Astra rolled over and gently placed her arm around Alex's waist. It had been over two years since she, Kara and Alexandra had stopped Non from using Myriad, more than two years since the fateful night that Non had almost killed her and Kara but her Alex had saved them both.
Astra was sitting on the rooftop of Kara's building, the sunlight helping her to meditate, to relax, to get over the shock of what Non had done to her Little One. Was he right, had Kara caused her to lose sight of their mission, did it matter? Kara was her family, her niece, the only person who had ever shown complete faith in her. Then her ears perked as she heard footsteps in Kara's home.
She flew in through the window, careful to keep out of sight.
Alexandra was standing in front of Kara's mirror, staring at a photo of herself and Kara, trying to find some way to save her. She sensed the movement behind her and looked into the mirror catching Astra's eyes with her own. Her instincts took over as she let the picture fall to the floor, turning, she drew her sidearm and fired, stopping only to reload her gun with Kryptonite bullets. Astra moved faster than thought, disarming her and grabbing her by the throat, lifting her onto her toes.
"I came here to help Kara, not fight." The intensity of her stare was enough to cause Alex to doubt her own actions.
Alex blinked, attempting to nod, then Astra realized she was hurting Alex, she let go, almost as if she had been slapped.
"But you tried to kill her before. So, why should I trust you now?" Alex hissed, holding her throat.
"Kara saved me from death without honor." Astra said, defending herself from Alex's lack of trust, "As a fellow soldier, I expect you understand the meaning of that."
Taking a breath, as Astra's words spun through her head. Alex paused, staring at the floor for a moment, trying to think. She swept her hair back, pushing it behind her ears. Then she looked back up at Astra.
"Kara has been attacked by a telepathic parasite," Astra spoke quickly. "Known as the Black Mercy."
"It has her in some kind of coma." Alex breathed out, "Her brain waves are still active, it's—it's like she's awake."
"The Black Mercy has her trapped in lifelike hallucinations," Astra spoke, shaking her head slightly, the thought of Kara hurting like this bothering her more than she thought, "her perfect fantasy life. One that grows more and more real with each passing moment."
"How do we wake her out of it?" Alex asked, her thoughts so jumbled at what Astra had just told her.
"Kara must reject the fantasy herself," Astra explained, realizing how desperate her voice sounded.
"But if she doesn't know it isn't real, how can she reject it?" Alex asked, feeling overwhelmed.
Astra looked directly into Alex's brown eyes, "I can tell you how to help her." Astra takes a step closer to the taller woman, "but you have to trust me."
Angrily, Alex stepped even closer, "Last time I trusted you, six soldiers died."
Astra looked down in shame, refusing to look Alex in the eye after that statement. Her eyes fixed on a picture of two young girls, one she recognized, the other had to be the woman in front of her. Alex looked down, over her shoulder and saw the picture, a frown on her face.
"I knew there was more to you and my niece." Astra smiled.
"She's my sister," Alex said, their eyes locked.
"If she is your sister, and I am her aunt, then what does that make us?" Astra asked, suspecting she already knew the answer.
"I—I don't know," Alex answered, swallowing and looking into those cold green eyes.
"I don't want any more harm to come to Kara, please—please let me help?" Astra pled.
Alex thought for a moment, looking for something to confirm everything Astra has said. Then she saw it, deep in those green eyes, the guilt for what Kara was going through and love that Astra obviously feels for her sister. She nodded, and Astra released a breath she didn't even realize she was holding.
"Thank you," Astra whispered.
45 Minutes Later at CatCo
James came into the office that he, Winn and Kara used as a control center for her Supergirl activities. "What the hell is she doing here?" He snapped, staring at Astra.
"She's here to help Kara, James," Winn responded. Though he had his doubts, Alex had convinced him that Astra really wanted to help.
"How do we know this isn't some trick? That's she's not here to lead the other Kryptonians to us?" James snapped again.
