Updateeeee!

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Disclaimer: I don't own Supergirl

"Do you mind if I ask who Rao is?" Alex asked, sitting on the concrete floor and leaning back against the metal cot. "It sounds very important."

Nobody had come yet to inform the agent to what end she was being held captive, and honestly, Alex figured that was probably the best way for things to stay.

Kara was sitting criss-cross on her bed, fingers running through her tangled hair. Her face lit up with the question.

"Rao is the god of life and light, the personification of our, the Kryptonian, life force," Kara explained. "When a Kryptonian dies, they enter Rao's light."

Alex sat up a little. "You're Kryptonian?" That would explain why her last name had sounded familiar; it included Superman's House of El.

Kara just nodded, picking at the frayed edge of her grey shirtsleeve. "What species are you?"

"I'm human."

At that Kara looked up sharply, brow furrowing and small crinkle appearing between her eyebrows. "You're human?"

"Yeah," Alex confirmed distractedly. "How…" She was still struggling to comprehend the fact that Superman was in fact not the only Kryptonian left. There were two more; Kara and her aunt. But… hadn't Krypton exploded? "I'm so sorry, I just…" Alex shook her head. "I thought Superman was the only one."

Kara looked up at that, brow furrowing. "Who is Superman?"

Alex shook her head at that, not sure if she wanted this moment to be the time she broke the news to Kara that there was another Kryptonian on earth flying around in tights and a cape.

"We can come back to that. How did you get here? To earth, I mean," Alex asked.

"I was sent in a space pod to accompany my baby cousin. However my pod was knocked off course and by the time I got to earth, there was no sign of my cousin. My aunt, Astra, also made it to earth. She found me and raised me." Kara rested her head in one hand, not seeming to want to talk about it. "Why are you here if you're a human? I've only seen other aliens."

Alex ran a hand absentmindedly through her hair. "I'm an agent with the DEO, which is basically an organization that opposes this one. They probably either want information on my organization from me or are going to use me as leverage. Or both."

Kara looked instantly concerned, her brow furrowing further.

"It's okay," Alex assured her. "My agency will be coming for me and when they do, we'll help you get out of here too."

"Do you have family around? They must be worried."

Instantly Eliza and J'onn's faces appeared in Alex's mind. "Yes," she said. "But they know it's a dangerous job and that I understand that as well."

There was a hint of wistfulness in Kara's expression as she asked, "Are you close with your family?"

"I'm pretty close with my mom. My dad passed away when I was a teenager. I miss him a lot. My boss at work is sort of like a father figure to me now."

It was the first time Alex had actually voiced that; something about Kara just made her feel comfortable sharing about her life.

"I'm sorry about your dad," Kara said softly. "My parents died so I know a bit of how it feels. It's really hard."

Really, there was absolutely zero reason for the captive Kryptonian to care; yet Kara's expression and voice were truly empathetic.

"Yeah, it is." Strangely, Alex had the sudden feeling that she might cry which was almost the most concerning thing to happen in the last 24 hours.

"I bet your boss will come soon to find you," Kara smiled. "He sounds great."
It took a moment for Alex to realize what was happening but when it did, it hit her like a ton of bricks.

Kara was comforting her.

She, the DEO agent who was trained for and opted into these situations, was being comforted by a younger alien who Alex had no doubt had done nothing to land herself in this cell other than exist. And what was more, Alex was getting the sense that Kara wasn't including her own freedom in her hope for rescue of Alex; she just genuinely wanted Alex to be reunited with her family.

"Kara," Alex made sure the Kryptonian was looking at her. "You're a really good person, has anyone told you that lately?"

Kara flushed, clearly unused to praise. "I'm really not…"

"Stop." Alex felt comfortable enough to cut the girl off. "Stop right there. You must accept my compliment." She was only half joking.

"Okay," Kara gave her a small smile. "Thanks Alex. You're a really good person too."

Now that was debatable but Alex had a feeling Kara was probably incapable of receiving a compliment without giving one back.

"If you don't mind me asking, if you're a Kryptonian then how are they keeping you…"

Alex didn't even get to finish her question before Kara was pushing back her hair and turning to reveal a metal disc embedded in the skin at the base of her neck. It glowed faintly from several green dots in the metal, giving off a muted light that cast a sickly hue on the irritated and bleeding skin surrounding it. Alex could also see the beginning of a scar right over the girl's spine peeking out from under the fabric.

