"Alex is lying in hospital, you've just been really stupid and Eliza is mad at you, which I didn't think was possible, yet you seem happier than yesterday." Maggie said as she drove Kara through the city.
"Alex knows." Kara said.
"That Eliza is mad at you? Pretty sure the whole hospital does." Maggie said dryly.
"No, she knows who I am."
"You told her?"
"No she figured it out the day she was shot. That's why she asked to meet us." Kara said.
"And that's a good thing?" Maggie asked still not fully understanding the reasons behind the mind wipe.
"Since J'onn took her memories things have been different. We've been more distant. She disliked Supergirl as much as you did. Maybe now we can go back to how things were." Kara said hopefully. "I missed her."
"I get that." Maggie said. "But Kara I never disliked Supergirl, just her inability to follow procedure." She added as the two fell into a silence.
"Where are we going?"
"CatCo." Maggie said.
"Why?"
"Brainy is using Winn's old secret office to look into things."
"Why? Aren't the DEO computers better?"
"They are, but Colonel Haley is at the DEO." Maggie pointed out. "And no one including me trusts her."
-00-
"Kara!" Nia greeted warmly as Maggie and Kara entered the office. "How's Alex?"
"She's okay. She's staying awake for longer now and she figured out I'm Supergirl."
"That's great!" Nia smiled before seeing Brainy pull a face. "Isn't it?"
"It depends if Colonel Haley has ended her pursuit of Supergirl's identity. If she hasn't we may need to wipe her memory again."
"Isn't that kind of dangerous?" Maggie asked.
"Hence my expression. Was it too subtle?" He asked trying to frown deeper.
"Where did you find him?" Maggie asked Kara.
"Long story." Kara said. "So what can I do to help?"
"We need you to look at some pictures and see if you recognise anyone." Maggie said handing Kara a pile of over two hundred photos. Within five seconds Kara had looked at all of them and was holding one out.
"Him, I know him." Kara said looking at the picture. "That's Steve."
"Steve?" Maggie asked.
"The delivery guy."
"Delivery guy?" Maggie pressed.
"He's been delivering packages to CatCo for years. He's really nice. Has two kids and a wife and -"
"Tried to kill you and shot Alex." Maggie reminded her as Brainy typed on a keyboard.
"He wouldn't. I mean it's Steve." Kara said disbelieving.
"Ah..." Brainy said.
"What?" Kara asked.
"Steve Lambert had a brother who was killed by the Daxamites. Since then he has been engaging with anti-alien organisations. He is also a former marine who was an excellent shot."
"Looks like we have our man. At least the first of them." Maggie said.
"You think there are more?" Kara asked.
"Well not until you published that article. Brainy show her her fan mail. I'm going to make an arrest."
"I would not class it as fan mail." Brainy commented. "The threats imply the writers are most definitely not fans."
"Does Alex really work with him?" Maggie asked Kara.
"Yes."
"How has she not killed him?" Maggie questioned.
"Um, Detective Sawyer." Nia called. "I know this isn't really my thing, but I've been thinking about Lockwood and what he has done, well not done. I mean Kara kind of accused him, without accusing him, of being responsible for the attempted murder of a human and well it seems like Lockwood always has an opinion so he is going to answer the accusation. He only has two choices. Either he defends what happens and proves he is a lunatic. Or he distances himself. The easiest thing to do is distance himself. But he's not done that, so maybe there are internal politics at play. If they are, maybe we can start a civil war." Nia said optimistically before quickly clarifying. "I meant a civil war within the Children of Liberty, not a civil war in America."
"Well if he does distance himself we may be able to use his reaction to get Steve to turn on him." Maggie agreed. "But first we need to get to Steve before anyone else does."
"Want some help?" Kara asked.
"Absolutely not. Stay here or go to the hospital." Maggie said. "Brainy don't let her out of your sight."
-00-
"Any news from Kara?" Alex asked when Eliza checked her phone.
"No. But there has been an arrest." Eliza said.
"By NCPD or the DEO, well FBI?" Alex asked.
"NCPD."
"That's good." Alex said.
"You don't trust Haley?"
"No. I can't figure her out. One minute I think she is full of ulterior and sinister motives, but then she does something, not exactly nice, but implying she might be okay. But that could be an act. Definitely safer not to trust her."
"For what's it worth I don't trust her." Eliza said. "And after what she made you do I will never like her."
"She didn't make me, just forced me down a path." Alex said. "The memory wipe was my idea."
"When did you get your memories back?" Eliza asked.
"I didn't. I just realised something was missing and figured it out." Alex said.
"So you are still missing your memories?" Eliza asked.
"Yes."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"I'm fine."
"Alex, I know you are strong, but you don't have to be over this. It's okay to admit you are not okay." Eliza said. For a moment Alex said nothing. But then she looked at her mother.
"I feel like there is a part of me that is missing." Alex confessed. "A part I can never get back and it makes me feel hollow." She explained.
"I wish I could help you." Eliza said perching on the edge of the bed and carefully hugging Alex.
"This is helping." Alex said relaxing in her mother's embrace. Eventually she asked. "How hard has it been on Kara?"
"She feels guilty."
"I meant the mind wipe." Alex clarified.
"She feels guilty about that too." Eliza said. "But more than anything she's missed you and working with you."
"Did I really screw up this time?" Alex asked.
"Alex, you did what you thought was best to keep Kara safe. Just like you always do. From the way Kara described it you didn't have a choice." Eliza answered. After a few moments she added. "I know I have always told you to look after Kara but right now you need to focus on yourself."
-TBC...
A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing.
