A small silver sedan is driving down a dirt road past farms in a familiar looking rural community. Behind the wheel of the car, Dana Dearden is driving home from college to visit her mother, in Smallville, before making her way to her summer internship.
Dana, a 5'-6", olive skinned, slender, 20 year old young lady, with short brown hair, and hazel eyes, is a journalism major at Kansas State University. She has just completed her Junior year during which she applied for several summer internships. The Daily Planet, The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, and The Los Angeles Times were all on her list, but the one she truly wanted... the one she landed and jumped at without a second thought... was CatCo Worldwide Media. Dana had one dream that she had been pursuing since she first discovered her passion for chasing down stories... she wanted to learn from her idle... Kara Danvers... Kara Danvers Zor-El... Supergirl!
Even before Dana and the rest of the world discovered Kara's true identity, she had admired the grit, the tenacity, and the writing style that Kara displayed in every story she wrote. Now her idol is the Editor-In-Chief of her favorite magazine and she will have the opportunity to observe and learn from her for 12 weeks. Dana can barely contain her excitement or control her anxiety.
A smile grows across Dana's face as her car approaches the turn leading to the drive up to her parents' farm. It's been nine long months since Dana was last home. Class projects and work on the school paper made trips home for the holidays impossible during the past school year.
Her mother, Angela, has been on her own for the past three years since Dana's father passed away from an agressive brain tumor. It's been a rough road for them both, but Angela has kept the farm running smoothly with the help of several very dedicated farmhands and Dana has rededicated herself to achieving her life's dream... a dream her adoring father passionately supported...becoming a reporter.
As Dana's car approaches the main house, Angela steps out of the front door, makes her way down the steps, and walks toward the grassy car park area with a glowing smile on her face. "Sweetheart, I'm so happy you're here!"
Dana, having parked, steps out of her car, and turns to hug her mother. "'Mom, I've missed you so much!"
Back inside the house, Dana and Angela are in the kitchen. Dana is sitting on a bar stool at the kitchen's center island while her mother is filling a tea kettle to boil water. Angela pulls two tea cups from the cupboard. "What kind would you like, sweetheart?"
"Green, please Mom," Dana says.
Angela walks to the pantry, grabs two tea bags, and walks back toward her daughter. "How was your drive?"
Dana smiles. "It was long and uneventful. The scenery was beautiful, but honestly I was just so excited to finally come home I just wanted it to pass by as quickly as possible."
Angela giggles. "It's nice to have you home, but I don't remember the last time you were this excited about coming back to Smallville."
"Believe it or not," Dana adds with a longing look in her eyes, "I've missed this place... and I've missed you so much."
Angela steps around the island, puts her arms around her daughter, and they both cry. Angela stands back up, collects herself, and wipes the tears from her eyes. "This place has been kind of empty without you and your father."
Dana reaches out and takes her Mom's hand. "I know, Mom. I'm so sorry I couldn't be here this past year. The memories were so painful... I just buried myself in whatever I could at school to ease the pain."
"I understand, my love," Angela says with a tender look in her eyes. "Your Dad was my best friend, my soulmate, and every day everything here reminds me of him. It's taken me a long time to understand that he'll always be with me and I can... we can... keep his spirit alive by living our lives the way he inspired us to everyday."
Dana looks at her Mom with tears glistening in her eyes and a warm smile. "He was my best friend, too. All I want to do is continue to make him proud."
"Oh, honey," Angela says as she sofly places a hand on her daughter's cheek. "He was and will always be so proud of you. He would be so happy about your CatCo internship."
"I hope he would be," Dana remarks proudly. "We talked about it so many times since I started on the Torch during high school. He was so supportive of my passion for that dumb little paper and was so excited when I got accepted to KSU."
Angela places the tea cups on the island, places the bags in the cups, pours the water, and smiles brightly. "He was! He loved telling all the neighbors how his little girl was going to win Pulitzer someday... just like her idol Kara Danvers."
Dana, dipping her tea bag into the warm water, blushes. "I can't believe I'm actually going to meet her... work for her! I'm so excited, Mom."
"I know, sweetie," Angela, taking a sip of her tea, says with a playful grin, "but you know you could have interned here in Smallville. Lois Lane is here now! We have a Pulitzer winner just three farms way."
"Really, Mom!" Dana, takes a sip of her tea, and whimsically retorts. "I know... Lois is a great reporter, but... she's no Kara Danvers."
"Speaking of Miss Danvers," Angela adds, "have you seen the tabloid gossip?"
"Mom!", Dana exclaims. "You know I don't read that dreg."
"Well," Angela replies, "that 'dreg' says that Kara Danvers and Lena Luthor have started dating!"
Angela brings up a website on her phone and shows her daughter.
Dana glances at the article and scoffs. "Please!! That rag wouldn't know a real news story if landed on its face and started to wiggle. Besides... Kara Danvers could do so much better than Lena Luthor."
"What's wrong with Lena Luthor?", Angela inquires curiously.
Dana rolls her eyes. "That woman is all flash and no substance. She so vapid... unappealing. Besides her brother was a sociopath. Supergil would never trust a Luthor... not after what Lex tried to do to her cousin."
"Well," Angela remarks, "I think they make an attractive couple."
Annoyed at the subject, Dana clears her throat and changes the subject. "Did you let anyone know I was coming home this week?"
Her mother grins ear-to-ear. "Are you kidding? It's all I could talk about all week. Alice and Brad mentioned they were going stop by later to take you to the lake for a party."
Dana's expression instantly changes and a bright smile fills her face. "Excellent! I should take my stuff upstairs and get ready."
