"Hi guys." Alex called as she and Kara returned home.
"Hi." The teenage Alex called back moments before she found herself in a hug. "What's wrong?" She asked.
"Can't I just want a hug?" Kara asked.
"Sure, but recently they have been loaded hugs."
"No such thing." Kara said holding her tightly.
"Where's your sister?" Alex asked MJ.
"At the gym, with Diz. Said she'd be back late."
"And mom?"
"J'onn took her to dinner. He said she could use the rest. We assumed that comment was directed at you two not us." He added.
"Probably fifty fifty." His mother shrugged.
"So seeing it is just us, why don't we have a games night?" Kara suggested.
"Fine, but I'm partnering mom." MJ said.
"You are?" His mother asked surprised.
"Gives me the best odds of winning." He shrugged.
"Like mother like son." Kara commented.
"Okay, but we choose the game." The teen Alex said.
"As long as it's not chess." MJ said.
"Okay." The teen Alex said. "Settlers of Catan."
"You're going down." Kara said to her sister.
-00-
"Good. The reinforcements have come." Alex said when her daughter returned home a few hours later.
"What's going on?" The teenage Kara asked.
"Your brother is letting the team down. Get over here and help." The adult Alex said.
"That's cheating." The teenage Alex protested.
"It's fine. They'll never beat us." Her mother said.
"And I thought mom was insanely competitive." The teenage Kara said.
"She is, that's why she is cheating." Her aunt said. "Doesn't mean she is going to win."
"This is just weird." The teenage Kara said. "But I brought ice cream back. Any one want some?"
"Yes." The other two teens said grateful for an excuse to leave the focused adults.
"Save some for us." The adult Kara called as the trio disappeared.
"What's going on?" The teenage Kara asked her brother and cousin when they got to the kitchen.
"Mom is being insanely competitive." MJ said grabbing some bowls and spoons.
"But is losing." Alex added.
"Thanks to you." MJ said as the teenage Kara served the ice cream.
"Well mom needs the win." The teenage Alex said.
"Why?" Her cousin asked.
"She has been having nightmares." The teenage Alex said. "And is really stressed by something."
"So's mom." The teenage Kara said.
"Do you know what?" The teen Alex asked.
"No."
"Can't you ask Diz?" MJ asked his sister.
"Why would Diz know anything?"
"He could get info from Wildcat." MJ pointed out.
"He wouldn't say anything." Kara said.
"What are you guys scheming about?" The older Alex asked as she and Kara entered the kitchen.
"Nothing." The oldest teen said. "Have you finished?"
"Yes." Her aunt said as the teen slide the ice cream tub over to her. "But your mom is going to be in a bad mood for a few days. She lost. Badly."
"You are such a brat." The older Alex said as she passed her sister a spoon.
"If that were true I wouldn't give you any ice cream?" Kara shot back, while holding the tub away from her sister. "Or make you eat vegan ice cream."
-00
"You okay?" Kara asked her daughter when they got home.
"Sure."
"That didn't sound very convincing. How are the nightmares?"
"Okay." The teen said. "What about yours?"
"Mine?" Kara asked confused. "I'm fine." Seeing the look on her daughter's face she asked. "What?"
"You're lying."
"No I'm not." Kara said.
"Yes you are." The teen argued.
"About what?" Kara asked still lost.
"I didn't have a nightmare last night. You did."
"I did?" Kara asked not remembering it.
"Yes. You were crying for me. But what if I was wrong and I you were crying because of me?"
"Alex, I'm really lost." Kara said. "I don't remember having a nightmare, but if I did you weren't the cause."
"But you don't remember so you don't know that." The teen said.
"Why would you cause me nightmares?" Kara asked trying a different approach.
"Because of what I told you about Lobo and the ring. You realising I may not turn out like you."
"You're right, you will probably never follow in my steps or live up to me, well the Supergirl me. But that is because I am sure you are going to be better than me. No matter what path you choose." She said hugging her daughter. "I know it has been a stressful few months, but try not to read too much into one nightmare. Especially one I can't even remember."
"It's not just the nightmare. You've been weird all evening."
