"Sorry I'm late." Kara said entering her apartment where Alex and Chewie were watching on TV. "How was training?"
"Kinda fun." Alex said looking up at her mother moments before she found herself being hugged.
"Everything else okay?" Kara asked as she released her daughter and took off her coat.
"It's fine."
"Have you eaten?"
"Yes. Alex ordered take out for us. I brought some back and put it in the fridge if you are hungry."
"Thanks. But why are you over here, rather than with your cousins?"
"Alex was entering lecture mode." The teen explained.
"A wise escape then." Kara said sitting next to her daughter.
"Don't worry David walked me back here and made sure it was safe before going back to waiting in the shadows." The teen explained before asking. "Aren't you going eat?"
"Too tired." Kara said as she hugged her daughter.
"Have you eaten?" Alex asked.
"I had lunch." Kara said as her phone rang. Seeing it was coming through on her Supergirl SIM she answered. "Yes … of course … I'll be right there."
As she hung up she looked at her daughter and said.
"I'm sorry, there's been a big accident. Supergirl is needed. Do you want me to take you over to your cousins'.
"No, I'll wait here." Alex said.
"Don't stay up too late." Kara said hugging her before disappearing.
-00-
When Kara flew back into her apartment a couple of hours later she saw her daughter asleep on the couch. Carefully she scooped her up and carried her to her bed before tucking her in. She then silently left the room and went to the lounge where she took out her laptop and started to work on her CatCo report. As time ticked by she found herself getting more and more tired until she fell to sleep.
-00-
"Mom?" Alex called trying to wake her.
"Alex?" Kara asked opening her eyes. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, but you're going to be late."
"Late?" Kara asked looking at the time. "Shoot." She said standing.
"You okay?" Her daughter asked frowning.
"I'm okay." Kara said hugging her. "I just need some food and to be in the sun for a few minutes." She then pulled away and looked at her daughter and added. "I'm sorry I've not been around much."
"It's okay. I just don't want you working so hard you go back to how you were on Trini."
"Trini was a very bad planet, the Earth isn't." Kara reminded her.
"That doesn't mean that you can't work too hard here."
"I won't." Kara assured her. "I'm going to get ready. I'll be back in a minute."
"I'll make breakfast." The teen offered.
When Kara remerged she saw a feast laid out and asked. "Are Kara and MJ coming for breakfast?"
"No. Why?"
"You have made a lot."
"I found your dinner in the fridge so I thought you'd be hungry." The teen explained.
"I am." Kara agreed. "But you didn't have to make all this."
"I thought if I didn't you would just buy lots of doughnuts."
"I like doughnuts." Kara said as she started eating.
"They aren't good for you." The teen said.
"I need the calories." Kara shrugged as she kept eating.
"Are you going to be home tonight?" Alex asked.
"I hope so." Kara said looking over to her daughter and adding. "I'll try."
"Okay." Alex said not believing that her mother would be home early. She then hugged her and said. "I've got to got to school."
"Love you." Kara said.
-00-
"Did you get any sleep?" Alex asked entering her sister's apartment a few minutes later.
"A little."
"I thought you were cutting down on standard Supergirl stuff?"
"I was, but when they called it sounded bad."
"Don't push yourself too hard." Alex warned.
"I won't." Kara promised. "So what's on the cards today?"
"Hope that McGuire and Rogers slip up. The President doesn't want either of them arrested. He is hoping they can lead us to whoever they are working for."
"So we are just waiting?" Kara asked.
"At least that gives you time to focus on your CatCo work." Alex said.
"Yeah, maybe I'll make it home tonight."
"Don't jinx it." Alex warned.
-00-
"Did someone call you in?" Alex asked confused when Supergirl entered her office at lunch.
"No. But I thought you'd need a break and food." Kara said passing Alex a bag.
"Thanks." Alex smiled.
"I assume neither of the moles have done anything?" Kara asked.
"No. It has been really quiet. Not even Mongul has complained yet."
"I may have found something." Kara said.
"What?"
"I took what James gave us and tried to find links between the riders he highlighted and specific politicians or regions-"
"I thought you were doing CatCo work today?" Alex asked.
"I had some time between meetings." Kara said.
"So did you find anything?" Alex asked.
