Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Survivors

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 28: The end of the beginning

“You want Alex and I to go out and have fun tonight.”

“Kara, stop it.” Jeremiah ordered.

“You want Alex and I to go out and have fun tonight.”

“Kara, no matter how many times you try it, a Jedi Mind Trick is not one of your powers. I don’t think you are going to pick up anymore.”

Kara huffed, hopping on her hotel bed, while Eliza stood behind Jeremiah trying not to laugh. As much as Kara hated her powers, she alway wanted to be able to perform a Jedi Mind Trick. Since once again it hadn’t worked, she would fall back to her primary power.

Pouting.

“Stop that. We can all go out, have dinner early and then get some sleep. We have to be at the airport at 8 AM and Clark is grumpy…”

“Which is why you guys should get some rest. Kara and I feel great. You know we don’t need as much rest as you humans.” Alex reminded him, once again asserting her alien nature since Clark wasn’t in the room, causing Kara to break her pouting technique and laugh out loud.

“Please Dad? Its our last night in Metropolis. Kara and I can take care of ourselves. We just want to go to the Emperor Building.”

“We went there yesterday.” he reminded his girls, not liking the idea of them being out in this city alone at night.

“Yes but it was daytime. We want to see the city at night. Metropolis is the same size as National City and in a few months we will be living there ourselves.” Kara fairly pointed out. “You won’t have a problem with us going out at night there, would you?”

“Actually I do. UNC Raleigh has an excellent…” Jeremiah stopped talking when Eliza cleared her throat. There was no point. Kara would be going to National City one way or another. At least this would buy her and Alex time to go to college and maybe the DEO to actually beat the Kryptonians and other escapees.

“Fine, but be back by midnight and keep your phones on you. I will be calling and I expect answers.”

“Yes Daddy.” both girls said at the same time and kissed his cheek. They grabbed handbags and after giving a quick hug to Eliza they were gone.

Jeremiah sat down in an arm chair by the suite’s sole desk.

“They will be fine. I love how you treat Kara as if she is breakable. Secretly, she loves it too.” his wife told him.

“She is breakable. We both know that. In a few months… she told Jessica she wouldn’t see her anymore. She won’t have a journal we can watch, talk her through episodes, stay with her. Who is going to count backwards with her when she is about to have an attack?”

“She hasn’t had one in a long time.”

“Because she cuts herself.” he reminded his wife. “She had one after the hospital. I know she has been having nightmares about that. When I check on her at night I can hear her mumbling, apologizing to burnt children.”

“I can too.” Eliza admitted. She wondered how long it would be after the girls moved out that Jeremiah would not wake up at two and Eliza at five to check on her. It had become such routine they hardly thought about it anymore or needed an alarm. A simple check of the room, making sure Kara was breathing deeply, not faking sleep, and a small cell phone light to check her white long sleeved pajamas for any sign of blood.

“She won’t do well without us, Eliza. Being that close to the activity, she could… she isn’t ready. Mentally and emotionally she isn’t ready.”

“She won’t do anything to risk Alex and Alex won’t let her hurt herself.”

“Alex can’t stop her.”

“Yes she can and you know it.” Eliza argued.

“Not when she doesn’t know about it. They are going to have different classes in college. They may still live together but for the first time since Kara came to us, those two are going to spend the majority of the day away from each other. Kara is going to be alone for most of the day and maybe the night. We may have always talked about giving her space but we really haven’t. She has never been away from one of us for more than a few hours. What is going to happen when she is on her own?”

“Would you rather keep her home? Hide her away in our house, never go to college, never have a life?”

“I… sometimes, as wrong as it is, I think I would. I would let her live in her room forever, painting, selling what she wanted or opening some shop, maybe restoring motorcycles and cars. She would be good at that. Something, anything to keep her near. Alex can handle life, handle the world. Kara has gotten better but she can fall back so easily. You know she can hardly talk to strangers without Alex around. I hoped she would at least continue therapy but that doesn’t look to be the case. When she is stressed, when she is sad or worried, how long do you think it will be before she burns herself or snaps a bone? On days when she is too depressed to get out of bed, you know Alex won’t make her. Or if she does, Kara will just come right back home. Maybe we should move to National City and Kara can live with us.”

Eliza shook her head. “Absolutely not. Kara wants Clark to grow up here, the same place she has grown up, and his home. Do you not understand what a miracle it is that she is leaving him with us to go off to college? You remember how protective she was over him even a year after they moved in she worried like a mother does. She would grill me about how many vegetables he ate when she came home from school. She loves being around him.”

Jeremiah nodded his head.

“Exactly. The only time she had ever been so willing to leave him before was when she was planning on going after Astra and Non and dying in the process. You know she will! Alex knows it. Thats why Alex gave in so easily in going to NCU. She knows Kara is going after them and Kara would have probably preferred Alex stay away.”

Eliza wrapped her arms around her seated husband from behind. He leaned his head back onto her chest.

“It’s going to be okay. Somehow it will work out.” she whispered.

“How do you know?”

“I just have to believe it, Jeremiah. Hope is all we have. It will get us through. It’s gotten us this far. I need to get Clark out of the bath before he prunes.”

While the parents lamented the future of their youngest daughter and the state of her mental and emotional health, the daughter in question and her older sister were in a taxi near the Emperor Building. Though Luthorcorp and the Daily Planet buildings were as tall and taller in Luthorcorp’s case, the Emperor Building was the only one in Metropolis that had a public viewing deck. After a short taxi ride, both girls were in the elevator to the top. Stepping out onto the observation deck, both took their phones and snapped various pictures of the city scape from many angles. Metropolis at night was a beautiful scene, one they enjoyed for three minutes.

“How many have you taken?” Alex asked.

“Sixteen, more than enough to prove we were here.”

“I’ve got ten. Don’t want to use up all my data. Time to party.”

“I can’t believe I am about to wear a dress that is small enough to fit in my purse in addition to these shoes.” Kara mumbled half heartedly but was secretly slightly looking forward to this. Both teens made it to the restroom and within ten minutes, clothes had been changed, makeup applied and shoes changed and adjusted adding height to both girls. Within minutes they looked like runway models in hot dresses. While Alex wore a short form fitting red halter bodycon dress, Kara had dressed in a black strapless dress that barely fell to mid thigh. Both girls hair flowed freely down their backs.

