"Hi." The younger Kara called as she entered the house that evening.
"Hey." Her aunt smiled before noticing Kara was by herself. Seeing the frown the younger Kara said.
"Alex is with MJ. He has taken her to the Christmas Market. Don't worry it's safe."
"You didn't want to go?"
"I did, but my leg started hurting." The teenager confessed. "Although it is probably best if you don't tell mom."
"She is just worried about you." The older Kara said as her niece sat down next to her.
"I know. But if you tell her she'll freak out and get more stressed with everything. And because she doesn't talk to anyone about it she'll just get even more stressed and have another panic attack and-" She said before stopping and grimacing. "Can you pretend you didn't hear that?"
"She's having panic attacks?" The older Kara asked. "For how long?"
"I don't know. I only found out by accident." The teenager confessed. "And I don't think mom knows I know. I want to help, but whenever we talk we kind of end up fighting so I am pretty sure I am making it worse."
"I'll talk to her. Without mentioning this chat." Kara said. "She's going to be okay."
"How do you know?"
"Because we aren't going to let her be anything other than okay." Kara said hugging her niece.
"Thank you." The teenager said.
"Of course. But what about you?" Kara asked.
"How do you mean?"
"None of this is easy on you."
"There's no point complaining, I mean that isn't going to change anything is it?"
"Might make you feel better." The adult Kara pointed out.
"Is that how you cope?"
"No." She admitted. "But last time I was on Earth I used a car as punch bag, that was pretty effective."
"Pretty sure mom would have a melt down if I started punching her car."
"Probably." The older Kara agreed before noticing the new digital picture being displayed in the frame.
"You ski?" She asked pointing to the picture.
"Used to. Not anymore, not with my leg."
"Sorry." The older Kara said feeling tactless.
"It's okay. I've got used to it."
"Nothing that happened that night was okay." The older Kara said.
"Did you ever stop missing it?" The teenager asked. "I mean Krypton and your family."
"No." The older Kara said. "But I remember after being on Earth for awhile there was a day when I didn't think about Krypton or my family for the entire day. That night when I went to bed I suddenly realised what I had done and I felt so guilty and started stressing that if I didn't think about it I would forget and then they would all be dead in my heart too. I lay in bed and cried my eyes out. Then your mom came in and told me it was all going to be okay."
"You believed her?"
"No. I may have told her to get lost and she couldn't possibly understand how I felt. But she was right. It did all work out okay."
"You were sent to the opposite side of the Galaxy and lived on the run for eighteen years." The teenager reminded her.
"But I had Alex and I made it back here." Kara countered.
"I'm glad you're here." Her niece said.
"Me too."
"Thanks for listening. Some times I feel like there is no one I can talk to." The teenager confessed.
"Any time." The older Kara assured her. "But what about Lena?"
"She's always busy. Besides MJ seems to find it easy to talk to her, I don't want to use up time he needs."
"And James?"
"Uncle James? We don't see him much."
"Is he still pursuing politics?"
"I guess."
"Why do I get the feeling there is something you are not telling me?"
"After the accident he and mom had a huge fight."
"About what?"
"Mom going back to the DEO. He said some pretty harsh things to her and blamed her for everything."
"And Alex threw him out?" The older Kara guessed.
"No. She just kind of took it." She said before pausing and confessing. "But I didn't. They had the fight in here. I was in bed upstairs so I heard everything. Mom went out to pick up MJ and he came up to check on me. When he came up I defended mom, but I might have let rip. He left shortly afterwards and I haven't seen him since."
"Does your mom know what happened?"
"Not unless he told her. Sometimes I think that if he had stuck around he could have helped and mom wouldn't have done everything by herself and wouldn't' be having panic attacks now."
"Even if he had stayed your mom probably wouldn't have just accepted help. Her stubbornness gets in the way of common sense sometimes."
"I know." The teenager said.
"But together we can crack her." The adult Kara assured her as they heard the front door open and close.
"Sorry I'm late." Alex said entering the lounge.
"It's fine." The older Kara said.
"Aren't we two kids down?" Alex asked noticing the lack of teenagers.
"They'll be back soon, they stopped at the Christmas Market." The teenage Kara said.
"Why didn't you go?"
"Someone had to look after aunt Kara."
"I'll have you know I have almost cracked the coffee maker." The older Kara added.
"Any thoughts about dinner?" Alex asked.
"MJ and Alex probably won't want food, I think they were going to grab something at the market." Her daughter said.
"I can heat up one of the lasagnes Eliza sent us home with." The adult Kara said.
"You learned how to use the oven?" Alex asked.
"Please, ovens are for humans." Kara said. "Heat vision is so much better for heating."
-00-
"Alex?" Kara asked when she saw her daughter enter the study where she was sleeping that night. "You okay?"
"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." The teenager said.
"It's okay." Kara said turning on the light. "What's wrong?"
"I couldn't sleep." Her daughter confessed. "I had a nightmare. I wanted to check you were still here."
"Come here." Kara said beckoning her daughter over. "I'm not going anywhere." She added as she pulled her in for a hug. After a minute Kara added. "I'm sorry. I was so desperate for you to be safe, I didn't think about anything else. I don't know what I would do if anything happened to you."
"I know." Her daughter said.
"I love you so much." Kara said kissing her head.
"Can I sleep here tonight?"
"Of course."
-00-
"Hey." The adult Alex called as she came home the next evening.
"Hi." Her sister replied from the couch.
"Was everything okay this morning?" Alex asked. "I mean both you and Alex didn't make it for breakfast."
"Yeah, no, Alex didn't sleep very well last night." Kara said.
"Is that why you look so miserable?"
"In part. Although she seems okay now and has gone out with your two, which is good I guess."
"So what else is bothering you?" Alex asked sitting next to her sister.
"What am I meant to do?"
"How do you mean?"
"For work. I'm not even sure what some of these qualifications are." She said passing Alex the tablet that had job listings on the screen.
"Well I do know one job that is going in the city. You are uniquely qualified for it, although it would be a slight demotion." Alex said, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.
"I'd take anything." Kara said.
"Cat's assistant."
"Sorry what?"
"Cat Grant is back at the helm of CatCo."
"Shouldn't she have retired by now?"
"The last person to ask that, was a former assistant, who I think is still seeking help to overcome the trauma of Cat's response." Alex shrugged. "But you know you don't need to work just yet."
"I can't scrounge off you forever."
"I know. But you have more money than you think."
"I really don't. Unless you sold my spacecraft."
"I didn't. I don't even know where it is." Alex reminded her.
"Then how do I have money?"
"After you disappeared I wouldn't accept you were gone. I was sure you would be back so I may have ring fenced your savings."
"I didn't really have any savings." Kara reminded her.
"You had a few. Enough to give to Lena's stockbroker guy and let him work his magic." She then took out her phone and loaded up an app. "This is yours."
"Inflation must have rocketed." Kara said looking at the number.
"Not as much as you might think." Alex said. "As I said there is no rush on work. Do what is right for you."
"What about what is right for you?" Kara asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Are you doing what is right for you? Because you seem really stressed."
"I am still trying to figure out being a single mother while working full time." Alex said. "Sometimes I just feel overwhelmed."
"You may be a single mother, but you are not alone." Kara reminded her.