This story takes place right before Alex goes to university, so their ages are Alex, 18, and Kara, 16. I hope you enjoy!

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Stories I'm already working on:

Kara almost dies (3x09)

Kalex from different points of view

Kara has flashbacks

Alex's new suit

.Kara saves Alex (5x16)

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It was official, Alex was a high school graduate. She would be leaving her home tomorrow to go to National City University, leaving her adoptive sister and mother back in Midvale. It was nerve-racking, yes; Alex was still young and inexperienced. But she was ready to move on from this place, there being too many bad memories here. There was someone though, who wasn't ready for her to go yet, and believe it or not, it wasn't Eliza.

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"You're going to do so great, sweetie, I believe in you. But I'm going to miss you," Eliza told her oldest daughter earnestly, giving her a tight hug.

Alex hugged her mom back, but with some resistance. "Aw, come on, mom, I'm leaving tomorrow, not now. Besides, I'll come and visit you sometime."

"I know, but it doesn't make it any easier knowing that I'm old enough to have a daughter in college," Eliza answered with a small laugh before she let her go.

Alex smiled a little, then looked up at the stairwell. Kara had been up there for a long time.

"You should go check on her." Alex made eye contact and Eliza smiled sadly. "She feels like she's losing her family again. Go and make sure she's going to be okay."

Alex's heart tightened. She knew she couldn't just stay home for Kara's sake, but it also pained her to leave. "She's a fighter, but yeah, I'll go talk to her."

Eliza nodded with pride and lightly kissed Alex's cheek. "Definitely a fighter but so are you."

Alex nodded once before she made her way up the stairs. She had been described as a fighter several times in the last few years. She wished she didn't have to be a fighter all the time. Alex knocked lightly on the door to their shared room. "Kara? Are you alright? Can I come in?" The only answer she got was a sniffle, which made the tightness in her chest worsen. "I'm coming in," she warned a few seconds before she opened the door, finding the young Kryptonian on her bed with her legs pulled up to her chin.

Kara looked up at her with watery eyes, her jaw clenched tight to prevent any more tears from falling.

"Hey," Alex called out gently and she shut the door behind her, "why are you in here by yourself?"

"I'm practicing being alone," Kara replied, not meaning what she said but that didn't mean it hurt Alex any less.

"Mom's worried about you."

Kara wiped her nose on her sleeve and looked away, unable to look at the person who was about to leave her. "Just Eliza?"

Alex breathed out before she went and sat next to her sister. "Okay, maybe I am too. Are you going to be okay?"

"I don't know, Al'..."

Well, at least she was honest. "Kar, I may be physically leaving, but you know I'll never leave you. It's you and me, kid."

Kara glanced up at her big sister and saw the genuineness in her eyes. She wanted to believe her. "Will you visit?"

Alex nodded and smiled softly. "I'll try my best to visit as much as I can. I might get totally swamped with homework though, so please don't be upset if I can't visit as much as you'd prefer."

"I'm going to miss you, Alex... You're one of my only friends..."

"Aw, come on, Kar." Alex leaned in and touched her nose to the side of her sister's head. "Please don't let me leaving prevent you from making new friends. More people need to have your light in their lives."

Kara instinctively reached for her hand and accidentally let out a small whimper. "P-people don't always like me... I'm too different... I am different..."

Alex rubbed her thumb over Kara's knuckles. "Hey, different isn't always a bad thing. You're going to find someone who'll really like you, you'll see."

Kara suddenly wrapped her arms around Alex's neck and pulled her into an embrace, one she was not intending on breaking it anytime soon. "But even you didn't want me at first..."

"Kar..." Alex sucked in a shaky breath and nuzzled into her hair. "I'm sorry... I didn't know what I had in you... but I do now, and I'm not going to let that go."

"I'm sorry..." Kara sniffled and tucked her head against Alex's shoulder. "I'm not trying to stop you from going, you should go, but I just feel like I did after I found out about Krypton..."

It looks like Eliza was right, this was reminding Kara of the past. "Listen, I won't be light-years away, I'll just be in National City. I am not going to abandon you. Ever. I'm always going to protect you, even from another city. Don't worry, everything's going to be okay. Besides, I need you to take care of mom for me." Alex smiled a little and hugged her a bit tighter. "I don't know how she'll function without my help with the chores."

Kara giggled softly. "Yeah, I'll take care of her, she's always been good to me."

Alex suddenly got an idea on how to make this last night a little easier for them. "Hey, let's pretend for a second that we're kids again. Hold on." Alex let her go with a swift kiss to her temple and got up. "Change into your pajamas, I'll do the same, then we'll meet back here, okay?"

Kara nodded slowly. "Okaay, why?"

"Just trust me. It'll be okay, just a little something to get through the night, alright?" And with that, both girls got changed and Alex came back into the room. "Okay, get into your bed. And leave room for me."

Kara grinned and slid her glasses off. "I thought you said we were too old for cuddling?"

Alex smiled back. "I thought we were, but maybe I was wrong. Now come on."

Kara rolled her eyes and climbed into her bed, leaving room for Alex as she had asked.

Alex wasted no time and snuggled up behind her, draping the blanket over them both. "I'll be here when we wake up, I promise."

Kara relaxed back against her when Alex wrapped her arms around her middle. "Okay..."

Alex kissed her shoulder and closed her eyes. "You're going to be alright."

Kara lightly squeezed Alex's arm. "So are you."

And that position was almost exactly how Eliza found them in the morning. Tears stung her eyes as she looked at her daughters who were now young women. Sure, Kara still had a couple more years of high school left, but any day now she was going to surpass Alex in height. She was proud of them both and how far they had come since Kara had come to earth.

Alex suddenly made a noise and nuzzled into the nape of Kara's neck, sighed her happiness even in her sleep.

A tear finally escaped and it's way down Eliza's cheek. They had grown so much. They would go on to do great things together, she just knew it.