Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Reborn

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 22: Midvale

School was done for the year. The night before, Clark played a baseball game with Kara in the stands watching him. And she was smiling. So was Alex. It was surreal, like a dream. He didn’t hit a homerun to win the game or throw a no hitter, but it was quite possibly the best game of his life.

He suspected Kara and Alex would be at the Fortress this afternoon but, as much as he wanted to go to them, his friends insisted that he escort them to the beach that was at the bottom of the cliff his home stood on. With two of his male teammates, Whitney Fordman and Pete Ross, along with his girlfriend, Lana, the group made their way down the narrow path that led down to the place he and his two sisters had spent so much of their time.

On approach, Clark wished he had looked ahead and listened, instead of assuming Alex and Kara were at the Fortress.

The two were laid out on the beach on towels, Kara wearing shades that made her hair appear brunette, with Alex lying next to her.

They were both in bikinis.

“I think we should go.” Clark said and turned to travel back to his house.

Lana grabbed him by the arm. “Isn’t that your sister? Who is she with?”

Clark cleared his throat, annoyed that Whitney and Pete had already locked onto his siblings. “My sister, Kara, is back from Europe. I thought they had a lot of work to do inside, but I guess I was wrong. They probably want to be alone. We shouldn’t disturb them.”

“Hell, no. That’s Kara Danvers?” Pete asked. “I haven’t seen her in like… forever. We should go say hi. It would be polite.”

“No…” Clark started, trying to walk away, but he couldn’t move without hurting Lana who had clamped down on his arm.

Pete hadn’t stopped talking and wasn’t paying any attention to Clark. “Besides, I want to talk to her. She has to tell me what Europe was like. I can’t believe she spent all that time backpacking Europe. That must have been so cool!”

“It wasn’t.” Clark disagreed.

Whitney was having none of it. Like Pete, he was unable to take his eyes off the sisters. “Yeah, it would be rude not to say hi. I’ve never been introduced, Clark. I think we should definitely hang with them. I don’t think I have ever seen Alex in a swimsuit… especially one like that.”

“Enough! They want to be alone…” Clark yelled, still trying to pull away and distract the two teens who were ogling the two, extremely fit women.

“Clark!” the boy heard Kara’s voice call out. He looked and saw she was now sitting up, Alex doing the same. At least she was wearing a large red sunray bracelet on her left arm.

“Come hang with us!” Kara continued.

“Sounds like an invitation to me.” Pete grinned and told his friend, patting Clark on the back and walking quickly towards his sisters with Whitney and Lana on his tail.

When the foursome reached the two women they were standing, waiting.

“Stinky!” Alex greeted him. “I was wondering if you were going to show up here. Have a good last day of school?”

Clark cringed at the nickname.

“Stinky?” Lana asked, a mischievous grin on her face. “I’ve heard her call you Squirt, Munchkin and Clarkie, but Stinky is a new one.”

“Yeah, it’s one that I don’t like, and she isn’t supposed to use outside of the home.” Clark told his oldest sister with a sharp look. “Speaking of home, I thought you two had work to do… inside… away from so much sunlight.”

Kara shrugged her shoulders. “We have been working hard and progress is going well. We both felt the need for some fresh air and water. I needed a little relaxation and I haven’t been here in a long time.”

“Hi, Kara, I’m Whitney, Whitney Fordman.” the taller of Clark’s two friends introduced himself, offering his hand while trying to keep his eyes from roaming, not succeeding in the slightest.

The grin on Kara’s face was as infectious as it was genuine. “Of course. You play third base. I know you of course, Lana. It’s good to see you again. And you are…?”

“Pete Ross. Clark’s best friend.” Pete’s eyes were having just as much trouble as Whitney’s when it came to keeping his gaze from wandering to look at the gorgeous women wearing just enough to be considered clothed. “We started Kindergarten here before he moved off across the country to the big city. It’s been good to have him back. So…”

“Clark said you were in Europe this past year.” Lana interrupted. “What was it like? Did you see all of Europe?”

Kara nodded her head. “I’ve seen every country you can imagine. Europe was… hot. A lot hotter than I expected, I guess you could say.” she finished, winking at Clark who did not find that funny.

