A/N: Thanks for the comments.
Jennifer Baratta - Thank you!
"You okay?" Kara asked when she entered the kitchen having returned from work and saw Adam staring out into the backyard.
"I'm not sure Elle has forgiven me for leaving her at the DEO and threatening to lock her up." Adam sighed. "She has been in the tree house all evening."
"Wasn't the whole reason of building it so she had her own space?" Kara asked.
"Yes, but something seems off."
"Off?"
"She played with Argo, Krypto and Wil until they collapsed then she just disappeared to the tree house."
"It is dark and clear and Carter gave her telescope." Kara reminded him. "But if you are worried take her some hot chocolate and cookies and talk to her."
"You want me to bribe her?" Adam asked.
"No, I want you talk to her. But seeing it is cold outside you should take her something warm to drink."
"And the cookies?" Adam asked.
"Who doesn't like cookies?" Kara questioned. "Oh and just in case she is mad don't forget Winn upgraded the security system including the treehouse."
"I'll ask before I enter." Adam said.
-00-
"Hey, can I come up?" Adam called from the bottom of the tree.
"Sure." Elle called back.
Realising his logistics problem Adam put the mug down and climbed a couple of rungs before sliding the plate of cookies in. He then went back for the mug of hot chocolate before heading back up the ladder only to find most of the cookies were gone.
"Is that for me too?" Elle asked mouth half full as she pointed to the hot chocolate.
"Yeah." Adam said holding out the mug.
"Where's yours?" Elle asked taking the hot chocolate.
"Mine?" Adam asked.
"I thought you were going to join me?"
"Do you want me to?"
"Yes. But you'll need a hot chocolate."
"Then I'll go get one." Adam said.
"And you'll need more cookies." Elle pointed out, earning a long stare from Adam who eventually went back to the house where he found Kara waiting by the door with a new plate of cookies and a hot chocolate.
"You were listening?" Adam asked.
"So I'd know when to make you your drink." Kara said handing over the mug and plate. "Have fun." She added before heading back inside.
-00-
"Where is everyone?" Alex asked as she entered the lounge were Kara was lying with Argo and Krypto.
"Elle and Adam are bonding in the tree house and Wil is asleep." Kara replied.
"What happened to those two?" Alex asked pointing to the dogs.
"Elle. She tired them out." Kara explained.
"So you are here and bored?"
"Maybe, a little." Kara said before asking. "What are you doing here?"
"Winn said he installed some upgrades to your home security system. I wanted to make sure the house hadn't taken you prisoner."
"So far so good." Kara replied. "And Elle loves the security on her tree house."
"For the record I can still see it going horribly wrong." Alex said. "And if she turns those defences on Wil don't say I didn't warn you."
"She has promised she won't. She knows they are not toys."
"Because that argument has worked so well with her not using her powers." Alex shot back.
"You okay?" Kara asked. "You seem a little grumpy."
"I'm fine." Alex said.
"You sure?" Kara pressed as she sat up much to the dogs disgust and made room on the couch for Alex.
"I don't know. I just feel like my life is stagnating." Alex confessed as she sat on the couch. "I thought after Maggie and I ended it I would move on. But I haven't."
"That's kind of self inflicted. I mean you could go on dates. You just choose not to." Kara said.
"It's not like I have much time. I mean it was only last week I was locked in the DEO for days."
"If you look hard enough you'll always find an excuse." Kara said. "Maybe you are afraid of putting you heart out there and getting hurt?" Kara suggested. "After all you and Kelly seemed to connect and then you did nothing."
"I've not had time." Alex said
"You have time now. Send her text. Or I can."
"You wouldn't."
"I would." Kara said using her superspeed to grab Alex's phone off the table.
Before Alex could say anything Lena walked in.
"Thank god. Another single person for you to harass." Alex commented before looking at Lena and asking. "How did you get in?"
"Kara gave me a key fob." Lena said. "But should I go? I mean you being harassed is better than me being harassed."
"You both need to be harassed." Kara said as Alex snatched her phone back. "I'll keep bugging you." Kara pressed.
"Fine I'll send a text." Alex said typing something.
"To Kelly?" Kara asked.
"Yes to Kelly." Alex said. "All done. Happy?"
"Not really. But if Kelly doesn't respond tomorrow you, I and Lena are hitting the town. I will be the perfect wingwoman."
"I'd actually pay to see that." Lena said as Alex's phone buzzed.
"Well?" Kara asked as Alex read the message.
"That would be private." Alex replied as Elle and Adam came back into the house.
"Alex! Lena!" Elle greeted happily. "Is is sisters' night?"
"No. It is way past your bedtime." Adam reminded her.
"Or we could have sisters' night and invite Kelly."
"Did you put her up to that?" Alex asked Kara.
