Chapter 10

Leo awoke his head was killing him and he groaned as he slowly sat up holding his head in his hands. However he heard a voice that he never thought he'd hear again. "Hey there sleepy head. I fried a couple of eggs for you. You must be ravenous." Leo's head shot up to see his bother and he was speechless. How was this possible? Was he dreaming? This had to be a dream. Lex walked toward Leo a plate in one hand and a glass of orange juice in the other he set it down on the coffee table.

"This can't be real your dead." Leo's eyes were locked onto Lex.

"So you remember everything." Lex began to walk back into Leo's kitchen.

Leo stood up following his brother into the kitchen, "Of course I remember I killed you." How could he forget that moment? It was seared into his mind, he remembered shooting his brother in the chest and then taking his body and burying him in the woods next to the cabin. His hands were covered in Lex's blood, his shirt had gotten soiled with dirt and blood from Lex.

Lex turned to Leo and nodded, "Yes, that's right you killed me. That is all in the past and I forgive you."

Leo shut his eyes, what was going on? Had he completely lost his mind? "What are you talking about what is happening?"

Lex shrugged, "Well I- it was sort of a crisis."

That term, crisis yes he remembered something about that. "The anti-matter wave."

Lex smiled, "Ah yes. Good you're remembering."

"Alex and I were together we built a portal. The wave still came." He remembered they had evacuated as many people as they could but the wave eventually came. He had no recollection of any events after that. All he could remember was waking up here with a hangover. Then being greeted by his dead older brother.

Lex nodded and idly waved his hand. "Yes and billions were lost and the multiverse collapsed and it was very interesting. What matters now is that a very powerful person brought me back to life to help but I refused to do so unless he promised you would make it through ok and you have." Lex tapped the side of his head. "With your noggin intact."

Leo blinked. "You gambled the fate of the entire multiverse to get your own way…" He shouldn't be surprised this was his brother. He never did anything without getting something in return.

Lex grinned. "And it gets better in this new world we work side by side at LuthorCorp and the D.E.O to make the world a better place."

"Ohh so I'm in hell." Leo walked away from Lex he needed some air. This couldn't be real, could it? Was this his life now? What had changed? How much had changed?

Lex followed after Leo. "No, you are in a new reality." Leo stopped turning back facing his brother and Lex grinned his arms opening up wide. "To the outside world we're billionaire philanthropists it's the perfect cover."

Leo gritted his teeth, "I want nothing to do with you." Why did Lex even want him by his side he had shot him? Besides, they wanted different things in their life. Leo wanted to fix mankind and Lex he just wanted to control the world.

Lex nodded, "Ah yes you want to fix humanity with your project non nocere using myriad to broadcast the q-waves that was smart…" Lex raised a finger up slowly shaking it. "…but you should have known the moment you decided to steal from the Kryptonian non nocere was doomed. Kara Danvers will never see things your way. She'll always work against you."

"So what you'll be my friend now. Lex, I thought the world of you, I thought it was going to be you and me against the world. But then you betrayed me. You'll always be you and I'll always be me. Our paths diverged a long time ago." Leo admitted and it was true when he was younger he idolized his older brother. Wanted to be just like him, only it was all a mask.

Lex sat down on Leo's couch crossing his leg over the other. "The world is ours now Leo you don't need a robot. You don't need friends. And you don't need a Kryptonian girlfriend, you need a partner. Imagine what we could accomplish together why not give it a go?"

He'd fallen for Lex's schemes again and as he stormed into the Luthor Mansion he saw his older brother happily sipping a hot cup of tea. He had a blanket in his lap while he sat in one of the large arm chairs. He blew softly against the hot liquid and took a small step his eyes rose up as he saw Leo. Leo shook his head before he spoke, "You know, most bad kids burn ants using a magnifying glass. But not you. No, you would build ant hills out of mud and twigs, to scale. It would take you hours, sometimes days. And then, you would trick the ants into thinking they were going home. They would follow the maze you laid out and walk right into an open flame."

