Lena opened her eyes, squinting in broad daylight from her window. Its warmth reminded her of someone whose personality could be summed up as a golden retriever in human form. And the chilly morning made her wish that said person was next to her. As she sat up, she ran her hand through her hair, finding her raven locks tangled. The stress of last night's events was getting to her. And the nightmares she had proved to be a symptom of it. As Lena got up and walked into her bathroom, images of Lillian attacking Kara resurfaced in her mind, and like poison in her mouth, it made her sick. But she pushed past the nauseous feeling and continued with her morning routine. And as she exited her bathroom, hair in a ponytail, a dark emerald-green 3-piece pantsuit highlighting her figure and piercing green eyes, and sporting a burgundy shade of lipstick, she put her transmatter portal watch into her pocket.
The ravenette's phone chimed, prompting her to walk to her bed. The notification told her it was a text from Kara's sister.
Alex: Lena, have you heard from Kara? I went by her apartment this morning, but she didn't answer the door.
Lena: No, not since last night. Do you think something happened?
Alex: I don't know, but it is unusual for her to ignore me like that.
Lena pocketed her phone and tried to ignore the sinking feeling that her mother had something to do with Kara. She exited her apartment and headed to the black Mercedes waiting for her. As she hopped into it, going to buckle herself in, she noticed something about the driver. Her usual one always greeted her with a friendly 'how's your day, Ms. Luthor?'. But this time, there was no such greeting. And it seemed her driver was unusually quiet this morning. That raised her suspicions. Lena was about to ask a question when someone else opened the door and stepped inside.
"Hello, Ms. Luthor," said the guy as he moved closer to her. "Your mother has requested your presence."
Before the youngest Luthor could respond or do anything, a cloth covered her mouth and nose. She tried to avoid inhaling the acetone-like smell that invaded her senses. However, her assailant kept the fabric over her mouth, forcing her to breathe it in. Her hands clawed at his as she tried to free herself. As a result, there were angry red lines all along his hands and wrists from her assault. Lena's efforts were in vain, though, as he kept his grip on her, bruising her nose from the force. And after a few minutes, she began to pass out from the chloroform fumes. Her vision distorted, and her eyes drifted close as the drug took effect.
An hour later, the Mercedes arrived at the new destination — the dock, where Kara was trapped inside. Jason turned the engine off and got out the driver's side, and walked over to where the ravenette was sitting, slumped over in the back seat. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a pair of zip-tie handcuffs, securing her hands in front of her. And grabbing a bottle of water from the backside of the passenger seat, Jason splashed her face, waking her up. He stepped back and waited until she was conscious enough to walk.
"Wh-where am I?" asked Lena as she looked around.
"At the meeting location," replied Jason. "Now, get out and start walking. We mustn't keep your mother waiting."
Lena groaned and tried to move her hands, finding they were bound. The plastic dug into the skin of her wrists and pinched in certain areas. And the more she struggled to escape the restraints, the worse the pain got. It was enough to snap her out of the stupor caused by the chloroform aftermath. Before Lena could make another attempt to free herself, the youngest Luthor got forcibly pulled out of the vehicle by Jason. The salty air made her realize she was at Luthor Corp's secret dock facility. Seeing that her brother had the nerve to continue constructing buildings while she cleaned up his first mess pissed her off. Between Leviathan and her relationship with Kara, hadn't he done enough? A hand grabbing her arm pulled Lena from her thoughts.
"Unhand me right now," demanded Lena, her voice lowering as she glared at Jason.
"Not until we get to your mother," replied Jason.
No one to go willingly, the ravenette stomped on Jason's right foot with the heel of her stiletto. She felt his grip loosen as he staggered back, groaning. For once, the agonizing torture of wearing heels came in handy. She took her chance and sprinted from Jason before he could recover and grab her again. Just as Lena rounded the back of the car and got a few feet from it, she heard a gunshot ring in the morning air seconds before she felt a burning sensation on her leg. The hit was enough to knock her to the ground. And as blood began to run down her leg, an intense pain akin to acid in her veins spread up her calf.
"Get up bitch," hissed Jason, walking over to Lena. "Don't make me shoot you again."