"No. And I'm a little confused about what's happened to sisters' night."
"When you were off with Barry we had a sisters' night." Alex said.
"Alex, Lena, Kelly and I are all sisters." Elle said.
"That may be. But right now it is your bedtime." Adam reminded her.
"Fine." Elle replied reluctantly before hugging the three women. She then picked up the sleeping Argo and disappeared upstairs.
-00-
"Where's dad?" Elle asked as she entered the kitchen the next morning.
"He has taken Wil out for a walk, then he is going to your grandmother's house."
"With Wil?" Elle asked.
"Yes."
"Why aren't I going?"
"Because I thought you might want to spend the day together."
"So what are you going to do if there is a Supergirl emergency?" Elle asked.
"J'onn is covering that." Kara said. "Today it is just us. And you have me for the whole day."
"Argo and Krypto are here as well." Elle pointed out.
"Okay it is just the four of us. So what do you want to do?"
"How about painting?"
"Sure. I'll go get the kit while you eat your breakfast."
"Or we could get breakfast on the way." Elle suggested.
"Fine. But don't tell dad." Kara said leaving the room. As she walked towards the stairs she noticed the alarm console was flashing. Confused she went to it and reached out to touch it just as her phone fell from her pocket. Using her superspeed she caught it before it dropped tot he ground, and at the same time as she pressed the console. As she did so she was zapped by a large shock and went flying backwards.
As Kara picked herself off the floor she saw herself looking at a young woman who was somehow familiar. Before she could say anything the stranger shouted.
"Mom! Get in here. That thing you said may happen has happened."
"What are you talking about?" A very familiar voice called back before a new woman, one who was instantaneously recognisable as Kara entered. "Oh. This." She said.
"What's going on?" Kara asked looking at an older version of herself.
"Don't panic." The other version of her said.
"That will help." The younger woman said sarcastically.
"Elle!" The other Kara chastised.
"Elle?" Kara asked looking at the young woman.
"You don't recognise me?" Elle asked.
"You are nine in her time." The other Kara said.
"I guessed I've changed a bit since then." Elle conceded as Kara stared at her.
"What's going on?" Kara asked.
"Short version is Winn's new alarm system malfunctioned at the same time you used your speed to catch your phone." The older Kara said. "You were zapped by the system at the wrong time and ended up being sent eight years in the future, to now. Good news is I can get you back."
"You're really Elle in the future?" Kara finally managed to ask looking at the younger of the two women.
"Well for me it's the present." Elle pointed out.
"And you are seventeen?" Kara asked still trying to catch up.
"I am." Elle said.
"The really important thing, which Alex will lecture you on relentlessly when you get back, is we can't tell you anything about the future. So no questions and no peaking." The older Kara said.
"What happens if I do?" The younger Kara asked.
"This will never happen."
"Wait, my existence is dependent on you keeping secrets?" Elle asked the older version of her mother.
"Yes."
"Well I'm screwed." Elle said.
"That's funny." The older Kara shot back. She then looked at the younger Kara and said. "But to be safe let's get you back quickly. I need to get something from the study. I'll be right back." She said leaving.
"You okay?" Elle asked the younger Kara.
"Yes?" Kara replied as dog ran in and jumped up against Kara. "Argo?" She asked.
"Yes." Elle confirmed.
"This morning he was a puppy." Kara said stroking his head before looking at Elle and adding. "And you were nine."
"On the bright side you know I am okay in the future." Elle pointed out before glancing towards the study. "I know mom, well you, future you for you, just said you can't know anything about the future but this is really important." Elle said. "When I'm fifteen I am going to do something really stupid?"
"How stupid?"
"Really stupid."
"What?" Kara asked eyes wide.
"That doesn't matter. Well I mean it does, to a lot of people. But I can't tell you as you might do something to change the timeline. And although part of me wishes that I could go back and not do it, I learned a lot from it so I think it needs to happen. But the important thing is you'll want to ground me for six months and strip me of my powers-"
"What exactly did you do?" Kara asked getting worried.
"Again, not important right now. What is important is you shouldn't follow your first reaction."
"I shouldn't?" Kara asked.
"No. A week grounding at most will be fine." Elle said. "A month or longer you'll really regret. And striping me of powers is kinda a violation of human rights."
"Good thing you aren't human." The older Kara said returning. She then looked at her younger self and added. "What she really she means is you'll regret not grounding her for a full year." She then looked at Elle and said. "Nice try, but we both know you got of lightly."
"It wasn't my fault. Some of it was, but I was fifteen and suddenly developed powers no one was expecting and it wasn't like you or Alex or Alura could help."
"That still doesn't justify what you did." The older Kara said. "If you want to have this discussion again we can, but right now you need to go and babysit your cousin."
