As they reached a plateau Kara breathlessly leaned against a tree before looking at Alex who hadn't even broken sweat and commented. "I have so much more respect for you right now."
"I told you to train harder." Alex shrugged as she looked round. "Here is as a good a place as any to camp for the night. You stay here and set up a camp, we'll go get some firewood."
"Why do I have to stay here?" Kara asked worried about Astra and Alex being left alone together and not wanting to be by herself.
"You need to save your strength. We don't know how long you will have to wear that device and if it is Kryptonite you need to rest."
"Shouldn't Aunt Astra stay here then?"
"No." Alex immediately said.
"She does not trust me." Astra explained.
"She's as powerless as I am." Kara pointed out.
"It is not the physical side I am worried about." Alex responded before repeating. "You stay, we'll go. Besides if we find something to eat it may need two of us to carry it back."
"Fine." Kara conceded causing Astra to wonder why her niece let a human boss her around.
Just before leaving Alex removed a knife from her boot and handed it to Kara. "Keep this with you."
-00-
"To free ourselves we need to work together." Astra said after trekking in silence for thirty minutes.
"We are." Alex argued.
"This is not working together. This is you treating me as a prisoner."
"I could have bound and gagged you. I didn't." Alex argued.
"You have a lot of spirit for a human." Astra pointed out.
"Not really, most humans have spirit." Alex said, stopping briefly to survey the area.
"That trait has remained hidden from me."
"Perhaps you have only seen what you want to see." Alex said.
"Unlikely. So do you have a plan or is your plan to walk aimlessly in the hope I collapse?"
"I am not walking aimlessly. I am following the plant line. If it leads to a water source we may find a food source or people."
"You have done this before?"
"Not exactly like this, but kind of." Alex said.
"What does that mean?"
"It means right now I am your best chance of getting out of here." Alex said.
"Seeing as you clearly want to see me imprisoned or dead that is not comforting." Astra replied.
"I'm not here to comfort you." Alex said just as Astra tripped over a rock.
Seeing Astra fall towards the edge Alex immediately dived towards her managing to snag her wrist moments before it disappeared down the ravine. Wrapping her feet round a tree Alex strained to keep hold of the Kryptonian without being pulled over the edge.
"I can't hold on for long." Alex warned as she wrapped her other hand round Astra's arm.
Finding a foothold Astra took some of her weight before scrambling upwards until Alex pulled her back over the edge where the pair fell in a tired heap.
"Why did you save me?" Astra asked as she tried to get her breath back.
"Because of Kara, you are her family. Despite all the things you have done to her she still loves you and has faith in you. If you died it would hurt her." Alex said as she stood, shaking her strained limbs as she did so.
"Thank you." Astra said taken aback by the reason.
"Don't thank me yet. If you ever hurt Kara I will kill you." Alex warned as she helped Astra to her feet.
"You must care for my niece a great deal."
"She's family." Alex explained as she turned away from Astra. "Let's go. It is starting to get dark."
-00-
"What took you so long?" Kara asked as she saw Alex and Astra return.
"We ran into some unexpected problems." Alex said.
"Are you both okay?" Kara asked scanning the pair for injuries.
"We're fine." Alex said as Astra silently nodded.
"Good. Did you find any food?" Kara asked.
"Not enough to keep you going." Alex replied.
"I would love a pizza right now, or a pot sticker, or a-" Kara started to list only for Alex to cut her off.
"Drooling over your favourite food is not going to help. Try to think of something else."
"That is really not helpful advice. What exactly can I think of that is going to distract me from how hungry I am?"
"A certain former photographer with a liking for tight shirts?" Alex suggested earning a glare from Kara. "I am going to start a fire. Keep an eye on your aunt"
-00-
"You okay?" Alex asked as she sat next to Kara who was staring at the flames of the recently constructed fire.
"I guess. I just hate not having powers. I feel so …."
"Human?" Alex guessed.
"I was going with vulnerable."
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left you alone." Alex said, suddenly guessing Kara must have felt scared.
"It's fine. You don't have to worry about me." Kara said.
"Yes I do. As soon as we get back home we'll get that out of you." Alex promised. "And in the mean time I'll look after you."
"I know you will."
"You should get some sleep." Alex said. "I'll take first watch."
"Make sure you wake me for the second watch, you need sleep too." Kara said, but on seeing Alex's uncertainty she went on. "I can handle Aunt Astra. Besides we could be here for days, you are going to have to sleep for some of it."
"Fine, I will wake you in five hours." Alex agreed.
-00-
An hour later Astra's perpetual gaze on her was putting Alex on edge and she said.
"You should rest as well."
"I am resting, I am also learning."
"About?" Alex asked, not sure if she really wanted the answer.
"My niece, you, humans."
"And what have you learnt?" Alex asked, her curiousity driven by boredom.
"My niece has a great deal of trust in you, but more than that she respects you."
"And that surprises you?"
"Not really, she takes after her mother, she has far too much faith in people."
"From what I heard you have far too little faith in people."
"That sounds like a criticism which is funny as it is coming from the woman who treats me as if I am about to murder her." Astra countered.
"I have faith in people who have earned it."
"Like Kara?"
"Like Kara." Alex agreed.
"What did you mean earlier when you said Kara was family?" Astra asked. Seeing Alex was hesitating she went on. "I already know you care deeply for each other and in order to hurt either one of you all I need do is hurt the other. Knowing why you are connected will hardly give me a greater tactical advantage."
Alex was saved from answering by Kara's screams as she became lost in a nightmare.
"Kara." Alex called rushing to her side and shaking her awake. "Kara, it is just a nightmare." She added as she held her sobbing sister. "It's over now. You are safe. I won't let anything happen to you."
"Alex?"
"It's okay." Alex soothed as she held onto her sister and rubbed her back.
"Sorry." Kara mumbled feeling embarrassed.
"It's okay." Alex repeated. "But when we get home we need to discuss your definition of bad dream. That seemed more like a nightmare. You want to talk about it?"
"No." Kara replied glancing round and seeing her aunt look on. Following her gaze Alex said.
"Fair enough. You think you can sleep?"
"No." Kara replied with a haunted look.
"You can help me keep watch then." Alex said moving away from Kara and sitting against the tree again.
"I'll keep watch, you sleep." Kara said moving to Alex's side.
"Not tired." Alex commented, still not trusting Astra not to take advantage of Kara, especially with her sister so spooked by the dream.
"You need to sleep." Kara countered.
"So do you." Alex said.
"Fine, we'll both keep watch." Kara conceded knowing she would not win the battle.
"You warm enough?" Alex asked noticing Kara's hands were shaking.
"I'll be fine." Kara said, but was more than happy when Alex slid closer to her before they sat in silence watching the dying fire.
The silence was finally interrupted by Kara's growling stomach. As Alex turned to face her Kara shrugged and said.
"I'm hungry."
"You are always hungry." Alex replied.
"I'm really hungry."
"I know. But we will be found soon and when we're back I will treat you to dinner."
"Whatever I want?"
"As long as it doesn't exceed my monthly salary."
"You're the best." Kara said resting her head on Alex's shoulder.
"Get some rest."
"What if they come back?" Kara asked quietly.
"The dreams? If they do I'll be right here." Alex assured her.
Astra looked on wondering why her niece trusted the agent so much.
TBC...
A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing.