Kara and Alex should have walked home. The walk would have taken only a half-hour longer than the bus ride. That is a half hour without the stares, without the whispers and without the fear of somehow making things worse, if that was even possible.

They huddled together in a cocoon at the back of the bus, with their backpacks piled beside them, forming a small wall, as if it could protect them and their privacy.

Not that they had much left to hide. As it turned out, Cookie's gang only distributed around 10 or 15 sheets of photos throughout the school, but word spread like wildfire, and everyone on the bus knew exactly what the pictures showed even before the bus left the curb.

Kara had thought it would be something of a relief, because once the scandal was out there, surely people would quickly have their fill of judgment and then move on. Kara quickly gained an education on how scandals work, as she listened to the noise of whispered gossip. People who never gave them a thought now saw them as a disgrace. People who were suspicious of them already now wondered what else they were hiding. People who hated them now had ammunition.

Kara had always wondered why her Earth family was so fervent about keeping her origins secret, but now she thought she understood. Now she was scared, because if this scandal about two adopted sisters falling in love could cause the uproar she was sensing, she could imagine the uproar if they knew who she really was.

The twenty-six minute ride home felt as long as the seven hours they had spent in classes that day.

X X X

They sighed in relief when they saw that their mom's car was not in the driveway. It meant nothing. Eliza did not leave a message, so she might be home at any minute, but they were grateful for even a few minutes of peace before the firestorm of judgment that was certain to fall upon them.

Instead, they ran into Kara's room to face a different firestorm that awaited them online.

Kara had left her computer on all day, so as soon as they turned on the monitor, they saw that she had three email messages, each with a massive list of recipients, and all with the same header: "Fwd: Twisted sisters"

The first email contained a perfect scan of the unseemly photos Cookie had someone distribute for her.

The second email contained an extremely risqué version, where some horny geek touched up the blurry photo to make it almost pornographic.

The third email simply said: "GROSS!"

Alex collapsed on Kara's bed and buried her face in the pillow.

"I'll check the chat room," Kara said optimistically for Alex's sake, though she had no reason for optimism.

Alex sat up, and they watched the virtual voices pour onto the computer screen.

5:01pm PeggySue : It's just so gross, right? I mean, girls with girls OK I guess, but sisters? Eww!

5:01pm Motorhead : its fuckn sick

5:02pm Watcher : I didn't see the pics but I heard they were hot

5:04pm Motorhead : just check your email dude

5:04pm Cookie : What? OMG I wish I had NEVER seen them. Whoever posted them is sick, but I guess it proves that the Danvers sisters are really sick, too. She really pissed someone off, and I guess she was desperate because all of her secrets are getting exposed. And to think Alex was my friend! I can't believe you want to see that. I thought you were more classy that that, even with a name like Watcher.

5:04pm Watcher : JK

5:06pm Cookie : Oh OK. I didn't want to believe the pictures are real, because she always seemed so nice, but Alex showed her true colors when she tried to blackmail me. She said if I wouldn't be her alibi to the principal about that degrading list, she would show everyone a scandalous photo of me, because I was no better than she was, or something like that. She demanded that I say she was with me, and to tell everyone that she couldn't be StudentBody, but I'm no liar.

5:08pm Watcher : yeah I heard they have a pic of you naked, bet that was really hot too

5:09pm Cookie : They do NOT. I was in underwear and they were spying on me and I can prove it. What is wrong with you, wanting to see that?

5:09pm Watcher : was JK

5:11pm Cookie : I don't like your jokes. I'm not talking to you anymore.

5:12pm Watcher : :(

5:12pm CrystalGurl : You need to take this seriously, guys. Taking pics of girls getting dressed and using them for blackmail is NOT COOL!

5:13pm Watcher : sorry

5:13pm Cookie : Thanks Abby. And sisters making out is totally wrong, too. It's sick

5:15pm Domino : They aren't really sisters.

5:16pm Cookie : No, adopted sisters are still sisters. They are sick. Incest destroys all families. They need help.

5:18pm Motorhead : its like my dad always says about homos, give them an inch and they will take a mile

5:19pm Watcher : uh, wow

5:19pm PeggySue : I never thought about it like that. My dad says it's a slippery slope.

5:20pm Domino : Jeez you guys are the sick ones

5:22pm PeggySue : Just ignore him. He has no sense of morality

5:23pm Cookie : I don't know. I always sensed something was wrong with them, especially Kara, but I thought Alex could be a good person. If they get help, maybe we can be friends again.

5:25pm Watcher : yeah she saved that guy on the bus so she cant be all bad

5:26pm CrystalGurl : Maybe she just saved that guy because she thought it would make her look good.

