Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Call Me Kara

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 23:

Eliza Danvers had experienced much joy and pain in life. The joy in her life was easier to think of and what she held onto in her darkest nights.

Her wedding day.

The day Alex was born. Her first step. Her first word. Her first tooth, her first day at school. Her first report card, she was so proud of her little genius. Alex’s graduation from High School, her scholarships, her college graduation.

The day Clark Kent brought an orphan girl from another planet to her and Jeremiah. She loved Kara the first time she saw her, as did Jeremiah. She watched Alex grow from hating her new sister to loving her beyond all reason. She remembered the first sentence Kara said in English. Eliza, I am hungry and want pie. Such a simple statement but so her. She remembered the first time she had seen Kara smile. She was sitting on the roof outside her and Alex’s bedroom watching blue birds in the tree. Eliza had crawled out the window and held her while she giggled at the antics of the creatures so many humans took for granted.

She remembered teaching Alex how to cook and failing miserably, more flour winding up on the two than actually on the food, while Kara laughed from the kitchen counter. Jeremiah being a father to Alex, loving her so much and then the way he took to Kara. He called her his daughter whenever he talked to Eliza about her. He never really got to say it to Kara. By the time he felt she would be comfortable hearing it he was gone.

Kara’s graduation from high school, the super powered, beautiful alien looking at her through glasses Jeremiah had given her with such gratitude and love. She didn’t even need the glasses anymore but she wore them because he gave them to her. The year Alex was gone to college, before Kara herself left for college, the two of them had grown even closer, only having each other to cling to.

Eliza also had experienced so much pain in her life. The day she found out Jeremiah was dead was the most obvious but there had been others. Towards the end of high school Alex had grown more distant from everyone but Kara and wouldn’t even tell Kara her deepest thoughts. She watched Alex struggle with herself, who she was, trying to find herself, stuck in such a small town like Midvale hadn’t been easy. She knew about Alex’s struggles in college, not with grades, her grades were always perfect, a testament to her brilliant mind. Eliza had friends who lived near Alex’s college and told her of Alex’s alcohol abuse. She tried several times to talk to Alex, only to be shut down. Even then Alex had not coped well without Kara it seemed. She had so much anger from her father’s death but Kara was her light, the light that balanced her darkness. Without Kara the darkness took her over.

Things seemed to be better after college, especially after Kara moved to National City so Eliza relaxed, but those years of feeling like a stranger to her own daughter hurt deeply. Yes she was hard on Alex, yes she put a lot of pressure on Alex to protect Kara even though it wasn’t her responsibility. Eliza made mistakes, made Alex feel less than she was. She hadn’t meant to but knew now she had. The idea of Hank Henshaw coming back to take Kara now that Jeremiah was dead haunted her and only Alex was strong enough to run with Kara if she had too. She should have told Alex the truth about Hank Henshaw long before college but was not sure how Alex would respond. She knew Kara would be devastated if she found out that Henshaw had always been after her and Jeremiah joined the DEO to keep her safe.

She felt deep sadness, watching her Kara, her sunshine, go through High School, never having any friends besides her sister. Kara’s senior year she was alone. She never told Eliza it bothered her but she knew. A mother knows her daughters and she knew Kara. Her daughter was forced to hide, forced to try to fit into a world both Kara and Alex were too good for. She cried the day Kara moved off to college, leaving her alone.

Eliza also felt great fear. She felt fear when she realized Kara had used her powers in front of the world and then to find out Alex had been on that plane. She panicked the first time Kara had been shown on TV, wearing her family’s coat of arms. She should have felt pride but all she could remember was Kal El’s warning, his warning about who Kara’s mother was, the Fort Roz escapees, some of whom he had already had battles with, out to kill him because of his connection to his father, to Alura and the House of El in general.

She watched Kara fight Astra on TV. She watched her fight Reactron on TV. While she was proud of her daughter, she watched the National City news with dread in her heart each day, afraid that Cat Grant would report that Fort Roz escapees had ganged up on Kara and killed her. She felt a pain that Alex would never be able to understand when she found out Alex was working for the DEO and Hank Henshaw of all people.

She felt Alex’s pain, one night when she had called Eliza, drunk, crying, telling her that she had killed Astra and lied to Kara about it. She also had explained what had happened to Kara, what that damn Non had done to her, Alex going into Kara’s mind after her, both daughters nearly being taken from her. Kara waking up and feeling as if she had just lost her entire world all over. She watched her mind controlled daughter nearly kill Kara who was doing her best not to hurt Alex, instead getting wounded in the process.

She felt like she would die inside, knowing what Kara had planned to do, listening to her say goodbye to Alex, Her words for Jeremiah, for both of them, prepared to die for the world, floating in space for all eternity, always being lost in the cold and dark and then the mixture of dread and hope when Alex opened a section of the DEO’s roof, ran to a space ship she had only studied but never flown before and rocketed off to save Kara, wondering if she had lost both daughters. Of course Alex brought her back. Alex never failed. Kara would never know how near a thing it was and Alex refused to let anyone tell her. Kara had not been breathing when Alex found her. Alex held her breath while opening the cockpit to drag Kara’s limp body in and closing the cramped cockpit behind them where Kara began breathing again thankfully. Alex nearly crashed when she landed in the desert and watched as the DEO agents rushed Kara inside, placed her under sunlamps and hoped for the best like always.

