Waking form a nightmare Kara felt every muscle burn. Moaning she looked round the room and realised she was back home, but alone. As she tried to sit up pain ripped through her rib cage and she lay back down taking a few deep breaths.
Once the pain had subsided she slowly and carefully tried sitting up again. As pain washed through her body she considered just lying there, but her need to see her daughter became too great and she tried to force herself to sit up again. Just as she got upright her daughter came in and said.
"You're not allowed out of bed."
"Alex? Are you okay?" Kara asked as her daughter moved to her mother's side and carefully hugged her.
"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" The teenager asked frowning as Kara tried not to wince as her ribs were squeezed. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Kara said. "What time is it?"
"Ten ish."
"Why didn't you wake me?"
"Pretty sure my powers aren't strong enough for that yet. You were completely out of it." Alex said. "Besides we thought you could use the rest."
"Thanks, I think." Kara said.
"How are you feeling?" Her daughter asked.
"I'm okay." Kara said. Seeing the doubtful look her daughter was giving her he she added. "I promise you I am okay. And I am not going anywhere."
"You promise?"
"I promise." Kara said squeezing her hand just as she smelt a familiar aroma. "What's that smell? Is that Chawala?"
"You remember?" Alura asked entering the room holding a plate.
"Of course I remember, it was my favourite food on Krypton." Kara smiled. "Have you made it?"
"We have." Alura confirmed.
"We?"
"Alex helped me, unlike your father she is a skilful cook."
"How though? I mean they don't even have Gefyl on Earth." Kara asked.
"True, but Eliza suggested some foods that were close enough. We had to experiment a little, but we think the recipe works well." She said handing her daughter the plate.
"This is good." Kara said after a couple of mouthfuls just as they heard the front door open.
"Morning." The teenage Kara called as she walked in the apartment with MJ.
"Through here." The teenage Alex shouted.
"How are you feeling?" The teenage Kara asked poking her head round the bedroom door.
"I'm okay." The adult Kara replied as she put her fork down.
"Mom said to drop these off for you." The teenager said waving some pills before passing them to Alura. "And to remind you to take them."
"Thanks. Where's your mom?" Kara asked.
"At work." Her niece explained. "She said don't even think about going in."
"Something to do with you being next to useless until your powers coming back." MJ said from behind his sister.
"That wasn't what she said." The teenage Kara said. "But it was the general gist. Plus she told us to tell you that if you move you will be taken to the DEO and stay there for a very long time." She added before changing subjects. "We were wondering if Alex wanted to come over. We thought Chewie might want to run round the garden."
"I promise you I am not going anywhere." Kara said to her daughter when she saw the hesitation. "In fact I will probably go straight back to sleep, so go have fun."
"I will make sure she rests." Alura added.
"Ok." Alex said before gently hugging her mother. "I love you."
"Love you too." Kara smiled. "Have fun."
"So how are you really feeling?" Alura asked when Alex had left.
"Like I really want my powers back."
"There is definitely something liberating about having powers." Alura agreed before noticing Kara wasn't eating any more of the food. "Did you not like them?"
"No. I did. I'm just not very hungry." Kara replied.
"Because of the pain?" She asked moving the plate to one side.
"Or the medicine." Kara said.
"You are looking pale. Perhaps I should call Alex." She said.
"I'll be okay, I just need to rest until my powers come back. But I don't think I will be good company. I'm sorry."
"You have nothing to apologise for." Alura said. "The important thing is that you recover. I will help anyway I can."
"Thanks." Kara said before suddenly realising she was wearing something round her neck. Reaching up she pulled the necklace out from under her shirt and saw that she was wearing the necklace she had given Alex.
"She put that on you after you fell asleep. She was worried you would be rushed back to the DEO. She didn't want you to feel alone if that did happen." Alura explained.
"She worries too much." Kara said squeezing the necklace.
"I think she takes after you in that regard." Alura smiled. When she saw Kara frown she asked. "Something on your mind?"
"Plenty." Kara smiled. "But there is something I wanted to say to you."
"What?" Alura asked sitting on the bed next to her daughter.
"I spent years feeling anger and resentment towards you for putting me in that pod and abandoning me." Seeing her mother was about to speak she said. "Please let me finish. Growing up here I felt so alien and there were times I felt so alone, despite gaining a sister. I could never understand why you sent me here. But when I had to do the same with Alex, that was the first time I ever realised just how hard it was for you to do that. And I am so sorry that I resented you for saving my life."
Not sure what to say in response Alura pulled Kara into her arms and hugged her.
