A/N: I feel like I say this a lot, but I'm so so soooo sorry it's been soooo long since I've updated, and hopefully I'll be updating it more often now that I'm not so busy. The story's actually almost finished (only a few chapters left!) So anyways, thanks for sticking with me this far. Hope you enjoy the next chapter :D

-WINN-

Winn normally didn't listen in on Kara's conversations through her ear piece, but this morning he had decided to, given that it was his father they were dealing with again. But after listening to their small exchange, he could feel his heart pounding in his ears. Would his father ever give it a rest? First he was jeopardizing the whole city, and now he was targeting Kara's family. But how does he know about Kara's mom? Winn thought in his head, starting to feel defeated. NO! he then reminded himself. Don't give up yet. As long as Kara's around, we all have hope.

He then diverted his attention back to the conversation between Supergirl and his dad on the ear speakers.

"How do I know you're not bluffing?" he heard Kara say between deep, ragged breaths.

"Have I ever bluffed before?" said his father. Kara was silent.

"Exactly. Now, in order to save her, I have some conditions we must agree on. And to make it more in your favor, I'll even answer a question for you, one I'm sure you've been trying to figure out for days."

Winn could feel his curiosity spiking. Were they finally going to get an answer to one of their endless questions?

"All right," Kara finally responded after several seconds. "What are your 'conditions' I must agree on?"

"First, turn off your communication device."

Winn started shaking his head, feeling as though this was going to be a bad idea. If Kara turned off her speaker, who knew what his father could do? Plus, he also wanted to hear their conversation, and hear the answer his father was going to give Kara in response to the one of many questions they had.

"Kara, don't do it!" he immediately said to her. "We can make some sort of plan, or-"

"Winn," she cut him off midsentence. "This might be the only way." He then heard her voice soften as she said, "I appreciate your concern, but I can handle this. Trust me." And then she turned off the communication device.

"Kara-!" Winn called again but it was too late. All he could hear in return was static. His first thought was to go and find Kara and his father in person, to see if he could try to help, but then he immediately dismissed the idea, realizing it would only cause more trouble and be one more thing for Kara to have to deal with. His second thought was to try and activate Kara's ear speaker again, but after a few minutes of trying he stopped, realizing he just needed to trust that Kara could handle the situation.

Winn sighed and looked up at the clock on the wall. It was just a little past seven o'clock in the morning. He sighed once more, and stood up to get ready for work. In all the excitement he had momentarily forgotten he had another job to do.

After eating a quick breakfast and getting dressed, Winn waited by his tablet for as long as he could before he had to leave, all the while growing more and more worried. Was Kara okay? Why hadn't she contacted him yet? Was her mom okay? What was so secret that his father wanted to tell Kara that he made her turn off her speaker? Finally after waiting for almost a whole hour, Winn left Kara's apartment and hurried as quick as he could to CatCo, where he set up his tablet again and tried - unsuccessfully - to reach Kara.

Trust her, he told himself, and kept repeating it over and over until it became a constant chorus in his mind, reassuring him of all the doubts he had concerning both Kara and his father.

It was around lunch time when Winn saw James coming up from his department downstairs. "James!" Winn called, motioning for him to come closer. James walked over and gave him a smile. "Hey, what's up?" he greeted.

"Its Kara - she's been missing since this morning, and-"

"Wait, she's been missing?" James interrupted. "But I just saw her about thirty minutes ago, talking to some of the CatCo executives."

Winn opened his mouth and then closed it, not knowing how to respond. "Wait, she's...here?" he finally said.

"Yeah, I said, 'Morning Kara!' and she smiled and waved at me, and I continued on my way."

"But..." Winn trailed off. Why hasn't she talked to me yet? he thought, growing more perplexed by the minute.

"But what?" James echoed him after a few seconds of silence.

"Was she hurt? Did she seem different or something?" Winn asked, a black worm of dread working it's way into his chest. What if his father wiped her memory? Or something worse?

James shook his head, looking almost as confused as Winn felt. "She looked a little tired, but I don't know. I don't know her as well as you do." He paused a moment before saying, "Winn, I don't understand. What's wrong with Kara?"

"I'll tell you later - I promise," was all Winn said before hurrying towards the stairs, determined to find his friend.

It turned out to be a lot easier than Winn had suspected, for he found her just across the hallway on the floor beneath Cat's office. She was studying the cover of a new magazine Cat was going to release, but Winn could tell something was wrong just from her body language. Her eyes were boring into the picture, as though she had never seen the pattern of colors that it was displaying, and her back was too straight and rigid, unlike her normal relaxed posture.

"Kara!" Winn called, his tone laced with concern. He had expected Kara to turn around and give him the small smile she always gave him, but instead her whole body went stiff and she turned away from him, as though suddenly scared.

"Kara?" Winn called out again, only this time more uncertain. Why was she avoiding him? He couldn't figure it out, so instead he quickened his pace until he caught up to her and grabbed her arm, making her stop and face him.