Shakily, with Jason's reluctant assistance, Lena stood up but had to limp thanks to the gunshot. His grip on her tightened as they both walked into the nearby building. She tried to keep up with his brisk pace, but her injury prevented her from doing that. And every step she took increased the throbbing, spreading the pain further. The two stepped into a small, metal elevator with only one light in the ceiling, heading to where her mother kept Kara. Jason pressed a button and resumed his position next to Lena. The ride down was unsteady, and every jolt of the elevator box pushed the ravenette's pain tolerance to the limit. A wave of relief washed over her when it stopped moving. But it didn't last long before Jason pulled her out and led Lena to the room where the Kryptonian sat, still bound by green kryptonite.
The sound of footsteps caused Kara to stir from her sleep. Looking up, she saw the injured ravenette limping toward her. "L-Lena?"
"Kara?" Lena gasped when she saw the kryptonite bands keeping the Kryptonian restrained to the metal chair. "What's Lillian done to you?"
"Nothing… yet," replied Kara, struggling to stay conscious.
Jason walked the youngest Luthor to a metal chair in front of the Kryptonian. A groan slipped past her lips as her body got forced downward into a sitting position. The bleeding from her wound stained her pant leg, leaving behind a dark patch surrounding the tear in the fabric. The shock of getting shot left Lena looking paler than usual. And the cold, stiff metal beneath her did little to improve her condition. Body trembling from the burst of adrenaline, she took note of the state Kara was in. Green veins danced across her skin, blood and sweat made her pajamas cling to her body, and her blonde locks were disheveled. The ravenette glanced down and saw a pool of vomit next to her. Rage boiled in her veins as she watched her best friend struggle against the poison in her system. Lena's focus shifted as she heard heels clicking against concrete.
"Hello, Lena. Nice of you to join us this morning," said Lilian as she approached her daughter.
"It's not like I had much choice," said Lena.
"Would you've come willingly if I'd asked?" asked Lillian, raising an eyebrow.
"No," replied Lena.
"That's why I had to resort to the measures I did." Lillian looked at the Kryptonian. "I brought you here for a reason, both of you."
Kara fought against the restraints as the Luthor matriarch unlocked the door and entered the cage. She eyed her every move as she closed the distance between them. Much like a lion would watch a gazelle. Muscles tensed and jaw clenched; Kara waited to see her next move. Her heart started to race as Lillian reached into her pocket and pulled out the vial containing the liquidized red kryptonite. Swallowing thickly, Kara met her eyes, glaring at her as she grabbed a needle from a small cart that sat on the side. She glanced over at the ravenette and saw the worry in her eyes as she watched the scene in front of her. And at that moment, she wished she'd never left Lena's apartment.
"Lena, are you aware of Kara's last encounter with red kryptonite?" asked Lilian, turning to her daughter.
Lena's lips curled as her mother spoke to her. "Yes, I'm aware, mother."
"Good, because I want to show you the effects of it — personally," said Lillian as she placed a needle into the vial.
The Kryptonian's body went rigid as Lillian flicked the needle twice before inching it close to her wrist, right below where the first kryptonite bullet struck her. Restrained to the chair, she was powerless to fight what was about to happen. Cerulean blue disappeared as the effects of the kryptonite took its toll on her. Still, her eyes stayed on Lena, pleading for her okay afterward. Her previous experience with the red variant sat heavily on her mind. Kara could never forget how she acted, her lack of inhibition, making her say exactly what she wanted without caring about the other person. And her actions toward her sister haunted her the most, even though Alex had long since forgiven her.
"I'm sorry…" apologized Kara, knowing full well that she'd say some hurtful things once the red kryptonite took hold.
The pinch of the needle as Lillian pushed it into her skin made the Kryptonian's body shudder. Weakened from the green kryptonite, her body was in no condition to fight the effects of the red variant. And as she sat there, feeling the subtle stinging sensation flowing through her veins, she relaxed in the chair. The wooziness from before returned, and she felt another wave of nausea hit her. Kara closed her eyes, attempting to stop what was happening to her. But that did nothing to keep the whispers from invading her mind, growing louder by the second. And unfortunately, the altered version took hold more quickly than the original.
