Welcome back!. As always reviews, comments, critiques are all welcome so let me know what you think. I don't own Supergirl or any of the related characters. This is just a story for the fun of it.
Red Kryptonite Aftermath Chapter 5
After Maggie had released the dangling cuff from Kara's wrist and left, Kara immediately set off to cover for her disappearance from CatCo for the rest of the week. Today was only Tuesday, there was still three more days in the work week and she had to plan to miss them, if she came back sooner great, but she couldn't count on it. Ms. Grant was not going to be pleased but one storm at a time right? She called James Olsen and gave him an extremely abbreviated version of what just happened and asked him to let Ms. Grant know that she had to return to Midvale for a family emergency. He also agreed to relay all this information to Winn to help save her a little time this evening.
Kara then zipped to her bedroom and in seconds was in her Supergirl outfit. She exited her window and took to the sky flying near mach speeds to her sister's apartment across the city. When Supergirl landed inside Alex's apartment she could see Alex was also not having a great day. Alex was still in DEO attire sitting on a stool at her kitchen island with half a bottle of Moscato gone. "Hey you" Kara stated in a concerned voice walking toward Alex.
Alex turned to her sister, "Hey" noticing her sister's uniform "Out stopping bad guys, I see." Alex tipped what was left in her wine glass down the hatch, "That's good. Get back up again attitude." Alex was about to pour herself another glass when Kara reached for the bottle and set it just out of reach.
"Is everything okay?" Kara asked sitting on a stool next to her sister.
Alex buried her face in her hands momentarily willing herself to get a grip, "Yeah, Kara" she adjusted herself in her stool to face her sister. "Just a tough day I guess. I'm sorry." When Kara still continued to look at her with concern she went on, "A lot of the agents are pointing fingers speculating on who knew Hank was an alien, or who should've known. And although none of it has been said directly to my face, I know I've very much been thrown under that bus. I suppose rightfully so. But if I admit to it, with General Lane coming tomorrow, well let's just say if I can weasel out of treason charges it will be a miracle."
"I'm sorry Alex" Kara said immediately feeling guilty for her role in all of this damage.
Alex grabbed Kara's hands and brought them into her lap. "No, this is NOT your fault. I want you to understand that. This is Maxwell Lord's fault, all of it."
"But if I…" Kara started but was stopped quickly.
"No, buts. Not your fault, period. I want you to say that for me" Alex sternly said gripping Kara's hands in her lap just a bit making sure Kara knows she's serious.
Kara said but not very convincingly, "Not my fault." Kara took a look at the clock on the stove that she's fairly sure Alex has never cooked on. She had twelve minutes left until she had to meet Detective Sawyer. Kara came over here to tell Alex about this evenings' events at her apartment and suddenly felt like she would just be adding more burden to Alex's already full load. Kara's mouth started to move, trying to form the words but couldn't figure out how to drop this other news on her sister.
Alex saw the struggle on Kara's face, "What, what's wrong?" she pressured.
Kara supposed there really was no way out from saying it. If she didn't tell her sister she'd just find out by tomorrow and then be angry about being left out of the loop. Kara reached for the wine bottle she initially took away from her sister and a clean glass for herself. Alcohol may not work on her the same way it does humans but she still enjoyed a glass now and again and since she was about to go to jail this seemed like a pretty good time. She poured herself a glass and Alex a refill because why not. "So, speaking of charges…"
Alex asks with a slightly drawn out "Yes?"
"The detective I told you about earlier, Detective Sawyer. She sort of… found out Kara Danvers is Supergirl."
"What?!" exclaimed Alex. "What, how?" she continued panicking.
Kara placed her hands on Alex's shoulders attempting to calm her sister down, "It's okay, it's okay Alex."
"But how?" Alex asked.
"Uhmm…. Well, she came over to my apartment tonight. She suspected me after seeing me at CatCo. But, I guess she wasn't sure and she tricked me into revealing myself" Kara said looking down obviously disappointed in herself.
"Kara, how could you?" Alex said with shock in her voice.
