"Shouldn't you be in bed?" Kara asked when her sister, aided by crutches, slowly limped into her room a few days later.
"Yeah, but I wanted to see you." Alex said, sweat dripping off her forehead. "Don't worry I'm not a threat to you anymore."
"Pretty sure you are a threat to yourself. You shouldn't be walking. Lena said it was a hard operation."
"I'm okay." Alex said. "But I might sit down." She added before collapsing in a chair next to Kara's bed.
"How did you get past the forcefield?" Kara asked.
"I used the control panel." Alex said before asking. "How are you feeling?"
"Fuzzy and tired, but okay." Kara said.
"You suck at lying." Alex said. "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"Getting caught, not escaping, allowing them to use me against you, what happened to Alex."
"You didn't have much choice in any of that." Kara said. "The important thing is you survived." Kara said. "The plan only worked because of that. It was me that hurt you."
"Technically that was Lena." Alex said.
"My eyes." Kara said as she started to struggle to stay awake.
"I should let you rest." Alex said.
"Actually, can you stay? I don't want to be alone."
"Of course."
-00-
Waking from a nightmare the teenage Kara saw her cousin thrashing in her sleep and guessed what she had just seen wasn't her nightmare at all and was in fact emanating from her cousin.
"Alex, wake up." Kara called. But still her cousin stayed locked in the nightmare with Kara's own head being intermittently filled with images of her aunt dying, punctuated with raw fear and sadness.
"Alex." Kara shouted.
"What's wrong?" Alura asked entering the room.
Suddenly seeing an image of her daughter dying Alura gripped her head and stumbled as Kara kept trying to wake her cousin.
Finally Alex woke up, sitting up while struggling to draw breath. Seeing her cousin and grandmother she asked.
"What's wrong?"
"You were having a nightmare." Kara explained feeling a strange fear and sadness.
"Did I make you see it too?"
"Can you go get some water?" Alura asked the teenage Kara. Nodding the teenager left the room as Alura sat down on Alex's bed and hugged her.
"Do you have that nightmare often?" Alura asked.
"You saw it?" The teen asked.
"Yes."
"Sorry."
"It's not your fault and it is nothing I haven't seen before." Alura said before explaining. "I put Kara in that pod because I thought that was her best chance to live. But when Argo survived not a day went by when I didn't imagine what could have happened to your mother. I was convinced she was dead and her death plagued my dreams for years. But the thing is, that no matter what my dreams told me, your mother is a survivor."
-00-
"Hi guys." Alex greeted as Vasquez, J'onn and Wildcat entered the room where Alex and Kara were sitting.
"How are you feeling?" J'onn asked looking from one sister to the other.
"Okay." Alex said before guessing something was wrong. "What's happened?"
"The cops have been hassling Diz." Wildcat said.
"Why?"
"They've been told to."
"By who? Curran?" Alex guessed.
"We're working on that. So far all we know is the order came to the Captain who passed it down." J'onn said.
"We tried issuing our own order, but the precinct is denying everything." Vasquez said.
"How's Diz?" Alex asked.
"Getting angry, but keeping it together. But I don't know for how long." Wildcat said.
"We have a plan, but it may tick people off, so we wanted to give you the heads up." Vasquez said.
"What?" Alex asked.
"J'onn is going to be Diz. We'll get evidence of harassment and shut it down." Wildcat said succinctly.
"Do it." Alex said as Kara asked.
"Any news on the missing metas and aliens?"
"Yes." J'onn said. "In your absence I met with your mysterious emailer. They gave me several names which we have been following up on. It does look like aliens and metas are being taken. But the missing aliens is a much more recent development."
"What's going on?" Eliza asked walking into the room.
"We were just giving Alex an update." J'onn said.
"So they didn't worry and could focus on recovering." Vasquez added.
"Alex, you aren't meant to be walking yet." Eliza said, her voice full of frustration. She then turned to her youngest. "Kara, it's time for your scan."
"We will leave you to it." J'onn said leading Wildcat and Vasquez from the room.
-00-
"Well?" Kara asked as she stroked Chewie, who was sat on her lap, while Eliza and Lena stared at the scans.
"It's all gone."
"It can't be. My powers aren't working properly." Kara pointed out.
"We think that is an after effect of everything you went through." Eliza said. "It may be down to Kryptonite, it could be a result of the contact lenses, it's possible they caused unexpected damaged to some of your neural pathways."
"Well how long are they going to not work properly?"
"We don't know. But we do know that you no longer pose a risk to Alex." Eliza said. "I could go and get her from Argo."
"How sure are you that I am safe to be around?"
"Kara there is no Kryptonite in you or Alex." Lena assured her.
"I could still use my heat vision on her by accident." Kara pointed out.
"Now the Kryptonite is gone, we could inhibit your powers." Lena suggested. "But that is still a risk to your recovery."
"Perhaps it is for the best. If I don't have powers anymore maybe I wouldn't upset so many people." Kara said feeling down.
"Kara, bad people will exist regardless of if you have powers. But if you have powers you will be better placed to protect Alex." Lena countered.
"You don't have to decide now." Eliza added, seeing her daughter's hesitancy. "Why don't you sleep on it?"
"Sure." Kara said as she started to become aware of several noises.
"Kara?" Eliza asked.
"Can't stop them." Kara said putting her hands over her ears.
"Kara?" Eliza asked. "What's wrong?"
"Everything is so loud." She said as pain shot through her head. "Make it stop." She pleaded. Then just as quickly as it started it stopped.
"Kara?" Eliza asked. "What happened?"
"I heard everything. It was so loud and my head hurt so much."
"We'll figure it out." Eliza said.
"What if I don't get better?" Kara asked. "What if I can never control my powers again?"
"Kar-"
"I'm just going to rest." Kara said rolling over.
-00
"How did you even get out here?" The teenage Kara asked as she dropped down next to her cousin. "I mean you are still down to one leg."
"I hopped slowly."
"Well you must either love the view, or want to stress Alura out, or are desperate to miss that religious festival thing."
"Well I don't believe in religion." Alex said. "And I don't get why anyone here would either. I mean they lost a planet, but still pray to a mythical figure. It makes no sense."
"Pretty sure religion isn't supposed to." The older teen said.
"Where's MJ?"
"Off flirting with that group we met yesterday that we told you about last night."
"How? They only speak Kryptonian." Alex said. "And MJ can barely speak Kryptonian."
"That's why I am pretty sure he is going to get shot down or maybe even slapped." Kara said. "He is hoping he is too much of a novelty for that. But my money is still on him getting slapped."
"You didn't want to watch?" Alex asked.
"Yes, but I can do that literally anytime. Any planet for that matter." Kara said before asking. "So why are you sitting out here all alone."
"I was practicing my powers." Alex said.
"Which ones?"
"The shield."
"Getting anywhere?"
"Yes. See that rock over there?" Alex asked.
"Sure."
"Wait twenty seconds then throw a rock at it."
"Okay." Kara said picking up a small rock and waiting. After awhile she threw her small rock at the bigger one Alex had pointed to only to see it bounce off. She then approached the big rock and tried prodding it only to find she couldn't get near it.
"Are you doing that?" She asked her cousin who opened her eyes and sagged,
"Yes. But I can't keep it up for long. But I am lasting longer than I was three days ago."
"You've been doing this everyday? Why didn't you say anything?"
"You and MJ were off doing your thing."
"Our thing?"
"Hanging out, exploring."
"I have spent three days not having a clue what anyone is saying to me, wearing a fake smile, while feeling guilty that you were stuck at Alura's house unable to move. That's the last time I feel sorry for you." Kara complained.
"I need to practice."
"Not really." Kara said.
"No I have to. If I get it wrong …. maybe I should show you."
"Okay." Kara said confused.
"Look at that rock again." Alex instructed.
Nodding Kara did as she was told and after a moment she saw the rock apparently shrinking. After a few moments, after Alex released the forcefield it was nothing but dust.
"What happened?" Kara asked.
"If I screw up it crushes the thing inside."
"Guys!" MJ shouted as he ran towards them. "Visitor." He added moments before they saw Eliza walking towards them.
"What are you doing out here?" Eliza asked.
"Grandma?" Kara asked before jumping up and hugging her. "Mom?"
"They are both okay." Eliza said.
"Are they here?" Alex asked hopefully looking round, but not standing.
"No."
"So they're not okay?" Alex pressed.
"They are recovering and that is going to take time. During their recovery, a trip off world isn't very sensible." Eliza said. "But if you want to come back and see them you can." She said causing Alex to to immediately stand before putting too much weight on her ankle and gasping in pain as MJ caught her before she fell.
"What happened?" Eliza asked frowning.
"I sprained it. It'll be fine on Earth." The teenager pointed out before asking "Does mom want me back?"
"From the second you left." Eliza said hugging her granddaughter. "But we should talk first." She added making Alex pull back.
"What's wrong?" The teen asked.
"We have removed all of the Kryptonite but your mother's powers aren't right yet. She's struggling to control them and she's getting really frustrated. But I know seeing you will make her feel better."