Several red lines crept up Kara's face as Lena watched the red variant take hold. She stood up, but a hand on her shoulder forced her back down. Wincing, she looked at her mother, who stepped back and pocketed the vial. Kara's blonde waves cascaded in front of her face as she leaned forward, and her hands gripped the arms of the chair. Lena could hear her groaning, clearly in pain, but unable to do anything to stop it. Her breath hitched in her throat when the Kryptonian finally looked up. Their eyes met, and she saw Kara's begin to glow a brilliant red. Gone was the meek and dorky friend she'd come to love. Now, the person staring back at her frightened the youngest Luthor.
"What, Luthor? Surprised to see what I'm like when I'm not busy caring about your fragile feelings?" Kara asked, her voice cold and emotionless.
Shocked by the stark change in Kara's demeanor, Lena said nothing.
"Oh, come on. If you knew about the last time, you had to know I'd be like this. Or did you forget?" inquired the Kryptonian, rolling her eyes at Lena's silence. "Well? Speak."
Lena turned to her mother, saying, "What'd you do to the red kryptonite?"
"I enhanced the reaction, allowing the effects to take hold much faster," Lillian replied, smugness in her voice.
"How long will it take to wear off?" questioned Lena, nervously glancing at Kara, who rolled her eyes again.
"Hmm, it could take anywhere from several hours to several days." Lillian turned to face the Kryptonian. "Feel free to get out whenever you want. I'll leave you and my daughter alone for a bit. I believe you two have some things to discuss."
With that, Lillian pushed a button, stopping the kryptonite in the cuffs. As they flicked open, she and Jason walked out of the room, and Kara stood up. And without the radiation, her strength began to return, but not completely. Her body still contained traces of it from the bullets. The youngest Luthor's fear worsened as she heard the metal doors lock behind her. That left her trapped with the affected Kryptonian with no way to defend herself. And the sound of the cage bars bending and creaking as Kara used her super strength to free herself made her blood run cold. Injured and unable to move as quickly, Lena remained calm but couldn't stop herself from subconsciously shifting away.
"Really? Now you fear me? I haven't done anything to you yet." Kara stepped closer to the ravenette. "However, if you keep acting like that, I may change my mind."
Lena swallowed. "You wouldn't."
The defiance seemed to set the Kryptonian off. And before Lena could grasp what was happening, Kara's fingers were around her throat, slamming her against the wall. The impact with the concrete nearly knocked the wind out of her and only added to her pain. And the throbbing in her leg increased as her lungs tried to pull air into them. The youngest Luthor felt the blood pumping in her skull as her brain became deprived of oxygen. Through the disorientation and her darkening vision, she could feel Kara tightening her grip the more she struggled to breathe.
Lena, on the verge of going unconscious, said, "K-Kara... please, let me go."
"Why should I?" Kara asked, her eyes glowing red as she spoke.
Lena closed her eyes. "P-Please, I can't breathe!"
After a few agonizing seconds passed, Kara decided to let go of the ravenette's throat. She gasped and leaned against the wall, her lungs finally taking in the air they craved. With trembling hands, she reached up, her fingertips brushing against the area once in the Kryptonian's grasp. Their eyes met, and she saw no empathy in Kara's, only hatred. The red kryptonite had removed any trace of the Kryptonian's kind-hearted, loyal, caring, mild-mannered personality. And once she regained her breath, Lena staggered away from her. She couldn't trust her. Not anymore.
"What was my mother talking about?"
Kara crossed her arms. "I don't know, Luthor. And I don't care."
The ravenette watched the Kryptonian, seeing her eyes glance over at the chair, the restraints now glowing green with kryptonite. Red veins protruded from her pale skin, spreading down her face and onto her neck. Her jaw clenched as her hands balled up. Lena saw her step closer to the cage, her face twisting in a grimace as the effects of the radiation hit her, and green mixed with red like some deadly Christmas costume or decoration. The Kryptonian whirled around, her blonde locks flying about as she glared at Lena. The intensity made her heart pound faster as she pushed herself against the concrete wall.
"She was talking about kryptonite and your distrust, wasn't she?" Lena asked.
Kara said nothing as she walked away and slammed her fist against the building, making its walls shake and crack beneath her strength. Concrete dust fell on both of them as she removed her fist and leaned on the structure.
"Do you still hate me for making it, Kara? Do you regret what happened in my apartment? Was it so bad to let yourself be vulnerable?" asked Lena, unsure if she wanted the answer but unable to stop herself from asking.
