Hello hello hello my beloved readers!

I am SO sorry for my grievously late update *hides face* Life has been... well crazy. As I'm sure you all have experienced as well.

Anyways, I'm excited to finally be updated (although I won't blame you if you've moved on and given up on me and this story). I'm not really sure how much longer it will be. Tbh that will probably depend on what level of interest there is for more. I also am playing with the idea for another Supergirl Danvers sisters fanfic... Anyways, let me know what you all would like!

You all are the best and I couldn't keep this up without you - thank you!

The file lay ominously embedded in a report email, lodged among the lines of unread messages that dominated Alex's inbox.

Alex took a deep breath, cursor hovering over the email, before looking at Kara. The Kryptonian was currently fast asleep on the couch, as she had been for the last several hours since she had crashed there after J'onn had left. Her state of sleep was different than what Alex had seen before; she looked almost dead, a blank expression on her face and she was in the same exact position she had fallen asleep in. If it weren't for the slight rise and fall of her chest, Alex would be compulsively checking her pulse. It was if the young woman's body and mind had finally completely shut down.

It made sense though. When was the last time Kara had been able to sleep without danger, pain, or hunger?

No doubt it had been a very long time.

That realization caused Alex's heart to clench painfully in her chest and she felt a sudden strong urge to slam the laptop shut and throw it in the trash because it was all too much and she didn't know if she could take any more. Oblivion was easier and nicer.

But the stronger urge brought her gaze back to the screen in front of her. She had to know. And even if it was overwhelming for Alex, Kara was the one who had to actually live through it all.

Alex clicked the email and downloaded the file.

A little bar popped up, letting Alex know that the file was downloading, megabyte after megabyte filling her laptop.

Alex looked at Kara again, images flashing in her mind: the Kryptonian curled against bars, Kara crumpled in blood-stained mud, blue eyes shining with feverish terror in the middle of the night...

Just as Alex had decided that she couldn't go through with this, her computer made a soft dinging noise to alert her that the download was complete. Without her permission, her finger guided the cursor to the file and clicked.

Pages and pages of documents filled the screen, the first one titled "Alien # 379 Intake Form".

"My name's Alex, what's yours?"

The blonde on the other side of the bars paled. "Um…" Her gaze was suddenly unfocused, brilliant blue eyes darting nervously. "I'm Number 379."

The document was accompanied by a mug-shot-like picture of Kara, her expression one of confused fear. She looked younger, more childlike, her face without shadows. Underneath the image, lines of information were filled out.

Species: Kryptonian

Age: 20 (estimate)

Height: 5'5"

Weight: 130lb

Physical Appearance: Humanoid, caucasian, blonde hair, blue eyes

Abilities: Intake examination and interactions indicates super speed, invulnerability, super strength, enhanced vision and hearing. Further powers will likely be uncovered by extensive testing.

Program Assignment: Project Libra

Other Notes: Related to Alien #378, docile at intake, excellent body condition, strong candidate for Project Libra.

Actions Taken: ID number tattooed on inner right wrist, Kyrptonite regulator and GPS tracking chip implanted at base of spine

Swallowing hard, Alex clicked through to the next set of files, her screen filling with scan after scan after scan.

Then came the experiments.

Alex had to switch her heart off, had to compartmentalize the information she was receiving as she searched through the detailed records for some idea of what CADMUS was after. What did they want? What was Project Libra?

The things she was seeing in this file would haunt her for the rest of her life, yet Alex kept scrolling. She had to know. She had to understand what they were looking for, what their aim was, what disgusting false ideology had driven scientists to this level of departure from their humanity.

It was only when images of crude skeletal-like metal structures laced with wires showed up next to brain and spinal scans and the results of a test on brain and spinal electrical stimulation that Alex put all the pieces together, the forming realization punctuated by vivid memories.

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...

Reaching through the bars, she smoothed back Kara's hair, trying to find the source of the blood covering the left side of her face. Quickly she found it, right below Kara's forehead hairline, a clearly intentional cut, precise and deep...