Lana looked at a grinning Alex, apparently noticing the faint lines along her stomach. “Alex… did you have surgery? Clark told us you were sick last year, but I could never tell. Where did you get those scars?”

“Sky diving accident.” Alex answered, causing Clark to groan.

“Wow.” Pete said. “You sky dive?”

“Alex and I have been into extreme sports since we were teenagers. I wouldn’t recommend them. The rush isn’t worth the pain.” Kara admitted, smiling at her sister who was obviously enjoying the conversation. “We have recently decided that particular hobby isn’t something we are interested in anymore.”

“Don’t you two have robes?” Clark finally asked, becoming more irritated by the second, his two sisters making thinly veiled jokes about the past and his two male friends drooling over them.

“No. We just came to the beach to get some fresh air. We have to go soon, get back to work. Are you guys going to swim?” Kara asked.

“You want to swim with us?” Pete asked, not answering the question. “I would love too.”

“We didn’t bring suits.” Clark pointed out. “Besides, my sisters have to get back to work on their special project in the basement. Right, Kara?”

“Yeah… okay.” Kara agreed glancing in confusion at Alex who was grinning wickedly at their little brother. “Let’s go, Alex. I guess we should leave our beach, for Clark.”

Kara and Alex picked up their towels from the sand and walked away, leaving Clark and his friends alone.

The boy slapped the back of Pete’s head, careful not to overdo his strength regardless of how irritated he was. “Stop watching my sisters walk away, dude!”

Pete shook his head, rubbing it where Clark had popped him, but not even pretending to stop watching. “Sorry, not sorry, man. Your sisters are really, really hot.”

Kara and Alex made the trek up the path to their childhood home.

“What was up with Clark? He seemed upset. My solar levels are steadily dropping. I can’t stay in the Fortress every minute of the day. I do need to get fresh air sometimes. It’s not like I didn’t have a bracelet on.”

Alex shook her head, laughing. “I think Clark was more upset about his friends seeing us. They aren’t little kids anymore, Kara.”

Kara shook her head, disagreeing. “We weren’t little kids when we were his age because we couldn’t afford to be. He has every reason to be a little kid. I get that he has been through a lot but what does… oh… you mean his friends…”

“Were looking at us like a wolf looks at raw meat.” Alex finished her thought as Kara’s eyes went wide, before she too, grinned, understanding now why Clark’s face turned the shade of red it did. Alex continued, “We needed to get back regardless. I want to see the progress Kelex made on the new device. If this works we could lessen your solar ray absorption significantly faster.”

Kara snorted. “Right, Project ‘Solar Flare’. If this doesn’t work, do you know what could happen?”

Alex nodded her head. “That’s why you are doing it at night… outside… in the most remote place on Earth. If it doesn’t work, throw it into the sky. I’ll be inside and can get back to the drawing board.”

“We have to go to a meeting tomorrow night after therapy.” Kara cautiously reminded her.

To her relief, Alex simply nodded. “I know, we will be there.”

“How bad is it for you? The memories, I mean. Do you feel my… need?” she asked hesitantly.

Alex nodded her head, a chill entering her body despite the warmth of the day. She reached out and took Kara’s hand, squeezing reassuringly. “Don’t you? Of course I feel it. I don’t want you to worry, though, it’s okay. We won’t go back to that place. Let’s get home. I’m thinking in three days we can give the solar flare device a test drive. Everything else, we will take it as it comes. We will win, I promise.”

Kara smiled at her sister’s enthusiasm and her concerns were relieved. She knew they would win. They always did eventually.

UNC Raleigh

After several possibilities and investigations, Brainiac 5 hoped he had finally found his woman. He had visited seven universities, meeting seven doctors who specialized in some type of biomedical or bioengineering research who fit the general description of the Angel. Despite being the right height and estimated weight, along with the shorter hair, he knew none was the Angel.

For one thing, they didn’t have the athleticism to be the woman he was looking for. They had attitudes ranging from superior to others, to helpful, to naturally dull. Their eyes were tired perhaps, as they all dedicated most of the hours of their day to teaching and research, but they didn’t have the subtle characteristics he was looking for.