"Cousin?" The younger Kara asked. "Alex's?"
"Or Carter or another sibling you don't know about yet." Elle listed.
"Another sibling?" Kara asked.
"She's joking. Of course you won't fully believe me on that for a few years. Or in fact until today." The older Kara said. "Right this moment." She said before turning to Elle. "Thank you for that."
"You're welcome." Elle smiled.
"We need to work on getting you back. Don't worry it's easy. I can almost remember how to do it." The older Kara said to the younger version.
"Almost?" The younger Kara asked.
"It's been eight years." The older Kara reminded her. "But it will fine. I mean I'm here after all."
"You need to work on your reassurance." Elle said.
"Please go and babysit. Oh and don't forget-" The older Kara said to Elle.
"Sprout, I know. I'll pick him up from his after school club." Elle said.
"Thank you." The older Kara said as Elle approached the younger Kara and hugged her.
"What's that for?" The younger Kara asked.
"You really looked liked you needed it." Elle said.
"You have no idea." Kara agreed hugging her tightly.
As Elle pulled away she looked at the older version and said. "Catch you later." She then turned to the younger Kara and said. "Catch you before?" With that she left.
"I know it is a lot to take in. But I will get you back." The older Kara said to the younger version.
"Should I do something about what Elle was talking about?" Kara asked her.
"No. You need to let it happen. If you don't do anything different things will be okay."
"Wait what was that look for?"
"What look?" The older Kara asked.
"That one."
"There was no look."
"Yes there was. Wow, I really do have a bad crinkle." Kara commented. "Is it Wil?"
"No."
"Is it Wil and Elle? Do they hate each other?"
"No, in fact the two people who have always managed to keep Elle grounded are Cat and Wil."
"Wil? Really?" The younger Kara asked surprised. "But Elle is always complaining about Wil, especially now he is crawling and following her round."
"I remember that." The older Kara smiled. "But Elle mellows towards him and as soon as 'Elle' was his first word she really warmed to him." The older Kara said before looking guilty. "That hasn't happened yet has it?"
"No." The younger Kara said.
"Well pretend I didn't say anything. Perhaps we should just focus on getting you home."
-00-
"Are you sure you know what you are doing?" The younger Kara asked two hours later. "I mean should we call Alex?"
"Alex trains you for the next few years on how to do this. And seeing I have lived through this I know I get you back. But it is really weird to live both sides of this conversation. Anyway I am almost there. One more turn and it will be done." She said tightening a screw. "Okay, ready."
"That doesn't look like a time machine." The younger Kara said.
"But it will work." The older one said.
"I know you said I can't know, but is there anything I should know?"
"Probably, but you'll be fine winging it."
"That crinkle is up again." The younger Kara said.
"There are going to be rough times, especially with Elle, but you've seen her. It works out. So are you ready?"
"I guess."
"Actually there is something you need to know. Tell Alex is is circuit 5b."
"Okay." The younger one said feeling confused.
"Here we go. Oh, I should warn you it will hurt." The older Kara said before the younger version found herself being hit my a beam of electricity.
-00-
"Mom?" Elle said as she heard a crash and found Kara lying on the floor.
"Elle?" Kara asked as she slowly stood.
"Are you okay?" Elle asked frowning.
"It's you." Kara said hugging Elle. "And you're nine." Pulling away she asked. "You are nine right?"
"Should I call Alex?" Elle asked concerned by her mother's behaviour.
"I'm fine. I've just missed you."
"You left the room thirty seconds ago." Elle said pulling away. "I'm going to call Alex."
"Elle, I'm fine." Kara assured her. "But call Alex." She added worrying her daughter.
-00-
"What happened?" Alex asked running into the house fifteen minutes later.
"Mom was lying on the floor and now she is acting really weird." Elle said.
"I'm okay." Kara said before noticing how nice Alex was looking. "Are you meant to be on a date? You are meant to be on a date. You should go. I'm fine."
"No you're not." Elle said adamantly.
"I'm not going anywhere." Alex said.
"I'm okay." Kara said.
"What happened?" Alex pressed.
"That's kind of a long story." Kara said causing Alex to glance at Elle.
"Elle will just listen in anyway, she may as well stay." Kara pointed out. "Besides she was there so she may as well be involved."
"Where was she and what are you talking about?" Alex said.
"The house zapped me and I jumped to the future. Eight years in future." Kara said. Seeing Elle and Alex were looking at her like she was insane she added. "Future me helped me get back. And because you spend the next few years making sure I know how to send me back when I get there, here I am." Kara explained.
"Did you hit your head when the house zapped you?" Alex asked assuming Kara had been hallucinating.
"No. What happened was real. I really went to the future." Kara said.
