A/N: Thanks for the comments.
Jennifer Baratta - Thanks!
Guest - I'm not sure what Eve's involvement in that really brings to the plot. Especially if Alex doesn't know.
"How many more of you are there?" Mary asked as Alex and Kara entered Kate's office where everyone was assembled.
"This is is." Kate said.
"What's going on?" Alex asked.
"Lex has just gone nuts." Mary said. "Or proving that Kate wasn't crazy when she said he was crazy."
"Nuts how?" Kate asked.
"He released the identity of Supergirl, Batwoman and the Flash."
"Really?" Kate asked trying to not let Mary know she already knew.
"That's all you have? Not who are they?" Mary questioned.
"Who are they?" Lena asked trying to sound interested.
"That's the thing. He released one set of names, then another and another." Mary said. "So far he has released over fifty. And now #Lexisovertheedge and #Lexhatesheros are trending. This on top of the videos of him ordering me to be killed has turned the tide of public opinion. And Dad said if the FBI don't do their job he will personally take Lex down."
"That's good news." Kate said.
"So where is he?" Mary asked.
"Who? Dad?"
"No Lex. I know you went to find him."
"Yeah. No luck." Kate lied.
"I'm sure he is hanging round somewhere near here." Barry said earning an eyer roll from Alex.
"Well I need to share my voice with the world so I'll see you later." Mary said.
"You can't go out there. Lex's people may still be after you." Kate said.
"I know. Dad has a protection detail by the door ready to pick me up."
"I'll make sure you she gets down there safely." Luke said leading Mary out.
"So what now?" Barry asked.
"Kill him?" Lena suggested.
"We can't." Kara said.
"I'll give my dad a tip off." Kate said.
"First we need to alter his memories." J'onn said.
"But that goes against what you believe in." Kara said.
"What I believe in more than anything is keeping my family safe." J'onn said.
"For the record this is a mistake. If you don't kill him he will be back. Although, even if you do kill him he has a tendency of coming back." Lena said. "So maybe it doesn't make a difference."
"So we stick to the original plan." Barry said.
-00-
"Told you that you wouldn't let me die." Lex said when Kate reappeared at the old meat factory.
"You were right." Kate said. "Kara doesn't really want it."
"I look forward to our new working relationship. So if you just let me down." Lex replied.
"Oh, you're not going anywhere. Apart from prison." Kate said.
"Then you lose."
"No. We win. And in a way that discredits you." Kate smiled.
"Do tell."
"No. Something tells me it will annoy you more not knowing how we made the world hate you and revealed you to be the evil psychopath that you are." She then turned to J'onn and said. "He's all yours."
Nodding J'onn once again knelt in front of Lex and gripped his head.
"Should it take this long?" Barry asked Kate after a few minutes.
"No idea." Kate said.
"Should we call Kara?" Barry asked.
"No. I don't want to cause her needless stress." Kate replied as J'onn finally released Lex and sat on the ground.
"You okay?" Barry asked holding out a hand to help J'onn to his feet.
"I'm fine. It is a tiring process. There were many connections that I had cover up." He said sounding weary. "But it is done now. I also implanted the memory of him sending all the emails."
"So do we cut him down and take him to the police?" Barry asked.
"No. Leave him here. I'll give the Crows a tip off." Kate said.
"What about his leg? It is still bleeding."
"It's elevated." Kate pointed out. "Besides when the Crows get the tip off they'll be here within minutes."
"So back to the office?" Barry asked.
"Back to the office." Kate agreed.
"Actually, I have something I need to do." J'onn said. "Can you tell Alex and Kara I'll see them in a few days."
"You sure you're okay?" Barry asked.
"I'm fine." J'onn smiled leaving the meat factory.
-00-
"So have you thought about what you are going to do now?" Alex asked as they sat in the lounge at Midvale a few days later.
"How do you mean?" Kara asked.
"You have a chance of a completely fresh start or you can return to your normal life." Alex pointed out.
"I don't know." Kara said. "Andrea said I can go back to CatCo. And by could she meant will. As I owe her lots of articles apparently. She also said being one of the hundreds to be named as Supergirl did not give me the right to slack off."
"So she believes the emails were all lies?" Alex asked.
"She does. It was a good plan." Kara conceded.
"Which is why you should always listen to me." Alex grinned.
"That seems dangerous." Kara replied.
"Hey." Alex said tossing a cushion at Kara who effortlessly blocked it.
"I'm with Kara on this one." Kelly added.
"Thank you." Kara said putting the cushion down. As she did so Kelly said.
"You don't seem happy about returning to CatCo."
"I am." Kara said.
"But?" Alex pressed.
"I don't know what to do about Lena."
"I know you probably don't want to hear this, but Lena is not your problem." Alex said.
"She saved me." Kara argued.
"And teamed with Lex who she knew was an evil psychopath." Alex reminded her.
"Because I lied to her."
"That's no excuse." Kelly said. "Lena has made her own decisions. If she wants to live a life of solitude that is up to her. If you keep going to her and trying to make things right all that will do is give her a safety net and stop her figuring out what she really wants. The best thing you can do is leave her alone."
"Maybe." Kara said as J'onn entered the room.
"J'onn? Where have you been?" Alex asked.
"I had to get someone for Kara." J'onn said stepping to one side and revealing Alura.
"Mom? What are you doing here?" Kara asked as she hugged her mother.
"Where else would I be?" Alura said gripping her tightly. "I can't believe you are alive."
"I've missed you." Kara said hugging her mother.
