When the world returns to Kara, and Kara to the world, the first thing she becomes aware of is organ music. Initially it sounds far off, but soon the music gets louder and louder until it is almost unbearable and seems to split her head in half. Kara recognizes the piece. It's fast and dramatic. Is it Bach? Kara has never been good at identifying the classical composers.

As the music continues to fill the cathedral, reverberating off the walls, Kara opens her eyes. She tries to make out the pipe organ above the entrance in the candlelit cathedral. Below the pipes, in the middle of the instrument, Kara spots a tiny bold head bobbing up and down.

So great is her agony and so complete her exhaustion that for a moment Kara longs for the oblivion she just came back from. But she knows she must stay awake. She cannot give up.

She forces herself to take deep breaths and keep her eyes open. Kara glances over to Lena. Lena is still in her old spot, blood on her face. Kara is startled to discover Lena's eyes firmly on her. When their eyes meet, Lena mouths something. The music is too loud; Kara can't hear what she's trying to say. Kara focuses intently on Lena's face, ready to read her lips if and when she attempts to speak next.

All of a sudden Lena's head falls against the side of the pew. Her body slumps and is then completely still. Kara focuses on Lena's chest. She can't see it move. Is she too far away? Or has Lena stopped breathing? Kara panics. She screams. "Lena!"

At once the music stops. Kara hears a rustling sound far off in the distance. From the darkness a figure emerges. He makes his way down the nave in a hurry. The echo of his footsteps bounces off the walls. When Lex reaches Lena, he stops right in front of her, blocking Kara's view. Then he bends down and moves two fingers between Lena's tied hands. Kara knows he's looking for a pulse, which must mean he doesn't see her breathe either. A feeling of dread comes over her.

Then suddenly there's a flurry of activity. Kara sees Lena smack her forehead against the side of Lex's head. Hitting him right in the temple, Lex collapses onto the floor. He remains there, lying completely still. Lena pokes his ribs with her feet. When there's no response, she glides off the bench onto the floor right next to her brother.

She pulls off her shoes and starts to untie the rope around her feet. Kara can tell she's having a hard time of it. After struggling ferociously for a few minutes, Lena lets go of the rope with a subdued scream. She's panting. She lets her head hang for a moment. Then she turns around to look at Kara. As soon as she spots Kara, she returns her attention to the rope and starts pulling at it again while violently wiggling her feet.

Just as Kara starts to think it's not going to happen, she sees Lena get up. Lena picks up the rope and kneels down beside her brother. She tries to tie his hands but with her own still bound, Kara can tell she's finding it difficult. With Lex still out cold, Lena drops the rope and rushes over to Kara.

She makes her way onto the platform of the sanctuary in her bare feet. As she looks up at Kara, at the holes in her hands and the crown on her head, a wave of nausea seems to come over her and tears appear in her eyes. She quickly raises her hands and opens the clasps of the manacles around Kara's feet.

Kara at once realizes that the fetters around her feet were helping support her body. With that support now gone, the manacles around her wrists cut into her flesh even more deeply. Kara grunts.

Seeing the pain on Kara's face, Lena frantically looks around for something to stand on so she can help Kara off the cross. There's nothing. Everything is either stuck to the floor or much too heavy to move.

Spotting the kryptonite spear on the sanctuary floor, Lena quickly picks it up. Holding it near the blade, she uses the other end to slowly lift the crown off Kara's head. When the crown falls onto the marble floor, Lena picks it up and flings it through the choir and half way down the nave. At once the worst of Kara's headache and nausea are gone.

Lena lifts up the end of the spear again and tries to use it to open the manacles around Kara's wrists. It doesn't work; the end of the shaft is too thick. Lena casts a quick glance at the kryptonite head. Kara can tell she's contemplating using it to pry open the clasps. Apparently deeming it too dangerous, Lena puts the spear back down. She walks up to Kara and gently puts her hands on one of Kara's legs.

"Kara?", she says softly.

Kara looks down.

"I can't get you off the cross like this. I can get help. Or," Lena adds tentatively, "I could try to pull the cross down."

When Kara remains silent, Lena adds, "Please tell me what you want me to do."

Kara tries to speak but realizes she's not producing any sound. She tries harder. "Pull it down," she whispers.

Lena nods. "Okay."

Lena rushes back to Lex and grabs the rope. She gets back onto the platform and moves behind Kara.

Kara closes her eyes. She feels air being displaced above her head. Then there's a thud as the rope hits the cross just above the cross bar. Kara hears Lena curse. On Lena's next try, the rope hits Kara's upper arm before it falls down again. "Sorry," she hears Lena says. On the third try, Lena manages to fling the rope around the top of the cross.

Kara sees the two ends of the rope dangle just behind her on either side of her body.

Lena appears in front of her again. She looks at Kara apprehensively. "Ready?", she asks.

Kara swallows and nods.

As Lena moves behind her again, Kara prepares herself for the impact of the fall and the pain she is certain will follow.

For some time, nothing happens. When the fall finally does come, it seems to Kara to last forever. Everything seems to happen in slow motion. At a snail's pace the aisle in front of her starts to disappear. Just as slowly the ceiling comes into view. Kara feels like she's floating. Still the crash inevitably comes.

