Chapter - 35

It was getting late, and Kai wanted Kara to go back home and sleep. She knew it wasn't easy for him because Mon-El was at her home and there was no way she was waking him up. Ruffling her hair, Kai smirked and told her that he's going back for some more ice cream.

"Why don't you try some other flavor?" Kara walked beside him, not wanting to leave so soon.

"I like vanilla. It takes like the milk we had on Daxam. Only it was blue."

"What? Like Star Wars?" Kara grinned when she saw him chuckle.

"Something like that. Only it didn't come from Banthas."

"If you like that flavor so much then just get a milkshake. Or at least get some toppings!"

"Like what?"

"I don't know… chocolate chips or caramel syrup or even sprinkles."

Kai made a face. "I don't like caramel. It's too sweet."

"Then try sprinkles." Kara grinned as she leaned closer to peck his cheek. She waved him goodbye and left quickly.

Kai decided to head back to the ice cream shop and try his regular vanilla with some sprinkles. Sprinkles! Why was Kara so sweet? Smiling to himself, he got a single scoop and left the shop, deciding to eat it on his way back home. As he walked licking the ice cream, surprisingly liking the taste of the sprinkles, someone ran into him and he dropped the cone.

"Dammit!" he cursed loudly. The man who had walked into him muttered an apology and walked away. Groaning, Kai looked up from his now ruined ice cream and suddenly something caught his eye. He froze when he saw Rhea walking down the other side of the street, wearing earthly clothes, no less. He quickly hid behind a tree and waited for her to leave. Once she was out of sight, he rushed back home. To his surprise, his father was awake, watching TV.

"Son, you're back already?" Lar asked as he looked up with a smile.

"Hey, Dad! What are you watching?"

"Eliza told me that I could learn more about this planet if I watched this black box. Mon-El showed me how it worked. Look how advanced these humans are!"

Kai smiled a small smile. It was good to know that his father was settling in, but what troubled him was how he talked about Eliza all the time. Taking off his jacket and throwing it on a chair nearby, Kai took a seat and asked, "Dad, what's up with you and Eliza?"

"What do you mean?" Lar asked, confused. He was still getting used to the way his older son spoke.

"I mean, do you like her or something? You keep talking about her. Like, all the time. What's the deal?"

Lar let out a small sigh and looked away. "You were too young to remember how Zana looked."

"So?"

"Eliza looks just like my Zana, Son! I don't know how or why this is happening, but that's the face of the woman I have always loved."

Kai kneaded his temple and shook his head. "Dad, this is not Zana. Don't forget she's a human. Daxamites can literally break humans if we grab them too hard. Do you like her because she has Zana's face? Is that it?"

Lar shook his head. "Do you really think I would like a woman because she has the face of the woman I love? Will you? Will anybody you know do such a thing? No, Kai-El. It's more than that. And I feel you still haven't learnt how that happens. Yes, I like Eliza, because she's a wonderful person. So kind, so beautiful. But what I love most about her is how accepting she is of us… aliens."

Kai was quiet after hearing that. Did Kara like him because he had Mon-El's face? Surely it couldn't be that. But what if that was the case? What would he do then?

As Kai sat there, lost in his thoughts, Lar decided to go to bed. He had no idea how long he just sat there and when Mon-El walked in. They weren't talking, but seeing Kai in daze worried Mon-El as he came to sit in front of his brother and snap a finger to get his attention.

Kai looked up. "Oh, you're home!"

"I could say the same. Was it nice to hang out with Kara this late?"

The older twin rolled his eyes and lay down on the couch. "I'm really not in the mood to argue, Mon."

"I wasn't trying to. Just making conversation." Mon-El sat back in his chair and let out a small sigh.

"Mon-El, this isn't how it works. We both like the same girl and there's no way I'm backing off. I tried, because Kara lied to me. You really have to see how miserable she is when she's not talking to me."

"You think I haven't noticed that, Kai?" Mon-El asked, his voice calm. "We've been hanging out and all I can see is a small, strained smile on her face. She's no longer the Kara I knew… the Kara I loved. Since you came into her life, she has changed. And trust me, it's not just me who has noticed that. Alex… Winn… and even J'onn noticed this. I'm trying my hardest not to be that guy, Kai. I'm trying to let her go. But it's not easy. Remember back on Daxam you told me that women who don't judge us or want us for our titles are rare? And that is exactly the kind of woman I wanted to be with."

"And now answer this, Brother, didn't Kara lock you up when you woke up? And even when you wanted to be with her, she rejected you saying you weren't right for her? So she never judged you for who you are? For being the Prince of Daxam?"

Mon-El looked away. What Kai was saying was all true. Kara did judge him for being the Prince.

