This chapter ended up being a beast. I got so carried away writing it..oops. Thank you all so much for the kind reviews. I really appreciate each and every one of them. I'm working on my first full length story about Alex and Kara's first year being sisters so look for that soon. :) Thank you all again!

As much as it hurt, Eliza let Kara cry herself back to sleep.

She putzed around the kitchen, cleaning every surface imaginable and scrubbed the wooden floors as hard as she could. Anything to drown out the heartbreaking wails echoing through the loft. Kara didn't want anyone's comfort and Eliza had to respect that. She tided the living room and fluffed the pillows, collapsing in a heap on the edge of the couch when the sobs died down fifteen minutes later.

Kara was passed out in bed, curled in the fetal position with Alex's ratty old Stanford sweatshirt wrapped around her still. Eliza tiptoed to the bedroom and gingerly covered Kara with a small blanket and kissed her forehead, wishing that just this once, she could read minds and understand what was going through her foster daughter's mind.

Eliza busied herself by making Kara's favorite chocolate pecan pie. She quietly rummaged through the old rickety cabinets and found a baking dish that would suffice and preheated the oven while leaving a sixth voicemail for Alex, pleading for her to call back as soon as she could.

Alex was the only one who could piece Kara back together. Eliza did not like to admit that too often, but this time, she was ready to step back and allow her older daughter to handle the situation. However, Alex was also very stubborn and probably would not make a move until Kara apologized. She felt conflicted; despite her angry protests, Kara did need her but so did Alex.

While the pie baked, Eliza quietly pulled out one of the kitchen chairs and sat down, scanning over some work documents in her e-mail. Kara had been asleep for close to an hour now. She remembered how hard it was to get the young alien girl to sleep for the first several years. They tried earplugs to help muffle the sounds Kara was hypersensitive to but it never worked. She disliked the sensation in her ears and tore them apart while pulling them out. Then, one night, it was silent. Jeremiah and Eliza found Alex hanging off the small twin sized bed in the girls' shared room, fast asleep with Kara curled into her side like a cat.

Their sleeping routine went on for months until eventually, Kara could sleep by herself. But when Alex went away to college three years later, the whimpering and wailing started again and Eliza seriously considered pulling Alex out of Stanford and having her make the several hour commute and back each day. Alex would come visit each chance she got and Kara was bright and happy; the light in her eyes diminishing each time her older sister absolutely, positively had to go back to school.

Eliza took the chocolate pecan pie out of the oven and let it cool, inhaling the all too familiar smell. It was sure to lure Kara awake, right? Her phone dinged and she grabbed it, trying to decipher the rambling three-message text Alex sent. The basic gist: she was at work trying to get some stuff done. She was fine.

"Alex? Alex!"

Eliza nearly dropped the knife she was holding to cut the pie at Kara's timid screams. Though she was not the person Kara wanted, she still made her way into the bedroom quietly, stopping short at the sight of Kara tangled in the blanket and thrashing around the bed.

"Kara, honey," Eliza began in concern, sitting herself on the bed. She gently shook Kara's trembling body and helped her sit up. "Kara, wake up. You're dreaming."

Kara's eyes shot open and she moaned at the stinging sensation. They were red rimmed; raw and so unbelievably dry that it hurt to keep them open. "E-Eliza?"

"I'm right here," Eliza promised. She squeezed Kara's hand tightly and was grateful when her daughter held on and did not pull away. "It's okay. You're okay."

It took Kara a minute to come to. She opened her eyes again and peered around her bedroom. Everything came rushing back instantly.

Eliza pressed the back of her hand to Kara's forehead and frowned. She was hot and sweaty. "You're burning up, sweetie. Why don't we take this off?" Kara was hesitant but allowed her to pull the sweatshirt up and over her head.

"T-thanks," Kara whispered, fiddling with the hem of her gray t-shirt. She sighed when Eliza scooted closer. "I'm so sorry."

"There is no need to apologize," Eliza said firmly. "I know you didn't mean it."

"I swear I didn't," Kara whimpered, on the verge of tears yet again. She felt thirteen-years old again as she leaned forward into Eliza's arms and practically climbed into her lap. Her whole body was weak and she felt weightless. "I didn't mean it."

"I know," Eliza whispered soothingly. She rubbed her hand up and down Kara's side, holding the younger girl tightly as she would allow. "It's okay."

"It's not okay," Kara corrected sadly. "It was so ignorant and…and so rude of me."

