Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Call Me Kara

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 28:

“So the arrows on the right of the quiver are knockout arrows. Aim for the head. A hit won’t kill a person but it will put them to sleep for a while.” Oliver explained.

“Whats a quiver?” the blonde asked.

“The long bag on your back that has…” Oliver began, sighing.

“Arrows in it. I knew that. We just really didn’t cover terminology in the DEO training.”

“Uh huh.”

“Relax Ollie, I got this. What about the other arrows?”

“Don’t call me…”

“I’m calling you Ollie.” Kara told him with no room for argument.

Oliver rubbed his forehead, not even bothering to argue. If the super powered alien wanted to call him Ollie who was he to argue?

“The ones on your left side are bola arrows. Aim for the chest or legs and cords will release on impact, wrapping around the limbs, basically immobilizing the target.”

“Okay, where are the rest?” Kara asked.

“The rest? You have seven of each. How many do you want?”

“I want the one that explodes, the one that turns into a magnet, the one I can shoot into a building and swing from, that looks so fun, the one that shocks people…’

“You don’t get those.”

“Why not?”

“Because.” Oliver reasoned.

“Because? What kind of reason is that? Because? I’m a member of the team and I want my exploding arrows, Oliver Queen.”

“You shoot laser beams out of your eyes. Why would you want an exploding arrow?” Oliver asked, listening to Felicity and Winn try not to laugh on the other end of the com and failing.

“Because I’m a vigilante tonight. I’m not shooting lasers out of my eyes and I call it heat vision. I don’t call your knock out arrows, stupid arrows with boxing gloves attached, do I?”

“You get through tonight and you can have some exploding arrows next time Kara.” Dig told her, trying not to smile.

“So I get to do this again?” Kara asked, jumping on his statement, making him realize what he had said.

“Of course. Anytime you want. If these guys don’t want you the two of us can go out.” Thea told her. Kara smiled sarcastically at Oliver.

“At least one team member appreciates me. Hey listen!” Kara told the group quickly, picking up a cry for help a block away that none of the others could hear. “Pull over.”

“We are kind of on a time table here Kara…” Oliver tried.

“Pull over! A lady just called for help!”

Dig swerved to the side and before he was stopped completely, the back of the van was opened and the Predator went to work.

“Did you hear anything?” Dig asked the two in the back.

“Superhearing.” Thea reminded him. Diggle turned off the engine and rolled the window down. “You think she will be back?”

“Not a doubt.” Oliver sighed. “I should probably go check on her.”

“She is indestructible, Oliver, I don’t think she needs you to check on her.” Speedy reminded her brother.

“She wasn’t indestructible this morning apparently. I guess not even Kryptonians are immune to supersonic punches… of a sort. I didn’t think Barry had it in him. Fine, I guess I will wait here…

Oliver’s agreement was cut off by a scream from an alley a block away. It was a man screaming. A blue blur flashed to the window.

“I uh… think I may have killed this guy or he’s dying. Could one of you come help?” the blue blur known as the Predator asked, then zipped off, Oliver, Thea and Dig running behind her, quickly but still considerably slower than Kara. They found her kneeling over a well built, tattooed young man in a black hoodie and jeans, perhaps 19 or 20 years old, on the ground screaming, while trying to pull tightly bound steel cords off of his face.

“What did you do?” Oliver asked, groaning internally.

“He stole that purse on the ground so I shot one of those bolo things. I was aiming for his chest and he must have ducked because it wrapped around his head, like really tight.”

“I didn’t duck, could somebody get this off of me?” the man begged.

“You did duck, I never miss. I’ve been trying to tell you if you would just hold still I can pull this off!”

“Hold on.” Oliver reached around the back of the man’s head and snapped a lever, the cords loosening, leaving a couple deep red indentions across his forehead and cheeks.

“It’s you! The Arrow. Thank God, please get this crazy woman away from me! I’ll go to jail. I’ll walk straight there and turn myself in. Just keep her away from me! She is nuts! Her eyes glow!”

“I am not nuts! You are the one stealing purses from women on the street, scum bag. Who are you to judge me?”

“Who are you lady?” the guy asked, scrambling back on his hands.

I’m the… hold on…” Kara switched the voice modulator on. “I’m the Predator.” she told the man in her most intimidating voice.

“The Pred… the alien?”

“No! The guy or… woman who kills the aliens!” Kara explained forcefully.

“Yeah, but Predators are aliens too.”

“Yeah, but they are nice aliens. They kill the… bad, disgusting looking aliens with acid for blood. Its called Predator versus Alien for a reason!” her modulated voice yelled.

“Yeah but in the Predator movies they skin humans alive and kill people for sport. Why would you call yourself…”

Oliver jerked the man to his feet by his neck.

“Go back to whatever sewer you came from. If I see you out on these streets again looking even a bit shady I am going to let her shoot you in the head as much as she wants and then you can find out exactly why her eyes glow. Do we have an understanding?”

“Whatever you say Mr. Arrow. Thank you sir.”

The man took off towards and across the street, not stopping for any passing cars, continuing to run as far from the Predator as he could get.

“So shouldn’t we have arrested him or something?” Kara asked. He had committed a crime.

“Kara could you please return the purse to the lady he stole it from and meet us back in the van? The shipment is due to arrive in ten minutes according to my source and we need to check the area out.”

“Yeah, we should get to work. For the record I would have hit his chest if he hadn’t ducked.”

“Uh huh…” Oliver didn’t believe her for some reason.

Kara was back in seconds, no purse in hands.

“I may have freaked her out too. She told me I could keep the purse so I just left it on the ground by her feet. People in the Glades really aren’t grateful. I’m beginning to wonder why you bother.”

Oliver ignored her complaint and addressed his biggest concern, besides her horrible aim. “Why did he see your eyes glowing?”

“I was excited! They do that sometimes.” Superwoman tried. “Believe it or not, I’ve taken down bank robbers, liquor store robbers, saved a whole lot of people from fires, saved a few from car wrecks, caught a 747, while only doing minimal damage to a large bridge, kept an oil tanker from exploding while only causing minimal damage to the environment, taken out metahumans, aliens trying to kill every human on the planet and an evil wizard but I have never gone after a purse snatcher before. I tend to get over excited. I’m good now. Adrenalin is gone and I am cold as ice.”

“Uh huh.”

“Big time.” she agreed nodding her head seriously.

“Kara.” Felicity cut in. “You left your phone here and Barry is trying to call you. Want me to send the call to your com?”

“Oh crap.” Kara muttered.

“I thought you said he knew you were with us?” Oliver asked, smirking.

“He does… n’t. I don’t need his permission.”

“Cool. I want to say hi.”

“You will stay quiet! Yeah Overwatch, go ahead and patch the call through.”

“Hello?” Barry greeted her, sounding confused.

“Hiiiii Barry. How’s it going?” Kara asked cheerfully.