"That looks painful," Alex winced. Kara just shrugged and let her hair back down, covering the area. "Is it kryptonite?"
Kara shuddered slightly, although she made a valiant effort to hide it. "Yes, I think that's what they call it." Her voice was suddenly much smaller and flatter than it had been throughout their whole conversation. "At least what I've overheard them calling it. They don't talk to me."

"Kara…" Alex bit her lip. She had to know. "What… what have they been doing? To you, I mean."

Kara's form stiffened and the girl was suddenly very interested in the sleeves of her shirt again. "Can…" she swallowed hard. "Can we not talk about it? Please?" the Kryptonian looked at Alex, her blue eyes heartbreakingly pleading.

"I want to help you," Alex stood up from where she was sitting, stepping right up to the bars that separated her from the Kryptonian. Slowly she reached through, putting her hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Alex," Kara gave her a faltering smile. "Don't worry about me. I'm fine."

She was so not fine and although Alex was terrified to find out what was happening, she needed to know.

"Did they operate on…"
"I don't want to talk about it," Kara stepped away a little bit, wrapping her arms around herself. "I'm sorry, I… I just can't." She looked at Alex tearfully, as though needing permission. "I'm really sorry."

"You don't have to apologize," Alex shook her head, regretful for pushing Kara. "Please, you never have to apologize for that. I'm the one who needs to apologize, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I'm just… worried. You're… you're being hurt, aren't you? More than just the Kryptonite in your neck, I mean."

No duh. I mean, she has Kryptonite embedded in her neck and is an alien being held by CADMUS, what do you think is happening here? Part of Alex scolded herself but other part just really really needed confirmation because the thought of someone hurting this impossibly sweet being was unthinkable.

Kara's face was obscured by her hair as she looked down but her head bobbed slightly in a small nod of confirmation that sent a wave of hot anger through Alex's chest.

"Kara, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. It could be worse," Kara mumbled, not looking at Alex.
"No." Alex frowned. "No, it's not okay. It's never okay. And even if they weren't hurting you, none of this would be okay, it's so absolutely, completely wrong. When J… my boss finds me, we're going to get you out of here, okay?"

She had to tell herself to calm down; Kara was only curling further in on herself at her forceful tone. Alex took a deep breath and continued in a calmer tone. "Kara, do you know how long you've been held by these people?"

Kara didn't look at her. "I'm not sure. It's hard to tell really but I think it's been awhile."

The thought of what all could have happened to Kara in that time terrified Alex and simultaneous stunned her; how was this girl so kind? "Thank you for sharing that with me." She reached out a hand and Kara only hesitated momentarily before taking it. "Thank you," Alex smiled. "You are so brave."

Kara's shadowed eyes lifted to meet Alex's, the tiniest smile curving her lips in response to the affirmation. Alex was suddenly struck by the alien's innocent beauty and her own strong desire to protect the younger girl. She faintly wondered if this was what it would be like to have a little sister.

"Alright, let's talk about something more fun," Alex sat down as Kara's hand left hers. The Kryptonian followed suit, crossing her thin legs as she sat on the ground. "What's your favorite food?"

Alex didn't know how long she and Kara had been talking but they had just begun debating what the cutest animal was when the door down the hall opened.

Kara's response was immediate, the laughter and brightness that had shone from her face during their conversation was extinguished as her eyes clouded with thinly veiled fear.

"It's going to be okay," Alex told her, standing up, even though she had absolutely no idea what was going to happen. "Just stay down."

Several figures in full body armor approached, not even pausing to glance at Alex, instead going straight to Kara's cell.

"Hey! Leave her alone!" Alex desperately moved to the closes edge of her cell to the door of Kara's.

"Alex, don't," Kara shook her head, her face blank. "I'll be fine." The door of her cell opened and two of the guards each grabbed one of Kara's arms, yanking her up from the ground.

"Hey!" Nobody even looked at her. "Hey!" Alex kicked the bars, helpless rage consuming her being.

"It's okay," Kara mouthed at her before she was pulled away and it just made everything worse.

And then Alex was alone.

For a long long time.

Time stretched endlessly as Alex wait for any sign of Kara's return. She occupied herself by doing pushups even though she knew she should be preserving her energy as much as possible. She just couldn't sit still.

The room was dead silent and Alex wondered if and when CADMUS would be talking to her. She wasn't sure if they knew her position within the DEO and would try to get information from her.

Good thing she had been trained to withstand interrogation.