"On James's theory? No. Nothing. However, I searched a bit wider and looked more generally. Did you know that Joiner has contributed the legal limit to several politicians? And if we take Senator Greenwood as an example, Sloane Syndicate also built a university in Greenwood's hometown and offers all places free of charge if the students come from poor backgrounds. Then Senator Nelson, his home city now has a brand new factory, employing over ten thousand people. The owner of that factory, Sloane Syndicate."
"That doesn't prove they are actively being bribed. In fact it makes Sloane Syndicate look pretty good." Alex warned. "But it is a start." She added as the room shook. "What was that?" She asked standing.
-00-
As the teenage Kara sat by herself in a secluded part of the school grounds a shadow fell across her. Looking up she asked. "Shouldn't you be in practice?"
"Practice is banned this week because of the fight." MJ said sitting next to her on one side as Alex sat on her other side. "So why are you out here?" MJ asked.
"I just wanted some fresh air." Kara said.
"So you're hiding?" MJ asked.
"I'm out in the open." Kara countered.
"You know what I mean." He said stealing one of his sister's sandwiches.
"You guys don't have to sit out here with me." Kara said just as the ground rumbled and they heard a huge explosion. Jumping to their feet they turned and saw a huge flame in the distance.
"We should get back to the main building." Kara said leading the others away from their lunch area. As they moved the ground shook again and they heard another explosion, from much closer. They stopped momentarily looking at the plumes of smoke before Kara reiterated. "We should get to the main building."
"Wait. Did you here that?" MJ asked causing all three teens to listen.
"Someone is shouting for help." Kara said.
"Sound like it is coming from the old gym." MJ added before taking off in that direction.
"MJ wait." Kara called before she and Alex chased after him. As they approached the shouting MJ stopped and saw Holtz and Chris were trapped by some debris, although not hurt.
"Can you move that from here?" Kara asked her cousin, pointing to the debris trapping Holtz and Chris.
"Do I have to?" The teenage Alex asked. "I mean they deserve it and it's not like they are in danger."
"What would your mom do?" The teenage Kara asked.
"Fine." Alex said reluctantly before focusing on the debris and using her powers to move it as her cousins kept look out. Once it had been moved the trio watched as Chris and Holtz ran from the area. The three teens were about to follow suit when they heard another cry for help.
"Is that Martin?" Alex asked.
"I can't see anyone." MJ said. "We'll have to get closer." He said as the trio set off for the old building. When they reached it another brick fell landing at their feet.
"That does not look safe." Kara pointed out.
"I'll deflect it." Alex said as they entered the building and saw Martin tied to an old radiator. Hurrying over to him Kara and MJ released him, while Alex used her powers to deflect falling debris, hoping Martin didn't notice. Once freed the trio helped Martin out of the building. When they were clear Kara asked.
"What happened?"
"They were upset with me for helping you guys the other day." He said briefly glancing at MJ and Alex.
"And they just left you there?" Alex asked clearly angry.
"We can deal with this later." Kara said. "We need to get to the main building."
-00-
"It looks like it was just an accident." Vasquez said before Alex had asked anything. "Preliminary reports suggests one of the old gas mains was damaged during the Earthquake."
"That was weeks ago." Alex pointed out.
"Yes, but they think it was just a small crack, not bad enough to be noticeable. But with the rail line running over it, the vibrations caused the crack to grow, until it started to leak. Then as the train went over the spark from the wheels on the line ignited it. The initial explosion caused so many vibrations several other pipes were then damaged and there were a whole host of explosions until the line could be cut off."
"Could it have been deliberate?" Alex asked.
"Possible, but unlikely. But based on the McGuire incident the FBI have been told to rule nothing out." Harris said.
"How do you know that?"
"We may have intercepted the order." Harris explained.
"How are our facilities?" Alex asked.
"No issues. All are still secure." Rose said.
"One of the explosions was pretty close to your kids' school." Vasquez said. "But Pedersen and Jones reported that all three were fine."
"I know thanks. Kara sent me a message." Alex said before asking. "Where is Supergirl?"
"Still at the site of the initial explosion. The train that caused the explosion was virtually incinerated, there was a huge amount of damage."
"What is the casualty count?"
"From the train, One hundred and ninety three in hospital and sixty nine confirmed dead. But they think there are at least twenty unaccounted for."
"Ask Supergirl to report back here when she is done." Alex said knowing that many causalities would hit her sister hard.
-00-
"Vasquez said you needed me here." A charcoaled covered Supergirl said from Alex's office door an hour later.