“Pretty bad. I miss you. I’ve been in a morgue for the past couple hours while Joe and Alex are out having fun, doing police work and stuff. I didn’t really learn anything I didn’t already suspect. The results are pretty conclusive, same weaponized gas, pretty toxic stuff. I’m hoping Joe and Alex can find a connection between this victim and the one in Central City. What are you doing?”

“Oh… just… hanging out.”

“Dig, Thea, listen up. Looks like Felicity and I will have a Kara principle to base our relationship on. ” Oliver whispered.

“Who are you hanging out with? Is Winn with you? Cisco said you two had plans tonight.”

“Winn is… around, but he is not with me at the moment.” Not a lie.

“Oh… so what are you two up to? Watching TV? I think Cisco is hurt you stole his new play pal.”

“Cisco can get over it. He was my friend first. Anyway, Winn isn’t here right now. Like I said, I’m just hanging out.”

“Sounds… boring. You have the bracelet locked up still… right?”

“Yep.” Kara answered quickly. An easy question not to lie about.

“I appreciate it. I know its unreasonable. I just don’t like the idea of anything that could be out there hurting you. I know its stupid and I’m not trying to be over protective. I just have a feeling this guy and maybe whoever he is working with are in Star City. Without knowing what effect this gas would have on your body, its best that you aren’t in Star until we can catch him. I’m sorry if it seems like overkill but you have no idea how much better I feel knowing you are far away from here right now.”

“I understand, it probably would be best if I wasn’t in Star City.” Kara said carefully, deciding that was not a lie. It would probably be better if she were in Central City at the moment, but that’s life sometimes.

“You could take lessons from her Ollie. She hasn’t lied once.” Thea whispered to her brother with wide eyed appreciation.

“So… if Winn isn’t there… what are you wearing?”

Dig nearly coughed and had to turn his com off while Oliver sat back and looked at Kara with a grin. She was not deterred. She had this.

“Oh, you know… clothes.”

“Yeah? What exactly?”

“Barry, are you trying to… over the phone?” Kara asked and despite her resistance to temperature, felt herself beginning to sweat.

“No! Maybe? I can’t just run to where Alex and Joe are since they are talking to an old cop. I’m bored and alone and miss you. I could text Joe and tell him I will be at the hotel later. I really, really, miss you. I can be at your place in twenty minutes. Those two can stay out of trouble that long I’m sure.”

Thea and Oliver both were staring at her now.

“Barry I think I would prefer it if you stay in Star City. Alex and Joe are alone and you admitted there is probably a killer loose there.”

“Yeah, but… they… I get that… but you wanted me to run over earlier today and… is something… what’s wrong? Are you still sore, because I promise we don’t have to do anything tonight, I just want to hold you.”

“Ahhh.” Thea whispered adoringly.

“What was that?”

“What was what?” Kara asked.

“It sounded like… nothing. Something must be wrong with the line. Reception here sucks. So how about it? I can be in Central City in twenty minutes?”

“You don’t have your suit. Your clothes would burn up. Your shoes too. If you ran to Central City in your shoes they would be gone in minutes.”

“Thats no problem, I can run by Oliver’s lair and grab my extra suit.”

“No! Thats a bad idea. I bet they are out doing some… important stuff. You know how grumpy Oliver gets when cool people like us ruin his fun.”

“I’m not ruining his fun. I’m just going to grab my suit. I’ll be in and out in like ten seconds. Is there some reason you don’t want me to go to Oliver’s place?”

“Why would I care if you go to Oliver’s place?” Kara asked, trying her best to laugh and failing miserably.

“I don’t know. No reason I guess. You are acting strange… you and Winn seem to have disappeared tonight, no one knows where the two of you are…”

“Barry, please don’t tell me that you think Winn and I are…”

“In Star City?”

“Oh… thats better than what I thought you were gong to say… I mean, why would you say that?”

“Winn disappears. Cisco is evasive about where you are tonight but did tell me that Winn looked pale and very nervous at lunch. Winn is afraid of heights. You disappear. I am betting you grabbed the poor guy and flew him to Star City. I also know what it sounds like when Felicity patches a cell phone into a com in the field. Hi Oliver!”

“Hey Barry.”

“Having fun?”

“Kara shot a guy in the face with a bolo arrow.”

“So thats a yes then?”

“A blast.” Oliver confirmed drily.

“Kara?” Barry asked.

“I did not tell one single lie… I can do what I want, just because you did amazing things to me last night doesn’t mean…”

“Kara? Have fun, be careful and you think you can come hang out with me at the hotel after you are finished punishing people who have failed this city?”

Kara’s head dropped but a smile was on her face.

“Yeah, I can probably do that. I can’t stay all night, I have to get Winn back.”

“I just want to see you. Knowing you, you made Cisco come up with some sort of vigilante costume, didn’t you?”

“Maybe.” she admitted. “I love you.”

“I love you.”

The call ended. Kara saw Thea and Oliver grinning.

“I didn’t lie to him. Screw you guys, lets go take some drug dealers to church. Thats a saying here right? Take them to church?”

“It will work, Predator. Follow my lead.” The Arrow told her.

While Team Arrow were preparing to punish drug dealers, Alex Danvers and Sara Lance were dishing out their own brand of punishment in Quentin Lance’s living room. Alex had kicked the man with the walking cane who had threatened Lance, in the chin on her way up and he remained on the ground. Joe pulled his gun, while Quentin dove for Alex’s discarded weapon on the ground but neither were able to take a shot. The men who had entered the house, had recovered quickly and were fighting for their lives against two forces of nature, converging in the middle of the living room, giving neither men a clear shot without the two thin streaks zigzagging between the combatants. Sara’s bo staff flashed out striking men all around. Alex worked her way to the woman in the middle, grabbing Sara’s two kali sticks and began swinging, remembering the flow that Nyssa had taught her. She was becoming a natural and admitted to herself that fighting multiple enemies at once with longer, hard extensions of her arms was an easier way to handle this type of brawl.

Sara took a punch from behind, leaning down, Alex jumping over her with a kick to her assailants chest. A gun was pointed at Alex, that was knocked away by Sara, who also struck the possible shooter in the groin and then his throat, dropping him,

With a last kick by both women, the last man went down.

“Joe, secure these weapons. We need to get you out of here Detective Lance. Follow your daughter while I take care of this ass…”

Alex looked to the ground where she had initially knocked the man with the cane, only to find he was standing, some sort of strange mask on his face, made of a burlap sack, and had pointed his cane in her direction. She saw the end of the cane was actually a canister, and froze for a split second, realizing what he had meant. He had come to poison Lance with the weaponized gas.

Before she could react. Sara Lance pushed her out of the way, taking the gas in her face and inhaling out of surprise immediately. Joe hit the man on the back of his head with the butt of his gun, and Dr. Crane dropped back to the floor.

“Back away, stay away from the gas!” Alex ordered. Donna screamed and tried to drag Quentin away but his only focus was on his daughter who had hit the ground and was clutching her chest. While Joe handcuffed Crane, Alex knelt by Sara.

