Chapter 130: Answers

Kara sighed as she ruffled through one of her pockets for the keys to her apartment. They had entered the words that Purity had spoken during her capture into the database in the Fortress of Solitude, but it had been no dice. Jor-El hadn't been able to find anything in the databanks even remotely matching any of the phrases she spoke, nor her DNA. They couldn't even match her to any biological parents — it was as if she had never existed on Krypton, even though she was clearly Kryptonian.

Now they were looking deeper into Julia Freeman's adoption to see if that turned up any leads. Kara doubted it would, with the Freemans dead and unable to give testimony. More than likely, they would have to keep grilling Purity until they could finally get her to say something substantial. Considering how cryptic and self-assured the woman was, that would probably be a long time coming.

The superheroine finally found the keys and opened the door. She blinked as she came upon an unexpected scene. "Sam?"

Kara's best friend smiled at her, though immediately Kara could tell that the expression was shaky and not nearly as genuine as it usually was. "Kara, hey! Sorry for barging in like this without telling you. I know we originally agreed to let Kal sleep over at my place and have you pick him up tomorrow, but something came up and I decided it was better if I dropped him off here early. We decided to wait with him until you came home so he wouldn't be left alone."

Almost immediately, Kara could tell something was off. She frowned. "Sam," the Kryptonian started, closing the door behind her, "what's wrong?"

Sam's smile faded. "That obvious, huh?"

"I'm your best friend, Sam," Kara simply said, as if that was all the explanation needed, and Sam guessed that it was.

The businesswoman sighed and gestured her friend to sit next to her on the couch where she was seated. She picked up a file that had been set down on the coffee table, clutching it tightly. "If you're wondering about Kal, Ruby and him are in his room doing some studying for a big history test," she explained.

"That's good," Kara told her, "I'll check on him later. Now, what's wrong?" She wasn't going to let Sam deflect. Whatever this was, it was clearly important.

Sam didn't say anything at first, but her eyes took on a familiar sheen that Kara knew all too well. Kara reached out to her, taking her hands and rubbing comforting circles into the palms. Her best friend sniffled, before removing one hand to give Kara the file she had been holding.

Kara took the papers gingerly, flicking open the file and doing a quick read through. It took her a moment to register the contents, but once she did, she had to bite back a curse. Dear Rao…

Banks statements. Loads and loads of bank statements, all of Patricia Arias, all detailing a gradual fall in finances and increase in loans. Along with them was another statement, outlining the impending foreclosure of the farm where Sam had grown up on.

Suddenly, it had become all too clear why Patricia Arias was so desperate to reconnect with her estranged daughter.

"Oh, Sam…" Kara spoke, closing the file and pulling her friend into a much-needed hug.

"I knew it was something like this," Sam claimed, unable to hide the devastation in her voice, "I knew. But… But I wanted to believe. Believe that she finally wanted to be a part of our lives, no strings attached."

"I know, Sam, I know. But it's not your fault she has no idea what she's missing out on," told Kara, rubbing circles into her best friend's back. "That's on her, not you or Ruby."

Sam didn't say anything to that, just buried her face into Kara's shoulder. They stayed like that for a bit, before letting go. Kara patted her on the shoulder before heading to Kal's room to check on the kids. Once she confirmed they were okay, she headed back to the living room to find Sam gathering the documents back into the file and closing it.

"Hey, why don't we watch a movie tonight?" Kara suggested. "You and Ruby can stay over the night, and while the kids are studying we can binge on ice cream while watching some dumb Rom Com in our pajamas. You can borrow one of my sets."

Sam smiled, much smaller and yet far more genuinely. "I'd like that. We'll need to tell Ruby and Kal but I don't think they'd mind."

Kara returned the smile, though it faded slightly. "What are you going to do about that?" she asked, nodding towards the file.

Her friend's smile fell, and she looked away.

"Well, that was a good workout," Eddie noted, stretching his arms up into the air.

"And fun," Barry added, crossing his arms. "We should do it again sometime."

Eddie smiled. "Yeah, we should," he agreed. The blonde glanced at his fellow blonde and his ex-girlfriend. "What about you guys? Feeling better, Iris?"

