"What are you doing?" Alex asked when she saw Lena walking through the lab with a small robot an hour later.
"This will stick to the floor due to magnetic connection. When activated I doubt very much if even Kara would be able to yank it free. It will go over to Alex and draw a blood sample. "
"Okay, but the needle isn't rigid, if she rips that free it could hurt her."
"Except there seems to be a radius round Alex of a couple of feet where everything is calm. But if I am wrong we turn the solar lamps on. We need answers."
"Okay." Alex sighed.
"Any news on Kara?"
"Still no body if that is what you mean."
"And Lobo?"
"No sign."
00
Amongst the blackness there was a feeling of cold and fear. Forcing her eyes open Kara saw a greeny-blue tinged face looking over her moments before the head the face was attached to, was severed from the body causing Kara's face to be splattered in blood as two thumps occurred, one from the head and one from the body. But as the head hit the ground Kara found herself warming up.
"What?" She said looking at the headless corpse next to her. Behind which a smug looking Lobo stood.
"Sure you don't wanna marry me? You almost earned yer keep today."
"What are you talking about?" Kara asked before looking down at her blood soaked stomach. "How long was I -"
"Dead?" Lobo asked. "A few hours, day maybe."
"Alex." She said trying to sit up, clutching her abdomen as she did so. "What did you do to me?"
"Killed yer."
"Why?"
"Contract. Not you. Him." He said pointing to the headless corpse.
"Who was he?"
"He sucks the powers from the recently dead." Lobo said. "Couldn't resist you. So you were the perfect bait."
"So you killed me?"
"Only temporarily. Pretty sure you'd come back."
"Pretty sure?" Kara asked.
"Anyway, I've got a bounty to collect. See ya." He said walking off, leaving Kara lying in pain, with no choice, but to wait for the sun to heal her.
00
"You should get some rest." Lena said as she walked up to Alex, who stood my her niece's containment cell.
"I want to be here if Alex wakes up again."
"I can stay here if you want to go get some rest and see your kids." Lena tried again.
"I need to be here, it's what Kara wound want. Besides mom is with them. I'm not sure I can face mom right now."
"It's not your fault." Lena said.
"Isn't it? I'm mean to protect Kara and Alex." She said glancing back at her niece.
Knowing there was no way of changing Alex's mind Lena asked. "Any news on the inhibitors?"
"Another two or three hours." Alex sighed as her phone rang.
"Have you found her?" She greeted. "When? … Alone? … Well figure it out … I know, I'm sorry … Just don't give up." She said ending the call.
"Problem?" Lena asked.
"Lobo has left orbit?"
"With or without Kara?"
"They don't know."
"For where?"
"Again don't know, but J'onn is trying to follow."
"Has he fixed his ship?"
"He was ninety percent certain that he had."
"Alex, we both gave up on Kara once, we won't again." Lena said. "Until we have absolute proof we will keep searching."
"What if she is dead? I mean those scanners all said she was dead." Alex said.
"Kara has a knack for not dying. Besides what was Lobo's angle?" Lena asked.
"I don't even know where to start with Lobo." Alex said looking defeated as her niece stirred in the cell.
"Any news on the bloodwork?"
"I have ruled out Malaise. Other than that, everything is all over the place." Lena said. "I can't see a single trigger that we could repress. And I'm not sure it would do Alex much good to repress everything."
"So we need those inhibitors." Alex said looking back at her niece who was in the throes of a nightmare.
00
"You should try sleeping." Diz said as he sat on the couch holding Kara later that night.
"I can't."
"Want to talk about it?"
"Not yet. I'm sorry."
"Hey, it's okay, but when you are ready I'm here."
"I know. Thanks." The teenage Kara said leaning against his chest as he gently ran a hand up and down her arm.
"Your leg okay?"
"It hurts a little, but it's okay." She said. "When did you get so good at first aid?"
"DEO training." Diz said. "It has all been survival training so far." He explained before the two fell silent again. After awhile Kara asked.
"Do you think I should transfer schools?"
"What?" Diz asked.
"To be closer to home and help Alex."
"Pretty sure that's not what your mom wants. Pretty sure that isn't what your aunt would want either."
"But she'd have done it."
"Alex is going to have your mom, MJ, J'onn, Ruby, Martin all here. And your grandmother will come down when needed. Plus J'onn can fly you here in next to no time."
"I guess." Kara said.
"You going to be okay by yourself?" Diz asked.
"It's not like I'm alone up there, I do have friends."
"You know what I mean." Diz said.
"I also have phone." Kara pointed out as Eliza walked into the lounge.
"How's MJ?" Kara asked.
"Asleep."
"How are you holding up?" Diz asked.
"I'm okay." Eliza smiled sadly.
"Do you want me to make you something to eat or drink?" Diz offered.
"No, you've done enough already. All I want right now is company." She said causing Kara to pull away from Diz and sit next to Eliza hugging her.
As she did so Diz slipped from the room and went upstairs.
"You're not asleep are you?" Diz said from MJ's doorway.
"No." The younger teen replied.
"Wanna talk?" He asked entering the room where MJ was sitting on his bed stroking Chewie.
"No."
"Wanna game?"
"Not really." MJ said before asking. "How do we help her? I mean after everything I did, you really think Alex would want to live here?"
"Alex has forgiven you." Diz said.
"That was so mom and aunt Kara wouldn't fight." MJ argued.
"That may have been how it started, but she's forgiven you."
"How do you know?" MJ asked.
"I just do." Diz shrugged. "But you're right Alex will need help. And that is going to involve you burying your guilt, cos if she sees it I am pretty sure she'll think that is the only reason you have her back."