When Kara comes to someone is stroking her hair. Kara slowly opens her eyes and the stroking stops. Lena is crouched down besides her, tears in her eyes. As soon as they make eye contact, Lena lets out a deep sigh and bends her forehead onto Kara's chest.

When Lena raises her head again, she quickly wipes away a tear. She looks at Kara tenderly and asks, "Are you okay?"

Kara takes stock of her body. Her hands are no longer spread out but seem to be parallel to her body. Her back is flat on the floor. Lena must've freed her wrists and taken her off the cross. Kara feels depleted and sore. Her hands and side still ache badly. Kara wonders whether the wounds have stopped bleeding.

Kara looks at Lena. "I'm okay," she says hoarsely.

A tiny smile appears on Lena's face. "Okay," she says, sounding relieved. "We need to get you under some sun lamps. I'll go get help."

Kara nods.

"Lena, Lena, Lena," a voice suddenly clamors behind them.

With great difficulty, Kara raises herself onto her elbows.

Lex is walking towards the sanctuary with a gun pointed at them.

"That was not bad, sis," he says. "Using my familial fondness for you against me. Very clever."

Lex stops at the bottom of the steps leading up to the platform of the sanctuary.

He looks at his sister and says, "Did you know I was actually planning on sparing you?"

Lex squints at her and adds, "But you know what? I think I've had enough of your backstabbing."

Lex points his gun at Lena. With a tinge of sadness in his voice he says, "If I let you live, I think one of these days you may actually kill me."

Kara sees Lex pull the trigger. In the fraction of a second it takes the bullet to hit Lena's chest, Kara pulls Lena behind her. Lena falls onto her shoulder as the bullet hits the altar behind her.

At once Lex fires the gun again. Lena is still on the floor, her head and chest now protected by Kara's upper body. Kara sees the bullet making its way to Lena's stomach. Just before impact, Kara puts out her hand. Not trusting she'll be able to catch the bullet, she uses her hand to block it. The bullet hits her right on the edge of where the kryptonite blade had torn the flesh. Kara cries out in pain. For a moment she worries the bullet might have gone through the hole in her hand and injured Lena. Looking down, she's relieved to see it half lodged in the palm of her hand. Kara shakes her hand and the bullet falls out.

Lex continues to empty his gun. Kara soon realizes the bullets are coming too fast. In her weakened state she can't stop them all with her hands. She's too weak and slow to fly Lena and herself to safety. Not knowing what else to do, Kara spreads out her body in front of Lena's. Lying on her side and facing Lex, she tries to make her body as big as possible so that no part of Lena is unprotected.

A few bullets seem to miss them. Kara hears them bounce off the altar and walls behind them. But then the bullets start to hit her. In her stomach, in her arm, in both her legs. With every hit it becomes harder not to collapse onto the floor. Kara looks down in front of her body. A pool of blood is starting to form. Kara is shocked to see how vulnerable to damage the kryptonite has made her. She starts to feel dizzy. Black spots mar her vision.

Finally Kara hears the click of an empty chamber. Lex looks annoyed. He throws the gun aside. Kara feels a hand on her back. Lex glances down at the spear lying on the sanctuary floor and starts moving towards it. In that moment, Kara sees Lena stepping over her, almost slipping in the pool of blood, and reaching for the spear in front of them.

Just before Lex can pick it up, Lena grabs hold of it. In one smooth motion she swings the spear and smacks the end of the shaft across Lex's face.

The force of the impact is so great that Lex stumbles to the floor. Blood gushes out of his nose. Lex pushes himself onto his knees. He looks at his sister in disbelief. With the bloody sole of her foot, Lena kicks Lex in the chest. He falls backwards, sliding down the steps of the sanctuary.

Slowly Lena takes the few steps down. With her feet slippery and her hands still tied, she struggles to keep her balance.

As she stands in front of her brother, she deftly raises the spear above her head, the blade pointing up to the ceiling.

Kara knows at once what Lena plans to do. "Lena, no!", she exclaims.

But it is too late. The spear is already coming down fast. The kryptonite head slams into Lex's chest. Lex lets out a small grunt. For a moment, Lex's body tightly curls around the spear. Then his body relaxes and is still. His head falls to the side, his mouth slightly open. Kara knows he's dead.

Kara sees Lena sink to her knees beside her brother's body. Lena bends her head. For a moment Kara thinks she may be crying, but then Lena gets up and walks back to Kara, her eyes dry and determined.

Kara is feeling increasingly faint. She's collapsed onto her side. Lena kneels down beside her and carefully moves Kara onto her back. She puts both her hands onto Kara's stomach, applying a great deal of pressure to the worst of her wounds.

Feeling the life drain out of her, Kara closes her eyes. In the distance she hears Lena's voice. "Kara?! Kara!"

With the last bit of energy left in her body, Kara opens her eyes. Lena looks exhausted and terrified.

"I have to go get help," she says apologetically.

Kara tries to swallow.

"Promise me you won't give up," Lena says as she tears up.

Kara gives Lena the tiniest of nods. It seems to be enough. Lena quickly kisses Kara's lips, strokes her cheek with her thumb and then gets up and runs off the sanctuary, down the choir, down the nave, all the way to the front entrance. Kara hears a door being opened. She closes her eyes.