5:28pm Cookie : I can't believe that. You don't know her. She was just desperate, and when I wouldn't lie for her, she tried to blackmail me, but I can't believe she is all bad. She was our friend.

5:29pm CrystalGurl : Sorry, I'm just mad at her. Maybe her sister is a slut. Maybe it's her fault.

5:30pm Cookie : Maybe. I just want to understand.

5:32pm Motorhead : i dont want to understand. Sometimes you just need to say noo never. they are the ones who need to understand.

5:32pm PeggySue : It must be hard on her mom. We met her once. I can't imagine she knows that her stepkid is corrupting Alex.

5:33pm Cookie : Yeah, someone should probably tell her.

5:33pm Watcher : omg i know you dont want to talk to me but you should check out student bodys blog. That photo you didnt want for me to see is there.

5:34pm Cookie : What?

5:35pm Watcher : yeah it says something nasty but you are looking fine. nk

Kara and Alex stared at each other.

"Are they talking about the photo we took?" Kara asked, bewildered. "You didn't post it, did you?"

Alex shook her head. "They must be talking about something else."

Kara looked through the wall into Alex's room, and then gasped. "Your window is broken," she said.

Alarm flashed over Alex's face. She ran into the hall and looked into her bedroom. The window was smashed from the outside, with shards of glass sprinkled over the carpet. The items on her desk were scattered about, and her dad's camera and her laptop were both missing.

Alex then lept back into Kara's room and typed in the URL for the StudentBody blog. At the very top of the blog was the clearest, most provocative photo they took last night at Cookie's house. The little Cookie Monster was photoshopped off of her belly, with a smudge of skin color in it's place, but the real monster that was Cookie was splashed all over the screen. Her mouth was wide open in surprise, and below that was an abundance of perfect skin on a perfect body covered by only the slightest of pink underwear.

Just below the image were the words in a huge font saying, "Cookie flashing the street through her bedroom window. What a slut!"

"This is bad!" Alex said. Her hand was shaking so badly on the touch pad that she struggled to close the blog window and re-enter the chatroom.

5:40pm PeggySue : What is her deal? Just because we won't lie for her? Nobody is safe from those Danvers BITCHES!

5:41pm Motorhead : I HATE THOSE FUCKN BITCHES!

5:42pm CrystalGurl : How could she do this to her friends?

5:45pm PeggySue : Cookie? Are you OK?

5:47pm Cookie : Yeah, I just don't know what to say. I feel so violated. Please tell all your friends not to look. I look so fat.

5:49pm PeggySue : What do you mean? I wish I looked as thin as you!

5:50pm CrystalGurl : Absolutely, me too!

5:50pm Watcher : I know it doesnt matter to you but you look hella hot

5:51pm Cookie : Thanks. Her mom is so nice. She should know how mean her daughters are, but I don't want to upset her.

5:52pm Watcher : yeah but she should know

Alex buried her face in her hands, trying to shut out the world for a moment and collect herself.

Kara hugged Alex and whispered, "It's OK. It's OK. We'll figure out who is doing all this and tell Cookie. Then we'll prove to Cookie it's not our fault, even though we did take the picture."

Alex opened her eyes and gaped at Kara in disbelief. "It WAS Cookie, Kara! She arranged everything! And I'm sure it was Linda who broke in. Actually, it might have been some stupid boy she has wrapped around her finger, but I'm sure it was Linda who posted it on the blog. I taught her how to do everything."

Kara furrowed her brow, trying to understand. "Why would she do that? Won't Cookie be mad that she showed everyone those photos?"

Alex rolled her eyes and sighed and explained to her lost sister what was completely clear to her. "We were so stupid when we took those pics. Cookie had figured out our plan once she saw us on her security cameras yesterday. I don't think she really gave a shit if anyone saw that fake tattoo, but she put it on so we would think our plan was working. Then she put on her sexiest underwear and literally posed for us last night!" Alex cursed and the floodgates opened. She angrily tried to rub away the tears, and muttered, "Bullies aren't supposed to be this smart."

Kara struggled to catch up. "You mean she wanted for people to see her almost naked? She seems so embarrassed, though."

Alex rolled her eyes again, but then she looked away. "She fooled me too. I mean, she always dressed conservatively. It was all part of her act, and she was so good at it. I knew of course she was never, you knew, modest or as moral as she pretends to be, but I thought at least she was self-conscious about her body. But she never was. She was just patient. She didn't want people to think she was a slut. But because of us, she could be as slutty as she wants and make everyone oogle her body, make other girls jealous, and still act like some innocent victim. Argh! Lena was right, she's always two steps ahead of everyone else."