“Damn it! Why the hell did you do that!? I… I need…” Alex began until Sara let out a blood curdling scream, her eyes wide opened, seeing something none of the four could.

“What the hell is wrong with her?” Quentin asked, panicking. He had just lost one daughter and was afraid he was about to lose another one.

“She has been poisoned. Her brain is being flooded with Norepinephrine. It’s shutting down her body’s physical protection against fear. She has nine minutes before she goes critical. I need to get her to a hospital. Joe, secure that cane and that bastard and lets go. We don’t have time to deal with these assholes when they wake up and help her. We need to leave!”

Alex dragged Sara up, Quentin grabbing her as well to help. She never stopped screaming but was looking around wide eyed, trying to claw away from her father and Alex. Alex was close to panicking. She knew she had to find someway to slow Sara’s mind down, to stop the delusions she was seeing. Even in sleep she could have nightmares but the physical exertion was making the drug spread faster.

Alex hit Sara in the jaw, knocking the woman out while she hung in her father’s arms.

“What the hell did you hit her for?! What’s wrong with you?”

“I had to slow her thought process down. The fastest way to do that is for her to go to sleep. It was either hit her or sing to her. This seemed more effective. I’ve bought her maybe ten minutes more minutes. We need to get her to a hospital. She will have a heart attack unless I can get her blood pressure down…”

“No! She was poisoned? She has been poisoned before. Oliver! Oliver saved her. He has some kind of cure all. Some… I don’t know what, but he keeps it in his clubhouse.” Quentin told her.

“How far away is it?”

“Ten minutes.”

“Make it five.” Alex told him. The five raced out, Joe with a poisonous cane in one hand and a handcuffed, half asleep madman in the other while Donna followed Quentin who was carrying Sara.

“Joe put that man in the trunk, keep him away from that cane and take Smoak with you to the police station. Lance, you got a car?”

“Yeah, parking garage, level four.”

“We are parked there too. Lets take the stairs. You got this Joe? Can you handle him?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ve been doing this awhile… uh, I’ll call Barry from the car. He can get a hold of Queen.”

“Felicity is there. She is always there.” Quentin mumbled, tears in his eyes at seeing another daughter, wearing black, passed out and in danger of dying while they all continued moving, Joe half dragging the handcuffed Crane.

Once they reached Level four of the parking garage Alex was very glad they had taken the stairwell and not the elevator. In the garage were four men, standing around smoking, submachine guns holstered to their sides. One saw the five and shouted. Quickly his friends had their weapons in hand and began firing into the car Alex and crew had jumped behind.

“Damn it, we don’t have time for this!” Alex looked up and began shooting the lights out plunging the garage into darkness.

“We need to move!” Quentin yelled, setting Sara down and preparing to jump in front of the car, to tackle the enemy head on. Alex grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him back down.

“Keep your head down and wait a second!” she ordered

The gunfire stopped. Joe prepared to stand and return fire until the screams started. As quickly as they started, they ended.

Alex popped up and ran towards the men, beckoning everyone to follow. Nyssa, dressed in a casual dark turtleneck sweater, black jeans and holding a bloody katana in her hand, stood over one body. Three more bodies lay on the ground around her, most likely making their own pools of blood in the darkness.

“What the hell took you so long?” Alex asked.

“I was held up in traffic. You knew I was here?”

“I wrote the book on overprotectiveness. Where else would you be? Sara has been poisoned. We need to get her to Oliver’s hideout.”

“Put her in my car. Its faster.” Nyssa opened the door to a BMW, Alex supposed she rented on arrival, and Alex, Quentin and Sara moved into the backseat. Alex was vaguely aware of Joe tossing whoever the ass behind this was, into the trunk of his car and placing Donna in the front, the walking cane weapon in the backseat.

Alex called Barry while Nyssa drove through traffic. Sara was still out, her head on her father’s lap and her legs across Alex.

“Hey Alex…”

“Listen Barry, Joe has the suspect in custody in his trunk and is taking him and the gas canister to the station. We were ambushed at Lance’s. Sara was poisoned. We are going to Oliver’s secret hideout place.”

“Holy… okay, I’m on my way. Wait, Oliver is with Kara.”

“Kara?! Why am I surprised? There is supposed to be some sort of antidote for poison’s there. You know what I am talking about?”

“Yeah, he used it to save Sara from some pit viper venom poison and Dig from Curare poisoned bullets once. I can find it. Where are you and I can grab Sara…”

“We are almost there so go straight to the hideout, cave, whatever the hell it is. Those sound like ingestible poisons. Are you sure it will work on respiratory?”

“I don’t know! He got it from an island in the South China Sea. Who knows what it will work on?”

“Fine, in case it doesn’t he has drugs there, right? Normal drugs? Like normal emergency drugs that are probably felonies to possess?”

“Yeah, wait, you want…”

“Narcan, Propranolol, and Epinephrine. Does Oliver have medical equipment?”

“More than the hospital does. I doubt he has Propranolol but he does have Epinephrine. He tends to need medical treatment a lot. Hold on, I’m heading there now. I can find the herbs and get them ready.”

“We are almost there. How much time does she have Alex?” Nyssa asked.

“Four minutes by my count but it could be two, it could be seven, depending on how hard I hit her and when she will recover. Her pulse is speeding up. Thats not good. Does Oliver have a defib?”

“Yes.” Nyssa wove in and out of traffic, nearly hitting a moving truck when she ran a red light. Once clear she pulled out her phone.

“Uh… yeah?”

“Felicity, this is Nyssa. Open the hidden back exit behind the dumpster. We don’t have time for the elevator. Sara has been poisoned. We need the Lian Yu herbs.”

“Okay.” Felicity ended the call, already moving no doubt. Nyssa did appreciate the blonde’s cool head under pressure.

While the race to the Arrow Cave was going on Team Arrow was at the docks, involved in a brawl. What should have been a simple assault was turning into a gang war, as more and more merchant sailers poured from the vessel carrying $100,000 worth of heroin. While Thea, John, and Oliver were holding their own, Kara stood in the middle, trying to figure out who to hit. One man hit her from behind, breaking his hand on contact with her head. She turned and saw another aiming for Thea and fired without thinking, striking the man with a knockout arrow directly in the head.

“Oh… no I didn’t, I did… yes I did! Thea did you see that? I hit him! I mean I shot him!” Kara’s modulated voice shouted happily. Oliver was surrounded by four men, not seeming to have much trouble. Spartan had just tossed one against the side of the ship, the man dropping in the water. Thea had just broken a guys arm. Kara checked with her X ray vision and saw two clean breaks. Speedy had mad skills. Despite having better reflexes, speed and strength than everyone here, Kara was feeling a bit lost. She hadn’t figured out who exactly to hit or how this was supposed to work. It seemed like they should have evenly divided opponents up but that wasn’t the case.

Then she saw him. The fighting stopped around her, as the last man dropped but the one on the outskirts ran.

“He’s mine.” the Predator informed the team and ran at a slightly faster than normal pace after the coward. She turned the corner of a large shipping container, giving him a fair chance, and found him waiting, a gun pointed at her.

“That might have scared me a few months ago but I discovered yoga. Drop the gun.” Kara nocked an arrow, she wasn’t even sure what kind, and pulled back on the string, snapping it.

“Oliver is going to be so mad I broke his bow.” she mumbled to herself.

The man fired his weapon. Kara saw four bullets flying towards her. Two struck her chest, crushing on contact and dropping harmlessly to the ground. She caught the third for novelty but the fourth hit home. Superwoman was not exactly sure what had happened or how, but she remembered the feeling. This time the bullet had buried itself in her right shoulder, just under the clavicle.

Kara touched the hole and was surprised to blood on her glove. She looked back at the man who fired again. Spartan hit her from the side, shielding her with his massive body. The two landed in a heap, Dig on top, then rolling over and firing at the shooter, hitting him in the chest with a tranq dart.

“Kara, are you okay!?”

“Yeah… you got shot! Where did you…”

“Bullet proof vest. What you are going to be wearing if you ever do this again. Lets talk about how the hell I saw you touching your shoulder like you were shot and I was able to knock you down? Kara… is that blood? Where the hell are you shot? Does he have Kryptonite? What the hell is going on?”

Kara reached over quickly and pulled Dig’s com out relieved to see it was off then checked hers as well to be sure. The team had turned theirs off before the fight with the exception of Oliver who always stayed in contact with Felicity while in the field.

“Dig! Calm down. This really hurts. Give me a knife. Its stuck in my shoulder.”

“Is it Kryp…”

“No! I need a knife, now!”

Dig attempted to look at the wound until Kara took one of the small arrows off her right wrist, struck it into the bullet hole and gritted her teeth against the pain. She had dug a Kryptonite bullet out of her arm that Lucy Lane had fired at her during her battle to keep the DEO prisoners locked away during Myriad. She could handle pain.

Until the arrowhead scraped bone.

“Ahhhh! Dig take this damn arrow and pull it out! Its stuck underneath my clavicle. I can feel it!”

John took the blade and reached in. Kara grabbed his shoulder while he maneuvered the bullet out from under the clavicle and out of her shoulder. They both looked at the bullet and then her wound. As soon as the bullet was clear the wound closed up as if it had never been there. The pain went away nearly instantly but the sweat on her brow remained.

Kara let out a breath.

“Are you okay?” she asked him.

“Kara we need to get you back to S.T.A.R. This isn’t right. This isn’t Kryptonite. This is just a regular damn bullet.”

“Not a word John. It was a fluke. The first two hit my chest and didn’t do any damage. I caught the third one. I just had a minor power outage when the fourth one hit. I should have caught that one too. I got too cocky.”

“Minor? You could have been killed!”

“Been there, done that. Look, not a word, promise me.”

“No! I am not promising that.”

Kara looked up, sending twin heat vision blasts into the night sky. “See? All better. I’ll be more careful about catching them. John, Barry is already freaking out about this whole terrorist attacking us, mad bombers, drones, and everything else. I don’t need him worried about me. I am fine. Please, I appreciate you taking a bullet for me. You protected me and you don’t know how much that means to me but I have to be able to fight. I had a momentary loss of power. Its probably because I wore that bracelet last night. I’ll talk to Dr. Stein about it.”

“If that was the case you would have been weak right after you took it off. I’m no scientist but that doesn’t seem right. Something else is wrong.”

“I’ll talk to Caitlin about it.”

“Will you?” he asked doubtfully. John Diggle knew stubborn. He had dealt with it enough in the past couple years between his green brother and his wife. Laurel was pretty stubborn herself for that matter and Thea refused to take no for an answer from anyone.

“Yes… John you told me once that you hoped I would come to trust you. I do, completely. You just took a bullet for me. You fought for my family in another universe and I am proud to call you my family as well. Now I need you to trust me. Now that the bullet is out, I’m fine. Please, let’s keep this between ourselves.”

John didn’t say anything, torn between not wanting to betray her trust and wanting to take her to the lair and bring Caitlin to Star City.

“The police are almost here, we need to go… everything okay?” Oliver asked, seeing the two on the ground and the man passed out twenty feet away, gun on the ground next to him.

“Everything is great. I was having a talk with that guy when he fired. Dig came around and I had to tackle him. Dig got him though as you can see. He has great reflexes. So do we have to fill out a police report, like a citizen’s arrest or what?”

Oliver was about to respond by asking her if she was really that stupid or just messing with him because she knew it drove him crazy. He suspected it was because she knew it drove him crazy. Once thing about Kara he had learned from observation was while she may be a bit naive at times, she was definitely very smart. She had spent a long time pretending to be someone she was not and still fell back into that role whether she knew it or not but she was not dumb by any means. Before he could ask, Felicity’s panicked voice cut into his com, informing Oliver of what was going on with Sara. Barry was at the lair trying to figure out how to mix the herbs correctly and Alex and Nyssa were two minutes away. Oliver quickly gave the information to the two, instructed them to turn the coms back on and asked Kara for a ride.

With one last quick look at a resigned Diggle, Kara grabbed Oliver who wrapped himself around her and the two took off, zipping through the streets at unreal speeds. If Oliver hadn’t been so worried about Sara he would have admitted it was pretty cool. They arrived at the lair as Nyssa was pulling up. Quentin carried a now awake and screaming Sara towards the wall while Alex pulled the dumpster back.

The second Quentin Lance placed his daughter on the table, she seized up, arching her back and collapsed back down, not breathing.

“I think this is mixed right.” Barry told Alex, rushing to the table.

“She isn’t breathing. I need epinephrine.” Alex told him, ignoring the herbs.

“Giver her the herbs.” Oliver ordered.

“If her heart isn’t beating those damn herbs won’t do a bit of good, now give me some damn epinephrine!” Alex yelled at Queen. Felicity was already moving, bringing back a pre filled syringe to Alex.

Alex took the syringe and stabbed it through Sara’s beast bone, piercing her heart. Barry rolled the defibrillator quickly to the side of the table, preparing to shock her, to get some sort of rhythm when Sara’s eyes opened wide and she took a huge breath. Unfortunately the poison was still in her system so Kara, Barry and Alex held her down while Oliver forced the herbs mixed with water down her throat, Sara gagged up half of what went down but Dig and Thea who had arrived not long after the others, despite Oliver and Kara flying, continued mixing more.