Then a day that rivaled Jeremiah’s death. Alex calling, so frantic and sobbing, Eliza was unable to make out her words for the first five minutes but she knew. Only one thing could make Alex react this way. J’onn took the phone while Alex wailed in the background, and explained to her what had happened. Kara was shot, betrayed by her own people, most likely dead and definitely gone to another universe. Her, Clark, Alex, no one ever knowing if she lived or not but understanding she would most likely never see her daughter again. She watched Alex find refuge once again in alcohol, anger, unbridled anger with nowhere and no one to direct it towards. Alex had stalked the corridors of the Fortress of Solitude trying to figure out a way back to the US since Kal refused to take her. Kal even had to take the power core out of his own pod for fear Alex would take it. Alex wanted to hurt someone. Alex unreasonably wanted to kill Lucy Lane simply because she had loved the bastard she called a father. She would drink herself in a stupor and talk in detail of the slow manner of death she had picked out for Lois’s sister in front of them all, Lois included. She wanted to target DEO agents, any she could find and she knew where many of them lived. She wanted to assassinate the President of the United States, look the woman in the eyes while she pulled the trigger. Alex was not just venting her anger and grief. Eliza and everyone there, Kal El, J’onn, Lois, they all knew she was serious. She wanted to kill everyone who may have had a hand in Kara’s death or were guilty by association. She screamed at Kal El for an hour for not letting her be there when he killed Lane. She told him he abandoned Kara and had no right to kill Lane. Lane was her kill. The only thing that consumed her thoughts as much as murder was finding a way to Kara. Any mention of the idea that Kara may have been and was most likely dead set her off violently, J’onn had to physically restrain her often to keep her from harming herself and the technology that surrounded her while she lashed out at everything, ice walls, computers, databanks, crystals. Without Kara the darkness in Alex came to the surface unbridled.

A mother knows her daughter. She also was very familiar with the anatomy of humans and similarly Kryptonians. From Kal’s description of Kara’s state when Barry Allen took her it was doubtful, nearly impossible that she had survived.

Every pain she had experienced in her life felt like a knife in her gut that kept twisting and would never come out.

At this moment she was feeling a multitude of emotions at once. The caravan of SUVs had pulled into the large… cave… there was no other word for it, and the allies they had all picked up somehow, from two universes no less, began exiting the vehicles. The frightening man in the black costume that appeared as if he was straight out of a nightmare, pulled his mask back. His handsome face looked exhausted and judging by his outfit, he had been in one hell of a fight. The sturdy body armor that the suit was composed of had several deep gashes. The young man he partnered with and the two females exited next, looking beat, the one named Dick Grayson was limping. The SUV with the girl in the red hood, Thea, the large man in the helmet named John, the short man named Cisco and the computer genius, Felicity, dressed in black, stepped out, the intimidating man in the green hood exiting last from the driver’s seat. He pulled his hood back and she saw his eyes, no mask, face covered in black paint for this mission, and she felt a bit of relief because he was smiling. They all were. This had to be good right? She knew this Oliver Queen cared for her daughter, he watched Kara as if she would be attacked at anytime and was ready to take a bullet for her. If he was smiling they had to be okay, right?

The third SUV had the assassin her daughter was obviously in love with in, Caitlin, Kara’s friend who had saved her life, and Barry driving. He had a huge grin on his face, though he was limping and winced when his feet had first hit the ground. His suit was covered in ash. He still gave her a thumbs up and stood still with his friends by the SUV.

J’onn exited the last SUV. He had been driving, followed by Kal El in the passenger back doors opened up and Alex exited. Her face had blood on it, her lip obviously busted and she would most likely have a black eye. Her black clothes were disheveled and her right sleeve was torn, and she was crying. Still she smiled. It can’t be. Would she dare to hope?

Alex turned and helped the next passenger out, who was quickly followed by a bloodied Kara holding the man’s arm.

He was no longer the strapping man she remembered in her dreams. His skin was pale, no doubt from years spent inside and most likely underground. He was too thin. His hair was grey and he had wrinkles around his eyes where none had been before. But the moment he met her eyes she knew.

Her Jeremiah was back. Despite the odds and the dark times and pain, nights she felt a dark pit of despair and depression, somehow, someway in a cave under a billionaire vigilante’s mansion, her family was here. All three of them, standing in front of her.

Eliza was frozen in place, wondering if this had all been some elaborate dream. Had Kara really lived? Had Alex really found her and brought her back to her mother? Had Jeremiah somehow survived his wounds and years in captivity? It was too good to be true. No, it had to be a dream. A dream she would wake up from and fall deeper into despair.

“Eliza?”

There it was. She had every feature of Jeremiah memorized and stared at his picture for hours at a time when alone. But the one thing she had a hard time remembering was the exact tone of his voice when he said her name.

Now it came rushing back and she knew this was real.

“Jeremiah.”

Eliza ran towards him, Jeremiah towards her, her daughters walking slowly behind to give the two a moment. Wrapped in each others arms they both sank to the floor, Eliza unable to stop the deep wails coming from her body. The two grabbed onto each other, as if they let go the other would disappear for eternity.

Alex was crying openly while Kara watched with tears streaming down her face but unable to move. The sight of the two of them together was one Kara had dreamed about for Eliza since Jeremiah died. She thought back to the conversation with Kal El after Jeremiah’s funeral, the empty coffin buried, and begged him to tell her how to raise the dead. It wasn’t fair. She could fly, she could see through walls, she could lift cars, why couldn’t she bring the dead back to life? Kara was so convinced there had to be a way, she refused to have any contact with Kal El for six months, believing that he was hiding the truth from her. Alex didn’t know what Kara knew. Jeremiah died because of her. Of course he hadn’t but he may as well have. He lived in Hell while his wife and daughter gave her the best life. Perhaps that was why she forgave Alex so easily for killing Astra, and hadn’t forgive J’onn when she thought he had done it. Maybe that was why she could never stay mad at Alex no matter what, even after she had lied about working for the DEO. Kara had carried this burden with her all the years she spent on Earth. She ripped a family that had taken her in apart. Her and Kal both had.

