"You're up early." Alex commented as MJ came down for breakfast a few days later.
"Am I?" He asked, trying and failing to sound innocent.
"What have you done?" Alex asked.
"Nothing. But can I go to the game tonight?" MJ asked.
"Is it a school night?" Alex asked.
"Well, yeah."
"Then no you can't."
"But I have already finished my assignments -"
"You have?" Alex asked surprised.
"Yes."
"How?"
"Alex may have helped."
"You cousin who has only been on Earth a few weeks helped you with your homework?" The adult Alex asked sceptically.
"Yeah, well she's smart or other planets teach more." He said. "So can I? I haven't been out with my friends for ages."
"You see them everyday at school."
"That's different. Please?"
"Those things always get rowdy. You are too young to go by yourself."
"I'm fourteen." He pointed out.
"Hence too young."
"Please."
"If your sister takes you, you can go, otherwise you can't."
"You know she has debate club tonight. She can't take me."
"Then you can't go."
"But-"
"No buts." Alex said sternly.
"This is so unfair." He muttered leaving the kitchen.
"Problem?" The adult Kara asked walking in.
"I'm just a mean mother."
"What did you do?"
"Told MJ he couldn't go to the game tonight unless Kara took him." She said before adding. "She has debate club."
"I could take him."
"I think that might ruin his street cred." Alex said.
"Good point." Kara conceded as she hugged her sister.
"What's that for?"
"You looked like you needed it." Kara said releasing her. "Are we good?"
"Shouldn't it be me asking that?" Alex asked.
"You are the one avoiding me."
"I'm really not. There's just lot's on at work." Alex said. "How about this weekend we have a sisters night?"
"With pizza?"
"And ice cream." Alex promised.
-00-
"What's going on?" The younger Kara asked when she returned home and saw her cousin sitting alone.
"MJ went to the game."
"Did mom change her mind?"
"No."
"Damn it MJ." Kara muttered as she did up her jacket again.
"Where are you going?" The younger Alex asked.
"To find MJ."
"Can I come?"
"You may get into trouble." The teenage Kara warned.
"That's okay." Alex replied.
"Okay. Grab your coat." Kara replied.
-00-
"There are so many people." The teenage Alex commented when they reached the stadium. "How do we find him?"
"Hang on let me check his phone." Kara said before looking at one of her apps before pointing into the stands. "Over there. Come on."
"Is he going to me mad at us?"
"Compared to how mad mom is going to be, no." Kara said as they climbed up the seating.
"What were you thinking?" Kara asked as she sat behind MJ.
"Kara? What are you doing here?" He asked turning to face his sister as his friends tried to move as far from her as possible.
"Saving you from being grounded for life."
"Thanks." He said. "Do we have to go?"
"We'll sit over there. Wait for us by the gate after the game." Kara said wanting to give her brother space before leading Alex to another section of seating.
-00-
"I don't get this game." Alex said after the final whistle had gone.
"Give it time, you may grow to like it." Kara said.
"Do you like it?" Alex asked.
"Sometimes, I guess, it is better than watching paint dry." Kara said as she led Alex towards the meeting point.
"Why do so many of you watch paint? Can you not access books?" Alex asked confused by the expression she had heard many times.
"It's just an expression." Kara said. "How are you doing with your powers now?"
"They seem okay. Mom gave me some weird breathing techniques to try and told me not to get angry."
"And it's working?"
"I guess." Alex said as the ground started to shake. "What's that?"
"Earthquake." Kara said looking round for her brother. "We need to get away from the stands." She added as people started panicking and running.
Seeing a horde of people sprint towards them Alex stood between the horde and Alex then held her ground as people bounced off her. Once there was a gap the pair moved towards where they hoped MJ was.
"MJ!" Kara called seeing her brother.
Seeing her was about to be hit by scaffolding Alex sprinted over to him and shielded him.
Once the shaking had stopped and she no longer felt things fall on her Alex pushed the debris to one side and pulled MJ out before heading to where Kara was waiting.
"MJ?" Kara asked as the pair reached her. "You okay?"
"I think so." The teenager said before looking at his cousin and saying. "Thank you."
"Are you sure you are okay?" Kara asked hugging him.
"I'm fine." He said.
"And you?" Kara asked Alex.
"I'm fine." She shrugged.
"Thanks." Kara smiled at her cousin before looking back at her brother. Seeing how stressed he was looking she asked. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"
"No." The boy said miserably. "Mom is going to kill me."
"Probably." Kara agreed. "But don't worry, I am sure it will end up being my fault. Let's get out of here." She said as she took out her phone.
"What are you doing?" MJ asked.
"Calling mom and letting her know you are safe."
-00-
As the trio entered the house they immediately found themselves being hugged.
"Are you hurt?" Kara asked her daughter, seeing how dusty and grubby she was.
"I'm fine."
"What happened?" The adult Alex asked her children.
"The was an earthquake and some of the stands fell. Alex saved MJ." The teenage Kara explained.
"Are you hurt?" The adult Alex said releasing her children and looking at them for signs of injury.
"We're fine." The teenage Kara replied.
"What were you doing there? I thought you weren't going." The adult Alex said to MJ before looking at her daughter and asking. "Why didn't you tell me you were going?"
"It's not Kara's fault. I decided to go. So I went by myself. When Kara found out she came to get me with Alex." MJ confessed.
