A/N: Thank you for the comments.
Guest - There will be lots of conversations between the various characters in the coming chapters as everyone tries to put things right, but it will take a while and there are some unforeseen issues that the Red-K event caused that need to be dealt with.
"Here, I made breakfast." The teenage Alex said putting a plate on the table. "It's the dish Alura taught me."
"Thanks." Kara said hugging her. "But I'm not very hungry."
"You need to eat." The teenager said.
"I'm just not hungry." Kara said.
"Fine, but if you aren't eating, neither am I." The teen said trying a new tactic.
"You have to eat. You are still recovering." Kara said.
"And I will when you eat." The teenager said.
"It doesn't work like that." Kara pointed out.
"It does today." Alex countered.
"No it doesn't." Kara argued. "I'm your mother and you need to do what I say."
"And you need to lead by example." The teenager said.
"Alex, I'm not having this conversation. Eat your breakfast and get ready for school."
"Not until you eat."
"Sorry, am I interrupting?" The adult Alex asked entering the apartment.
"Mom is refusing to eat." The teenager said.
"I'm not refusing, I am just not hungry. I will eat later." Kara said.
"Alex is right, you need to eat." The adult Alex said siding with her niece.
"Fine." Kara said taking a mouthful of the breakfast her daughter had prepared. She then looked at her daughter and said. "And you."
"Fine." The teenager said having a forkful of her food before stopping and waiting for Kara to have another mouthful.
After a tense several mouthfuls the teenager picked up both the empty plates, put them in the sink, disappeared to her room before emerging with her bag.
"I'll see you later." She said hugging her mother before nodding to her aunt and leaving for school.
"What's going on?" The adult Alex asked when it was just her and her sister.
"Alex is being stubborn."
"Looked like you both were." Alex said before asking "Do you want to come to the DEO so I can run some tests and to spend time under the lamps?"
"No. I'm fine. I'm just going to stay here." Kara said listlessly.
-00-
As Alex entered the control room, she immediately walked towards Vasquez and asked.
"Where are we?"
"In order to make the gas variant of Red Kryptonite three controlled chemicals were used. We have been able to trace them. The organisations that have purchased any of those chemicals are, the DEO, and before you asked all of ours is accounted for, L-Corp, Lena is checking her supplies, P-Tech, who are a pharmaceutical company, we are investigating, Petro-Corp, an energy company and Poly Industrial. The latter is owned by GenY who are owned by Trinity Corp who are owned by NSW who are owned by Sloane Syndicate."
"Follow through on all those leads. I want to know how much of the chemicals are missing and if we should be looking for more Red-K."
"Yes Ma'am." Vasquez said before asking. "How's your sister?"
"Honestly, I don't know." Alex said as she saw Lena walk towards them.
"Have you found something?" Alex asked.
"I have checked all our supplies and the two chemicals we had, we still have. I have even verified the contents."
"I'll chase down those other leads." Vasquez said walking off.
"Other leads?" Lena asked looking at Alex.
"There is evidence pointing to Sloane Syndicate." Alex said.
"But you don't sound sure." Lena pointed out.
"I don't see a motive. Why draw attention to themselves? If they really built up Kai like we think they did, they did it in secret."
"Maybe they didn't. Maybe it appears that way as no one was looking." Lena said.
"That's getting a little deep." Alex said.
"My point is, maybe if we dig a little further back the pattern will start to become clearer."
"Well it can't get any less clear." Alex pointed out.
"How's Kara?"
"Not great."
"Sam is staying in town for a few days, why don't we all meet up tomorrow night like we used to. It might help take her mind off it."
"It sounds great." Alex said. "But we probably want to just do it, rather than telling Kara first."
-00-
As Kara opened the oven door she temporarily forgot she didn't have powers, but got a very painful reminder when she tried to remove the pan without oven mitts.
"Damn it." Kara muttered dropping the pan and hurrying to the tap where she ran cold water over the burn.
"Kara what's wrong?" Eliza asked entering the smoke filled apartment and seeing her daughter running her hand under the tap.
"Nothing. I burnt my hand." Kara said as Eliza hurried over and turned the oven off and removing burnt offering before opening a window. With the smoke dissipating she stood behind Kara and said. "Let me see."
"It's nothing." Kara said.
"Kara, let me see." Eliza said sternly causing Kara to pull her hand away from the running water. Having taken one look at the burn Eliza said. "Keep it under the water I'll be back soon."
