A/N: Thanks for the comments.

Jennifer Baratta - Thanks


"Are you avoiding us?" Kara asked walking into J'onn's office, Alex at her side.

"Should I be?"

"You did pretend to be us and attended a therapy session as us, so probably." Kara said.

"I would have thought you'd have been grateful to get out of a session." J'onn said.

"True. But we aren't big fans of deception." Alex said.

"Do you think Kara could have kept it secret?" J'onn asked.

"No. But you could have told me." Alex said.

"So you'd be happy keeping secrets from me too?" Kara asked looking hurt.

"Only temporarily and to keep from adding to your stress." Alex smoothly replied before turning her attention back to J'onn.

"So what did you learn when you and Garfield pretended to be us?"

"Garfield and you share some common personality traits." J'onn mused. "His behaviour in the session really was a perfect match for how I thought you'd behave."

"Is that you defending Landon for not noticing a couple of imposters were in the session?" Alex asked.

"No. But it would explain it." J'onn pointed out.

"Maybe, but you are dodging the question." Alex said.

"I am not ready to reveal my findings." J'onn countered.

"Because you need to go to more sessions?" Alex asked.

"I don't think that will happen."

"I think you have to. Especially if you don't want anyone to find out what you did." Alex pressed.

"Are you blackmailing me?" J'onn asked.

"No. I am offering a way for you to not get into trouble."

"I'm not sure if I should be proud, ashamed, or disappointed." J'onn said.

"You could discuss it with Eliza, she often felt like that." Kara said earning a glare from Alex.

"If you really want to learn what goes on in the sessions and why we are sure he is up to something, the best way is to attend those sessions. But you have to go more than once." Alex pointed out.

"Be that as it may, I don't think Garfield will agree." J'onn said.

"Then we split up the sessions. Landon has been threatening separate sessions for ages." Alex suggested.

"Or we keep it as pairs and we alternate which one of you comes. Then I can see what really goes on."

"You want Kara to attend a session with you pretending to be me?" Alex asked. "You have met her right? She is going to give it away in less than two minutes."

"I'm not that bad." Kara protested. Ignoring her J'onn frowned before saying.

"You maybe right. So we'll start with me pretending to be Kara. Something tells me being in a session with you will be more informative." J'onn said. "But we can discuss this later we have a briefing to get to."

-00-

As they approached the table in the briefing room Kara saw a pencil, covered in glitter, on the floor. Picking it up she commented. "Cute pencil." Before putting it down in front of Jones just as she heard.

"Thank you."

Kara then sat down next to Jones as Alex sat opposite and J'onn at the front.

After several minutes of J'onn briefing the team he became aware that attention levels were dropping and raised his voice slightly before saying.

"Moving on to prisoner 4326."

"That's a mean prisoner." Someone commented.

"They are due for transfer to the desert facility." J'onn went on ignoring the comment.

"Why they were brought here I have no idea. Some might say it was reckless." The voice commented causing Kara to look round, wondering who was speaking.

"I'm sorry, am I boring you." J'onn asked Kara, noticing she was distracted. When Kara didn't acknowledge his comment he said more forcefully. "Kara."

"Um, yes?"

"Am I boring you?" J'onn asked.

"No."

"Then perhaps you'll pay attention."

"What about the others?" Kara asked, unsure why she was being picked on.

"You are the only one not paying attention." J'onn said.

"Sorry." Kara said.

"As I was saying Prisoner 4326 will be transferred today at eleven hundred hours. Teams Alpha and Bravo are on escort duty." When he got acknowledgements from the two team leads he went on.

"Moving onto the latest Meta that is causing problems. Despite regular leads they are able to use their powers to avoid capture. Technically this falls outside of our jurisdiction, but seeing he can effect Supergirl, containment is in all our interests. So Winn, please can you tell us what you know."

"Right, yes." Winn said changing what the screen was showing. As some plots came up Kara heard someone say.

"Man, this is going to be a long briefing."

Looking round she couldn't see who had spoken so went back to trying to focus on Winn who displayed a map.

"Can't he just get to the punch line." The voice commented. Once again Kara looked round causing Alex to nudge her to get her to focus.

"What's wrong with you?" Alex whispered.

"Me? I'm not the one giving a snarky commentary."

"Winn isn't being snarky." Alex said confused.

"I didn't mean Winn." Kara said before noticing J'onn glaring at her causing her to fall silent as Winn kept talking. As he brought up some schematics the voice said.

"Seriously, wouldn't it be better if we were out there catching this scum bag rather than listening to this?"

"It's not that bad." Kara hissed, feeling like she should defend her friend.

"Do I need to remind you what this Meta did to you?" J'onn asked annoyed.

"What?" Kara asked noticing he was looking at her.

"Personally I would say what he did was pretty bad. What if he learns to control his powers properly and manages to control you?"

"I didn't mean that he wasn't bad." Kara said.

