Chapter Text
“Secrets could never be rushed. They had to come of their own accord, on their own schedule. That way, when they came , they offered themselves as a gift.”
― Donna Jo Napoli, Bound
“Eliza?” Kara questioned as she lifted the large crate, the front stamped with the logo of Wayne Technologies.
“That one goes in the downstairs treatment room,” Eliza called out from around the corner. “Be careful, Barbara will be here shortly to install the computer stuff in the office.”
“There are just two more big ones,” Kara called out as she headed down the stairs.
As the large swinging doors closed downstairs, Alex and Lucy walked through the open front door of the new Jeremiah Danvers Free Clinic. “Hey mom!” The older Danvers sibling called out, peeking through each doorway as she walked down the hallway.
Downstairs, Kara almost dropped the crate she was holding as her sister’s voice washed over her. ‘Oh goody,’ she thought to herself.
“A-Alex, I didn’t expect…” Eliza choked on the water she was drinking.
“Kara is here?” Alex huffed. It had been almost a week and they still hadn’t spoken. “Anything we can do to help?”
“We?” Eliza asked.
“Hey Eliza,” Lucy smiled from behind the door frame.
“Lucy,” Eliza’s smile grew, and her eyes flicked back and forth between the two women, noticing a slight blush on both sets of cheeks. “If you would like, you could help Alex set up exam rooms one and two.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Lucy smiled back. “Which way?”
“Down the hall, the two rooms past the closed door,” Kara whispered, watching in delight as Lucy jumped.
“Dammit, Kara!” Lucy laughed. “Wear a bell--or something…” She turned and was caught up in a hug from the blonde Kryptonian.
The two women pulled apart and Alex stepped forward, “Kara?”
Kara’s voice turned flat, “hello, Alex.” She turned and headed back to the front room and grabbed the last two crates. She marched past the room with her mother and sister in it and headed down the steps…
>>>
Lucy watched Alex and nodded slightly to Eliza as she headed down the hallway, “just like the clinic in Midvale, Mrs. D.?”
“Yes, Lucy,” Eliza yelled back. “Thank you!”
Alex started to move forward, but her mother grabbed her by the arm, stopping her momentum and swinging her around. “What?” Alex asked, her voice devoid of emotion, eyes watery and filled with sadness.
“We need to talk,” Eliza ordered. “About a few things.”
Alex reacted to Eliza’s stern tone and dropped her head, allowing Eliza to guide them to the small apartment above the clinic.
Downstairs, Kara sat down on one of the crates, tuning her hearing to listen in on her sister and mother.
>>>
A convoy of military trucks entered National City and headed east, towards an abandoned military installation just a few miles from the DEO’s underground base of operations.
On a rooftop two blocks into their route, computerized cameras built and perfected by Barbara Gordon identified them. The Oracle AI tracked and cross-checked to military operations, discovering that there were no orders of any kind for any movements or drills in National City. A message was sent to Barbara’s phone, computer and the information was shared with Bruce Wayne’s AI in Gotham.
Bruce Wayne called up the information, and ordered the cameras to scan the vehicles closer, identifying two of crates in the back of the middle truck. MORROW INDUSTRIES was stenciled in large, block letters across each box.
Batman entered the name T.O. Morrow into his wrist computer and activated another one of Barbara’s programs. Instantly, the worm started to move through the internet looking for anything that would tell the Dark Knight what was going on.
>>>
“Sit down, Alex,” Eliza said, and pointed at her couch.
“What did I do now?” Alex asked, petulance sharpening her words.
“You didn’t do anything, Alex,” Eliza responded, taking a deep breath. “I know that what’s going on between you and Kara is hurting you. You just need to give her more time.”
Alex huffed, “really mom, give her time? I told Barbara about the damn assault team. I would have told Kara too if she had kept her phone on her, like we have taught her.”
Downstairs, Kara huffed and said aloud, “it was one time, Alex, and that isn’t the point…”
Upstairs, Eliza looked at Alex with pursed lips, “that isn’t the point, Alex, and you know it. You knew about the kryptonite before that.”
“Do you know what I had to go through to get this job, to keep it?” Alex spoke loudly and she could feel her body getting warm as her temper started to get the best of her.
Crossing her arms over her chest, Eliza responded with a sarcastic reply, “no, Alex, I only ran STAR Labs Alien Physiology Department for ten years. Oh yeah, there is also the fact that I helped Superman learn to control his powers.” She paused with a sneer, “Whatever would your mother know about working for a top-secret organization?”
Alex clamped her lips closed, her mother was right, and she knew it. Kara’s safety and protection should have been her priority. “Sorry, you are right, and Kara has every right to be angry, but it was classified and not that many people were aware of its existence. If I had told her, and Hank found out--I could have been arrested and tried for treason. I shouldn’t have been so naive; I did what I could. Do you think Kara--will she forgive me?”
Eliza nodded.
Downstairs, Kara was staring at the ceiling and softly whispered, “yes.”
>>>
At Bruce’s insistence, Barbara caught up with the convoy, her Lightning LS-218 allowing her to get close to the trucks. She palmed a small tracking device and gunned the throttle, pulling alongside the middle truck and tossed the small magnetic device in a light arc, watching in satisfaction, as it stuck to the metal cargo body.
“Tracking device is in place, Bruce. I’ve got somewhere to be,” Barbara said seriously into the mike in her helmet.
