Waking up in a strange room the teenage Alex tried to figure out what was happening.
"Mom?" She called before it all came back and she sat up holding her neck.
"Easy." Her aunt said moving to her side.
"Mom?" Alex asked.
"She's in isolation. We think she is okay." The older Alex said. "Let me see you neck."
"It's fine." The teenager said lifting her head so her aunt could look.
"There doesn't seem to be any damage." The older Alex confirmed.
"And mom is okay?"
"We think so. But we need her to wake up to be sure."
"The thing controlling her?"
"The Worldkiller? We think she ejected it." The adult Alex said.
"So it worked?" The teenage Alex asked.
"Worked?" The older Alex asked, the teenager not picking up on the tone in her aunt's voice.
"To save mom, I mean she overcame it right? The memory projection worked."
"What were you doing there?" The older Alex asked, her voice very measured.
"Lobo said if I didn't go she'd be dead."
"So you locked MJ in a room and ran away from the one safe place?" Alex asked, her anger becoming obvious.
"To save mom."
"What were you thinking?" Alex asked.
"That I had to save mom."
"You could have been killed. What if the worldkiller had killed you? What do you think it would have done to your mother?"
"But-"
"Lobo is psychotic and can't be trusted. You know that. Yet he told you to come and you came. Your mother has fought so hard to keep you away from him and you just handed yourself over."
"He said it would help mom."
"And you believed him?" Alex asked, no longer attempting to contain her anger.
"I had to risk it."
"No you didn't. You should have told your grandmother, instead you locked MJ up and ran straight to Lobo. Do you think your mother would ever want you to go near Lobo?"
"No."
"Or that she'd ever want you to be in danger like that?"
"No."
"Or that she thinks she is more important than you?"
"No."
"But you just ignored her wishes and ran to Lobo. Anything could have happened to you. You are meant to be better than this." Alex said. Seeing the teenager was about to say something she went on. "Don't even think about arguing back. Just stay in this room and think long and hard about how stupid you were." She added before leaving.
"Don't you think you were a little hard on her?" Eliza asked as her daughter marched towards her.
"You heard?"
"Pretty sure the whole building did." Eliza said. "Remember she has been through a lot."
"I know, that's why I held back." Alex said. "But no matter what she has been through, it doesn't get round what she did. I mean I thought Kara killed her. When she dropped to the ground I was convinced she was dead. She has to learn she isn't invincible." Alex said a few tears running down her face.
"I know." Eliza said. "But that lesson took a long time for you and your sister to learn, I doubt Alex will learn any quicker. I'm also sure she is still scared and needs something other than being yelled at. That can come later."
"I know. I'm going to go and calm down, then I will talk to her again." Alex said before asking. "How's Kara?"
"All those strange anomalies in her bloodwork have gone." Eliza said. "Until she wakes up we won't know for sure, but it does look like it left her system."
"Good." Alex said.
-00-
"You okay?" The teenage Kara asked as she slid down the wall and sat next to her cousin who was sitting by herself in the small room she had locked MJ in.
"I guess."
"She didn't mean it." Kara said. Seeing her cousin's confused look she added. "Mom. She only yells like that when she gets really freaked out. You must have really scared her."
"I didn't mean to. I just wanted mom back."
"I know. So does mom."
"How long is she going to be mad at me for?"
"Probably until I do something to upset her." The teenage Kara shrugged. "But it's not all bad. I mean to get that type of telling off makes you fully part of this family."
"Even though I locked MJ in here?"
"You weren't the first." Kara said. "When he was five I locked him in the closet. I got in so much trouble." She remembered. "Don't worry, MJ isn't that mad at you either. He knows why you did it."
"Have you heard anything about mom?"
"No. Sorry. All we know is she was put in one of the iso labs when the two of you came in. No one is telling us anything." The teenage Kara said before asking. "But are you going to be okay seeing your mom?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"Well she did kind of, well, you know, try to kill you."
"That wasn't her."
"I know, but it was still her body. It'd be okay to be a little freaked out."