Brainy was looking for a woman who carried herself as a warrior and had the eyes of a person who had killed over 400 people in the last year, who had fought aliens and metahumans for years at Supergirl’s side. None of the women he had interviewed so far looked traumatized by life nor had a deep anger behind their eyes. The Coluan may have based his investigation on information and dwindling down a suspect pool, but he never underestimated human emotions and the traits similar humans displayed. None of the women he met looked as if they would kill him without a second thought if they knew he was a threat.

Now he had arrived at UNC Raleigh, hoping that one of his last two potential suspects would be the one.

Dr. Alexandra Danvers was a researcher in the Bioengineering department and part time CDC consultant.

Unfortunately, Brainy was unable to find Dr. Danvers. Instead, he only found her secretary, Sue, who seemed to have no clue about life in general. He decided perhaps he could turn this into an advantage.

“What is your name?” the affable young woman asked. “I could send Dr. Danvers a text, asking her to call you?”

“I’m Dr. Allen Morris, Stanford University. I’ve been offered a position here and wanted to take a tour myself before I decided. I have been following Dr. Danvers career and wanted to meet one of the brightest minds the University has to offer and get to know my potential colleagues. How long has she been gone?”

Sue’s bright smile made it no secret that she was infatuated with the handsome young ‘doctor’.

“Since ‘Supergirl Day’ so it’s been a little over two weeks, I guess. She sent an email after ‘Supergirl Day’ that said she was going to be on an extended field assignment with the CDC and didn’t know how long it would take. Her parents haven’t been around much since then either. They all work here. How cool is that? A family of geniuses, here under one roof.”

Brainy was excited to learn this piece of information. If his quarry was the woman he hoped her to be, he would also learn the identity of the people who raised Supergirl and Superman. “Her parents have been gone as well? Do they do CDC work? I understood Dr. Danvers only performed consulting jobs for the CDC. I didn’t realize she worked in the field.”

Sue replied. “I don’t think her parents have anything to do with the CDC. Dr. Danvers hasn’t taken any field assignments in months and those were last minute assignments that only lasted a few days at most. They must be rough. She comes back exhausted and once she was limping. She is a pretty tough lady though. Maybe since her parents have been gone, they all decided to take a vacation. Dr. Danvers really needs one. Between her work here, her work with the CDC plus her solar research…”

Brainy perked up at that statement. “Solar research?”

Sue looked a bit guilty at that information slipping out. “I don’t think it is attached to the University so let’s keep that to ourselves. I’ve heard her on the phone sometimes talking to someone about solar flares, weird radiation spikes. I admit I didn’t understand it all, but I’m not a scientist. Still, she really needs time off. You know… now that I think about it, the last time I saw her, she mentioned her little brother would be getting out of school for the summer soon, so maybe they all went to Europe to see her sister.”

“Her sister?” Brainy asked, surprised. “She lives in Europe?” In all his research on Alexandra Danvers, there was no mention of her having a sister or brother. His excitement was growing now.

“Yep.” Sue confirmed. “She moved to Europe a couple days after the invasion. I think she is an artist or something. Dr. Danvers doesn’t really talk about her. I asked her once and she just told me her sister was in Europe and didn’t want to talk about it. Dr. Danvers isn’t one for chitchat, but she is a cool boss, not stuffy like so many of the researchers here. Anyway, since I have no idea when she will be back, I would be glad to show you around the department, the university, I can even show you the nightlife around Raleigh. You would be surprised how much fun there is to be had here.”

Brainy was thinking rapidly now, trying to hold his excitement in check. “That sounds great. I wonder if you could do me a great favor. Would you mind bringing us a cup of coffee from the cafeteria while I go the restroom? We can meet back here, and you can show me the sights.”

Sue smiled brightly and stood up, taking the offered money from Brainy’s hand. After giving him directions to the nearest restroom, Sue ran off, leaving Brainy alone.

The Coluan took two paperclips from her desk and moved to the door that displayed Dr. Danvers’s nameplate along with her various degree designations and picked the lock with ease. Once he was inside, he was certain he had found his woman.