Eliza swallowed past the lump in her throat and momentarily let go when she felt Kara shift in her lap. "We all say things we don't mean, Kara."

"A-Alex hates me," Kara whispered with a slight whine. "I saw her face. I made her cry. And she never cries."

"Alex does not hate you. I talked to her and everything is fine. She understands," Eliza lied after a pregnant pause. She brushed the side of Kara's head and kissed it to sell her lie even more.

Kara's grip on her foster mother gradually got looser. Within ten minutes she was able to stand on her own two feet and stare at Eliza apologetically. "You raised me like I was your own and, and I'm so, so sorry I said that. I'm sorry for even thinking that."

Eliza stood up and gently grabbed Kara by the shoulders. "Sweetie, you don't need to worry, okay? Why don't you take a nice hot shower and I'll make some tea."

"Okay," Kara whispered. "And p-pie? I smell pie."

"And pie," Eliza confirmed, a feeling of relief washing over her at the excited grin splashed across Kara's face.

She made her way back to the kitchen once she heard the water running and put the kettle on before cutting a generous slice of pie and zapping it in the microwave just a bit. By the time Kara came back out in a clean pair of pajamas and her wet hair braided down her left shoulder, the teakettle whistled and Kara jumped.

"After all these years?" Eliza chuckled, immediately shutting the burner off to the piercing whistling would stop.

Kara shook her head. "N-no. It just…scared me."

Eliza continued to laugh and motioned for Kara to sit on the couch. She poured a splash of milk in Kara's tea and carried everything over into the living room.

"Careful, it's hot."

Kara took Eliza's warning seriously and dunked her tea bag in and out of the steaming hot water. Even the mug was too much for her to hold. She grabbed the large piece of pie and began shoveling forkful after forkful in her mouth.

"This is so good."

"Yes, it is." Eliza grimaced slightly, pulling the plate away from Kara before she inhaled the whole thing. "You're going to give yourself a stomach ache. Slow down."

"Oh. Right."

Eliza patted Kara's knee and sipped her tea carefully. "Do you want to tell me what happened last night?"

Kara's body stiffened as she pulled the tea bag out of her mug and placed it on her pie plate. "My anger got the best of me. Again." She took a sip and recoiled when the hot liquid nearly burned her tongue off. "Hot."

"It's not easy being human, is it?" Eliza said knowingly, wiggling her eyebrows when Kara looked at her with a slight pout. "When do your powers come back?"

Kara just shrugged helplessly and rubbed her tired face. "I don't know."

"Well, the sun should help," Eliza whispered when Kara looked up. The scar above her eyebrow was a lot more visible in the afternoon light. Eliza had never asked about it; she assumed it was a painful memory if Kara never volunteered to tell the story behind it. "What you said about your mom-why do you think she lied to you?"

Kara occupied herself with the tea and sighed. "My Aunt Astra, my mom's twin sister, is…she's at the DEO. The place where Alex works."

"I know, honey," Eliza laughed. Kara always did over explain everything.

"She just got into my head and told me my mother wasn't the person I thought she was and it just…set me off. I have like three memories of her and now they're all ruined. I'm never going to know the truth."

Eliza shifted her position on the couch at the break in Kara's voice. "Honey, you believe what you want about your mother. Don't let anyone take that away."

"But Astra was like my second mother," Kara shared quietly. "She practically raised me because my mom was busy with work. But one day she just stopped coming around and I never knew why."

"It was probably to protect you."

Kara shrugged. "I never got to say goodbye," she mumbled, idly tracing the rim of her mug. "Then one day she came back…but it was a trap. My mother used me to draw her out of hiding so she could send her to Fort Rozz."

"She must have had her reasons."

"I don't know," Kara's voice broke again and she felt the tears sting her eyes. "And I'll never know. I don't want to know." She shook her head to get her thoughts straight.

"And that's perfectly fine," Eliza promised. She put her mug down and scooted closer to wrap Kara in a hug. "You're just like your sister; you bottle things up and then suddenly, you explode."

"I know."

"It's not good, honey."

"I know."

Eliza smiled against Kara's head. "Don't be fresh."

Kara laughed, a genuine, hearty laugh that almost seemed foreign to her. She couldn't remember a time in the past few days she laughed like that. "Is there more pie?"

"Of course there is."

"Maybe we should make Alex a blueberry pie," Kara suggested, finally pulling away from her foster mother. "I still can't believe she hates chocolate pecan pie. It's literally the best dessert in the galaxy!"