Kara looked in Alex's eyes and watched as her feeling morphed as she talked, first burning with anger, then wide-eyed in admiration, and finally growing wet with tears, as she cried out "Oh God! I am so screwed! Everyone at school is going to hate us. Mom is going to kill me!"

Kara tried to hug Alex again, but Alex fought to get away, and she fled into her bedroom. Then Kara heard her cry out, "Ow! Ow! Shit! Shit!"

Kara ran in behind her. Alex was hopping on one foot. Her other foot was raised with a small piece of glass hanging from her sole. Kara couldn't see any blood yet. Alex's face was contorted with pain, though Kara knew that the injury was only icing on the putrid cake they were eating.

Kara lifted Alex and set her on the carpet several feet away from the glass, and then Kara steadied Alex's shaking foot with one hand, and she gently removed the shard of glass with the other. A few drops of crimson trickled from the wound and dripped down Kara's finger, but then the bleeding stopped. Kara kissed Alex's foot, like a parent might kiss a child's wound to make her feel better.

Suddenly, Alex's grabbed Kara's shoulders and pulled Kara up her body until their teary eyes were looking into each other. Alex's legs wrapped around Kara's hips and pulled her in tight.

Kara kissed Alex's tears away and then just kissed her hard and deep on the lips.

Alex laughed when Kara eased up for a moment.

"What's funny?" Kara asked breathlessly.

Then Alex rolled out from under, and Kara let Alex pin her to the ground. The sudden change in position made Kara feel vulnerable.

Alex's eyes burned, and she bared her teeth, sending a shiver down Kara's spine. A wave of confusion and self doubt passed through Kara. Then a ball of shame and guilt formed in Kara's chest, as she realized how much pain Alex was in, and that it was all her fault. If she hadn't invaded Alex's life two years ago, Alex would still have her father. She would have a normal social life. She would have a nice boyfriend. Eliza wouldn't always be needling her. She wouldn't have some alien mucking everything up. She wouldn't have to lie to everyone about everything.

"I'm so sorry," Kara choked out as if she was drowning in her tears.

But her tears were quickly spread over Alex's cheeks, as Alex's lips and breath and hair collapsed on Kara's face. The two girls rolled left and right, trying to merge their tightly pressed bodies together like matching puzzle pieces, yet never parting their lips for more than a moment Their hands fumbled over each other's clothing, until their clothes felt like polyester straight jackets, and Alex finally decided that Kara's blouse had to go. She popped the first button loose and waited for Kara's approval. Kara likewise loosened Alex's collar. Alex smiled eagerly, as she kneeled over Kara and lifted her own shirt over her head and tossed it aside.

As soon as the shirt was in the air, Alex was kneeling half-in/half-out of her bedroom doorway, looking down the hallway, where Eliza was standing open-mouthed, transfixed and stiff as a board.

Neither mother nor daughters made a move for several seconds, when Eliza finally asked firmly what was plainly obvious: "What are you doing?"

X X X

How could this have even been a surprise, Kara would wonder later. How could Kara not have heard their mom's car parking and the front door opening? They knew their mom could be home at any minute, yet they were making out with their bodies half in Alex's room, and half in the hallway, and the only thing they had to be thankful for was that they still had most of their clothes on.

Maybe they had just given up trying to hide it. After all, Cookie was hinting oh so strongly that she would tell their mother every poisonous secret. Cookie wasn't even using it as a threat. Maybe without even thinking, they had decided to let Eliza know on their own terms and deny Cookie that victory. Obviously a heart-to-heart conversation would have been a better choice than the show they were putting on, but they would have lost their nerve before giving a prepared confession. Or maybe they were just that stupid. In either case, they had let their passion take over and Eliza saw the truth, clearly and undeniably.

Alex climbed off of Kara and stepped back into the security of her bedroom, but she stopped backtracking when she remembered the glass on the floor. She crossed her arms in front of her bra. She couldn't meet her mother's eyes, and she didn't even consider answering Eliza's question, which felt more like an accusation.

Kara sat up. She watched Alex backing away, then she looked at Eliza, who stared right back, demanding an answer from one of them.

"I am in love with Alex," Kara finally decided to confess unashamedly what Eliza must now already know with inescapable clarity. Kara stood up and took Alex's hand. "And she is in love with me."

Then nobody spoke for what felt like an hour, as mother and daughters confronted each other as if for the first time, but the ball was now in Eliza's court, and she was expressing her surprise with surprising restraint and contemplation.