“Leave the glasses on if you insist but no pretending to be a dork tonight. You be you, got it?”

“An emotionally scarred, basket case alien with a perfect body?” Kara asked to be sure. Alex took a deep breath.

“A gorgeous blonde who looks like a fitness model and never has to work out for perfect slim muscle tone. My happy little knockout sister.”

“I’m not going to pick up a guy Alex. Why don’t we just go to a gay club? There are a lot of them in Metropolis.”

“Because I am not going to try and pick up a girl. Its time we practiced our dance moves in a real world setting and this is as real as it gets. The place is the place in Metropolis. This club is a huge deal. If we can slip in, smile big and show off some goods tastefully of course, who knows who we might see? Celebrities visit this club.”

“Okay, but don’t expect me to flirt.” Kara warned as the two rode the elevator down, looking quite a bit different than when they rode up.

“Wouldn’t dream of it. I’m just happy that you are standing up straight, wearing that dress which looks great on you and plan to dance in public.”

“You told me I had to.” Kara grumbled. Although a bit excited, she was not sold on this idea. Crowds, loud music, loud noises from people, hundreds of bodies sweating along with cigarette smoke and assorted other smells all in an enclosed space, was not her idea of a good time. But Alex wanted this and Kara would not disappoint. She also wouldn’t let Alex visit anywhere in this city alone. The blonde alien’s ears picked up everything. This city was full of crime, despair, pain, despite its gleaming, beautiful appearance. It was very different from Midvale. In Midvale things were slow, no one bothered anyone much. Alex had teammates they both hung out with and since Kara’s incident with Becky in eighth grade, that girl had never bothered them again, nor any of her friends. While still not extremely popular, the two sisters were not outcasts, not targets and definitely not talked about. It was understood that the Danvers sisters kept to themselves for the most part and others should leave them alone.

“By the way, you know Dad is going to kill us if he ever finds out we got these dresses much less wore them. He will literally kill us. Probably break his whole no Kryptonite rule to do it. Since you are the oldest your death will be the most painful.” the blonde pointed out.

“Like I said, worth it. Now remember, if we see a celebrity we can’t go nuts. We have to act like we belong.”

The two found a taxi and rode very far away from the landmark they were supposed to be visiting, that was actually a very impressive bathroom for the two, to prepare for a night of clubbing. Nothing was ever easy for the Danvers sisters however. The first problem was at the door. Bypassing the line as Alex had seen many do in movies, they were stopped by the doorman.

“Where do you two think you are going?”

“Inside. We are expected.” Alex told him confidently, despite the man’s size, crew cut and intimidating stare. He was nearly as large as Dan Hawk. The brunette wished she had Clark’s pet giant with her now.

“Expected by who? I’m going to need to see some ID. I doubt you two are 21.”

Kara stepped up and looked him in the eye.

“You want to let us in…”

“Kara stop. For the last damn time you aren’t a Jedi. Let’s go…” Alex told her. She knew a battle she couldn’t win and felt no need to continue fighting it. Kara was right, there were a few lesbian clubs around according to the internet. She could check it out and if she got bothered by unwanted attention she could always make Kara say she was her girlfriend again.

“They are okay, Mike. They are with us.”

Both girls turned around and saw the bald head of Lex Luthor, his sister Lena on his arm. Lex was dressed fashionably in slacks, cotton pull over and tan jacket while Lena wore a blood red floor length halter top and lip stick to match.

“Right this way, ladies.” The guard stood aside without a word and a very surprised Alex and Kara walked in behind them.

Lena motioned for them to follow once inside and the two trailed the Luthor siblings to the second floor while Kara gritted her teeth and held Alex’s hand, trying to drown out the sounds by focusing on Alex’s heartbeat as usual when in a new place. Within thirty seconds she let go of her sisters now cramped hand and relaxed her jaw. She had this.

Both girls were surprised when another large man in a tuxedo opened the door to a room. Inside was a large semi circular sofa with a coffee table in front.

The four had a seat and once the door closed, the sound was cut off. In front of them was a glass wall, looking over the club and the dance floor below.

“Wow. How did you get this place?” Kara asked, extremely impressed.

“I had it built when I bought the club. A nice place for my innocent sister to visit and keep her out of trouble. If left to her own devices I would never be able to get her off the dance floor.” Lex told them. “Now I have to say I am surprised to see you two here. When you both missed the conference yesterday and today, I assumed your father sent Kara back to North Carolina to make sure we had no further contact and you accompanied her, Alex.”

“What? Oh no. We just had a lot we wanted to see so Mom and Dad took breaks from the symposium to show us around. Its a great city.” Alex admitted.

“I like it. Kara, since as your father pointed out sternly, you are 17, I am assuming he does not know you are here or that you are making my club much more enticing by wearing that dress?”

“Lex! Stop. Ignore him Kara. He can’t resist a woman who is not intimidated or impressed by his name.” Lena explained. “Would you two like drinks? We can have whatever brought up.”

“Oh no, drinks… probably a very bad idea.” Alex told them, imagining her parents reactions if they ever found out. “I was thinking we would dance, if that is… okay. I realize you two got us in…”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Leave your purses here and we can dance, or at least us girls can. Lex refuses to dance. He is too dignified for that. This room is the most secure in the club.”

The three women moved downstairs and into the throng. After a few minutes, Kara was once again able to turn down the volume on the crowd and relax, just focusing on the music and the movement of her body. The floor was crowded but that was fine. She held it together.

Alex was having a blast but also kept an eye on her little sister. Kara was smiling, seeming to be in the moment and relaxed. The second her eyebrow twitched, her forehead scrunched or she clenched a fist, the two were out of there, no matter who got them in.

After an hour, the music changed from dance music to a surprisingly slow song, not something typical of a high energy dance club. Kara turned to walk off when she nearly walked into Lex.