"So I've heard."

"I just don't get it," Kara groaned, following Eliza to the kitchen. She never picked up baking. It always ended up being a disaster so she shied away from making anything unless Eliza was there to supervise.

"You're only making the pie to bribe your sister into talking to you, aren't you?"

Kara's gaze flitted across the room. "I am not."

"Oh, baby," Eliza began patronizingly, squeezing Kara's cheeks. "You are still the worst little liar I've ever met."

"I know," Kara sighed dramatically. She looked up at Eliza and leaned forward to hug her tightly again just so she knew how sorry she really was. "I know I don't say it enough but…"

"It's okay," Eliza cut in when Kara hesitated to finish her sentence. "I know you do."

"I love you," Kara whispered. "A lot."

Eliza just smiled and motioned for Kara to roll out the pie dough.

Walking the four blocks to Alex's apartment didn't feel right. Usually it took her under seven seconds to fly over and land on the small patio. She pulled at her coat (the sun was going down and it was pretty chilly out) and quickened her pace when the busy sidewalk began to crowd with people who were mainly tourists hoping to sneak a peek at Supergirl.

Kara adjusted her glasses and crossed the street with the masses, breathing a sigh of relief when she got to Alex's apartment unscathed. She balanced the box of pie in one hand and pulled the door open; slowing down her pace once she got to the top of the stairs by Alex's apartment. Her sister's building was not as welcoming as hers. The hallways were always dimly lit and the ugly taupe carpet felt rough under her feet.

With a deep breath, Kara rapped on the heavy wooden door. "Alex? It's me. Kara."

Nothing.

"Okay, I know you're mad but…" Kara trailed off, knocking several more times. "I came to apologize. And I brought pie! Your favorite. Blueberry. I think chocolate pecan is better but-" She cleared her throat and bit down on her bottom lip when it quivered slightly. "Well…I'll just wait out here until you're ready."

Kara slid down the wall and placed the pie next to her, grabbing her phone to occupy herself. Eliza said Alex was fine. Why was she ignoring her? She tried calling Alex's phone but it went straight to voicemail.

She was starting to freak out a bit.

To ease her mind, Kara reluctantly bought more lives in Candy Crush and was absolutely determined to beat level 109. She had been stuck on it for days and Alex "didn't have the time" to beat it for her. Whatever that meant.

"Come on!" she groaned in frustration when she lost yet again. "I am not buying more lives," she grumbled, throwing her phone back in her coat pocket.

Kara sat up straighter when she heard footsteps. Figuring it was Alex's rather good-looking-maybe-old-enough-to-be-her-dad neighbor, she looked back down and picked at her nails. It was a nervous habit she could never break. Alex and Eliza did the same thing when they were stressed, Alex especially. The footsteps were getting closer and closer. Alex's hot neighbor did not need to see her pathetically slumped against her big sister's front door, waiting to be let in like a locked out puppy. So, she stood up and figured it was best to just leave.

Alex would call her when she was ready to talk. Hopefully.

Kara carefully stood up and reached for the pie, nearly dropping it when she heard her name.

"Kara?"

"Alex!" Kara yelled louder than she anticipated. She looked between her sister and the door, her cheeks blushing slightly when she realized how embarrassing it was that she had been talking to herself for the past half hour. "I thought, I thought you were ignoring me."

Alex raised an eyebrow and gestured to her work attire. "I was at work."

"Work. Right." Kara closed her eyes. She gripped the pie tightly and practically forced it into Alex's hands. "I, I brought you pie. Blueberry."

Alex unlocked her front door and lingered in the entryway when Kara nervously stood outside. "Do you want to come in?"

"Oh! You want me to come in?"

"Yes?" Alex stared at her sister oddly. "Why would I invite you in then?"

"Right," Kara repeated, following her sister into her apartment. She kicked the door shut with her foot and stood awkwardly in the same place as Alex disappeared into her bedroom to change. She placed the pie down on the kitchen counter and wrung her hands together nervously.

Alex appeared minutes later in a pair of sweatpants. "How are you feeling?"

Kara looked down at her feet. "B-Better."

"That's good," Alex mumbled. She threw open the fridge door and grabbed a bottle of water, proceeding to gulp down half the bottle. "Do you want anything?"

"I'm, I'm so sorry," Kara blurted out suddenly. She still refused to look up, even when she felt Alex getting closer. "I didn't mean what I said."