"She tricked me Alex!" Kara exclaimed. "She brought a lead box and told me Kryptonite was in it. She saw the fear in my eyes, staring at that box and she just knew. I'm sorry Alex. I just…" Kara looked down disappointed in herself.
Alex reached out to her sister, "It's alright, we'll figure it out." Alex's mind was racing a hundred miles a minute trying to think. "So what did you do? I mean, you're here, did you just fly out the window?"
"Not exactly" Kara answered biting her bottom lip. "I made her a deal. I agreed to turn myself into her as Supergirl if she withheld my secret identity."
"Oh Kara," Alex exclaimed.
"I didn't know what else to do Alex" Kara pleaded, her voice begging her sister not to be mad. "I mean, there was NOTHING else I could do, could I? With J'onn locked up we can't pull the double Kara trick or erase her memory and if I hadn't come up with this Kara's identity would be all over the news by tomorrow. At least this way it's contained" Kara said. Alex was nodding but Kara wasn't sure if it was because she was agreeing or just still in a state of information overload absorbing what she was hearing so Kara continued to drive home her point, "It came down to cooperate or go on the run and I can't let Supergirl become a wanted criminal."
Alex visibly shook herself from her state of shock and took a decent swallow of wine from her glass. "You're right. I know your right. But geez Kara! So when is this happening? Maybe we can get this cleared up by then" Alex said trying to work through a plan.
Kara again looked at the stove clock, "Six minutes."
Alex's eyes bolted open, "Six minutes? You can't, we haven't got a plan, nothing worked out."
"I told you the plan, I turn myself in" Kara said grabbing her sister's hands trying to console her. "I need to do this the right way Alex. There isn't a quick fix to this one and you can't protect me from it."
Alex who has always been Kara's protector and guardian began to look mortified at the thought of not being able to save her sister from this. "But..." Alex started but was instantly interrupted.
"No buts" Kara mirrored back to Alex what a moment ago was done to her. She brought Alex's hands into her lap, "This is not your fault, and if I have to make you repeat it I will."
Alex nodded trying to hold back the tear she knew was forming in the corner of her eye. Alex knew that out of the options presented, Kara was making the best choice but she couldn't help feeling like she had failed. Alex had spent her whole life protecting Kara's identity, to prevent exactly this, Kara being caged. Ironically, in this instance if Kara could come out with the whole story, her identity, what happened it should actually prevent Kara's arrest. It may create a whole slew of other issues at another time but Kara isn't guilty of this and it should save her now.
Kara went on, "Listen, I need you to listen to me okay?" Kara now was also taking in a deep breath to help hold herself together. "I will figure this out, you don't worry about me. I'll think of something. You have way, WAY too much going on at the DEO and I need you to clear yourself so we can both go back to our normal lives after this. Promise me you're going to work on that, okay?"
"Kara, you're my sister. I'm going to help" Alex said.
"I know you will. I know I can't stop you but I need you to promise me you'll focus on J'onn, you and the DEO. Okay?" There was silence so Kara continued in a joking tone "If you don't clear yourself I guess I'm just going to have to break us both out and we can live at the fortress."
"That place is freezing" Alex giggled and shuttered at the thought of the ice.
"I don't notice" Kara smiled.
"Yeah, you're an alien" Alex returned quickly.
Kara got up off her stool and pulled Alex into a tight hug, "I have to go now" she said.
Alex didn't say anything but nodded while her head was buried on her sister's shoulder. When they released each other Kara made her way to the window and after a last wordless goodbye, was gone in an instant.
There wasn't a lot of traffic tonight and Maggie had gotten to the station faster than anticipated. She knew Supergirl had a few more minutes to show based on their agreement but she was getting nervous. She was beginning to have doubts that the Girl of Steel would come. Because why would she? Nothing short of Kryptonite could contain her and that's hard to come by. So then what? When she doesn't show how does Maggie break it to her boss that she should have called for back up a half hour ago, that a girl that can fly as fast as a fighter jet now has a half hour head start. Kara could be in Mexico right now where there is no extradition. Hell, they'd probably welcome the Superhero with open arms too.
