"Why didn't you say anything?" The adult Kara asked her daughter as they sat on the couch.
"At first I thought it was nothing, then it was just because he was dating Jess. After that I didn't want to cause you and Alex to fight." The teenager said stroking Chewie.
"What are you talking about?" Kara asked.
"If I had told you everything that was happening you would have told Alex, she would have defended MJ, you two would have fought and you'd be alone."
"Alex, you are the most important person. Your job is not to protect me. You should have told me. You shouldn't have tried dealing with this alone. We are stronger together." Kara said pulling her in for a hug.
"Is that the only reason you didn't say anything?" Kara asked.
"No." The teenager said.
"What else?"
"After I told you he was acting differently and you made him take that test he threatened to tell everyone who we were, what we were." The teenager explained as her mother kept hugging her. After several minutes she asked. "What's going to happen now?"
"Alex is figuring out why MJ is acting like he is. Once we know we'll take it from there." Kara said as the doorbell rang.
"It's your aunt." Kara said looking through the door. "You up for visitors?"
"Sure."
"You don't sound it." Kara said not moving.
"What if she blames me?"
"None of this is your fault." Kara said. "Besides I'll be here with you." She paused and said. "So am I opening the door or not?"
"Open it." The teen said causing Kara to move to the door.
"Hi." Kara greeted.
"Hi. How's Alex doing?"
"Okay." Kara replied. "And MJ?"
"Angry."
"Why aren't you with him?"
"He's sedated and Kara is there. And I wanted to see Alex."
"Sure. Come in." Kara said moving to one side.
"Hi Alex." The older Alex greeted.
"Hi." The teen replied avoiding eye contact.
In response the older Alex sat opposite the teen before saying. "I'm sorry for everything that happened. It doesn't excuse what happened, but we found a device on MJ, it drew out his anger."
"Like Red-K?" She asked.
"Similar but less instantaneous. To be honest we still don't know exactly how it works, but we are sure it is linked to his behaviour. I was hoping you could help us figure more things out."
"Like what?" The teenage Alex asked.
"Do you recognise this?" Alex said showing her niece a photo of the necklace.
"Yes. Is that what caused it?"
"We think so. Do you know where he got?"
"From Jess. It was their one month anniversary." The teenager said.
"Can you tell me about Jess?" Alex asked.
"When MJ was around her he was different. Tom said besotted. He'd do whatever she said. But we all thought it was a giant crush. But the more time they spent together the more different MJ became."
"Do you know anything about her?"
"Not really, she said she transferred from New York. But I tried to avoid her." The teenager replied before looking at her mother and asking.
"Can I go to bed?"
"Sure." Kara said hugging her.
"Night Alex." The older Alex said as the teen disappeared with Chewie. Once her door was shut the older Alex turned to her sister and said.
"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault."
"I should have noticed." Alex said.
"And I should have listened to Alex more when she was saying something wasn't right. We both ignored the signs."
"MJ was possessed and I missed it." Alex sighed.
"Isn't that more reason for you to be with him now?"
"I don't know. I was making things worse earlier." Alex sighed. "He is so angry. Especially at me."
"That's the necklace."
"We don't know that for sure." Alex pointed out.
"Did you have this much doubt when I was exposed to Red K?" Kara asked.
"We knew what Red K was and kind of how it worked. We don't with this, not really."
"So you have no idea how long the effects will last?"
"No. We've not seen anything like it before. For all we know he will never go back to normal."
"It will be okay." Kara said squeezing her hand.
"What if it isn't."
"It will be, but you need to have faith." Kara said.
"Thank you." Alex said looking up at her.
"For what?" Kara asked.
"Being so understanding. Not hating me. Being you."
"What MJ did was bad, but from what you said he was a victim as well." Kara said, trying to bury her own anger for the sake of her sister.
"I know, but I'm his mother, I kinda have to think that. You don't."
"He's still family." Kara reminded her. "So are you. Do you need anything?"
"No. Just focus on Alex." The older of the two sisters said. "I'm going to head back and see MJ. Maybe he'll have calmed down a bit." She added standing.
"Call if you need anything." Kara said.
"I will." Alex said leaving.
Once her sister had gone Kara moved over to her daughter's bedroom.