"We don't James, but she is Kara's family and we need to share Kara's faith that Astra is a better person than what we all see." Alex was getting fed up, she didn't actually need either of these two's permission for this.
Just as she was about to put those thoughts into words, J'onn entered the room. His eyes flashed red as he saw Astra and he instantly readied himself for an attack.
"Enough!" Yelled Alex.
Everyone in the room stopped talking. They all looked at Alex.
"Enough everyone, please. She is here because she wants to help. Kara believes in her, has faith in her, we owe it to Kara to give her a chance." Alex begged the three men, two of whom seemed unwilling to admit that maybe she was right.
"Alex, we can't take the risk of allowing her into headquarters, and what happens if we move Kara?" J'onn asked.
"Do you think you can stop her if she decides to go after Kara?" Alex responded angrily. "Why is it so difficult for you to believe in Kara? Is it because she is an alien, is it because she won't follow your rules?"
"No, that's not it, it's..." J'onn stopped. Maybe Alex was right, maybe in this current situation, they needed to trust Kara's inherent faith in people. "Maybe your right Alex, but she can't just enter DEO headquarters, the troops will feel betrayed. She's responsible for six deaths."
Astra stepped forward, "I surrender myself to you, Martian. Whatever it takes, just decide, we don't have long to save my niece."
J'onn stepped back, just a half step, he hadn't expected it to be so easy, he expected a fight or at least some resistance. "Handcuff her Alex, so we can take her in."
"No, I will not use Kryptonite on her J'onn, I refuse." Alex stood proudly next to Astra. She looked at Astra and smiled tightly.
"I understand his concern, I will endure the pain if it helps Kara," Astra said proudly.
"No!" Alex responded, looking at each person in the room as if daring them to challenge her on this.
"Fine Alex, but she is your responsibility." J'onn snapped. "And take them with you. I have to deal with Cat Grant." He said this while waving at James and Winn and changing his form to match Kara's form.
"Thank you J'onn, we will see you at headquarters." Alex waited for him to leave, then she, Astra, James, and Winn headed downstairs.
1 Hour Later DEO Med Lab
Maxwell Lord had assisted Alex in setting up the machine according to Astra's instructions. She would be connected in a way that would allow her to enter Kara's fantasy without causing a shock to Kara's system. Alex had insisted that she be the one to go, but once Maxwell explained the risk, Astra told Alex that Kara would never forgive herself if something was to happen to Alex. Astra also felt that this would help redeem her in Kara's eyes after the pain she had caused.
With Astra laying on the table next to her niece, Alex watched as Maxwell started the machine, and Astra settled into an REM state much like Kara's. She gripped Kara's hand, willing her sister back to her, then she felt Astra's hands grip her other. She felt Astra slip from one consciousness to another, and then suddenly…
Kara's Fantasy
Astra was running down a long corridor, she knew where she was heading, but Alex didn't understand, it was almost as if she was watching everything in a video game, "Astra slow down", Alex tried to say, but it was as if she wasn't truly there. Then Astra stopped, raising her palm to a doorway in front of her. Alex found that her movement stopped as well. 'I'm not able to interact here at all, my thoughts are just a projection, because somehow, I've acted as a link in their shared consciousness', Alex thought to herself. Then she relaxed and allowed herself to ride along and see what happens next.
The door in front of her opened and Astra stepped inside, hesitating a moment, unsure of whether she would be welcomed or not. Her head turned as she heard Kara's voice.
"Aunt Astra? What a surprise, but you just visited yesterday?", Kara asked.
Astra stood stunned, Kara looked so beautiful in a traditional Kryptonian gown, a smile covering her face, she looked so happy. "Hello Little One, may we talk, in private?"
"Of course, Aunt Astra; mother and father are away, and Kal is not visiting for a bit, we can sit by the windows and talk if you like?" Kara answered.
