-El include music in all that information he sent to earth?

(Kara always wondered about the Fortress. Why did Jor-El make that for Kal-El, but her own father gave her nothing? She honestly can't remember anything except her father reminding her to always care for Kal. That nothing else was important… The only thing she had of Krypton was the necklace her mother gave her. Why? Why did Kal get all that and she… nothing?)

Sighing, Kara changed into her Supergirl outfit and flew out the window. She flew around the city several times. First, she flew high in the air, towering over all the buildings. Then she flew lower, zipping between the buildings as listened for anything happening. Lastly, she flew street level, sometimes going up to avoid cars as she followed the streets, stopping to go through one of the alleyways. She hesitated once when she was near the alien bar, but knew that she would be fighting later today and as much as she wanted to get drunk, to forget everything, she couldn't…

Would it matter? Doesn't the DEO arrive while she's getting her ass handed to her? Should she just leave it be and let the DEO handle it? How did they even find them? Did they put a tracker on her suit? Or did they pick up the same message she got?

"Help!" a female voice cut through her thoughts. She sped off, stopping in between of a young woman and an older man.

"Can I help you?" Kara asked the man.

"What? No. That thing behind you isn't human," the man yelled.

Kara looked back and saw the green eyes and orange skin of a Tamaranean. Kara didn't know why one of these Warriors were on Earth, but the young woman looked at her with fear.

Kara turned back to the man, "Did she do something to you?"

"What? No. But she's some kind of monster!" he shouted.

Kara smirked, eyes blazing red as she clenched her fists. She floated to the man, making herself tower over him and looked him in the eyes, her heat vision increasing, "Is that what we are to you?"

The man backed away and swallowed, "I didn't mean you-"

"Why not? Is it because I'm blond?" Kara asked, "Don't forget I'm an alien too. Now… run away."

The man ran and Kara landed on the ground, pulling the energy from her eyes. She turned back to the young woman- no, young girl as she tried to pull the hood of her hoody over her face. Kara walked over to her and held out her hand.

"Hey? Are you ok?" Kara asked gently.

The girl froze before looking at Kara. She stared at Kara for several moments. Long enough that Kara wondered if she understood her.

Kara cursed in her head. She didn't know Tamaranean, but perhaps the girl knew Common, the language created by the Planetary Alliance to foster better relations. She had learned it in school as any planet with a Class 5 or higher classification would.

"Are you hurt?" Kara asked her again.

"No," the girl answered in English.

"Are you alone? Or are your parents around?" Kara asked, switching back to English.

"I snuck out," the girl said, "I was going with my friends to… um-"

"The bar?" Kara asked, slightly amused. It seemed even 'normal' aliens had acts of rebellion.

"Yes," she said, and looked away, her cheeks getting steadily darker.

"Where's your transmat?" Kara asked.

"It slipped off and I've been trying to get home," the girl said.

"Would you like me to walk you home or do you need me to call your parents?" Kara asked.

"Can you take me home please?" the girl begged, obviously scared.

Kara nodded and helped the girl up. After she told her where she lived, Kara picked her up and flew off with her.

She landed outside the house and knocked. A man and woman opened the door, relief on their faces when they saw the teenager. Her mother grabbed her and rested her head against her daughter's while the man turned to her.

"You're the kryptonian," he said.

"Yes sir," Kara said calmly, "Kara, from the House of El."

"Thank you for finding my daughter. It hasn't been easy for her on the planet," the man said.

Kara tilted her head slightly and she looked at the man. He wasn't standing like he was going to attack her. And while she didn't really know any tamaranean fighting styles, the man was way too… relaxed?

"You're not a warrior," Kara stated and the man tensed.

"No. My wife and I rejected that lifestyle. We left Tamaran when Varra was a child," the man told her and Kara nodded and smiled sadly.

"It's not easy living in a world made of cardboard," Kara said and she saw the man relax again.

"No. No, it isn't," the man said.

"She said she lost her transmat," Kara told him.

"You know of them?" the man asked.

"I know they're similar to a solid holographic projector, use to make other-worlders look more planet born," Kara told him. It was one of those things she learned from Astra and Non, Non offering to make her one since he knew she hated her appearance.

"Yes," the man said.

