Note: Full Chapter Title is "What's So Funny About Truth, Justice and the American Way?

March 5, 2019

"How much have you had?" Maggie asked as she slid into the booth across from Kara.

"Half," Kara said, her speech a little slurred.

"I thought I told you to call me before you started drinking."

"I did!" Kara said. "I totally called you first."

"But you finished half a bottle before I got here."

"You never said I had to wait until you were here to start drinking."

"Well, new rule," Maggie said as she reached across the table and grabbed the bottle away from Kara. "You have to call me and wait until I arrive before you get hammered."

"No fair," Kara said, with a grumpy little pout. "You always take my alcohol away."

"That's because getting drunk every time you have a bad day is not a healthy coping mechanism."

"Alex does it," Kara said.

"Yeah, and I do it too. It doesn't mean you should start."

"It makes in hurt less," Kara said.

"Makes what hurt less?" Maggie asked.

"Being hated." Kara put leaned forward, propping her head up with her left arm. "Maybe I deserve it."

"Deserve to be hated?"

"Yeah," Kara said. "I try so hard, but it's never enough. People just keep dying. Astra, Kelly, Non, Jack, Rhea, Professor Stein, Leslie, Julia. So many others. I failed them all."

"Jesus, Kara," Maggie said. "Are you sure you're adopted, because that was some serious Danvers level bullshit right there."

"What?"

"You have literally saved the world three times now, that I know of. That doesn't include the time you stopped a nuke from hitting National City, or the time you stopped a mad woman from taking over the world with nanites, or the time you stopped Roulette from selling off the human race piecemeal as slaves, or the time you stopped all the aliens in National City from being tossed across the universe, along with Alex, and God knows what else you've done.

"Kara, we lose people. That's part of what we do. You go out there, and you fight so hard, you push with everything you are, but you can't save everyone. You just can't, any more than I can. Your powers, they let you do more, but they don't make you a god. You're not all powerful." She reached across the table and took one of Kara's hands.

"You are a hero, Kara."

"Then why does everyone hate me?" Kara asked.

"Who hates you?"

"Haley. The President. The Children of Liberty."

"Oh," Maggie said, kicking herself for not realizing what this was about sooner.

"I catch Ben Lockwood, who murdered people, and I got fired for it. I saved Haley's life, and she was going to blackmail me into being a government slave. I save the President, and he made Lockwood the director of alien affairs."

"Oh, sweetie, no."

"Why do they hate me, Maggie? I can hear them, right now. Their standing out there in the park, screaming 'roaches go home'. Don't they know I'd give anything to go home? I don't have a home to go back to."

Maggie stared at the tears welling up in Kara's eyes for a moment, the stood up and pulled on Kara's hand. "Come on. Get up."

"Where are we going?" Kara asked as she stood up.

"You'll see."

"Where are we?" Kara asked, sounding considerably more sober than she did before.

"Just get out of the car, Kara," Maggie said.

Kara gave her one of those adorable little grumpy pouts before she opened the door and climbed out. Maggie got out and headed for the building they were parked in front of. She led Kara around the side and stopped in front of a heavy metal security door.

"What do you see?" Maggie said, nodding towards the door.

Kara looked over at the door, which had a diamond like her symbol painted on it, except the lines most people took to be an S were replaced with a K, and above it, a series of circles, lines, dots, diamonds and squares.

"/ .shahrrehth, vokai, urkynon/" Kara whispered. She turned to look at Maggie, confusion written on her face. Maggie knocked on the door, and a small slot opened at eye leave.

"Hope, help and compassion for all," Maggie said.

The door swung open, and Maggie nodded to the huge, red skinned woman standing in the doorway.

"Hey, Sawyer."

"Hey, Click," Maggie replied.

"Who's the blonde?"

"One of yours," Maggie said.

"She need shelter?" Click asked.

"No. Just to be among family for a bit."

Click nodded and turned to Kara. "Come in, sister."

Maggie reached down, took Kara's hand, and led her inside. Once they were through the door, she heard Kara gasp at the sight, and Maggie couldn't blame her. The place was filled with aliens, and unlike Al's, this wasn't just come dive bar that happened to cater to people of otherworldly origins. The walls were decorated with art from a dozen different worlds. People sat around tables and chatted. There were a few people here and there playing instruments that had never been crafted by human hands, and aliens, some who could pass for human and some who couldn't, milled about the space, and guards at every door.

"What is this place?" Kara asked as Maggie led her deeper inside.

"It's part community center, part refuge. A safe space. Defensible. Protected. The community has been setting them up for a while. Ever since Cadmus stole the alien registry. We pass the information around person to person. Nothing on the internet, ever. Humans have to be vouched for by someone in the community, but aliens are always welcome."

"The symbol on the door?"

"It's meant to honor two people. The diamond, and the Kryptonian words are obvious. Supergirl. Because she saved all the aliens Cadmus had rounded up and herded aboard that ship. But the K inside, is for the other hero that saved lives. This place, the others like them. The community calls them 'Kara Houses', after the woman who saved thousands of lives, just by speaking up, and warning everyone on the registry of the danger.

"There are people out there who hate you for what you are, Kara. There always will be. Just like there are people out there who hate me for what I am. But these people, your community, your family, they love you. Both versions of you. Supergirl, and Kara Danvers.

"I know it's bad out there right now, and I know you're right in the thick of it. But when it gets bad, when it starts to hurt, think about this place. Think about what you mean to these people. Think about the hope you've inspired. Think about all the little kids out there, that look at you, and believe in you."

Kara looked over and gave her a watery smile, with tears glistening in those big, blue eyes, and Maggie felt a strange ache in her chest, but she didn't have any time to wonder what it was before she found herself wrapped up in Kara's arms.

"Thank you," Kara said as she hugged her tightly.

Maggie hugged Kara back, just as hard as she could.

Translated from the Kryptonian:

shahrrehth
hope

vokai
help

urkynon
compassion