Alex squeezed Kara's hand tightly. They pressed against each other. They fortified each other's strength, as they awaited Eliza's inevitable judgement, which was taking so long coming that Kara felt certain that something was wrong. Eliza was always ready with a devastating criticism or at least a subtle passive-aggressive rebuke, and Eliza had so much fuel added to the fire today-first finding out about the scandal at their school, and now about the scandal in their home, right under her nose.

Finally, Eliza stepped forward with determination in her eyes. To stare them down? To slap them?

Eliza put her hands on Kara's shoulder and pulled her close, as if to hug her, but she didn't wrap her arms around the young woman. She just held Kara's body about a foot away and sniffed the air like a dog.

Then Eliza asked firmly, "When did you stop wearing the perfume?"

Kara was speechless. Eliza was talking about that disgusting concoction she had created to curb the effect of Kara's pheromones. Kara had phased out using that "perfume" over a few days. Nobody noticed and she had even forgotten about it herself.

Alex stared at Kara in amazement.

"Well?" insisted their mom.

"I don't know," Kara said, though she remembered exactly when. She had completely stopped nine days ago, but she was afraid to say that. "Just a couple of days."

Eliza shook her head, doubtful. Had she suspected something before? She was disappointed in Kara. "I thought I was clear about this. Without that perfume, your Kryptonian body has a subliminal effect on the rest of us. It is a power you don't feel like you have, and it isn't obvious to people, and that makes it even more dangerous than something like flying or strength, because everyone can see it when you use those powers."

Kara could see where this was going. She shook her head and insisted, "Those pheromone things have nothing to do with Alex and me. I've always been in love with her."

Eliza hugged Kara and sighed sympathetically, saying, "But what about Alex? She would never do something like this before. Her emotions are all confused. She has always liked boys, always got good grades in school and never got in trouble. Now her grades are slipping, and I get a call from the principal about crazy behavior, and now I find you two … well, starting something on the floor. Don't you see what is happening here?"

Kara let her adoptive mother hug her, but Kara wasn't buying it for a second. She couldn't. "But we are in love!" Kara pleaded desperately, "Alex tell her!"

But Alex was silent. She looked back at Kara, bewildered, as though waking from a dream. Kara could see that Alex was doubting. Their mother's words infected her mind, as if they could transform reality. The feelings and moments they had shared, and that were the only reality Kara believed in or wanted, were in danger.

No! Kara's mind and heart screamed, drowning out everything else. Tears flowed from Kara's eyes like a teen girl in an anime. "Please Alex," she cried out as though her very essense was dying, "I love you."

Eliza pulled the distraught girl in tight, forcing Kara's tears to disappear into her sweater like a sponge. "It's OK, Kara. You made a mistake, but we do love you. I know this must be hard for you, and maybe you feel like by wearing that perfume, and by not using your powers, you are hiding who you are. But what is important about us is who we are inside. We are trying to protect you from other people, but we do need to take some steps to protect ourselves from you, too. So please help us help you, and use the perfume."

Alex watched skeptically, caught in some kind of limbo of understanding. Kara's heart grasped at that doubt. Eliza's had rocketed Alex back to where she was before. A feeling lost in a sterile landscape. But Alex couldn't have forgotten their love so easily. She couldn't have! Their love was real. It was not some biological reaction to alien chemicals. It had to be more than that!

Eliza continued trying to fix the situation with words. "I'll make a few adjustments to the perfume recipe, if you don't like the scent. It was my first attempt at making anything like this, and I'm sure I can do better. For now, I don't want you girls hanging around in each other's rooms, until the effect of her pheromones wear off. Just for a few days."

Eliza waved Alex to join them in a group hug. Alex hesitated but then put her arms around both Kara and Eliza.

Alex showed no passion towards Kara. She showed only forgiveness and love for … her sister. And that broke Kara's heart.

Until Alex's hand found Kara's hand, out of Eliza's view. Her hand spoke to Kara in the secret language of love they had developed on the bus all of those trips back and forth from school, confirming that they were soulmates. And Kara realized that with that knowledge, nothing else mattered to her. Not what people at school thought of her. Not what Eliza thought. Nothing.

Tears streamed down Kara's eyes. She wanted to push Eliza aside and disappear into Alex, but she would settle for this, for now.

They group hugged for a moment longer, when Eliza suddenly asked, "Oh, my! Who broke the window?"

The girls stared at each other, silently asking each other what to do. They could tell the truth this time: someone at school broke in and stole Alex's computer. Easy. Their mom would believe it. But the truth was complicated, and who knew where talking about that would lead, so they would probably lie instead.

Alex spoke up, knowing that she would have to lie for the both of them.