"I should get going," Kara said and pushed off gently from the ground so she was only hovering in the air.

"Thank you again Kara-El," the man said and closed the door.

Kara flew off, thinking of the name he used for her. Kara-El…yes, that sounded right.

0000

Ms. Grant calls her Supergirl again and this time Kara doesn't charge into the office demanding why. She had 7 months to get used to it in the first timeline and even though she still felt like it 'kiddy-fied' her, it wasn't that bad.

The alien contacts her again and she hesitates before going after him. What if the DEO tracked her? What if they don't get there in time and he starts killing people?

No, she wasn't going stay out of this fight.

0000

She lands at the power plant, not even bothering to activate her x-ray vision. Instead, she kept her ear on his heartbeat-

Behind her!

Kara spun around and made an x with her arms to stop his attack. She ended up only sliding back and was able to quickly recover. She punched him and he flew back. Not as much as she wished he had, but enough for her to get the advantage.

She tackled him and punched him. She punched harder and harder, pausing only when she heard a crack. She stopped, giving him the chance to get her off him.

She is propelled back and the male got up, blood running down his face, his nose broken.

"You don't look like Alura," the man said.

Kara got up, getting back in a fighting stance and the man laughed at her, "How do you know my mother?"

"You don't easily forget the name of the woman condemned you to prison," he told her.

For a moment Kara wondered what he did to deserve Fort Rozz. Was he a murderer? Or did he do something like the Professor did? Did he escape before finishing his sentence, or did he spend years in Fort Rozz that he didn't need to?

"What does that have to do with me?" Kara asked.

"Can't kill her. So killing you will have to do," he said and charged at her.

Kara disappeared and reappeared behind him, kicking him in the back. He flew forward and landing on his stomach. He turned and screamed as he ran towards her again.

Kara held her ground and waited for the last moment before hitting him. Unfortunately, he ducked out of the way and punched her into a building.

Kara struggled to get up, her head pounding. She looked up and found her vision blurred slightly. The man reached her and kicked her in the head, causing her the crash through several structures.

When Kara opened her eyes she found her vision dominated by green light-

Kryptonite!

Kara's heart pounded and she scrambled out of the way, only for her back to hit a solid wall. She couldn't see, but she knew where she was…

She was back in her cell. The DEO got her again and locked her up. A door opened and footsteps walked towards her. She scrambles back, as her breath shortened.

"Please," Kara begged, "Please don't hurt me."

Someone laughed at her. It was a man's voice, no doubt Lane's. Kara felt tears run down her face as Lane entered her cell and grabbed her by the neck.

"Pathetic," Lane gloated and Kara struggled out of his grasp.

Her limbs were heavy and her vision kept blanking. She gritted her teeth as her air was cut off.

No! She refuses to die like this! Didn't she say no one was going to do this to her again?

Kara growled and kicked Lane as hard as she could. He let go of her neck and stubble back. She screamed and tackled him. Using alternating hands, she started punching him in the face. And with every hit, it was like her strength was coming back. Like the radiation had no effect on her.

Kara screamed and cried as she hit him, blood splatting on her face. She hit him.

And hit him.

And hit him.

And Hit Him.

And. Hit. Him.

"AAAAAAAAA," Kara screamed as her fist suddenly hit the concrete beneath his head.

She stopped, breathing deeply as she tried to slow her heart. Lane wasn't moving and the green light was gone.

Wait… how did Lane get her again? J'onn was still in charge of the DEO and… and she- she was in another timeline.

Taking her cape, Kara rubbed her face a few times before looking at the figure below her.

It was the alien. The one she had been fighting at the plant… now with his head crushed in.

Kara looked at her fists and gagged. Brain, blood, and bones covered her hands. She scrambled back turning around as she felt the bile finally arrived in her mouth. She threw up several times before her stomach calmed.

Kara desperately tried to wipe her hands clean, but even though the larger pieces fell to the ground, her hands were still covered in blood and brain mush.

"There's something this way!" a voice said, the sound carrying through the building.

Kara felt her body grow cold, her heart beating frantically. Hide! She needed to hide!

Kara scrambles up and looked around, but there was nowhere to hide. She could hear the people come closer and she knew she needed to leave.