"I know."

That got Kara to look up. "No, no. You can't forgive me that easily. What I said was horrible and rude and I didn't mean it. I didn't mean it."

"Kara, I know," Alex promised, engulfing her sister into a much-needed hug when she burst into tears. "It's okay. We're going to be okay."

Kara buried her face into the crook of Alex's neck and held her as tightly as she could. It was a lot easier since they were the same height. "You're my big sister."

"I am," Alex chuckled. She rubbed Kara's back and tried not to wince when her sister's grip kept tightening. "You know, for someone who's lost their strength you still hug pretty tightly."

"Sorry!" Kara pulled back and removed her glasses to wipe her eyes with the back of her sleeves. "Did I hurt you?"

"No more than usual."

A smile flashed across Kara's face. "I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing," Alex demanded lightly, holding up her left hand. "I know you didn't mean anything by it."

"I still feel awful."

"And you will for the next ten years," Alex whispered knowingly. She led Kara over to the couch and sat her down. "Kara, I get it. You get angry sometimes and say things you don't mean. We all do."

Kara immediately went to protest. "But Alex-"

"God, Kara, stop!" Alex whined, reaching for her sister's hand. "You didn't mean what you said, okay? Yeah, it hurt. And yeah I went and cried and maybe broke a punching bag at the DEO but I know deep down that you only said it because you were angry about your mom and needed someone to take it out on."

"How did you know?"

Alex rolled her eyes and pulled Kara in for another hug. "Because I'm your sister."

Kara let herself relax in Alex's embrace. "But I had a whole speech planned."

"Save it for the next time you tell me I'm not your sister."

"Alexxxx," Kara whined. She pulled back and put on her puppy dog eyes to make Alex feel bad.

"Do you want some pie?"

"Yes! Finally. I was waiting for you to ask," Kara pouted and watched Alex get off the couch and grab the pie.

"Did you make this?" Alex asked skeptically. She took the pie out of the box and stared at it.

Kara sighed dramatically. "No. Eliza kicked me out of the kitchen, MY kitchen, when I dropped most of the blueberries on the floor."

Alex laughed because that sounded something like her mother would do. She grabbed two forks and handed one to Kara when she sat back down on the couch. The younger girl dove right in. "Don't you dare eat all of this."

"Relax," Kara replied with her mouthful. "I had three pieces of chocolate pecan pie before I came."

Alex grimaced and took four bites when Kara took time to swallow. "You're such a pig."

"I know."

"Stop talking with your mouth full! It's gross."

"I'm sorry," Kara apologized, her mouth still full of food. "Sorry."

Alex rolled her eyes and smirked when Kara groaned and threw her fork down, collapsing back on the couch dramatically. "Eat too fast?"

"I feel like I'm going to explode."

Alex leaned back in the couch and kept the pie for herself while Kara continued to groan and clutch her stomach. "That's what you get for eating too fast."

"I don't like this."

"Well, you should be back to your weird alien self soon."

Kara sighed and sat up, her arm still draped across her lower abdomen. "Alex? Why did you forgive me so easily?"

Alex put the pie on the table and shifted her body a bit so she was facing Kara. "Do you want me to still be mad at you?"

"What? No!" Kara sat up too fast and moaned. "I was just ready to grovel…"

"Well, that's why you brought the pie, right? To soften the blow?"

"Maaaybe," Kara replied coyly. She bit her lip and leaned forward so her forehead was resting on Alex's shoulder. She smiled when her sister patted her back. "I feel like I don't deserve your forgiveness."

Alex pulled Kara back a bit and held her at arm's length. "You've got enough going on as it is. Me staying mad at you won't help the situation at all."

"Okay."

"Do you want to watch Homeland?"

"Okay."

Kara curled into Alex's side and sighed contently when the all too familiar theme song filled the room. "I'm going to remember my mom the way I want." She said after ten minutes of silence.

Alex paused the show and rubbed her arm. "I think that's the best thing to do."

"I want to talk to my Aunt Astra."

"Kara, I don't think…" Alex trailed off when she saw the determination on her sister's face. "I can't handle seeing you like that ever again."

"I won't freak out. I promise." She grabbed Alex's hands and squeezed them. "Please. I need closure and the only person who can give me that is my Aunt Astra."

Alex closed her eyes. "Fine. But I'm only giving you five minutes."

"Got it."

