"J'onn? What are you doing here?" Kara asked the next day as the Martian approached her.
"Alex said you were chasing down some leads on the missing Metas and I thought you might want some help."
"Always." Kara smiled.
"So what's the plan?"
"I have gone through all the potential sightings and they seem to be in the old meat packing district. In particular a lot of them have been a couple of blocks away from the Meta refuge centre."
"You think they are still targeting Metas?" J'onn asked.
"I don't know. Maybe. I mean it makes sense."
"Except it was Stagg who was interested in the Metas not Tycho."
"Say I was right and Tycho wasn't real. Then the person behind him maybe interested in more than just Kryptonians." She said. "Or maybe I am reaching."
"Seeing we have nothing else. Let's start talking to the Metas."
-00-
"What's on your mind?" Cat asked joining Kara on the balcony that afternoon.
"Who said something anything was?"
"This is where you come when something is bothering you. And you have been out here for an hour and missed a staff meeting." Cat listed.
"What?" Kara asked looking for a clock. Seeing the time she said. "Shoot."
"It's fine. All you missed was incompetence. So what's bothering you?"
"I went to find some missing Metas. But the Metas I talked to weren't interested in talking or helping." Kara said.
"Interesting." Cat said.
"It is? Why?"
"Because you are ignoring your way in." Cat pointed out.
"What?" Kara asked lost.
"The metas you rescued, or some of them, many of them, have started emailing CatCo." Cat said.
"Why?"
"To join the club."
"What club?"
"The Superpals or Superfriends." Cat said.
"There is no club. The Superfriends haven't been around for years." Kara reminded her.
"But now you are back. They are looking for a leader and a club."
"I'm not a leader. That's Alex and J'onn and you."
"Leadership takes many forms, including inspiration." Cat pointed out.
"I'm not that person." Kara said.
"Maybe your reluctance is because you relate to them too much." Cat said.
"What?"
"You've been there. Alone, knowing there is no way back, that no one is looking. Maybe you aren't ready to relive that. And that's fine, but you need to be honest with yourself."
"You think I should talk to them?" Kara guessed.
"I think that is a personal decision. I have no doubt they need you and you could help. However, people cling to hope. Which means they will cling to you. They need you, but remember the effect it will have on you. It will be draining."
-00-
As Alex entered the house, she expected to be met by silence and darkness. Instead she heard talking and a soft light coming from the lounge.
"Kara?" She asked seeing her sister. "What are you doing here?"
"Alex and MJ were working on a project. Then it got late and you weren't here so I thought we'd stay over. The kids are already asleep."
"Thanks. I hadn't realised it had got so late." Alex said.
"Everything okay?" Kara asked.
"Just busy." Alex said before saying. "I hear you hit a dead-end."
"Yes and no. No one at the refuge centre would talk to us, but after I got back to CatCo Cat told me that the Metas we rescued still want to meet me." Kara said.
"But you don't?" Alex guessed as she sat down next to her sister.
"I don't know. Cat thinks it is because I relate too much."
"What do you think?" Alex asked.
"That I may have things in past that I haven't dealt with."
"That's progress." Alex said. "So what do you want to do?"
"With the metas?"
"No with you. Are you ready to talk or do you need more time?" Alex asked.
"I don't know."
"I'm here when you are ready."
"I know. But it isn't just about being ready. If I meet the metas I maybe able to get information on the metas we are looking for. Or at least use them to talk to other metas to find them. But that feels like I am using them."
"Then meet with them as Kara and tell them what you need. Be open, if they want to help, that's great."
"I guess you are right."
"That doesn't get round the whole you aren't ready to deal with something." Alex pointed out.
"Said the kettle to the pot." Kara countered.
"What does that mean?"
"You are still moody and moping and grouchy."
"Are they your words or my kids' words?" Alex asked.
"Bit of both."
"I'm okay and stop turning the conversation round." Alex said.
"I'm not. Not exactly. It's just there are more important things on my mind. Like Lobo."
"Our sensors are working, we will know if he turns up." Alex reminded her.
