Before Sam even realized it, she was halfway to National City. She was so worried about Kara, that she almost turned around to head back to Midvale, but Kara had her family with her, they would make sure she was okay until Sam got back to Eliza's. As she slowed down, she began to notice what Kara told her about flying, how peaceful it was, how everything was quieter, although she hated this part of herself, because of Reign, she had to admit that the ability to fly was amazing.
As she flew over the city, she noticed a mugging a few blocks from Lena's condo. She thought to herself 'Just ignore it', but then, she thought 'What would Kara do?' She flew quickly down and landed in the shadows. Using her heat vision like Kara taught Ruby, she melted the rubber on the soles of the mugger's shoes, sticking him to the sidewalk. Then she told the victim to call the police, and she flew off. 'That felt good', she thought to herself.
Five minutes later she landed on Lena's balcony. Lena answered the door, still in her work clothes, but looking a little run down. Sam's motherly instincts kicked in, instantly. "Are you eating? Are you getting any sleep?", she bombarded her boss with questions.
"I'm eating, Harley made me set the alarm on my phone to remind me when to eat, since I'm depressed, and it can make you forget to take care of yourself. As far as sleeping, no, I'm not sleeping. I keep seeing her eyes in my dreams, "Lena answered, sighing to herself. She wasn't over her anger, but she was missing her friend.
"I know how you feel on that one, Lena. I see her every day and can't get those eyes out of my head.", Sam said absentmindedly. One of the true joys of her life, after Ruby was her visits with Kara, even if they just ate and watched TV. Why had it taken her so long to realize her feelings for the wonderful blonde and would she have acted on them knowing how Kara felt about Lena. She didn't come here to daydream over Kara, she needed to prepare Lena for Monday.
"So, Sam, what's going on, what did you need to talk to me about?", Lena asked, pulling Sam away from her thoughts.
"So, you might want to sit down Lena, I don't think you are going to take this news well.", Sam spoke gently.
"Sam?", Lena asked as she took a seat.
Sam took a deep breath, "Lena, Kara had come to a decision." She watched as Lena bit her lip twisted her hands nervously. "She wants to stop, she is going to step away, she needs a break from being Supergirl. She is giving a press conference on Monday, and there will be an interview with Lois in the paper that morning, explaining her reasoning."
Tears fell from Lena's eyes, she had truly ruined Kara and the CEO in her was also thinking of the effect this would have on L Corp. "Oh god, I did this? She's going to stop being Supergirl because of what I did?"
Sam knelt in front of Lena. She was too good of a friend not to be honest with Lena. "Lena, what happened was just the catalyst to this decision, Kara has been to hell and back over the last five years, her body has been beaten down, but emotionally, she needs a break, what happened in the Fortress, it brought everything to the surface, but Kara has needed a break for a while now."
"You're just being polite Sam.", Lena snapped through her tears.
"It would be insulting of me to lie to you, Lena.", Sam said hugging her friend, "Kara has requested that Lois's interview leave you out of this."
Lena started to cry harder, "Of course she would." She cried into Sam's arms for a bit longer, then finally she finished, she thought about something Sam had said. "Sam? You said something about Kara's powers not working right."
"What, oh yeah, they are sporadic, and just a short flight, maybe 15 minutes, wears her out."
"Is she getting enough sun, is she eating.", Lena asked, going into science mode.
"Yes and no, all the curtains in the house are open and she is outside as much as possible. She isn't eating, at least not Kara levels. Ruby is out eating her."
"What happens when she uses her powers?"
"She naps, almost like a recharge, she gets headaches from her heat vision and x-ray vision, her appetite increases for a bit, then settles down," Sam answered, confused by the questions.
"Has Alex performed a full physical?"
"The basics only, she doesn't have the equipment in Midvale to perform a full physical. Why Lena? What's going on in that head of yours?", Sam asked, suddenly concerned.
"Kara needs bloodwork done, it sounds like anemia, but it could be blood poisoning, oh God, the effect of the Kryptonite on her system."
"Lena?"