After thirty minutes, already three times as long as anyone exposed to this drug had survived, Sara calmed down. Her eyes became focused on her surroundings and she saw her father, crying, standing over her, and smiled. Then her eyes closed and she drifted off to sleep. A collective breath was let out in the room, Winn who had watched the scene from the communications panel wide eyed, felt a weight off his chest. Tonight had been terrifying. Not flying with Kara, though that was nightmare inducing. The noises he heard over the com, though, the gunfire, the screaming, they way Felicity was so calm on the outside but nearly bent the pen in her hand in half. Then to see this happen, a dying screaming woman, a woman who had just died for a moment before Alex brought her back to life. Everyone filling the lair, the tears the older man had, Oliver Queen looking panicked, something he had never in his admittedly limited contact, seen on the man, Nyssa in the back watching Alex try to save Sara, Kara, Barry and Alex holding the woman down.

Winn had seen Kara take on the world. He had seen her fight Reactron and Indigo. But somehow, while those were intense, life or death situations, this just seemed grittier, dirtier, bloodier. The hero business on any Earth he supposed, was rough, brutal even, but this was no Livewire kidnapping Cat Grant and waiting for Kara to show up in a downtown park so they could have an old western shoot out. On this Earth the villains walked up and tried to kill you with no warning, often succeeding. What shocked him even more was that Kara did not seem phased by this. She was still the same loving goofball he had loved for a long time and always adored, but she had hardened as well. He hadn’t noticed it until tonight. The entire time, the Kara he knew would have been shaken, unsure, not quite knowing what to do in a situation like this and looking to Alex. Tonight she was calm, calmer than Barry even. He also recognized something was very wrong with her. She had a hole in the costume she wore tonight. Cisco hadn’t time to make it bullet proof but the hole wasn’t what bothered him. It was the dried blood on her skin the hole exposed, hard to see because of the dark blue shade of the garment but there.

Alex stepped outside, while Barry held Kara tightly, the two watching over Sara. Oliver had grabbed Felicity and walked to the back. Nyssa comforted Quentin Lance, something she had done one too many times and wished she would have no more need to. The man had lost so much it was a miracle he was still standing. Despite their history being complicated at times, she was surprised when the man hugged her.

Alex walked back in and found Barry and Kara holding each other, not saying a word. She informed them both that Joe had taken the still unidentified man into custody, the poison was being looked at in the crime lab, Donna Smoak was fine and the men at Quentin Lance’s apartment complex were gone, including the four dead bodies Nyssa had left behind. Even the blood had been washed, bleach thrown on the concrete by whoever took the bodies. Kara hugged Alex, telling her how proud she was of her sister, and then was shocked when Alex explained what had happened, leading up to Sara pushing Alex to the side and taking the hit that was meant for her.

No one had left the lair, even hours later, Joe eventually showing up, reporting that the man had no fingerprints on file and was refusing to speak, but never stopped smiling, a manic look in his eyes. The detectives who had attempted to question him believed he may be insane and were calling in a court appointed psychiatrist.

“You doing okay?” Barry asked, Kara, holding her tightly.

“Of course. The bad guy is in jail, Sara is still alive, Alex is alive thanks to Sara who is alive thanks to Alex, and we all get to go home tonight, or… wow its late. Looks like I am using a sick day at work tomorrow. I’ll have to call in for Winn as well. Something tells me he will want to take the train back. Maybe he could use your ticket and you can run back with me?”

“He can use my ticket but I’m not leaving until this guy talks and he will talk, even if I have to break him out and bring him here. I can take care of Winn if you want to go back.”

“No… I really think… I need to be with you, I need to make sure you are okay.” she admitted. Now that the adrenalin had worn off she was beginning to become shaken. Kara knew she needed to find a bathroom and wipe the blood off her shoulder that no one had noticed yet, but pressed up against Barry, no one could see. She could feel Dig’s judgmental eyes on her and did her best to avoid looking at him.

As everyone took a seat and relaxed, keeping an eye on a still sleeping Sara, Oliver patted Kara on the shoulder.

“Barry, mind if I borrow Kara for a bit?”

“Everything okay?” he asked, looking from Oliver to Kara.

“Everything is fine. Kara did great tonight. I just wanted to go over some things she could work on for the future while Sara is sleeping.”

“Yeah, no problem. I’ll be right back.” Kara told a confused Barry and giving him a quick kiss, followed Oliver into the elevator. Oliver said nothing in the elevator so Kara kept quiet. Once they were in the old office and the door closed, Oliver calmly walked over to a desk and flipped it into the air, watching it land upside down, then grabbing a wooden chair and smashed it on the floor. Kara was so surprised she jumped back.

“Look I’m sorry. I know I didn’t do great tonight and I won’t bother you again.” she told the man whose back was to her and was breathing very deeply. She was shocked when he turned and she saw tears in his eyes.

“You think I care that you were with us Kara? I don’t. You can come with me anytime. I will fly with you to Lian Yu and let you use Slade for a punching bag for hours. You can work with me for hours, learning how to actually use a bow, I don’t care. You are always welcome and you did fine, right up to the point that you got shot!”

Kara stepped back.

“Dig told you?”

“No. You think I have stayed alive as long as I have by not being observant? That hole in your uniform is small, about the size of a .38 entrance wound and in the chaos maybe no one else noticed but I know there is dried blood underneath it, your blood!”

“I know. It must have had something to do with the bracelet.”

“Don’t lie to me Kara! I was concerned about something like this happening when you started using that red sun room and you had a lot more exposure then. Stein and Ray assured me that it wouldn’t be an issue and it wasn’t. You have been fine since using that room and I have a hard time believing that bracelet caused a random power outage. You have two fabric tears in your upper chest as well that no one has noticed because of the dark sports bra underneath, but you took two bullets there, didn’t you?”

“Yes.” Kara admitted “You can’t say anything…”

‘No! You can’t ask me that! I’m not Dig. I saw the look he was giving you. Its that same disapproving look he gives me, every time I used to keep something from Felicity or Lance, or Laurel or even Thea. The first time… the first time I discovered Sara was alive, that she hadn’t been dead for years like I thought, I was devastated. Sara didn’t want her family to see her, to know she was alive because she was ashamed of what she had become. I had to keep that secret from Lance because she asked. Dig told me that every secret you carry weighs you down and soon it gets impossible to move. I just told him that he had seen how hard I workout. You don’t have to work that hard, Kara. I had no one but Dig and Felicity when I started and if they had known a quarter of the things I had done in the beginning neither would have looked at me the same. I was hanging on thin ice as it is.”

“Oliver you are a good…”

“I’m not done!”

“Then lower your voice before someone hears you downstairs. I get that its underground but you are being really loud right now.” Kara pleaded.

“You don’t carry secrets, Kara. Don’t start now. Don’t become me.”

“It’s not a secret and I will say something but right now we have a situation. Alex and Joe were nearly gunned down tonight. Whoever is behind this is not playing around. I will do better at catching bullets. I won’t take anymore, I promise, just don’t…”

“I didn’t want to like you.” the Arrow told her, stepping close to her, looking down at the shorter woman.

“Wh… what?”