"You okay?" Kara asked as she lay on the bed next to her daughter.
"Sure."
"Yeah, I'm not buying that. What's wrong?"
"That necklace was from their month anniversary. So everything that happened before then had nothing to do with it."
"There was stuff before then?" Kara asked.
"Yes. Not as bad as recently, but I guess it was more real seeing he wasn't being controlled."
"You want to talk about any specific events?" Kara asked.
"Not really."
"Then hugs it is." Kara said holding her tightly. "It may not have been the necklace, but that doesn't mean there wasn't a reason. Maybe it was Jess, maybe it was another device. Until we hear from MJ we won't know. The bigger question is do you want to hear MJ's side? Only you can answer that and you don't have to answer that now."
00
"Any change?" Alex asked as she approached Vasquez.
"Not really. He woke up, yelled at Kara and then we sedated him again."
"Is she okay?"
"I'm sure she'll appreciate you being there." Vasquez said before asking. "What did Alex say?"
"The necklace came from Jess. So I need you to dig up everything you can about her and then bring her in."
"Or-" Vasquez started.
"Yes I know she is a minor and I am too involved, but if she knows something we need her here."
"I know. But, maybe we want to pick her up at school tomorrow." Vasquez said.
"Why?"
"Then we can scan the school and pupils while we are there and see if anyone else is effected."
"That's a good idea." Alex said.
"And Alex, you aren't going on that raid."
"We'll figure out the details tomorrow." Alex said.
"Fine, I'll let you know if we turn anything up. Go see your kids."
Nodding Alex walked down the halls glad that everyone was avoiding her before reaching the room MJ was in. Talking a breath she walked inside and saw her son still strapped to the gurney, asleep, as her daughter paced restlessly in the room. But hearing the door open Kara turned and faced her mother.
"How is he?" Alex asked.
"Asleep." Kara said, not mentioning the earlier outburst Vasquez had told her about. "How's Alex?"
"Um, okay." Her mother said before looking at her son.
"Don't." The teenage Kara said.
"Don't what?" Alex said.
"Don't blame yourself, this isn't your fault."
"I'm meant to be his mother and I didn't notice."
"I missed it too." Her daughter said hugging her.
Pulling away Alex looked at her daughter and said. "You know MJ doesn't mean what he's been saying?"
"I do. Do you?" The teen asked.
"Sure." Alex said before adding. "You should go get some sleep."
"I'm not leaving."
"MJ is sedated there is nothing you can do for him."
"I know. He's not the one who needs support right now." The teen said hugging her mother again.
00
"What are you doing here?" Kara asked as her sister entered the apartment the next morning.
"I wanted to see Alex."
"She'll be back in a minute, she is just walking Chewie." Kara explained before asking. "Has something happened?"
"Not exactly. There was something I didn't want to say in front of Alex last night, not until we knew more. But when we ran MJ's blood last night it had some strange markers in it. Markers that were a match to what was in Kara's blood when she was attacked by Malaise."
"So he was attacked by Malaise?" The older Kara asked.
"Maybe. Based on some tests we ran last night involving mice, we think Malaise may have something to do with the necklace." Alex explained.
"There's something you should know." Kara said.
"What?" Alex asked, knowing she wasn't going to like the answer.
"Alex said MJ's behaviour changed before the necklace." Kara explained as the front door opened and the teenage Alex walked in with Chewie.
"Hi Alex." The older Alex called.
"Hi." She replied before asking. "How's MJ?"
"Getting there." Alex said. "I wanted to talk to you about something. We are going to go to the school today and try to find information about Jess. I wasn't sure if you wanted to be on campus for that or if you preferred to stay here."
"It's fine." The teenager said.
"You sure?" Her mother asked.
"Yes." The teen replied.
"Are you going on the raid?" Kara asked her sister.
"No. Don't get me wrong I want to. But when I tried arguing for it this morning J'onn and Vasquez pointed out all the ways it could go wrong. All of which seemed fine to me, but they have benched me. Besides I need to be near MJ."
"Good." Her sister said. "We need you at the DEO not prison."
"Why are you getting her at school rather than last night at home?" The teenage Alex asked.
"This way we can scan the school and make sure nothing else is happening." Her aunt explained.