"No, but I don't trust you, either. After all, you're a Luthor, and you can make the only thing capable of killing me." Kara's eyes never left the youngest Luthor's emerald ones. "So, don't get too comfortable, Luthor. I still have half a mind to kill you right now."
The way Kara's shoulders tensed up didn't go unnoticed by Lena. The red variant was beginning to take more control of her by the minute. And despite the minute traces of green kryptonite in her system, she still posed a threat. She made that much apparent. Lena bit her lip, wondering if she was safe with Kara. She remembered the last time she'd encountered this substance. And with no way to prevent another attack, she had to tread carefully.
"Why?" she asked, clenching her fists, her nails digging into her palm, helping to control the tremor in her voice. "Why kill me now?"
"Because I'm angry that my best friend didn't tell me she learned how to make it," replied Kara, her eyes narrowing at the CEO.
The icy coldness in Kara's eyes made Lena worry as the Kryptonian approached her.
"And I regret letting myself be weak around a Luthor like you!" screamed Kara as red veins protruded beneath her eyes. "I should've ensured you never made it again."
Lena could feel her arms trembling as she gazed back at Kara, who was sneering at her. Pain, fear, and anger were swirling in her mind like a tornado of emotion. "I thought you were over that."
The Kryptonian wasn't. She was a Super, and her family's history with the Luthors meant she'd never fully trust them, even when one of them was her best friend. Her hands trembled as a wave of rage washed over her. Several red lines protruded as she clenched them. Kara felt an overwhelming desire to grab Lena and snap her neck. With her super speed, it would only take a second, and she'd be dead. And it'd ensure that no Luthor would hurt her family again. Oh, how tempting it was to stop holding back her true power.
Even though Lillian's version of red kryptonite amplified the voices in her mind telling her to harm the youngest Luthor, Kara didn't want to give in. If she were to listen to them, what would follow was something she'd regret. And this faint but persistent feeling reminded her that this wasn't who she was, that she was better than this. So, Kara fought the urge and stepped back.
"When my inhibitions bound me, I stopped myself from telling you the truth," Kara responded, pursing her lips and closing her eyes as she tried to control her building rage.
"Oh," said Lena as Kara's words cut at her.
The ravenette cautiously glanced up and noticed Kara stepping further away, letting the cage separate them. She saw her chest rising and falling in controlled bursts as if she was taking several deep breaths. And when Kara turned her head, their eyes met, allowing Lena to glimpse her usual personality shining through. Although her eyes still had the tell-tale red glint from the variant currently coursing through her system. For a moment, it seemed that Kara was battling herself, trying to curb the damage her words were causing. It didn't last long, though, and the coldness returned, forcing Lena to avert her gaze.
"Then why trust me?" Lena quietly continued, looking directly at the Kryptonian, hoping to reach her friend somehow. "Why bother saying that if it wasn't true?"
"I said it to appease you. You always complain that your last name is a burden, and I was sick of hearing about it. You're a Luthor. Accept that fact and get over it." Kara barely bit back the venom in her words as she spat out the last part.
As she rounded the corner on the other side of the cage, Kara saw a single tear fall down the ravenette's cheek. One inhale, and she felt a pang of guilt dig at her heart. She wanted to apologize, to stop herself, only to feel a new rush of disdain and hatred course through her veins before she could do anything. A choir of voices screamed at her to put the youngest Luthor in her place. Kara grabbed the sides of her head as she struggled to shut them out, to ignore the urge to make Lena understand the pain she endured that night in her apartment. Her knees hit the floor as she fought, but Kara lost, and the red kryptonite took hold once more, shoving her back into its cage.
"Do you like this feeling?" asked Lena, her voice barely above a whisper. "Do you enjoy using your power?"
Kara stood up and levitated in the air, smirking as she looked at the youngest Luthor. "Yes, it's liberating. Without those pesky things you call morals or inhibitions, I don't have to hold back. And I can stop pretending to be human."
"So, you don't care about the people you hurt? You'll flaunt your power and remind them of their weaknesses?" inquired Lena, hoping Kara wouldn't perceive the question as an attack.
Without warning, the youngest once again found herself pushed against the wall. Her back ached from impacting with the solid concrete behind her. And her suit did little to protect her from its rough, cold surface. There was a pop as the plastic binding her hands snapped, and her arms were forced apart and shoved against the concrete. Her eyes met Kara's just in time to see blue replaced by a brilliant red glow. Lena's body trembled in the Kryptonian's grasp, which she noticed immediately. For a split second, the red color dulled, and there was a flash of blue as the grip on her arms left.