“I didn’t want to like you. I didn’t want to hate you, I didn’t want anything. I just wanted to be happy for Barry because you made him happy. That was enough. But you had to fight Savage with so much guts and determination and then also be kind and… you had lost so much, so much more than I ever dreamed of and you have this damn light in you that can’t be ignored! Now I would take a bullet for you, without a second thought. You have worked your way into my heart and trust me, that is not an easy place to get. After Laurel I really didn’t want anyone else in my life who could be used to hurt me. I had enough people to protect. Now I give a damn what happens to you. My old lair, I need to take you there sometime. I can show you the table Laurel brought Sara the first time she died. I can show you where Sara lay with her eyes wide open and three arrows sticking out of her chest. Lets take a trip to the hospital. I can point out the room Laurel was in, talking and smiling with me, telling me I was the love of her life. Right before she had a seizure and died! There is an old Legal Aide office in the Glades. Maybe we should take a trip there and you can see where my best friend, the best friend I ever had, a guy I loved like a brother, died with a piece of steel through his chest because I couldn’t stop his father from destroying half the city in time, a plan my other had a part in!”

“Oliver I don’t want…”

“No you don’t, but I will take you there. I’ll wait until your next power outage and drag you there. Maybe I’ll put that bracelet on you before you notice. It shouldn’t be hard because from what I understand you treat the damn thing like a toy, leaving it wherever it happens to land. Lets go to Thea’s old loft and I can show you where Nyssa’s father nearly killed her, stabbed her, beat her, threw her into a glass table and left, knowing I would have no choice but to beg him to save her, to sell my soul for hers. I watched her heart stop in the hospital. She was a target because of me! I can’t take anymore Kara. I’m not you. I’m not strong enough, I never was. I just can’t keep picking myself up and carrying on and if I lose you because of something stupid like your damn pride when I knew I could stop it thats it for me! Thats it for Barry! People who chose you to be their family, a man who gave up his life on the hope that yours would be saved, followed you to another universe to be near you and you want to take a chance of giving it up? What are they going to do without you Kara?”

“I’ll be more careful!” Kara told Oliver, getting pretty angry herself to avoid the massive and effective guilt trip he was laying on her.

“You dying destroys more lives than your own. Caitlin can’t take anymore loss, Barry will lose his heart and never get it back, never recover. He almost lost his humanity to Zoom and you gave it back to him! Alex, Eliza, Jeremiah, they can’t lose you again! But instead of being smart about this and figuring out what is wrong, you are going to go back to Central City and pretend it didn’t happen, right?”

Kara dropped her head, not wanting to admit that this was precisely what she had planned to do.

“Yeah, thats what I thought. You told me once that Felicity had a right to know about Wilson and Harkness and either you were going to tell her or I was. You were right. Now I am going to extend you the same favor. You can go down there and tell Alex and Barry or I will. Not tomorrow but right now.”

“This isn’t the time. Sara is…”

“If what nearly happened to Sara tonight doesn’t show this is exactly the right time, I don’t know what will! No more, Kara. I won’t lose more family. You rely on your powers to fight. Yes you have some skills without them but you rely on them. There is nothing wrong with that. Barry can’t fight without his speed because that is his preferred weapon. Your powers are yours. The first time I fought Ra’s he drove a sword through my chest. You know why? Because I couldn’t fight with a sword worth a damn. I’m not that great with a gun. My bow is my preferred weapon and I rely on those skills the way you rely on your power. If my arm was broken and I couldn’t use it, I would be at a serious disadvantage. You without your powers puts you at a serious disadvantage.”

“I know. I will tell them. Just give me…”

“Now.”

“It is not your decision to make.” Kara told him coldly. “If you don’t want me going out with you again I have…”

Oliver threw his hands up and walked around her.

“Where are you going?”

“To tell your sister to go back to her old universe before she has to suffer watching you get killed because you are stupid. No one should have to watch a loved on die, believe me I know. Eliza shouldn’t have to watch her daughter die and Jeremiah shouldn’t have to see you spit on his sacrifice.”

“Oliver wait! I’ll tell them! Just… let me do it.”

‘Now?”

“Yes, right now.” Kara gave in.

Oliver motioned with his hand towards the elevator. “After you.”

“You don’t have to be with me.” she tried, knowing the worry she knew both Alex and Barry would feel and hoping to downplay and alleviate some of it gently.

“You’re wearing a hood. You’re a member of my team tonight. That means you are my responsibility so I am going to be there. Let’s go.”

While Kara and Oliver were having a heart to heart, Sara woke up while Alex was taking her blood pressure.

“So I’m alive? I didn’t die… again?” she asked the brunette.

“Not for lack of trying. There is a quota on how many times someone can die and you have passed yours by a mile. How are you feeling?”

“Like I have a massive hangover. It was horrible. I saw my sister… she was stabbed… A monster, a blonde guy in a suit held her in the air and drove… then he was over me. I never saw Damina Darkh except once in the 70s but I heard enough from Rip. Then Laurel was there. She was killing me… she killed my father. I saw the demons I left behind. I thought I had. When my soul was saved from the Lazarus Pit I think some of them came with me. Guardians of the dead. I shouldn’t be here.”

“And yet you are. Why the hell did you do that?” Alex asked.

“I figured whatever he was pointing at you wasn’t good. Lets face it, between the two of us you had the best chance of saving my life. I wasn’t much of a research assistant for the doctor I spent a year with, but we both know that.”

“You saved me because you figured I would have a better chance at saving you?”

“Something like that. Kara needs you.”

“Your father needs you.”

“He lost me a long time ago. I did die a long time ago, my body just doesn’t know it. My mind does though. Its why I can’t love. I can never seem to love. I try really hard but it just doesn’t come.”

“And yet you were watching over your father tonight.”

Sara shrugged her shoulders. “Not much we wouldn’t do for family is there? Even jumping through a hole in the universe tied up. Want to know a secret not even Nyssa knows? I watched you for quite a while before you left for your trip back home and when you returned. Its good to see Nyssa with someone who can love her as much as she loves. Nyssa loves with everything she has. I never could do that. I’m glad you are still able.”

“You’re jealous?” Alex guessed.

“Yeah but not for Nyssa. I lost that a long time ago and never really deserved it. I’m jealous of everything. You are everything I’m not. You got a sister that adores you, a family, a beautiful person to share our life with. You got it all Alex. I wasn’t going to let you lose that. Nyssa and Kara didn’t deserve it either. Besides, like I said, I knew you would save me. You are a lot of things and hero is one of them.”

“I still don’t like you.” Alex told her, smirking a bit. Sara grinned.

“Yeah, I still don’t like you. Something about your face.”

“I get that a lot.” Alex told her.

“Anyway I’m going to go back to sleep on this table that is incredibly uncomfortable. Night night.”

Sara Lance drifted back to sleep. Alex thought of asking her to stay awake and talk to Quentin but saw the man had fallen asleep sitting up in a chair, similar to the situation Joe was in.