Eliza finally stood, Jeremiah pulling her up. She motioned for her daughter to join them. Alex ran, wrapping her arms around the two. Kara walked up slowly, Eliza and Jeremiah pulling her in and Kara allowing it, feeling she had no right, but she would refuse them nothing.

All around, the gathered heroes did not say a word. Helena Bertinelli had committed some atrocious acts in her life in the name of what she felt was justice. Oliver and Thea Queen had also done things they thought were right but horrible all the same. Nightwing still had memories of slicing Slade Wilson’s throat and kicking him off a building. Batman had nightmares about finding Barbara in a pool of her own blood in her apartment. He still dreamed of breaking the Joker’s neck and throwing him off the balcony of that chemical factory into the vat of acid below, watching his twisted body melt to nothing. Nyssa had more blood on her hands than everyone here combined could ever hope to amount to.

None of them thought of the past tonight. Tonight they all felt like heroes and it felt good. This was the way they were supposed to feel. They had walked into an underground house of horrors and pulled off a miracle and it made every bit of pain worth it. Each one of them knew, this was why they fought, sacrificed, trained obsessively, risked their lives every night, it was for moments like this. One moment to make a difference, to right a wrong, to save a family, to save a life.

Only Barry Allen and Caitlin were concerned, watching Kara. Both could read her like a book and both knew something was off. She had been in such a great mood but something had changed on the ride back. Barry recognized that look on her face. It was one he knew well, especially after Ronnie had died. A look he wore every time he looked at Caitlin until the woman had enough and demanded he stop.

He saw guilt all over her face. Glancing at Kal, he saw happiness but also a tinge of guilt. The fearsome green Martian wiped a tear from his eye.

Kal El wasn’t his concern, Kara was. This should be one of the happiest moments of her life and she was unable to enjoy it fully.

Kara hesitantly stepped back but kept her eyes on her family. Barry noticed everyone else had begun a trek to the elevator leading up to the mansion. Caitlin motioned with her head that they should follow so Barry did, not wanting to leave Kara but not wanting to intrude on this moment. He caught Nyssa’s eyes and was surprised to see the woman smiling through tears. Nyssa was always an enigma to Barry. Capable of being aloof and cold at times but also kind hearted and passionate, even funny when she wanted to be. She looked at Alex the same way he knew he looked at Kara, as if the entire world revolved around her. Looking around at the gathered heroes, he supposed the Danvers sisters had that effect on just about everyone they met.

Going upstairs he was glad to see the group of heroes were in a more jovial mood. Where there had been respectful but happy silence downstairs, in the mansion the atmosphere was joyous, those who could enjoy alcohol drinking and those like him, J’onn and Kal enjoying watching the others drink. Felicity was even laughing with Helena of all people.

“So how did you do it? I heard you say you were going to finish it and then boom and you said you killed it, whatever it was, but it sounded horrifying, so tell me how did you do it?” Cisco asked quickly, a fresh drink in his hand.

“I uh… I took two of Thea’s exploding arrows and phased with them through its body. Only I left the arrows inside his body and… boom?”

Cisco’s eyes were wide.

“How in the hell? We’ve never practiced that! The timing, stopping the vibrations on the arrows alone and not leaying your hand inside it, Bar, that’s nuts man! I can’t believe you pulled it off, first shot! Of course thats the kind of thing you only get one shot at. You took a big risk and thats coming from me.”

“It was kind of a desperate times call for desperate measures situation. Didn’t have much choice. No one, not even Superman could get passed its outer skin. It had Kryptonite on it, growing from its shell. If it got past him it was going for Kara and I couldn’t let that happen.”

“Hey, cheers man. You went big time. Not everyday I would imagine on this Earth that someone can say they saved Superman. I’m going to go hit up Bertinelli. I think she has a thing for me. Lata bro.”

“Of course he is going to flirt with the Huntress. He isn’t attracted to a woman unless she is a criminal, used to be a criminal or sprouts wings.” Barry mumbled to himself.

“You want to check on Kara when she comes up or me?” Caitlin asked, a drink in her hand that she had barely touched.

“I guess I’ll give it first shot. Maybe by the time she comes up she will be in a better mood.”

“She feels guilty doesn’t she? She blames herself for Jeremiah’s captivity?”

‘Thats my guess.” Barry admitted.

“Talk to her. If you can’t make any progress I’ll handle it. Thats Kara, she saves a hundred people and obsesses over the one she couldn’t save.”

Barry saw Oliver catch his eye and wandered into the hallway behind him.

“Thank you Barry.”

“Uh, Oliver, you just followed me to another universe, did everything in your power to make sure no one took a shot at Kara, fought against a really big alien by her side while raiding a secret government lab. I think I should be thanking you.”

“No you really shouldn’t. Barry, when I met you the first time I hated you. Do you know why?”

“Because Felicity was into me?” Barry guessed, enjoying rubbing that in his face as much as possble. Oliver nodded.

“That was one reason, but another was because of how you saw me. Even from the start, before you knew me, you thought of the Hood as a hero. Most people saw him as a necessary evil, or a criminal. You? I hated the way you saw me because you made me see something I didn’t want to see. You and Felicity convinced me to be more, to be an inspiration instead of a killer. You believed in me before I believed in myself and you didn’t even know me. You reminded me of my humanity that I thought was lost forever. You made me a mask as a gift after I had been horrible to you, after I yelled at you for saving my life. I haven’t always felt great about the things I have done but there are some things I am proud of. I am proud I stopped Slade and I am proud I stopped Darhk and I am proud I stopped Ra’s. But the things we have done together? You’ve helped make me feel like a hero. I wouldn’t have been there tonight if you didn’t believe in me. So thank you. Tonight? This is something I will be proud to have been a part of as long as I live.”

