A/N: Thanks for the reviews.
Baratta jennifer - Kara has a bit of recovery ahead of her.
"Here." Eliza said holding a mug out in front of her daughter.
"Eliza?" Kara asked confused looking up at her foster mother.
"I thought you might come into the house, but when you stayed here, I thought I should come to you." Eliza said sitting down on the sand next to Kara.
"Sorry, I got here, but then I thought I was being stupid and didn't want to disturb you and-" Kara started to say only for Eliza to pull her into a hug.
Not wanting to push her Eliza silently held Kara until she heard her daughter say, so quietly she nearly missed it over the noise of the waves.
"I feel so lost."
"I know." Eliza said, still holding Kara tightly. "But no matter how lost you are feeling we are all here to help."
"I don't deserve it. I have screwed everything up."
"What do you mean?"
"Alex, I have put so much pressure on her she thinks she has failed me."
"Kara, you've not put any pressure on Alex. Plus you told her no becoming a hero after college."
"Yet I drove her to a panic attack."
"Everything that happened with Indomitable drove her to a panic attack not you."
"Then why does she feel she is letting me down."
"Kara you have an infectious personality and it sweeps people up with it. I am sure that is all that happened with Alex. Plus you inspire people, including Alex."
"I tried killing her."
"That wasn't you, it was Worldkiller-1."
"She thought I was disappointed in her for saving me."
"Why would you be disappointed in her?" Eliza asked confused.
"She thought she killed me or could have killed me. It's like I have made her second guess everything."
"I think that is a stretch." Eliza said.
"Is it?" Kara said. "And then there is the other Alex, she has done so much for me, but I missed what she was going through. And she's not the only one." She explained before looking at Eliza and saying. "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"Everything I put you through. Never stopping to think how you were doing."
"Kara, if Alex said that to you what would you say to her?" Eliza asked.
"It's not her job to worry about me. But she is just a kid, I'm not."
"Same logic applies regardless of age." Eliza said. "You also know how frustrating it is that Alex doesn't open up and admit she's not okay."
"Yes."
"So if you want to apologise for something, that would be it." Eliza said.
"Are you telling me off?" Kara asked.
"A little." Eliza said. "For your own good. You need to open up."
"I need to get back to Alex."
"I get that, but you need to take time for you too."
"I will. But first I have to help Alex."
"You both need to heal. And that is only going to happen if you look after yourself and take the time to heal."
"I know."
"Do you?"
"Kind of."
"Kara, you are capable of so many amazing things, but even you can't keep going on like this. I know you want to help everyone, but you can only do that if you help yourself." She paused and then said. "Your sister told me what happened."
"Another four I failed."
"You didn't fail them."
"Didn't I? Because they are dead and the others we don't know how long they will survive for."
"Kara, you are not a doctor. You did all you could."
"Then why do I feel so …"
"So what?"
"Guilty, hollow, sick."
"You feel that because you are a good person who shoulders too much responsibility."
00
"What's going on?" The older Alex asked picking up on the sombre mood in the house.
"Mel's family have cut her off." MJ said.
"It's fine." Mel said trying to wave off the concern.
"No it's not." Alex said before asking. "Have they made contact?"
"Yes, but only by a letter from the family lawyer."
"Does this mean you have to drop out of school?" MJ asked.
"No, all college fees are in a protected trust. My other trust funds are also protected, but I can't access them until I am twenty five." Mel said. "So all my cards have just died."
"For now you are welcome to stay here." Alex said. "But you need to be careful and you shouldn't go out alone."
"Is there anything else I can do to help you?" Mel asked. "With the investigation I mean."
"The last help you gave got you cut off." MJ reminded her.
"Yeah, so it is time to strike back." Mel said.
"You really want to?" Alex asked.
"Yes."
"Well there is an FBI agent who really wants to talk to you. But once you talk to her the fact you are helping will be out there." Alex said.
"It kinda is already." Mel pointed out. "I'm fine doing it."
"Okay, I'll arrange a meeting." Alex said as her phone buzzed. Having read the message she looked at Mel and said. "In the mean time if you hear anything from your family you tell me immediately."
"I will." Mel said.
"Good." Alex said before asking. "You guys in for dinner?"
"No, we're heading out with Martin." MJ said.
"Okay, well have fun." Alex said before looking at her niece. "Alex, can I talk to you for a minute?" She asked before walking into the kitchen.
When her niece entered the room she shut the door and asked. "Mom?"
"Your mom is fine, but she'll be back very late or tomorrow." The older Alex said. "Actually that is not entirely true. She is trying to get over everything that has happened and she has gone to Midvale to talk to mom."
"Okay." The teen said. "You sure she is there though?"
"Yes." Her aunt smiled.
"How come you aren't there?"
"I had work." Her aunt said. "But I promise you your mom is safe. Your grandmother is looking after her."
00
"I'm back." Kara called as she entered her sister's house the next morning. As she shut the door she was met by Chewie who excitedly jumped up at her moments before her daughter approached.
"You okay?" Her daughter asked hugging her.
"I'm fine." Kara said. "Sorry I wasn't here last night."
"It's fine, we were out anyway. But are you busy today?"
"No. Why?"
"Want to hang out?"
"Sure, I'd like that." Kara said as her sister came downstairs.
"Hey, you okay?" The older Alex greeted.
"Yeah." Kara said before asking. "Any news on the others."
"Still stable."
Sensing there was something she didn't know about the younger Alex said. "If you want to go to the DEO we can hang out later."
"What? No. I want to hang out with you." Kara said. "Why don't we go to the botanical gardens with Chewie?" Kara suggested.
"You sure you want to?" The teen asked.
"Absolutely." Kara smiled.
00
"What happened?" The teenage Alex asked as she and her mother sat in the gardens.
"A few weeks ago we found a lab that was full of babies. Babies which had been used as an experiment and to keep Indomitable stable."
"The lab Mel's father was behind?" The teenage Alex asked.
"Yes." Kara said. "Yesterday four of the babies died."
"And you felt responsible?" Alex guessed.
"Yes." Kara said.
"Why?"
"If I had stopped Indomitable sooner those babies wouldn't have suffered." Kara said.
"You had no proof he had done anything wrong." Her daughter said.
"But I knew he was bad."
"But couldn't prove it."
"Have you changed your major to law?" Kara asked her.
"No. But I listen to Cat." The teen said causing Kara to smile.
"I never meant to put pressure on you." Kara said after a moment.
"I know."
"Do you?" Kara asked. "Because you keep apologising for disappointing me and you could never disappoint me." She said. "Your path will be different from mine. And you will do things I wouldn't because you are you, not me. But no matter what you do I will always love you and I will never be disappointed."
"Love you too." Alex said leaning against her mother.
"And I mean it, I really never mean to put pressure on you."
"I know. Although you did tell me you thought I'd be be better than you. That's a lot of pressure."
"That is exactly what your aunt said." Kara said. "It was meant to be encouragement not pressure."
"I know. But maybe you can tone down your pep talks." Alex smiled.
"Noted." Kara smiled as Chewie jumped up on Alex's lap.
"I think he is saying he needs attention." Alex said stroking her dog before commenting. "Dogs are much easier to understand than people."
"Yes they are." Kara agreed stroking Chewie.