“Go,” Bruce replied, “help Eliza and Kara. Oracle and my computer can handle this for a little while.
>>>
Eliza sat down on the couch beside Alex, watching her oldest tense up, expecting another onslaught of guilt. “What now?” The red head grumbled.
“I--I owe you an apology,” Eliza started. “I’ve pressured you so much to take care of Kara, you have forgotten who you are.”
Confusion filled Alex’s brown eyes, “what--what are you talking about?”
“What’s going on between you and Lucy?” Eliza asked with a smirk.
“Wh--what? What are you talking about? Me and Lucy? Nothing, nothing is going on, we are just friends,” Alex stammered.
“Okay, if you aren’t ready, I will respect that and give you space,” Eliza said resolutely. “When you are, I’m right here.”
Kara was lying on the crates now, still staring at the ceiling, “it’s Vicki all over again.”
Eliza stood up to leave and head back downstairs when Alex stopped her by clearing her throat, “hold on mom, before this turns to Vicki all over again.”
There was no confusion on Eliza Danvers face as she sat down and took Alex’s hand in hers.
“I really, really like her mom,” Alex admitted with a huge sigh of relief. “I want--I want to give this--whatever this is--a chance.”
“So, what is holding you back?” Eliza asked, her tone soft and filled with support.
“Me, and maybe James? I’m not sure where they stand right now.” Alex admitted. “You remember Vicki Donahue.”
“The girl you had a crush on in high school?” Eliza asked.
Alex was speechless for a moment, and then, defensively, she spoke, “how did you know?”
“After you left Midvale, I ran into Vicki at the market,” Eliza stated. “She asked about you, wanted to know why you stopped talking to her. We went to lunch, and she filled me in on what was going on in her life.” Eliza paused a moment, giving Alex a chance to process what she was hearing. She took a breath, “she thought you might be her forever, Alex.”
“I didn’t know,” Alex said, biting her lip. “I wasn’t ready, I didn’t even realize…”
“How could you, Alex?” Eliza interrupted, then held up her hand stopping Alex’s response. “I asked so much of you. You were keeping up your grades, helping me around the house, and protecting Kara.”
Kara swallowed, and sat up from the crates, “oh Rao.”
“I like--I think--I----” Alex was tripping over her words. “Mom--I like girls. I--I’m gay.”
Eliza pulled her oldest daughter close, wrapping her arms around Alex’s shoulders, “I am so, so sorry I didn’t support you sooner.”
The door opened and both women looked up to see the youngest Danvers standing there. She approached slowly, her eyes unreadable, and waited for Alex to stand up. As she did, Kara pulled her into a hug, “I’m still mad at you, but right now, I need you to know how incredibly proud of you I am.”
Alex wanted to yell at her sister for eavesdropping, for breaking a promise to one another they had made while still in high school. But for the moment, she just relished the feeling of her sister’s arms wrapped around her.
>>>
“General Lane, this is Batman,” Bruce said, his voice synthesized to hide its true tone. “The DEO is conducting a test on unauthorized AI technology outside National City.”
“You’re sure?” Sam asked.
“Positive. From what I have discovered, Morrow Technologies has developed an Android for the sole purpose of killing Kryptonians,” Bruce replied, confident in his deductions. “They are testing it at the abandoned Air Force base east of National City.”
“I’ll send some of my people out there now,” General Lane assured the Bat. “Thanks for the assist, Batman.”
“Be safe, General,” Bruce said before disconnecting the call.
>>>
Barbara turned onto the block that held Eliza’s clinic when her earpiece went off, “what now Bruce?” Her voice was full of aggravation, and she didn’t bother to hide it.
“Sorry, Barb, I know you had plans, but this is important,” Bruce hinted.
“Morrow Technologies? What big bad device did that psychotic idiot build this time?” Barbara’s voice was still full of anger, but now she was cautious as well.
“You know, you remind me of your father when you do that,” Bruce sounded sad, but the compliment had its desired effect and Barbara slowed the bike, pulling into a space almost a block from her destination. “Okay, spill it, what’s going on that has you this tense?”
“An android, possibly capable of going toe to toe with two Kryptonians,” the man answered with a growl.
“Where?” Barbara asked, a slight bit of fear in her voice.
“Abandoned Air Force base…” Bruce started.
“East of the city? I’m headed there as soon as I change,” Barbara interrupted. “Batgirl, out!”
As she disconnected the call, she immediately spoke again, “Dial, Missus D.” As her phone rang, she checked traffic and made a quick U-turn accelerated towards her apartment.
“Barbara, hello dear,” Eliza’s voice sounded cheerful. “Are you on your way?”
“I’m sorry, I--I have an emergency, and I’m not going to make it today,” Barbara responded calmly, she knew Eliza was aware of her nighttime activities, but she wasn’t sure if there were any ears around and had to be careful.
“I understand completely,” Eliza cooed softly. “Be safe.”
“I will, Missus D.” Barbara said as she disconnected the call.
>>>
Eliza had barely hung up her phone when Lucy’s and Alex’s phones started to ring. She turned away from the conversations and busied herself with something on the counter in the reception area.
A few minutes later Alex stepped up beside her, “mom, me and Lucy--uhm--we need to go.”
“Duty calls?” The Danvers matriarch asked with a wry grin.
“Morrow Technologies is conducting a test, and Hank wants me there. Lucy is being sent by her dad, part of an ARGUS team that Hank doesn’t know anything about,” Alex explained.