But what could she do without her powe- No. She still had her powers.

Kara pushed off as hard as she could and felt her back crash through the roof. She activated her flight and flew off, not looking behind her. She flew and flew and flew, not caring where she was going.

She just needed to get away.

0000

When Kara finally stopped flying she didn't know where she was. She doubted she was still in National city or even anywhere near it.

She landed and immediately felt her legs give out from under her. Kara fell to her hands and knees, breathing deeply. She kept her eyes closed, refusing to look at her hands.

Finally catching her breath, she looked up and around. It was dark and there were no buildings around her. She tied to stand up but her legs refused. Still breathing deeply, she fell to her side before rolling onto her back without thinking.

She winces prematurely, expecting pain from wounds that no longer existed. Realizing she wasn't in pain, Kara just looked up at the sky. Without any lights, the stars were bright, giving off natural light.

"Na'vor ma shan te kaar," Kara sang softly.

Give heed, the Chieftess comes.

She comes to destroy all that we know

We will serve her

And nothing can stop her

She is power

She is command

She will be our mistress

Give heed, the Chieftess comes.

And she will never relent.

She will always succeed.

Give heed, the Chieftess comes.

Give heed, the Chieftess comes.

00000

End

00000

Transmat: Short for Transformation Matrix. It makes nonhumans look human.

The song at the end. It doesn't rhyme because it's 'translated' from Kryptonese. It's also fake, I just made it up.

Matriarchy: In season 3, ep 9 we earn that the first group of people on Krypton were a matriarchal society. In season 1, ep 14 Kara leads the final rights because: 'It is our custom that a surviving female should lead the rights.' From this I'm taking that unlike Earth, Krypton was originally a Matriarchal, or most Matriarchal society. Because of this I'm basing my Kryptonain Background on that believe, so a few things will be different from the comics- mainly the names. (Which will be explained in another chapter)

Kara's Ancestors: While now just a footnote. It will play a big part down the line.

Dancing around a 'fire': Honestly this is just me trying to put context into krytonian traditions. The fire symbolizes Rao and how even when the sun is gone he is there for them in the darkness. I'm assuming a lot of traditions and customs will tie in with their belief in a Sun-God.

First Festival: Think of it like a baptism

Traditional Clothing: I imagined it like belly dancer's clothes. Not in a sense to be sexual, but with the belief that the more sun directly touches the skin, the more blessed or the closer they were to Rao.

Kara Reclaiming her culture: I don't even know why they had her get rid of it in the first place. Why wouldn't she hold on to whatever she had left of her home? I love that we see more of Krypton in Season 3, but I wished they started in Season 1.

Kryptonian colonies: In the comics space travel was outlawed, so the idea that Clark, and then Kara, were the last of their species made sense. But in this version, Kara mentions that she had been too twelve plants (S01E05) and even says her father took her to Starhaven (S01E14) when she was a child. This indicates that in this dimension, Krypton didn't outlaw Space Travel. And as a species that values knowledge above everything else, the idea of them not exploring the universe doesn't make sense. I assume they would eventually make settlements as long studies occur, probably even with those settlements turning into small colonies.

Lady of the House of El: Again content into culture/government. (More info while be given later on) but the basic is there a 5 honourable houses that correspond with the 5 guilds. Each house has a head that is part of the High Council. And each guild has it's out council made from members of other houses not part of the High Council, with the head of the guild council being from the honourable house.

Kara force into a career: Taken from 'Man of Steal' where people are bred for specific work. But also taken from the comics where people stay in their guilds. Kara was born into the Science guild, she would have been expected to go to the Science Academy, despite other interests.

Suicidal Kara: More on that in later chapters

Other Aliens and the Alien Bar: I assume this version of Myriad only works on Humans. And with the amount of aliens we see in National City in Season 2, they would have been easily discovered when Myriad didn't work on them. That and this fic will centre a lot around season 1, so I wanted to bring in elements of Season 2 and 3 into the story. Also, it will play a big role later on.

Question from Chapter 1:

Alliedstasis asked what happened at the end of the last chapter: As you probably remembered, Max had a plan to drop a Kryptonite bomb on the Kryptonians. In timeline 2 he found out where they were and did drop the bomb, killing everyone.