Life never really turns out the way you expect it to. One minute your life seems on track headed in the right direction and then in a split second everything is derailed and the life you once envisioned for yourself crumbles right in front of you. That's the funny thing about life, sometimes the derail leads you to a life that is even better than you ever could have imagined and sometimes it leads you down a path of darkness. The darkness consumes you until you don't even recognize the person looking back at you in the mirror. Like I said, life never really turns out the way you expect it to.

000

Clark arrives the next morning. He had been in and out of the DEO for the past couple weeks, coming to visit Kara when he had some free time. He had been informed by Alex about the possibility of her powers not returning and promised he would be there in the morning to talk with Kara. He knew that he needed to be the one to help her come to terms with the possibility. He was the last of Kara's family from Krypton and knew what it was like to lose his powers for a few days when he had solar flared in the past. He didn't know what his life would be like with them gone completely but he was prepared to help Kara through whatever feelings and emotions might come up after this talk. They didn't want a big audience for this discussion, so it was decided that Alex and Clark would talk to Kara. They also wanted Lena to be in the room, both Alex and Clark knowing if they were in Kara's position, they would want the person who means the most to them in there.

Lena had spent the night sleeping next to Kara and was still there in the morning, so Alex and Clark decided to use this as their opportunity to talk to Kara. They entered the room and found Kara sitting up in bed with Lena just having finished brushing Kara's hair. Kara smiled as they entered and immediately Clark and Alex both felt guilty for having to deliver this news to her. It was decided that Alex would start the conversation as she had been the one studying the data on Kara for the past week.

"Hey Kara, do you and Lena have a few minutes to talk to us?" Alex asked.

"Of course, it's not like I can go anywhere," Kara said with a laugh and Alex couldn't help but smile that her sister still could have a sense of humor even in this situation. Alex and Clark sat down next to Kara's bed as Lena sat back up on the bed next to Kara.

"So, Kara as you know you still haven't gotten any of your powers back and it has been almost a week," Alex started. "First I just want to say that there could be many reasons for that and all of us are still looking into some ways to recharge your cells. The sun lamps haven't been working but you had also solar flared twice in a short amount of time so that could be why. However, I think you need to consider the possibility that they may never come back," Alex said and waited for Kara's reaction. To Alex's surprise Kara's face didn't change from its blank stare.

"Kara, sweetie, did you hear what Alex said?" Lena asked as she squeezed Kara's hand. Kara stared off into the distance for another couple seconds and then looked at Lena.

"I heard," Kara said as she turned back to Alex.

"Kara, I know this must be really difficult to hear but we want to let you know that all of us are here for you," Clark said as he was also taken aback by Kara's silence. It was usually hard to get the younger girl to stop her rambling, but this was different. Clark wasn't sure if she was just trying to process it all or if she truly didn't know what to say.

Kara just shook her head that she understood and cleared her throat. "Do you three think I could just have a minute to myself," Kara said as all three people in the room were equally as surprised. Kara usually hated being alone with her thoughts but none of them wanted to upset her more, so they nodded their heads, Clark squeezed Kara's other hand as Alex kissed her forehead. Lena squeezed Kara's hand one more time and gave her a quick kiss before she whispered in her ear that she would be out in the hallway if Kara needed her. They all headed out into the hallway but looked back as they watched Kara curl up into herself. Alex didn't miss Kara's eyes as she turned away from them. She recognized that look, it was the same look that Kara wore when she arrived to Earth. The look of someone who had just lived through more tragedy that any one person should ever have to. Alex watched over the years as that look slowly began to fade. It never truly vanished but more life and happiness began to appear in Kara's eyes over the years. Alex was worried that within a minute Kara had just lost all that progress.

The three walked into the hallway and silently sat for a few minutes before Clark spoke up. "Do we think she is just trying to process everything?" Clark asked. For the first time in years Alex didn't know how her sister truly felt and that scared her more than anything.

"I'm not sure. I say we give her a little time to figure out her feelings. It can't be easy to come to terms with potentially losing a part of herself. I think once she has had a little bit of time, she will come to us and we can go from there," Alex said but with little confidence. She hoped she was right but only time would tell. "Lena, you haven't said anything since we left the room," Alex said as she looked over to the woman on her right.

"I don't really know what to say. Supergirl is a part of Kara and I don't know how she will feel if she has to lose that part of herself," Lena said as she looked back to Alex.

"I think Lena has a point," Clark said. "Kara came to this planet a stranger. She had these powers that at first made her feel more alienated but over time she has come to see them as a strength. When she came out as Supergirl she told me that she finally felt like she had a purpose in life and finally felt like she understood why her parents sent her away. I'm afraid that if she doesn't get her powers back, she might lose that sense of purpose," Clark said. Silence returned once again to the room as each person grappled with the fact that Kara may never be the same.

0000

On this earth you will have great powers. Kara repeated this line over and over again in her head. It was the line her mother told her before she was sent away. Every time Kara used her powers and saved another person, she felt like she was keeping a promise to her mother. She sent Lena, Alex, and Clark out of the room because she couldn't talk anymore, she couldn't think anymore, and she couldn't feel anymore. It was all too much and so Kara did what she used to do when she arrived on Earth. She curled into herself and just sat in the silence and darkness. Sometimes it was better to feel nothing than everything Kara had decided. She shut her thoughts off and just stared into the nothingness in front of her.

000

It had been two days since Alex and Clark had entered Kara's room and told her about her potential loss of powers. It had been two days since Kara had spoken to anyone. It had been two days since Kara had eaten or drank anything. Alex eventually had to give Kara fluids through an IV, so she could stay hydrated. Everyone had taken turns sitting with Kara and trying to get the girl to talk. She didn't even sleep, just stared off into space. Alex spent the time she wasn't in Kara's room in her lab trying to find a way to get Kara's powers back. Lena, Jeremiah, Eliza, Winn, and Clark each took turns trying to help find a solution as well. Each of them working as hard as they could to try and bring back the girl who was withering away in front of them. Lena spent the most time in Kara's room. Afraid of touching the girl too much she sat in front of her and just talked to her. She would talk about anything and everything. Hoping that something she said might bring back her girlfriend. Kara just continued to stare off into space lost in her own mind.

That's the thing about darkness is that there is no light to find your way out. You are consumed by it and you either stay trapped there or find a way to turn the light back on.