Her hands staining red as she worked fabric away from congealing blood, revealing a long and deep incision running down Kara's spine. Many other faint scars, all surgical looking, wove a web across the Kryptonian's back...

"I'll need you to hold it down when I take the spinal fluid sample." The scientist motioned to her and when she looked at Kara, she saw a web of wires taped to the Kryptonian's forehead...

They had been trying to find a way to control Kara; to make the Kryptonian into their own personal weapon.

Alex's stomach turned, ability to compartmentalize disintegrating as her emotions caught up with her and she just barely made it to the bathroom before her stomach rejected all its contents. The jarring pain of bruised and broken ribs meeting spasming muscles was an almost welcome distraction but even that couldn't fully pull her attention away from what she had just been looking at. As she knelt, heaving before the toilet in her tiny apartment bathroom, the reality of both what already had and what could have happened to Kara pierced Alex's being with agonizing horror.

It was about power. It was always about power. And they had been planning to use Kara - innocent, gentle, peaceful, compassionate Kara - as a means to their end.

Possibilities filled her mind, Kara becoming CADMUS's personal puppet, robbed of all autonomy, forced to do things she didn't want to do, only seen and treated as an object...

Alex couldn't imagine a worse hell of existence to subject someone to.

Stomach finally empty, Alex scooted back so that she was leaning against the wall. She worked on calming her breathing, one hand clutching her side as she tried to find a way through the tidal wave of emotions that washed over her. The documentation was beyond thorough and Alex was getting a very clear idea of what Kara had been through and... and...

"Alex?"

A soft voice jerked Alex's gaze upward and she looked at the doorway to find Kara standing there, her face creased with concern.

"Are you okay?" The lanky Krytonian shifted her weight from one bare foot to another, looking somehow small in the oversized DEO sweatshirt Alex had found for her. "Are you sick? I thought I heard..." Her cobalt eyes were bright with concern, fingers playing with her sleeves.

In the presence of Kara herself, a whole new level of reality crashed down on Alex. She closed her eyes briefly, fighting to keep down the rising bile in her throat.

How? How could people do those things to an innocent girl?

And how had Kara remained so caring and loving?

Forget invincibility and super strength and laser vision; that was by far the most extraordinary trait the Kryptonian displayed.

Alex wasn't sure exactly how it happened but she suddenly had her arms around Kara, holding her as tightly as possible, not even feeling the painful protest her injuries gave at the action.
"Alex?" Kara gently returned the hug but was clearly confused. "Alex, is everything alright?"

"Yes." Alex took a deep breath but didn't let go. They stood like that for a long moment.

"Are... are you sure...?" Kara's voice was hesitant, still worried.

"I'm sure." She couldn't talk about what was on that laptop, couldn't voice the words to explain the emotions that compressed her chest. The last thing Kara needed was to help Alex process her own traumatic experience. "I was just thinking about everything that has happened and how relieved I am that we're safe. I... I remember that first time I told you that I had a spare room and you could stay here if you wanted. I didn't know if we would ever get here. And I'm so glad we did. Not only did we make it out alive, I got an awesome friend, a sister. I can't believe how lucky I am." Alex kept her tone light. It might not be everything she was thinking about, but it was all absolutely true.

A small smile appeared on Kara's face, bright blue eyes softening from concern to shy pleasure. "I'm the lucky one," she ducked her head.

"No." Alex shook her head, voice firm with conviction. "No, I am."

"You're really okay...?" Kara's brow was still slightly creased with a question.

"Yes. I'm fine, I promise, and you're the sweetest ever to be worried about me." Alex pulled Kara into a hug again and silently vowed to delete the files the first chance she got.

Thank you again for reading, reviewing, following, & favoriting. It truly fuels my writing (along with my own unending need to play with stories and characters...)

Again, let me know what you would like to see in this story & if you would be interested in a different Danvers sisters story

Be well and stay safe!