"Come in and shut the door." Alex said standing.
"I need to get home. I told Alex I'd try to be home early tonight." Supergirl said, although she did enter the office.
"You will be." Her sister said. "But we need to talk first. You need to talk."
"About?" Supergirl asked.
"What happened." Alex said. "I saw the news."
"I was too late." Supergirl said. "So many people died. There was nothing I could do."
"I know." Alex said hugging her. "But no matter how many people died, plenty more lived because of you."
"There were children." Supergirl said as a tear ran down her sooty face, leaving a winding white line. "They died because I wasn't fast enough."
"Nothing could have saved them."
"I know you are trying to make me feel better, but nothing is going to bring them back." Kara said pulling away. "I'll be okay. But I need to go home."
"Okay, but you aren't going alone." Alex said. "The kids are at mine. Let's go to your place. You can shower and change and then have family dinner."
-00-
"Feeling better?" Alex asked when Kara stepped out of her bedroom forty minutes later, free from soot and grime.
"Sure." Kara said, her words sounding hollow.
"I know it doesn't feel like it, but you did a great job today. You saved over two hundred people." Alex said. "If it weren't for you they would have died too."
"I don't feel like I did a good job. Every time I close my eyes I see the bodies, I can still smell burning flesh." Kara said her eyes welling up with tears again.
"I know." Alex said hugging her, not sure how to help her. "Do you want to stay here and talk about it?"
"No. I promised Alex I'd be back early and I've already broken that promise."
"No you haven't." Her sister said. "It is still kind of early. Besides Alex knows what you did today, she'll understand if you need some time."
"She's a kid, she shouldn't have to understand." Kara said. "Let's just go over to your place."
"Okay." Alex replied. "But whenever you want to talk, no matter the time, promise me that you will call me."
"I promise." Kara said before following her sister across the street.
As they entered Alex's house, Alex had barely called out their arrival when the teenage Alex appeared and hugged her mother before talking to her in a language the adult Alex didn't recognise. Wanting to give them some space Alex walked into the lounge where her kids were watching TV. Seeing it was showing the news, in particular clips of Supergirl carrying bodies from the burning train she said.
"Turn that off."
Knowing not to argue MJ followed the instructions.
"You two okay?" Alex asked moving over to the couch and kissing each of them on the head.
"We're fine. We weren't anywhere near the old gym when bits started to fall off." The teenage Kara said.
"But we were close enough so Alex could free Holtz and Chris. From a distance obviously. Don't worry no one saw." MJ added enthusiastically.
"Why didn't you call me?" The adult Kara asked entering the lounge with her daughter.
"It wasn't serious and we had it handled. We thought you'd have your hands full." The teenage Kara said. "We weren't in any danger." She said deciding not to mention the rescue of Martin.
-00-
As the group ate dinner the adult Alex kept looking at her sister, knowing something was wrong, but not wanting to say anything in front of the kids. So instead she watched her sister as the teenage girls sensed something was wrong and watched the two adults. All the while MJ happily kept eating oblivious to what was happening.
As soon as they finished the teenage Alex, knowing her aunt wanted to talk to her mother, asked. "Seeing it is still early can we play games for a bit?"
"Sure." The adult Alex said before Kara could say anything. "Go. We'll clear up." She added, causing all three teens to scarper. Once they were gone Alex looked to her sister and said. "Why don't you go to the lounge, I'll be through in a minute."
Silently the adult Kara obeyed and went to the lounge where she sat on the couch and hugged her knees, trying not to think about the train wreck. She was pulled from her thoughts by Alex waving a tub of ice cream under her nose.
"I don't think ice cream will help."
"Maybe. But you once told me ice cream can never hurt." Alex said as Kara took the tub. As Kara started to eat it Alex sat next to her.
"What if they had been?" Kara eventually asked.
"What?" Alex asked lost.
"The kids. What if they had been hurt? What if they had needed help? The more I become Supergirl the harder it is to be a mother. What if I make the wrong choice one day?"
"When it comes to Alex I am sure you will never make the wrong choice." Her sister said. "Kara, Supergirl is an illusion. She is what people want. But the person behind Supergirl is you. All that matters right now is what you need."
"I'll be okay." Kara said.
"Of course you will, I am not letting you be anything other than okay. But to get to okay what do you need?" Alex asked.
"A hug?" Kara asked causing Alex to wrap her arms round her and hold her tightly.