"K-Kara?" asked Lena, unsure of what was happening in front of her.
"I-I'm so sorry, Lena. I didn't mean to scare you like that," said Kara as she staggered back from the ravenette. "I'm trying to fight, but it's hard."
Before Kara could say any more, the red variant in her system took effect again, forcing her soft demeanor to the back. She looked up and saw that the youngest Luthor was approaching her slowly. A part of her wanted the comfort she was offering, wanted the nightmare to end, but the red kryptonite was stronger. And without hesitation, Kara used her heat vision, aiming for Lena. The hot beams landed right on her forearm, causing second-degree burns as she trailed up its length. And the scream that followed brought a smile to her face.
"Why'd you do that, Kara?" asked Lena, recoiling away from the Kryptonian.
"I wanted to remind you who's in control," replied Kara.
"I'm your friend!" Lena shouted, growing angrier at Kara, despite knowing it wasn't her fault.
Kara flashed over to Lena and towered over her. "I'm a god compared to you humans. And if I were you, I'd remember your place before I lose my temper with you, Luthor. Unless you'd like me to demonstrate what I can do again."
The ravenette walked over and sat down on the chair, not saying a word. Her leg, which had begun to heal, throbbed in unison with the burns Kara left on her. She looked down at the angry red lines running the length of her forearm, ending with the lacerations caused by the zip-tie handcuffs snapping off. The sleeve of her pantsuit clung to the edges of her wounds as blood soaked the fabric. Lena tried to stop her body from shaking, but she couldn't. She was terrified that her once docile friend could kill her at any moment.
The Kryptonian paced around the room, growing bored with tormenting Lena. She wanted out of the room and to return to her apartment. Her wardrobe needed some fine-tuning now that she no longer had to act or dress like a quiet, meek girl. And besides, she was done with being Lillian's puppet. She had better things to do than play whatever game the Luthor matriarch was using her for. Looking around, Kara noticed a small hole in the far right side of the concrete wall near the ceiling. She walked up to it and saw a small, dim light illuminating the crevice.
"Let me leave — now. Or I'll bust out and maybe even take your daughter with me," said Kara, looking directly into the camera lens.
A few seconds later, the locks clicked, and Lillian entered the room. She had one hand in her jacket, clutching something inside. That caught Lena's attention. She got up and attempted to grab whatever her mother was hiding but stopped when she pointed a gun at her. Already weakened and injured, she stayed where she was and watched as Lillian pocketed it and approached Kara. Lena saw her eyes flash red as she walked toward the Luthor matriarch. Before the Kryptonian could do anything, her mother pulled out a small piece of silver kryptonite she'd taken from Rhea's ship.
The second it was in front of the Kryptonian, she screamed and collapsed to her knees as it took effect. Silver and red protruded from her skin as the variants of kryptonite fought for control of her. And as she placed her hands on the ground, images of Lex killing her friends and family flashed in her mind. She saw him standing over Lena, gun to her temple, pulling the trigger seconds later. Her heart lurched as Kara watched her lifeless body fall to the floor. She closed her eyes as if that would somehow stop the nightmarish hallucination. The sensation of both kryptonites caused her body to feel like it was inside a volcano. Her blood felt like it'd been turned into lava as she slowly opened her eyes. The Kryptonian looked at Lena as her vision shifted, and the image of her best friend morphed into her villainous brother.
"K-Kara?" Lena swallowed, watching Kara's red eyes turn a metallic ruby as the silver kryptonite took hold of her.
Unable to see past the hallucination, Kara stood up and flashed over to where the youngest Luthor was standing. She grabbed her arms and sped over to the wall, flinging her at the concrete, cracking it from the force. However, unlike the previous times, she wasn't done with her attack. She grabbed the collar of the ravenette's shirt and slammed her fist directly into her cheekbone. The impact pushed Lena's head to the right, almost snapping her neck, thanks to Kara's strength. Hands clenched, ready to throw another punch, she watched as Lena, disguised as Lex, looked back at her.
"K-Kara, it's me, Lena!" shouted the ravenette.