Oliver patted Barry on the shoulder and walked off, leaving him a bit stunned. Not knowing what to do with that, he walked back into the impromptu party and waited for Kara.

He didn’t wait long. The elevator door opened and Kara walked out alone to a round of applause from those gathered. She looked to the ground and waved it off humbly, heading straight for the stairs.

“Hey, where are you going?” Barry asked her.

“My hair is as dark as Alex’s, I have dried blood on my face and I smell like smoke from saving my boyfriend from a massive explosion. I smell worse than smoke. I must have dug through ten different types of dirt and clay to get inside in the first place. I need a couple showers, I need to brush my teeth a few times and then I need clean clothes. You might want to change too.” she told him, an eye on the red suit. Kara wiped her thumb under his lip where a bit of blood was dried.

“Where are you parents and Alex? Still downstairs?” he asked, knowing. They certainly didn’t go out the big front entrance hidden behind a waterfall.

“Yeah, they needed some time. Alex doesn’t smell like smoke. I was probably grossing them out so I figured I may as well take advantage and clean up before we leave. I think we are leaving first thing in the morning. I wanted to leave tonight so I could fly back under the plane but everyone is exhausted. I don’t like being this close to that place but once we get to National City if they are looking for him they will look where Eliza was working. I’m sure by this point, whoever was behind this Cadmus offshoot knows who did it. Maybe not exactly but they can guess. I’ll suffer a plane trip. Once we get there we are leaving quickly. At least they are. I can bring Alex’s things and carry the crates and…”

“Kara why don’t you calm down? Even if they guess a bunch of superheroes destroyed their prison, they don’t know who Bruce is. We are safe here. This house is filled with people no one on Earth wants to mess with even if they did know. Take a shower and go back to Jeremiah.”

Kara shook her head. “They are coming up soon.”

“Kara what happened to him is not your fault. They needed him and would have figured out a way to take him eventually anyway, probably using Alex’s life to make him do as he was told. People like this always find a way to get what they want until someone stands up and stops them. Thats what happened tonight and don’t for one second think after we are gone that your cousin and Bruce Wayne are going to stop going after these people.”

“I know.” Kara gave Barry a quick kiss and headed upstairs. Barry nodded at Caitlin who followed.

“I’ll handle it.” Cait told Barry and moved up the stairway significantly slower than Kara.

Below, Jeremiah, Eliza and Alex sat in three chairs in a semicircle that Kara had been a part of until moments ago. She had hugged all three and moved off with her head down, catching all their attention.

“I uh, I guess she isn’t wearing the glasses any longer?” Jeremiah guessed, noting her outfit and cape, proud of the warriors both his daughter had become.

“Yeah, we have a lot to catch you up on. But we have time Dad. First we need to get to National City and out of this universe.”

Jeremiah looked at Alex, not quite understanding what she had said.

“I wish we could Alex. The organization that held me, they weren’t just military. They were a private organization that worked in conjunction with the military. They are… they have money, power, they won’t stop. I know too much Alex. We are all in danger, especially Kara. I have had to develop biological weapons to destroy Kryptonians since I was first brought there. They… they told me if I did as I was told, they wouldn’t harm any of you and if I didn’t, they would kill the three of you and let me go, to live…”

“Jeremiah, calm down.” Eliza told him, seeing he was beginning to panic and break down. “Alex wasn’t joking. We have a lot to explain to you but we truly are going to another earth. An alternate Earth similar to this one but different as well. Half the people who rescued you tonight are from that Earth. Kara has been living there since she was…”

“Since she was what?” he asked.

“She is fine as you can see. We will explain everything but first we have to get you out of here. Both of you Mom.”

“No, I need to talk to Clark and J’onn first. It is important.” Jeremiah stressed. “More importantly I need to talk to Kara alone. Can you both please take me to her?”

Eliza and Alex stood up, wrapping an arm around Jeremiah’s waist and walking towards the elevator. The man could walk fine but neither wanted to let him go. Both women’s thoughts were on Kara as well. She had been overjoyed of course like the both of them were but Alex and Eliza noticed her pulling back, taking a backseat to them in a way, separating herself. Neither knew for sure why but both suspected. Alex thought of her and J’onn’s earlier plan to find Cadmus and rescue Jeremiah. If this was a small location taken down tonight the larger Project Cadmus would have been impossible for the two of them. Without Kara and her friends plus the new friends they had made on this Earth, none of this would have been possible. In a strange way, if Kara had never been shot, if all of them had never gone through the pain they went through, Jeremiah would not be with them now.

As the elevator opened, the false wall sliding to the side, everyone in the parlor stopped and looked at the newcomers.

Then applause broke out from the gathered heroes. Jeremiah smiled until his eyes met Lois, Clark and J’onn’s. J’onn had not taken his normal form of Hank Henshaw and never would again around Jeremiah. Too many bad memories were associated with that face but surprisingly none in the mansion seemed to care about his true appearance. The Grayson kid even patted him on the back. Cisco kept trying to take selfie with J’onn but couldn’t find a chair to stand on so J’onn finally held the man up by his belt from behind and Grayson took the picture.

Jeremiah motioned to the two men with his head to follow him into the next room and both men did. He sat at a large dining table and the other four did the same.

“Where is Kara?” he asked. Kal El listened for her.