"Kara was subjected to low levels of Kryptonite at the Fortress, and I would be willing to assume that she wasn't eating. That combined with the lack of sunlight, oh my god, Kara isn't going to get better, she more than likely has blood poisoning, the Kryptonite has attached itself to her blood at a cellular level and it will get worse."
"Is there anything we can do?"
"There is, but you're not going to be happy with me."
"Lena?"
"Hold on.", Lena took out her cell phone, dialing Harley. "Hello Dr. Quinzel, can we reschedule, please, I have an urgent matter I need to attend to at L Corp?" Sam didn't listen to the other side of the conversation. "Thank you, Harley, I promise tomorrow, this is something I have to do, tonight." She hung up the phone and looked at Sam. "We need to go to L Corp, now."
Lena moved towards the door, but Sam stopped her and looked towards the balcony. "I know you hate flying Lena, but it is quicker."
"Fine.", Lena growled
Sam held onto to Lena and shot into the sky. They touched down less than 3 minutes later. "You know, you need to work on your landings, Kara's aren't quite as jarring."
Sam looked at Lena, jealousy rising that Lena had flown with Kara and Sam only had the one trip. "She's had more practice and you, you're my first passenger."
"Sorry Sam.", Lena had the good sense to look admonished.
They took the elevator down to Lena's lab, and then through what had to be the largest vault door Sam had ever seen, but it was what was behind the door that made her blood boil.
On the table was a woman's body covered in a white sheet, Sam looked closely, it looked like Alura. Then she noticed it, a white streak in the woman's hair, the same one Kara had described every time she talked about her. "Oh my god, Lena, where did you find this woman, why is she here?" Sam growled, her protective nature over Kara coming completely to the surface, she was walking towards Lena, her eyes glowing.
"Sam?", Lena backed away, frightened.
"How long has she been here? What did you do to her?", striding towards Lena
"She hasn't been here long, maybe two months, I found her in one of Lex's labs, in stasis. His notes said that she launched into space in a funeral pod, she was killed using kryptonite, but between Lex's notes and my work to find a cure for Kara's weakness to kryptonite and your blood that I took when you were Reign." Lena was rambling.
"Do you know who this is?", Sam interrupted.
"No, there was no name, just Lex's notes. I don't know who she is, Sam, you're scaring me, please calm down."
Sam finally realized she was standing right in Lena's face. She took a deep breath and took a step back, "I'm sorry Lena. You don't know who that is?"
"No, should I?", Lena questioned shakenly, Sam's power show had frightened her.
"It's Astra.", Sam said, almost in a whisper.
"Who?"
"It's Astra, Kara's Aunt"
Lena stared blankly for a second, then suddenly, she started to tremble, Kara's aunt, she had Kara's aunt as a prisoner. That wasn't technically true, the woman was in stasis, the treatment that Lena had developed worked, the woman was healed, and her body was working properly, but she hadn't woken up. Of course, she hadn't exactly made it a point to expose Astra to sunlight, so she may not even have the strength to wake up.
"Lena, what's wrong?"
"I've become my brother. Kara's going to hate me for this, she's already frightened of me, now, with this, with what I have done, she going to hate me.", Lena was staring blankly ahead, almost like she was in shock. She walked over to a control panel and switched the fluorescent lighting over Astra's bed to a yellow sunlight emitter. Then she turned to Sam, switching from panic to scientist, "The cure works Sam, I've put her under sunlight emitters. I don't know what to expect as far as changes, because your blood carries kryptonite immunities. I also have no idea how much longer she will be under."
"You think this will help Kara?", Sam asked, hopefulness in her voice.
"Yes Sam, I believe it will."
"I've got to tell them, I don't know how I'm going to convince Alex, but I have to tell them you can help her.", Sam was thinking out loud.
Lena's phone picked that moment to ring, she checked the caller ID, looking at Sam, she said, "Ruby?"
Sam's eyes got wide, what was Ruby doing. She didn't know what to say.
"Hello, Ruby? Is ever…."