Winn put a gentle hand on her shoulder, trying to show her some comfort, put she shook it off. The small motion felt like a slap in the face to Winn. "Kara. What. Happened." Winn said, articulating each word very clearly.

Kara wouldn't meet his eyes. She looked down at her feet and crossed her arms tightly over her chest. Finally, after several terse seconds, she brought her head up and looked him right in the eye. He was shocked to see all the hurt and anger that clouded over her face.

"He was bluffing about bluffing. He was trying to scare me by pretending to put my family in danger," she mumbled.

Winn wasn't following. "What?" he asked.

"It turns out the threat about my foster mom was just a bluff after all. I went and saw her and she's safe. He just said it to make me worry, and to make me think he had valuable information," said Kara again, only this time with more clarity.

Winn felt like smiling and exclaiming, "That's great! She's safe!" but something in Kara's stony demeanor kept him from rejoicing quite yet.

"What did he need from you?" Winn asked in a half whisper, as though talking loudly would make Kara even more angry than she already looked.

"I'm sure you already know."

Winn frowned, confused. Of course he didn't know! Why was Kara suddenly acting as if Winn was the bad guy? He hadn't done anything like his father had.

"He needed a sample of my blood," Kara said after Winn didn't respond. Winn's mouth opened in surprise. "He needs it for the kryptonite, doesn't he?" The pieces all seemed to be coming together now. His father needed the blood sample in order to make sure the kryptonite would work effectively against Kara. "Did you give it to him?" he asked, but he felt he already knew the answer. Kara nodding confirmed the sinking feeling in his gut. Now his dad could defeat Kara. How were they going to stop him?

"What about the one answer he was going to give you? The one he kept gloating about?"

Kara suddenly averted her eyes again, and Winn was surprised to see tears forming in them. "He told me the truth. About how he knows all about my family and my secrets."

"He knows everything about you?" Winn asked, trying not to think of how much the odds were against them.

"I never did tell you that he knew all my secrets. I didn't want to worry you, but now I see it was all an act. You really are a great actor Winn; I really fell for it."

"What are you talking about?" Winn nearly shouted at her. She was making no sense! What was he acting at?

"He told me you gave him the information."

Her sentence hung in the air between them. Winn couldn't wrap his mind around what was happening. "You actually believed him?" Winn finally asked, breaking the silence. "How could I have even given him information? I barely talked to him when he kidnapped me!"

"I didn't believe it either at first, but then he showed me the proof. I guess when you saved that information Maxwell Lord stole from the DEO to your phone, I thought you were trying to protect it, but it turns out you were planning to send it to your father all along."

"But I didn't send it to him! It's still on my phone upstairs, and-"

"It's the exact same document you saved to your phone Winn. And you even sent him the message about how you were 'Finally living up to your family name,' and that you could 'get information from me to make the job easier.' I even let you stay in my apartment, thinking you would be safer with me! But you were never in danger, were you? You knew your father's plan the whole time, and..." a tear slipped down Kara's cheek. "I...I thought you actually cared for me, but it seems like I was wrong. I was just a pawn in your twisted game you have going with your father."

Winn was a statue, not believing this was actually happening. "Kara," Winn said, putting as much emotion in his voice as he could. "I would never betray you! You're my best friend and...I really do care about you. A whole lot, and I've been meaning to tell you just how much..." As he trailed off, Winn could feel his confidence leaving him. He had imagined numerous different scenarios in which he would tell Kara how he felt about her, but he had never imagined it would happen this way. He wanted to tell her when she was happy; when her smile was so bright it could light up all of National City, and when he was absolutely sure she felt the same way about him.

But now, staring at her hurt filled eyes and tear streaked face, he realized that telling her that he was in love with her was only going to make matters worse.

"Listen Kara, whatever my father said, it wasn't true, and I'm going to prove it to you even if it's the last thing I do. I promise." Winn looked her dead in the eyes to let her know he was serious, and then he quickly walked upstairs to his desk where he had left his phone. Sure enough, when he checked his phone he found that the DEO document had been taken.

Winn suddenly felt like screaming every obscenity he knew at his father, but he managed to hold it all in as he took calming, deep breaths. Kara had fallen right into his father's trap. He had managed to trick her and convince her that Winn was the villain. His father had taken so many things from his life, he wasn't going to let him take Kara, too.

·······

Winn waited by the side of the CatCo building, watching the people on the streets as they walked by. Some people were casually strolling down the sidewalk, as though they had all the time in the world, whereas others were hurrying, clutching briefcases or other items to their chests as they quickly maneuvered their way through the crowds. Winn wished he could be like one of these people. That he could be just coming home from work after another busy day, not having to worry about mental, psychotic fathers or the fact that his best friend - who also happened to be the girl he loved - now thought that he betrayed her and had turned evil.

