"How are you feeling?" Kara asked when her daughter opened her eyes early the next morning.
"You're really here?" The teen asked.
"I'm really here." Kara said kissing her head.
"We still at Alex's?" The teen asked realising she was on the couch.
"Yes, you crashed last night and I didn't want to disturb you. I know you haven't slept much recently." Kara said as Alex slowly sat up. "At some point we need to talk about what happened with you and Lobo. But for now why don't we take Chewie for a walk and get breakfast?" The use of the 'w' word causing the dog to jump off the couch and bark.
"Sssh, we don't want to wake everyone." Kara said to the dog, who remained uncaring to her concerns.
"Can we go home first so I can get changed?" The teen asked.
"Of course." Kara said, but when the dog barked agains she added looking at Chewie. "We're going."
"I love you." The teen said hugging her mother.
"I love you too." Kara said as Chewie got bored and jumped up on the couch.
"Okay, okay." Kara said to the dog. "Let's go."
-00-
"So what exactly happened with Lobo?" Kara asked as they walked Chewie.
"He broke into the lab and showed me the news showing you getting hurt. He said you were going to die unless I helped. He wanted me to wear the ring. I tried to destroy it by blasting it." The teen said. "But it just powered it. Lobo laughed and told me my anger had charged it. But then I remembered you and Alex talking about love and hope. So when I put it on I tried to channel those feelings instead."
"Go back. You put on the ring?"
"Yes, but it was weird. The more I thought of you the more it was like it was rejecting me. It started getting hotter and hotter, but I kept thinking of you and then there was a huge flash and then I was on the floor, and you were there. But then he kil-"
"I'm okay." Kara said hugging her. But once the teen had calmed she asked. "But what were you thinking putting the ring on?"
"He was going to kill Kara." Alex explained. "I couldn't do nothing." She argued before looking at the ground and saying. "But all I did was get you hurt."
"Lobo would have done that regardless of what you did." Kara said. "And I am proud of you for protecting your cousins. I just hate thinking that you were in danger."
-00-
"Hi guys." Kara said as she and her daughter entered the kitchen moments before she found herself being hugged by Eliza. As she returned the hug she saw her nephew behind Eliza's back grab the bags from her hands.
"I'm okay." Kara assured her mother.
"I know." Eliza said still hugging her. Once she had released her she asked. "Where have you been?"
"We went to walk Chewie and bring back some breakfast." She said. "Although MJ may not leave any." She pointed out looking at her nephew who was already half way through a pastry.
"Don't forget you are meant to be taking it easy." Her sister reminded her.
"Why?" The teenage Alex asked frowning.
"Because she will take time to recover and a little caution can't hurt." The older Alex said.
"By which she means she worries to much." The older Kara said.
"Which is my job as your big sister." Alex shrugged as she took a pastry from the box. "And why you will undergo tests for the next month."
"Month?" Kara asked.
"Yes month." Alex said.
"What about Lobo?" The teenage Alex asked.
"What about him?" Her mother asked.
"He's still here right?"
"Yes." Her aunt confirmed.
"So he'll be back to see you?"
"We don't know that. But if he comes back we'll be ready." Kara assured her.
"But in the mean time you four need to be careful." The older Alex said to the teens. "No ditching your DEO escorts."
"So do we still need to go to school?" MJ asked.
"Didn't we cover this last night?" His mother asked.
"You could have changed your mind." He pointed out as Diz stood.
"I've gotta go." He said grabbing his school bag. "I'll see you later."
"I mean it Diz, no ditching the escort." Alex warned.
"I won't." He said leaving.
"You going to be okay at school?" Kara asked her daughter.
"I guess." She said.
"I promise you I will be here when you get back." Kara said hugging her. "And you can call me anytime."
"We'll look after her." The teenage Kara said.
-00-
"I didn't think we'd see you today." Vasquez said when Alex walked into the control room. "How's Kara?"
"Okay. I think. I hope."
"So why aren't you at home?"
"I was assuming there is a big clean up to do. Plus mom is still a little ticked at me for not telling her what I was doing. So what is happening here?"
"I'm assuming you've not been following the news?" Vasquez asked.
"No."
"Well there have been two main stories. The apparent death of Supergirl being one of them."
"Kara hasn't mentioned one way or the other if Supergirl is returning so let the world think Supergirl is gone for now." Alex said.
"Understood." Vasquez said.
"And the other story?"
"The band of heroes who saved the world."
"I'm guessing they don't mean us?" Alex asked.
"No. A volunteer army, who, up until this started, were normal humans. But then volunteered to take some enhancing pills and gain super powers and then saved the city form the invading aliens."
"So this is a huge PR exercise for those drugs?" Alex asked.
"Yes."
"Enough of a PR exercise that they may have known about the attack?"
"You do know how paranoid that sounds right?"
"Doesn't make it not a valid question." Alex said. "Where are we with Veronica Cale?"
"It is her firm that made the drugs."
"But how did they manage to get people to take them, weren't they illegal?"
"The drugs got emergency FDA approval."
"That quick?" Alex asked.
"They applied months ago. But the President helped accelerate the process due to the fact we were at war. But the use was extremely limited. However, a lot of pressure is building to make the drugs openly available. That will still be months, if not years off, especially if those side effects leak, but pressure is growing."
"Anything else?"
"Yeah, I maybe should have led with this."
"What is it?" Alex asked.
"As you know all the Diasporans are either captured or dead."
"That doesn't sound like much of a problem, apart from logistics."