"Good. Please proceed Mr Schott." J'onn instructed.

"Right, so as I was saying, in order to contain them." Winn started as the voice said.

"You're a good friend, but I know you'd prefer to be somewhere else." This time Kara was convinced that the sound came from the table. In particular from the pencil. Not knowing what to do she started to count in her head.

"Kara?" Alex asked after several minutes concerned that her sister was blanking out.

"Sorry?" Kara asked.

"You okay?" Alex asked.

"Yes."

"Then perhaps you'll pay attention." J'onn suggested.

"Sorry." Kara said staring suspiciously at the pencil before looking away again and going back to counting.

When Winn finally finished J'onn said.

"Those who were paying attention know what you need to do." With that he left, followed by the others.

"What's up with you?" Alex asked Kara.

"Sorry, I just didn't sleep that well last night. I have to get to CatCo, I'll see you later." Kara said disappearing.

-00-

Instead of going to CatCo Kara returned to her apartment and went straight to Simon's drawer. Taking him out she asked. "Hello. Can you still talk?"

When she was met by silence she said. "I guess that's good." Kara said putting the sock on her hand. "But I do kind of miss you talking back."

"I thought it freaked you out" Simon said.

"Only as I wasn't expecting it." Kara said. "Wait. You can talk? But I thought you stopped? Why didn't you answer earlier?"

"You seemed more comfortable with me not speaking." Simon said. "Which is crazy, but what ever works for you."

"So that pencil really was talking to me?" Kara asked.

"What pencil?"

"The one in the briefing. Have I finally cracked? I mean I thought Landon fixed me."

"You trust Landon now?" Simon asked.

"No. But it seemed to work. I mean nothing was talking to me. Was that all an act?"

"You didn't try to talk to me last night." Simon pointed out.

"Would you have talked if I had?"

"I don't know." Simon said after a moment's thought.

"Do you think the scarf still talks?" Kara asked as her door opened and Lena walked in.

"I should have known that you had stood me up for a guy." Lena said dryly when she saw Kara holding Simon.

"Shoot were we meant to meet?" Kara asked.

"Yes, for a midmorning snack, so I was more than a little surprised when you didn't show."

"I'm sorry, I had to test something."

"Is Simon still talking to you?" Lena asked.

"Yes." Kara confessed.

"Just Simon?"

"No. I think a pencil at the DEO was as well."

"A pencil? So we are moving away from clothes." Lena commented as Alex walked in.

"What's up with you?" Alex asked before seeing Lena and Simon.

"Is he talking again?" Alex asked pointing at Simon.

"Yes."

"That son of a bitch." Alex said. "He didn't help you at all."

"He being Landon?" Lena guessed.

"Who else?" Alex asked.

"Seeing Simon is talking why aren't you asking him for information on Landon?" Lena suggested.

"He couldn't tell us anything." Alex said.

"Because he is loyal to Landon?" Lena asked.

"No." Kara said sounding offended as Simon said.

"As if."

"No." Alex then said. "Because he is a projection of Kara's thoughts and knowledge."

"She does have a point." Simon agreed.

"Simon agrees with you." Kara said.

"Of course he does. He's basically you in sock form." Alex said.

"Then how do you explain the scarf? I mean she was really sassy." Kara argued.

"Perhaps subconsciously you associate that scarf with Cat Grant." Alex suggested.

"Maybe you're right. So…. I can have my own mini Cat back." Kara smiled. "I wonder what other personalities are hidden in my clothes."

"You may have just opened up a whole can of worms." Lena said.

"Is this why you were so spaced out at the DEO?" Alex asked.

"The pencil may have been talking to me." Kara confessed.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Alex demanded.

"I wasn't sure. I came back here to check." Kara explained.

"I am working on a device to block Hypno's powers. When I am-" Alex started only for Kara to interrupt.

"Who is Hypno?"

"The meta who has made you talk to clothes. Wow, you really weren't paying any attention in the briefing were you?"

"It was hard to hear over the pencil." Kara said.

"The point is I am working on a counter. When I'm done we'll use it on you." Alex said.

"Do you think the device will stop me hearing voices?" Kara asked.

"Probably." Alex said before picking up Kara's crinkle and asking. "Is the crinkle because you doubt it'll work or because you want Simon to talk to you?"

"No. Yes. Maybe. I don't know. I mean I know you'll fix me but, Simon is Simon."

"You do know it is effectively just talking to yourself right?" Alex asked.

"Yes." Kara said sounding uncertain.

"Whatever has happened needs to be corrected." Alex said. "I'll be back soon. In the mean time stop talking to inanimate objects." She then turned to Lena and asked. "Can you keep an eye on her?"

"Of course." Lena said looking forward to the entertainment.

-00-

"Alex?" J'onn asked seeing her storm in the lab. "What's happened."

"He is either behind it or useless or deliberately didn't fix it." Alex said as she started tweaking the device.

