"How's Kara?" Alex asked when Lena entered her room.
"Getting more withdrawn by the minute." Lena said. "I think we all thought that when she was free from Kryptonite she would be better. But as it is she still feels terrible and can barely control her powers."
"I'll go see her." Alex said.
"Not so fast. Your leg needs to rest a few more hours."
"I'm fine."
"No you're not. You know you have to remain still for four hours after each new dose of nanites. If you move, you could set back your treatment by weeks if not longer."
"Kara needs me."
"It is only a few hours. Besides Eliza is getting the kids."
"Is it safe?" Alex asked frowning.
"From Kryptonite? Yes. From everything else? I hope so. But Vasquez is organising protection for them, which includes Ruby. They'll be fine. Eliza was convinced Kara needed Alex." Lena said. "But speaking of Ruby she asked me to smuggle this into you." She said passing her a bit of paper.
"Why the need to smuggle notes?"
"Well let's just say the stress has got to your mother who has laid down the law about visitors and scared most of the DEO in one swoop. So now I am apparently the go between."
Reading the note that said 'All sorted!' she looked at Lena and asked. "Did Ruby give you any more details?"
"Yes. The Diz situation. The undercover sting along with some of my PIs managed to get NCPD to back off Diz. We still don't have proof if Curran was behind it, but we are working on it."
"We?"
"Well I don't want Kara to come back and have to visit her boyfriend in jail." Lena shrugged. "And although I am sure you can see advantages of Diz being behind bars we both know you don't want that for him."
"I don't. Thanks for helping." Alex said.
"Well I want these people stopped as well." Lena said.
"It must be Curran." Alex said. "I mean I confront him and then get taken. I escape and then they go after Diz. It's too much of a coincidence."
"We'll figure it out. But whoever it is that was behind your kidnapping they may go for round two so you need to recover as fast as possible." Lena said.
"Fine, I'll stay here." Alex said.
-00-
"Mom!" The teenage Alex said as she ran over to her mother's bed.
"Alex?" Kara said hugging her daughter tightly. "I've missed you so much."
"I missed you too." Alex said. "Are you okay?"
"I hope so." Kara said.
"The Kryptonite?"
"It's gone." Kara said not releasing her.
"But you're not better?"
"Not yet. It'll take time." Kara said. "I have missed you so much."
"Me too." The teen said clinging to her before saying. "I'm sorry."
"We have lot's that we need to talk about and we will. But for now I'm just going to enjoy this hug." Kara said.
"Are you coming coming home soon?"
"I can't." Kara said.
"Why not?" Alex asked pulling back.
"Although the Kryptonite is out of me, my powers aren't working properly. At the moment there are times I can't control them. It wouldn't be safe if I was out there. But you can visit here anytime you want." Kara smiled before frowning.
"What's wrong?" Alex asked.
"Nothing." Kara said clasping her hands over her ears.
"Eliza! Lena!" Alex called.
-00-
"Hi guys." Alex said when she saw her two children enter her room.
"Mom!" Kara said rushing to her side and hugging her as MJ approached more cautiously.
"You doing okay over there?" Alex asked her son.
"Yes."
"Okay enough to give me a hug?"
"What's wrong with your leg?" Her daughter asked, noticing it was in a cast.
"Long story. But it will be okay." Alex said before changing topics. "Your grandmother told me that you practically demanded to be sent to Argo to look out for Alex."
"We weren't going to let her go alone."
"I'm proud of you." Alex said, before noticing both teens were looking a little guilty.
"What?" She asked.
"Did grandma tell you that Alex ran away and we found her?" Kara asked.
"Yes."
"I think we may have been partly responsible. When you were taken we both kind of gave Alex a hard time for not protecting you."
"What?" Alex asked. "Protecting me isn't her job and even if it was her powers aren't that strong."
"We know." MJ said. "And we didn't mean it. But we think what we said got to her and maybe contributed to her running away."