“A dance? Just one? My sister is taking your sister to meet the Kardashian, the very tall one I think, and I despise them.”

“Kara! Look who is over there! Play it cool, Lena is going to introduce us.” Alex told her quickly.

Kara looked at her sister, looked over at her least favorite Kardashian, she was honestly fed up by all of them at this point in the show, and back at Lex. Since he had been kind enough to get Alex and her in, she supposed one wouldn’t kill her.

“I’ll check it out later. Lex wants to dance.”

Alex looked confused for a moment then turned a suspicious eye on the man in question.

“I promise my intentions are honorable, Alex.”

“You sure?” she asked her sister. “I know she isn’t your favorite but maybe the others are around…”

“Go Alex, then come back and dance with me.”

Alex reluctantly went off with a smirking Lena, who was well aware of her brother’s penchant for getting what he wanted.

Kara awkwardly danced, not having much or any experience slow dancing with anyone outside of Jeremiah teaching her a waltz. Lex did not seem to care.

“My sister is very taken with you. I hope the two of you can become good friends next year. Lena does not have many friends who are not put off or trying to be associated with the Luthor name.”

“Your sister is cool. I imagine she has a lot of friends.”

“There are over five hundred people in this club right now and about a hundred of them are A or B listers. I know them all and they know me. I am not friends with any of them. True friends are hard to come by. Lena is more guarded than most. She has been used by girls before to boost their own popularity. She is very important to me. I am very glad she met you. She just wouldn’t stop talking about you.”

“Yeah, I liked her too. It will be nice to already know someone at NCU next year. Alex and I have never actually been to the city. We plan to apartment hunt this summer and try to get the lay of the land so to speak.”

“I am sure you will find it to your liking. My sister seems to. Cat Grant seems to be making quite the name for herself there and of course Maxwell Lord is doing his best to compete with our company, the poor fool. There is the beach and celebrities, mostly near Coast City. You will enjoy it, I am sure.”

The dance ended and Kara took a look around. Alex and Lena were still talking to her least favorite Kardashian. The music began blaring again and Lex bowed out.

“That is my cue to exit the floor. I don’t suppose you can keep me company until your sister and mine are done socializing with the rich and famous? I will have our guard let Lena know we are in the suite.”

“Yeah, okay.” Kara told him. The idea of getting out of the noise was appealing and Lex seemed nice enough.

The two walked up and Lex sat down next to Kara, a bit closer than before.

“So my sister wasn’t lying. I am fascinated by people who are not impressed or intimidated by our name. I admit I was surprised to see you tonight, especially in that dress.”

“Alex wanted to come. I wanted to fit in.” she explained, slightly moving down the couch away from him.

“You don’t fit in, you stand out. You are much more than the Kansas farm girl I met two days ago. Though you were just as beautiful then.”

Kara fought the urge to roll her eyes.

“We actually live in North Carolina, remember? We have a really nice house on the beach. It is beautiful.”

“Right, but you spent the first twelve years of your life in Kansas, correct? Kara Kent and your little brother Clark. I look up everyone my sister takes an interest in. I was sorry to read that your parents, Martha and Jonathan died in the tragic fire.”

Kara froze, every muscle in her body tightening. She fought back the tremors she felt. Kara hated anyone asking too many questions, and especially hated anyone looking into her carefully woven fake history.

“Thank you for you condolences. I have done my best to move on but it is difficult.” she told him tightly. “Its not something I like to talk about.”

“I am glad to see you and your brother adopted by such a wonderful family like the brilliant Danvers. I am surprised you took their name. Was it difficult…”

“Do you think this is cute or charming?” Kara asked, barely suppressing a growl. She stood up and over the man.

“I am sorry. I was just interested…”

“You saw me for five minutes. I was with your sister for an hour and you think that gives you the right to research me?! Why I took their name is my business, not yours.”

Lex attempted to stand but Kara stepped into him, bumping him back down. Despite her fury or perhaps because of it, Lex smiled.

“I knew it when I saw you. There is a lot more to you than middle America girl next door than you let on Kara Danvers. I apologize. You are right, it was rude but I…”

“Wanted to find out about everyone your sister bumps into? Does she know?”

“No, and I just… I didn’t find out for her. I thought you were beautiful when I saw you. You are going to college in a few months with Lena and I thought if we might see each other…”

“What the hell makes you think we have anything in common?” Kara growled.

“If I wasn’t completely taken with you before I am now. Your shoulders are very impressive when you are angry. You must work out a lot. I’ve seen gymnasts that would kill to be in the shape you are in.”

“Answer the damn question!”

“We have nothing in common. I could tell that right away. What makes you think I would ever be interested in a woman I have something in common with? I just wanted to find out more about you. Since you are the only high school senior in America without a Facebook page I just did a Google search. When that turned up nothing, the challenge was too great. I am sorry Kara.”

“I prefer my privacy and don’t date anyone, ever. Find someone else who is unimpressed with shouldn’t be hard if you try. Don’t look into my background again. What happened is no ones business but my own!”

Lena and Alex had walked in to find Kara standing over Lex Luthor practically screaming at him. Alex panicked. While Luthor may have been amused, he had no idea how close he was to unleashing the beast and having a fist literally punched through his heart.

“Kara, whats wrong?!” Alex asked, grabbing her shoulders and immediately rubbing.

“Lex thought it would be a good idea to research my past before I came to our family and ask me about it.”

“Lex!” Lena yelled, groaning internally. Only her brother would not be happy just asking a girl about herself.

“Okay, calm down. Im sure he won’t do it again.” Alex tried.

“I can guarantee it.” Kara hissed, her fist balling. Alex recognized it. She had seen this side of Kara against Henshaw, she had seen it against J’onn and she had seen it after several sessions with Jessica where she was so angry the blonde would go to her makeshift training grounds and punch trees and boulders. Kara was about to slip into a rage.

And Lex Luthor was still too stupid to see it.

“I have tried apologizing. I swear it won’t happen again Kara…”

“Look she is sensitive about the death of her parents and does not like to talk about it. I don’t know what your problem is but we really need to go. We need to go, right Kara? Clark probably wants you to sing to him before bed.”