“What’s an Argus?” Kara asked from behind the two women.
“Fucking hell, Kara!” Alex and Eliza jumped, reaching for each other’s hands.
Kara was laughing as she repeated her question, “what’s an Argus?”
A giggling Lucy Lane entered the room behind Kara, “a secret, a really big secret that Supergirl is currently not privy to.”
“Hmmm,” Kara hummed, “do you two need any help?” She asked, but her eyes were focused on Alex.
Alex dropped her head for a moment. Her eyes were clear when she lifted it back up and took Kara’s hands in her own, “I swear, Kara, if we need you, I will call for you, just make sure you are listening.” Then with a sarcastic, I’m the big sister, voice, “and make sure you don’t forget your phone.”
“Not funny, Alex,” Kara said in mock anger, then stuck her tongue out.
“We’ll be back later, mom,” Alex said tensely, then they both hugged Kara and Eliza and ran out the door.
As Lucy and Alex drove off in different directions, Eliza looked at her youngest daughter, “let’s go upstairs and order pizza, because I don’t think I’m going to get any more work out of you today.”
“I’m just worried about…” Kara stared longingly at the door.
>>>
Alex arrived at the test site, dropping Barbara off in an isolated spot and watched as Batgirl disappeared into the late afternoon shadows. Her foot pressed the accelerator and her vehicle moved forward towards the test.
Alex had barely stepped out of her SUV when a large Humvee pulled up beside her, disgorging two armed commandos, Lucy, and General Samuel Lane.
Hank Henshaw approached, “General? We weren’t expecting you?” The man’s voice was full of undisguised hostility.
“Director Henshaw,” Lane responded with a smile, “As the DEO’s highest ranking supporter inside the Pentagon, I wasn’t aware that I needed your permission to attend any weapons test.”
The tall dark-skinned man stopped short, “of course not, General.” He seemed to choke on his words, “we just would have been better prepared for your arrival.”
“My team and I are perfectly fine, Director,” Lane answered nonchalantly. “How long before the test starts?”
Henshaw swallowed and looked over his shoulder, “should be commencing in just a few minutes.” He turned away, and whispered into his mike, “target our uninvited guest, and make it look like an unfortunate malfunction.”
Alex looked around and noticed a humanoid form exiting one of the tents across from where they parked. She shivered as gold, glowing eyes focused on her for a moment, then scanned across the DEO troops and locked on Sam and Lucy, who were talking in hushed tones. Her ears focused on a high-pitched whirring and terror filled her eyes as the thing’s arms started to spin in rapidly increasing circles. “Barbara!”
The androids head turned slightly, locking on the area Bargirl was hiding in and quickly fired a miniature rocket at the caped hero. Without waiting, it threw tornado force winds in the direction of the ARGUS team. Alex was already diving towards Sam and Lucy, pushing them out of the direct force of the shear and yelling, “Supergirl!” She felt the wind catch her and brought her arms up just before she impacted on the green body of the Humvee.
>>>
Kara heard her sister yell and was out the window of her mom’s apartment, still clipping on her cape as she shot up over the buildings. As she rocketed into the clouds, a loud bang could be heard throughout National City.
>>>
Alex’s vision was blurred, and her right arm wasn’t working as she rolled off her stomach. Her stomach leapt into throat as her eyes cleared and she saw blood covering the sand. Her eyes searched around and focused on the two commandos lying, headless a few yards from the vehicle. The creature, as she considered it now, walked with purpose towards the area where she last saw Lucy. “Barbara,” she said, her voice sounding loud in her ears. She swallowed hard at the silence that followed. She forced herself to slide up the side of the vehicle, finding a loose piece of concrete sticking out of her left leg.
>>>
Sam Lane’s fingers found the pulse point on his daughter’s neck and sighed with relief at the steady thumping he felt under his fingers. He turned, eyes opening in fear and anger at the approaching monster. Calm overtook him as he lifted his old .45 ACP and took aim with a steady hand.
>>>
At the sound of a gun going off, Kara accelerated even faster, covering miles in a matter of seconds. She was in sight of the robot and felt time slow down as she took in the situation. Alex was moving slowly, her pistol in the wrong hand, towards a wine-colored android, Sam Lane was firing repeatedly at the same creature, his bullets falling to the ground at impact, useless. Two bodies were lying in haphazard and grotesque piles surrounded by blood. Lucy’s unmoving form was lying next to her father’s kneeling form, her heart and breathing normal. She watched as the creature raised its arm.
>>>
Sam Lane turned, putting himself between the android and Lucy, tensing at the thought of the impact that was coming.
It never did. Supergirl caught the descending appendage and instinct took over as she kneed the thing in the stomach and punched forward with her right hand.
The Red Tornado tumbled back, flipping in mid-air and landing on its feet, fifty feet from Supergirl.
Inside the creature’s head, a synapse fired as it recognized its primary enemy. It shot forward with a speed rivaling the Flash and threw a huge haymaker at Kara’s cheek.
The sound of the android’s fist connecting with Kara’s jaw sent out a concussive force that shattered every window in the area and moved the Kryptonian’s face a fraction of an inch. It was following up with its other hand, when Supergirl caught the arm and yanked with all her strength, ripping it off and swinging it at the creature’s head.
