"Talk to me." Alex said as she marched towards the infirmary
"It looks like you were right." Vasquez said. "But we've been advised not to get our hopes up."
"Anything is better than nothing." Alex said as they reached the door.
"Director. That was quick." The DEO doctor said.
"What have you got?" Alex asked.
"Come see for yourself." He said leading her into the lamp room where Kara's motionless body lay. "Obviously the first thing is the lack or rigour mortis, the second is this." He said exposing the stab wound. "We don't understand Kryptonians, so this may not be a positive sign."
"Maybe, but it is something." Alex said.
"What the hell is going on? Why call me down in the middle of the night?" Lena demanded walking into the infirmary before seeing the body on the bed and coming to an abrupt stop. "What are you doing?" Lena asked.
"When Kara fought with Red Daughter, I saw her die. She died in front of me. It was night and there was no sunlight to help. But somehow, deep inside there was this insane drive to live and she absorbed energy from the grass. And she came back." Alex explained as Vasquez and the doctor left the room. "After that I started to research Kryptonian energy absorption and came up with a theory that a Kryptonian on Earth can effectively go into statis. Where they shut down, but as long as there is yellow sun energy they can come back. I'd given up on it, but after Kara made that stupid request abut failsafes I started looking into it again and-"
"Alex, I want Kara to be alive, we all do. But it has been nearly two days." Lena interrupted.
"I know, but look at this." Alex said exposing some of her sister's chest.
"What am I looking at?"
"That." Alex said pointing.
"There is nothing there."
"I know. But that is where the blade penetrated. The wound healed." Alex said.
"Okay but that could be an automated reaction. Even if her body is somehow holding on her brain could be gone." Lena warned.
"I know. That's why you are the only person outside the DEO who knows about this." Alex said. "I can't give Alex false hope."
"I get that. But why tell me? You know far more about Kryptonian DNA and processes than I do."
"Because I really need a friend right now." Alex said.
"I'm not going anywhere." Lena said as Vasquez entered the room again.
"I know you are busy, but you need to know this."
"What?" Alex asked.
"We think Lobo is still on Earth."
-00-
"Hey Sweetie." Eliza said when she saw her granddaughter walk into the kitchen. Not giving her a chance to answer Eliza immediately stood and hugged the teen. After releasing her she asked. "Can I get you something?"
"No thanks."
"What about some food?"
"I'm not hungry."
"I know it is hard, but you need to eat something. What about some toast, or some fruit?" Eliza suggested.
"Sure." The teenager said unenthusiastically.
As Eliza put some food on the table she asked.
"Do you want to talk?"
"No. I want to think about something else. Can I watch TV?"
"Of course." Eliza said. "Let's take this lot next door." She said picking up the plates she had put on the table and took the teenager into the lounge.
As Alex sat down she looked at her grandmother and asked.
"Will you stay with me?"
"Of course I will." Eliza said sitting next to her granddaughter and hugging her.
"Hi. Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt." The teenage Kara said walking into the room.
"You're not." Eliza said. "We were just about to watch a movie. Want to join us?" She offered, although her tone implied it was more of an order than a suggestion.
"Sure." Kara said sitting on the other side of her cousin.
"Where are the boys?" Eliza asked.
"Outside playing basketball." Kara said.
-00-
As Alex pulled into the driveway her car was hit by an orange object. Looking round she saw MJ walking to the car looking a little sheepish.
"Sorry." He said as she got out of the car.
"Pretty sure the hoop is over there." Alex said pointing towards the garage.
"May have got a little over zealous in my blocking." He said as Diz walked over.
"You two okay?" Alex asked.
"I guess." MJ said.
"Where are the others?"
"Inside watching TV."
"Can you guys come inside for a minute?" Alex asked, although it was clear it wasn't a request.
Silently the two teenage boys followed her into the house.
"Hi Sweetie." Eliza said looking over at her daughter.
"Hi." Alex replied before asking. "Can you turn the TV off for a minute? I need to talk to you."
"What's happened?" The teenage Kara asked as her grandmother turned off the TV while her mother walked to in front of the couch so she could see everyone.
"We don't know for sure, but there is a chance Lobo is still on Earth." The older Alex explained. She then looked at her niece and said. "I'm worried Lobo will come after you."
"You want me to go?" The teenager asked.
"Go?" The older Alex asked confused.
"To Argo or Dakran or-"
"What? No. Of course not." Her aunt said. "I don't want you to go. This is your home." She then took a deep breath before saying. "If it were my decision alone, I would make you stay here with us. But it isn't, you get a say and if you really believed you would be happier on Argo, I wouldn't stop you going." Alex said. "But even if you did, you would always have a home here."
"But me being her puts MJ and Kara in danger." The teen argued.
"Not really." MJ said from behind the couch. "I mean your powers are awesome."
"You have saved us loads of times." The teenage Kara agreed.
"The reason I'm telling you about Lobo isn't because I want you to go, it is because I want you to be careful. That goes for all of you." The older Alex said looking round the room. "There are more Agents posted round the house, but for now I don't want you to leave. Just until I figure out what is happening." Seeing the nods she said. "I have to get back to work. I'll be home later. In the mean time look after each other."
-00-
"Any change?" Alex asked as she entered the lab.
"No resurrection if that is what you mean." Lena said as she stared at a screen. "How did Alex take the news about Lobo?"
"She thought I was telling her because I was going to send her away, She is so broken right now."
"You're not tempted to tell her about what we are doing here?"
"No." Alex said. "I don't want to give mom or Alex false hope. If we tell her and I am wrong I don't think she'll come back from that."
"What about you?" Lena asked.
"What about me?" Alex asked.
"What will you do if you are wrong?"
"Focus on Alex." The older Alex said.
"How long are you going to keep this up?"
"Until we know for sure." Alex said. "I know you have doubts about this. So do I. But I gave up on her once. I'm not doing that again."
"I'm not giving up either, but I want to make sure your expectations are managed. You said you needed a friend, and that involves both support and questioning." Lena argued.
"I know. And if you tell me to stop I will."
"Don't kid yourself." Lena said. "I know you, you won't stop until you are forced. But we are not that stage yet and we have more tests to run."
"Thank you."
"Well you aren't the only one to have let Kara down in the past." Lena pointed out.
-00-
"Hi." Diz said when he saw the teenage Alex entering the garage later that day.
"Sorry, I didn't know you were here. I'll go." She said surprised to see him.
"Why are you going?" Diz asked. "I'm the one who shouldn't be here. I mean it's not my house or family."
"No different to me." Alex said.
"You really believe that?" Diz asked confused.
"Maybe."
"Then you are really dumb." Diz said bluntly. "I mean this family, your family is amazing."
"But they're not mine, not really. I mean I only met them a year ago."
"Does that matter?" Diz asked. "Family is family. For good or bad. Your home here is way better than I had with my actual parents."
"Then how come you are out here?" Alex asked.
"I felt like I was intruding and wanted to give you space."
"You don't have to." She said. "But if you are hiding out here, can I join you?"
"Um, sure." He said. "Were you just going to sit here?"
"No. MJ and I were working on a woodworking project earlier, I was going to finish it. What are you doing?"
"Cleaning engine parts."
"Why?"
"It's good for the engine, I can't afford new parts and when I'm doing it I get so focused on what I am doing, I shut everything else out. Want to try?"
"I don't know how."
"It's easy." He smiled passing Alex a spark plug and some sandpaper. "Just gently clean the electrode."
"Like this?" She asked.
"You can go a little harder."
"I don't want to break it."
"If it breaks it breaks." Diz shrugged. "Just focus on removing the grease and dirt. Do it right and you won't think about anything else."