"I'm pretty sure that was the silver Kryptonite." Alex said. "Have you apologised?"
"Of course." Kara said. "But that doesn't mean she believed us."
-00-
"Are you okay?" The teenage Alex asked when her mother's powers were under control again and Eliza and Lena had left them.
"Yes, I just lost control of my hearing." Kara said smiling weakly. "But I am okay now."
"It looked painful."
"It was for a moment, but it is under control now." Kara told her.
"But normally, it is still bad isn't it?"
"What?" Kara asked confused.
"The noises, the voices, the sounds. How do you get used to it?"
"What do you mean?"
"When I was exposed to Silver Kryptonite I could hear everyone's thoughts. Or I thought I could. They were so loud. Isn't this what it is like for you with your hearing? But all the time."
"I just learned to filter it out." Kara said trying to process everything her daughter was telling her.
"Aren't things really loud?"
"They can be, especially if I am not expecting it. Like doors slamming."
"Sorry." The teen said sheepishly.
"Like I said I got used to it." Kara smiled. "So what exactly were you hearing?"
"I heard voices. It was like I was reading their thoughts. But I wasn't. I mean they said they weren't thinking that. But I heard them so clearly."
"It probably wasn't mind reading. Silver Kryptonite makes you see and hear your own fears." Kara said.
"I know. Eliza explained it to me. But if felt so real."
"I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you. You are so loved." Kara said. "And I hope one day you will see that." She said as something started buzzing.
"What's that?" Kara asked.
"The alarm." Alex said.
"What alarm?" Kara asked confused.
"The one telling me you need to rest. Will I be able to come see you tomorrow?"
"You'd better come and see me tomorrow." Kara said kissing her daughter's head.
"Night mom."
"Night." Kara smiled.
-00-
As the adult Alex woke she saw her son sitting in the corner of the room playing on his phone.
Noticing his mother move he asked.
"Do you want anything?"
"I'm okay. What are you still doing here?"
"I thought you might be bored."
"You okay being here?" Alex asked.
"Getting kind of used to hospitals now." He said.
"Where's your sister?"
"Gone to see Diz." MJ said. "Don't worry, Ruby is escorting her."
"How are you doing?" Alex asked.
"Me? I'm fine. I mean I am the only one in this family not to have got into trouble recently."
"That doesn't mean it's been easy. But it probably does mean you've not had the attention you deserved." Alex said sitting up straighter, wincing as she moved her leg.
"If you are feeling guilty there is a new game you can buy me." MJ said.
"I'll take that as you are feeling okay." Alex said.
"Are you okay?" He asked, looking and sounding uncharacteristically serious.
"I will be." Alex promised him. "But seeing it is just us I think it is time we talked and I laid down some ground rules."
"About what?"
"Dating."
"Which one told you?" He asked.
"The important question is why didn't you tell me."
"Are you kidding? I saw what happened to Kara and she wasn't even dating Diz at the time. Why would I volunteer for that treatment?"
-00-
"What are you doing?" Kara asked when she saw her sister limp down the corridor very early the next day.
"Physio."
"You seem to be lacking a therapist." Kara pointed out.
"So how are you doing?" Alex asked, ignoring her sister's observation.
"Okay."
"So terrible then?" Alex guessed as she finally made it to Kara. As she reached her she slid down the wall, her leg screaming in pain. "What are you doing up?" Alex asked, trying to ignore the pain.
"Couldn't sleep. My powers aren't .. . I just couldn't sleep." Kara said sliding down the wall and sitting next to her sister.
"Want to talk?"
"Do you remember that game that Randell and Beth used to play?"
"Who?" Alex asked lost.
"Randell and Beth Pearson." Kara said.
"Who?" Alex asked still lost.
"The Pearsons. This is Us."
"This is what? Wait you mean from that show you insisted on watching even though you cried all the way through every episode?" Alex asked.
"It wasn't every episode, just most episodes." Kara said.
"I remember the show. Kind of. What game are you talking about?" Alex asked not remembering anything specific about the show.