Kara continued to lock eyes with Lex and though Alex couldn’t see Kara’s face from her position behind her sister she did see Lex’s face. The man was beginning to show signs of fear and Alex prayed Kara’s eyes were not glowing.

Lex moved to the side and stood up.

“I am sincerely sorry, Kara. I didn’t know that…”

“You didn’t know she wouldn’t like talking about it? Do I like talking about it, Lex?” Lena practically yelled.

“Lets go home. You are safe.” Alex whispered in her ear. Her voice snapped Kara out of wherever she went, the place where everything was dark but lit by fire. The place she saw a target and channeled all her rage into destroying. Sometimes it was trees and boulders, sometimes it was herself. In this case it was the bald young man in front of her who had invaded her privacy.

Kara blinked a few times and took a few deep breaths. She then turned to Lena and smiled.

“Thanks for a great time tonight Lena. It was really good to see you again. I hope we can get together in National City.” Kara told her cheerfully, the change so abrupt that Lena was caught off guard.

“Yeah me too.” Alex agreed, wanting to get the volcano known as her sister out of the crowded club. “Thanks for getting us in. If you happen to see our parents ever again we would appreciate you not saying anything and good night.”

Alex did her best to push Kara out of the upstairs suite. They had no problem catching a cab thankfully since Alex bumped one drunk club goer out of the way as he had been entering the vehicle. Kara remained silent on the trip back. Alex didn’t try to get her to talk, just letting her take her time and come back to herself.

Though Alex really did not want Kara to battle these Fort Rozz escapees, she would almost be glad when Kara had a target she could let her rage loose on. It seemed at times to eat her up inside.

The brunette also knew the first Rozz prisoner she found would wish he had never been born when Kara was through with him.

Once they had arrived Alex noted Kara looking around, up and down, everywhere. Then her head dropped.

“Is it bad?”

Kara nodded her head.

“How bad?”

The blonde shrugged her shoulders. “Mom is waiting for us in the lobby. Dad is asleep with Clark. Did you have any missed texts?”

“Nope. You know he always threatens to text and call and hardly ever does.” Alex reminded her. “Lets go face the music. If Dad is asleep maybe it won’t be too bad.”

The two young women exited the taxi and entered the hotel lobby, Kara turning right and walking right up to Eliza.

“X ray vision makes it hard to ambush the two of you. You both look… nice. I don’t remember the two of you looking like this when you left to go sight seeing.”

“We went to a club. Alex met a Kardashian. I nearly beat a man to death but didn’t. We danced too. It was a lot of fun. No drinking took place.”

Alex dropped her head. For someone who could be a very good liar at times, when Kara didn’t feel like lying her honesty could be very blunt. Thankfully it worked out this time since Eliza smiled.

“Thank you for the honesty. I wish you had told us before the two of you left and didn’t feel the need to sneak off.”

“There is absolutely no way Dad would ever let us go to a club, especially one we are too young to get into, dressed like this.” Alex told her.

Eliza took in her two daughters who looked quite a bit more glamorous and older than they actually were.

“You have a point. He has a point on why he wouldn’t have wanted you to be there, especially dressed like this. Tell me about this boy Kara. Am I going to have to call our personal special force team to take someone out?” the woman joked.

Sort of.

“It was just some rude guy…” Alex tried but once Kara was in her I don’t feel like lying because it takes too much effort mood there was no stopping her.

“Lex Luthor owned the club. We didn’t know. He and Lena recognized us at the door and took us inside. Lena was introducing Alex to the Kardashian and Lex took me upstairs and basically told me he was interested in me and had researched my background. I screamed at him and contemplated crushing his bald skull and flying through the top of the roof to get rid of the body.”

Eliza paled. She recognized Kara’s moods almost as well as Alex and the manner in which she spoke let her know the girl was not joking. There had been many mornings when Kara refused to get out of bed and go to school, especially during her sophomore year, when she told Eliza that she didn’t want to get up, she just wanted to die in the same flat tone she was using now. Eliza would stay with her all day and night during those times except when Jessica was with her. No matter how much better she had gotten, Kara suffered from manic depression and no anti depressant would work on her.

“Okay… I am glad you didn’t Kara. That would have been… hard to explain. Your background is secure. He isn’t going to find anything. This isn’t your fault.”

“I shouldn’t have left with Lena at the is why I don’t get involved with other people. Nothing good ever comes from it.”

“You made a friend and had pizza. That bald headed spoiled brat shouldn’t have researched you after seeing you for five minutes. He probably saw an innocent girl he thought he could corrupt. Did he… did he see your eyes glow?” she asked, looking at Alex for any sign and wondering if Jason Connolly could really arrange the death of a famous billionaire’s son. She suspected he could and probably would enjoy the challenge.

“No. I wanted to rip him apart, not burn him. We should probably change before we go upstairs, huh?”

“Yes, in case your father wakes up.”

Kara nodded and headed for the lobby bathroom. Alex held back with her mother. Once they were alone she whispered, though she suspected Kara could still hear if she bothered to listen.

“Sorry?”

“I was young once too, Alex. I get your father but I wish you would have at least told me. I may not have liked it but… noise, smells, crowded rooms. I can guess that she was barely hanging on as it was. Lex Luthor is lucky to be alive. You know how paranoid she can be.”

“Yeah, but she enjoyed dancing. We didn’t expect to see them, I swear. We were just about to leave when we couldn’t get in and they showed up and practically dragged us inside. I only left her for a minute to meet…”

“I know Alex. It isn’t your fault. Luthor shouldn’t have invaded anyone’s privacy like that. He is lucky she didn’t hurt him. Go change and then we can all go to bed. I don’t know about you but I am going to be glad to get back to Midvale.”

“Yeah.” Alex admitted, especially after tonight. “I don’t think large cities agree with Kara. I hope she can handle National City.”

Eliza said nothing because there was really nothing to say. She suspected her girls were up to something tonight and suspected nightlife may have been involved. Of all the bad luck to run into that family.

Eliza had her wish the next evening as the family of five entered the home. She had decided against telling Jeremiah about the girls outing because nothing could really be done except for him getting upset which Kara did not need. She had gotten back to herself in the morning, even jumping on their bed to wake up Clark and Jeremiah. None of the anger or flatness from her voice the night before were present. Eliza had woken up three times to check on her despite Alex sleeping in bed with her and saw no sign that she was having a nightmare or cutting herself. She let Alex keep her arms around her and that usually meant Kara had no desire to sneak off and cut herself or worse.

“It is good to be home. Only four more weeks until graduation.” Alex reminded her sister. It seemed like yesterday that her and Kara had walked in together on the first day of eighth grade. She thought of what her life would have been like without the blonde, if she had never met her or Kara had never came back. Despite the danger they had faced with Henshaw, despite Kara nearly self destructing many times, the self harming, depression, the suicide attempt, the screams in the night when she had a nightmare, Alex would not trade it for anything. Her sister had become an integral part of her life and the idea of not having her was unfathomable. She knew their journey was not ending by a long shot but would miss these years. Alex had accomplished much more in high school, more than she ever dreamed because of the confidence Kara had given her. Kara had opened up more as the years went by, talking to others more openly, not constantly being paranoid about those around her. She had expressed herself, the side of her that wasn’t darkness, in her art and seeing how much she loved her motorcycle never failed to warm Alex’s heart. A girl who could run and fly probably faster than the speed of sound, to be so enraptured by a motorcycle found in a junk yard defined who Kara was. No matter how used to Earth she had become, the girl still took joy in the simple things. She would still sit on the roof for hours and watch birds, take nature walks and visit botanical gardens with their mother. She took pride in things she did and had come far.

Alex also wondered how much better Kara would be if Hank Henshaw had never found her, if Non and Astra had never landed on Earth, if she had never found out about her family’s role in the destruction of her planet and what they had done to Clark.

The older sister suspected Kara would have been much happier. They could only deal with the cards dealt and considering everything, they were still in one piece and happy, as happy as Kara could be, as they all were. It wasn’t easy but it was worth it.

Jeremiah had much the same thoughts the following Monday, sitting in his office and looking at a picture of Alex, Kara and Clark at a water park in Florida two years ago. It had been Kara’s first and so far only trip to Disney World and the nearby water park. While she had liked Disney, Clark had fallen in love with the happiest place on Earth. It seemed like yesterday that he and Eliza had walked onto the porch and saw the skinny, muddy girl, holding a baby in red blankets. The thought that they were about to graduate nearly brought him to tears, every single time he thought of it. One of the greatest days of his life was when Kara asked him and Eliza if they would mind if she called them Mom and Dad. Not hearing it in person everyday would be a blow. Not seeing Alex’s eyes when she had thought of or done something clever, seeing her chasing Clark around the yard, Kara helping him hide from her, these things would be tough to live without.

HIs musings were interrupted by a knock on his door.

“Come in.”

The man tensed immediately, and nearly reached for the gun he kept in his desk drawer. Hank Henshaw was there. Of course it wasn’t Henshaw but those memories, the day he could have lost everything because of that man, still filled him with anger.

“You think it’s a good idea to walk in here, looking like that?” Jeremiah asked quietly.

J’onn closed the door, took a seat in front of the man and laid a packet on his desk.

“I apologize but the more I change forms the greater chance I have of being discovered. If I am seen entering a plane in one form and exiting in another and am being watched, questions will be asked. I always assume Lane or someone else is watching. You know I am not him.”

“And you know if Kara saw you right now, she would snap and probably kill you.”

“Which is exactly one of the reasons she could not work with the DEO. She has made strides but we both know she cannot control her anger. I haven’t read her therapists mind, I’ve only met Jessica Ryan once, but I do keep up with her training.”

“Training?”

“You think my guys could keep it from me all these years? I haven’t said anything, pretended I don’t know because that is between you and Eliza. My job is to protect your daughters and take out threats before Kara and Alex conduct a suicide mission.”

“You have had four years to take them out. I can’t stop Kara. I can talk her into or out of most everything but I can’t stop her from this. I can’t stop Alex from following her. You have that green crap so why haven’t you taken them out?”

“We have tried. We have had success, capturing some escapees. None of them would talk about what they knew. Most seemed to be on their own, not part of a larger group, performing acts of violence for the sake of destruction, sometimes feeding on energy sources, feeding from humans and animals en masse. In all this time we never got a lead or heard of any activity by Astra.”

Jeremiah huffed and leaned back in his desk. “Don’t worry, I have a feeling she will make herself known when Kara does whatever she is planning on doing. Maybe we can be lucky and she and Non are dead. You should at least hire Alex after college. She needs a support team behind her, helping Kara, rather than being on her own.”

“I can’t count on Alex either. Kara won’t take orders and Alex’s loyalty will always be towards Kara first. I have agents whose lives rely on following orders and a chain of command.”

“Whatever you say, J’onn. Your agents aren’t getting it done and neither are you . Why are you here?”

While Jeremiah was grateful towards J’onn for his actions in the past, he felt more beholden to Dante and his team of friends. They may have technically worked for the DEO and J’onn but everyone knew those guys answered to Connolly and with Connolly knowing J’onn’s secret, the Martian could only demand so much of him. If they had a serious disagreement, it would be a simple matter for Connolly to expose J’onn and take over the DEO himself.

“I have brought you something. Astra is still looking for Kara. She isn’t using facial recognition software but does have many of her army monitoring news feeds for anything unusual involving a girl. After the Gotham incident…”

“The incident? My daughter saved hundreds of lives. It was no incident, it was a heroic act.”

“An act that could have exposed her.”

“Maybe you have been on Earth too long and seen to much but one thing I am grateful for, is despite losing everything, Kara still cares about people and wants to help them. You would have rather let those people, those children, die instead of risking her life? You are too jaded J’onn. Its why she will always be a hero.”

J’onn shook his head and leaned back.

“Perhaps you are right. I have experience with… it doesn’t matter. I am not trying to belittle her accomplishments. Saving children is one of the gratet things a person can do.” he told the man in a tone that surprised Jeremiah. Jeremiah knew J’onn had lost his world but wasn’t privy to the details. Perhaps he was more sympathetic than he let on.