"That would be perfect," she responded as her niece wrapped her in a hug." This was a good sign, hugs were not traditional on Krypton, which meant that Kara had not given into the fantasy yet, but that did not stop Astra from enjoying the sensation of her niece's touch.
They moved closer to the window and Alex was treated to Kara's vision of Krypton. Had she not been a ghost, her breath would have caught at the view. Everything Kara had described was there, staring her in the face, and it was amazing.
Astra sat, admiring the view for a moment, it had been so long. "Is everything alright Aunt Astra?" Kara asked shyly.
"What—Oh yes Little One, I was just admiring the view." Although at this point, she wasn't sure if it was Krypton or her Little One being so relaxed.
"What is wrong Aunt Astra? You act as if you have not seen Krypton in quite some time." Kara wondered aloud. Although, she had to admit that she had been staring out the window quite a bit the last few days.
"Kara, do you miss your sister?" Astra decided to be direct, they didn't have much time.
"My sister?" Kara looked at her confused, conflicted. "I don't have a sis…" Thoughts swirled in Kara's mind, scenes she didn't understand, a pod, the phantom zone, fighting Astra, reddish-brown hair, brown eyes. "Alex!"
"Kara, you are trapped Little One. This…" Astra explained as she pointed outside, "this isn't real. It is a fantasy. Alexandra is waiting for you, but you have to wake up." She stepped forward to touch Kara's hand, but her niece stepped back.
Astra stopped, and pain filled her eyes. "Stay away, you—you attacked me, you hurt Alex. Why do you care?"
Her head dropped, and she stared at the floor before answering, "I care because of you Kara, I care because you are hurting and I caused part of that, I care because you showed faith in me." The last words came out and Astra lifted her head, tears falling from her eyes.
Kara was stunned, she had never seen Astra cry. She moved forward to hug her Aunt, and as she pulled the older woman towards her, the planet shook. "Aunt Astra?" Kara questioned.
"The Black Mercy, the parasite that has trapped you here, it is trying to hold on, you have to decide to come back, to go back to your family, go back to your sister," Astra said, smiling.
"And you Aunt Astra, are you going to stay?" Kara asked, trying not to get her hopes up.
"You would have me?" Astra asked, "Even after all I have done?"
"Of course, I would, you're family," Kara answered, her smile brightening.
"Take us home to your sister Kara, she is missing you." Astra smiled back.
"Who did this to me, Aunt Astra?" She asked before closing her eyes to stop the fantasy.
"Non" the anger in her voice evident in her tone.
Then Kara closed her eyes.
DEO Headquarters, the Med Lab
And when they opened, she was back in the Med Lab. The Black Mercy slithered off of her chest onto the floor, where Astra shot it with her heat vision, turning it into a blob on the floor. Kara looked up to her friends and family, James, Winn, and J'onn. Then she peeked at the table across from her and smiled at her aunt, but the loudest greeting was left for Alex.
"Alex!" Kara cried out, sitting up and pulling her sister into a bone-crushing hug. Alex swallowed back her tears and she hugged her sister. As she hugged her, Astra went to step to the other side of the room, but Alex stopped her, grasping her hand and holding her in place. Astra smiled at the gesture and shivered just a bit at the feel of Alex's flesh on her own. Kara noticed a slight rise in her sister's temperature and a small smile rose on her Aunt's face. She closed her eyes and absorbed as much love as she could from her sister.
She released her sister and pulled her Aunt closer, "Thank you, Aunt Astra, for saving me." Kara whispered, and felt her aunt pull her closer. Kara smiled as she realized her aunt had come home.
"What do we do about Non?" Alex asked.
"He will come for me, and for Kara," Astra spoke, her head hanging in shame.
"Then we will face him together," Alex spoke proudly.
"As a family," Kara smiled.
After a thorough check-up, Alex asked Kara and Astra to join her in Kara's training room. "We need to practice Kara, you are highly outnumbered, even with Astra and the DEO backing you up."