His mind was so preoccupied on how he was supposed fix the mess, that he almost missed seeing the sudden streak of light in the sky that came from the CatCo building. Kara, he thought. I should've known she would fly home.

Winn had been hoping to catch Kara as she left and try to talk to her again - convince her he was on her side - but it was only then he remembered that Kara preferred to fly when stressed or upset. Plus, the only reason she had been walking home the past few days was so she could walk with him.

Sighing, Winn moved from his spot at the side of the large building and started off to Kara's apartment. She would probably circle the city a few times before actually going back to her apartment, so Winn figured they would arrive at around the same time.

The whole way there he focused on putting one foot in front of the other, not letting his mind wander to all the different scenarios the conversation with Kara could end up like. After what only seemed like a few seconds, Winn's feet had led him up the familiar path to Kara's apartment door. He waited a few moments before he lifted his hand and gave a loud, single knock. The sound seemed to resonate in the empty hallway, where it heightened Winn's nerves and made his heart beat faster. But after almost a whole minute of silence, no answer came. Winn put his ear to the door and listened hard. No sound at all. He then looked at the cracks in the door and determined no lights were on either. Kara wasn't home yet.

Winn figured she must still be flying around the city, or else she had found a crime to stop, so he sat down on the ground outside her door and waited. He didn't know how long he waited, but eventually he heard a slight whoosh and then the sound of feet landing from inside the apartment. Winn hesitated for a moment, wondering whether he should make a move yet. Should he wait until she was settled in before he knocked, or should he do it now and get it over with? While Winn was debating this, he continued to listen to the sounds from inside the apartment. It sounded like Kara was grabbing dishes from the cupboard. Then came the unmistakable sound on the faucet running, and then a click and a static-like buzz letting Winn know the TV had turned on. Winn figured he should move pretty soon. If Kara glanced his way, she would be able to see him with her supervision, and then probably proceed to believe he was trying to spy on her or do more dirty work for his father.

But just as he was standing up, he heard another noise - one that made his heart freeze in place. It was a small click, followed by a hiss of air, a cry of pain, a loud thud, and then a laugh. A spine crawling laugh that belonged to only one person Winn knew of. Without a second thought, Winn threw himself against the door, using every part of his body to try and knock it down. He rammed against the door again and again, not caring at how many bruises he was going to have in the morning, until finally, with one final kick resulting in a throbbing foot, Winn managed to break a part of the door down. Winn jumped through the gap in the door and took in the sight before him. Kara was lying motionless on the ground, still in her Supergirl suit, with a large green crystal sticking out of her chest. Kryptonite, was the only thing Winn's thoughts could conjure up before his attention was drawn to the man standing beside her, a lethal looking gun poised in his hands. His father smiled at Winn. "I must say, I didn't expect you to be right outside her apartment. Congratulations on breaking down the door, though. It didn't take you as long as I thought it might."

Winn could barely stand to look in his father's eyes, the ones that so closely mirrored his own, so instead he looked down at Kara, his heart seizing at the contorted expression on her face. Winn took a step closer to Kara, waiting to see if his father would stop him. His father merely stared, an amused expression alight on his face. Winn then crouched next to Kara, and gently put a finger on the pulse in her neck. It was still faintly beating. Winn took a breath of relief, and then looked back up at his father, his mind trying to figure out what to do next.

"So, you've discovered how to make Kryptonite. Now what are you planning to do with Supergirl?" he asked, trying to stall until he came up with a plan. His phone was in his back pocket, but how could he get to it without his dad noticing?

"Hmmm, that is an interesting question. Maybe I'll keep her with me, like one keeps a collector's item." He smiled. "A life-sized collectors' doll."

Hearing his father say those words made Winn feel sick to his stomach, so he kept quiet, continuing to try and find an escape route.

"Of course, I'll keep her in my custody until my plan is complete; until those who deserve punishment have paid it." Winn faintly remembered back to when he was in the warehouse with his father, and how his father had been telling Winn how he had planned to get revenge on the people he had met in jail. Winn didn't know who these people were, but he knew that if no one stopped his father, they would soon be dead.

"And after my revenge is complete? Well, just imagine the possibilities with Supergirl gone!" the Toyman kept speaking. "I'll be able to make as many toys and mischief as I want without having to constantly check behind my back to see if Supergirl is there. I think I did this whole city a favor, in my opinion."

"You're wrong," Winn immediately shot back, finally standing up in a sudden spurt of anger. "Supergirl is the best thing that ever happened to this city. And if you think you're going to get away with all of this, then you're sorely mistaken."

His father sighed and adjusted the weapon in his arms. "What a pity. And here I was hoping you might actually join me. You know, I do hate having to keep hurting you, Winslow. But sometimes you just leave me no choice."

And before Winn could react - before he could even blink - his father had swung his kryptonite gun around and hit Winn in the back of the head, making everything go black.