Unfortunately, Lena's words were twisted. And all that Kara heard was Lex saying, "I'm going to make everyone around you suffer, especially my sister. She never should've been your friend, Kara Danvers!"
Those words made the Kryptonian clench her jaw as she fought the urge to pick Lena up and toss her against the cage bars. Pursing her lips, she let go of her and staggered back, closing her eyes as she struggled against the haze in her mind. The two warring kryptonites were wreaking havoc on her. And the line between reality and the hallucination was getting blurrier. Kara glanced up, and she didn't see Lex. Instead, she saw Lena, injured and sitting on the floor, terrified of her. That broke her out of the control of both variants temporarily.
"L-Lena, I-" Kara couldn't finish speaking before the red kryptonite retook control.
The youngest Luthor watched as Kara's eyes flashed red, the silver, before returning to the metallic ruby they were before. She saw the toll the two variants were taking on the Kryptonian's already taxed system. And even though Kara tried to hide it, she could see the shakiness in her hands and the growing paleness of her skin. That concerned Lena. Her mother was on the verge of killing her friend because she overexposed the Kryptonian to radiation from three different kryptonites. When Kara started to approach, she froze, her breathing becoming shallow. Lena glanced over at Lillian, who stood in the room, arms crossed with a smug smile.
"Lex, I won't let you hurt my friends and family," said Kara as she picked up Lena by her throat.
Enraged by the hallucination of Lex, Kara threw the ravenette across the room, watching as her body hit the opposing wall at full force. Ignoring her cries of pain, she walked up to her and pulled Lena to her feet. Red veins pulsated and danced across her arms and hands as she punched her. The first blow knocked Lena back, forcing her against the concrete. The second connected with her shoulder. A third, aimed for her face, got blocked when Lena raised her injured arm to stop it. That angered Kara, and she grabbed her forearm, fingers pressing into the burns she'd caused earlier, eliciting a pained scream from the ravenette. And right as she went to hit her for the fourth time, she moved, ripping her arm free from the Kryptonian's tight grip. Kara's fist slammed into the wall, shattering the concrete around it. A growl slipped past her lips as she turned to face Lena, who was running toward Lillian.
"You're going to regret that, Lex," said Kara as she grabbed Lena's bad arm, applying pressure before shoving her against the cage.
Lena begged Kara to see past the effects of the silver kryptonite, to remember that it was her, but all Kara heard was Lex taunting her and threatening to send Lena to the Phantom Zone. She could feel Kara's hand trembling as her grip tightened. Watching as the Kryptonian pulled back her other fist, preparing to land another blow to her already beaten body, she readied herself. But it never landed. Instead, Lena felt the grip on her arm loosen as Kara staggered back, a jagged piece of green kryptonite lodged in her abdomen. She turned to her mother and saw Jason beside her, a specialized gun in his hand.
"Thank you, Jason," said Lillian. "I can't have Supergirl killing my daughter. I only needed her to show what she's truly capable of, and she's done that."
The ravenette watched as the Kryptonian collapsed to her knees, the green variant seeping what little strength remained in her exhausted body. Blood seeped down her shirt from the wound. A faint mirage of red, silver, and green lines appeared and pulsated in time with her heartbeat. Her breathing was ragged, and she could tell that every breath brought more pain. The sight was enough to make Lena feel nauseous, and she had to sit down. It was no secret that Lillian could harm and torture others to get whatever she wanted, but she never imagined that she'd go this far.
Lillian approached Lena and kneeled in front of her. "I did this little experiment to show you that betraying your family in favor of this alien wasn't the right choice. She's a monster who could easily annihilate us if we don't do something to defend ourselves."
"Kara isn't a monster." Lena curled her lip as she gave her mother a look of disdain. "That, Lillian, would be you. And right now, I don't even want to look at you after what you've done to Kara."
"I'm showing you the reality you choose to ignore because you're her friend," said Lillian, standing up. "I'm showing you what you choose to love, Lena."
Lillian and Jason walked out of the room, leaving Lena alone with an injured Kara bleeding on the ground. That prompted her to call Alex and stand back up. She had to help Kara before the kryptonite poisoning killed her. With a confirmation text from the older Danvers sibling saying she was on the way, Lena slipped her phone back into her pocket and cautiously approached the Kryptonian, hoping she wouldn't get attacked. As it was, her body felt sluggish, and every move she made added to the pain. Kara was lying on her back, clutching the jagged piece of the irradiated rock in her abdomen. And as Lena got closer, she could see that she was trying to pull it out but was too weak to do it herself.