Lex cleared his throat before setting down his cup. "I'm sorry, exactly what are you accusing me of?"

"The power in the hospital didn't go off because of the attack on the dam. You did that. And I know because the L-Corp foundation has its name on every scalpel, bench, and backup generator in the place."

"Hummm quite the philanthropist you've become." Lex began to cough.

Leo snapped, "There were children in that hospital, Lex. You took advantage of the attack on the dam to kill the power, while James was on the operating table. You risked his life and the lives of countless others just so I would be forced to test the Harun-El."

Lex opened his mouth then closed it as he was considering his next words and finally shrugged. "Aww, you figured it all out." Lex winked. "Well, mostly. You missed one big thing."

Leo nodded, "Yeah, the story about my mother was just another lie to manipulate me."

Lex shook his head. "No, that was true. That's what made it so effective. But I also had Jimmy shot. It was supposed to be Kara but I couldn't be very choosy. Unfortunately, that wasn't as effective a cattle prod as I'd hoped."

Leo snarled. "You are sick."

"Exactly. I'm dying. This horrible cancer is eating me up and you are sitting pretty on the very thing that could cure me, and you wouldn't even test it!" Lex bared his teeth as he yelled. "God knows I'm not going to test an experimental, lethal drug on myself, so you needed a nudge, and a test dummy."

"Well, it worked. James is gonna live, and you're gonna rot. Cause I will never, never give you the cure. Take him away." Leo motioned to the cop that was standing in the room and as Leo went to walk away he stopped in his tracks as Lex called after him.

"Leo… Leo, I… I'm disappointed that this is your reaction, but I'm not surprised. Which is why I had someone give me the cure ten minutes ago." Lex smirked before standing up and removing the blanket and the prison clothes from his body reveling he was wearing a suit underneath. Lex smoothed the suit with his hands adjusting it.

Leo starred stunning but things only got worse as the cop, wasn't actually a cop. The disguise dropped and Otis graves appeared. "You're dead."

Otis quickly punched Leo hard knocking him down onto the floor. "No, you're dead." Leo gritted his teeth as he felt Otis grab him by the collar and handcuffed him to Lex's wheelchair. Leo could taste blood on his lip. How could he have missed this? Lex even used his own technology to fool him.

"Image inducers. I have to say, I was skeptical, but they really do come in handy." Lex then yelled, "Miss Teschmacher!"

Eve walked in a grin on her lips and raised a loaded gun up at Leo.

"Eve?" Eve had betrayed him as well, he'd trusted her as his assistant for so long.

"Sorry, not sorry." Eve replied.

"How long?" Leo demanded.

"Forever. It's nothing personal." She cocked the gun readying it to fire. Leo's eyes widened was this the end for him? It was going to end like this, he'd been a fool. Helping his brother only for him to betray him once again.

A cop soon walked in on the scene and began to yell out for any backup. "Mayday, mayday Individual one…" Before he could even finish Eve fired shooting the guard and killing him instantly and then pointed the gun back at Leo.

Lex raised a finger stopping Eve from shooting Leo. "Mmm that won't be necessary, Miss. Teschmacher. My brother may be happy to let me die, but I have no intention of killing him."

Otis blinked, "Are you sure about that, boss? He's a real smarty pants. It's like food in your teeth."

Lex looked at Leo and pointed at him, "You're gonna thank me one day. Everyone will. I'm sure of it." Otis grabbed Leo's hair roughly pulling his head back and put a cloth over Leo's face to knock him out. Leo struggled against Otis but he had the upper hand and soon he passed out. Lex looked at Eve, "Stay here and take care of him."

"Yes, Mr. Luthor."