"No I haven't. Okay, maybe I have a little. But that has nothing to do with you." Kara said.
"Then what is it?" Her daughter asked.
"There are still bad people out there." Kara said. "And I am not sure how to stop them."
"Are you in danger?"
"People will always come after Supergirl, but I am not going to let them take me." Kara said hugging her. "But I need you to keep being careful."
-00-
"What have you two done?" Wildcat asked entering the briefing room the next day.
"Nothing. Why?" Alex asked.
"I'm getting a different story."
"What story?" Alex asked.
"That you two are really stressed and acting weirder than normal." He said.
"Who told you that?"
"I got it from Diz who was asked to get intel from me by your daughter, who is freaking out along with the other Amigos." Wildcat said. "You two acting crazy isn't going to help anyone. If you were sparring with me right now you'd be on the floor in less than two seconds. You need to focus." He said leaving.
"He's not wrong." Kara said. "Alex told me I was stressing her out."
"Do you think they've talked to mom?" Alex asked sensing a lecture in her future.
"Bad time?" Vasquez asked.
"Not if you have information." Alex said.
"There was an attempt on Lux's life."
"Where is he?" Alex asked.
"Moved to the desert base under maximum security. No one is getting to him."
"Who was behind the hit?"
"One of the cleaners. Caught red handed. But that has now forced our hand. There is no way we can't investigate all agency staff. We have to follow protocol."
"Which is?"
"They are immediately revoked from all access lists and have a mandatory debriefing." Vasquez said.
"Why try to kill Lux? I mean if he was innocent they could have left him. And if he was guilty, he hadn't broken." Alex said.
"Don't know. But if he is innocent he may talk now." Vasquez said before noticing Alex's expression. "You disagree?"
"I don't know. None of this makes sense." Alex said. "Say we follow protocol. We stop using Agency staff what happens then?"
"Most jobs are done in house until suitable replacements can be found." Vasquez said.
"What about mechanics? They have qualifications right?" Supergirl asked.
"So do some of my team." Alex said. "But probably not enough to keep everything running. Especially the helicopters."
"A lot of repairs would probably be sent off site." Vasquez said. "Worst case is we could be grounded."
"Say we lose air support, what then? No rapid deployment and we lose back up." Alex continued.
"But I'll be there." Supergirl said.
"Unless you are the target." Alex pointed out.
"You think this is some elaborate set up to get to me?" Supergirl asked.
"If it is Tycho behind it, it is a possibility."
"But Stagg said the DEO mole was his."
"He could have been lying to get a bargain. Tycho may have told him he had someone on the inside, and he was trying to use that."
"So what do we do?" Supergirl asked.
"We speak to some one who is good at seeing paranoid plays." Alex said.
"I'll call Lena."
-00-
"You are right this could be a massive play to get Kara, but it could also be a decoy." Lena said as she sat with the sisters a little later. "If you are focused on protecting Supergirl, that means Supergirl won't be out there helping. There may be something else going on that would be helped by Supergirl not working." Lena continued. "Or they want you cooped up in here, rather than out there." Lena said. "In fact where are the kids right now?"
"At home, under guard." Alex said. "And safe."
"Alternatively this could be a bad play. Maybe Stagg was behind it and now he has been arrested the people below him are panicking."
"I doubt we are that lucky." Kara said.
"If it is happening it may not be a good thing. Panic may lead to a very dangerous situation." Lena pointed out before asking. "Remind me why you called me down to have this conversation."
"You are the most paranoid person we know." Kara said honestly. Seeing the look she was getting she said. "What? You are. Well apart from Lex, but I'm not allowed to talk to him."
"I feel like I should be feeling insulted." Lena said.
"Yet you aren't?" Alex guessed. "It's one of her mystery powers. Unfortunately it doesn't bring us any closer to figuring this out."
"Well I can see lots of possibilities, but nothing obvious." Lena said.
"I've had enough of hiding." Kara said. "If this is a plan then they want us to spend time thinking about it. I'm not doing that. I'm going to help with the clean up. I'll see you later."
"Kara wait-" Alex called, but she had already gone. Frustrated she looked at Lena and asked. "Want to talk to Lux?"