"What's wrong with you?" Kara asked entering her sister's office on the Monday after, where Alex was staring at a wall. Not getting a response she called. "Alex?"
"Sorry, what?" Alex asked turning.
"You okay? You were a little space out there." Kara said frowning.
"Sorry, it's MJ. He is regressing. Over the last couple of days he managed three words."
"Was that because you lost it with him over his SATs?"
"I didn't lose it." Alex said. "Kind of. In hindsight, I could have been calmer, but it is more than that. Well it feels more than that. Even before the results he was getting distant."
"Distant or focused on his girlfriend?"
"A bit of both. But he refuses to bring her round."
"I can't really blame him for that." Kara said. "I mean you terrorised Diz for months."
"No I didn't. Plus I let him move in with us."
"Which allowed you to terrorise him more." Kara reminded her.
"Has Alex said anything?" The older Alex asked her sister.
"About MJ?"
"Or the girlfriend."
"Not really. I don't think she likes her particularly, but she hasn't said anything bad."
"So not enough for me to run a search?"
"On a high school student? Not sure that is going to make MJ undistance himself." Kara said.
"And what would you do if Alex was dating?" The older Alex asked.
"I'd not run a search."
"Yeah, cos you'd get me to do it for you. Or you would just fly a mile overhead and spy on them." Alex countered.
"No I wouldn't do that. That would result in too much trauma for me." Kara pointed out before asking. "Anything I can do to help?"
"No." Alex said. "Kara said she may come for a visit in a couple of weeks. Maybe she can get him to open up."
"Okay, but in the mean time why don't we all do something together?"
"Because MJ is in that phase where he is humiliated by being within ten yards of me."
"I could fly us out of State." Kara suggested.
"I appreciate that, but I think MJ needs to work his way through this his own way. Plus he is grounded."
-00-
"Hi Steve." Kara smiled as she saw him in the coffee shop that afternoon.
"Hey." He said turning to face her. "And congratulations."
"For what?"
"Alex's results."
"How did you know?"
"Martin told me. I think, but I'm not sure, that kids these days have phones and stuff and tell each other things." He grinned.
"It was the link back to you I was unsure about. I thought you were worried about Martin not telling you things?"
"I am and I know he is hiding stuff, but apparently sharing good things doesn't break the teenage code."
"Look at you keeping up to speed with the code." Kara smiled as they saw Alex and Martin walk into the cafe. "Hi guys." Kara smiled.
"Hi." Alex responded as Martin looked at Steve confused.
"I thought you were working?"
"I switched shifts so we could celebrate your results. So how about bowling?" He offered. Seeing his nephew's less than enthusiastic expression he looked at Kara and asked. "Want to come with us, make it a joint celebration?"
"You don't want to just a have a private celebration?" Kara asked.
"Martin, would you prefer hanging out with your favourite uncle or your favourite uncle and these two?" Steve asked his nephew.
"You have to ask?" Martin asked.
-00-
"Wow you suck at this." Steve said as Kara sat down following two gutter balls.
"Or I'm hustling you?" Kara replied.
"Pretty sure you just suck. Who knew it could be that hereditary though." He said as Alex's ball ended up in the gutter.
"Oh, you are one of those people." Kara said.
"What people?"
"Unbearable gloaters."
"Well I am a surgeon." He smiled. "It comes with the job."
"Uh huh. Speaking of which, how is Clare doing?"
"Okay, I think. I mean I think deep down she had accepted her brother was dead before you confirmed it."
"I wish I could have given her better news."
"The fact you care makes a difference to her." Steve said as Martin called across to him.
"Your go."
"Time for another strike." He said stretching and walking to the lane.
"We could beat him." The teenage Alex said to her mother.
"Let him have it." Kara said as her phone rang. "Hi Alex." She answered. "Um sure."
"I am the master." Steve said turning, having got another strike, but on seeing Kara's serious expression he asked. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah, no. That was work. I have to go."
"Okay. I'll take Alex home afterwards." Steve offered.
"Thanks." Kara smiled.
00
"What have we got?" Supergirl asked landing next to the DEO Agents.
"A group of metas were seen going into that chemical factory moments before shots were heard and the alarm went off."
"All the exits sealed?"
"Yes ma'am, but that isn't the problem."
"What is?"
"Actually there are several."
"Okay, well what are they?"
"Firstly, when we sent the cameras in we saw there were already aliens in there. A species known as
Himlof."
"Himlof? Really?" Kara asked.
"You know them?" Her sister asked over the radio.
"Yeah, they are like slugs. Well a cross between slugs and cockroaches. They are super slimey, well sludgy and they leave trails every where." Supergirl said.
"Why didn't you mention that?" Alex asked Harris who was frantically typing away in the DEO control room, Alex standing menacingly behind him..