-00-
As Kara slept in her room Alura sat in the lounge and started to search the internet, like her granddaughter had taught her, to read stories about her daughter. As she read she felt pride, concern and sadness sweep through her. She was finally pulled from her thoughts by the doorbell.
As she opened the door she saw her nephew waiting on the other side.
"Hello Alura." Clark smiled.
"Clark!" Alura replied before hugging him.
"How is Kara?" He asked entering the apartment.
"She is sleeping."
"No she isn't." Kara called from her bedroom.
"She is meant to be sleeping." Alura said to Clark who gave a sympathetic smile to her before heading to Kara's room.
"Hi Cuz." Clark smiled as he entered the room.
"Kal! Hi."
"Still no powers?"
"No." Kara said.
"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault." Kara replied.
"If I had come sooner, maybe you wouldn't have been hurt."
"You came just in time." Kara assured him. "What's it like out there?"
"Calming down. Once the fleet left orbit most of the Earth based problem makers went back into hiding. But it looks like the fleet left while leaving several of their own on the ground so there are still many causing trouble. But it is the ones who we can't see that are the cause for concern. They could be biding time for something big. Alex is leading the clean up operation and has ordered me to stand down. Apparently she doesn't want both of us out of action, just in case there is a round two."
"Not that I don't want to see you, but why are you here rather than back in Metropolis?" Kara asked.
"I'm buying time. When I get home Lois will be waiting to interview me, well Superman, and I don't know what to say. Ever since my fight with Mongul I have been feeling lost. I started to believe that was because I had given up Superman. But even though I came back I still don't feel like I know what path I should be on. And if I choose the wrong path I am worried about how it may influence the boys."
"There is no single path that guides you through life." Alura said. "And the path you walk will change with time. Sometimes your paths will cross, sometimes they won't. What is important is you stay true to yourself. Be guided by your heart and your path will always have hope."
As the two younger Kryptonians digested Alura's words the front door opened and the smell of soup wafted through the air moments before Eliza stood in Kara's doorway.
"Clark!" Eliza greeted before hugging him, being careful not to spill the soup.
"Hi Eliza." He smiled into the hug. "How are you?"
"I'm fine. How are the boys?"
"As you predicted they still haven't out grown their rebellious teenage phase, despite being older than teenagers. But other than that they are fine. And I am sure they would love to see you."
"I'd like that too." Eliza said.
"While you are on Earth, you should visit them as well." Kara suggested to her mother.
"I think you are in more in need of my attention." Alura said.
"I'll be fine. I'm just going to sleep anyway. It has been a long time since you saw them. I'm just going to lie here and hope my powers come back. You will have a far better time in Metropolis." Kara said. "And then after I'm healed we can spend some meaningful time together."
"We will do that anyway." Alura said. "I am not leaving you."
"I had better get back." Clark said. "Look after yourself." He added looking at his cousin.
"I'll see you out." Alura said following him from the room.
"Everything okay?" Eliza asked Kara when it was just them.
"Why?"
"You seemed to want your mother to leave." She pointed out as she handed Kara the soup.
"I don't want her worrying about me. And like I said I'd prefer to spend time together when I am healed."
"She's going to worry regardless of where she is." Eliza reminded her. "Just like you will always worry about Alex."
"I know. But I thought that maybe Kal could distract her for a bit."
"You need to stop worrying about everyone else and just focus on you and what you need." Eliza said.
"I just hate not having powers. I would have thought that I would be used to it by now. But apparently not." Kara said miserably.
"It might be more of a case that you don't like being in pain." Eliza pointed out. "You've been through a lot and it is going to take time to recover, both physically and emotionally. And I don't just mean in the last few days. Please don't rush either." She added before asking. "Is there anything you need to tell me? Increased pain? Nausea? Confusion?"
"No more than last night. If it was last night." Kara said.
"It was." Eliza confirmed. "Finish the soup and get some sleep." Eliza added before squeezing her hand.
-00-
"How is she?" Alura asked as Eliza returned to the lounge.
"Pretending to be better than is she." Eliza said. "But Alex wouldn't have let her leave the DEO if she didn't think it was safe. How are you doing?"
"I feel restless and helpless. On Krypton, even when the end was coming, I still presided over judgments and in court I always felt I had control. Even if it was an illusion it was comforting. But since I arrived on Earth I have had control over nothing and now all I can do is watch my only child suffer."
"Kara will be okay."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because she is and always will be a survivor. Plus she has too much to live for."