"Who?" J'onn asked.

"Landon. Kara is still hearing voices. That's why she was acting weird this morning."

"He did say it was complicated and might not work."

"Highlighting incompetence does not justify incompetence." Alex said. "And using it to mask a deliberate act of sabotage, won't stop me getting to the truth."

"Perhaps you should focus on Kara's lack of sanity first." J'onn suggested.

"You're right. Right now it is only you and I who knows Kara isn't fixed, well and Lena. Let's keep it that way."

"I agree. A crazy Kryptonian is the last thing the city needs to hear about."

"I meant we need to make sure Landon doesn't find out. That way we can monitor him and see if he tries anything. We can use his plan to trap him. This might work out well after all."

-00-

"What's happened?" Alex asked running into Kara's apartment a few hours later having received an SOS text.

"You have to fix me. Now." Kara pleaded.

"I will, but what's the rush?" Alex asked.

"The food talked." Lena said trying to look serious.

"What do you mean the food talked?" Alex asked.

"I was about to eat a slice of pizza and it begged me not to." Kara explained. "Maybe this is all part of Landon's plan to give me an eating disorder." Kara said just as Maggie walked into the apartment. Hearing Kara's words she turned and walked straight out again.

"Is it only pizza or all food?" Alex asked.

"I'm not going to risk any other food." Kara replied.

"Okay, well hopefully this will work." Alex said placing a device on Kara's forehead.

"Wait." Lena said.

"What?" Alex asked.

"Shouldn't she be given the chance to say goodbye to Simon?"

For a moment Alex glared at Lena before activating the device. After a minute of silence the small LED on the device turned off and Alex said.

"All done."

"That was a little anti-climatic." Lena pointed out.

"This is designed to be functional, not sell to the masses." Alex shrugged before looking at Kara and asking. "Well?"

"Well what?" Kara asked.

"Is anything talking to you?"

"No."

"Do you want to try talking to something?" Alex pressed.

"I could get the pizza from the kitchen." Lena offered.

"No. I don't want to see pizza again." Kara said looking round the apartment.

"Try this." Alex said taking the pencil that had talked to Kara at the DEO out.

"Based on our interaction earlier I don't think it'd talk back." Kara said.

"What about Simon?" Lena asked.

"If he thinks I don't want him to talk, he won't."

"Okay, well we'll move onto al the other friends you made today." Lena said.

"I thought I told you to stop her striking up conversation?" Alex asked.

"She is literally the most powerful being on the planet. How did you want me to stop her?" Lena asked. "Especially after the food started talking."

"Can you two not look at me?" Kara asked noticing Alex and Lena were staring at her. "You are making this weird."

"I think that ship sailed a long time ago." Lena said.

"I'm serious." Kara said.

"So was Lena. But we'll wait over in the kitchen and not watch." Alex said.

As the two waited in the kitchen Kara walked round the apartment trying to strike up conversation with clothes, furniture and electronics. She was in the middle of introducing herself to a cable when Maggie returned.

"What is she doing?" Maggie asked.

"Talking to cable." Lena said as if it were the most natural thing in the world. When Maggie said nothing Lena asked. "Would you like to know why?"

"No. No I wouldn't." Maggie said as Kara finally noticed she was there.

"Maggie! I'm so glad you're here." Kara greeted.

"You are?" Maggie asked suspiciously.

"Yes." Kara replied. "I need a favour."

"What?" Maggie asked suspiciously.

"You know how I bought loads of that weird stuff that you like and keep it in my freezer incase you are ever here and want a snack?"

"What?" Maggie asked confused.

"She's talking about vegan ice cream and frozen vegetables." Alex explained. Alex then looked at Kara and confessed. "I may have forgotten to tell her."

"Oh." Kara said before turning her focus back to Maggie. "The thing is I want to eat it. Are you okay with that?"

"You want to eat vegan ice cream and vegetables?" Maggie asked.

"Yes."

"You don't actually have to ask my permission to eat healthy food. No matter what Alex taught you growing up. You can eat healthy food whenever you want." Maggie said.

"Good." Kara said opening the freezer. As she pulled out the vegan ice cream she pulled a face and said. "Roa, I hate this stuff."

"Then why are you eating it?" Maggie asked.

"Because I am starving and if it talks back I have not lost anything." Kara said.

"Would you like me to fill you in now?" Lena asked Maggie.

"That's still a no." Maggie said. "You know what? I'm going to the bar." She then looked at Alex and asked. "Are you joining me?"

Torn Alex looked at Kara who said. "Go. Nothing has talked back."

"Okay. But call if anything changes." Alex said following Maggie outside of the apartment.

"It's strange." Lena said.

"Me eating vegan ice cream?" Kara asked. "Tell me about it."

"No I mean Maggie. For a detective you'd have thought she'd be more curious."

TBC...


A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing.