"Did you get fired?" The teenage Alex asked when she returned home the next day and saw her mother sitting at home.
"No." Kara said putting the lid on the large cardboard box she was looking into to.
"Then why are you home? And what's in the box."
"It is a present for you and I didn't want to leave it alone." Kara said.
"For me?" Alex asked confused.
"Seeing you seem desperate to worry about something, I had an idea." Kara said.
"What?" Alex asked.
"Open it." Kara said beckoning her daughter over.
As Alex took the lid off the box she saw a small face staring back at her.
"It's a dog." She commented.
"Your dog." Kara corrected. "But he is your responsibility. You have to walk him, feed him, love him, worry about him and name him." Kara listed as Alex carefully lifted the dog out of the box. "Plus he should help you get better at controlling your powers."
"Thanks." She said hugging her mother with one arm, holding the dog with the other. "I'm still going to worry about you though."
"There's plenty of time to do that later. For now focus on being a kid and having fun." She said as the apartment door opened.
"Hi aunt Kara, can I crash here for a-" The teenage Kara said before noticing the dog. "What's that?"
"My dog." The teenage Alex said.
"It's an Alaskan Klee Kai." The adult Kara said. "He's re-homed so he may be a little shy, but I'm sure Alex will appreciate all the help you can give." Hearing some sirens she paused for a moment before going on. "I've got to go." She said standing and kissing her daughter on the head. "I'll be back soon." She added before changing into Supergirl and flying out of the window.
"Have you got used to that yet?" The teenage Kara asked.
"No." Her cousin said as she stroked the dog's head.
"What's he called?" Kara asked.
"I don't know yet. What do human's call their pets?"
"Pluto, Fido, Rex or well anything. I mean you could go with the family tradition and go for Alex or Kara. Or so he doesn't feel left out, MJ."
"It's already too confusing. I think he should be unique." Alex said looking at the dog. She then looked at her cousin and asked. "Have you argued with your mom again?"
"No."
"So you are not hiding here?"
"I just didn't feel like being alone." Kara said.
"Did something happen?" Alex asked frowning.
"Today would have been mom's, my other mom's, birthday."
"I'm sorry." Alex replied.
"It's okay. I just wanted something to do other than think about it." Kara shrugged.
"Then you can help name him." Alex said.
-00-
"Where's your sister?" The adult Alex asked her son as she entered the house.
"Over with Alex."
"What are they doing?"
"Don't know. I had practice. I have only just got back."
"Was Kara okay?"
"As fine as she ever is today." MJ said.
"And you?"
"I guess. Do you want me to call Kara back?"
"In a bit. Maybe being with Alex is good for her. In the meantime I think we should talk. I know the last few weeks have been hard and brought back a lot of painful memories. And if you still don't want to talk that's okay. But I need you to know whenever you are ready I am here."
"I know." MJ said. "There is something I want to do. But if you don't want to it's fine, I know you don't like it."
"What is it?" Alex asked.
"Can we go to the grave? I mean I know she can't hear us, but sometimes talking to her there just makes me feel closer to her."
"Of course we can." Alex said hugging her son. "Let your sister know what we are doing and make it clear it is her choice if she comes."
-00-
"That's terrible." The teenage Kara argued as Alex came up with another name.
"This is hard." Alex said as the dog started chewing on a shoe. "What about that big hairy wombat in that movie mom likes?"
"Your mom likes pretty much every movie ever made. Although I can't think of any with a wombat." Kara countered. "Wait do you mean Wookiee?"
"Yes."
"Chewie?" Kara asked.
"Yes. Seems appropriate." Alex said pulling the shoe out of the dog's mouth just as her cousin's phone buzzed.
"It's MJ." The teenage Kara said.
"Everything okay?" Alex asked.
"They are going to the cemetery."
"Is that a bad thing?"
"No. It's just not something we ever do. Not altogether anyway."
"You should go." Alex said.
"I feel bad leaving you here by yourself."
"I'll be fine." Alex said replied. "Besides Chewie will be here."
-00-
"Hey." Kara said flying back through the window. As she saw her daughter sitting alone, except for the dog she asked. "Where's Kara?"
"Gone home."
"Everything okay?"
"They needed family time."
"Why?"
"It is, was, would have been, her mom's birthday."
"What? Really?" Kara asked feeling awful for not knowing.
"Now you are back can you take Chewie for a walk with me?"
"Chewie?" Kara asked.
"Like the Wookiee. That's what he's called. Do you not like it?"
"No it's a good name." Kara said sitting next to her daughter causing the dog to look up briefly.
"Thank you for getting him for me."
"Of course." Kara said hugging her daughter. "Let me get changed then we'll go."
"Can we watch a movie after?"
"What about about your homework?"
"Done it."
"Already?"
"It was easy."
"Movie night it is." Kara said.
-00-
"Morning guys." Kara greeted the next morning as she entered her sister's house.
"Morning." Her niece said and MJ gave a grunted response in-between mouthfuls.
"Where's your mom?"
"Out for a run." The teenage Kara explained.
"You two okay?"
"Alex told you?" The teenage Kara guessed.
"I'm sorry, I forgot what yesterday was."
"It's been nearly twenty years since you would have thought about it." Her niece pointed out.
"So are you two okay?" Kara pressed.