Dig walked up behind her.

“Your sister is probably going to throw me into space and hate me for a long time but I really need to talk to you.” he told Alex quietly. “You and Barry.”

The elevator opened up, Oliver and Kara stepping out.

“I got it Dig. Alex, Barry, could you please follow Kara and I to the training room?”

Oliver stomped past the two quickly. Kara following, her head down. Winn had watched the exchange with relief, glad he wouldn’t be the one to have to tell Alex about his observations.

Oliver stood leaned against a pillar with his arms crossed. Kara paced in front of him.

“Whats going on Oliver? Kara?” Barry asked.

“You can’t freak out okay?” Kara pleaded with him.

“That usually means there is something to freak out about.” Alex pointed out, then she saw it. “Is that dried blood on your shoulder? Are… Kara?”

Barry’s eyes went directly to her shoulder and he knew what it was immediately. No way someone else’s blood would land on her perfectly through the bullet sized hole.

“I was going to tell you both when things calmed…” Kara started until Oliver cleared his throat. Instead she took a deep breath and decided on the truth.

“I ran after a guy. When I turned to follow him behind a large crate, he was waiting for me with a gun. He fired four times. I took the first two in the chest and they bounced off like they were supposed to. I caught the third one but the fourth hit my shoulder and buried itself under the clavicle. Dig was able to tackle me and took a fifth shot in the back protecting me. We pulled the bullet out. It was a normal bullet. I had a momentary loss of power. For a split second at a very bad time, I became… human I guess you could say. But right after Dig pulled the bullet out, my wound healed and I was able to use my heat vision and fly. It was just a second and I’m not sure what caused it.”

Alex and Barry’s faces both paled, and Barry felt like he would vomit. A chip swept through both their bodies, Alex coming close to feinting.

“Uh… okay. We need to get you out of this city. Barry? Can you run her to S.T.A.R.? I’m on the first train out of here. Joe can handle the paperwork. I’m not sure how to fill it out anyway.”

“Yeah… yeah I can do that.” Barry told her. “When were you going to tell us this Kara?”

Kara didn’t say anything.

“You have to be kidding me! Are you serious right now?” Barry yelled. Alex thought of asking him to calm down but decided not to. If Kara hadn’t told her she would be furious too and judging by her sister’s silence she had planned to keep this to herself. Thankfully, Dig had saved her and was going to tell Alex, before whatever Oliver said upstairs forced it out of her.

“Barry, this is exactly why I didn’t want you to know right away. I knew you would react like this. I’m still strong, my heat vision and X ray vision works, I flew here, I’m fine…”

“Until you aren’t!”

“I am now!” Kara fired back angrily. “We have a psycho after us who sent another one to kill Quentin Lance so he could draw Oliver out. Drones attacked our city! I am not sitting on the sidelines while you fight my battles!”

“It is our battle!”

“Exactly, so don’t try and keep me out of it!”

“And when you have an outage next time? What if you lose your powers in a burning building? What if a meta attacks you? You really want to take that chance?”

“If it means doing what I am meant to do then yes. You are the one who said this is the life we lead, remember? We take risks. None of us are guaranteed safety. We could die every time we step out to help someone Barry.”

Barry calmed down, slowing his breathing.

“Alex, Oliver, would you mind if Kara and I talk alone?”

Alex swallowed all the things she wanted to say to Kara and instead walked back to the control room with Oliver, quietly thanking him when the two exited.

Kara looked at Barry, wondering how bad this fight would be on a scale of skirmish to nuclear war.

“I can’t lose you Kara. I know you have a lot of hard earned, well deserved pride but I will beg you if I have too, to not do anything involving your powers until we know exactly what happened. I will beg you not to use that bracelet until we know for sure what caused this. There has to be an explanation. Your cells do not just suddenly lose power over somethings simple as a bullet.”

“I know Barry. But it can’t be the bracelet. I’ve been in the training room under a lot more red solar radiation for over a month.”

“Maybe its because of the direct contact of the bracelet on your skin.” Barry suggested.

“Barry, we need that bracelet.” Kara stressed.

“I don’t give a damn if you break every bone in my body, if we have to have red solar lamps in our bedroom, whatever it takes but if it is that bracelet we aren’t using it. We can find other ways Kara. Nothing is worth your life. I’m begging you. Do I really have to get on my knees? I will. Its selfish. I know you don’t mind taking risks but if I lose you, that is it for all of us. You are the heart that keeps a lot of people going. I can’t lose you. We can’t lose you.”

Kara felt the fight leave her at the desperation in his voice. He was right, she was being stubborn. This didn’t mean she had to sit out of any fights for the long term, just the short term. The sooner they could figure this out, the sooner she could be back in action.

Kara wrapped her arms around Barry and lay her head on his chest.

“I promise. I will stay at the lab until this gets figured out.”

“Thank you.” he told her, relieved that it hadn’t turned into the full blown argument he feared it would and one he was more than determined to win.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you right away, or that I didn’t plan to tell you ever. That was probably my bad, huh?”

“Yeah, thats one of those things partners don’t keep from each other. I guess we are going to both screw up occasionally but we can’t keep big things from each other. If I started to slow down I would tell you.”

“I want to go home.” Kara admitted.

“Great. We can get on the next train tomorrow… I guess this morning. Should be one that leaves in three hours.”

“No. If you think planes are bad you do not want to see me on a train. Can you just run me home?”

“Yeah, I can do that. Lets get Winn on the train and we can go.”

“What about the gas guy?”

“Joe and Alex can handle that. I got everything I need. Star City PD will process the evidence and send me the far as linking the two, thats up to the cops in the family now.

As Barry and Kara made their departure plans, Alex had noted that Sara Lance was now standing, her father next to her.

“Oliver, Alex, thank you.” Quentin told them. “And thank Bart when he comes back. I’m going to grab a taxi and me, Sara and Donna are going to stay at a hotel until I can pick up a lot more guns, upgrade the security system and get all the shattered glass out of the apartment.”

“Of course Captain.” Oliver still used his old title and always would.

“Oliver where are Laurel’s things?” Sara asked. The sonic device she had taken was not with her other belongings.

“Her locker.” Oliver told her. He had never even noticed Sara had taken Laurel’s sonic device. He wondered what else she had taken, not that he cared. It all belonged to her as far as he was concerned.

“Alex you got a minute?” the Canary asked her.

Alex shrugged her shoulders and followed Sara to a locker behind a glass case, containing a black outfit, different than the one Sara had on. She supposed it had belong to Laurel. Opening the small locker, Sara took out two clubs.

“What weapons does Nyssa have you training with?”

“All of them.” Nyssa answered with a smile, walking up behind her love, wrapping an arm around her waist.

“You know what these are Alex?”

Alex nodded. “Tonfas.”

“Laurel would have loved you. She was that kind of person. A lot nicer than me. She carried these on the streets. These belong to you now. A hero carried them and a hero should keep carrying them. Make her proud. I know you will.”