"We though that last time." Kara countered.
"I know and I'm sorry."
"I wasn't blaming you." Kara said. "I just meant that no matter how sure we are, Lobo always seems to find a way in."
"We'll stop him." Alex said.
"I know. And it is time for me to stop running so I am going to meet the Metas."
-00-
"Thanks for meeting me." Kara said as walked into a CatCo meeting room that contained some of the rescued metas.
"We owe you." One of them said.
"Not really." Kara replied.
"Is Supergirl coming?" Another asked.
"No. Today it is just me." Kara said.
"We didn't think you wanted to see us." Another Meta said.
"Honestly I didn't. I mean Cat said you wanted to thank me and I didn't think that was needed."
"Then why meet us?"
"I need you help."
"With what?"
"While you were being held we think six Metas worked with Stagg. Recently they have been seen near the Meta refuge centre. But no one there will talk to me."
-00-
"You know you don't need to suck that bad?" MJ asked he walked home with his cousin after going bowling with their friends.
"If I didn't suck people might notice I have powers."
"Yeah, but there is sucking and sucking like you did tonight." MJ pointed out.
"No one suspects anything." Alex shrugged before pulling a face.
"Problem?" MJ asked.
"No. I just caught myself on something."
"Looks like you snagged yourself on something." MJ said looking at her back. "Good thing you are basically invincible. Unlike your jacket. But good change of topic."
"Are you really saying you want me to win next time?" Alex asked.
"That would look to suss especially after tonight's performance. You need to find a middle ground of suckiness."
"You mean like you and school work?" The teen asked.
"I don't suck. I just don't apply myself." He shrugged.
"Well you might want to change that. When Kara is at college Alex is going to be watching you like a camera."
"Hawk." MJ corrected.
"Doesn't camera make more sense?" The teenage Alex asked.
"Probably. But I will be fine. I just need to find something to distract mom."
"That will need to be one big distraction." The teenage Alex said as they reached the house.
"Hi guys." The adult Kara called from the couch where she was stroking Chewie.
"Hi." MJ and Alex replied before MJ asked. "Is mom back yet?"
"No. But she sent a message to say she'd be back soon." Kara said before noticing the hole in her daughter's jacket "What happened to your jacket?"
"I think I snagged it."
"Some snag, it went all the way through." Kara said looking at her daughter's back. "What were you guys doing?"
"Just bowling. It was on the way home it happened." The teenage Alex said as the door opened again and the smell of food wafted through.
"Hi." The older Alex called.
"Hey." Kara shouted back as Alex entered the lounge.
"Hi guys." Alex greeted seeing two teens before seeing the hole in her niece's jacket. "What happened to your jacket?"
"Snagged it." The teen said.
"That's some snag." Alex commented before asking. "You guys want food?"
"Yes." MJ said.
"Did you forget we already ate?" The teenage Alex asked.
"I remembered. I'm just hungry." MJ shrugged.
"Is Kara still at debate club?" The older Alex asked.
"Yes." MJ confirmed. "So more food for me."
-00-
As Alex sat on the couch reading papers the front door opened and closed and her daughter walked into lounge.
"I don't want to talk." The teen said as she sat down next to her mother and hugged her.
"Okay." Alex said not sure how she should respond.
"I just want a hug."
"Okay." Alex said wrapping her arms round her and holding her tightly as she fought her instinct to ask questions and instead just held her daughter.
-00-
Waking up with a very stiff neck Alex tried to get her bearings before realising she was still on the couch with her daughter sleeping against her. But as she heard her daughter whimper she looked round and saw the anguished expression on the teenager's face and tried to wake her.
"Kara, wake up." She gently called.
Suddenly sitting up her heart racing and breathing raspy, the teenager looked round and saw her mother looking at her with concerned eyes, before pulling her in for a hug as she explained.
"It was a nightmare, you are safe now."
Feeling her daughter tremble in her arms Alex wished she had a way to take the fear away and felt helpless when she couldn't. Instead she just held her tightly.