When Alura finally released Kara she went to Alex and hugged her too. "It is good to see you again." Alura greeted.
"You too." Alex said, although Kelly immediately picked up on her awkwardness. As Alura released her she asked. "Is your mother here. I would very much like to meet her."
"She's at work. But she should be back soon." Alex said.
"Why don't I show you round until she gets back?" Kara offered, still excited by her mother being there.
"Of course." Alura said following her out.
"What was that?" Kelly asked as when Kara and Alura had left the room.
"What was what?" Alex asked.
"When Alura came in, you flinched. And you looked really awkward in the hug."
"Alura had a twin, called Astra. I killed her. Seeing Alura just brings back memories."
"I can imagine." Kelly said, getting another reminder there was still a lot she didn't know about Alex.
-00-
"I have now lost you twice, and have had you returned twice." Alura said as she walked on the beach with Kara. "I pray I will not lose you a third time."
"Me too." Kara nodded.
"We thought that by sending you to a planet where you would have powers would keep you safe. We never considered it would make you a target of criminals." Alura said the concern and guilt evident in her voice.
"People are scared by what they don't understand." Kara said. "But in Lex's case he is just a psychopath."
"Even so. Why would Lex target you? You are a good person."
"He has a long history with Kal-El. I guess when Kal disappeared he turned his attention to me." Kara shrugged. "But it's over now. He is in custody."
"J'onn told me what he did to you and your friend." Alura said. "You don't have to pretend that you are okay. We may have spent many years apart, but you are still as easy to read as you were when you were five."
"I just need time." Kara said.
"Will that be enough?" Alura asked.
"Honestly, I don't know." Kara confessed causing Alura to hug her again.
"It'll take time, but I have no doubt you will find your way again." Alura tried to reassure her.
"How do you know?" Kara asked.
"Because you are strong and have a pure heart."
-00-
"Where's Kelly?" Kara asked as she joined Alex by the telescope a couple of hours later.
"She and mom went to get something I had never heard of. I think it was food. Maybe a vegetable."
"That doesn't sound promising." Kara said.
"Where's Alura?"
"Inside with J'onn." Kara said.
"So, when do you go?" Alex asked.
"I've not said I'm going."
"But you want to." Alex said turning to face Kara.
"I don't know." Kara said. "I mean part of me does, but last time didn't go so well. But being here, I don't know, I just feel like I can't escape what happened."
"You should go." Alex said.
"I should?" Kara asked.
"I know you. If you are here and you see something on the news about a plane crashing or a puppy drowning you are going to break out the suit and fly to the rescue. Because you are a hero. But deep down you know you aren't ready to return to that life yet. If you go to Argo, you can't as you won't have powers. It will give you time to think about what you really want."
"I'll miss you." Kara said.
"I'll miss you too." Alex said hugging her. Trying not to cry.
-00-
"How are you doing?" Kelly asked a few days later.
"Great." Alex said miserably.
"I can tell." Kelly said sitting next to her and pulling her in for a hug. "Want to talk?"
"I don't think she'll come back. And that's on me."
"How?"
"Every time I lash out I've said she isn't part of the family, or that she ruined my life. But I think that was just a way to deflect from the truth."
"What truth?"
"That we aren't her family. That she feels closer to Clark than she does us. When she was under the influence of Red-K she said we had never been sisters and without her I am nothing. So maybe my lashing out was away to throw her away before she could throw me away."
"How about you leave the psychoanalysing to the professionals?" Kelly suggested. "You are her hero. You mean everything to her and that is why she went. When she was in that VR world she saw you lose everything and then pay the ultimate price because of her. She is terrified of losing you. She doesn't want to cost you anything more than she already has."
"What if she doesn't come back?"
"She'll come back."
"You don't know that."
"Yes I do. She'll come back because she is your sister." Kelly said as there was a knock on the door. "Are you expecting someone?" Kelly asked.
"No." Alex said reaching for her gun before muttering. "I'm never going to get used to not having it." Before opening the door.
"Colonel Haley?" Alex asked surprised by the visitor.
"You know who I am?" The Colonel asked confused.
"Yes." Alex said remembering Haley wouldn't have her memories of their previous time together. "Can I help you?"
"Yes. May I come in?"
"Of course." Alex said.
"I'll give you some space." Kelly said leaving the apartment.
"As you are no doubt aware Lex Luthor has been indicted. All of his assets have been frozen, which has raised a few interesting questions about the future of the DEO. The President believes that the DEO is vital for national security. However, having it in private hands is obviously not a good idea. So the DEO is being, well disbanded."
"You just said it was vital." Alex pointed out.
"Indeed, so a new government agency is being set up. The new DEO. Also called the DEO-"
"To save on stationery costs?" Alex asked.
"No one could think of a better name." Haley said glaring at Alex. "Anyway the new DEO, a government agency, is being set up."
"Why are you telling me?" Alex asked.
"You successfully ran the DEO and when you doubted Luthor you stepped aside and investigated from outside. Through out it all you kept true to the ideals of the DEO. So we would like you back as Director. It won't be easy. At the moment you have no team. But you do have a healthy budget and a clear remit."
"You want me to be the Director?" Alex asked.
"Yes."
"And you'd be providing oversight?"
"Well, you'd have to submit reports every month to an oversight committee, but that would be no different to any other government agency."
"If I am building a team I need to know how deep Lex's tentacles reached." Alex said.
"If that is your not so subtle way of saying you want to dedicate resources to finding Lex Luthor's people you have the President's approval. As long as you keep the DEO functioning as it should."
TBC...
A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing. Final chapter up tomorrow.