Favorite fan - I was also thinking about this, and the suggestion was much appreciated, but I already established that Jeremiah is good, so I think it would be a breach in continuity here if I have him betray them all again. When Lillian makes her move, things are going to really pick up. However, once the dust settles down, the sisters are going to really talk about their issues and figure it all out. Thanks for your suggestions! Although I can't incorporate the Jeremiah thing, I am glad at least some of it was already in the cards for this story. I appreciate your comment and hope you find the coming part of the story satisfactory.

Winn poked his head into Kara's room, expecting to find a happy and jovial Kryptonian girl.

Boy, was he wrong.

As soon as he stepped into the room, the whole vibe just felt off to him. He glanced over to his best friend and found her sobbing on her bed. He immediately ran over and engulfed her in a hug.

"Hey, Kara. What's wrong? Talk to me."

She just shook her head and continued to cry, and that left him to wonder where everyone else had gone. She was in here suffering alone, and none of her adoptive family or J'onn was in here to comfort her. They had all gotten a talk about being there for her when she wakes up and being emotionally supportive, so where was all that emotional support now that she needed it?

He looked around for any signs of help, and came up empty. Eliza, Alex, Jeremiah, J'onn... No one was here to help her.

It was all up to him now.

-00-

Jeremiah stumbled upon Alex crying in the hall and immediately rushed to her side. "Alex, is there a problem? What's wrong?"

When she just shook her head and continued to sob, Jeremiah's concern grew and he wondered what had happened. Then a realization dawned on him. "Oh no... Did Kara...? Did she... Is she okay?"

Alex looked up. "Kara's fine, Dad. She's physically fine. But emotionally, I just screwed up big time. Damn it, why do I always mess this up with her?!"

Jeremiah gently placed his hand onto his daughter's shoulder, but upon feeling the metal in his cybernetic arm, she recoiled away. A flashbulb memory hit her hard, and she could feel that same hand slamming into her ribs, leaving her breathless and winded on the cell room's floor. She could see Kara crawling towards her, worried for her big sister's safety, when she was clearly in far more danger. She could feel her little sister crawling on top of her to cover her from harm. Could see how willing she was to die for her.

She was jolted back to reality, and all she could see was her father's hurt face. He didn't seem to understand why she recoiled away from his touch. Alex stared at her Dad, and didn't seem to see the same man he used to be. "I think... It might be best if I didn't see you right now, Dad. It's nothing you did... It's just... not the time."

She could see a pang of hurt flash across his eyes, but he gave her a reassuring smile and stood up. "Of course, I'll give you all the space you need. If you ever need anything though, you can always come to me." His daughter nodded. "Look after Kara for me." And then he left.

Alex couldn't really pay attention to anything her father had just said. Because when that flash of hurt crossed his eyes, all she could see was the very same pang of pain going across Kara's when she so ungracefully threw Hunter's death back in her face. Everything was so messed up right now.

So messed up.

She walked over to Kara's room and peered through the window, just to see how she was doing. Alex found her sister opening up to Winn, whilst allowing him to comfort her.

And that made Alex's heart ache.

Because that should be her in there. That should be here in there, making her sister feel better. Allowing her to just rant and open up. It should be her giving Kara the comforting hugs. Whispering words of reassurance when all her baby sister felt was insecurity and doubt. Sadness.

Instead, she was the reason her sister was like this at all. How did she mess this up so badly? How did she continuously mess up? Why couldn't she see the same faults in Jeremiah that Kara so easily could? Why did she keep lashing out?

She sank to her knees, and cried once more.

Praying to every God out there listening that some day, Kara would be able to forgive her.

-00-

Eliza had long since finished talking to Jeremiah, telling him that Kara just needed time. That she'd come around eventually. And that Alex was probably in there right now fighting for his sake. Fighting for Kara to see that Jeremiah wasn't so bad after all.

When he left, feeling slightly reassured, she immediately was off to see Kara. Her foster daughter had been through such a horrible ordeal and Eliza wasn't there to help her. She felt horrible for abandoning her daughter like that, but felt at the very least comforted that Alex would be in there with her.

Only, when she went into the room and opened the door, it was not Alex that was comforting her.

It was Winn.

She glanced around the room, and her other daughter was nowhere to be found.

This immediately raised red flags.

"Winn!" He sharply turned around, unaware that the door had opened. "Yes ma'am- I mean... Mrs. Danvers... uh- Eliza?"

"Eliza's fine, Winn. Have you seen Alex?"

Immediately something came over his eyes, and Eliza couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. The only thing she did know was that it couldn't possibly be good.

He just shrugged carelessly, and turned back to Kara. Eliza then desperately pleaded with her eyes for Kara to give her something. She too refused to give her foster mother any information.

She thought to herself. I never should have left. I knew I shouldn't have left. What even happened in here while I was gone?

Eliza gestured for Winn to leave the room. He first looked to Kara to question if she'd be okay, and when she gave him a nod, he left the room. Eliza could have sworn that he gave her a warning glare on the way out.

Upon Winn's leave, she immediately approached her foster daughter's bedside. "Kara..." Her voice was soft and gentle, motherly. Whatever had happened... She wouldn't let it get in the way of being a mother to Kara. "I don't know what happened here, but I just want to make sure you're okay."

"Eliza, I'm fine. I'm not hurting anywhere, and I think my powers are coming back. Things are starting to heal over, and within days I should be good to go."

Eliza just stared at her. "You know that is not what I meant. If there's anything at all, I'm here if you want to talk about it. I'll always be here for you, Kara. Please. Please just tell me what's bothering you."

Kara sighed. She turned to her adoptive mother to speak, but all that came out were tears. "I- I don't want... to talk about it."

Eliza didn't realize that whatever this was ran this deep. Kara had seemed okay when she came in, but now she was a mess. Eliza didn't quite understand what was going on here, but vowed to get to the bottom of it. In the meantime, she felt like Kara needed her to just be a mother, and not an investigator.

She embraced her daughter and rubbed gentle circles around her back. "Shhh, it's okay, Kara. I'm sorry I asked. You don't have to tell me anything unless you want to, okay? I'm ready to listen, but I just really want you to be okay."

Kara nodded and cried into her foster mother's shoulder.

Alex watched this all unfold, and her heart shattered.

-00-

Off in the distance, Lillian smiled with pleasure at the completion of the exodus ship, well more like the re-completion. Everything was in place and ready.

She turned around to the rest of the room full of scientists and Cadmus agents, and she smiled.

"Get ready. When light breaks tomorrow, we are going to make our move."