He looked under her desktop and saw a small Glock 9mm in its holster strapped underneath, in easy reach but hidden from sight to anyone who didn’t know where to look. This was the type of thing he would expect from the Angel.

He rifled through her papers, then hacked into her computer, searching her files. He found research notes on different experiments and papers she had completed or was working on. He saw her CDC casefiles and emails but no mention of any field assignments.

Then the man turned from the computer and noticed what had been right in front of him.

A framed photo on the desk, two young girls on the beach, arms wrapped around each other, sand and water in their hair, both smiling brightly. One he knew was Dr. Danvers, the brunette with long dark hair but the other, was a shorter, slightly younger, blonde with blue eyes. An inscription at the bottom of the frame showed a date along with two names: Alex and Kara.

He was looking at a young Supergirl. Awestruck, he whispered to himself, while unconsciously addressing the image of the young blonde. “Amazing. Kara Zor El. Kara Danvers. That was your Earth name.”

Sue had said that she had gone to Europe a few days after the Invasion. Brainy had a feeling she wasn’t in Europe though. He knew what happened to Kara Zor El Danvers during the invasion. All of history knew what happened.

Brainy fought the urge to take the framed photo, leaving the priceless piece of history in its spot on the desk and left quickly, avoiding Sue. He had what he needed. Alexandra, no… Alex Danvers lived near her parents in a remote house on the edge of the ocean. Kara Danvers had been Supergirl and Alex Danvers had been the woman in the shadows, a former DEO agent but now a renowned scientist; a woman smart enough at the age of 19 to defeat Indigo and years later, to kill a Worldkiller.

He found Garth and Lar in the Quad sitting on the same bench he had left them on.

“Another strike out?” Garth guessed.

Brainy smiled widely, barely keeping his hands from shaking. Unable to hide his excitement, he said, “Far from it. I just solved one of history’s biggest mysteries. I know the human identity of Kara Zor El. Dr. Alexandra Danvers, or ‘Alex’ as she is called, is her adopted sister. She is the Angel, no doubt about it. She lives about 30 minutes away in Midvale, close to her parents who also work here as research scientists. We have to go there now. Her assistant said Alex has been away from the university for some time. I also learned she has a little brother that I suspect is going to grow up to be Superman one day. Do you realize what this will mean for written history?”

Lar thought for a moment, feeling surprise then irritation. “Do you realize we left our time period on the brink of destruction?”

Brainy waved it off. “Once we have the power source we will return a second after we left. At dark we will fly to Midvale.”

“No. Slow down.” Garth told him. “Everything we have learned about this woman; she was able to kill aliens with ease and went on a rampage after Supergirl died. She doesn’t seem to be the type of woman who would just open her door to us with welcoming arms. We need to do recon, figure out a way to approach her. If we just show up on her doorstep, she is going to come out shooting and any chance of us getting any power source from her is gone. Like you said Brainy, we have the time. We can’t screw this up.”

Brainy nodded, his enthusiasm tempered by his friend’s well thought out argument. “You are right. This will give us a chance to look into the school records, find out Superman’s grades and most likely Supergirl’s grades. We can see Superman from a distance, observe his movements…”

“How can you be so smart and yet so stupid?” Lar asked. “Superman, even at this age, probably has his powers. You think breaking into schools isn’t going to attract attention? We are here on a mission. The important thing is how to approach Alex Danvers and to approach her at time when a young Superman isn’t near her. We go there, we observe, determine her patterns, stay away from Superman and his freaky good vision and come up with a good way to approach her that doesn’t involve us fighting for our lives or hurting her and changing the timeline. I realize you have a hero worship thing for Supergirl, Brainy, but what we have learned from the other aliens we have spoken to tells us that she had a major violent streak. Her sister does as well. Who knows what Superman, or Superboy I guess, is capable of? Yeah, he was Superman, the symbol of hope and savior of Earth and all that, but right now? His last link to Krypton died a year ago. What do you think he is going to be like?”

Brainy pondered this, thousands of thoughts running through his head. He sighed, realizing his friends were right to be cautious. “We will know more when we reach Midvale. For now let’s eat and wait for dark.”