"No it wouldn't." The teenage Alex said. "I mean mom is going to feel really guilty about what happened and if I act scared that will just make it worse."
"I get that." Her cousin said. "But remember you aren't alone. If you want to talk I'm always here."
"Thanks."
"Come on, let's get you back to your room before mom realises you are missing." The teenage Kara said as another voice said from the door.
"Too late."
"Hi mom." The teenage Kara greeted looking up at her mother who stood in the doorway.
"Hi." Her mother said. "Can you give us a minute?"
In response Kara looked at her cousin who nodded, causing the teenage Kara to jump up and leave the room.
"I'm sorry." The teenage Alex said standing and looking over to her aunt. "But I just wanted to help mom."
"I know you wanted to help and you did. But you got lucky. If anything happened to you it would break your mother. And when we were in that cave I thought you were going to die. You scared me so much." Alex said hugging her niece.
"I'm sorry." The teen said into the hug.
"I know. Just promise me you won't do that again." Alex said.
"I'll try." The teen offered.
"Your mom can follow up on that when she wakes." The older Alex said before pulling away and asking. "How are you feeling?"
"Okay, I guess."
"Tired?" Her aunt guessed. When the teenager nodded she said. "Why don't you get some sleep?"
"What of mom wakes up?"
"I will come and get you." Alex assured her. Seeing her niece was still hesitant she asked. "Do you want to talk about what happened?" When the teen didn't say anything the older Alex went on. "You shared your feelings with me, I know how scared and hurt you were and that was before what happened in the cave." She paused and said. "And I know you want to be strong for your mom, but you don't have to be. It's okay to not be okay. If you want to talk, I'm right here." For a moment the teen stood looking at her feet, but eventually she said.
"Can I have a hug?"
"Of course." Alex said hugging her.
-00-
"How are you feeling?" Alex asked her sister when she started to stir.
"Terrible. Where am I?" Kara asked looking round.
"Lena's lab."
"Why?" Kara asked before asking. "Please tell me it was a horrible nightmare."
"It wasn't." Her sister said.
"Alex?" Kara asked sitting up.
"She's okay."
"I tried killing her, twice. There is no coming back from that." Kara said looking distraught.
"That wasn't you. You weren't in control."
"It was my body and I wasn't strong enough to stop him."
"You were possessed." Alex said. "Alex doesn't blame you."
"She was terrified of me. I saw it in her eyes."
"She was scared of what was happening. But not of you. Right now she is two rooms away desperate to see you." Alex said.
"Why?"
"Because she loves you."
"I was so scared she was going to die." Kara said. "But I couldn't stop it." She added as tears ran down her face. "Is it gone?"
"The Worldkiller?" Alex guessed.
"We think you kind of vomited, cried, leaked it out." Alex said. "All of the strange features we saw in your blood are gone. So yes, we think it is gone. How are you feeling?"
"Terrible. How do I make up for this?"
"It wasn't your fault. Alex is okay and she really wants to see you."
"What if it is still in me?"
"Can you feel it?"
"No. But I lived with it in me for weeks and didn't know." Kara said.
"Like I said we can find no trace." Alex said. "I know you feel guilty, but Alex needs you to put that one side. She isn't going to be able to sleep properly until she sees you."
"Will you stay in here, just in case I ..."
"I'll get Alex then I'll stay in the corner." Her sister agreed.
-00-
"Alex." The older Alex said gently as she entered the room the teenager was sleeping in. The noise causing the teen to wake with a start.
"It's just me, you're okay." Alex said.
"Mom?"
"She's awake. Do you still want to see her?"
"Yes." The teen said with no hesitation.
"Okay then, let's go."
"Is she okay?"
"She's upset."
"She blames herself?" The teenager asked.
"Yes." Her aunt confirmed. "She's still scared so has asked me to stay in the room, but I'll be in the corner.
-00-
As the teenage Alex walked into her room Kara couldn't make eye contact, terrified of seeing fear in her daughter's eyes. Instead she started to apologise only to find her daughter to rush over and hug her.
"I'm so sorry." Kara said clinging to her.
"It wasn't you." Her daughter said clinging to her.