Red Tornado ducked as Supergirl swung the arm around calculating where it could attack the hero. The android drew back…
Training with Barbara and Alex had taught her to watch her surroundings. She watched it drop back, saw its feet plant, as it prepared for attack. Instead of stopping her spin, Kara picked up speed, lifted the arm to the height of the creature’s head and spun…
Inside the control room, T. O. Morrow watched as his creation froze, its computer racing, trying to determine what was going on…
The arm connected with the unsuspecting monster’s head, lifting it off its feet and throwing it a hundred yards. It connected with a stack of fuel barrels and Supergirl smiled as she saw a spark ignite the fuel, turning towards Lucy and Sam as the explosion rocked the base…
>>>
Cat Grant was standing at the window of her office when she saw the explosion followed shortly by the loud rocking boom that seemed to roll through National City like a wave.
“James!” She yelled, turning towards the door as her new art director walked through. “Get a crew in the air, now!”
>>>
Kneeling, Kara checked on the General and Lucy, scanning the still unconscious woman. “Nothing’s broken and no internal bleeding, General.” Kara paused, then looked through the vehicle, and her eyes opened in horror, “Alex!”
Alex thought her vision was blurring again as she attempted to focus on her sister’s sudden appearance. “I’m okay, Kara,” the words slurred as Alex reached up and patted her sister’s flushed cheek, leaving a blood red handprint.
Eyes flashing blue, Kara gritted her teeth, “you are not okay, that thing…”
A fist connected with Kara’s back, throwing the blonde into and through the Humvee. She stopped as her body embedded itself in the concrete wall on the other side of the vehicle. She pushed herself forward, face red and eyes full of anger as the android reached for Alex’s neck.
“Over your dead body!” Kara yelled as she flew forward, wrapping her arms around the creature’s torso and launched them both skyward. When she reached a height of about five-hundred feet, she released the Tornado, stopped her forward momentum, and drew back her right fist.
Nothing could have prepared its programming for the coming attack, as a punch that could shatter mountains caught it in the head, sending it plummeting to the ground below at a speed rivaling sound itself.
Seconds before it crashed, it slowed and settled gently onto the ground. Kara landed a moment later, her feet creating small craters at her impact.
The Red Tornado’s head tilted as Kara’s eyes blazed blue, and later, Kara would have sworn she saw a smile cross its features. Its hands started to rotate, causing a strong wind to blow in Supergirl’s direction, pushing her back ever so slightly. Kara fired her heat vision into its chest and almost faltered as it took a step forward. The glowing yellow eyes floated over to Alex, sitting on the ground, one hand covering the injury on her leg, the other rested on Lucy’s back.
Her vision flared bright, strong, and blue as she marched forward. Her memories of the attack by the DEO and the threat to her sister and friends making her angry, angrier than she could ever remember.
Still, it came, but the wind began to die as Kara’s heat vision intensified again causing the joints and seams on the android to glow a bright ugly orange. Surging forward, Kara screamed and the beams from her eyes turned white. The Red Tornado started to glow, then in the blink of an eye, it exploded.
>>>
The helicopter from CatCo circled above, and the newscaster announced that Supergirl had defeated some type of humanoid shaped weapon.
“It looks like our hero has saved the day again,” he announced.
>>>
Kara felt off as she staggered towards Alex, she came to a sudden stop as she barely heard Batgirl’s racing heart. Her eyes searched and she staggered, catching herself on a half wall as she saw Batgirl’s prone form trapped under a small mound of rubble.
A confused and dazed Alex Danvers watched as her sister raced towards Barbara’s last known location. Kara’s head spun, but she focused on the redheaded hero’s trapped form. It took all her concentration and strength to move all the rubble from the black clad woman. Finally, she bent and lifted a heavy column from Batgirl’s leg, her arms burning in agony as the other woman slid out from under. As her friend’s gold boots slid out, Kara’s strength gave out and she collapsed, catching herself as she fell forward. She screamed in agony as her arm crashed into the shattered concrete.
Barbara closed the distance to Supergirl, catching the woman before she hit the ground.
“B--Batgirl,” Kara stammered, her eyes watering from pain. “Are you okay?” She smiled, but her eyes were wide as her arm throbbed in agony.
Barbara focused on Kara’s blue eyes, a feeling of deja-vu overwhelming her for a moment. She shook her head, “I’m fine, Supergirl, really. What’s wrong?”
Kara squinted her eyes and flexed the fingers of her good hand as she attempted to crush a piece of stone. Her eyes widened hilariously, and she stuck out her tongue in concentration. “I--I think my powers are gone.
“How?” Barbara gasped.
“Don’t know,” Kara answered, still staring at the rock in her hand. Then, in a tone she normally only used if she was out of ice-cream at home, she whined as she tenderly probed her bad arm, “but--but, pain sucks.”
“I’m calling Alex, she’ll know what to do, right?” Barbara asked, just a touch of panic in her voice.
“No, no, no…” Kara squirmed. “You can’t tell Alex, I’m invulnerable and she’ll get mad.” She stopped moving suddenly, her eyes widening even more. “Alex is hurt, oh Rao, we--we need to check on Alex.”
Barbara noticed Kara’s eyes watering as she helped the hero to her feet.
>>>
Sam Lane was standing over Alex and Lucy, watching the DEO agents take T.O Morrow into custody. A medic was looking over Alex’s injured leg, clicking his tongue at the piece of stone staring at him through the ripped fabric of the woman’s pants.