Iris gave a half-shrug, still looking a little downtrodden. "A bit," she said, not sounding very convincing. She glanced at her friend and likely future partner. "Sorry if I hit a little harder than usual today, Patty."

Patty waved her off. "You didn't give me anything I couldn't take. Might be a little sore later, but not much more than that."

"Good. That's… good," Iris breathed out. "Thanks for helping me work things out, guys. And sorry if I'm still a little snappish for the next couple of days."

"Don't worry about it, Iris," Barry told her, Patty and Eddie nodding along to his words. "We get it. We wouldn't be any different in your position. Take as much time as you need."

For the first time today, Iris smiled. "Thanks, everyone. I'm lucky to have friends like you."

They parted after that. Patty gave her a hug, as did Eddie. The former gave Barry a hug as well, while the latter simply clasped hands with him in some kind of friendly handshake, before departing together. Eddie had offered to drop Patty off back to precinct, where the younger cop had left her car parked at.

The two best friends gave the duo a final wave as they left, before heading to their own car together. Iris had opted to stay at her childhood home tonight instead of her apartment, wanting the familiarity as well as comfort for the most recent turbulence in her life. Barry and her were only going to briefly visit her place so she could pick up some stuff before heading directly to the West Home.

"So this Ralph stuff," Barry started as they got onto the road, "what are you really feeling, Iris? I mean, I know that you're angry, but is there more to it?"

"It's a bit depressing, to be honest," Iris confessed after a moment of thought. "He wasn't just my partner and my friend, Barry — he was my mentor too. He could be annoying and a bit of an idiot, yeah, but he was an amazing detective. And now…" She shrugged.

Barry nodded along to her words, deep in thought. "Eddie said that he was disappointed in him, that Ralph could've done things differently. I guess that's how you're feeling?"

"Yeah," Iris agreed, gripping her hands on the wheel. "Ralph… if he was right about this guy, if this guy really is guilty, then Ralph should've proved it the right way, with legitimate evidence. Planting something like he did — that was only ever going to backfire. I just don't understand why he thought that was the better alternative over letting this guy go free at first and then waiting until something came up. He was going to end up free anyway the moment someone found out about what Ralph did, and now that it's already gone to trial, if he is guilty, we won't be able to try him again thanks to double jeopardy. It was the wrong choice no matter how you look at it. And I just don't get why Ralph didn't see that."

"You'll figure it out one day, Iris," Barry told her, leaning back into the passenger chair. "Maybe you'll find out from Ralph himself, once you're ready to face him."

Iris snorted. "You mean, whenever the state police release him?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah, maybe, Bar. But right now…" She shrugged again.

Barry didn't say anything to that. What could he say?

Three Days Later…

Patricia Arias sighed as she sat herself in one of the booths of the cafe her daughter had directed her to meet at. Finally, finally, after weeks — months, really — of effort, Sam was finally giving them time to really speak. Patricia had been waiting for this moment for so long, but now that it was finally here, she felt like bouncing out of her seat. The end of her troubles were near.

It felt like the end of the world when the foreclosure notice came in. Patricia had known her more recent investments hadn't panned out well, forcing her to take more loans that she couldn't really afford, but it was the notice that really hammered in how deep in the red that she was. If she didn't do something soon, she'd soon find herself losing the only home she had ever really known, the place that she and her husband had built together through all their years of marriage before his tragic passing.

She couldn't let that happen. She just couldn't — but there weren't many options for an old woman like her. Patricia couldn't take out any more loans, she didn't have anything left to serve as collateral. And even if she could, whatever investments she made took time to make any returns. She needed actual money, and she needed it soon. And eventually, her mind finally found the solution: Sam.

Patricia could admit she hadn't been a good mother to her adoptive daughter. Throwing her out of the house for daring to get pregnant out of wedlock at sixteen had been proof enough of that. It was an overreaction, she acknowledged, a product of the old-fashioned values instilled into her since she was a young girl. But that didn't stop the haze of anger that had hung over her for years and led to her dumping each and every one of Sam's invites into the fire place until her girl had finally stopped sending them. And even then, it wasn't until a year after that did she finally realize what she had lost.