“We monitored any activity, conversations online or over the phone and fire department reports afterward. Most of the reports were swept under the rug and ignored but one interview request between a Captain and an arson investigator, off the record, caught our eye. We intercepted the Captain, Webb took his place at the man’s home and a Kryptonian showed up. We captured him.”

“You captured him?” Jeremiah repeated. “How did you capture a Kryptonian?”

“Simply exposed him to Kryptonite. He was sick, weak and easy to knock out. We placed him in a cell, surrounded by Kryptonite radiation we have copied from the metal and crystals. We were able to get him to talk using torture. Astra’s army had circled back and was using Rozz itself as a headquarters in the Nevada Desert.”

Jeremiah shook his head.

“You guys seriously just left the thing in the desert and never checked on it, never put a guard on it?”

“No, we didn’t. It was too large to move and… it was a decision made before I… took over and honestly on the list of priorities… I never thought they would have gone back.”

“So have you attacked it?”

“We did, or at least tried. When their man didn’t come back they left, took all the intel and left the shell behind. We nuked it. Fort Rozz is gone.”

“But the army still exists. What is in the packet?”

“The autopsy report on the Kryptonian. I thought it would help you. The more you know about Kara’s physiology…”

Jeremiah grabbed the package on his desk and threw it at J’onn.

“Get out.” he hissed, standing up. “You tortured him to get the information. You killed him to find out how Kryptonians die? That could have been Kara! Are you sure you really aren’t Henshaw?!”

J’onn stood up himself, not backing down this time.

“Make up your damn mind! Do you want Kara safe? How exactly am I allowed to take out these people Jeremiah? This is war! No, I do not like what we did but if he had harmed Kara you would have done the same thing! You want them dead or arrested? Does it really matter to you? By the way, this isn’t all about Kara. These people have been here for four years and besides a few loners this army has kept quiet. They are planning something, something the dead Kryptonian wouldn’t even talk about. He may not have even known.”

“That could have been my daughter. You just came into my office and laid a package containing information on how to kill my Kara, and potentially Clark one day, and you want to preach to me about protecting the world and doing what is necessary?”

“Yes I am. The Earth must be protected. If you want complete honesty, how stable is Kara? Can you guarantee she will never become a danger to everyone around her?”

“I can guarantee, I will burn you before you ever touch her.” the father told the Martian.

“Do what you have to Jeremiah. I care about your son and daughters. If I didn’t I wouldn’t be here. I also have a responsibility to protect this planet from alien dangers and that has to come first. In here is information on how Kryptonite effects Kryptonians, how they react, what short term harm it can do, how long it takes them to recover and the harm different radiation levels can inflict. Take it if you want it, if not burn it. You are welcome.”

J’onn stood up, turning towards the door, Opening it, he was surprised to find a furious blonde Kryptonian in the doorway. J’onn felt small hands on his neck, pushing him down and back on Jeremiah’s desk, choking him, the door kicked closed with Kara’s foot.

“I heard you. No matter how far away you are, no matter who you really are, I will always recognize your voice, Henshaw.” Kara told him.

J’onn tried to pry her hands off his neck with both arms but could not budge her.

“Kara, I am not…”

“Shut up. I know who you are. You think you can yell at him? Try to move and I will burn you. Try to phase and when you regain solid form I will burn you. I listen to my family, all day. Even when I am at school I check in on my mother and Clark and even from thirty miles away I can hear my father when I want to. It took me three minutes to get here. If I ever see you with any of my family again in this form, someone else is going to take over the DEO and I will deal with them.”

“This is exactly why you can’t work with us.” J’onn gasped.

“I bet if I snap your neck Connolly will take over and back me up. I’m letting you live this time Henshaw. Go back to torturing aliens. I really don’t care what you do with them. Just remember when I am in National City if you ever get in my way we are going to see if experience can beat power. Never let me see this face again J’onn. Never yell at my father or I will end you.”

Jeremiah stood back, frozen and not knowing how to react. He had no idea Kara could hear this far, much less single out individual voices when she wanted to. He also had not seen her like this, to this degree, in years. Her eyes were glowing and he was sweating just being near her. Her muscles were coiled and J’onn or Hank’s throat was literally buckling under her fingers.

The man’s phone buzzed, breaking him out of his catatonic state. He looked at his phone on the desk and saw an SOS from Eliza, telling him Kara went to the bathroom at school and has disappeared.

“Kara, let him go. Its not Henshaw.”

“J’onn wasn’t there the night we were attacked. How do you know he wasn’t Henshaw then? We have no way of knowing for sure. Did you see Connolly kill him? This could be Henshaw. Jessica could have been studying us for him for years. Maybe they weren’t training me. Maybe they were studying me. Webb brought the Kryptonite that made Clark sick. We only have the Martian’s word they didn’t know what it was.”

The man shook his head, shocked that Kara would have this thought. He knew she could be paranoid but this was over the top. Hearing that man’s voice and seeing his face had her questioning everything.

“Kara, do you really think Dante would do that? You know him better than anyone. Do you think

he would betray you?” Jeremiah asked, hoping the man Kara, he thought saw like a brother, would calm her down.

It worked. Her eyes became blue and she stood up, one hand still on J’onn’s throat.

“Never again J’onn. Never come around them again in that form. You can talk to me all you like and look like whoever you want but not them. Never come around my family again in this form and never yell at any of them.”

“I am sorry Kara. Can I breathe now?” he gasped

Kara released his throat and the Martian stood up. “Kara…”

“Stay out of my way when I go after Astra and Non, J’onn. Do not interfere. If you won’t help me that is fine but if you try to stop me you will be my enemy.”

“How much time do I have to take care of this Kara? Are you planning on grabbing your diploma and flying off to Nevada? Can I at least have a heads up so I know when to get out of your way?”

“When I am ready, the whole world is going to know it. Please leave. I never want to see that face again.”

“Yet you requested to work with us.” he reminded her.

“I made a mistake. You are right. I am emotionally unstable and I won’t take orders from you. Leave the autopsy information. If Dad doesn’t want it, I do. Thank you. Goodbye.”