“It’s worse than it looks,” Alex grunted as she reached down and yanked the shrapnel from her leg. She hissed as it came loose. “Wrap it! Now!”
Batgirl and Supergirl staggered towards them as Morrow and his equipment were loaded into the back of a DEO vehicle. Alex watched Kara’s movements through a haze and noticed her sister’s right arm hanging loosely and at an unusual angle. Barbara’s brown eyes met Alex’s and she shook her head slightly.
All heads turned as the backdoor of Morrow’s transport slammed shut and a blonde female got into the driver’s seat. Alex squinted, trying to identify the woman and noticed a slight flash of gold in her blue eyes. Then Hank Henshaw stepped into her line of sight.
“The android malfunctioned according to Morrow,” Henshaw stated in a flat monotone. “If it hadn’t been for Supergirl’s timely arrival,” his eyes cut to Kara and focused on her bad arm.
“And it only focused on myself and my security detail?” Sam Lane snapped. “What the hell was his excuse for that?”
“According to Dr. Morrow, since their weapons were out, that thing perceived them as a threat,” Henshaw lied. “Had you told me you were coming, I would have had time to warn you. That’s why none of my agents were armed.”
Alex bit her tongue as Lucy’s eyes focused on her pistol, strapped in its usual spot on her hip. Alex reached out and squeezed Lucy’s fingers and shook her head, warning the lawyer away from that argument.
Sam Lane swallowed his anger for a moment, and stood up to his full height, looking Henshaw in the eye, “we are missing part of the story, Director Henshaw.” Lane looked over his shoulder and his eyes widened slightly at Kara’s damaged arm. He took a deep calming breath and growled his next command, “I need a working vehicle, now. You and your team will arrange for my men, immediately!”
Henshaw stood to attention, “Sir, yes sir!”
Barbara took Alex’s keys and got into the DEO agent’s vehicle, disengaged the tracking software with a verbal command and waited till she saw Kara’s door close before driving away slowly.
General Lane stared at the blood splattered ground in his mirror as he followed the black SUV back towards the main road, his hands tightening in anger and his eyes filling with tears of rage.
Henshaw watched the two vehicles drive away, ordered a detail to clean up the remains of the two soldiers, then turned with a hidden smile towards the road Indigo and Morrow had driven down.
>>>
As the two vehicles drove into National City, Barbara turned off, towards Alex’s apartment, and tapped her communicator, calling Bruce.
“Barbara, are you okay? I saw the news coverage,” Bruce asked. “Is Supergirl okay? She looked off.”
Barbara could have lied, but instead, sighed heavily, “I don’t know. I was scared and if she hadn’t been there…”
Barbara could feel Bruce leaning forward, placing his elbows on his desk, and staring intently at the phone, waiting for her to continue. It brought a smile to her face that someone cared for her well-being that much.
“I’ve never seen her hurt like that,” Barbara’s hands tensed on the wheel, reliving the moment when she heard the bone crack in Supergirl’s arm, how her heart hammered with worry for her friend. The sight of Supergirl sticking out her tongue just like she had watched Kara do so many times at her desk. The overt show of concern for Alex, the mention of the family that adopted her. Bruce supplying equipment for Eliza’s lab. Supergirl and Kara both without coms. Everything started to add up and Barbara’s eyes popped opened in surprise at the waterfall of thoughts. She saw the traffic light ahead suddenly changing to red and slammed on the brakes. “Son of bitch,” she breathed heavily.
“Barbara, are you okay?” Bruce’s panicked voice screamed over the phone.
“It’s Kara!” Barbara shook her head back and forth at the look of pain in Kara’s eyes. Her hands tightened. “Kara is Supergirl?”
Bruce was silent, and in that silence the truth was confirmed. She heard the soft laugh that the world’s greatest detective would use whenever she or Dick had reached a correct conclusion of whatever problem he had thrown them into and smiled, pressing the accelerator as the light turned green. “What are you going to do with this information?” Batman asked.
“Nothing,” Barbara smiled brighter. “Kara will tell me when she is ready.”
>>>
Several hours later Kara rolled over and moaned as pain wracked her body. Her eyes cracked open, and she saw Alex and General Lane sitting in various uncomfortable positions around the room, Lucy was stretched out on a cot, snoring lightly. She started to reach out and saw her arm wrapped in a tight cast, and the fight and everything that had happened came back to her. She stretched out her good arm and placed her hand softly on Alex’s fingers, smiling as her sister’s eyes opened.
“Hey, you, enjoy your nap?” Alex asked in a soft whisper. As her sister sat up in her chair, Kara noticed the grimace of pain and the stiff movement as she stretched her leg.
“How bad is your leg, and what’s wrong with your arm?” Kara asked, her voice sounding like Supergirl instead of Alex’s little sister.
“My shoulder is bruised,” Alex grinned. “Like fifty shades of purple bruised. My leg wasn’t that bad, but mom gave me a shot to numb it so she could stitch it up.” She cocked her head towards Lucy and Kara noticed a soft blush in Alex’s cheeks, “Lucy is okay, no concussion, but she is going to have a few bruises.”
Sam Lane stood stiffly from his seat, “and I am just fine, other than more than a little pissed off.” He stepped around Lucy’s cot, and made his way over to Alex and Kara, kissing each on the tops of their heads, “I’m going to go see if Eliza has any coffee.” Then his eyes fixed on Alex, “how about tonight, you to join Lucy and I for dinner.”
Alex swallowed hard, “o--okay?”
As Sam left the room, Kara smiled brightly, “not like Vicki at all…”
“Shut-up, goofball,” Alex groaned.
>>>
At Fort Rozz, Indigo unloaded the remains of the Red Tornado and then returned for Morrow, who was still wearing the military shackles on his wrist and ankles. She lifted the man easily and set him down onto the burnt patch of earth, near the entrance to her ship.
“Your little tin man is broken,” Indigo said derisively as she shoved the chained man through the doorway. “How ever did you expect that worthless device to defeat a fully powered Kryptonian?”
Morrow opened his mouth to speak, but the appearance of the woman started to change, morphing from the gorgeous, DEO uniformed, blonde into a dark, blue skinned, red head with three strange flashing red beacons aligned in a triangle on her forehead. Morrow’s voice shook as he cowered back, pressing his back into the wall, “who--what are you?”
“I am the eighth in line for the Coulan title of Braniac. You, worthless human, may call me, Indigo,” she responded in a flat, computer like voice that reminded Morrow of the household units developed by so many modern technology companies including the one in his own lab, built by Luthor Corp. “You are going to put this back together,” she waved her fingers over the remains of the android, and then you are going to load my operating system.”
“I will not,” Morrow growled. “ My software is the only thing that will be running my android!”
The Coulan’s fingers were suddenly wrapped around Morrow’s neck, though he had never seen her move, “you think much too highly of yourself, human.” Indigo lifted the man up, holding him several feet above floor and pushing her clawed fingers deeply into his larynx. “You will do as I say little man, or you will die, here and now.”
Morrow’s fingers clawed at the woman’s arm, until he finally gave up, hanging limp in the tight grip. Indigo shook him once, and a harsh cough escaped his bruised throat. He couldn’t form words, and simply nodded his head once, conceding his defeat.
>>>
Barbara had parked Alex’s SUV and was now back on her bike, guiding it towards the abandoned construction site that housed her version of Bruce’s ‘ Batcave’ . She pulled her bike into the empty storage container that housed her garage and the passageway that would take her, underground, to her apartment, two hundred yards away.
As she walked down the dim passageway, she tapped her communicator and dialed Alex’s number.
“Hey Babs, you doing, okay?” Alex answered, a slight hint of tension in her voice.
“I’m okay,” Barbara responded. “I’m going to be bruised all over tomorrow. How’s your leg?” Barbara smiled into the phone as she slid in her next question, “How’s Kara?”
Alex slipped up; her thoughts jumbled by the day’s events and the conversations with her mother and sister. “Kara’s fine, she’ll heal…” Alex bit her tongue to stop talking. “Ah, shit.”
“It’s okay, Alex,” Barbara reassured the other woman. “I figured it out on the way home. Is she really okay?”
“Mom checked her out. It seems that even Kryptonians have limits, and…” Alex paused. “Kara exceeded hers, because I was in danger.”
“No guilt, Alex,” Barbara warned. “You always knew Kara was protective of you, just like you are of her.”
“I know, Barb,” Alex said with a sigh. “She’ll be home in a few hours, and she might need some company.”
“What about you?” Barbara asked.
“I’ve got a date…” Alex responded; her smile obvious through the phone.
>>>
“This is all the footage we were able to get?” Cat asked, her eyes focusing on the screen, watching as Supergirl moved slowly towards the downed auburn headed woman. Her eyes opened wide, and she schooled herself to maintain an air of calm. “Out, all of you, out of my office.” The three men started to leave the room when Cat spoke again, “Winn? Is this the only copy of this event?”
“Y--Yes Ms. Grant,” the camera man responded. “I upgraded the camera a bit, to allow for a bit more…”
“You do excellent work, Winn,” Cat smiled as she turned back to her bank of screens. “Come see me Monday morning, I believe I may have a position available in production?”
The reporter, who was also up for the producer’s position balked at the door. He turned to speak, but was pulled away by James, who was shaking his head in warning.
As the door closed, Cat pressed the remote that lowered her privacy screens, and focused on the woman’s face. As the image came into focus, she pressed her lips together, “Agent Danvers? You seem to get into a great deal of trouble, don’t you?” She set the image back to its original and watched again, this time focusing on Supergirl. She turned her head for a moment as the explosion lit up the screens, turning back in time to catch a look of utter exhaustion on the hero’s face. Her finger pressed the pause button, and a knowing smirk came to her lips, “well, I’ll be damned.”
>>>
Alex had dropped Kara off, run by her apartment, showered, and changed into something comfortable. She found herself pulling up to a small restaurant that she knew was owned by a Naltorian family that was new to National City, smiling as she saw Lucy waiting for her right outside the front door. She disabled the vehicle’s security system, and stepped out of her SUV, handing the keys to the valet, who stared openly at her until she put her fingers in Lucy’s. With a noticeable blush, he drove off to park the truck.
“He was totally checking you out,” Lucy smiled.
Alex licked her lips and brushed her lips across Lucy’s cheek, “nah, he was definitely staring at my date.”
Hand in hand, they made their way to the podium, greeted by a dark-haired girl who introduced herself as Nia.
“Table for three, Lane,” Lucy said.
“Yes, Major Lane,” Nia smiled brightly, “the General hasn’t arrived yet. His usual table, okay?”