The Fortress of Solitude

Kara sat on a bench, very bored. She was down to a sports bra and soccer shorts, a red sun bracelet on both wrists, ankles, and upper arms. At this point she wouldn’t be surprised if she would be asked to put on a collar. She hoped Alex wasn’t thinking of designing one.

She felt like a red glow bug. Though she knew the goal, to get her solar levels back to normal so she could once again have the chance to feel human, to be human in everything except DNA, she was growing weary of the color red.

She had focused on her good memories, shying away from the bad that she had just relived, hers and Alex’s. Kara told herself that mulling them over again and again would do her no good.

She had to hold onto her sanity and make sure Alex did the same.

So, she watched everyone carefully. Alex was working with Kelex on this device Kara was a bit uncertain about but was willing to give a try. Her parents were studying her cells and solar absorption rates. Despite her insistence on beach time that afternoon, her power levels were steadily dropping. She no longer felt like she could knock the Earth out of orbit by performing a handstand. Now she only felt as if she could throw an aircraft carrier into space with enough force to knock the moon out of its orbit.

Kara had used drugs and alcohol for so long with her powers she had forgotten how her body felt when it was its normally superpowered self, before Myriad. She had always been afraid of losing control growing up and she now felt even more out of control. Everything around her used to feel as if it were glass or even paper at times. Now it was worse. She controlled herself, used a lighter touch than ever before but was anxious for these powers to go away. They were making her feel isolated and that was a feeling Kara had been too familiar with all her life.

Instead of carrying on that train of thought, she sat back and kept a close eye on her parents and Alex. Compared to the hostility that had been present when Kara first returned, they were polite to each other, yet there was an undercurrent of tension. Kara almost had the feeling they were being polite for her sake. She understood why, knew Alex’s feelings and also knew how close Alex had come to reacting with violence towards them over the past year. But Astra’s words remained in her head.

Alex could not let her hate turn her into something unrecognizable. They had all changed and the blonde knew she was what tore them apart and it would be up to her to pull them back together.

“Hello, Leslie.” Kara said, having heard the heartbeat behind her minutes earlier when the portal was active. “You are getting braver and braver using the portal like you have been. I told you, it was easy to become used to.”

“How are you feeling?” the doctor asked with no preamble.

“Like I could crack Mars in half with one swing.” Kara admitted. “But it’s better than a few days ago. I’m a bit concerned about using my heat vision full blast into a set of glasses, but what’s the worst that can happen? I’ll blow the glasses up and my eyes will still be fine.”

“You are actually going through with that?” Leslie asked, having heard Kelex suggest it to Alex but thinking it sounded crazy. “I would think building something like that would be more your thing.”

Kara shrugged her shoulders. “I’m watching them. It’s Kelex’s idea and Alex approves. I’ll do anything to be able to get a red crystal back in my body as soon as possible.”

Leslie watched Kara’s face for any signs of deception. Seeing none, she had a seat next to the girl and continued. “And what happens the next time some big, dangerous alien shows up on Earth and starts tearing through cities?”

Kara looked at the floor then looked Leslie in the eye. “I’m bringing my family to the Fortress and hoping Bruce and his old friends can figure something out. Supergirl is dead, Leslie. She is never coming back. I would rather die first. If she were to come back, I may as well be dead. After everything I remembered… I’m scared. I used to be scared of what would happen to the world if I stopped. Now I am scared of what would happen to all of us if I started again. It can’t happen. I won’t allow it.”

Leslie was satisfied. She could hear the fear in Kara’s voice that she tried to hide behind certainty.

“So… what do you see?” Leslie asked, motioning with her head towards her family.

“Alex is still angry, Mom and Dad feel guilty, Kelex is Kelex, trying to play the peacemaker and I have a problem with Clark thinking he is my Dad. He’s also become bitter, angry and I have to fix that. I can’t let him become me. Whether he ever dons that suit or not, he can’t become me.”

Leslie shook her head. “He can’t be the you that you used to be. That girl burned up in the sun. What you are now, you are a blank slate. Your future is what you make it.”

Kara smiled, agreeing with the woman.

“I need them whole for my future to be a good one.” she told Leslie, looking at her split family working on different but similar projects yet not talking to each other.