Dana reaches the top of the stairs, turns right, and opens the second door... stepping through into her bedroom. The walls are adorned with several framed copies of the Smallville High School Torch and CatCo Magazine. Pictures of her idol, Kara Danvers, adorn the walls and are slipped between the frame and glass of her dresser mirror. She sets her bag on the bed, unzips a side pocket, removes her laptop computer, and sets it up on her desk.
As the laptop powers on and Dana logs in the screen background fills in with a split screen picture. On the left is the very first CatCo cover featuring Supergirl and on the right is the CatCo cover featuring Kara at the podium during her Pulitzer award announcement... standing next to that troll... Lena. Dana checks her e-mail, Facebook, and Twitter feed... finding nothing urgent or of substance.
She returns to her bed and begins to unpack the rest of her simple travel bag.
A few hours later, Dana is sitting in front of her computer surfing the net when an IM pops up on her screen.
The message, from Alice, reads, "OMG!! I can't believe you're finally home!"
Dana types her response. "LOL! I've missed you Allie!"
"Me2!", Alice replies. "Brad & I will be there in 10. U ready?!?"
"CAGM!!", Dana types excitedly.
Alice sends back a single heart emoji.
A few minutes later Dana shuts down her browser window and closes her laptop. She sits on the bed, puts on her shoes, grabs her jacket, and heads back downstairs. She finds her Mom in the living room sitting on the sofa reading.
Angela looks up. "You heading out?"
"Yep," Dana answers. "Allie and Brad will be here in a couple of minutes."
Angela smiles at her. "You have a good time, be safe, and try not to wake me when you get back. Got an early morning, so I'll be turning in early."
Dana walks over to the sofa, giggles, and kisses her Mom on the forehead. "I'll do my best, but no promises."
Angela smirks slyly at her daughter as Dana turns and walks out the door as friends pull up to retrieve her.
Inside Brad's car, Dana and Alice are seated next to each other in the back seat as Brad drives them through town, headed towards the lake.
Alice leans in to give Dana a hug. "Look at you! I can't believe how long you've been away. You look amazing. I love the hair!"
Dana's face glows affectionately as she hugs her friend. "Thanks, Allie. I've missed you so much!! You look great, too." Dana lets go of Alice and shifts her gaze to the front seat. "Brad! How are you, sweetie?!?"
"Can't complain," Brad replies. "It's been an interesting couple of months here in good ol' Smallville."
Dana's eyes perk up and she gets a curious grin. "Really?!? When was the last time anything remotely interesting happened in Smallville?"
Alice turns toward Dana, folding her legs to sit comfortably, and sprouts a somewhat smug grin. "There was a major drug scandal at Smallville High! One of the Kent boys was caught with a stash of 'X-K'! He got himself expelled and got the football season cancelled!"
Dana looks shocked. "NO WAY!! The high and mighty Lois Lane and her insufferable goodie two shoes husband sullied by the stain and embarrassment of one of their precious sons gettting wrapped up in drugs!"
Brad chimes in, "I know, right? It was spectacular! And that's not all!"
"What else?", Dana asks.
Brad continues, "The drugs they found on him were apparently part of a stash stolen from the company trying to clear 'X-K' from the old mine and it turns out that something else was buried down there!"
Alice interjects, "An evil doppelgänger of Superman!"
Dana exclaims, "YOU'RE KIDDING!?!?"
Alice shakes her head back-and-forth. "Nope! This 'Bizzaro' and Superman were fighting in the mine area before they flew away! It was nuts!"
Dana shakes her head and laughs. "That's insane!"
Dana sees Brad grinning in the rear virew mirror and he says, "It was intense... to say the least. Twenty one years of absolute boredom and then... BAM! Never thought I'd live to see the day that anything exciting would happen in Smallville!"
Dana gets a curious expression on her face. "What the hell is 'X-K' anyway?"
Alice explains. "It's a rare form of Kryptonite that apparently can only be found here... in Smallville."
"Kryptonite?!?", Dana exclaims. "What does this one do?"
Brad interjects, "Turns out this type has no affect on Superman, but can, apparently, give us mere mortals enhanced speed, strength, and other abilities... at least temporarily."
Dana's eyes widden. "That's sick! How has this never happened before now?"
Alice chimes in, "Turns out that 'X-K' is completely harmless unless it's triggered by something else. You can touch a piece, hold it, and nothing will happen."
Dana's expression shifts to confusion. "Okay... now you've lost me. If just touching it does nothing what did the Kent kid get busted for?"
Brad responds, "Turns out Morgan Edge's company was contracted by the military to try and use it to enhance American soldiers. The dealer that stole some of the 'X-K' supply from the mine also made off with a copy Edge's research. He used that to synthesize a vapor form that can be inhaled to trigger a temporary boast."
Dana begins to understand. "So that's what Kent got busted with?"
Alice nods. "Yep! There is a rumor floating around he was holding the stash for his girlfriend, but, even if that's true, it was obvious he was using... that's what got the football season cancelled."
"Dumb ass!", Dana chortles.
They all laugh loudly as Brad makes the final turn towards the lake.
"Gotta admit, though." Dana adds with a mischievous grin on her face. "I'd love to see what having those types of abilities felt like... just once."
Alice reaches into her bag and pulls something out. "Knowing your obsession with Supergirl Danvers...". Alice shows her a small clear spray bottle with a bright yellow mist inside.
Dana is taken aback. "Is that?!?"
Alice nods and smiles. "Sure is."
Dana asks alarmingly, "Where the hell did you get that!?"
Alice chuckles. "Relax. Before Kent got busted I bought a few vials from his girlfriend. Figured the biggest Kara Zor-El fan in the world would be curious to see what it's like to feel like her hero... even just temporarily."
Alice hands the vial to Dana. Dana holds it up to the sunlight in front of her eyes to get a better look. As Brad parks the car and they gather their belongings, she looks at Alice with a wide, brazen grin. "Might be fun!"