“Taking a shower. I should probably take one myself soon.”

“You both need to listen. This is important. Kal I have spent eleven years developing monsters whose sole purpose is killing you.”

“You have spent eleven years protecting your family and my cousin. I put that burden on you…”

“Do not call Kara a burden!” Jeremiah snapped, all four of them stunned. He calmed down a bit. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap. My nerves aren’t what they used to be. But never call her a burden. Never.”

“I understand, Jeremiah. I only meant that I should not have put this on your family. I made you a target…”

“They were coming after me regardless. How stupid did you think we were? You think Eliza and I didn’t know the risks of taking her in? Of course we did. We did it anyway because we wanted her and she was… is ours. Don’t apologize for giving our family another member. But you need to know about what I was doing there. It is very important, because…”

“Jeremiah, all the projects you were working on are dead.” J’onn told him. The man had seen the explosion and should know this.

“Not Project Doomsday. Project Doomsday has an exterior that is impossible to penetrate. It is also laden with Kryptonite…”

“And is dead. Barry Allen killed it.” J’onn finished.

“How did he manage that?” Danvers asked, wanting to believe it.

“He can run fast enough to phase through solid objects. He phased through this monster and left two bombs inside, shredding it’s internal organs.” Kal explained, pride obvious in his voice. He was quickly taking Oliver’s place as the Flash’s biggest fan.

“Wow. Okay… but the group that held me, they know the research that was conducted, the experiments, they can replicate them. The only thing I know about them is they call themselves the Order. I have never seen one face to face, only Harper and Lane, but they were always in the background. There were other scientists at Cadmus but our work was kept separate. We didn’t speak to each other. The plans are out there. There was also a creature there with amazing strength and regeneration abilities…”

“I ripped his heart out.” J’onn told the man.

“Oh… still Clark you have to be careful. If they ever perfect the Doomsday experiment, its whole purpose is to kill aliens, especially Kryptonians but it will never have the brain power to tell the difference between humans and aliens. It will be an unstoppable killing machine that the Order thinks it can control but it won’t be able to. If it is perfected I’m not even sure how it could be killed.”

Clark and J’onn took a deep breath. “Felicity hacked into the system before she left and downloaded everything on Cadmus’s servers. We have all the experimental information. We will go through it and find a weakness should we ever see it again. We will stop whoever is behind this but right now? Right now we need to get you and your family somewhere safe.” Clark told him.

“And where do you think that would be? Another Earth? What is that all about?”

J’onn reached his finger towards Jeremiah, who touched the tip of it with his. Memories and knowledge flowed into Jeremiah’s mind, only the information on alternate universes and the attempt to get to Kara.

Jeremiah jerked back. “Why the hell was Kara in another universe? What are you keeping from me J’onn?”

“Nothing you need to worry about right now Dad. Do you understand? The multiverse?” Alex asked.

“Not even close but if it is safe for you three I will go there. Lane won’t stop…”

“Lane is dead. I killed him.” Kal El told him calmly. Jeremiah actually grinned a bit.

“Thank you. I really need to get to Kara and then someone is going to explain to me what has been happening.”

Upstairs Kara stepped out of the bathroom, a large cotton robe over her and her hair wrapped in a towel, to find Caitlin sitting on the end of the bed.

“Hey. Ready to head home? I know I am. I feel like I’m going to have a nervous breakdown every moment I am here, you know?” Kara tried.

“Sit.” Caitlin told her, patting the space next to her on the bed. Kara did as instructed, taking Cait’s hand.

“I’ve told you about what happened with Ronnie. You know he died saving the Earth with Barry. If Barry hadn’t had the presence of mind to catch Dr. Stein, he would have died too.”

“I know.”

“Barry wouldn’t work with any of us for nearly a year after that happened. He blamed himself. Eobard Thawne caused all this but Barry was convinced if he had saved his mother, never opened the timeline to begin with, defeated Thawne sooner, everything, anything, would have been different. He thinks he could have stopped the second singularity from opening.

He blamed himself for Eddie dying, even though that was a choice Eddie made. He blamed himself for Ronnie’s death, even though Ronnie died saving the world from Thawne’s actions. He wouldn’t look at me Kara, not in the eyes. He would hardly talk to Iris because of Eddie. He spent a year working alone, refusing help from anyone, building back Central City on his own at night. He wasn’t living. I think we helped him come to realize it wasn’t his fault. The two of you are so alike. It wasn’t your fault that Jeremiah got taken, anymore than it was J’onn’s fault that Jeremiah nearly died saving him. All of that, everything that happened was Hank Henshaw’s fault.”

Kara looked surprised at Cait, who nodded. “Alex told me everything. I know what happened Kara. I know it wasn’t your fault. You were a child, an orphan who was lost and people were out to get you from the moment you stepped onto this planet. We aren’t always in control of the circumstances around us, we can only make the best of them, make them better.”

“I know.” Kara told her.

“No you don’t. But you should. You are smart and logical and you know in your head I am right but you are also led by your emotions. Your emotions rule over you Kara, you wear your heart the same way you wear that symbol on your chest. The whole world can see both. That man loves you. He doesn’t blame you, so why are you blaming yourself? Are you going to keep yourself from him after everything he has gone through to keep you safe? I was listening on the com. He was terrified for you and Alex. He saw Clark and thought you were dead and the devastation in his voice Kara…”

“I know!” Kara snapped, standing up, then dressing in seconds in the second set of clothes she had arrived in, faded jeans and brown leather boots with a Green Arrow T shirt, that Barry still refused to talk about.

“You don’t! You should be by his side right now!”

“I stunk! I will be right there!”

“Then why are you still here?”