"The what if one." Kara said.
"Where you list your worst case scenarios so they don't come true?" Alex questioned, recollecting something.
"Yes." Kara confirmed. "Maybe if we do that things won't look so bad."
"Okay." Alex said. "After you."
"What if my powers never work properly again?"
"What if my leg never works properly again?" Alex countered.
"What if Alex never feels like she belongs?" Kara listed.
"What if you never feel like you belong?" Alex asked.
"What if Fels' family comes for Alex?"
"What if it becomes serious between Kara and Diz?" Alex asked.
"Pretty sure that ship has sailed." The adult Kara said before adding. "What if Lobo comes after Alex?"
"Are you feeling better?" Alex asked. "Because I am going the other way"
"Yes, that game does not work." Kara agreed.
"So ice cream?" Alex asked.
"Alexandra Danvers you are meant to be in bed." Eliza said when she saw her two daughters sitting on the floor.
"I got hungry." Alex tried. "Why aren't you at home with the kids."
"Because unlike you they actually follow instructions." Eliza said before adding. "Ruby and J'onn are with them."
"I'm going." Alex said. "We were just getting food."
"Really? Because here is looks like you are dragging your sister around."
"I can barely drag myself around let alone anyone else." Alex pointed out as Eliza helped her get to her feet
"Both of you back to bed. I'll bring you food."
-00-
"Kara? What's wrong?" Lena asked seeing her friend kneeling on the floor her hands clamped round her ears the next day.
"Too loud." Kara cried from the ground.
Immediately Lena went to the controls and hit some buttons turning the room into a sound proof prison. Immediately Kara released her ears and started to relax.
"I'm okay." Kara said after a few minutes.
"Do you want me to postpone Alex's visit?"
"No. I want to see her and it will freak her out if we delay."
"Okay. How are your other powers doing?"
"Only five new holes in the wall." Kara said.
"It may not feel like it, but it is getting better." Lena said. "But your body needs time."
"I know."
-00-
"I brought you a snack." The teenage Alex said entering Kara's room. "A pumpkin spiced latte and a sticky bun."
"I thought you didn't approve of nice food." Kara said taking the items from her.
"That's not nice food. But I thought you'd like it." The teen said.
"I do. Thank you." Kara said.
"Are you feeling better?"
"Yes." Kara lied.
"Really, because you look terrible. Why aren't you sleeping?"
"I was up late talking to your aunt." Kara said.
"Did it help?" The teen asked.
"It did." Kara smiled. "What about you? Any problems adjusting to being home?"
"I'm not home yet. I'm staying with Kara and MJ." She reminded her. "But I'm glad I am close to you again."
"Me too." Kara said. "How was school?"
"Okay I guess. Kind of boring. I would have preferred to be here."
"I know, but I need to rest and you need to learn." Kara pointed out.
"I already know the math and science." Alex countered.
"But not history." Kara said.
"Which is pointless." The teen complained, but as her mother continued to stare at her she conceded. "Fine."
"Thank you."
"Eliza wants to run a silver Kryptonite check on me so I better go or I will be late." The teen said hugging her mother before leaving.
-00-
"Can I come in?" The teenage Kara said from the doorway of her aunt's room
"Of course." Kara smiled sitting up. "I wanted to see you anyway."
"Why?"
"To thank you for being there for Alex. Leaving Diz here while you went to Argo." The older Kara said. "Speaking of Diz, I think your mom may be getting more open minded."
"Maybe." The teen said before looking at her aunt and asking. "How are you doing?"
"I'm okay."
"Isn't it hard without powers?"
"It's not that I don't have powers. I just can't control them."
"So you've turned into Alex?" The teenager asked.
"I hadn't thought of it like that." Her aunt said. "So what did you want to see me about?"
"Alex isn't going to tell you this because she wants you worrying about getting better, but she has this big chess match thing this weekend. MJ and I were wondering if you wanted us to set up a live feed or anything."