As the teenage Kara entered her cousin's apartment the following afternoon she was greeted by objects flying round at speed. Seeing her cousin slumped over the kitchen table whimpering she called.
"Alex!"
Not getting a response other than a book nearly hitting her Kara shouted louder. "Alex!" This time the call woke her cousin who sat up and looked round as several objects crashed to the floor.
"Kara?" She asked confused, looking round. "What happened?"
"I think you were having a nightmare." Kara said shutting the front door before walking towards her cousin. "You okay?"
"I'm fine."
"You apartment says different."
"Shisir!" Alex said looking at the mess. "I need to tidy this up."
"Want to talk about the nightmare?" Kara offered.
"Not really. Just a dream."
"Was it? Or were you reliving what happened?"
"Most of that wasn't real." The teenage Alex pointed out.
"But you thought it was?" Her cousin pressed.
"Yes." Alex agreed. "But it wasn't and now I can't sleep because of something that didn't even happen."
"At least you haven't tried to break MJ's nose yet." Kara smiled as the front door opened and Eliza walked in. On seeing her eldest granddaughter comforting her youngest granddaughter, both sitting in an apartment that looked ransacked she asked, while looking for danger.
"What happened?"
"A powers incident." The teenage Kara said as Alex avoided eye contact.
"Diz is waiting at the house. Why don't you go over, I'll stay with Alex." Eliza said to the teenage Kara.
"Okay. See you later." Kara said to her cousin before leaving.
"Are you hurt?" Eliza asked Alex when it was just them.
"No."
"Good. In that case why don't we do some baking?" Eliza suggested.
"There are literally no ingredients here." The teen pointed out.
"Well if we order them they will be here within the hour." Eliza pointed out picking up a tablet and tapping away. Once the order was placed she said. "Let's clean this place up before your mom gets home."
"It's my fault. I'll do it." The teenager said.
"We'll do it together." Eliza said taking out a trash bag.
"Thanks." The teen said, still avoiding eye contact as she focused on picking up some books.
"So what happened?" Eliza asked as she started picking up items on the far side of the room.
"I forgot to put on the inhibitors and fell to sleep." She explained.
"And you had a nightmare?" Eliza guessed.
"I didn't mean to trash the apartment."
"No one thinks you did." Eliza said dropping the bag and hugging her.
-00-
"Have you been baking?" Kara asked as she entered the apartment and smelt ginger.
"We have." Eliza smiled.
"Good, because I'm starving." Kara said before noticing the slightly different arrangement of items on shelves and her daughter avoiding eye contact.
"I will leave you to it." Eliza said hugging her granddaughter goodbye. She the looked at her daughter added. "Make sure you both get some rest."
"Umm, okay." Kara said before approaching her daughter and asking. "Should I be worried?"
"I didn't mean to."
"Mean to what?" Kara asked lost.
"Trash the apartment. But I fell to sleep and -"
"Are you hurt?" Kara asked moving next to her daughter.
"No."
"Then that's all that matters." Kara said hugging her before guessing. "More nightmares?"
"Yes."
"What were they about?"
"Does it matter?"
"Yes." Kara said leading the teen to the couch.
"You getting hurt." Alex said.
"I'm okay." Kara said. "I'm sorry I have put you through so much, but I promise you the nightmares will get better." When the teen didn't say anything Kara asked. "You still up for seeing Frax and J'onn tomorrow?"
"I thought I was banned."
"From seeing Frax?"
"From training and using powers."
"I'm sorry." Kara said. "You aren't banned. And you can train. It is really important. I just don't want you to take unnecessary risks. The truth is, when you got hit, it made me relive some of the memories Duggin gave me and it terrified me. Plus you have the same total disregard for rules as I did when I was your age and that scares me even more."
"I'll be careful." She promised.
"Thank you." Kara said. "You know it is late night at the aquarium, do you want to go? You can wonder round and I can sketch."
"Can I sketch with you?"
"Of course." Kara smiled.
-00-
"Are any of you going to be home for dinner?" Eliza asked the next morning as the three teens were about to leave.
"No. Debate club." The teenage Kara said.
"No. I'm seeing J'onn and Frax." The teenage Alex said.
"Yes." MJ said un-enthusitaically.
"So just us?" Eliza asked. "We will have so much fun."
"Not too much fun, he has to study for his makeup test." His mother pointed out.
"Where's an alien invasion when you need one?" MJ asked putting his lunch in his bag and walking towards the frontdoor.
"Bye." His mother called.
"Bye." The teenage girls called back before leaving the house with MJ.
"How's Alex?" Eliza asked her daughter.
"Still having nightmares." Kara said.
"Which means you still aren't sleeping?" Her sister asked.
"Something like that."
"Even Supergirl needs sleep." Eliza reminded her. "Would it help if I stayed over and stayed on nightmare watch?"
"Not really." Kara sighed. "My nightmares keep me up just as much as Alex's." She said glancing at her phone. "I need to go."
"Meet for lunch?" Alex asked.
"Sure." Kara said leaving.
-00-
"Thank you for coming." Frax said as he approached Kara.
"It's fine. As I said family is important."
