"I have an idea, but there are risks and it will involve Lena Luthor." Winn said entering Alex's lab.
"As in the daughter of the woman who tortured Kara?" Alex asked as J'onn handed her some painkillers for her head.
"Or as Kara likes to call her, her friend." Winn pointed out.
"What's the idea?" Alex asked.
"L-Corp have a cutting edge nanobot division. We can use them to go into Kara and remove the masses."
"This sounds like Innerspace." Alex said rubbing her temples.
"It is, except we won't be inside the nanobots. We can control everything remotely. We can put trace amounts of Kryptonite on each shielded nanobot. When the nanobot gets close to the mass the Krytponite is exposed which should allow them to cut the masses free. Once the mass is free the bot moves away and shields the Kryptonite, allowing Kara to heal. The nanobot then tows the mass to the exit point."
"Exit point?" Alex asked.
"I assumed you and Hamilton would chose a safe place."
"Sounds promising." J'onn said. "What do you need?"
"First we need access to the L-Corp research and products. Then we need access to Kryptonite."
"I'll talk to Lena." Alex said getting up.
"You should be resting." J'onn said reaching out and taking Alex's arm to steady her.
"I'm fine and I'll heal faster the further away from Kara I am." Alex said.
"Just be careful." Jonn said. "Meanwhile I'll talk to Superman about the Kryptonite." J'onn added
-00-
"Agent Danvers." Lena greeted as Alex walked into her office.
"Ms Luthor."
"Has something happened to Kara?"
"Why would you ask that?" Alex asked suspiciously.
"Because Kara is my friend and she has disappeared. I mean I know she needed space and said she would be away from awhile, but I was kind of expecting an email. And I can't imagine why you would be here if not about Kara."
"I'm here officially." Alex said.
"Oh, okay. Wait does this mean I am being accused of something?"
"No. I need your help. Well Supergirl needs your help."
"She does? What can I do?"
"Supergirl was captured by Cadmus. They implanted some masses in her that are harmful to humans. In order to get them out without killing her we need to borrow your nanobots."
"Is Supergirl okay?" Lena asked.
"She will be. I hope. If we can get the masses out of her."
"Of course I will do anything I can, but you do realise the nanobots are experimental. They have never been tested inside someone, or something. There is a chance that Supergirl's immune system will see them as a threat and destroy them."
"Our people will work with your guys to make them work." Alex said.
"Our head of capability is in the air right now. He is due to land in eight hours. But I can give you some of the data files now."
-00-
As Lena walked through the underground car park she became acutely aware that someone else was there. Reaching into her bag she gripped her taser as she increased her pace. Feeling the other presence was getting closer she pulled the taser out just as a familiar voice said.
"You won't need that. I am not here to hurt you."
"Mother." Lena said turning round. "And your henchman." She added noticing Henshaw. "What do you want?"
"To talk. And your loyalty."
"You don't want me to help Supergirl?" Lena guessed.
"Supergirl's cousin drove your brother mad. He destroyed him. No matter what issues we have, Lex loved you and protected you. He deserves more loyalty from you."
"Even if Superman was the cause of Lex's madness, Supergirl is not responsible." Lena said.
"Maybe. But do you know what really drove Lex mad? It was the betrayal. Superman lied to him from day one. Some lies were big, some were small. But everything was a lie. Just like it is with Supergirl."
"What are you talking about?" Lena asked.
"You are being played. Supergirl has lied to you since day one and you have allowed yourself to be manipulated by Kara Danvers."
"What are you trying to say?" Lena asked.
"Kara Danvers ad Supergirl are one in the same. Her real name is Kara Zor-El and she has been using both her identities to manipulate you into doing what she wants since the start. She has been out to destroy our family and has used you to do that. If you don't believe me watch this." She said handing Lena a USB drive. "For your family, you need to give a modified version if the nanobots to her sister. The plans are also on the drive."
Having watched her mother disappear Lena got in her car and turned on her laptop before watching the video showing segments of Kara's capture.
-00-
"Hey Kara." Alex said entering Kara's room. "I stopped by Noonan's and got some sticky buns." She added.
"I'll leave you two alone to kill your arteries. I'd prefer not to watch." Eliza said kissing Kara goodbye before leaving.
"Have you two argued?" Kara asked.
"No. Why?" Alex questioned as she put the food in front of Kara.
"You don't seem to want to be in the same room as each other. Did Eliza blame you? I'm sorry."
"Kara, mom didn't blame me. She should have, but she didn't."
"What happened wasn't your fault. It was my decision to go and I would make it again."
"I'm not letting you ever do anything so stupid again. Ever." Alex said.
"It wasn't stupid and it got Jeremiah back."
"But at what cost? What did they do to you?"
"It doesn't matter." Kara said looking anywhere other than Alex.