“Leave that to me. You worry about you. I’ll handle the rest.” Leslie said bluntly. “So, since you are sitting here resembling a red glow bug, we may as well get some work done ourselves. Given any thought to plans past getting your skin soft enough to perform surgery?”

To Leslie’s surprise, Kara nodded her head. “As soon as I can leave the Fortress, live full time in my home, I am going to talk to Miss Evans. I am sure I missed my job offer since I have been sunbathing for the past year, but I need to finish my classes and find an opening somewhere nearby. Maybe I can commute to Raleigh. There are a lot of schools there.”

“You still want to be a teacher?” Leslie asked.

Kara nodded her head. “I want the rest of my life filled with music and art… and love. If I can’t find a job, I’ll volunteer. I still have over $20 million in a Cayman account from my side work with Selena Kyle, not to mention stealing Max Lord’s project info and selling it to his competitor. Maybe I will start my own afterschool group, a club of some sort, showcasing music and art. I may not have had much control over the first part of my life, but I will control the rest of my life.”

Kara hesitated then, her thoughts swirling, not sure how to express a deep-seated fear she had in words. She took a few even breaths to settle her mind. “I am concerned though. Bruce and J’onn already know about me. How long will Kara Danvers be living her life until someone else from my past finds out? What do I do if they start to pressure me?”

Leslie had thought of this often. “I don’t know, Kara. What will you do if it happens?”

Kara sat quietly, contemplating the question seriously for the first time without stressing out about it. Eventually, she saw what Leslie already knew. “Nothing. There would be nothing I can do. With a couple of exceptions, whoever finds me will have to stay out of my life.”

Leslie’s eyebrow raised at her response, seeming to be both pleased and a little concerned. “Exceptions? Do I even need to guess? A certain someone with an affinity for dressing up like a bat?”

Kara laughed at that description of her friend. The woman was extremely sharp and knew her well. “Yeah, but Bruce is different. Bruce and I… we never had the bond Alex and I do obviously, but we understood each other. I can’t see cutting myself off from him. He is like my brother in every way… even if I did throw myself at him when I was drunk once.”

“You did?!” Leslie asked, a look of shock on her face to match the tone of her voice.

Kara could feel her face growing red even as she dutifully recounted what she could remember. “Yeah, one of those drunken fuzzy memories I tried in the past not to focus on. Even offered to wear black vinyl and use a whip before passing out. Not my best moment.

“Also, J’onn… despite what I put him through as a kid, he never gave up on me. He never once turned me down when I asked for help, even though I was so mean to him. He just took it and kept loving me anyway. Besides those two and Alfred, there is only one other person I want to know, to be a part of my new life.”

Leslie’s eyes were wide, noting Kara’s hesitance. “Please don’t tell me…”

“Lobo.” Kara confirmed, seeing the look of misgiving on her therapist’s face.

“Any particular reason?” Leslie asked carefully.

“He is lonely. He was there for me and Alex whenever we needed him, even if it was just for a laugh. We understood each other. Maybe if I can change, he can see… that he can find peace. He always believed he was born evil. I admit he isn’t the most… sane person and something in him is very dark but I’ve seen the loving side of him. When he is with me and Alex, he shows us a side no one else has ever seen. He is my friend, like another brother… except he asks to have sex with me often… so probably not the best analogy. Regardless, he is one of the few people in my life I love unconditionally and who treats me the same.”

Leslie shook her head. “If you tell that psycho space monster that you are alive, I am not giving him therapy. Your robot was my limit.”

Kara snorted. “Yeah, he isn’t someone who could open up.”

Shaking her head, her heart aching a little at what she was going to admit next. She took a deep breath, before looking Leslie in the eyes. She wanted the woman to know she was sincere in her desire and what the costs would be to attain her new life. “Alex is going to have to cut off contact with some of her friends. I wish she didn’t have to, but I know it will be necessary if I am to remain dead.”

“Jason Connolly?” Leslie asked.

Kara nodded. “Yeah, him and Dick Grayson. We may have used each other but Dick and Alex were genuine friends. Clark is going to have to cut off contact with Hawk who has been his friend for as long as he can remember. Mom is going to have to distance herself from Jessica Ryan, then most likely cut her off completely. But you were right, Leslie. The more people that know the truth, the greater the temptation. It sucks, but that’s the way it is, the way it has to be. It has to come down to me and my family, what’s best for us.”