"I know Alex, I understand your concern, I'm just tired of getting my butt kicked all the time," Kara spoke, frowning.
Astra seemed confused, "How exactly does Alexandra defeat you with your powers?"
"You'll see Aunt Astra," Kara smiled.
As the three women entered Kara's training room, Kara activated the red sun emitters in the wall and felt her powers drain. She was used to the feeling, so she simply shrugged off the strange itchy feeling that came over her as the red sun blocked her cells from absorbing and processing yellow sun energy. Astra, on the other hand, was not prepared at all and collapsed as everything she was used to suddenly changed. Alex was there quicker than Kara and held out her hand. Astra looked up into Alex's face and saw a smile, one that reached all the way to her beautiful brown eyes. She took the outstretched hand and felt that same spark as before, shaking her head, she stood up.
"You fight like this?" Astra asked, looking at Kara.
Kara nodded, a shy smile crossing her face.
"May I watch, this feeling is a bit, unbalancing?" Astra asked.
Alex smiled, watching as her sister got Astra settled into the corner and then moved to the center of the room.
"You ready Kar?" Alex asked, her tone slightly challenging. "Are you okay?"
Kara smiled at her sister's concern, "I'm fine Alex, angry and a little homesick for Krypton, but physically I'm okay."
"Okay, whenever you are ready, I'm here to kick your ass," Alex smiled.
Kara had spent enough time with her sister in this room to know it was a bad idea to rush into this fight. She entered her stance and waited, showing patience that she wasn't sure she could keep up. Alex watched like a proud teacher as her sister waited, normally an angry Kara would have come out swinging, but she had been knocked down enough to know better. She was still fidgety, bouncing on her heels and constantly moving her hands, but Kara was learning well, but…
Alex's attack came out of nowhere, rushing at Kara and almost catching her off guard. At the last second, Kara sidestepped and swept at Alex's legs. Alex was waiting on the move, and easily evaded Kara's sweep by rolling and coming up directly beside her sister, catching her off balance and flipping her onto her back.
"Oof," Kara wheezed out as the air left her lungs. She stared at the lights in the ceiling for a moment, waiting on Alex's next move, which her sister was preparing to deliver.
Alex was prepared to bring her knee down on Kara's chest, when suddenly her sister rolled into her ankles, causing her to fall forward onto her chest and hands.
"Gotcha!" Kara smiled as she reached her feet. Alex flipped up onto her feet, smiling evilly. Kara looked around, she felt like Alex was setting her up so she backed up, right into the wall. 'Oh Damn,' thought Kara.
Alex was in front of her in a moment, holding her against the wall with an armbar. Kara tried to break the move, but finally, she tapped the wall and surrendered.
"What did you do wrong Kara?" Alex asked, not angrily, but more like a teacher asking her star pupil to critique their own work.
"I lost track of my surroundings. I let you get me up against the wall, giving me no option for retreat," Kara answered, hanging her head.
"Kara," Alex lifted her sister's chin, "I'm not angry with you, considering you have been under that damn flower for two days, you did really well, and your roll was perfectly timed. If you were fully powered, this wouldn't have mattered, you would have swept your enemies feet out from underneath them and had them down and controlled."
Kara looked into Alex's eyes, brown on blue, "Thank you Alex. Again?"
"No, I want to see what Astra can do," Alex answered, shaking her head.
"This should be interesting." Kara smiled.
Alex approached Astra and asked if she would like to spar. "I would be honored, Alexandra."
Kara came and sat beside her aunt, "Be careful Aunt Astra, she is sneaky and she is really good."
"Thank you Little One," Astra leaned into Kara, "I will keep that in mind." Astra hauled herself to her feet and moved to the center of the room. Kara sat down, grimacing, the fantasy and the struggle to come out of it, had taken more out of her than she wanted to admit.
Alex and Astra both watched as Kara, in obvious pain, sat down and centered herself. Then she blushed as both of them smiled at her seeing her discomfort.