“You are talking to me! We are having a conversation! Its rude to walk out when you are conversing with someone!”

“Conversation over! Now go!”

“Uh, ladies?” a voice from the door softly asked. Both Caitlin and Kara turned to find Jeremiah standing in the doorway watching the discussion the two had been having.

“Hello Dr. Danvers. I’m Caitlin Snow, your daughter’s best friend whether she likes it or not. We were just having a friendly discussion. I’ll leave you two alone.” Caitlin glared back at Kara who wouldn’t meet her eyes and walked out.

“Hey, are you okay? Can I get you anything? You must be starving. I’m sure they didn’t feed you well… in that place.” Kara stopped.

“We need to talk.”

Kara tried to laugh, but failed, managing only a small smile. “The last time you said that to me, I was given a pair of glasses. I wore them for a long time, until a year ago. I probably should have worn them from the start. Maybe you wouldn’t… there I was, chasing birds and ripping doors off of cars and flying around like I was Peter Pan or something. It was only a matter of time before I was noticed. You paid the price for me.”

“Kara shut up and sit.”

Kara was so surprised she did as told, Jeremiah walking slowly over and sitting next to her, placing his finger under her chin while she allowed him to turn her head towards him.

“I’m so sorry.” she managed before tears overtook her again. Jeremiah let her, wrapping his arms around her until she stopped after a few minutes.

“Kara, they, Hank Henshaw, the Government, they knew about you the moment your pod landed.”

“What?”

“Kal didn’t know. He was already feared by the Government. If there had been two of you living together, him training you to fight by his side, not only would you have been a target for the Government but also the Fort Roz escapees. Your pod may have pulled Fort Roz out of the Phantom Zone but that prison beat you here by four months and already Superman was dealing with escapees who recognized the symbol of the House of El he displayed on his chest. After a couple months a few had learned that he was too much for them to handle. He had already gone through Zod and his minions long before that and there was no way any of them could have won a war against him. All they would have done was strengthen our reliance on him. You however, they could have found you easily. A little girl seen with Superman? A new girl living with Clark Kent? He would have been discovered. His disguise was thin enough as is. The government may have known about you when you landed but the convicts didn’t.”

“So why? If I was such a danger, why did you take me in?”

“When Clark brought you to our house, Eliza and I saw you and… that was it. We loved you from the moment we saw you. You had lost everything and looked so lost and frightened, but it wasn’t that. It was destiny Kara. I swore I would do anything to protect you, no matter what that meant. I made that decision. But the night I agreed to join the DEO? That wasn’t the first time Hank Henshaw had contacted me. I used the threat of Superman killing him to keep him at bay as long as possible but he told me that he would plant stories in the media about a new Krytponian race, brought by Superman, planning to take over the planet. A small girl with incredible powers who lacked the maturity to control them. The night he and the other agents came over, the same night you and Alex went flying? Kara you hadn’t flown high enough nor were you big enough to be seen on radar. Hank Henshaw had another plan. He was on his way to our home that night because he not only planned to leak your existence to the press but also to let Fort Roz escapees, particularly a man named Non, know exactly who and where you were. He would let an alien prisoner know and then allow that prisoner to only would the press be out to get you but so would Kryptonians and other aliens who hated your mother. He was going to take you for your own protection after placing you in danger. He was evil Kara.”

“Why didn’t you let him take me? Alex, Eliza, they are your…”

“You are my daughter as well. I realize we don’t have the history, we didn’t have the time you and Eliza have had but you are my daughter and there is no length I wouldn’t go to protect you. He would have taken you to Cadmus, studied you, experimented on you. I would have called Clark who would have gone to war for you and with the other aliens on the loose, anarchy would have broken out and no one would have been safe but you can bet they would have killed you. I made the decision to protect you all. I made the decision to save J’onn. That is on me, no one else. I thought I was dead and probably should have been, and I was at peace with that. When I was woken in that damn place, I made the decision to do what I was told because I wanted to protect my family, including you. None of this was your fault. You didn’t ask to be sent off alone to a strange world, you didn’t ask to be hunted the second you arrived, made a target before Clark even pulled you out of that pod. Haven’t you ever wondered how the DEO even had your pod? They had it the moment Clark flew off with you. If he had been a few moments slower they would have taken you then.”

“I… didn’t know…”

“If I could go back and do it over, I would do it all again. You are amazing. I am not sure what you have been through but I can tell you and Alex have grown up to be heroes. I would do it all again Kara. I will never regret you being my daughter, but you have to understand, none of this was your fault. It was Hank Henshaw’s fault and every bigoted alien hating politician and power broker in the world’s fault. Not yours. If you blame yourself it will kill me. You can’t do that to us Kara. We need you and you need us. We are stronger together and now we are. You and Alex are going to keep us together. Right?”

Kara nodded her head, but kept her eyes on the floor.

“Kara?”

“Yeah?”

“Look at me. In my eyes.”

Kara slowly looked at the man, so different from the eon she remembered but so much the same.

“In twelve years I have only loved you more every day. You are my daughter and I need you, we all need you, to understand this was not your fault. Alex never blamed you, Eliza never blamed you and I didn’t and never well blame you. Stop blaming yourself. We need you, okay?”

Kara threw her arms around Jeremiah.

“I love you.” she sobbed.

“I love you too baby. I will always love you.”

Jeremiah gave her a few moments and then stood them both up.

“Come downstairs. Be with your family. Introduce me to this boyfriend of yours that can apparently run fast enough to phase through solid objects and almost outrun explosions. I never got to have an I’ll kill you if you hurt my daughter talk with anyone before.”

Kara snorted.