"I guess." Kara replied. "We went to the grave together yesterday. That was the first time the three of us have ever gone together."
"Mom doesn't like going with us." MJ explained.
"She thinks if we see her looking upset we'll lose hope or something." The teenage Kara added. "So she normally goes by herself."
"And who do you go with?" Kara asked.
"Each other or grandma." The teenager said.
"Or Lena." MJ added. "Can we ask you for something?"
"Anything." Kara agreed quickly.
"Can you tell us about her?" MJ asked. "You must have so many stories."
-00-
"Hi Alex." The adult adult greeted her niece when she saw her sitting in a park.
"Hi." The teenager said looking up.
"What's that?" Alex asked pointing at Chewie.
"It's a dog."
"Yeah, no I got that. Why do you have a dog?"
"Mom gave him to me."
"That's what she was talking about." Alex commented before asking. "Does he have a name?"
"Chewie."
"Hi Chewie." Alex said patting his head. She then looked back at her niece and asked. "Where's your mom."
"She's with Kara and MJ."
"Is everything okay?"
"They wanted to ask about their mom, I mean Kelly. I didn't want to get in the way."
"I'm sure you wouldn't have done." The adult Alex said as there was a low rumble in the sky. "We should get back before it pours with rain."
-00-
"What are you laughing about?" The adult Alex asked as she and her niece entered the lounge to find her two children and sister in fits of laughter.
"Nothing." Both children said in unison.
"That doesn't sound like nothing." Alex said as Kara looked at her sister and daughter and took in their drenched appearance.
"What happened to you two?"
"It's raining." Her daughter said as Chewie shook himself spraying water round the room.
"Is that a dog?" MJ asked having not been told about Chewie.
"A very wet dog." His mother said looking down at the mutt.
"Why don't you take him home and then get into some dry clothes." Kara suggested to her daughter.
-00-
"Where'd the kids go?" The adult Alex asked her sister when she finally emerged from her shower.
"Over to my place. Apparently they have big plans today involving Chewie." Kara said moving over to Alex before hugging her. "How are you holding up?"
"Okay. Why?" Alex asked pulling away.
"Kara told Alex what yesterday was and Alex told me, and then this morning MJ and Kara talked about it. I'm sorry I forgot."
"It's been almost twenty years since you would have thought about it." Alex pointed out causing Kara to smile. "What?"
"Kara said exactly the same thing. Sorry, I still find it sweet how alike you are."
"That's probably not a good thing." Alex said. "So what else did the kids say?"
"You want me to break aunt niece and nephew confidentiality?" Kara asked.
"That's not a thing." Alex pointed out.
"I think it is." Kara argued before asking. "So how are you doing really?"
"Okay, I guess." Alex said sitting on the couch. "A big part of me just wants to box all my memories of Kelly up and store them at the back of my head where they can't cause me any more pain. But I know that isn't fair on the kids. But talking about Kelly just reopens all the memories and it is just hard."
"I know." Kara said hugging her.
"I'm sorry." Alex said.
"For what?" Kara asked confused.
"You have lost more than anyone else I know and I'm complaining about the pain caused by one loss."
"Pain is pain." Kara reminded her. "And you were always there when I needed your help to deal with everything."
"How did you always stay so positive."
"I just tried to focus on the future and I knew you'd always look after me." Kara explained as Alex's phone rang.
"Danvers." She answered. After a few moments she said. "I'll be there in ten."
"Problem?" Kara asked.
"There's an alien attack in Central City."
"Where abouts?" Kara said standing.
"Memorial park."
Not saying another word Kara changed into Supergirl and left.
-00-
"Who is he?" Supergirl asked as she and Alex discussed the alien she had caught.
"Not sure yet, they should get an ID soon."
"Ma'am." An agent said approaching them.
"Has he talked?" Alex asked.
"Yes ma'am. We may have a problem."
"What?"
"Word has spread that Mongul is coming. Apparently a story is spreading that those who can show their worth will be rewarded by Mongul."
"By show their worth you mean what?" Supergirl asked.
"Show that they are strong. The one you caught saw that as killing and causing damage." The Agent said. "And from what he has mentioned, he is not the only one."
"Just what we need." Alex said.
"In the last twenty four hours there have been multiple reports of alien attacks across the country. Most were reported after the fact. The majority have been dealt with by local vigilantes." The agent went on.
"But there is no way Mongul will hear about what they are up to." Supergirl said. "I mean he is still too far out. Unless he has spies here."
"Which he may." Alex said. "But the chances are it is just the dumb aliens acting now. The intelligent ones will wait until they thing they can get credit. Which means the closer Mongul gets the more attacks there will be, which will split our focus." She added before smiling slightly. "Fortunately we thought this might happen."
"Why fortunately?" Supergirl asked confused.
"It is fortunate, because we are prepared and it will actually help."
"Help what?" Supergirl asked.
"After you disappeared one of the problems we had was responding to an attack on the other side of the country. There was no way to get there quickly. However, the President did not want to turn the DEO into an army. So instead every city has its own task force embedded in the police. Although their day job is normal policing, they have been trained by the DEO and when required, like now, they are responsible for local containment. As these are pretty dumb and not that powerful aliens, it will be good practice for the local teams." Alex said. "It might even give them some confidence before the main attack. It also means we can let them do their job and we can focus on ours."