"She is stubborn," Alex laughed. "That comes from her Aunt?"
"Or her sister?" Astra came back.
Alex started to giggle, then laughed loudly. Astra watched surprised, then started to laugh herself. Alex laughed until she could barely breathe, as she leaned over to catch her breath, Astra attacked. Alex was totally unprepared and found herself rolling along the floor, landing on her stomach, still catching her breath. She rolled out of the way just before Astra's knee landed on her back and came back up on her feet. Kara watched, surprised by Astra's attack, then she noticed Alex's feet shifting on the floor. Astra was too intent on Alex's hands and eyes to see her feet shift, and before she could adjust for the next attack, Alex was airborne, attempting to land a kick at Astra's head. As she anticipated, Astra ducked and Alex flew over her head, landing in a crouch. To Astra's surprise, the attack didn't end, as Alex pivoted and attempted to sweep Astra's feet from underneath her. Astra leaped up, clearing the foot that was coming towards her, but as she landed, Alex struck with her other foot. Astra fell forward into the attack, wrapping her arms around Alex and rolling across the room. They rolled across the floor, landing in a tangled heap in the center of the room. Alex ended up on top, although that was where the advantage ended because she and Astra were lying face to face, their nose and lips, centimeters apart. Alex was breathing hard, her brown eyes wide at their current situation, but Astra, she was lying on her back, her breath caught, her green eyes trapped by the intensity of Alex's stare. It took everything she had not to betray her wedding vows and kiss the beautiful redhead here and now.
Kara's eyes were locked on the situation, but she could hear the heartbeats of both women, calm and steady. Their eyes told a different story, their pupils were dilated and they stared as if they were alone together and unable to fathom anyone else in their world. The blonde Kryptonian cleared her throat, stood slowly and made her way to the door. "I'll leave you two alone, too, hmm," Kara paused, smiling, "finish your workout?" Then she left through the door, giggling like a schoolgirl.
Later that very evening on the rooftop of her apartment, Kara and Astra were catching up. Kara was so happy to have Astra back, she almost missed the alert from the DEO in her ear. Seven Kryptonians were being tracked moving through the sky over National City, headed towards Lord Industries.
"Aunt Astra, Non is making his move, Lord Industries seems to be the target," Kara said.
Astra looked to her niece, showing off her new costume, a red and blue bodysuit, much like Kara's, with a mask that allowed the white streak in her hair to flow through it. The sigil of the House of El prominent over her left breast. "Let us meet this challenge head-on, Little One."
They both leaped into the sky, headed towards the site of the next Kryptonian attack as quickly as possible.
They landed on separate towers at Lord Technologies, both touching down lightly and scanning the area for the Kryptonians. Alex and her team pulled up at almost the same instant, rushing out of the van and bounding up the stairs. Kara was caught completely off guard as four Kryptonian soldiers, including Non landed and attacked. Alex reached the rooftop just as the other two landed to attack Astra. Astra was more than capable of holding her own and Alex almost charged down the stairs when she saw Kara drop as Non and another Kryptonian soldier caught her with twin punches that sounded like a clap of thunder. Astra turned and saw Kara fall as well and backhanded the remaining soldier on the rooftop. He landed directly in front of Alex, who shot him with a kryptonite dart and watched his eyes roll back. Then she ran towards Astra, as she began to rise off the roof, Astra grasped her hand and flew over to the other roof, dropping Alex into a roll away from the direct fighting. Then she landed among the fighters, protecting Kara's unconscious form. Alex took out two of the soldiers with twin shots from her pistols. That left Astra facing just three Kryptonians.
"Non!" Astra growled, "Leave her alone."
Non looked at his wife and waved to one of the soldiers to take care of Alex. "Astra my dear, you are a traitor to our people, you have put family before duty, therefore I offer you and your dear Little One, the honor of a soldier's death."