“If it wasn’t for Barry I would be dead. He saved my life. He and Caitlin and Cisco. If not for them…”

“I’m not going to like hearing what happened am I?”

Kara shook her head. “No you aren’t. A lot of things have happened you won’t like but just remember, we are here, we are alive and we are still fighting because of what you gave up for us.”

The two walked downstairs, Kara catching Barry’s eye and grinning, Jeremiah’s arm wrapped around her. Bruce Wayne eventually made his way over and spoke to the doctor, merely introducing himself and Alfred showed the family upstairs to retire for the night. At 6 AM, all of them would be on a plane back to National City. They would arrive by noon, say their goodbyes and be back home. Kara was still anxious, her gut churning at the thought of some military force attacking Wayne Manor or some army of monsters breaking through the walls, but Barry wrapped his arms around her and she relaxed. With any luck she wouldn’t dream tonight. In another room of the house, Alex watched her parents fall asleep in each others arms for the first time in twelve years. One they were both out, she wiped her eyes and walked down the hall. The door was unlocked as she knew it would be.

Stepping quietly inside, she was caught by the site of Nyssa, standing in only a sheer black robe.

“Parent’s okay?”

“The best they have been in years.” Alex admitted.

“And Kara?”

“Will be okay.”

“And you?” Nyssa asked.

“I need you.” Alex admitted.

Nyssa smirked a bit. “I would have thought after the events of tonight that you would be a bit exhausted. I believe we have an early flight to catch? Are you sure you are ready for your nightly stress relief?”

“Thats not what I need you for. The next couple days are going to be rough. Talking to Dad about what he has gone through, what he wants to talk about anyway, getting him and Mom acclimated to a world I’m not exactly used to myself yet. Kara and I… I love her so much and there are things we have between us, things we have both said and done, that we need to clear up. There are things I should have told her. I love her beyond reason and yet she is the first one I always want to keep things from. I use her own protection as an excuse and it is weak. I want us to be completely honest with each other so we are going to have to talk, forgive some things, accept some things and move past it. She’s my baby sister and I lie to her a lot. Maybe not lie but keep things from her. I always have. I didn’t let her know how badly I was doing in college without her. I didn’t let her know about the problems I tried to drink away, or the insecurities I had about my place in my mother’s affections. I should have talked to her about these things. I should have told her about you. She should have told me how she really felt about me killing Astra instead of believing that I hated her deep down. I… we both need to stop worrying about hurting the other and be honest if we want to have the best relationship and that won’t be easy.”

“I see.” Nyssa told her, hoping the two sisters could actually have this conversation. It was long overdue.

“Yeah, so the next few days are going to be rough, but tonight I need you. I don’t need you for sex, I just need you to hold me. I just have to be around you. I have always relied on myself. I never needed anyone but Kara to make me feel better, or at least not so alone. But now? Since you came walking into my life? I need you. “

Nyssa slowly walked over to Alex and kissed her gently.

“Then prepare for bed. Please take a shower and I will be waiting to hold you as long as you want, all night if you wish.”

“Thank you.”

Alex did take a shower, not bothering to wear anything more than a towel due to exhaustion and lay in the insanely soft bed, with Nyssa holding her from behind. Before she drifted off she thought she heard Nyssa say I love you, but before she could be sure, she fell asleep.

National City 7:00 AM

Maxwell Lord was not a happy man. Dr. Danvers had taken off along with Kara and everyone from the alternate universe they were trying to get to. He had been effectively banned from the building by superheroes and madmen in hoods and Cat Grant’s lawyers had made it clear to him that any attempt to remove any research from the hangar would be considered theft. She had police officers waiting outside watching him the night before! The men and women he had recruited for his task force had quit with the exception of Lane and Vasquez. The scientists were still present at least but no one had a clue what to do and Max had no idea where Alex and her new friends had gone. Winn refused to say anything, instead locking servers, preventing Max from downloading any research data and Lane refused to talk.

“Attention! I want all the researchers in the conference room, now. We are going forward whether Dr. Danvers is here or not.”

“Actually Max, you aren’t in charge. Cat Grant pays us, not you.” Winn reminded him. Before Max could threaten the computer nerd the hangar doors opened. Two limos rolled inside, Max had not been expecting. He recognized one as Cat Grant’s. The other was a mystery. Cat’s driver opened the door for her and Max immediately was on guard due to the evil smile on her face.

The second limo opened to reveal a tall, thin, older black man, with a grey goatee wearing a very casual, inexpensive suit. His smile was warmer, though not setting Max at ease in the least.

“Good morning Max. How are you this lovely day?”

“Good morning Cat. Letting just anyone in now?”

“Well since technically this is my company and my applied sciences division and I only allow you to let your pretend soldiers… oh my, where have they gone… regardless I am certain I can let anyone in that I wish.”

“Lets not pretend this is your division. Without me you would have nothing.”

“You are correct Max. Your friendly advice, given without a contract in place, has been helpful and in five to ten years I think you would have been successful. Maybe. Regardless, I have decided that applied sciences is not my area of expertise and CatCo should focus on what it does best. So I have sold this little venture. ?”

The older gentleman stepped up to Cat’s side.

“Mr. Fox this is Maxwell Lord. We have been allowing him to use our airfield as a training ground for his planetary guard. All fifty of them… well more like one, two, three, no he’s with us… two of them now.”

“A pleasure Mr. Lord. Lucius Fox. Forgive me if I don’t shake.” he said politely. Lucius was not about to shake the hand of a man who had done the things Max Lord had done, specifically to comatose young girls.

“Whats going on Cat?” Max asked, no longer playing it cool.