A couple of minutes later Eliza returned carrying a small first aid kit. "Let's have a look at it." She said turning the tap off and leading Kara to the couch.
As Kara held the burnt hand out Eliza started to apply some burns ointment. "This is going to be a sore for a while."
"It's not the first burn I've had." Kara said.
"Well this time you have me to help treat it." Eliza said wrapping the wound. "What happened?"
"I forgot I didn't have powers and tried taking the tray out with my hand." Kara explained.
"Why were you baking?"
"I wanted to do something productive."
"Painting would have been safer." Eliza pointed out as she wrapped a bandage round the hand.
"Probably." Kara said.
"Burn aside, how are you feeling?"
"I feel like such a failure."
"Why?" Eliza asked.
"I am meant to help people, protect people, but I couldn't even protect Alex. And before that I..." Kara started only to stop and fall silent.
"What is it?" Eliza pressed.
"Nothing feels the same. It's like I can't do anything. Mongul is locked up but he is still a threat and Sloane are out there terrorising Alex and again there is nothing I can do and-"
"Kara, for the last few weeks you have tried to take on everyone's problems. It doesn't matter how many powers you have, you are still just one person." Eliza cut in.
"But I am meant to be better than that. I am meant to help people."
"You do help people." Eliza assured her as she held her tightly. "You help everyone you meet."
-00-
As the teenage Alex entered the apartment she saw her mother asleep on the couch, leaning against Eliza, as Chewie slept on her lap.
Eliza immediately put a finger to her lips to encourage her grand daughter to stay quiet.
Seeing her mother's bandaged hand Alex's eyed went wide and Eliza silently assured her it was okay as Chewie suddenly noticed Alex was back and jumped off Kara, waking her in the process.
"Alex?" Kara asked as she opened her eyes.
"Hi mom." The teen responded as Chewie jumped at her legs.
"Is it that late already?" Kara asked sitting up moments before her daughter walked over and hugged her.
"How are you feeling?" Kara asked.
"Me? I'm fine."
"You sure? You are breathing okay?"
"Mom, I'm fine." Alex said.
"I'm going to start on dinner. It should be ready in an hour." Eliza said leaving the pair.
"What happened to your hand?" The teen asked her mother.
"I tried cooking." Kara said.
"Why?" Alex asked confused.
"It seemed like a good idea at the time." Kara said before asking. "Are you sure your breathing is okay."
"I'm fine." The teenager repeated.
-00-
As the full family sat round the table, Kara opposite her daughter, Eliza noticed that neither the adult Kara or teenage Alex were eating.
"Is there something wrong with the food?" Eliza asked.
"Seriously?" Kara asked looking at her daughter who just stared back before saying something in a language the humans round the table didn't understand. However, Kara did understand it and spoke back in the same language.
After a couple of minutes of a very heated debated which no one apart from them could follow the teenage Alex looked at her grandmother and said.
"Thank you for dinner." Before standing and storming from the room.
"Alex." Kara called after her before chasing after her.
"This is weird." MJ said before looking from his mother to his sister. "That is normally you two."
-00-
"Alex wait." Kara called as she followed her daughter across the street.
"What's the point?" The teen said turning.
"What does that mean?" Kara asked.
"It doesn't matter." Alex said storming off into the apartment.
"Alex-" Kara called after her. Getting no response she chased after her again.
"What's going on?" Kara asked as she entered the apartment where Alex was sitting on the couch.
"You tell me."
"I don't know what you are talking about." Kara said. "You are the one being unreasonable."
"Me? You're the one not trying to get better."
"What are you talking about?" Kara asked confused.
"You're not even eating."
"There's just a lot on my mind." Kara said.
"But Alex forgave you."
"It's not that easy."
"When I first came to Earth I said some bad things to you. Did you not forgive me?"
"Of course I did. You didn't mean it." Kara said.
"But I still said it and I didn't even drugs as an excuse."
"Alex, what happened then has nothing to do with this."
"Then explain it to me."
"It's complicated."
"Fine. Do what you want. I'm going to stay with Kara and MJ tonight." The teen said rushing to her room, grabbing a bag before storming out.
-00-
"Hey Alex." The adult Alex said, surprised to see her niece back. "I was just about to come over with some food."
"I doubt mom will eat it." The teen said.
"Are you feeling okay?"