"I know. But I will still apologise in advance."
"Regardless of what happens, Alex is looking forward to tonight."
"I am glad." He smiled.
Before Kara could say anything else she saw the grandparent's approach carrying several boxes. When they reached her the grandfather asked.
"Why do you not want us to see Salkor's daughter?"
"I am more than happy for Alex to see you. But she doesn't want to see you."
"You are meant to be her parent. Did you not teach discipline?"
"And the ability to think for herself." Kara said, starting to feel angry.
"She is a child."
"Maybe, but it is her life. If you want a relationship with Alex she needs you to prove it."
"That is why we have brought many gifts with us." The woman said.
"I don't mean buy her." Kara said. "She needs actions."
"She needs you to teach her respect." The grandfather said. "She needs to learn of her heritage. She needs-"
"She needs to be loved." Kara cut in, feeling her anger continue to grow. "If you want a relationship with her, she has to believe you mean well. For example if you want to insult me, fine, but don't do it in front of her."
"How would you feel if Alex left you?" The woman asked. The question causing Kara to stiffen. Seeing her reaction the woman went on. "That was not a threat. It was a question. Can you imagine the hurt and pain?"
"Barely." Kara said.
"We still feel that pain everyday. But we shouldn't have directed it at you. We know you weren't involved in Salkor's decision to leave or his death. But you knew him when we didn't and that hurts."
"I understand." Kara said.
-00-
"Want to talk?" Alex asked as she entered a large abandoned warehouse where here sister was punching old cars.
"Alex? What are you doing here?"
"You didn't turn up for lunch, then you didn't answer your calls. I was worried."
"Sorry. I met Fels's parents again."
"It went that badly?"
"No. I mean it did. But it ended well. It's just before we got to that part they said things that made me a little angry."
"A little angry?" Alex asked looking round at the carnage.
"Fine a lot angry. But I'm okay now."
"You sure?"
"I'm sure." Kara said looking at her sister.
"Anything else going on I should know about?" Alex probed.
"You worried about me causing problems for the DEO?" Kara asked defensively.
"No. Of course not. I'm worried about my sister."
"I know. I'm sorry. I just haven't slept much recently and I'm worried about Alex."
"I know." Alex said. "Why don't we get you a sticky bun?"
"Okay."
-00-
"Ready to talk about what is really bothering you?" Alex asked as they sat drinking coffee.
"That's the thing. I don't know. It's like I have this general feeling of anger and darkness. I know there are lots of things I should feel angry about, but it doesn't feel like the anger comes from any one thing." Kara said. "And that's not the worst part."
"Which is?"
"Before when I have punched cars, blasted rocks, I've felt better. But recently it feels like I'm losing something of myself when I do it. Do you think this is an effect of all the Kryptonite they put in me?"
"It could be, but there are no traces of it in your system." Alex said.
"But it could have done long term damage?"
"There's a chance." Alex agreed. "But it could just be you are tired and you haven't dealt with everything. Do you want me to run some tests?"
"Yes, no. Maybe. Can I think about it?"
"I think we need to run them." Alex said.
"Fine." Kara said without enthusiasm. "But can we do it tomorrow, I really need to get my article finished." She added with her best puppy dog eye expression.
"Okay. But no more delaying after that."
"Thanks."
"Well I'm going home." Alex said. "You coming?"
"No. I need to get to CatCo."
"Don't work too hard."
-00-
As Alex walked from her car to her front door a familiar man stepped out of the shadows. On seeing him Alex immediately reached for her gun.
"You can't beat me." Malaise said to Alex. "Touch me and you fall under my control. It doesn't matter if I am awake or not."
"Something tells me that is only true if you are alive." Alex said.
"Right now you are no threat to me." He smiled. "I was going to touch you again, but my associates want their fun with you so I will leave you with this thought. You are stronger than most. But your children aren't." With that he turned and walked away. Immediately more concerned about her children than Malaise Alex rushed to the front door.
"Kara? MJ?" Alex called bursting into the house.
"Here." MJ shouted back moments before he found himself engulfed in a hug.
"Are you okay?" Alex asked.
"You're the one acting weird." He pointed out.
"Where's your sister?" Alex asked.
"Debate club competition."
"Don't leave the house." Alex said rushing off.
-00-
As the minibus travelled down the road, the teenage Kara sat by herself reviewing her notes, only vaguely aware of the scenery outside. She was pulled from her thoughts by her watch buzzing. Looking down she saw a message from Diz saying.
"Should be a couple of minutes behind you. Told you I'd make it."
"Shouldn't you be concentrating on driving." She tapped back before finding herself being gently pushed against the window as they went round a bend. As the road straightened her phone buzzed again. Before she could read the message though she heard panicked conversation from the front. Looking up she saw the teacher trying to take control of the bus which was travelling at speed towards a tree.
Seeing the tree getting ever closer Kara started to relive the crash with Kelly. She was so locked into her panic attack she didn't feel the minibus jolt, or it coming to an unnatural stop, fast enough to fling the occupants forward, but slow enough not to hurt them. Nor did she notice the occupants evacuate, leaving her alone to her fears.