"Kara, what I said about either being in the family or not, I shouldn't have said. You are part of the family like it or not. Which means we are always there for each other. The second you are ready to talk, I'm here okay?"
"Okay."
"Good. So what do you want to do?"
"You should just go home. You don't have to be here." Kara said.
"Where else would I be?"
"With Maggie."
"Right now you need me more." Alex said sitting next to Kara on the bed and pulling her in for a hug. "I missed you so much." She added.
"Alex?"
"Yeah."
"Are you sure Eliza is okay, she was looking pale."
"She'll be fine. She needs rest. But you know mom she won't rest properly until she is sure you are okay." Alex told her.
-00-
"Hi." Maggie said walking up to Eliza at the DEO.
"Maggie." Eliza smiled.
"Are you okay? You look a little tired."
"I'm fine." Eliza said. "It just takes a while to recover."
"Recover from what?" Maggie asked.
"Kara." Eliza said before guessing. "Alex didn't tell you?"
"Tell me what? Has something else happened to Kara?"
"When she was with Cadmus they put things inside her that are harmful to humans. If we spend too much time near her we get sick. We recover, but it takes time."
"She's letting you see her?"
"No, well yes. But she doesn't know." Eliza said. "We are taking it in turns to sit with her. Alex is in there now."
"Are they harmful to Kara?" Maggie asked.
"We hope not."
-00-
An hour later Alex went to her lab and collapsed on a makeshift bed, trying to fend off the nausea when she felt a familiar presence in the room. Opening her eyes she said.
"Hi."
"Hi." Maggie said pulling up a a chair and sitting down next to Alex.
"We should probably talk." Alex confessed.
"Your mom filled me in."
"You going to tell me to stop sitting with Kara?"
"As much as I want you to be safe I know you have to do what you have to do. You are never going to let Kara go through this alone. But if you need anything from me just ask."
-00-
Kara lay in her bed using her hearing to concentrate on Alex's voice. Having heard confirmation of her suspicions that she was making people sick she started to listen to Hamilton and J'onn as they discussed her.
After ten minutes of eavesdropping on various conversations she knew she shouldn't be around anyone. Not wanting to endanger anyone she picked up a pillow and sheets and used her superspeed to get to her mother's hologram room without being detected. Once inside she locked herself in and started the programme.
-00-
"Kara?" J'onn asked phasing into the room. His sudden appearance causing Kara to sink back into the wall. Recovering she said.
"You need to stay away from me. I don't want to make you sick."
"I'm immune." J'onn said.
"The others aren't. Why did you let them near me?"
"You really think I could to stop them? They love you Kara, they want you to feel safe."
"I am making them sick. Haven't I done enough damage?"
"This isn't your fault." J'onn said.
"I am making people ill." Kara reminded him.
"Kara, when you were with Cadmus they put something inside you. It effects humans in a similar way to the way Kryptonite effects you. The effects are temporary though. As long as they limit their time with you they will be fine." J'onn explained as he sat next to Kara.
"It's too risky."
"You're worth the risk." J'onn said. "But now that you know do you remember them putting anything in you?" J'onn asked.
"Henshaw was constantly stabbing and injecting me with Kryptonite. To start with I tried to be strong and stay awake, but the pain...there was so much pain, it was easier to give in and pass out. At least if I was unconscious I couldn't feel anything. But after I passed out they could have done anything. Sometimes I woke chained to the table rather than the ceiling." She said pulling her knees to her chest.
Not sure how to respond he wrapped an arm round her and assured her. "Alex and Winn are working on a way to get it out of you. You'll be back to your normal self in no time."
"Until then, I'll stay here. It's safer for everyone."
"You know your family will just come in here."
"The door's locked." Kara pointed out.
"You think that will deter Alex?"
"No." Kara conceded.
"Right now as long as they spend less than fours with you in each block they will be fine."
"I'll just stay here and sleep for a while." Kara said.
"Okay." J'onn replied as if conceding before standing and walking to the door. The second it opened Eliza hurried into the room.
"Kara." Eliza greeted approaching her daughter.
"You shouldn't be here. I'm hurting you." Kara said backing herself further away from Eliza.
"Short term exposure is fine." Eliza said moving over to Kara who ran out of space. "I'm staying." Eliza stated before sitting down next to Kara. As she looked up and saw the hologram she asked.
"Is that your mother?"
"Alex made it." Kara said nodding.
"So you can talk to her and ask her for things?"
"Yeah, but not hugs." Kara said sadly as she wrapped her arms round her knees.
"Well I can give you a hug." Eliza said putting an arm round Kara and pulling her into her chest. "You could ask your mother to read the story you always talked about, the one about Mortah and Peswar. I'd love to hear it."
-TBC...
A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing.