"Mom?" The teenage Alex called as she walked towards her mother who was sat in one of labs.
"How are you feeling?" Kara asked turning to face her.
"Not sick anymore." The teen said as she was pulled in for a hug.
"That's good. Are you hungry?" Kara asked.
"I spent all afternoon hurling." She reminded her.
"I know. But you need to eat."
"I guess."
"Then why don't we go out and get some food? Fresh air will do you good."
"But Kara said we couldn't leave."
"You can't leave alone." Kara corrected. "But I'll be with you." She pointed out as she grabbed her coat.
"Only the bad guys don't know who you are so you aren't much of a deterrent." The teen said.
"That's why we will also have a DEO escort." Kara countered as she led them out of the lab. "You sure you are feeling okay?"
"Yes, but I never want to upset Diz." She said.
-00-
"I'm so proud of you." Kara said as they walked along the street. "But what you did was really dangerous."
"Alex got taken last time because I couldn't protect her. I wasn't going to let that happen again."
"You are a teenager, you should be out having fun, not having to protect people. There will be plenty of time to develop your powers and help people."
"I owed Alex, Kara and MJ."
"Family isn't about owing it other. It is about being there no matter what." Kara said.
"Movie quote?" The teen guessed.
"No friend quote." Kara said.
"Either way, isn't helping the same as being there no matter what?" Alex asked.
"Yes."
"So I had to help Alex." The teen went on.
"That's-" Kara started only for Alex to cut in.
"Are you, of all people, really about to lecture me about helping people."
"No. But I am reminding you that you have a whole life to help people and being a hero is hard. It's draining at times."
"That's because you do too much." The teen. "I'm just helping my family."
"Yes you are." Kara said smiling.
"What?" The teen asked.
"I was just remembering how angry you were with me when I sent you Earth."
"I was scared." Alex corrected.
"I wouldn't have sent you here if I didn't think you'd be looked after. And clearly you have accepted that you have a home here."
"I wasn't scared for me. I was scared for you. I knew you were going to fight the person we had always been running from. I thought I'd never see you again. Same as when you sent me to Argo."
"I know it was hard. But both times were for your protection." Kara said.
"I know. But who who was looking after you?"
"I'm Supergirl."
"Only on Earth." The teenager pointed out. "And it doesn't help when it comes to Kryptonite." She added.
"Both good points." Kara said. "Are you sure you aren't secretly attending debate club?"
"Are you sure you aren't deflecting?"
"This wasn't meant to be an interrogation of me." Kara said.
"You keep telling me to open up more."
"Yes I do." Kara said. "In future I will caveat that with and not ask difficult questions."
"Are you okay?" Alex asked coming to a stop.
Turning to face her Kara said. "I am. But the danger isn't over and until it is I'm not going to stop worrying about you."
"You are never going to stop worrying about me." The teenager said.
"That is so, so true." Kara agreed.
"But who is worrying about you?" Alex asked.
"Other than you? There's Alex and Eliza and J'onn and Lena." Kara listed. "I know it is hard for you right now, but if I know you are doing everything you can to stay safe it will be one less thing for me to worry about."
-00-
"Hi." Vasquez said as Kara led her daughter through the corridors of the DEO after their dinner.
"Hi." Kara replied. "Everything okay?"
"Yes, they found a surgeon and Alex is in surgery right now."
"That's great." Kara said.
"Lena is observing and Eliza is resting. It's going to be a long procedure." Vasquez said before suggesting. "Why don't you get Alex settled and then I will fill you in on everything?" Her tone suggesting that she had more to say.
"What's happened?" The teenager asked.
"Nothing." Vasquez said, clearly lying.
"You are worse at lying than mom." The teenager said.
"Just tell me." Kara said to Vasquez. "She'll only figure it any way."
"They were blocking the signal from the necklace. So they didn't want Supergirl to show up. My guess is they were going to do a repeat of last time, take Alex and then demand you go to a location that suits them. Seeing we stopped it the next move could be to go after the kids."
"So we are being locked away?" The teenage Alex said.
"That's one option." Vasquez said as Kara jumped in.
"No. Well not yet anyway."
"Argo?" The teenager guessed.
"No one is being sent anywhere tonight." Kara said to her daughter. "But you've had a long day so go get some sleep."
-00-
"How did it go?" Kara asked when Lena entered the lab she was in a few hours later.
"As good as we could have hoped. But that doesn't mean her leg will be okay." Lena said. "Alex resting will be crucial."
"We could just sedate her for three months." Kara said.
"I am pretty sure that is plan A for Eliza." Lena smiled before seeing Kara was sitting in front of a laptop. "What are you up to?"
"Just following up some leads." Kara said.
"Making progress?"
"Maybe, but Alex won't like it."
"Will I like it?" Lena asked.
"It's nothing bad." Kara shrugged. "When can I see Alex?"
"She is just having a scan. After that you can go in."
-00-
"How are you feeling?" Kara asked entering her sister's room, where Alex was lying in bed, her kids sitting at her bedside.
"I'm fine." Alex said before looking at her kids and saying. "Why don't you go get some food?"
"But-" MJ started not taking the hint only for his sister to cut in.
"We'll be back soon."
Once they had gone Alex looked at her sister and said.
"Kara, while I am chained to this bed, I can't help you. So I really need you to not do anything stupid."
"Which one of us has been running around on a broken leg?" Kara countered.
"I mean it Kara." Alex said.
"I know. Don't worry, I will be careful."
"Thank you." Alex said.
"So when do you get to go home?"
"Tomorrow."
"That soon?" Kara asked surprised.
"It was only keyhole surgery and Mom thinks I will get into less trouble if I am in bed at home, rather than here."
"Can't argue with that."
"But I did have to promise not to walk. So I am going to be relying on you and J'onn a lot."
"Of course. Anything you need. Except tomorrow." Kara said.
"Why not tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow I am going to see Lois and Kal." Kara confessed.
"What happened to not doing anything stupid?"
"What?"
"Metropolis is where everything is happening." Alex reminded her.
"Yeah, but I'm not meeting them in Metropolis." Kara said.
"They're coming here?"
"No." Kara said. "There is a press thing in this State, but not the city. I'll meet them there. Ruby is going to pick up the kids and bring them back home, so you have nothing to worry about."
"Apart form you. You are getting a DEO escort."
"You do remember I have powers?"
"There is no arguing on this." Alex said.
"Fine, but you have to promise to follow medical advice and not walk anywhere."
"Mom is going to be watching me." Alex reminded her before asking. "How's Alex doing?"
"Right now she is asleep, but she was doing much better last night."
"That's some power that she's got." Alex commented before asking. "You doing okay?"
"I'm not the one in hospital." Kara shrugged before adding. "I'm sorry."
"For what?" Alex asked.
"You are lying in this bed because of me."
"I'm the one who used my leg. You kept telling me not to."
"That's not what I meant. You were taken in the first place because of your connection to me, well Supergirl me." Kara said. "We've not talked about what happened to you." Kara went on. "After we were rescued everyone was concerned about me and you got forgotten. They operated on you and replaced some of your bone with Kryptonite, but I never asked what happened to you. I'm sorry." She added as the teenage Kara and MJ came back into the room carrying a tray of food.
Sensing they were interrupting the teenage Kara asked.
"Do you want us to go?"
"Of course not." Her aunt smiled before asking. "How are you holding up."
"Fine." The teenager said avoiding eye contact.
"Seeing Alex isn't awake yet, want to walk Chewie with me?" The older Kara asked, sensing her niece needed to talk.
"Sure."
-00-
"Want to talk?" Kara asked her niece as they walked through a park with Chewie, several DEO Agents lurking behind.
"I ran away."
"What? When?" The older Kara asked.
"When mom was attacked. Alex ran back. Diz ran to help and I ran away."
"You and MJ did what your mother asked. You made the right call."
"Doesn't feel like it."
"You started learning self defence to keep yourself safe. Sometimes the best way, the only way, to do that is runaway. The most important weapon you have is your brain. Sometimes in order to use it you need to back away take some calming breaths and then think. Alex has powers, so does Diz. You all did what you could. Had you and MJ not found the van you could have all been captured."
"Technically we stole it." The teenager said.
"I was glossing over that part." Her aunt said. "How exactly did you steal it?"
"The driver saw us and came after us. MJ and I had had enough so I punched him just before MJ smashed a plank over his head. Then we jumped in and drove to the alley."
"Your actions saved your mom and Alex." Kara pointed out. "I'm just sorry I wasn't there to help."
"Wouldn't that have ruined your plan of laying low?"
"You are all more important than the plan." The older Kara said. "If I have to reveal myself to save any of you I'll do that without hesitation."
"Won't that put you in danger?"
"Better me than you." Kara said. "Which is why I need you to promise me you'll do whatever it takes to remain safe."
"Okay." The teen said.
"Good. And I promise you that I will find the people behind this and after that we are going to make sure you feel safe going out again." The older Kara said.