"Lena! Is momma with you? I need to talk to her, there's been an accident. I need momma Lena, please."
Sam could hear the panic in Ruby's voice, and she only called her momma when things were really bad. Lena handed her the phone, "Ruby, are you okay? Baby what's wrong?", Sam was panicked.
"Momma, it's not me, it's Aunt Kara, she got hurt, we were flying, and I fell in the lake and she came after me, she hit a rock underwater momma, she's bleeding and she's not healing. She's hurt momma and it's my fault.", Ruby was in tears.
"Ruby it's not your fault, Kara is sick baby, she pushed too hard. Where's Auntie A?"
"They are all right here, except Superman, he can't get close, momma, Aunt Kara's blood, it's glowing green."
"Let me talk to Alex, Ruby."
"Okay momma, I'm so sorry."
"Ruby, it's not your fault baby, I don't blame you and neither would Kara. Give me Alex baby."
"Okay," she could hear Ruby talking to Alex, "Momma wants you, Auntie A."
"Sam, she's hurt bad. I can't get the bleeding to stop, her blood is glowing, she has Kryptonite blood poisoning, it's why she's had so much trouble with her powers. She's not healing Sam, I don't know what to do, I need to get her to the DEO."
"Alex listen to me." Sam sounded so much calmer than she was at this moment, "You need to bring her to L Corp."
"No, I can fix her at the DEO."
"Lena has a cure now Alex."
"No"
"Alex, pull your head out of your ass, this is for Kara. Lena has a cure, and it works."
"How do you know?"
"I just do, get her here, now."
"DEO helicopter is en route now; we will be in National City in the next 25 minutes."
"Lena, they can be here in 25 minutes."
"I'll have everything ready.", Lena answered, as she called security and informed them that a helicopter would be arriving. Then she started getting everything ready for Kara's arrival.
Back in Midvale, Alex was a wreck, where was the damn helicopter. Lois, Lucy, Eliza, and Kelly were all there, but all Alex could see was Kara, lying there, Ruby holding her hand, Nia right behind her. Alex was holding pressure on the wound, trying to staunch the bleeding, "Lucy?"
"It's coming Alex.", Lucy whispered. Tears were running down her cheeks, she had never seen Kara this bad.
"Call J'onn when we get into the air, let him know we are headed to L Corp. Brainy too. Please?", Alex was crying, she couldn't help it, her whole world was here in the yard and the center of her universe was hurt, and for the first time since she could remember Kara coming to Earth, there was nothing she could do to fix this.
"They are close.", the group heard Alura call from the porch. She hated this, Kara's blood was painful to her and Kal, they couldn't get close enough to help. Her daughter, so much like her sister, willing to put herself in danger to save others. Kara was a beacon of hope for Earth and Alura, she had to survive this.
The helicopter landed and they got Kara strapped in, but only three of them could go, Alex of course, then Eliza, then Ruby begged to go, "Please, it's my fault, I have to go, she might need me?"
All the adults stepped back as the youngest member of their family climbed in, still gripping Kara's hand. It only dawned on them after the helicopter had taken off that not once had Ruby complained of any pain from the Kryptonite infected blood.
Lucy was immediately on the phone to J'onn and Brainy, who dropped what they were doing to head to L Corp.
Sam was standing on the Helipad waiting, she was pacing, lost in her thoughts. One, in particular, stuck in her head…
'Kara had come to visit her and Ruby after stopping a particularly nasty villain in Chicago. It was a Friday, so Kara could stay for the night. She landed on the balcony and of course Ruby was up in a flash, opening the door. Kara scooped Ruby into a hug, always so happy to see her, Ruby was ecstatic, a Friday visit meant movies and popcorn and lessons in Kryptonian and Kryptonian history. Sam loved their interaction, craved it, Kara was never Supergirl around them, she turned it off as soon as the balcony door opened. Kara had admitted to her, that even though she was in love with Lena, they never really had any peace when they were together, they always had something going on. They ordered pizza and potstickers and the girls settled down to watch Netflix and the next thing Sam remembered was waking up, with Kara's cape wrapped around her. Kara was asleep on the balcony, absorbing the morning sun when Sam opened the door, still wrapped in the cape. She'd had a nightmare and Kara had wrapped her in the cape and whispered to her until she fell back to sleep.'