He was so caught up in his disgust with Astra, he failed to notice his soldier falling to another of Alex's darts. Then he pulled the Kryptonite dagger from the lead sheath on his hip and watched the veins of his wife and her niece instantly turn green as the one substance deadly to their race drained them of their strength. Astra collapsed to her knees because the pain was unbearable.
"You forgot one thing Non!" Alex cried from behind him as she pulled a strange-looking device from her belt and tossed it onto the rooftop into the midst of the Kryptonians.
"Another human toy," Non scoffed as he watched it roll to his feet, but his foot on it to stop its momentum. As his foot touched the device, suddenly there was a huge flash, as the flashbang red-sun grenade detonated, blinding, deafening and temporarily depowering the Kryptonians on the rooftop.
Alex attacked the final guard and took him out quickly with a quick right hook to the chin. Then she spun to face Non, whose vision was clearing, however, he was powerless and couldn't hear a thing. He was also still holding a very nasty looking kryptonite dagger in one hand and a Kryptonian short crystal sword in his other.
Alex stood up straight, and reached onto her back, unsheathing a 2-foot length of folded steel, with a powder coat of glowing green kryptonite, and wrapped her hands around the hilt of the Katana style sword. "This is my family Non, stand down."
"Family. This woman ordered the death of your troops." Non laughed, then stopped, "Actually I suppose not, I ordered their deaths. The traitor you call family had no stomach for any more death."
Alex turned to face Astra and saw the truth in her eyes, and why she had shown shame during the meeting in Kara's apartment. Once again, Kara's faith in people was being rewarded, her Aunt was not a murderer. Then she turned back to face Non. Whatever it was that he saw in her eyes caused the Kryptonian to shudder.
The two warriors began to circle, each measuring the other. Alex's face was unreadable, her face was a mask of calm. Non's rage was barely contained, his plans ruined by Alura's daughter once again. Astra had wanted to save Krypton, Non had wanted to rule it. "Damn the El family!" He yelled as he charged Alex.
His rage-filled attack didn't surprise Alex at all and she easily deflected his first attack with her sword. Alex remained calm, watching his movements, as Non spun and moved his dagger and sword constantly, trying to find a weakness in her defenses. Alex was reading his movements, the sword arm was his strongest, but the sword was heavier than he was used to without his strength. His next attack was led with his knife, expecting the woman to move back. Instead, Alex stepped to her left, leaving her an opening to attack his dominant right hand. She took it, severing Non's right arm below the elbow, watching his arm and the crystal sword bounce to the rooftop.
Non was screaming in rage and pain and in that pain, lost track of his surroundings. He attempted to close in on Alex again but felt an arm wrapped around his leg, stopping his forward momentum. He looked down to see a dazed Supergirl holding his leg, grinning up at him like a Cheshire cat, as her Aunt launched a spinning back fist at his head. Astra's fist connected with Non's jaw and he fell back, his legs tangled in Kara's arms. He landed hard on his back, and the Kryptonite knife bounced across the rooftop, far out of his reach. He lifted his hand to swat Astra or Kara away from him so he could get back on his feet, when he felt the sting of Alex's sword drive through his left shoulder and into the roof of the building, pinning him there. He struggled against the blade and he felt the kryptonite leaching into his system. For good measure, Alex straddled his chest and reared back, punching him in the jaw and knocking him out.
Before Non's head hit the roof, Alex was dragging her Kryptonians clear of the blade, while her troops finally made it onto the rooftop to sweep up the mess the three women had made.
Astra was sitting on the deck of her and Alex's beachfront vacation home, enjoying her second cup of coffee, while Alex slept in a bit. She shook her head to clear her mind of the memories and saw Kara and Lena walking down the beach hand in hand, and then heard the sound of her Alex coming out onto the deck.
Alex bent down to kiss Astra, "Good morning beautiful."
Astra pulled Alex into a deep kiss, and when they finally came up for air, she whispered into Alex's ear, "My hero. I love you, Alexandra."