The ride to the DEO seemed long. Kara fidgeted with the seat belt across her lap and tugged anxiously at her cape. "Agent Carson isn't going to be there, right?"

Alex laughed loudly. "I still can't believe you bit him."

"I didn't mean to!" Kara cried in defense. She slumped down in the chair when Alex pulled into the DEO parking lot. "I'll send him an edible arrangement. People love edible arrangements."

"Mmhm." Alex shut off the engine and looked at her sister in concern. "You can change your mind you know."

Kara shook her head. "I have to do this."

"Okay," Alex sighed and got out of the car. "Five minutes is five minutes."

"I know, I know," Kara said shortly. She reached for Alex's hand when they entered the DEO and felt her stomach twist and turn. Her heart was racing against her chest. You didn't need super hearing to hear it. "This is dumb. This is dumb, right?"

Alex stopped and pulled Kara into her arms, closing her eyes when the younger girl held on for dear life. "You don't have to do this."

"I need to know. I need to know Astra was lying."

Alex nodded supportively and pulled Kara along to the cell where Astra was being housed. She let her fingers linger over the security code and stared at her sister one last time. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Kara said with all the confidence she could muster. "Will, will you wait here?"

"I'm not going anywhere," Alex promised. She reached for Kara's hand and gave it one last squeeze before unlocking the door. "I'll be right here."

Kara nodded in thanks and took a breath. The first step into Astra's cell almost made her want to turn back around and run home. The door sealed shut, making her jump in place.

Astra chuckled.

Kara's body froze at the sound of her aunt's devious cackle.

"Well, little one. I heard you had quite the meltdown yesterday." Astra unfurled herself from the floor and stood up, pressing her body up against the glass. "The guards were quite amused by it. It's all they could talk about."

Kara tried to remain undeterred, clutching her fists at her side while she took baby steps to the cell. "I'm over it now."

"Are you sure about that? You're cowering like a small child now."

"I used to love you as much as I loved my mother," Kara began in a whisper. She looked all around the room, half expecting Alex to burst through any minute.

Astra rolled her eyes. "Then you believed your mother's lies and that was the end of it. Right?"

"My mother wasn't a liar!" Kara screamed. She felt the rage ignite in her veins but she couldn't give in. She couldn't repeat yesterday's events. "She was a good person and you deserved everything that happened to you!"

"Ah, see. The tremor in your voice tells me otherwise."

"I am not going to let you ruin whatever memories I have left of my mother," Kara continued lowly. She crossed her arms and kept her hands tightly tucked under them.

"Oh, Kara," Astra laughed, rolling her head back dramatically. "You naïve girl."

Kara got up and banged on the glass.

"Careful," Astra warned mockingly. "Your human guards will come drag you away. They'll strap you down and sedate you again."

"How could you be so heartless?" Kara asked innocently. She closed her eyes at how small her voice sounded and sat back down, her right shoulder pressed firmly against the glass. "You loved me like I was your own."

Astra paused in contemplation. "Who said I stopped?"

"You have a funny way of showing it," Kara mumbled, idly picking at her cape, anything to avoid eye contact with her aunt.

"What do you want?" Astra asked bluntly. "And don't look at me with those wounded eyes. It may work on the humans but it won't work on me."

Kara couldn't help but laugh. She stared at her aunt, watching as the green eyes peering at her through the glass softened. "If you love me like you say you do, tell me about my mother. Tell me the truth."

Astra guffawed but sat down against her end of the glass, her head resting in the same exact space as Kara's. "She saw the best in everyone. Even me."

Kara nestled herself closer, eyes brimming with tears as her aunt told her everything about her mother. How Alura never stopped believing in Astra. How Alura never gave up on anyone, no matter how bad they were. She saw in the good in everyone and everything.

"You are just like her, Kara," Astra whispered, feeling her own tears come to the surface when Kara's face lit up. "In every way. She'd be so proud."

Kara knew she had been in there longer than five minutes. She wiped away her tears and sat up a little taller. "I don't remember any of that."

"How could you? You were so little."

"You, you really think she'd be proud of me?" Kara asked in slight hesitation. She wrung her hands together in anticipation.

"I know she would. Your father, too."

"Oh." Kara caught the sob rising in her throat and took a breath so she could compose herself.

The door slid open and Kara jumped to her feet, desperate to hide the fact that she had been crying. Alex would jump to conclusions.

"Your five minutes are up," Alex said softly. She hung back by the door and clasped her hands behind her back.

