"We have a problem." Vasquez said entering Alex's office later that day where Alex was impatiently waiting with her sister at her side.
"What?" Alex asked.
"Jess doesn't exist."
"What do you mean?"
"The school record is false. The address is real, but cleaned out. According to our records Jess Hunter does not exist and has never existed."
"Then who the hell has been dating my son?"
"I don't know." Vasquez said. "No one has seen her since yesterday. My guess is no one will see her again."
"I need to talk to MJ." Alex said standing.
"You don't want to wait?" Vasquez asked before adding. "I just saw J'onn he mentioned the recent visit didn't go that well."
"That's an understatement." Alex said. "But he needs to know."
"Want me to come with you?" Her sister offered.
"No, but thanks." Alex said limping off.
00
"How long am I going to be a prisoner?" MJ asked when Alex walked into the infirmary.
"Until you are free of the effects." Alex said calmly.
"What effects?" MJ asked.
"There is something in your blood." Alex said before showing MJ a picture of the necklace and asking. "You recognise this?"
"Jess gave it to me. Give it back."
"It's been controlling you. Well helping release your anger." Alex said.
"So you are blaming Jess?" MJ asked angrily.
"It's not that easy." Alex said. "Jess doesn't exist."
"What does that mean?"
"There are no proper records of her before this school year. Her history was made up and now she has disappeared." Alex said.
"What are you saying?"
"Jess isn't real. Whoever that was, was trying to change you. I'm sorry."
"Why are you lying to me? You are unhappy so I have to be miserable too?" MJ asked, his voice dripping with venom. "Why can't you accept I am better without you in my life."
"MJ enough." His sister said.
"Neither of you are my family. You stole my only family. Just leave me alone." He spat.
"I'll be back later." Alex said signalling her daughter to leave the room with her.
"Don't bother. I don't want to see you either of you ever again."
Once they were outside Kara turned to her mother and hugged her.
"He doesn't mean it." Alex said to her.
"I know that. Do you?" The teen asked, repeating her question form the previous night.
"Stop worrying about me." Alex said pulling away. "You should go home and get some rest."
"I want to stay here. When MJ comes to his senses he's going to feel terrible." Kara said.
"Okay, but you should try getting some sleep, you can use my office or the infirmary."
00
"Latest blood test results." Vasquez said entering Alex's office several hours later and passing her a tablet.
"These look normal." Alex said.
"They are. And J'onn scanned his mind and he got normal teenage anger opposed to the rage he was showing before."
"That's good news, so why do you sound like you are hiding something?"
"He's really withdrawn. He's refusing to talk to anyone. Which is better than shouting death threats, but only marginally." Vasquez said.
"Where's Kara?"
"In with him, but not having much luck."
"Thanks." Alex said standing.
"There's something else." Vasquez said.
"What?"
"How did Jess know to disappear?"
"Sorry?" Alex asked.
"After J'onn scanned MJ you brought him straight here and he had no access to his phone. Yet Jess knew to disappear last night, how?"
"You think we have another mole?"
"Keane had another theory, which you really won't like."
"What?"
"What if the other you bugged your house?"
"Send in a sweep team, you had better check Kara's apartment as well."
00
"When Alex entered the infirmary she saw MJ lying facing the wall ignoring all attempts by her daughter to start a conversation.
"MJ?" She called, only to be met my silence.
"I'll give you some space." Her daughter said slipping out of the room.
"MJ?" Alex said again walking towards her son. Once again she got no response, so she walked to the narrow bed he was lying on and, ignoring the pain in her leg, got on the bed and pulled him in for a silent hug.
00
"Where are we with Jess?" The older Kara asked Vasquez as she walked down the DEO corridor several hours later.
"Alex's house had been bugged. We are guessing by the fake Alex. We think that is how Jess knew to disappear. Don't worry your apartment is clean."
"Any way to track the bugs?" Kara asked.
"No. Unfortunately as soon as we found them they deactivated."
"Any luck finding Jess?"
"No, we're still at a dead end. We tried gathering fingerprints and got nothing."
"That's not entirely true." Ruby said approaching the pair.
"What is it?" Vasquez asked.
"When we raided the house we found a lipstick down the side of a couch. It is the same shade Jess was wearing in a photo with MJ. We also found a note Jess had sent to MJ with a kiss on. Again same shade of lipstick. We were able to extract DNA from both. They matched each other so Jess is probably the source."
"Is there a match?" Kara asked.
"No. But we had seen some of the features before. I am pretty sure Jess was a shapeshifter."
"So she could have been anyone?" The older Kara asked.
"Yeah." Ruby confirmed.
"Does Alex know?" Kara asked.
"No."
"Where is she?"
"With MJ." Vasquez said as the teenage Kara approached them.