The best way to learn about changes to this new world was the internet and all Leo had to do was search the news and about Luthors only to find nothing but amazing news. He was graced with titles such as: "Lex Luthor and Supergirl Take Down Agent Liberty", "Luthor Siblings Find Cure for Another Rare Disease." It was odd, he had been so used to seeing headlines such as "Superman Stops Lex Luthor" He soon heard a familiar sound the thud of boots hitting the concrete of his balcony and he turned in his chair to find Supergirl just outside. Leo stood up as Kara entered his office. "I've been looking for you."

"Here I am." Why was she here? Was this another attempt to make peace between them?

Supergirl walked in fiddling with her hands as she stepped into Leo's office before finally turning to him. "So… ummm there's something I have to tell you. I know you think Lex is a good man that he's your partner..."

"Save it I already know." Leo cut Supergirl off.

"What exactly do you know?" Kara wondered if he knew about her identity or just about Lex.

"The crisis, what Lex did what you did."

"Lex..." Kara began her words soon turning into a sigh and she looked down.

"Beat you to the punch. What did you think would happen when you came here? That you'd tell me everything in a bit of selflessness even if it meant that I knew how you betrayed me and then I'd just keel over and forgive you?" He wasn't about to let Kara forget what she had done and the only thing he was doing was rubbing it constantly in her face.

Nothing had changed and he still didn't want to forgive her. "Leo, I hurt you and I know I hurt you and I am never ever going to do it again. I know how much good you want to do in the world, just think of what we could do together to help people."

Leo snorted, "Funny, Lex gave me the same pitch."

"He asked you to help him." Kara sighed, "You're not seriously considering are you?" Leo did respond. "Please, just be careful." Kara stepped past Leo and back out onto the balcony before taking off into the air.

Lex or Supergirl, both had hurt him. Working with Supergirl as a partner only would be better than falling into a friendship with her, or even something more. If they kept their relationship professional he wouldn't risk getting hurt again. Still partnering with Lex, had its benefits as well. What was he going to do?

Leo downed the last bit of liquor in his glass, he needed a drink now more than ever. It never failed, things always seemed to go wrong. He couldn't find a way to extract the Harun-El from James. Someone soon knocked on the door to his office. "Hello." Kara soon appeared.

"Kara, what a surprise." Leo hadn't seen or spoken to her in days since the whole ordeal with Lex he'd seen more of Alex and Supergirl than his girlfriend.

"Yeah, your new assistant let me in. She seems nice." Kara walked closer toward Leo.

Leo began to pour some more scotch in his empty glass. "Let's hope she doesn't stab me in the back."

Kara frowned, "Leo, I'm so sorry about what Eve did to you."

"Thanks." He began to take a drink from his glass.

"It's actually why I'm here. Uh… I'm writing an article about Lex. I wanna expose him. I want to take him down and put an end to all of this."

Leo set his glass down on his desk. Had she really come all this way just to ask him questions about his brother? For an article? "An exposé Lex. That's quite an Everest."

"Uh, there was actually something I was hoping you could answer. Has L-Corp done business with AmerTek? Maybe on a military project?" Kara began however she didn't really notice how upset Leo was. Kara had been so focused on clearing her innocence as Supergirl that she had forgotten about Leo. She had assumed since being there for Leo as Supergirl this whole time that he was content.

Leo leaned against his desk shaking his head. "No, of course not." He sighed and clasped his hands together before looking up at Kara. "Look, I'm sorry I can't help you with this right now. I'm trying to help James. You know, Alex is here. You haven't been around. Supergirl's been there for me. The person who judges me on the very premise of my last name but my girlfriend hasn't." The words came flowing out before Leo even considered what he was saying. He had been so frustrated with himself, that he just lashed out.

"Leo, I'm…" Kara sighed deeply. "I'm sorry. I was… I was trying to catch Lex. For you. That's why I'm doing this. Of course I care about how you feel."

"You just care about me a little less than you do as a source for your story." He snapped. It was too late to take the words back and he immediately regretted it. It wasn't her fault, he was the one keeping secrets from her. All she was trying to do was be helpful and find Lex.