"Just o-one more minute. P-please," Kara begged. She saw the skepticism in her sister's eyes and resorted to her puppy dog face. "Please."

Alex reluctantly nodded. "I'm staying right here."

Kara was grateful. She turned back to her aunt. "My mother. What did, what did she smell like?"

"That's an odd question," Astra said, slightly confused. She laughed anyway. "It is a smell that is not prevalent on earth."

"That's what I thought," Kara muttered, her gaze casting downward.

"Something similar to that odd fruit people find joy in chopping down from a tree. How primitive."

Kara's shoulders slumped. "I don't know."

"A coconut?" Alex piped up, backing against the wall when Kara and Astra stared at her simultaneously. "A coconut." Her eyes narrowed when Astra met her gaze. If Astra had to lie to please Kara then so be it.

"The human is right," Astra said with a small smirk. "A coconut."

"Coconut," Kara repeated to herself. She wanted to ingrain it firmly in her memory and never let it go. "And her eyes? Were, were they green?"

"They were," Astra confirmed.

"Thank you, Aunt Astra," Kara replied happily.

"You're welcome, little one."

Kara pressed her hand up against the glass and smiled when Astra did the same. Astra wasn't her mother but it was the closest thing she could get to her.

"Come on," Alex whispered, slinging her arm around Kara's waist so she could escort her out.

"Wait, wait," Kara whimpered when they were halfway to the door. "Can, can I…" she couldn't find the courage to ask. Alex would say no. "Can I hug her?"

"Kara, I can't," Alex replied sadly. She kept her grip from across her sister's waist and sighed when Kara let out a sob and hugged her. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," Kara cried in understanding. "It's okay."

Alex looked up and saw Astra peering at them curiously. "Thank you," she mouthed to the woman who unknowingly pieced her baby sister back together.

Astra didn't say anything. Instead, she titled her head a bit and returned to the previous position in her cell to hide her tears.

Kara pulled away from Alex and glanced one last time back at her aunt. She let her sister pull her out of the room and into the brightly lit hallway. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Kara replied honestly. "I am."

Alex rubbed Kara's forearms and smiled up at her. "You needed that."

Kara just nodded and slipped her hand into Alex's. "I did."

"Well, we should get home," Alex said, slinging her arm around Kara's shoulders when her head rested against her own. "Mom called and said she's making dinner. Your favorite of course," she mumbled with a playful eye roll, poking Kara's sides when she snickered triumphantly.

"Hey!" Kara went into defense mode. "Chicken parm is the best-"

"Food in the galaxy. And as someone who's been to twelve different ones, you should know. I know. I've heard it before," Alex mocked, grinning when Kara pouted and crossed her arms.

"Meanie."

"Spoiled."

Kara went to protest but stopped when she realized how true Alex's statement was.

"Ms. Danvers. Glad to see you're doing well."

Kara closed her eyes at the sound of Director Henshaw's voice. She just nodded and groaned when Alex turned her around. "Hi, sir."

"I assume everything is back to normal?" Hank said, raising an eyebrow when both Danvers sisters nodded frantically. "Glad to hear it. Take the week to rest, Ms. Danvers. You need it." When Kara nodded, he stared at her oddly. "What? No argument? No pouting?"

"Sir, with all due respect, I think I embarrassed myself in front of you enough for the rest of my life," Kara whispered. "Plus I bit one of your agents."

"He'll survive. He'll get his worker's comp."

"For a bite?!" Kara could not help but roll her eyes. "What a baby!"

Alex chuckled and pushed Kara forward a bit. "See you tomorrow, Hank."

Hank mumbled something and left the two sisters as they headed for the back door.

The ride home was silent, save for Kara humming along to the radio. She awkwardly changed in the backseat of Alex's car and nearly fell out when her sister swung the door open when she was leaning against it.

"Are you trying to kill me?"

"Maybe," Alex replied ominously. She helped her sister steady herself and pulled her along to the entrance.

Eliza was just finishing the table setting when the front door open. She beamed at her two daughters and motioned for them to sit. "Everything just finished."

Kara's mouth was salivating at the sight of her favorite food in the middle of her small kitchen table. "It smells amazing, Eliza. Thank you!"

Alex mocked Kara's tone under her breath and reached for a piece of garlic bread before Kara could eat it all. She watched her sister pile her plate with at least three spoonfuls of spaghetti, topping it off with the biggest piece of chicken on the plate.

