Starfire, Arsenal, and the Red Hood had finished killing hundreds of clones used by the Monks of Pa'shur when a new horde of them rose out of the large crack separating them from the way out. They had reached the point where they couldn't take them on any longer when a bright-red light flashed in front of them, forcing their eyes to close. When they opened them again, not one clone could be seen. What stood in their place was Supergirl; dressed in her usual red and blue get-up.

"Next time you take on regenerating clones, it might be wise to ask for help."

Roy stepped forward. "Look, I don't know how you found us but we were doing fine all on our own."

"Oh, of course. Two badly injured humans and a sick Tamaranean are no match for the legion of clones that were ready to attack again." Before Roy had the chance to rebut, Supergirl flew up and grab a large stalactite off the cave ceiling and used it to fill in the crack. Jason had seen Superman use his powers in front of humans many times before, but there was something different when Supergirl did it. Something more casual.

Kory spoke next and said, "Thank you Supergirl. We appreciate the help. Though I did not expect you to kill them. Is that not against your code of honor?"

"I don't kill real people. Mindless biogenetic copies are not off the list. It's more like I wiped out fleshy androids. So I don't feel bad obliterating them like I did. But now that I've helped, I have a proposition for you all." Supergirl stepped forward and bowed her head a little. "I would like to join you three."

Jason couldn't keep back the laugher. "You're kidding. Why would you of all people wanna join us? Justice League boring you?"

"I guess you don't get much news out here. They kicked me out."

"Whoa. Why'd they do that?" asked Roy.

Supergirl took a breath in then cleared her throat. "I suffered a PTSD episode and attacked them and nearly killed a few in the process. For safety's sake, I've been asked to step down from my position in the JLA." Supergirl's eyes flicked down for a moment before coming back up with a darkness to them. "I know the three of you have at least heard about my time on Apokolips and what I was like when I came back. I changed."

"Changed how?" interrupted Roy.

Supergirl took a breath in and continued. "I did terrible things while I was there. Things I know none of you have ever done. And because of this everyone looks at me differently. Even the people have changed how they perceive me. They're…" It didn't take a genius to understand what word she left out. Scared.

"This doesn't explain why you want to join us," he said. She stepped forward until only two feet from her

"I need to get back in control. And what better way to learn control than amongst chaos?"

"Jay… Jay!" Jason snapped out of his memory and focused on Connor and Cassie, who were sitting across from him. When they left the museum they decided to eat out again at a taco place. "Check this out." Connor handed him his phone. Jason pressed play for the video and watched. It was a news broadcast about the arrival of this new Supergirl. "We've been so busy talking we missed this."

Jason's eyes narrowed at the woman wearing Kara's uniform. It wasn't an exact match. She had legging, or pants, instead of a skirt and the cape was longer. Silver wove through the uniform too, giving it a more metallic appearance than Kara's or Superman's. "Who is she?"

"We don't know." Cassie was frowning at her phone. "I texted Wonder Woman. The League I as clueless about her as we are. She seems to come in peace though. Pun, not intended."

"You think she's an alien?"

"Who knows? We should at least give her the benefit of the doubt." Jason handed Connor back his phone then leaned into the corner of his seat and towards the window. What started as a drizzle had turned into a heavy downpour of rain that vibrated coolly against the window the restaurant.

X

Kate carefully eyed the young Kryptonian who bared a striking resemblance to her older cousin. Stephanie was chatting her up while Damien sulked next to her. Kate couldn't help the smile on her face as she watched Damien avoid eye contact with Kara every time the teen looked at him. The Question and Barbara were having a quiet discussion with their backs to the teens and Kate. The last time she saw Renee in the cave, had been during the sting operation to save the Intergang witness; an operation The Question did not take part in. Kate wondered if their conversation related to that night.

"Kate, get over here." Stephanie, Damien, and Kara looked at Kate with miss-matched expressions: Stephanie with confusion, Damien with apathy, and Kara with warm curiosity. Kara's eyes unnerved her more than anything. "Kate, come say hello to Kara. Gosh, that's gotta be confusing," she said turning to Kara. "We've been so used to your cousin, Kara Zor-El, that you sharing her first name is just weird. Not to mention you look like her too."

Kara smiled widely. "My grandmother's name was Kara. After she died, my aunt Alura, Kara's mother, wanted to name her daughter after her. My mother, Astrid, always disliked that. She told me once it was her idea to name the first born granddaughter after their mother. You can call me In-Ze if that makes it easier."

"The two of close? You and Kara Zor-El?" asked Stephanie.

Kara nodded. "She was only two years older than me. We used to play together all the time when I was little, until my parents and I moved to the Kryptonian colony of Argo. I was 10 years old. The last time we saw each other on Krypton was for five days, two months prior to its destruction."

"How'd you survive?"

"I was on Argo. It was named after the city I grew up in, by the way. I always liked that." Kara's mouth thinned out to a tight smile before she continued. "Most of Argo got decimated. Somehow I survived. I've only been on earth for a few months."

"You speak English well for that short of time," complimented Kate.

Stephanie pushed her sunglasses back on her head. "That's what I was saying."

Kara tapped a necklace that looked like gold bent into an open circle with two spheres attached to the ends and lines etched in them. "This is a special translation device invented by Krypton. Not only does it translate the languages spoken to you, but alsso assists your brain in speaking the language. The written word takes a little while though. Superman says I can take this off when I learn to speak with an American accent."

"Is that how Kara Zor-El learned to speak English?" This was the first time Damien had spoken.

"That's what I assume. It probably took her a short time to learn English, though. Kara was always adept at learning languages. She was fluent in seven, excluding Kryptonian and the Three Great Inter-Galactic Languages, and could communicate on an elementary level in fourteen others."

"Whoa, and I thought I was doing well in knowing Spanish."

Kara smiled at Stephanie. "Kryptonians have always been an accelerated species, even amongst most of the galaxies. To be honest, I'm surprised how well Kara acclimated to Earth. Its technology is so pathetic compared to Krypton, I assume she experienced ample frustration with most of your customs."

"Gee, thanks for the insult." Kara turned a shade of red and glanced at her feet.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. Superman says I need to learn how to be more," Kara bit her bottom lip for a moment, "delicate with my wording."

"Stephanie, Damien. Come here." The two obeyed Barbara and left Kara and Kate alone.

"What was she like, Kara?" Kara watched at Kate as she leaned on the wall next to her. "On Krypton, what was Kara Zor-El like?"

"You can call me In-Ze, if you would like to. It might be easier on you."

"I know, but if I remember anything Kara told me, I assume In-Ze is your father's name." Kara nodded. "Then I'll call you Kara. Your cousin would have wanted that."

Kara crossed her arm shifted her feet to face Kate entirely. "Were you two close?"

"We got close. We weren't friends very long before she died, only a few months. She kind of came in like a whirlwind. Didn't expect her to make the impression she did on me."

Kara smiled. "She's always been like that. On Krypton she was extremely popular. Everyone liked her. Of course, it helps to be the daughter of the eldest son of the House of El. Kara only had a few friends. Her closest friends or best-friends hailed from the House of Ur. Dala and Dal-Ur were fraternal twins, which is maybe why Kara liked them. Twin did not happen often on our planet, a rarity actually."

"She once told me about her mother. That she tried to set her up with the 'perfect match'."

Kara laughed. "Most parents on Krypton used the genetic matching system. My mother and I never spoke of marriage, but I'm only fifteen. I think Kara was enamored by the love story of Jor-El and Lara. The story goes that Lara was engaged to someone else and a part of the Military Guild. Jor-El was a part of the Science Guild and did not get along with Lara. The details are not quite clear, but something happened with Lara's fiancé and eventually she and Jor-El got married. A marriage of choice happened to be another rarity on Krypton. Kara and Lara were close, which created tension between her and Alura. Kara and Alura argued regularly during that final year."

Kate smirked. "Sounds like a typical teenager to me."

Kara tilted her head and curled her bottom lip between her teeth before she said, "I suppose so. There's a saying I've heard a few times that I think fits Kara, she had a fierce streak."

Kate smiled softly. "Yeah, she did." A silence passed between the two women before Kara spoke.

"Katherine?"

"Hm?"

"Did you love my cousin?" Kate stilled. "Barbara loved my cousin. She said many people did."

Kate let out a breath. "Yes," she whispered out. "I loved your cousin." Kate's throat tightened up and tried to swallow down the knot in it.

"Yeah, me too."

X

The rain poured heavily that night in Washington D.C. The Red Hood had been patrolling in the poor and urban areas of the city. He figured street thugs were more up his alley in a town he didn't know well, than corrupt government of the night had been quiet. The rain was coming down hard so except for the occasional vehicle, no one was out on the streets.

Jason's gloved fingers flexed as he stayed frozen in his perch at the top of a building. He closed his eyes and let the rain literally wash over him; the continuing thumping sounds from the large droplets and feel of them on his body relaxed him, but only some. The tightness in his chest and the pressure in the back of his head hadn't left him since he, Connor, and Cassie parted ways.

Connor was scheduled to head to Qurac to help with the clean-up. The minute he invited Cassie to join him, she said yes. "I need to do something, Jay. The Titans are making me take time off for Kara's death and it's driving me mad. Now that I've visited this," she said motioning down the street at the museum, "I can move forward and live my life. This will be good for me."

Jason had given Connor a dirty look then said, "You better know what you're doing." Cassie gave him a wink then a kiss on the cheek before joining Connor, who didn't look too pleased about the kiss.

With 5 am just around the corner, Jason relented and moved from his spot. It took him 30 minutes to get to the apartment Bruce would stay at when undercover in DC. He snuck in the hidden entrance and trudged to the middle of the living room then dropped to his knees. His right hand lifted, fell, and then lifted again to take off the mask he wore. He let out a shaky breath and sunk deeper to the floor. "Kara, please come back. Please."

Halfway through part one, baby! Woohoo!