"Shit!" Maggie yelled at herself while she hit her steering wheel. She thought to herself she was going to be in so much trouble if Kara doesn't show. Then Maggie heard a whoosh sound. She looked in her rear view mirror to see Supergirl, arms crossed, cape billowing, full on superhero stance straight from a movie standing behind her car. Maggie took a breath in relief, opened her door and stepped out, "You showed" she said.
"Did you think I wouldn't?" asked Supergirl standing tall and proud. Maggie thought to herself a little bit about the confidence her badge gives her and how that superhero suit must be the same thing for Kara because meeting Supergirl now and Kara a half hour ago, the change is remarkable. It's no wonder the glasses are all she needs to hide; the way they hold themselves is completely different.
"Are you ready?" Maggie asked.
"A deal's a deal Detective. I will follow through on my end if you follow through on yours", Supergirl said turning and walking toward where the front of the building was. The squad cars park at the side of the station so Maggie and Supergirl will have to walk along the brick building to get to the front entrance which is on National, a fairly busy road, it being late it's a little less so but still, there is some traffic and pedestrians due to local bars.
"Whoa, wait." Maggie said as she caught up to Supergirl. Kara stopped and looked at her questioningly. "By the book remember?" Maggie said and Supergirl just looked confused about what the detective was getting at. "Look, you're going to get a lawyer and the first thing they are going to ask is was your rights read to you, plus you're not going in there as someone being arrested without cuffs on. I don't care that you can break them" Maggie said.
At the mention of the cuffs, Supergirl looked uncomfortable. It took a few seconds for her to respond to Maggie's statement. It wasn't so much about the cuffs being on, Supergirl knew. She knew they couldn't really constrict her; it was more about image, an image she was desperate to repair right now. But she also knew the detective had a job to do and policies to follow and the detective was already compromising herself. She didn't want to cause any sort of conflict between her and the detective that may make the detective change her mind about their deal. Kara conceded "The balls in your court Detective, but can I ask that we skip the cuffs? Bystanders could get a picture and I'm really trying to avoid front page news here."
Maggie could understand that and even sympathized. That's why she offered a compromise when as hard nosed as she normally was she wouldn't; celebrity or not, "Under the cape?"
Supergirl perhaps wasn't thrilled with the compromise but consented by placing her hands behind her back under her cape. Kara went the extra step of lacing her fingers together, she didn't want to accidentally break the detective's cuffs walking and shifting her arms a little too hard. She wasn't too worried about Detective Sawyer if that were to happen, but one of the officers on the inside might take that as a sign of aggression and that's the last thing she needed right now. She needed to come off as completely reasonable and as willing to cooperate as possible.
After the cuffs were in place Detective Sawyer read Supergirl her Miranda rights. Maggie grabbed Supergirl's arm and Supergirl let herself be led. Kara wasn't sure but she was pretty positive that the detective was even doing her a favor by standing directly next to her, blocking a direct street view for most people. Supergirl knew that what she was wearing stood out and people definitely weren't going to mistake that it was her walking but it was unlikely from the detectives position they'd notice she was in custody.
Maggie and Kara took the three steps up to the entrance of the station and Maggie opened the door. Maggie held it waiting for Supergirl to take a step through into the station. Kara stood there, it was probably all of two seconds but looking at the entrance of a police station about to be led in under arrest was hitting home for Kara in an overwhelming way.
Kara composed herself with a deep breath and walked in through the door. Maggie came in and stood beside her. What happened next was kind of surreal. The only way Kara could think about it was like watching a wave at a stadium. It started with the officer manning the front desk stopping his duties and staring. Then it moved further back from officers walking about in between desks and cubicles to all the way in the back where Kara was sure a couple of people stepped out from their offices just to get a good look at her. Silence had spread through out the station when moments ago it was bustling. Everything stopped, everyone stopped (including a few criminals) to stare at the hero being walked in in cuffs.
Crap, Kara thought.
Let me know what you think in reviews. Thanks