“And one day, when your brother puts on that suit?” Leslie questioned.

Kara was silent for a moment, thinking through what the doctor had asked, not sure really how she would feel. “I’ll deal with it when the time comes. He has a great destiny. I know it, I can feel it. I’ll be there for whatever he needs but he will have to take that journey alone.”

Leslie sat quietly for a moment, glad to discover Kara had given these issues thought. Clark would be another issue one day, but she knew Clark would never let Kara or Alex become involved in his destiny, at least not in the public eye or involving weapons or superpowers. He loved them too much to ever let them travel down that road again.

Kara continued. “The one thing I want Clark to learn from my mistakes, is to never kill unless you absolutely have no choice. That leaves a stain on your soul not even being burned up and rebuilt in the sun can change.”

She heard the portal open and knew it could only be Clark.

“Speaking of, I suppose we can talk later after ‘Super Eavesdropper’ goes to sleep.” Kara told her.

Leslie nodded and stood up, walking towards Alex, no doubt to subtly gauge her mood and learn more about the experimental device she was working on.

As Kara expected, Clark walked straight to her, so she stood to greet him.

“What was that all about?” the boy asked, anger evident in his expression. “The beach?”

Kara shrugged her shoulders. “What about it? My absorption levels are going down and I needed air. I hadn’t been there in a while, so I put on a bracelet and caught…”

“In a bikini? Both of you? Seriously?” Clark asked, his voice rising slightly, but not enough to get the attention of his other family members.

Kara placed a hand on her brother’s shoulder. He was nearly her height now and towered over his classmates.

“Clark, I love you so much, but there is something you need to understand.” She turned and pointed towards their parents. “Do you see the man standing next to Mom, staring at a digital representation of my body’s DNA, cells and organic tissues?”

“Dad?” the boy asked, and Kara rolled her eyes. Who else would she be talking about.

“Exactly. He is my Dad. Not you. I know you have all been through a lot this past year, for most of my life for that matter, but it wasn’t easy on me either. It wasn’t easy on Alex. I am here, I am not going anywhere, ever again, but I need for you to be my little brother. I already have a Dad. If I want to visit the beach in a bathing suit, swim in the ocean I love in my favorite spot in the world, I will. I’m sorry if your friends couldn’t pick their jaws up from the sand and it embarrassed you. That wasn’t my intention, but people are going to look at me and Alex. We aren’t joining a convent just because your friends are going through puberty. If it is such a problem for you, let us know the next time you are taking friends out there and we will stay far away.”

Clark was speechless for a moment, a range of emotion filling him, including guilt, embarrassment and a little anger.

“I…”

“You what?” Kara questioned calmly.

“Nothing. Sorry. I just want you to be normal… I mean…” Clark trailed off, obviously not knowing how to say what he truly wanted without upsetting her.

Kara responded knowingly. “I know what you mean but I want you to be my little brother again, not my keeper or boss. I love you, Clark. I’ve always looked out for you and yeah, sometimes I did a crappy job. Sometimes I couldn’t look out for myself. I put all of you through some horrible things that were completely my fault. I wish I could go back and change a lot of things, but I can’t. I just want to live now with my family… my parents, my big sis and my little brother. Can you be that little brother for me, Clark?”

Clark slowly relaxed, realizing he may have overreacted. “I’ll let you know the next time we are going to the beach.”

“Awesome! I’ll have my bikini ready.” Kara told him with a wink. Clark punched her in the shoulder and laughed, the first genuine laugh he had in a very long time. “Everyone is working. Why don’t we go to the Southeast corner and play Fortnite on the crystal screen?”

“You suck at that game.” Clark said without hesitation.

“I know… I need the practice. You up for it or do you want to watch the science nerds do their thing? Maybe you can have a session with Leslie since she is here.”

Clark shook his head, none of those ideas sounding good, especially the last one. “Fortnite it is. You realize you have no hope of beating me?”

Kara smiled and pointed to the suit he would one day wear. “Never underestimate the power of hope.”