Kara's eyes shifted from the metallic ruby to blue as they met Lena's fearful ones. "P-Please, help me, L-Lena."
After some hesitation, Kara saw the youngest Luthor approach her slowly. Glancing down at her hands, she watched as red veins protruded against her skin, almost in tandem with the green and silver. Tightening her grip on the green rock embedded in her, she pushed away the voices and hallucinations. She wasn't going to continue hurting Lena, not anymore. She was done. Kara closed her eyes as the youngest Luthor's hands rested above hers, grasping the kryptonite. Seconds later, she screamed as she felt its jagged edges cut through her skin. And with some assistance, she tossed it to the other side of the room.
"Th-Thank you," groaned Kara as she stayed on the ground, her body weak from kryptonite poisoning.
The ravenette said nothing as she limped back to the metal chair, distancing herself from the Kryptonian. She wasn't in any mood to talk. Not after what she'd endured, no thanks to her mother. When she'd read the article about Kara's first encounter with red kryptonite, she felt sympathy for her, especially since the whole city feared her for a while afterward. However, experiencing it firsthand was terrifying, and she understood why the citizens of National City didn't forgive her right away. And now, Lena was beginning to question whether she could do the same. She glanced at Kara and noticed that she was giving her a worried look.
"L-Lena?" asked Kara, growing more concerned for her friend despite her current condition.
Lena didn't respond as she turned away from the Kryptonian.
Before the awkward silence grew, approaching footsteps brought their attention to the doorway, where Alex now stood. Her eyes lingered on the discarded piece of kryptonite sitting in the furthest corner before falling on the chair in the middle of the room. A flash of anger crossed her face before fading into concern as she ran over to her sister. Alex gasped as she saw the extensive injuries on Kara's body. The gash on her abdomen stained the bottom half of her nightshirt red. The sleeve on her right arm matched, and there was a bullet hole in it, allowing her to see the wound it left behind. And her left shoulder bore a similar injury. But what concerned the oldest Danvers the most was the red kryptonite still affecting her sister. Remembering their last encounter, she stepped back cautiously.
Seeing her sister back away, Kara explained, "Alex, it's okay. I'm fighting... as best I can."
Alex visibly relaxed and moved closer to her sister, noting the blood on her nightshirt. "What happened here, Kara?"
"L-Lillian." Kara inhaled sharply, fighting against every bad thought that resurfaced in her mind. Pushing herself into a sitting position, the Kryptonian looked at her sister. "She used... me, Alex."
"That explains why you weren't at your apartment this morning," said Alex. "And why Lillian bought Maxwell's recipe."
"Yeah..." Kara glanced over at the chair, its glowing green restraints taunting her.
"What exactly did Lillian want with you two?" questioned Alex as she looked at Lena, still seated in the other chair.
Eyes misty and red, the Kryptonian's voice cracked as she continued. "For me to hurt Lena, to give her... what she wanted. I resisted but lost control. I didn't want to, but... I couldn't stop myself."
"It's okay, Kara. It's not your fault." Alex reassured her as she pulled Kara to her feet. "Are you still hallucinating?"
Clutching her injured side, using Alex to steady herself, Kara nodded. "I look at Lena, and all I see is... Lex. But I know it's not real."
Lena shifted in the chair as she heard what Kara said. Having her best friend look at her and see her maniacal brother felt like a hot knife to the back. She knew that it was because of the silver variant, but that didn't make it hurt any less. Looking up, she noticed Alex struggling to hold her sister. So, she decided to lend a hand. Limping over, Lena stood on the other side of Kara, helping Alex steady her. Being this close to the Kryptonian was unnerving, but she needed her, which trumped any fear Lena had. Reaching into her pocket, wincing as the sleeve's fabric rubbed against the burns, she pulled out her transmatter portal watch.
"Can you take us back to the Tower, Lena?" asked Alex.
"Yeah," replied Lena as she opened it.
Lena pressed the button after setting the location. A portal appeared, and together, all three walked through it.
A/N: Well, I officially want to murder Lillian, Let me know what you guys think!