“I have sold CatCo’s applied science division including all the research that has been conducted and the two Kryptonian space ships that I acquired salvage rights for, to Wayne Enterprises. For quite the profit I might add. I am about to speak with the researchers and Lucius is willing to let them continue their work through Wayne Enterprises of course. An armed security guard regiment and moving company will be here this afternoon to pack this place up. Since I am no longer owner of this property I am going to have to insist you leave on Mr. Fox’s wishes.”

“Cat…”

“Now.”

Max smiled at the woman. “A lovely idea Cat. Perhaps I may go visit the Daily Planet and tell them the good news about Supergirl being alive. There has been video all over this place of her the past two days…”

“Video that you think we didn’t know you were feeding into your own servers. Winn how is the video quality on Max’s servers?”

“I’m sorry Miss Grant, but the cameras haven’t worked in this place since we moved in. I’m sure if Mr. Lord checked his servers he would find absolutely no video of anything involving this facility since we opened.”

Max’s face reddened, not wanting to believe the little twerp had hacked his system but not doubting for a moment he had.

“Mr. Lord, things are changing. You have made a fortune selling watches, phones, trains that go really fast. Be happy with that. Leave protecting the world to those who know how to do it.” Lucius suggested. “For now, I have my car available to take you anywhere you want to go. I would suggest you get in it and stay away from this field. I would hate to have you arrested for corporate espionage.”

Wanting desperately to hit the smile off the man’s face, Max took a deep breath and stalked off towards the limo. He closed the door and ordered the driver to take him to his office building. Unfortunately for Max the doors were locked, the barrier between driver and passenger was up and the car took off, giving him no idea where he was going.

Cat and Lucius watched him go, Cat with a satisfied smirk.

“So where are you taking him?”

“Unfortunately there was a miscommunication. The driver thought he said he wanted to be dropped off in San Diego. For security purposes cell phones do not work in the back and the doors cannot be unlocked. I’m sure it will all be sorted out when he reaches his destination, in seven hours. Our guests should be here in three. I have a security force discreetly covering the airfield, looking for threats. The moving company will be here to collect the ships after our guests go home, just in case Mr. Allen wants anymore pictures before he leaves.

“Excellent. And the work?”

“We believe it would be a good idea to have our own method to travel to different universes should we ever need help or they may need help and it becomes necessary to move a large number of people and equipment quickly. It will be ongoing but secondary to the plans we have in place.”

“Yes, very exciting times. The government won’t be happy about an organized team of superheroes operating outside their jurisdiction.”

“Which is why I have no doubt you and Lois will do an excellent job in helping us engender the public’s trust, for rights to exclusives, of course.” Lucius added.

“Of course. This is going to be the beginning of a beautiful friendship Mr. Fox.” Cat admitted.

Lucius saw the two women he had been wanting to speak with, sitting at a table, no doubt wondering what they were going to be doing next. He took a seat across from them.

“Hello. I’m Lucius Fox, CEO of Wayne Enterprises. If I am not mistaken you are Miss Lane and Miss Vasquez?”

“We are.” Lucy answered.

“You both come highly recommended to me by your peers. I have positions you both may be interested in.”

“It looks like we are unemployed and I can’t speak for Vasquez but I am beginning to think opening up a civil law firm and living the quiet life may be in the cards for me.”

“You are meant for greater things than that Miss Lane, but if that is truly what you want then I won’t stand in your way. I will tell you that Jeremiah Danvers was reunited with his family last night, thanks to the teamwork of the greatest collection of heroes the world has ever known. While Kara, Alex, their parents and their friends are going back to their Earth this afternoon, quite a few heroes are staying behind. The world is about to be a safer place, protected by an organized team of those who can make the impossible happen in the pursuit of justice and defending the people of this planet. This will not be an easy venture but it will be organized. We will work on establishing inter dimensional communication by some means, perhaps travel so our two Earths can help each other when needed but that is in the future. For now much work needs to be done. I need women who can lead a support team and infrastructure, a group of the best researchers, crime lab experts and tech experts in the world. I need the two of you. Our League needs support from the best and brightest. Max Lord is scum. He may have the planet’s best interests at heart but he also has his own interests first and foremost. He helped out during Myriad because he would have died if he hadn’t. He can’t be trusted by us. I want you to head the formation of an infrastructure whose sole purpose will be to support our league. I want the two of you. You Lucy, are a very skilled administrator and you are a very skilled communications and monitoring officer, Vasquez. Think about it.” Fox laid two cards on the table and stood. Before he could walk away Lucy spoke.

“What is this League? Who is in it?”

“The greatest heroes on this planet of course, some the world hasn’t even met yet. Even the big guy in the blue suit is on board.” Fox told her, smiling, knowing he had her.

“Does it have a name? Letters? Anything?” Vasquez asked.

Mr. Fox shrugged his shoulders. “I suppose not but I have been throwing the name of Justice League around. My friend Mr. Wayne isn’t sold but I think it has a nice ring to it, don’t you? Oh by the way, here are your starting salaries, should you accept.”

Mr. Fox turned both cards over and wrote amounts, causing both women’s eyes to widen.

“I’m in.” they both told him. Lucy had trouble believing it. This was almost too good to be true. No it was, the idea of working with J’onn and Kal, not having to rely on Max, not being judged by who her father was, it was definitely too good to be true.

“Excellent.” Fox told the two, sitting back down. “Let me show you your first job. You are going to be coordinating the construction of a base, along with a woman named Barbara Gordon.”

Lucius pulled up the schematics on his phone and placed it in the table between the two women.

“Wow.” Vasquez whispered.

“Glad you like it. I designed it myself. I call it Watchtower.”