J’onn figured this was as much as a cease fire as he and Kara would come today. The two had talked a few times over the years, at the girl’s birthday parties and Clark’s but he was always in a different form, afraid of what her reaction would be if she saw Henshaw. Today he realized he was right to be afraid and also realized that he may not be able to beat Kara if he had to. The Martian had not asked Jessica how she had been doing but assumed she was getting better since there were no explosions in Midvale. Now he wondered. Kara Danvers was paranoid to an extreme that made J’onn seemed relaxed. It also did not escape his attention that she had been at school and heard his voice talking to Jeremiah from over thirty miles away. Despite her instability, the girl’s obsessive training had paid off. He had no doubt she had complete control over her powers.

J’onn left without another word hurriedly. He had wanted to visit Jeremiah at the lab for several reasons such as not being followed to Midvale in the event he was being watched. The chief reason was he did not want Kara to see him in his Henshaw guise and he had been proven correct that it was not a good idea.

Kara was standing in Jeremiah’s office, the door closed, staring at her adopted father.

“Go home. Please? I can take you there quickly and I can get Alex from school and we can all be together and I can see anything coming…”

“Kara, honey, calm down. What is going on? You know that was J’onn.”

“I know.” she admitted now, feeling a bit of embarrassment along with the anxiety, anger and fear she had slammed into her twenty minutes ago. “But I heard his voice and he yelled at you…”

“You heard him from Midvale?”

“Yes. I couldn’t do it in Metropolis but here, I have gotten used to the sounds over the past few years. I can cut them out, focus on some not others and isolate certain sounds. You aren’t as clear but I can hear you sometimes during the day. Mom is easy to hear since school is so close and Clark’s Kindergarten is only three blocks away but you are more difficult. I check on you all during the day at least once or twice. I didn’t run where I could be seen. All anyone would have seen was a blur in the woods on the side of the road, I promise.”

“So you heard me yell at J’onn and he yelled back.”

“Yeah, I was just trying to dial in on you. We were in Trig and you know how bored I get in trig so it is a good time to check on everyone. Did he scare you? Do you think he read your mind or did anything to you?”

“Kara… have a seat, sweetie.”

“Not util you tell me you are okay. If he did something I need to get him before he gets far. I can beat him until he reverses…”

“Kara, he did nothing. Are you okay? Those things you were saying, you know they aren’t true, right? Do you really think those guys and Jessica have been studying you for him? You really think he has always been Henshaw?”

Kara’s cheeks reddened and she looked at the wall to her right, not meeting his eyes.

“We can’t assume anything. I don’t think its true but, but… we can’t just assume anything.”

“Kara, they could have hurt us a long time ago if they wanted. Dante has been with you through a lot. The man has gotten into caves with you without a heat suit because he trusted you to control your vision. He let you hit him. Hawk dressed like a clown at Clark’s fifth birthday party. None of them seem very good at deception. They are actually more blunt than I would prefer around my children. Jessica has been your therapist for four years. Do you really think they would turn on us?”

“No, but I have to be prepared. My family is all I have. I can’t risk you all. I know you think Alex will risk herself to be with me in National City but I will protect her. I can keep her from being harmed. I plan to fight in the sky where she can’t be involved. I won’t let her get hurt.”

Jeremiah put his hand in his heads as he leaned on his desk.

“Kara, please don’t. Please don’t do this.”

“I have to Dad. You know I have to. I will never be able to move on until I have done this.”

Jeremiah didn’t argue with her. He knew it would get him nowhere. Instead he picked up his phone and texted Eliza back that Kara was with him and he would explain later.

“Alex is probably going to be pretty mad at me. But you aren’t.”

“I’m not?”

“I will Jedi Mind Trick you if I have to.” Kara told him, hoping to make him smile.

“You can’t do a Jedi mind trick.”

“Or am I doing it correctly? If you are mind tricked successfully you shouldn’t remember.”

“That is ridiculous… actually it makes a lot of sense. I’m not mad. I am worried Kara. I am worried about you.”

“About me hurting other people.” she guessed.

“No, about you getting hurt. Because J’onn did have a point about one thing. How can you really concentrate on fighting if you can’t keep your cool around him? You can’t just fight on pure rage Kara. You aren’t ready. You may not ever be ready. Maybe you should consider trying to move on without facing off against these bastards. Let them handle it. Keep working on you. You are going to go to college, right? Please tell me that.”

Kara nodded her head, finally meeting his eyes.

“I am. Alex is. I know I am not ready. I want to go to college. But we never know. It could strike us at anytime. It could be a nuclear attack, a biological attack, anything. I don’t know. We have to be ready for anything.”

“I will make more of an effort to prepare us all for whatever might possibly come if you can make more an effort to stop being paranoid as much.”

“Just because I’m paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t all out to get us.” Kara told him with the most innocent smile, finally causing Jeremiah to laugh. He stepped around and hugged the blonde pulling her as close as he could.

“I love you so much, Kara.” he whispered.

“I love you too, Dad. I guess I better get back to class.”

“Nah, why don’t we both take off and go to the mall, maybe pick up some pot stickers? We can go to the aquarium and then see those birds and monkeys you and your Mom like so much.”

“Don’t you have work to do?”

“Work will always be there. I think I would prefer to spend the day with you.”

Four weeks later, the day Jeremiah and Eliza had dreaded was upon them. In four short hours their two daughters would be graduating high school. Alex and Kara got ready quietly in their room. They had one last carefree Midvale summer before them and another part of their lives would open, on a different coast, a different world.

“Hey, if I don’t say it enough, thanks.” Kara told her sister.

“You never have to thank me.”

“Yeah, I pretty much always do. I have to thank you for the diapers and the food and water, the chocolate and the sandwiches, the mattress, pillows and lantern. For music and sandcastles and staying behind a curtain while I relieved myself.”

“Kara…”

“And thanks for getting me help, for staying with me, for never being afraid of me, even though you should have. I would have died or killed myself long ago without you for making me go to school when I didn’t want to. Thanks for holding me at night when the nightmares got too bad, even though I knock you off the bed half the time.”