"So, you really think she's the one?" Kai sat up, looking at Mon-El. "I'm not trying to hurt your feelings, Mon. I'm used to people treating me like this. Yes, I've done things in my past that Kara thinks are wrong. I can't change my past. But she is learning to accept me the way I am. Could she do that with you? Because I don't think you've changed since Daxam. You are braver, for sure, but that's about it. Mon-El, were you with Kara because she was the only being strong enough for you to be with? I've hurt humans before, unintentionally, but it has happened. And you haven't even reached your full potential yet. When you do, with a little pressure you will be breaking bones."

"You're scaring me," Mon-El confessed.

"I don't mean to. As your brother, it's my responsibility to let you know of all these things. You mean the world to me, Mon. Say the word, I'll disappear forever and let you be with Kara. But I can't sit quietly and see the two of you getting hurt. She means something to me. I never thought I was capable of having these feelings, but these are something I can never get rid of. Despite what happened on Daxam, just know that I still love you, Brother."

"What exactly happened? Why does this feel like a puzzle and that many pieces are still missing?"

Kai ran his fingers through his hair. He never expected to be telling the real reason why he was wrongfully banished twice on the same day. But he knew this was important. For him. For Mon-El. And if they were ever going to make peace, this was important. So he did it. He told Mon-El what happened on Daxam and how Rhea wrongly accused him of having a relationship with his own brother and then trying to kill him. To say that Mon-El was shocked would have been an understatement. There were tears in his eyes as he realized just what Kai had faced and how he had failed to help him.

Little did the boys know that their father stood leaning against the door, listening to everything Kai had to say. He stepped out to see Kai patting Mon-El's head as the younger twin buried his face in his hands.

"Dad?" Kai looked up in surprise. Sensing his presence before seeing him.

"I had no idea she did this to you," Lar confessed, his voice shaking. "I promise that she would never lay another finger on you. Both of you." Lar helped Mon-El up and pulled him into a hug, opening his other arm for Kai. He knew he had failed both his sons once, but not this time. He knew Rhea wasn't gone. J'onn had told him that her ship was still hovering outside the atmosphere. She wasn't leaving just like that; but what was she up to? That was something he needed to figure out. The Martian was kind enough to offer to help him too. But he couldn't tell that to his boys, not when he was trying to keep them safe.

Deciding it was too late and they all had to be up early the next day for work, Kai told his father and Mon-El to go to bed. Mon-El gave him one last hug as he apologized for not being there for him when he needed him the most. Kai forgave him. He knew he would forgive his little brother no matter what he did or how badly he hurt him. But the whole thing with Kara… now that was something else. And Kai had no idea how that was going to work out.

The next morning, the Daxamites were back at DEO, offering to help any way they could. It was an emergency that had brought them all to DEO in the early hours. Spaceships hovering over the city. So many of them. Nothing they could recognize, but when a message was transmitted all throughout the city by none other than Rhea herself, they knew things were getting serious. She was planning a massive invasion. She wanted to make Daxam on Earth. New Daxam, she had called it.

"The woman is out of her mind!" Lar called when he saw the transmission. "I need to go and talk to her."

"And what? Get killed?" Kai asked, his voice a little firm. "This is no longer a family feud, Dad. I always told you she was nuts and you had to lock her up, but you never listened! Look where that has brought us to!"

"It's not your father's fault, Kai," Kara spoke, her hand over his upper arm, her grip tight, making him snap out of it. "She's doing this for our attention. Mine especially. Let's not forget she thinks I am the reason why Mon-El has refused to go back to Daxam and rule. If anyone needs to be speaking with her, then that's me."

Everyone went quiet after hearing that. Kara had a point, and right now, she was strong enough to take on Rhea.

"Go back to Daxam…" Mon-El muttered. When the others looked up to him, he said it out loud, "How do I go back to Daxam when she wants to rebuild it on Earth? Does Daxam even exist anymore?" He looked at his father who was very quiet. That's when Mon-El realized that they never went back after leaving the planet during it's destruction. He let out a loud sigh. "Guys, this was her plan. All along. She never intended to take me back home. Kai is right, Rhea never cared for me. She was only here to take on our world. This is an invasion and those Daxamites… on those spaceships… she has turned them all against us. This is going to come down to a fight. And when it does, that's exactly what we are going to do. This is our home. And we will fight till the very end."

The silence that followed was only broken when they heard a flutter of a cape. They turned around to see who had joined them. There he stood, in the balcony, with a small smile on his face. Kara smiled back as she moved towards him.

"If it's a fight she wants, it's a fight she shall get," Superman said.

A/N: So, the boys finally had a chat. Hopefully things will get better for them. Not. Not when Rhea is around. And yay, Superman! I'm so writing the whole Superman thing differently! Imagine Henry Cavill when you read my Supes. :)

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