Sam was still pacing, smiling at the memory, praying to Rao that her friend would survive this, knowing she had to have faith in Lena's abilities. She heard the Helicopter approaching and sent a quick text on a spare phone to Lena, letting her know. Then she heard J'onn land behind her carrying Brainy.
"Samantha.", J'onn said.
"They are on the way in. Lena is downstairs getting things ready."
"Are you okay Ms. Arias?", Brainy asked.
"No, not really Brainy, stress and worry."
"Ms. Luthor will not allow any more harm to befall Kara, will she?", Brainy asked a little fear in his normally stoic voice.
Sam turned to the young alien, pulled him into a hug and answered his question, "Not today she won't."
Brainy relaxed, knowing in his heart that this woman would allow nothing else to befall his hero.
As the helicopter landed Sam rushed and opened the door, she lifted Kara and moved her to the gurney, placing her gently on it and allowing the medics to move her to the elevator, then she scooped Ruby into her arms. "I'm so sorry momma, we were just flying, and I lost my concentration and Aunt Kara was trying to save me."
"Shh, baby, shh, it's okay, this wasn't your fault, it wasn't, we didn't know Aunt Kara was this sick," Sam answered, crying at her daughter's pain. "Go on, hold Aunt Kara's hand in the elevator, if she wakes up, she will be scared, she'll need her Ruby okay."
Sniffling, Ruby answered, "Okay momma."
Alex and Eliza were out next, "Are you sure about this Sam.", Alex asked, tears in her eyes from anger and worry.
"Yes, Alex I'm sorry it's come to this, but Lena's shown me it will work.", Sam answered, hugging Alex. She pulled in Eliza as well, who was in shock from Kara's condition. They all entered the elevator with Kara, it was crowded, but no one was going to leave Kara's side right now.
10 minutes later, they were settled into one of the rooms in Lena's lab. John was standing with his back to the door, watching Lena's every movement. Brainy was studying the information Lena had given him about the cure, watching her out the corner of his eye. Eliza was at the head of the bed, running her hand through Kara's hair, her eyes never leaving Lena. Ruby was holding Kara's hand, not looking at Lena, instead focusing on her Aunt Kara. Alex was against the wall, standing stiffly, arms crossed over her chest, watching everything that Lena did. Sam was watching Kara, not paying any attention to Lena. As Lena got closer, Sam noticed that Kara's eyes were starting to flutter, her nose twitching. 'Oh damn, Lena's perfume.' Sam thought to herself.
As the scent of Lena's perfume reached her nose, Kara's eyes shot open, fear showing, she was panting, "Lena", she said, her breath coming in short gasp, "Don't hurt me, please, I'll leave, I'll go,"
Lena stopped, looking, trying to figure which way to go. Sam stepped in blocking Lena from her view, "Kara, it's okay, Lena's not going to hurt you, go back to sleep sweetheart."
"But Lena, Sam I'm scared.", Kara was going to hyperventilate at this point.
"I know Kara, but I swear she's not going to hurt you okay, go back to sleep, okay, let us help you."
"Okay, Sam, will everyone stay with me, please.", Kara asked, trying to relax the fear making her voice quake.
"We are not going anywhere.", Sam answered.
"Promise", was all Kara could get out as pain, blood loss and fear took over and she fainted, eyes rolling back and her body and face relaxing.
"We promise Kara.", they all answered.
Ruby then turned and looked to Lena, her eyes glowing, "You better not hurt her."
Lena stopped for a moment, as Ruby got herself under control, and turned back to Kara.
Lena took Kara's arm and wrapped a band around it, she found a good vein and injected the vaccine into Kara's bloodstream. Then she crossed the room to the light switch and turned on the Sunlight emitters. "We will know something in about an hour." She said, then quickly left the room, finally breathing.