Kara shook her head. "No, no, it's not like that. I…I wish I could explain, but…" She lowered her head, "but maybe it's better if I just go." Kara turned walking out of Leo's office.

There was only one person who he could go to for advice and that was his mother. Leo needed another point of view and Lillian was the only option. Going to any former friends wasn't on the table, they'd just tell him to forgive Kara and work with her. He stepped into the Luthor Foundation and saw his mother wearing a pink suit with a white blouse. "Hello mother. Don't you look lovely."

Lillian's eyes raised up, "Oh you're gracing me with your presence? To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Leo sat down in an empty chair across from Lillian, "It's about Lex."

"Does this happen to be about all of us dying and then coming back?" She mused a small smile on her lips.

Leo raised an eyebrow. "Lex, restored your memories too."

Lillian shook her head. "He told me everything but evidently the only person he makes deals with gods for is you."

"Well I'm glad he told you everything I have no one else."

Lillian grimaced, "I hope you're not looking for a hug."

Leo rolled his eyes. "No, but it occurred to me that I could use a partner if Lex told you everything then he told you my goal was to fix people at their core. I tried to do it alone... closed myself off made myself an island and I failed."

"You pushed people away and put all your faith in that robot." Lillian shook her head. "Reminds me of that Teddy Bear you had from when you were four cute and useless. We both know your ideology is of no use to me. I've got a good thing going here."

"Well in that case Supergirl wants to partner with me. Part of me wants to do it." Leo admitted and he saw his mother lean forward in her chair.

Lillian knew Leo still cared for Supergirl she could tell just by the look in his eyes as he mentioned her name. Even in this world she knew Leo had been interested in Supergirl, they had worked closely together at the D.E.O. "You can try to only be partners this time but in a moment of weakness you'll let your guard down and become lovers once more... you'll be vulnerable when she hurts you all over again…" She tilted her head slightly to the side. "and yet you don't want to be an island."

Leo shook his head. "No, I will never trust Lex again." After everything he had done to him his brother was not trustworthy.

"If you choose to partner with Lex you won't risk your emotions because you already know you could never trust him." Lillian's words were right. He could never trust his brother but could they really work together like that?

Lex knew the only way to alleviate his brother's concerns was the truth. It was a good thing he had come prepared. "I know you have plenty of reasons to distrust me but you don't know what it's like to... die. The sickening desperation when you see it coming for you it made me want to lash out, it made me want to hurt you." He said the last part with a hint of anger.

"Like I hurt you." Leo stated drinking from his glass.

"Killed me." Lex corrected causing Leo to hesitate and place his glass against the coffee table. "That's exactly my point death truly has changed me. The old me would be dreaming of the myriad ways I could exact my revenge on you but the new me can see how pathetically pedestrian that is. I'm finally ready to be a true partner, Leo." Lex began to walk over toward the door and grabbed the case he had brought.

"How am I supposed to believe you? You are a sociopath, a liar." Lex had always lied to him or manipulated him since they had been children. Yet, his mother thought it best to partner with him. Supergirl seemed the more likely choice, at least she had only hurt him once.

Lex pulled out a cylinder metal tube and after coming back toward the coffee table he set it down. "What you need is the truth." He opened the container and extended his hand inside and soon a baby truth seeker latched onto his arm. "The truth seeker will prevent me from lying. So dear brother what do you wanna know?" Of course he couldn't really lie anymore, he was the paragon of truth after all. Leo didn't know that however.

Leo leaned forward intrigued now, Lex couldn't lie to him now. This was a rare opportunity. "Can you help me achieve Non Nocere?"

"Better and faster than anybody else."

"You truly will be on your best behavior? No homicides?"

Lex clicked his tongue. "No unnecessary homicides."

"This is about doing no harm." Leo pressed.

"But I won't. I have everything I want except for your partnership."

"When will you turn on me?" It was only a matter of time before Lex did turn on him and Leo would have to be prepared when that happened.