"I'm fine. It's mom. She's - can I stay here tonight?"
"Umm, what did your mom say?"
"She didn't object."
"Okay, why don't you eat this then go hang out with Kara and MJ. I'll take your mom's food over to her."
"Okay." The teen said as she started to eat the food her aunt put in front of her. As she ate the adult Alex said.
"I know you are worried about your mom. I am too."
"You don't understand." The teen said.
"What?" Alex asked.
"A couple of years ago we were on a planet called Trini. It wasn't exactly a bad planet, but no one helped anyone and it was really expensive. Mom worked really hard, she was doing three jobs and she got really tired and just seemed sad all the time and stopped eating. Before I got sick she was starting to act the same. But now she seems even sadder and I don't want her going back to how she was then."
"I'm sure we can help your mom through this." The adult Alex said. "But I think it would be easier if you were over there, rather than here."
"Or I could stay here and you could stay there. She might talk to you."
"You really okay not being there tonight?" The adult Alex asked. When the teenager nodded she asked. "What about tomorrow night as well?"
"Are you taking her somewhere?"
"No. But there is something I want her to do tomorrow night."
"But you'll be with her?"
"Od course."
"Okay."
-00-
"Kara?" Alex called entering her sister's apartment, carrying a dish.
"Is Alex okay?" Kara asked looking up at her sister.
"Worried about you. But she is safe at my place. And she has eaten dinner."
"Thanks." Kara said before going back to staring at her bandaged hand.
"Seeing she is over there, that means you are stuck with me tonight." Alex said walking to the kitchen and reheating the food.
"I don't need a babysitter."
"Did you burn your hand when you forgot to use an oven mitt?" Alex asked.
"Yes."
"And did you refuse to eat dinner?"
"I wasn't hungry."
"Both of those tell me you need a babysitter." Alex said taking the food out and bringing it to Kara. "Now eat your dinner."
"I'm not hungry."
"You need to eat, especially while you don't have powers. Not only are you going to be needing the minerals you probably need a certain amount of energy to get your powers back."
"Maybe it is better if I don't have powers."
"Why?"
"So I can't hurt anyone."
"You don't. But without powers how are you going to protect me and Alex and how are you going to spy on the kids?"
"But I wasn't protecting anyone. All those people on the train died and Alex nearly died and I couldn't do anything to help." Kara pointed out.
"No one can fight every battle." Alex reminded her. "What mattered is you were there for her."
"I haven't achieved anything. Mongul is still a threat. If not him it is his son. Kai and Sloane Syndicate are still out there. Lobo is lurking somewhere-"
"Kara. Without you Mongul would have won. The only reason you feel you haven't achieved anything is because you are trying to do so much. I think you have pushed yourself so hard recently that you are exhausted. And until you rest the world is going to seem a much worse place than it is. But more than anything I know that Alex wants her mom back and if it takes a few days for that to happen she'll be okay with that. But she needs to see you are trying. So you need to start eating."
"And then?"
"Tonight you have two choices. You can either talk to me or it is just hugging. But you don't need to decide now. Eat some dinner first." Alex instructed before watching Kara play with the food before finally having a mouthful.
When Kara had finally finished Alex took the plate to the kitchen before disappearing into Kara's bedroom for a minute before returning with a blanket. She then returned to the couch and wrapped the blanket round the pair of them and pulled Kara in for a hug, assuming Kara wouldn't want to speak. But after awhile Kara asked.
"Are you really okay with what happened?"
"No. I'm not." Alex said. "I'm not okay with the fact that you were bottling so much and I didn't notice. I'm not okay that I didn't notice how much you were struggling."
"That's not what I meant." Kara said.
"I used to say really mean things to you when I was drunk. And sometimes when I wasn't. You always forgave me, so why do you think I am going to hold what happened against you? Besides, like I keep saying nothing you said was a lie. I have let you down. I have been a terrible sister."
"No you haven't."
"Yes I have. And that is one of the reasons you have been keeping things from me. Like Trini."
"How do you know about Trini?"
"Alex told me. She's worried it is going to happen again."
"It's not. Trini was just a low point in my life when I thought there was no way out and I'd never be able to give Alex the life she deserved. But here, I'm okay."
"No you're not and you're not going to get close to being okay until you can admit that. I get that you need time to deal with what happened and I'll give you that. But you can't deal with it alone, so even if you aren't going to talk I'm not going anywhere."