As the older Alex woke up she started to feel disorientated. Looking round she realised she was on the couch, wearing a blanket she didn't remember putting round herself. Confused she sat up and stretched before heading to the kitchen to get coffee.
"Hey mom." The teenage Alex called from the counter, before pouring her some coffee.
"Hi. You're up early." Alex greeted. "Your leg causing you problems?"
"No, it's fine." The teen smiled. "It's my turn to make breakfast, and assumed you would be going to work early."
"I could have grabbed something at work." Alex reminded her.
"I've seen the food at the DEO." The teen shrugged before passing her mother a plate with eggs and toast.
"Thanks." Alex smiled.
"Are you okay?" Her daughter asked.
"What do you mean?"
"You passed out on the couch."
"I was just tired, it was a long few days." Alex said.
"You sure that is all it is?" The teen asked frowning.
"Yes." Alex smiled before adding. "This is your vacation you are meant to be having fun, not stressing."
"That'll be easier to do if you and aunt Kara stopped getting into trouble."
"If I could stop your aunt getting into trouble, I would." Alex said finishing her breakfast. "I need to shower and go. I'll see you later. Thanks for breakfast."
00
"Ma'am, you need to see this." Rose called as Alex entered the control room.
"What is it?"
"We've been tracking all of Tycho's companies as well as weird energy readings. As in ones that match Cyberwalk and while it isn't an exact match we are seeing similarities over here." they said pointing to a map.
"You think they are testing Cyberwalk?" Alex asked.
"Can't rule it out."
"Except we have both Cyberwalk machines. Don't we?" Alex asked getting worried.
"I have checked and yes. But the thing is, Tycho, or his organisations are always a step ahead, they know our protocols, if there's a weakness they'll know."
"Have you physically checked?" Alex asked.
"No, I mean I asked Greene to do it. You think one could be a fake?"
"Right now I am not ruling anything out." Alex said. "I assume you are setting up surveillance round that area?" She asked pointing to the map.
"Yes ma'am."
"Good, I want a report every six hours on activity."
"Yes ma'am."
"In the mean time I'm going to the desert."
00
"It's been a long time since I came here." J'onn said as he stood outside a plain looking building.
"Me too." Alex confessed.
"So why are we here?"
"Paranoia." Alex said before adding. "I hope." Seeing J'onn's confused expression she explained. "I want to make sure what we have in here, is what we think we have in here."
"You thinks some inventory may be missing?"
"I have no idea." Alex said. "In theory it is checked, but whose to say we haven't had a clone working here. I know this isn't your job, but I would really appreciate it if you can help with this?"
"Of course." J'onn smiled. "Where do you want to start?"
"First I need to prove I am me and vice versa."
"You don't trust the sensors?" J'onn asked.
"Right now I don't trust anything." Alex confessed.
"So what do you want to do?"
"Scan my mind?"
00
"Hi Sweetie." Eliza greeted when her eldest granddaughter came back into the house.
"Hi."
"How's your leg?"
"It's fine."
"Then why aren't you out with the others?"
"Maybe it's not that fine." The teen confessed. "Bowling was probably out of my league."
"Where's Diz?"
"Dropping something off at the garage."
"Is he coming up to Midvale?"
"He wants to. Is that okay with you?" The teenage Kara asked.
"Of course it is." Eliza smiled. "But instead of coming up with us, why don't you two go up tomorrow and have some time for yourselves before the rest of us arrive?" Eliza suggested.
"What about mom?"
"She'll be fine with it."
"I meant what about mom. She's not okay right now." The teenage Kara said.
"Your mom is strong, she will be okay." Eliza said. "I will make sure of it." Seeing her hesitation she went on. "When I was raising you mom and aunt, I didn't know what I was doing and I made a lot of mistakes. The biggest of which was how much I put on your mom. But she was so strong and I didn't see it. I didn't fully appreciate how much damage I did until years later. You have your mother's strength, you also have her weakness of taking everything on, when you don't need to. Let me look after you mom and MJ and Alex and your aunt. You look after you."
"I don't even know if Diz could go early." Kara pointed out.
"One way to find out." Eliza said pointing to her granddaughter's phone.
"Fine." The teenager said firing of a message to Diz. She hadn't even put the phone down then the reply came.
"Well?"
"He said yes."
00
"Where's Kara?" Alex asked when she returned to the DEO.
"CatCo. She said she had hits. She also said she would be home late." Vasquez said. "She also said she wouldn't do anything stupid."
"Did you believe her?" Alex asked.