Contrary to what the Danvers girl thought, Patricia did check up on Sam once she realized Sam no longer pined after her approval. But at the time her little girl was already in the process of getting her company set up, becoming the next big thing in the world of business. What use would she have for the old crone that had abandoned her? So Patricia had accepted the loss of the relationship and left her alone.

It had been a foolish decision in hindsight. She should have reached out back then, maybe Sam would've still been receptive instead of hostile like now. There wouldn't be the risk there is now. Hell, for all she knew Sam could've paid off her debts before she even had to take out a loan to do it instead. And more than that… well, yes, Patricia had wanted money to help fix her problems, but now she also wanted Sam again. Seeing her all grown up — and her granddaughter too, in high school! It had made Patricia realize all the things she had missed out on, and she didn't want to miss out any more.

But, it was unlikely Sam would be willing to hear her out at first if Patricia came out with the money thing immediately. Patricia had to sit on that as long as possible, because she knew Sam wouldn't react well when she found out, that she might accuse her of taking advantage of them. But if they had a relationship again, and Patricia had a relationship with Ruby too, then may Sam would be able to forgive for it and help her when it finally came out. Patricia would have her family back again, and her home too.

(Besides, she needed to keep the home at all costs. Her biggest secret was there, the secret she had kept from Sam for all these years. If something happened… Sam would need to know. Patricia shouldn't have kept it from her for this long anyway. And they wouldn't be able to hide it from the rest of the world if they lost the home.)

I just need to be careful about what I say, Patricia coached herself, Be honest about what I want, but not say everything. When it's time, I'll tell her.

It was several minutes before her daughter appeared, dressed smartly and carrying a nice purse that probably cost more than everything Patricia owned. Her face was completely neutral, but Patricia didn't pay it any mind, straightening her back and smiling at her girl. "Hello, dear," she said, "I'm… I'm glad you finally accepted my request to talk."

Sam simply stared blankly at her for a moment before nodding, and moving to sit down across from her adoptive mother. She didn't say anything, and an awkward silence dragged out.

"Sam… I know that's been a long time. And you're probably wondering why I've waited so long to reach out—"

Her daughter stopped her words. She held up a hand, closing her eyes and breathing deeply. Then, she locked eyes with Patricia, refusing to break eye contact even she reached into her purse and pulled out something: a file. She set it down on the table, and slid it towards Patricia.

Hesitantly, and with no small amount of dread, Patricia accepted it, and opened it.

Oh, no.

"I didn't get to where I am by not doing my homework, Patricia," Sam said, little emotion to her voice. "And as one of the richest women in the country, I have plenty enough money to afford a good private investigator. It took him a little to find the answers I was looking for, but find them he did."

"Sam—"

"You didn't come here to reconnect with me," Sam continued, the anger finally beginning to seep into her voice. "You didn't come here to finally meet Ruby. You came here to take advantage of us and our feelings. You came here for money."

Patricia shook her head. "No, dear—"

"Do not lie to me."

The old woman swallowed, and tears began to build in her eyes. "Fine," she said, "Fine. I'll admit I first came here for the money, but — but Sam, then I saw you. I saw you and how much you'd grown up, how beautiful you've become. And then I saw Ruby too, how much she looked like you and I realized how much I've missed out on. I missed you already, I've always missed you—"

"And that makes any of this better?" Sam retorted through grit teeth. "Any of it?"

Patricia stilled, then averted her eyes downward in shame.

The younger woman flared her nostrils, breathing out. "I'll pay off the mortgage. And the loans. I'll even give you a monthly stipend to help pay the bills. In exchange, you stay away from Ruby and I for good."

"Honey—"

"Don't." And there they were — the tears. "Just… don't. Don't say that you care. Because this, all of this, proves how little you truly care. And the last thing my daughter needs is someone like you in her life. So just accept the deal, and stay away. Or I'll get the authorities involved to make it that way."

Patricia stared at her daughter. Her beautiful, fierce, stubborn daughter. The daughter she had lost once before, and the daughter she had lost again.

She looked down once more, and nodded her assent.

A little shorter than usual, but that's fine since this is the last chapter of Act I. All the set up is done, so next Act we're getting into high gear.

Again, the usual procedure: review or comment, flames will be deleted, and don't forget to update the TV Tropes page!