Her stomach twisted as she tried not to imagine what was happening to Kara at that moment. While Alex might be trained to endure pain, Kara certainly wasn't. She thought of how Kara had told her that she and her aunt had lived out in the middle of nowhere on a self-sustaining farm before being discovered by CADMUS. It was probably impossible to find someone more peaceful.

After what felt like a lifetime, the door down the hall opened again.

Kara.

Alex jumped to her feet, dread pooling in her gut as she caught a glimpse of the blond figure being held up by two guards.

"Oh god." Alex stared, horrified, as they moved closer and she got a better look of the young Kryptonian's state.

Kara's head was lolling, the left side of her face caked in blood. Her grey shirt already had patches of blood staining through the fabric in various spots.

"What the hell did you do to her?!" Alex practically screamed at the guards. One glanced at her briefly but that was the extent of their reaction. They simply opened the door to Kara's cell and threw the girl in. From her position, Alex could see a long stripe of blood, impossibly straight, running right down the middle of Kara's back.

Her medical training kicked in, assessing the strange mark before quickly identifying it. Surgical cut right down the spine.

Two of the guards immediately turned and left Kara where she had fallen but the third stayed, stepping the cell. He slowly knelt beside where Kara was struggling to get to her knees.

"What are you…" Alex was pressed up against the bars that kept her out, horror pounding through her veins as the guard ran the back of his hand down Kara's cheek, the girl freezing at the touch.

"Hey. Hey!" Alex growled at him. "Leave her alone."

The guard just grinned at her, pale eyes shining beneath his combat helmet, before hauling Kara to her feet and pushing her against the back wall.

The noise of pain that Kara made struck desperation into Alex's heart.

"Kinda pretty for an alien." The guard ignored Alex's shouts as he examined Kara's even as she struggled weakly to yank herself from his grasp. He suddenly grabbed Kara's jaw, forcing her to look at him. "I'm gonna tear you to pieces, you alien piece of shit. Then I'm gonna put you under those magic lamps and do it all over again…"

Kara gave a small whimper and Alex had seen far more than enough.

"Hey stupid!" She threw her boot through the bars at the man, hitting him square in the side of the face.

That, finally, got his attention.

"What the hell…" he let pushed Kara to the ground, touching his cheekbone where the boot had hit. Alex knew for a fact her combat boots had very solid soles and the guard was going to have a very colorful bruise. "Oh, I'm going to kill you," he growled, eyes alight with fury.

Alex only cared that he was finally moving away from Kara.

"I'd love to see you try," she hissed, cracking her knuckles and getting into a fighting position.

"Alex…" Kara had pulled herself to her knees, voice saturated with fear.

"It's okay Kara, stay there," Alex spared her a quick glance. "Just look the other way, okay?"

The noise of her door swinging open snapped her attention back to the situation at hand as the large man rushed at her.

There wasn't a lot of room to maneuver but she managed to duck his first blow, however the second one threw her against the bars, pain searing through her back and iron blossoming in her mouth. But the taste of blood only served to invigorate her.

Alex laughed and spat crimson. "My turn.

She dodged the next blow, twisting behind the guard and kicking him from behind and sending him stumbling into the bars he had just flung her against.

Before he had a chance to recover, she grabbed the strap holding the man's helmet on and used it to pull his face down hard as she brought her knee up to collide with it.

"Now we're having fun," Alex goaded the guard as he howled in pain, blood spraying from what was no doubt a very broken nose. "You think it's amusing to hurt people who are already hurt, huh?" she hissed in his ear. "Think you can do whatever you want with a caged alien?" She punched him in the gut, causing him to double over, before clocking him across the face to make sure he wasn't going to recover control of the fight. "Think you're better because you have different DNA?" She hauled him up, pressing him against the bars, mimicking the position he had held Kara in just minutes earlier. "I want to tell you something. I'm gonna tear you to pieces, you human piece of shit."

She took far too much pleasure in throwing the man's words back at him.

"Alex, look out!" Kara's fear-filled cry turned her attention to the sudden stream of guards thundering down the hall.

A quick analysis of the situation brought Alex to the conclusion that using the open door to try to escape would be pointless. She wasn't going to leave without Kara anyways.

She probably was about five seconds from being severely beaten up so she used that time to turn to Kara, who was pale, trembling, and hadn't managed to make it to her feet yet.

"Kara, sweetheart, can you close your eyes and cover your ears for me? I don't want you to see this."

She didn't get a chance to see if Kara had followed her instructions before the blows came raining down on her.

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