"What?" Kara asked innocently. "I'm hungry."

"How?" Alex wondered seriously "How? You've eaten like twelve pieces of pie today. And you're supposed to be a human. You should have exploded by now."

"Take it easy," Eliza suggested, pouring water in everyone's glass. "I would offer wine but I'm not so sure how Kara would react to alcohol…"

Kara just slurped her spaghetti happily, swinging her legs under the table while doing so. "Fis is so good," she said between bites. "Fank yoo."

"Kara, honey, don't talk with your mouthful," Eliza warned lightly, brushing it off with a laugh when Kara apologized. "Eat slowly. We don't want you to choke."

"Or do we?" Alex said deviously. She daintily cut her chicken and swirled a small amount of spaghetti around her fork.

Kara rolled her eyes and reached for another piece of garlic bread. She dipped it in the sauce and took a large bite, ignoring the looks of disgust from her foster mother and sister. "What now?"

"I thought I taught you table manners," Eliza said a bit judgmentally.

"Yeah," Alex scoffed. "You eat like you're an alien."

"I am an alien."

Alex shook her head and sipped her water slowly. The family fell into a comfortable silence, save for the sound of Kara's knife scraping frantically against the plate while cutting through her chicken. She looked up and smiled at her mother.

"I don't know what you did," Eliza began in a whisper, leaning closer to Alex so Kara wouldn't hear. "But you fixed her. Just like I knew you would."

"She fixed herself," Alex said with a smile. "I didn't do much."

Eliza returned the smile and kissed Alex's temple. "Of course you did."

"Are you guys talking about me? Kara cut in with a raised eyebrow. She took one last bite of food and sighed contently. "I feel like you are."

"Never," Alex feigned offense and pushed her plate forward. "I'm full."

Eliza nodded in agreement and threw her napkin down. "Me, too."

"I'm not," Kara scoffed. "Is there any more pie left?"

"In the fridge."

"That girl," Eliza said to herself as she began clearing the dishes, staring at Alex when she didn't lift a finger. "A little help?"

"What about Kara?" Alex whined like she was a teenager again. She pouted slightly and gathered her sister's abandoned dish. "She never has to help."

"Kara is going to do the dishes."

Kara looked up, mid-bite from her pie. "Kara's going to do what?"

"The dishes," Eliza said slowly. "I spent all day cooking and cleaning for you."

Alex could not hide the joy in her face. "Best day ever." When Eliza retreated to the living room to relax, Alex pulled her sister over to the sink. "Come on, pouty. You wash and I'll dry. The pie will still be there when we're finished."

"Okay," Kara sighed dramatically.

Within ten minutes, the dishes were done and put away, much to Eliza's delight. She pushed over to the middle cushion and smiled when both her daughters flanked each side of her. "We should do this more often."

Kara rested her head on Eliza's shoulder. Alex did the same. "Minus the breakdown, yes. We should."

Eliza squeezed Kara's shoulder. "I'm just glad you're okay, sweetie."

"So am I," Alex whispered, reaching across her mother to squeeze Kara's hand.

"I'm sorry," Kara found herself apologizing yet again. "For everything."

"We know you are," Eliza said. She kissed the top of Kara's head. "You're allowed to have your bad days, Kara. We all are."

Kara closed her eyes and relaxed into her foster mother's embrace. "My mom would have really liked you guys."

Alex smiled and ran her thumb across Kara's knuckles when her hand trembled slightly. Eliza did the same and held both her daughters against her chest. "I'm sure we would have really liked her, too."

"Yeah," Kara whispered, letting everything Astra said about her mother fill her mind. She smiled and lay across Eliza and Alex's laps. "You would have. But she'd be happy to know I had a really great mother and big sister to raise me."

Kara eased herself up and stared at the two most important people in her life. "I don't know what I did to deserve you guys."

"You did get pretty lucky," Alex joked with a teary smile.

"I know," Kara whispered, even though she knew Alex was teasing. She pulled Eliza and Alex in for a hug and held on with no intention of letting go. "Thank you for not…for not giving up on me after I was so horrible to you."

"We're your family," Eliza reminded Kara softly. "We would never give up on you."

"Even when you delete stuff on my DVR to make room for The Bachelor," Alex said, relieved to hear the laughter bubbling out of Kara's throat. "We're not going anywhere."

Kara smiled, still wondering how she got so lucky to have the family she did.