“Kara, please stop. I just put on eyeliner and…”

“And thanks for making me feel normal sometimes, as much as possible and not making me feel too awkward about all the times you had to stay by my side to protect me from myself. Thanks for listening to me cry at night, for always backing me up no matter what. Thanks for not running when I told you to, when the DEO had us surrounded. Thank you for always being there, no matter what. You gave me your birthday, your parents, your room, your home. You will never understand how much I love you.”

“Damn it Kara, you are making me cry. Just… you will never understand how much I love you either. Me and you, you saved me too, you know? Having you by my side, I have always felt like I can pretty much do anything. You give me a lot of confidence and love and… I don’t know what I would do without you. I don’t want to find out. Hey, we got a long way to go kid. Our trip isn’t over by a long shot. This is just the end of the beginning and it has been pretty good right?”

“Yes it has. You made it great. Fix your makeup, its running.”

Alex laughed and did as she was told. Kara brushed her hair slowly, in no hurry tonight. A tiny soft knock on the door about three foot high let them know the prince of the house was requesting access.

“Come in Squirt.” Alex told him. The little boy walked in dressed in a mini suit and tie.

“Oh my God! You look adorable!” Kara practically screamed, bending down in front of him and straightening his already straight tie.

“Clark you look awesome. You are going to have to fight the girls off tonight.” Alex agreed.

Kara frowned a bit, noting his lack of a smile or general excitement.

“Since you both are graduating, you are going to move away?” he asked.

“Yeah but not till after the summer, little buddy. We got a lot of sandcastles to build and waves to boogie board on this summer.” Kara assured him.

“But you won’t live at home. What is going to happen to your room? Who am I going to play with if Mommy and Daddy are too busy? Who is going to sing to me at night, Kara?”

Kara looked at Alex and saw no answers. Both girls thought they would have more time to think of an answer.

“Clark, we are going to college but that doesn’t mean you won’t see us again. We can Skype, and FaceTime, remember how we do that? And during the summers we will maybe be back and the holidays. In between semesters we will be here. It will just be a few months in the fall and spring and we will be back.” Kara tried.

“It won’t be the same. I don’t want you to leave, either of you. Why can’t you go to college close by and still live here? You can ride your motorcycle, Kara. Alex could ride with you then we can still play on the beach after school or play Nintendo. Alex you won’t be able to coach my soccer team if you are in National City. Kara, who is going to tell me what to do all the time?”

“Did Dad put you up to this?” Alex asked, impressed with the effective guilt trip Clark was laying on and trying to not let it hurt as much as it did.

“No, Dan and his friends are downstairs and they are talking about you two getting a place to live there. I didn’t think you wouldn’t live here. Please don’t. I need you here Kara. I need you too Alex. I can go with you. We all can. Mom and Dad would come. We could get a house there and all live together!”

“Then who would live in this one? This is our home and we will be back. This is your home.” the blonde told him. “We have to go to college like you will one day. After that we have to take care of a few things but when it is over I am coming to live by you again and I will never go far away again, I promise. But Clark, there are things I have to do first. I mean things we have to do.”

“But what if the bad guy gets you? What if you get hurt?” the little boy asked. “I hear things sometimes. I know Mommy and Daddy are scared of you and Alex getting hurt, Kara.”

“Listen to me. I will not let Alex get hurt. I am going to protect you all. That is what I do. You are going to have to trust me. I know I have given you reasons in the past… I know I am not normal Clark but loving you gives me focus just like Alex and Mom and Dad do. I am going to be okay and when it is all over, one day we will be near each other all the time. But right now, I need you here at home. We have all summer and I bet Mom and Dad will bring you to visit us a lot on weekends. We aren’t going away forever. I swear.”

“I’m going to miss you both.” he told them with a sigh of defeat.

“We are going to miss you too, Stinky, but you can call anytime no matter how early or late, okay?” Alex offered. The boy nodded his head and walked out, the two sisters following.

At the bottom of the stairs they were met by a weeping Eliza and a stoic but happy Jeremiah. The other guests were outside or already on their way to the gym for the ceremonies. After several pictures with differing combinations of the family, the Danvers prepared to exit. On the way out, Dante stopped Kara.

“We haven’t trained in a while.”

“You have been avoiding me since I asked you to marry me, remember?” Kara whispered.

The man dropped his head. “No matter how different we feel about each other, you are important to me Kara. That will never change.”

“And I appreciate everything you have all done for me and my family. But I am pretty sure now that we are going to National City we go our separate ways right? J’onn doesn’t want us working with the DEO and we won’t work for the DEO so that kind of leaves us with separate paths to follow.”

Dante nodded his head. “I have quite a bit of money saved up.”

“Okay. what does that…”

“It means I can go without a job for a while if I have to. I am working with my brothers to end this but my loyalty is to you. I’m on your side Kara. You need me, I am there not matter what J’onn says. You are my priority. If you and Alex are determined to fight this on your own, then include me.”

“You would do that? I’m confused Dante, because…”

‘Kara, I have been with you since shortly after you arrived here. We have worked together, I know your powers, I know how you fight, I taught you how to fight. I didn’t do it because I was ordered to. The love I have for you may not be the love you want but it is love all the same. Go to college, keep training with me and one day, if you decide it is time, remember, my loyalty is to you. So next weekend? I’m thinking we find out if you can take out bullets with heat vision.”

Kara nodded her head and smiled. It would be difficult to be around him, feeling like she had for the past two years but… she couldn’t cut him loose. Her and Alex were better with him and if there was one person who had her absolute, unquestioned trust, outside her family, it was Dante. The other guys and Jessica, Kara trusted and appreciated but he is the only one she could never doubt.

“Thank you Dante.”

The two hugged, Alex watching from the car’s backseat with a smile. One more person capable of pulling Kara back from the brink would be with them. Alex feared she may have lost the only person not in the family who could bring her back from the edge, but Kara let him back in. There was hope for the future yet.

Alex shook her head. She wouldn’t worry about the future right now. Tonight was a celebration, an ending and a new beginning.