The angry, drunk texts that followed that evening from Lena's impaired judgment of course only made things worse.

Why does everyone always leave?

You're just like everyone else.

You swore you'd never leave me.

But Kara didn't reply. Instead, she put her phone on silent and tried to sleep. Despite her sister's best efforts to ascertain why she was crying, Kara pushed her aside and rushed up to the bedroom to drown out her pain and disappointment with music blasting loudly through her cheap, tinny headphones.

Eventually, she did end up sleeping, but it was a fitful rest that woke her every hour or so, at which point she would immediately start to cry again, until she was once again too exhausted to keep her eyes open.

By the morning, Kara wanted nothing to do with the sunlight streaming through her window, waking her around 6:30 AM. In fact, when her mother came in to check on her and wake her up for breakfast, she simply groaned and rolled over to face the wall, pulling the covers up over her head.

"Kara Danvers," her mother snapped. "You get up this instant. I don't know what happened last night, but I know that my daughter is not simply going to roll over and pretend to be dying because of it. You're stronger than that."

"Please, just leave me alone, Ma," Kara whined, tears flowing again.

With a sigh, her mother let go of the door handle and slowly approached her daughter's bed.

"Kara," she whispered. "Tell Mama what happened."

Immediately, the blonde shook her head.

"Sweetheart," Eliza cooed, sitting down on the edge of the bed and stroking Kara's hair. "You can tell me anything. I'm not going to judge. I learned my lesson, remember? I trust your judgment, and if I don't like a decision you've made, I'll simply tell you. You're a grown-up now. I'm in no place to tell you what you can and can't do with your life. I'm just here to support you, okay?"

That was when Kara's sniffling tears turned into sobs.

"Oh, baby girl," her mother said softly, rubbing the girl's back. "I love you so much. And now I'm very, very worried about you. Did you get hurt last night?"

Kara bit her lip and hesitated, whimpering "Yeah, but not how you're thinking. I'm okay. I'll be okay. I just…"

Instead of pushing further, Eliza gave her daughter a soft expression and waited for her to be ready to continue.

Eventually, the blonde confessed, "Ma… I think Lena has a drinking problem…"

And oh boy was Eliza glad she had a poker face. Despite her surprise - Lena seemed to well put together from their interactions so far - she managed to keep her expression soft as she nodded her head slowly.

"Was she violent, Kara?" the girl's mother asked gently, scared to hear the anger but knowing her approach had to be a soft one in order to get her daughter to talk.

Finally sitting up in bed, Kara shook her head vigorously, saying, "Never. She would never."

"Then what happened, sweetheart?"

Tears still streaming down her cheeks, Kara explained, "She wanted to kiss me in front of everyone at the party. She was drunk and sloppy and just… not in her right mind. It wasn't the time or place, you know? And when I said no… she got upset. She'd never try to force me or anything. But she was hurt, I think, and so… because her inhibitions were down, I guess… she said some really crappy things to me. Mean things."

Again, Eliza nodded slowly, saying, "I see." Feeling intensely relieved by the fact that the hurt her daughter was experiencing was emotional rather than physical (though both were are for her to bear), she added, "Where do things stand now?"

"I don't know, to be honest," Kara sighed. "I can't do this if she's going to keep saying those things… I know she doesn't mean them at all, but… words hurt, you know? At least… when they come from someone you love and care about…"

"Oh, absolutely. So, what would you like to do with this experience? Do you think you need to break up with her? Or do you think this is something the two of you can repair?"

"I don't know, Ma. I…" Kara started. Then, looking embarrassed, Kara confessed, "I don't know if I can live my life without her now."

"I know, honey," Eliza told her, hugging the girl tightly. "You've fallen really hard."

"How do you know?"

"The same way I knew that she was in love with you. It's the way you look at her. Like she's your everything. I haven't seen you smile that way since… since you were a little girl, being pushed on the swings by your father…"

"I don't know what to do, Mom," Kara sobbed, triggered by the sensitive memory of her father.

"Take a deep breath. It's gonna be okay, with or without her. Do you hear me?"

Kara shook her head.

"It will be. I promise," her mother continued. Then, looking at her with a serious expression, she added, "But... Maybe Lena just needs some help right now. To get out of this rut. Her life is very difficult, as you're coming to understand. Just like yours has been, but in a very different way. The difference is, you can't go to rehab for being poor and suffering a huge loss. She can go to rehab for an addiction, if that's really what this is."

"You think she needs rehab?" Kara asked sadly.

Eliza shrugged and said, "I don't know, sweetheart. I just know it can help a lot of people who struggle with addiction."

"She wouldn't go," Kara sniffled. "Even if I gave her an ultimatum, she wouldn't be doing it for her. And she has to want to get the help."

"That's true."

"I don't know what to do. I really just want her to stop doing this to herself. I hate watching her fall apart and become a total mess like this. It hurts me. I care about her so much…"

"Have you told her that? And said it how you just said it to me?"

Kara shook her head.

"Then, maybe you should."

With a heavy sigh, the blonde hugged her mother tightly and nodded, saying, "I love you, Mom. Thank you."

"Hey, what's going on?" a voice called out from the doorway, Alex having appeared there to investigate the sound of Kara sobbing.

"Nothing," Kara blurted, stiffening and pulling away from the hug.

The expression of disappointment on Alex's face was obvious.

Eliza shook her head in disapproved, looking at Kara seriously, and told her, "Talk to your sister, Kara. She's here for you, too."

"Yeah, alright," the blonde had to agree.

"Plus, I know you need another hug," her mother teased with a smirk as she rose from the bed.

Alex shook her head.

"Get over here," Eliza demanded. "You two hug right now, or you're both grounded."

Kara finally laughed, and the girls embraced.

"I love you guys," Kara told them.

"Love you too, dude," Alex agreed.

Their mother smiled at them, a warm sensation spreading through her at the sight of her daughters' connection. Despite their differences, it was obvious that they loved and supported each other, which was all Eliza ever really wanted for the two of them.

"I'm proud of you girls," she said softly, before turning and leaving the room without giving either a chance to reply.