"And I was there?" Elle asked.
"You were."
"What was it like?" Elle asked.
"Assuming it really happened," Alex started, her disbelief apparent to everyone, "you can't talk about it." Alex warned.
"Future me told me you were going to say that a lot." Kara said before looking at Elle and pulling her in for a hug and saying. "It was weird, but having seen it I think we are going to all be okay. And you are going to be very special." She then looked at Alex and said. "The older me said to tell you circuit 5b."
Frowning Alex went to the alarm console and started taking it to pieces. After a few minutes she came back in and Elle asked.
"Is she crazy?"
"Yes. But in this case there was a quantum event. As soon as I have killed Winn I will be back to check up on you and get more details." Alex replied before looking back at Elle. "If she does anything weird, call me."
-00-
"Hey, it's me." Alex called going straight to the alarm console. Having fiddled with it for awhile she entered the lounge and said. "It is now incapable of zapping you to the future or past."
"Is Winn still alive?"
"Only because I need his help to figure this out so I can teach you how to get back." Alex said. "Where is everyone?"
"Elle went with Adam to pick up take out."
"Adam is getting take out?" Alex asked surprised.
"Well he still feels guilty about leaving Elle at the DEO and he needed a bit of calming down space."
"Why?"
"I told him I went to the future and he asked why I was so hellbent on not staying in the right universe in the right time."
"He has a point." Alex said sitting next to Kara.
"It wasn't my fault this time. Plus I got me back. Well future me, who is me, just not yet."
"So is Adam being grumpy the only thing causing the crinkle?" Alex asked.
"No. I think Elle is going to cause us major headaches in the future." Kara sighed.
"You are only just figuring this out now?" Alex asked.
"Cute." Kara shot back. "But I'm serious. When Elle is fifteen she does something really bad."
"What? Actually don't tell me. It may change things."
"I can't tell you anyway. I don't know. Elle mentioned it to try to persuade not to ground her for six months."
"Six months?"
"And strip her powers."
"Permanently?"
"I guess not. But I don't know."
"But now you worried about it?"
"How can I not be? I know Elle said it was a good, or needed, thing as she learned a lot from it but -"
"You want to stop it happening?" Alex guessed.
"How can I not?"
"Was Elle talking to future you?"
"With sarcasm, but yes."
"Did she look healthy?"
"Yes."
"Right number of limbs?"
"Yes."
"Then everything will work out." Alex said bring Kara in for a hug.
"I still worry." Kara said.
"That's because you are a great mom." Alex assured her as Kara rested against her.
"Thank you." Kara said before sitting up and asking. "Why are you here?"
"To stop you jumping through time."
"Which you have done. Why are you still here?"
"Are you trying to get rid of me?"
"Kind of. You are meant to be out on a date. I mean I know you cancelled it earlier, but you could rearrange."
"Kara-" Alex started sounding frustrated.
"Look do you like Kelly?"
"I don't know her."
"That's not an answer. Did you feel a spark when you met her? Of course you did, we could all see it. So go see her. I'll just bug you all night if you don't."
"Fine." Alex said as the door opened and Adam walked in with the food and Elle.
"Hey." He greeted.
"Hey." Alex said. "Your alarm system is no longer a time machine." She added as she stood.
"Where are you going?" Elle asked.
"On a date." Kara said earning a glare from Alex.
"With Kelly?" Elle asked.
"Like I said we could all see it." Kara smiled at Alex.
"Keep this up and I won't teach you how to send you back." Alex said.
"You don't mean that because you love Elle and I too much." Kara countered.
"Using Elle as emotional blackmail is shameless." Alex shot back.
"But what I said was true."
"Or half of it is." Alex countered. "I'll see you tomorrow." She added as she hugged Elle goodbye.
"See you tomorrow." Kara said. "And Alex?"
"Yes?" Alex said releasing Elle and looking at Kara.
"I love you." Kara said.
"Love you too." Alex said before leaving.
As the door shut Kara stood and moved to Elle and gave a big hug as she asked. "So what did you get?"
"Pizza for me and dad. And salad for you." Elle said.
"Why salad for me?" Kara asked looking at Adam.
"We don't know the side effects of jumping through time. You need to eat healthy food to recover." He said.
"But-" Kara started before Adam smiled and said.
"Do you really think we would do that to you?"
"Wait. You were lying?" Kara asked looking down at Elle.
"Joking, not lying." Elle corrected. The answer making Kara once again dread the headache to come in the future.
"Can we eat now?" Elle asked.
"Sure." Kara said. "But no more joking or lying."
"Okay." Elle agreed.
"Good." Kara said before effortlessly lifting Elle up and saying. "I love you."
"Love you too." Elle said hugging her.
-The End
A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing. I hope you enjoyed it.