Lucy’s mouth dropped open, but her mind told her head to nod, and she gripped Alex’s fingers a little tighter.
Alex looked down at their fingers and realized how surprised Lucy was. “Does the General eat here a lot?”
Nia looked over her shoulder, “oh yes, every time he is in National City. My mother, she was the housekeeper for a friend of his when she first came…” Nia stopped talking at that point.
“Nia, it’s okay,” Alex reassured her, “we know.”
Breathing normally, Nia grinned and continued, “General Lane, he adores mom’s cooking and when we moved here, he helped her with the loan for this place.”
Now Alex and Lucy were speechless as they took their seats.
“White wine for you Major Lane and Agent Danvers, you get whiskey? Neat?” Nia recited.
Both women nodded as the young waitress moved towards the bar. Neither noticed James’ small sports car pull up to the curb.
>>>
Kara had changed and was sitting in front of her TV, nursing her arm, and wishing the pain medication didn’t make her feel so, foggy. She heard a soft knock on her door and looked over her glasses, only remembering at the last minute that she was powerless and stood up, calling out, “who’s there?”
“It’s Barbara,” the voice answered from the other side. “Want some company?”
Kara huffed in frustration as her arm dropped to her side from the unwieldy weight of her cast. She made her way slowly to the door and growled at the deadbolt when she attempted twisting it open. “You okay in there?” Barbara’s soft voice brought a strange feeling to her chest, and she felt her cheeks flush. Switching hands, she got the door unlocked and she pulled it open, a huge grin coming to her face as she saw the bag from Noonan’s dangling in her line of sight, with beautiful brown eyes staring at her from around it.
“I come bearing gifts,” Barbara said from behind the bag, shaking it up and down. Her eyes slipped down to Kara’s arm, and a twinge of sadness filled her chocolate-colored eyes.
Kara saw the look and pulled her arm behind her back, self-consciously. However, she couldn’t help the overwhelming feeling of joy as Barbara tugged her into a tight hug. She returned the hug, slowly at first, bringing her arm up carefully and wrapping it tightly around Barbara’s shoulders. This was something she couldn’t do when she was at full strength, and a wistful sigh escaped her lips at the feeling.
What she didn’t expect was to recognize the feel of a steady, though fast, heartbeat as Barbara pulled her closer. When they parted, Kara stared with wide eyes for just a split second, her eyes falling to Barbara’s lips.
“Pot stickers and green tea,” Barbara teased, catching something like confusion in Kara’s blue eyes. “Alex said you weren’t feeling well and that you hurt your arm.”
Kara caught the lie, and her eyes opened wide for a split second, but her work with Alex and Eliza, plus Alex’s constant reminder to protect herself overrode her initial reaction and the untruth slipped badly from her lips, “I--I slipped--uhm, yeah you know me, Kara the klutz-- I slipped getting off the bus.” She turned away quickly, heading to the kitchen to grab a couple of glasses for the tea and failed to see the knowing smile on Barbara’s lips.
“Let me get those, Kara,” Barbara said with a sly smile.
>>>
Back at the restaurant, James Olson stepped up to the podium, looking down at the small brunette standing before him, “table for one, please?”
He barely heard Nia’s answer, “it will be about a twenty-minute wait.” His eyes were locked on the back corner where Alex and Lucy were sitting, whispering to one another, their fingers locked together on the table.
His large form stormed by the smaller woman and with quick strides he was standing at the table, bringing his large hands down with a loud bang. “This is why we broke up? So, you could get together with HER ?”
Both women jumped, and Alex started to reach for her automatic, when Lucy calmly kissed her cheek and shook her head. In a calm voice, which caused the man before them to shrink slightly, Lucy said in a low, dangerous voice, “keep your voice down!”
“Afraid I’ll embarrass you?” James said with snide sarcasm. “You dump me and are with someone new less than two weeks later?”
Lucy stood up, her small form looking almost dainty next to James’ large body. She poked her finger into his chest, “you are a blowhard and a bully, more interested in how I look on your arm than on our relationship.” She took a breath and stepped closer, “and if you had been paying more attention to me, instead of following Superman all over Metropolis for the last six months of our relationship, you would have fu--realized, we were over long before I came to the gala.”
“I put my career first, just like you did,” James argued, much louder this time. “You went to Washington and spent two years visiting when you had time!”
Lucy’s face was starting to turn an extremely dangerous shade of red and she snatched the man’s collar, pulling him down close, “at least I visited!”
“I’m a photojournalist,” James argued as he jerked away.
“You take pictures of one damn subject and then you leave to come here and be Art Director for CatCo,” Lucy’s temper was getting the better of her. “Were you chasing images, or Ka…?”
James smirked, “jealous much?”
“Jealous of what, James? Your desire to be the center of attention? Your ability to make yourself seem so much more important than you are? Are you jealous of Alex or threatened because I’m with a woman?” Lucy’s voice was getting higher, and Alex reached up to squeeze her hand. The patrons around them started to stare and Nia’s sister started to come around the bar. Nia stopped her and with a nod of her head towards the door, Maeve stopped, a knowing smile coming to her lips.
“Kara’s sister?” James scoffed, “why would I be jealous of her?” He stared down at Alex, “talk about living in someone’s shadow.”
“She has devoted her life to protecting her sister, you glory seeking asshole,” Lucy growled. “If Kara was here right now, I’d be willing to bet she would kick your ass all the way back to Metropolis.”