"Are you okay?" Alex asked again looking for signs of injury.
"I'm fine." He said, but as he looked over to his sister who was trying to convey advice through subtle eye movements, he quickly changed his answer to. "Well I mean I'm scared. I think I really need a hug from you, you know to get over what happened."
"That's not going to get you out of your punishment." Alex said hugging him in again. Pulling back her tone changed as she asked. "What were you thinking?"
"I'm sorry." He said.
"We'll give you some space." The older Kara said as she led her daughter out of the house.
"Sorry doesn't cut it." Alex said.
"I know. I was stupid. I'm sorry." MJ said wondering what his punishment would be.
"Go to you room. I'll figure out what I am going to do later." Alex said. Once MJ had gone Alex turned to her eldest and asked.
"Are you okay?"
"Me? I'm fine." She then paused and said. "Aren't you going to yell at me?"
"For what?"
"MJ getting into trouble?"
"You tried to protect him." Alex reminded her.
"I assumed you were going to look straight past that and focus on how he was in danger in the first place."
"He's old enough to make his own stupid decisions." Alex said before taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry."
"For what?" Her daughter asked completely confused, wondering if her mother was trying some sort of reverse psychology.
"When I was growing up, after my father disappeared mom got really strict. She wanted me to be better than her so pushed me really hard and held me accountable for everything. Especially Kara. I swore when you were born I wasn't going to do that with you. And yet that is exactly what I have done. I'm sorry."
"I get it. I mean I'd blame me too."
"I don't blame you for anything." Alex said.
"Sure you do. So do I. It was my fault." Kara said her eyes welling up as Alex felt very lost.
"What are talking about?" Alex asked knowing they had moved on from that night's events.
"The accident." Kara said.
"You think I blame you?" Alex asked shocked.
"I was there. It was my soccer game." Kara said as tears streamed down her face.
"It was an accident." Alex said as she hugged her tightly. "I have never blamed you and I am so sorry you thought that."
-00-
"You want to be Supergirl again don't you?" The younger Alex asked her mother as the two walked along the river front.
"How do you even know about Supergirl?"
"Kara, MJ, Lena, the trap." The teenager listed.
"The what?" Kara asked confused.
"The place where people overshare and post videos."
"The Net." Kara corrected.
"Yeah, that." Her daughter agreed. "And there was the CatCo magazine in Eliza's attic. Oh and the red cape. And a costume. Why didn't you tell me?"
"Supergirl is a thing of the past." Kara said.
"You always told me we should help others."
"I did."
"But you're not."
"I think that by not being Supergirl I can help you more than if I was Supergirl." Kara explained.
"How? Because not everyone liked Supergirl?"
"Yes. Some people may try to hurt the people I love, you, to attack Supergirl. I don't want that."
"I can look after myself. I showed that tonight."
"Yes you did, and I am so proud of you. But I don't know what I would do if anything happened to you." Kara said.
"So you are being guided by fear? The thing you always tell me not to be."
"Why are you pushing this so hard?" Kara asked.
"Because I know you want to."
"And how do you know that?"
"I know how good saving MJ felt."
"What I want is for you to be safe and happy." Kara said.
"That doesn't mean Supergirl can't come back."
"You've seen how upset Kara and MJ get when Alex has to work. If I were Supergirl it'd be like that for me too." Kara said. "Unless you don't want to see me as much."
"Are you trying to blackpost me?" The teenager asked.
"I think you mean blackmail." Kara corrected without confirming or denying the question.
"So you don't want me to use my powers either?" Alex asked, changing direction slightly.
"I am so proud of you for saving MJ, but using your powers will put you in danger. So no I don't want you using them, ever. However, when you have finished college if you want to use them that is your choice and I will support you what ever you chose." Kara said.
"I still think you should be Supergirl."
-00-
"You okay?" Kara asked after she had returned home.
"No." Her sister said as she collapsed on the couch next to her sister.
"MJ is okay." Kara reminded her.
"I know. And I am unbelievably grateful to Alex for that. But it's not that. It's Kara. I have really screwed up."
"You blamed her for what happened and had a fight?" Kara guessed.
"No. I told her I didn't blame her and I was sorry for always blaming her."
"Why is that a bad thing?" Kara asked confused.
"She told me she thought I did that because I blamed her for the crash. She's been carrying it around all this time and I didn't notice. And if I didn't notice that what else have I missed?"
Not knowing how to help Kara wrapped an arm round her sister and hugged her. After a moment Alex looked up and Kara and asked.
"Why do you look stressed?"
"Alex."
"Enjoyed using her powers and wants to be a hero?" The older Alex guessed.
"No, she thinks that Supergirl should return."
"She does?"
"Yes."
"Even though you'd be in danger and not round as much?" Alex pressed.
"Yes."
"But you disagree?"
"How can Alex have a normal life if I am Supergirl? Besides, even if I wanted to I can't afford it. I mean the insurance is through the roof."
"You could if you worked for the DEO." Alex pointed out.
"Work with you again?"
"Technically it would be for me. Not that you got too hung up with that last time." Alex said. "Your identity would still be protected." She paused and then added. "I would love to work with Supergirl again, but you don't need to be Supergirl to help people. You've always helped me more as Kara than you did as Supergirl. But whatever you decide, I will always have your back."