"Hadn't got that far in the file." He said.
"You may be able to track where they came from, from those trails." Kara said over the radio.
"Trying to set up some sensors now." Harris said.
"What's the other problem?" Supergirl asked.
"Right, the second one is, as you have pointed out they are like slugs so we think they will be able to get into the drains so that building isn't exactly sealed."
"But we can follow the trails?" Supergirl said.
"Yes, well maybe, but the big problem is that one of the chemicals stored in that building is highly unstable at temperatures above freezing. Above freezing it evaporates and the vapour spreads pretty quickly."
"And it's toxic?" Supergirl asked.
"No. But it is made of a compound that does not mix well with the non-carbon based slugs in the building. If the chemical vapours get to them, they will react to the aliens' bodies and well best case is ten blocks will go up." Harris said over the radio.
"So we just need to stop the chemical evaporating?" Supergirl asked.
"That's likely to be impossible. Power was cut to the building during the initial fight. Right now we are on borrowed time." The agent standing in front of her said.
"So I need to fly the freezer some where else?" Supergirl asked.
"There is no way to move it without ripping it in half causing the contents to leak."
"So I just need to stop those fumes hitting that sludge like alien?" Supergirl asked.
"Yes."
"Okay, I can do that. I think." Supergirl said. "But you'll need to handle the metas."
"On it." Smith said. "Ready to breach when you are."
"Better make that soon." Rose said over the radio. "Fumes are leaking."
"Going in." Supergirl said before taking to the skies and crashing through the roof. As she landed by the freezer she took a deep breath in.
"Can you get a container to put the fumes in?" Alex asked Harris.
"We have something at the desert facility."
"Hey, you need to get to the desert." Alex said over the radio.
"Can't she just breathe out when she is away from the aliens?" Rose asked.
"No." Vasquez said. "Those aliens have left traces of themselves everywhere. Any of the vapour hits those traces and bang."
"You hear that?" Alex said over the radio. "You need to get out of the city ASAP. I'm not hearing you reaching the desert facility."
"You know she can't reply right?" Vasquez asked.
"Yes. Might mean she actually listens for one." Alex shrugged.
"Ma'am, suit diagnostics are on screen. Oxygen levels are starting to fall." Rose said.
"You need to fly faster." Alex said over the radio. "Even you need oxygen." Looking over at another screen showing a fast moving dot heading to the desert she added. "I don't see you moving faster."
"They need another two minutes at the facility." Harris said.
"Tell them they have one." Alex said as she kept monitoring her sister's vitals.
"She'll be okay." Vasquez said from Alex's side. "She's held her breath for longer."
"That was a long time ago." Alex reminded her.
"The factory is under our control." Rose reported. "They are just starting the slug hunt."
"Good." Alex said as she looked at the other screen showing the dot in the desert.
"She's arrived." Harris said as Rose called over.
"There's an issue."
"What?" Alex asked.
"You need to see this." Rose said causing Alex to go to the other side of the control room.
"That's not an issue." Alex said looking at the various screens. "It is so much worse. Stand up teams Delta and Echo."
"Yes Ma'am."
"And get those new weapons shipped over here."
"Yes ma'am." Rose repeated as there was a strong breeze followed by coughing.
"You okay?" Alex asked as her sister spluttered.
"Yeah, still haven't got the hang of the inhale." Kara said coughing.
"Let's just run a few scans to make sure that's all it is." Alex said leading her to the infirmary.
"I'm okay." Kara said coughing again.
"And I am going to verify that." Alex countered. "It won't take long."
"What about the Himlof?"
"Well there is a bit of an infestation. Actually that's an understatement." Alex said. "We got the ones at the factory, but having figured out we can detect their tracks we found many, many, many, many tracks."
"You want some help?"
"No. They are harmless enough and it is good practice for the team. You've done enough tonight." Alex said running some scans. As she did so there was a loud rumble.
"Hungry?" Alex asked amused.
"I haven't eaten yet." Kara said before looking at the clock. "Wow, it's late." Kara said seeing the time. "Looks like I missed dinner."
"I have some snacks in my office." Alex offered.
"It's okay, I want to get home."
"Okay, well your scans are clear. You can go. But if you feel strange call me."
"I will. Do you want a ride home?"
"No, I have things to finish up here." Alex said.
00
As she flew into the silent apartment she saw a note on the side. Picking it up she scanned it looking for signs Alex wasn't okay. Happy it didn't say anything bad she walked over to her daughter's room.
Sticking her head into her daughter's room she saw Alex fast asleep, Chewie sleeping next to her. Smiling she silently shut the door and went back to the kitchen where her daughter had left some food for her.
Taking it out of the fridge she saw another note attached to it with detailed cooking instructions and diagrams on how to use the oven. Shaking her head she heated it with her heat vision instead before she started to eat it.