"Hey!" Her aunt greeted. "How are you doing?"
"Okay I guess. How's Alex?"
"As well as can be expected." Her aunt said. "Do you need a flight home?"
"No, I'm okay. I-"
"Have a better offer?" Ruby asked looking over the teenage Kara's shoulder at the approaching figure.
"What?" The teen asked confused. Seeing Ruby point behind her she turned and saw Diz walking towards her.
"Diz? What are doing here?" She asked. In response he just pulled her in for a hug.
"We'll leave you to it." The older Kara said walking off with Vasquez and Ruby.
00
"How is he?" The older Kara asked when her sister came out of the infirmary.
"He's not talking."
"Well it's a lot to take in." Kara reminded her.
"I just wish he'd say something. Anything would be a start." Alex sighed before asking. "Have you seen Kara?"
"Yeah, she's with Diz. I think he took her home. Perhaps you should go as well."
"Not until MJ leaves." Alex said. "And before you say anything he should get the all clear soon. Bronze is just testing him now."
"Okay, but make sure you rest." Kara said.
"I will." Alex smiled before asking. "How come you are here, rather than with Alex?"
"I wanted to check in on you. Plus I think Alex needed some space, at least that is what she told me."
"I appreciate you being here, but I am okay." Her sister said.
"Well, they have found something that is not likely to help you stay okay." Kara said.
"They found bugs in the house?"
"Yes, but that isn't what I am talking about."
"Then what is?" Alex asked frowning.
"They are pretty sure Jess is a shapeshifter."
"So literally anyone could have been dating him." Alex said after a moment's silence.
"Yes." Kara said. "But the important thing is MJ is safe." She added just as a siren started ringing moments before Vasquez said over the PA. "
Supergirl we need you down at the pier."
"I'll be back soon." Kara said rushing off.
00
"Kara, you have a minute?" Vasquez asked after Supergirl returned from the mission.
"Sure, is MJ okay?"
"Yes, Alex has just taken him home."
"So what's up, have you found Jess?"
"No. This is about the chemical."
"What about it?"
"We have managed to replicate it."
"And?"
"It's bad. We are working on an antidote, but if you are exposed to it in it's raw form I'm not sure you are going to make it."
"What about Alex? My Alex? How will it effect her?"
"The same. It's like the Medusa virus in a way. Anyone who isn't one hundred percent human will be effected."
"Does this mean Tycho isn't behind this? I mean he has been giving people pills to turn them into metas."
"You may be onto something." Vasquez said. "I have to go. I'll keep you posted, but be careful."
-00-
"How is he?" Alex asked when her daughter came down stairs later that evening.
"Still not talking much." The teenager said sitting next to her mother. "How are you doing?"
"I'm fine." Alex said. "And as grateful as I am that you are here, you should go back to college."
"I'll go back on Monday." She said. "How's Alex doing?"
"I don't know, your aunt is worried about how quiet she is being."
"Does she know it wasn't MJ's fault?"
"I told her about the necklace. But I don't know if that will help her forgive him."
"How's aunt Kara taking it? I mean she seemed okay when I saw her, but can she really be okay?"
"Well it's Kara so she is being very understanding." Alex said before standing. "I'm going to talk to MJ. Don't stay up too late."
"I won't."
00
"I don't want to talk." MJ said as his mother entered his room.
"I'm not going to make you." Alex said. "But I'm not going to let you lie here alone either." She added as she sat on the chair by his desk.
"What if it wasn't?" MJ asked eventually.
"What if what wasn't?"
"What if it wasn't the necklace? What if it was me?"
"What happened wasn't your fault. If anyone is to blame it is me. They went after you because of me and I didn't notice. I'm sorry."
"The things I said, I'm sorry." MJ said after a few minutes. "I didn't mean it."
"I know." Alex replied moving to his side and hugging him.
"I thought she liked me." He said after a long pause.
"I know." Alex said not sure how to comfort her son.
00
"You not hanging out with Martin?" Kara asked when she got home and saw her daughter lying on couch stroking Chewie.
"No. Steve is home tonight."
"But you are still friends?"
"Yes. And before you ask I know it was Martin who told you and no I'm not mad with him and yes I told him that." The teen said sitting up.
"Good." Kara said. "How are you doing?"
"Okay."
"Want to do something tonight?"
"It's okay, I know you are busy." The teenager said causing Kara to sit on the coffee table, facing her daughter.
"I know MJ did and said lots of things that you took to heart. But I need you to know that you are not a burden. You are the most important thing in my life and my favourite part of the day is spending time with you."
"But you are busy with everything. I know how stressed you are about everything."
"There is a lot going on, but you still come first." Kara said. "So why don't we go out? Let's all go to the botanical gardens?"
"Isn't it shut?"
"True? Then why don't we walk Chewie?"