James hands formed into fist, “you’ll be back, Lucy. Just like two years ago, you’ll be back.”
A huge paw of a hand landed on his shoulder as the words left his mouth, “That, I seriously doubt, son,” General Sam Lane spun the man around, looking him directly in his eyes. “I suggest that you leave. Immediately!”
James tried to shake off the hand, surprised to find that he couldn’t, “I’ll leave when I am damn good and ready.”
Lane took a deep breath, “you’ll leave now, or I will see to it that Catherine knows exactly what happened here tonight. And I am quite sure, Clark would be interested as well.”
Alex stifled a giggle as she watched the man’s Adam’s apple bob up and down. Lucy’s eyes shined at her father as she got her anger under control and took her seat beside Alex.
“Goodbye, Jimmy,” Sam Lane nodded as he released the man’s shoulder. “Leave them alone going forward, and you and I will have no further issues.” He watched as the man left the building and then took his seat.
No sooner had he taken his seat then Nia approached with his drink of choice, whiskey, neat. “Mom said, thank you and she is making your favorite for dinner.”
“Thank you, Nia,” The man responded as he took a sip, “how’s school going?”
“One more year,” she smiled over her shoulder, “thanks to you I have an internship already.”
As Nia walked away, “how are you two doing?”
“We are fine, daddy.” Lucy smiled, “how about you? The guys?”
Sadness filled the man’s eyes for a moment at the loss of his troops, “arrangements are already made.”
Alex recognized the look and attempted to lighten the mood, “I guess this means I have your approval to date Lucy?”
Sam Lane chuckled at Alex’s clumsy attempt to change the subject, “not that you needed it, Alexandra, but yes, I wholeheartedly approve.”
>>>
James stood at the curb, waiting for his car. His thoughts were all over the place. He’d lost Lucy. Not just to anyone, but to Alex, Alexandra Danvers. Everything James wanted to be, was tied to being Superman’s best friend, and it had cost him more than one relationship. Alex had everything he wanted, she was Supergirl’s sister. She had a Super at her disposal, and she was a damn secret agent, who would have kicked his ass if he had so much had considered losing his temper any further with Lucy.
“Dammit,” he whispered to himself and pulled out his cell phone, opened the email app and started a new message to Cat Grant, ‘It with great sorrow that I tender my resignation…”
>>>
At Fort Rozz, T.O. Morrow watched with intense concentration as the replicating device finished forming the body of his Red Tornado.
“Is it ready?” Indigo’s impatient voice asked from over his shoulder.
Morrow jumped and felt long blue fingers land on his shoulders, near his neck, “yes ma’am. We should be ready to activate it under your control in less than an hour.”
“Very good, human,” Indigo said with a bored voice. “Call me when we are ready to proceed.”
“Yes ma’am,” Morrow nodded, relaxing as the woman left the room.
>>>
Kara and Barbara had made their way to the rooftop porch, sitting close on the comfortable couch that came with the building, staring out over the city.
Kara took a sip of wine, relishing the taste and letting it relax her, her bad arm resting comfortably in her lap. She turned her head and just stared at Barbara’s profile. She blew out a breath and reached out for Barbara’s fingers and shivered.
“Are you cold?” Barbara asked with a smile, grabbing the throw they had brought from downstairs and whipping it around them like a cape.
“Barbara.” Kara’s voice was soft and shy as she turned towards her friend. “I--I need to--I want to--I have a secret.”
Barbara tried to hide her smile and she gripped Kara’s hand in hers, “Kara, you can tell me anything?”
Kara exhaled again, “I--I’m not from here. I’m--uhm--from...” She paused a moment, looked up towards the heavens and finally turned back to Barbara, “I’m from Krypton. I came to Earth when I was thirteen and Alex and the Danvers, they--they helped me to fit in.”
Barbara relaxed, never taking her eyes off Kara’s, “go on.”
“Alex was, she was on that plane, the night--the night I first appeared,” Kara smiled weakly. “I knew I could save her; I couldn’t lose her the way we lost Jeremiah.” She stared back over the city once again, “Barbara, I’m her--I’m--I’m Supergirl.”
There was no shock or anger in Barbara’s eyes as Kara turned back to her, “I’m the first person you’ve told, aren’t I?”
Kara nodded, “mmhmm. I’m sorry I hid it; you’ve been a good friend and I shouldn’t have.”
“Kara, we all have secrets, and you already know mine, I think. I figured yours out earlier today,” Barbara admitted with a smile.
“You’re Batgirl,” Kara perked up. “Your heartbeat gave it away.”
“Yes, I had a feeling,” the redhead laughed. “You have a terrible poker face.”
“Alex says the same thing, but what does that mean?” Kara asked, moving closer.
“It means you have a challenging time hiding things, especially your emotions,” Barbara explained with a huge grin. “There’s one thing you don’t know though.”
“Oh really?” Kara asked, her head tilted to the side.
Barbara gripped Kara’s fingers tightly, “I would really love for you to go out to dinner with me?”
“Ohhh,” Kara responded with a shocked expression. “I would love to.” As she answered the question, her fingers folded into Barbara’s.
“Kara Danvers, this has been both a terrible and wonderful day,” Barbara grinned as she pulled the blonde closer.
Kara grinned back, blue eyes searching the night sky for Rao and her courage, then she proudly whispered, “Zor-El, my name is Kara Zor-El.”