"Well, she seemed sincere." Vasquez said. "How was the inventory?"
"We have both Cyberwalks, so the fact we are seeing weird energy spikes is either a coincidence or there is another machine."
"Sounds like there was enough time to have a go reverse engineering it." Vasquez said. "We have the surveillance reports. No one going in or out, but there are twenty three people inside. Want us to send in the bots?"
"Yes, but first I want you to scan the ground within a ten mile radius, if there are tunnels I want to know."
"On it." Vasquez said. But when she didn't immediately leave Alex asked.
"What's wrong?"
"Go home. You are way past tired."
00
"So how are you renouncing yourself this time?" Cat asked Kara.
"Sorry?"
"Your resurrection, or are you just going to come out as a zombie?"
"I don't know."
"Are you coming back?"
"Yes."
"But you aren't sure how?" Cat guessed.
"I bring hope because I can touch people, they see something of themselves in me. But if they think I am immortal they won't. But if the galaxy thinks I'm immortal, maybe we get a bit of peace and quiet."
"While true, it doesn't sound like it is your first choice."
"I have done enough life building on a lie, I'm done with it. Plus it would feel like I am running away, something I have just told Alex she can't do."
"Then tell the truth." Cat said.
"Which is?"
"Yes you are strong, but you can still get hurt. But that isn't going to stop you doing what you think is right."
"What if I can't?" Kara asked.
"Can't what?" Cat asked.
"Do what I think is right."
"Then you'll find a different path." Cat said. "Where that path will lead I don't know. But I do know you won't walk it alone." She said as there was a knock on the door.
"What?" Cat called.
"Sorry, Kara's visitor has arrived." The latest assistant said. "He's in room five."
"Thanks Eric." Kara said standing before walking to the meeting room which appeared empty. But once she had gone in and shut the door she felt another presence. Turning towards it she said.
"Hi."
"Hi." He said becoming visible and looking round, still worried about a trap.
"The good news is we have had hits, I have got them mapped up, all you need to do is point at the ones you think aren't you."
"Okay." He said looking at the map. As he did so he added. "There are a lot of hits."
"Yes there are. And a lot of them won't be real, they may be crank calls, they maybe mistakes. But that is my problem not yours." She said.
00
"I'm back." Kara called entering her sister's house.
"Hi Sweetie." Eliza greeted.
"Hey, where are the kids?" She asked noticing the silence.
"MJ and Alex are walking Chewie. Kara and Diz are packing."
"They're going somewhere?"
"They are going to Midvale tomorrow."
"That's nice." Kara smiled. "They deserve a break."
"So do you. Have you eaten?" Eliza asked.
"Not yet."
"Why don't you go sit down, I'll make you something?"
"Thanks." Kara smiled following Eliza to the kitchen before asking. "Where's Alex, I thought she'd be back from the DEO by now?"
"She's dozed off on the couch." Eliza said.
"How was Alex today?" Kara asked.
"Still a little tired, but seemed more cheerful."
"Thank you for looking after her."
"You don't need to thank me for looking after my granddaughter." Eliza said as she passed Kara a plate of warmed leftovers. "What I am worried about is you."
"Me? Why?" Kara asked as she started to eat. The comment earning a raised eyebrow from Eliza. "I am fine now." Kara said.
"Are you?" Eliza asked. "You went through something terrible. And I understand prioritising Alex, but that doesn't mean you don't need attention too."
"I know what you are saying, but until Alex is over this I can't worry about me."
"That doesn't mean the rest of us are not going to worry about you." Eliza said.
"I know. Thank you." Kara said as the front door opened and closed. When Kara saw her daughter enter the kitchen with MJ she said.
"Sorry I got back late."
"It's okay." The teenager said.
"You guys have fun today?"
"We crushed Alex at bowling so yeah." MJ said.
"We?"
"Martin joined us." MJ said.
"Things still okay with Martin?" Kara asked her daughter.
"Yes."
"That's good." Kara said finishing the plate. "But it is late so we should get home."
"I'll see you tomorrow. "Eliza said. "And don't forget what I said."
"I won't." Kara smiled as she stood.
Having left the house Kara looked at her daughter and asked. "So how are you really feeling?"
"Okay, still a little tired."
"You have deactivated the necklace." Kara commented.
"I'm trying to only use it when I don't feel in control."
"I'm proud of you." Kara said.
"Why? I can't even control my powers."
"Alex, you are still growing and your powers are developing. I still screw up occasionally and I've used powers for years. You need to give yourself a break."