"You're right, and that part is under control, we think."
"Then what is the problem?"
"We found the body of the Diasporan who we think was in charge. The one who demanded Supergirl fight his army."
"The one who claimed to be Worldkiller-1?" Alex asked.
"Yes. Only the Diasporan was dead and there was no sign of Worldkiller-1. We are testing every body but so far nothing. Now I admit we may be using the wrong tests and we are just missing it. But there is also the chance he escaped."
"And if it was during the fighting he could have taken over one of the metas. Or the drug created metas." Alex said.
"Yes. Everyone who fought with us is being tested, with the same caveat as above, but that new army that was stood up, we can't get to them. They are in theory in quarantine, being monitored. But we have been denied access."
"Do they not know how dangerous Worldkiller-1 is?"
"Probably not. I mean we did cover up the Supergirl incident." Vasquez reminded her. "There is a briefing with the President scheduled in an hour. You may be able to argue the case better than me. But when this was brought up with General Mack, he suggested that it was a ploy to get access to his men."
-00-
"Kara, my office." Cat said a split second after Kara stepped out of the elevator.
Obediently Kara walked to Cat's office, earning a sympathetic glance from the latest assistant who quietly added.
"Good luck."
"Door." Cat said as Kara stepped into the office.
Nodding Kara shut the door and waited for Cat to finish. Eventually Cat asked.
"Have you seen the news?"
"No, I've been a little busy."
"Well apparently you are dead, but it is okay as you are not needed."
"Sorry, what?" Kara asked causing Cat to pass her a tablet with several stories on.
"Wait, why don't the actual metas who helped get any acknowledgement?" Kara asked.
"Because they don't fit the agenda." Cat said leaning back and looking at Kara. Seeing how lost Kara was looking she asked, in a softer tone. "What happened?"
"I fought some reptiles."
"The whole world saw that, then you disappeared and were presumed dead."
"Well I went to see Alex, only Lobo was there and he killed me, only I didn't really die. Technically I was dead for a couple of days, but then I wasn't and-"
"You're babbling." Cat said.
"Sorry." Kara apologised.
"What happened?"
"Lobo stabbed me in front of Alex. The blade had something on it so everyone believed I had died. Alex thought she watched me die." Kara said, her anger obvious.
"But you didn't?"
"No. But for over two days she thought I was dead. Combine that with Worldkiller-1 I don't know how to make amends."
"Worldkiller-1?" Cat asked lost.
"A parasite who wanted world domination. He took me over and when he was in control of me I tried to kill Alex. Same parasite was in charge of those reptiles, and he was also working with Lobo." Kara said.
"Is Alex okay?" Cat asked.
"No. I mean how can she be?" Kara asked. "I mean physically she is okay, but she is terrified me being alive is a cruel dream."
"What has happened to Lobo?" Cat asked.
"I don't know. We think he is on Earth."
"And the parasite, this Worlkiller-1?"
"I have no idea. I have been so focused on Alex I haven't given him much thought."
"So what are you going to do?"
"I don't know. There are so many things to consider, so many options."
"Not really, you have two choices. Run or fight."
"It's not just about me, it's about Alex. If I fight, I have seen how the consequences will effect Alex. I can't do that to her."
"Your problem is you have a sacrifice complex. You have been so used to sacrificing yourself for others that it has become your goto solution. It doesn't need to be. There are always other options. You aren't your cousin, you don't bear this responsibility alone." Cat said as Kara's phone rang.
"Sorry, it's MJ." Kara said seeing the caller ID.
"Hi MJ, what's up." She answered. "What? Is she okay? I'll be right there."
"Problem?" Cat guessed.
"Alex had a panic attack. I have to go."
-00-
"Alex." Kara said landing at the far side of the football field, where her daughter was sitting with her two cousins. Immediately hugging her she asked. "What happened?"
"I'm sorry." The teen said clinging to her.
"For what?" Kara asked confused.
"Making you come out here."
"You haven't made me do anything." Kara said before looking looking at her niece and nephew and asking. "What happened?"
"We were having lunch and she dozed off and then had a nightmare that led to a panic attack." Her niece summarised.
"It's okay. It's over." The older Kara said to her daughter as she kept hugging her. Finally feeling Alex had calmed Kara pulled away and asked.
"Want to spend the rest of the day with me?" When Alex nodded she said. "I need to go pick up my laptop, why don't you come with and then after that we'll go home?" Getting another nod she turned to her niece and nephew and said.
"I'll see you guys later." With that she flew off with her daughter.
"Good luck explaining her escape to the school office." MJ said to his sister.
"Why me?" The teenage Kara asked.
"You're older." He shrugged.
-00-
As they landed on the CatCo roof Kara asked.
"How are you doing?"
"I'm sorry for stopping you work."
"You are more important than work." Kara said. "I shouldn't have sent you to school. I'll just get my laptop, then we'll go home. You want to wait here or come with me?"
"Come with you." The teen said.
"Come on then." Kara said leading her to the stairwell. "I'll just be a minute."
"What about your work?"
"It can wait." Kara said as they reached the door to the floor plate before leading her daughter to her desk. Once there she started to shut down the computer when suddenly Cat's assistant approached and said.
"You are being summoned."
"Okay." Kara said putting her computer down.
"Oh not you. Just your daughter." He said.
"Now's not really-" Kara started only for her daughter to cut in.
"It's fine." She then asked. "Will you be here?"
"Of course." Kara smiled.
As Alex walked off the assistant said. "This is for you. Ms Grant said you will need it for your article."