"As soon as this partnership inconveniences me…" Leo rolled his eyes. "Just like you'll use Non Nocere on me when you get the chance."

"Good as long as we're clear." Leo stood up then facing his brother. "You don't need me why do you really want to work with me?"

"Truthfully I don't want to be alone." Everyone needed someone and despite their differences he could use Lex just like Lex would use him. They were brothers after all. Leo extended his hand outward and Lex grasped his hand and they shook on the agreed partnership. For better or worse.

Leo's fingers were typing on his tablet still trying to find a way to extract the Harun-El from James' system. His eyes noticed Brainy walking into his office and he waved his hand. "I haven't figured out the extraction yet, Brainy."

"That's why I came up. Urgency is no longer required. James has successfully completed his mind palace. With his trauma unblocked, the Harun-El seems to have stopped attacking his PTSD and is regulated throughout his body. His long-term prognosis with your drug in his system is good." Brainy held his hands behind his back straightening.

Leo smiled, he time at least before he could answer however the television soon showed Kara. Apparently CatCo was broadcasting something urgent. "Good evening. This is Kara Danvers with CatCo Media and this is a worldwide exclusive. I'm here with a hero who has been fighting in the shadows. This is Dreamer. My first question… Who are you?" The camera pulled out showing another woman sitting across from Kara, long dark hair and in a blue and silver super suit.

"I'm Dreamer and I am a descendant of a daughter of Naltor."

"When did you come here from Naltor?"

"I didn't. I was born here in America. I grew up in a town where humans and aliens live together in harmony. My mother was Naltorian, but my father was a human."

"So you are both human and alien."

"Yes, my parents believed that humans and aliens could co-exist. And I'm living proof of that. But growing up wasn't easy. I am also a trans woman. I'm different, Miss. Danvers, but so is everybody. And I don't know when that became such a bad thing. The greatest gift we can give each other is our authentic selves and sharing that. Sharing our truth is what will make us strong. So, here I am. I am both human and alien. And I am a trans woman. S'mores are my favorite dessert." Kara and Dreamer began to laugh softly. Dreamer continued, "But I will always choose salty over sweet. I broke my nose when I was 15 during a game of kickball. My mother was my heart, and since I lost her, it's felt like a piece of me is missing. But my father is my spine. I'm a Gryffindor. Uh, my patronus is a Dapple Grey Stallion. I am an INFP. Uh, a Miranda. House Stark. I love Thursdays and April. And nerdy boys who think too much. And I am proud of all that I am."

Kara smiled, "You should be."

Brainy smiled fondly and then asked. "What does love feel like?"

Leo shook his head. "I'm not the best one to answer that right now."

Brainy turned looking at Leo his face confused. "You and Kara are a couple are you not?"

Leo looked down at the ground his hands gripping the edges of the desk. "I… I was fool. I was a horrible boyfriend to her, I said some things I wish I could take back. I shouldn't have said what I said but I do what I always do. I keep things locked away. I always considered myself strong, brave." He extended his hand out to Dreamer that was on the television. "To share yourself like that, I…I'm a coward."

"If I am understanding Dreamer's words correctly, none of us should be afraid of who we are. Nor should we fear sharing that."

"I feel so paralyzed right now because I'm not able to. I'm… not able to move forward. I can't find Lex. I can't fix James. I can't even be a decent boyfriend to Kara like she deserves." Leo seemed utterly defeated and venting to Brainy seemed to be what he needed.

Brainy's voice softened. "I understand. You have been betrayed by many people in your life, Leo. I know that feeling, too. But if you want to be trusted and accepted, then you must also trust. It will be risky. But I can tell you that if you close all doors, you will have a 99.9% chance of sorrow."

He had to open up to Kara. He had to trust her fully and place all of his emotions, his feelings into her hands. That was not natural for him to do so, but if he was going to find any peace he had to be open with her. He let out a slow breath; he had to put faith in her.