Sara walked away, taking her father’s hand and left the lair. Alex stared at the two black tonfa in her hands.

“I suppose we should begin training with these to add to your ever expanding arsenal. She is right. Laurel would have loved you. Will you have time to get some sleep before you have to talk to the maniac?” Nyssa asked.

“Yeah, Joe has slept in that chair all night and his back has to be killing him. Star City PD will want first crack at him anyway. Coming to the hotel?”

“I suppose. I reserved the room next to yours after all.”

“Of course you did. I need to call Mom and Caitlin and let them know what is going on with Kara. Apparently last night Kara was…”

“Shot, yes I listening.”

“Of course you were.” Alex said with a defeated tone. “So this is how Kara has felt all these years.”

Unfortunately for the Central City and Star City Police Departments the man they had not identified yet as Dr. Crane, remained silent all week. Alex and Joe gave up after the first day, promising to keep in contact with the Star City detective in charge while investigating motives and links between victims on their end.

Kara spent the week performing her regular job duties, reviewing and improving marketing ideas, approving press releases, scheduling interviews for Ray with different outlets, and conducting initial interviews for potential PR employees over the phone to screen for possible in person interviews. She performed her job perfectly as always, all while spending the week in her suit, strapped to a seat at S.T.A.R. labs while Harry, Eliza, Jeremiah and Caitlin analyzed her cells using biometric scanners and wavelength markers. She was exposed to red solar rays in the sun room at night and sometimes using the bracelet. Barry slept with her every night which would have been romantic if the two weren’t under constant surveillance by one scientist or another. Alex even volunteered a shift during nights as well despite being up early for work.

By the end of the week, she had gone two days without any red solar radiation and the results that were found were not good. Several times a day, for periods lasting anywhere from two seconds to a minute her cells were drained of power, even after not being exposed to red solar rays in 48 hours. The cells always came back strong, but the drain was confusing. No one could find a link between her power outages.

By the time the second week ended, Crane was in Iron Heights, still refusing to speak, still unidentified, no further attacks had occurred in Star or Central City, and Kara was ready to burn her suit and melt her phone and laptop. Joe and Alex had finally linked the two gas victims, as former friends, and according to Quentin Lance, the Central City victim was one of the men he suspected Gallo loaned out foster kids too. The bombing victim from the Steak House was another suspected accomplice that Gallo wouldn’t turn on. The link had been made between the unknown bomber, the unknown killer in police custody but no clue as to who was aiding them, nor who set up the drone attack, Barry, Joe and Alex suspecting it was the same man but having no proof and no idea who to go after.

Barry did his best to keep Kara occupied and luckily only a few minor crimes occurred where he was needed. No major disasters or homicides so his girlfriend did not feel left out. Kara did enjoy the time the two of them had, whatever watchdog assigned to her at the time did their best to give them privacy when Barry was off work. Ray had made an embarrassing comment about people being surprised by how much size mattered in public which Kara was spinning into a work related discussion topic involving nanobots and not what the papers were making it out to be. The truth is Kara wasn’t sure what Ray meant and didn’t want to know.

Friday morning of the second week, Jeremiah, Alex, Eliza, Caitlin and Harry sat at a table with Kara, after she refused to be kept in the lab any longer than the rest of the day.

“Kara,” Cait began, “the power outage as you know was not a one time thing. They are happening up to 14 times a day now, some lasting as long as a minute. We have exhausted every possible reason but haven’t discovered one yet. I think we should try…”

“I’m taking off this suit.” Kara started before Cait could go any further. “I haven’t felt any power outages.”

“If you stubbed your toe during one I promise you would.” Caitlin retorted. She missed her roommate at night as well but had been keeping herself… entertained.

“So what? What are we supposed to do? I’m just going to lose my powers for a minute at any time of the day? If that is what I have to live with then I will.”

“Until you drop out of the sky after traveling at Mach 2. It should only take about 10 seconds for you to cause a crater in the ground and kill you.” Alex reminded her. “Of course if your are over the city you may kill a few people near your crash site.”

“The power outages are going to become more frequent but won’t damage you long term. In fact they won’t last forever.” Harry told the group. “And it has nothing to do with the bracelet itself.”

“We agreed that it had to, Harry. There was no other variables that had changed in her life. This started less than 24 hours after her first use of the bracelet.” Caitlin reminded him.

“I didn’t agree Caitlin, I just had to wait to see if my theory could be proven. Enough time has passed and now we can find out for sure.”

“What theory?” Eliza asked.

“For bioengineers I have to admit I am a bit disappointed that you hve all forgotten about the bio parts of your titles. You are focused on the solar rays, not the reason why the bracelet was made in the first place.” Harry pulled a package out of his backpack and tossed it across the table to Kara.

“What is this?” she asked.

“Its a stick. Go pee on it.”

Kara nearly laughed.

“I don’t think thats necessary. That’s impossible.” she told the man.

“Then humor me. You aren’t losing your powers. Something is draining them, a little at a time. Something is feeding off your energy, not all of it, just enough that you feel it temporarily. This will continue for the next nine months if I am correct. Sporadic outages, probably greater lengths of time the farther along you are. You may lose all your powers by the time you are ready to deliver but on the bright side you can have as much sex as you want without worrying about wearing that hunk of metal.”

“You two didn’t use protection?” Eliza asked softly.

“Uh no. I can’t get any diseases and Barry can’t and even if he could he has been studied enough by Caitlin that I think it would have been discovered.”

“I’m talking about against pregnancy dear.”

“I can’t get pregnant.”

“You have your cycle. Why on Earth would you think you couldn’t get pregnant? I know we had this talk when you were 14.”

“That was a talk about the general mechanics, of which by the way, you left out a lot of stuff I had to learn the hard way. Eliza, Clark told me I can’t get pregnant. Our DNA isn’t compatible with humans.”

“Clark? You took what Clark said at face value? What the hell does he know about DNA? Its a miracle he can spell it Kara. Just because he and Lois were never able to doesn’t mean… Kara, really, I’m the expert on alien physiology and you took Clark’s word and never asked me?”

“No… I mean yes… Oh Rao can we not talk about this? I’m not compatible.”

“You accepted Barry and Cisco’s blood. Truth be told, you most likely would have accepted normal human blood as well.” Harry told her. “DNA aside, it is very possible you are pregnant. Judging by the fact that we are having this conversation tells me Kryptonians and humans are very compatible in private situations at least.”

“We only had one night!”

“How many do you think it takes?” Alex asked, torn between joy and concern.

“Kara, honey? Go pee on the stick.” Jeremiah suggested in a manner that indicated he was not suggesting. Kara grabbed the package and moved off towards the restroom to avoid his gaze. Ten minutes later she walked out, looking quite pale.

“Well?” Eliza asked, fascinated.

Kara showed her the stick. Every one around the table looked at it. Most smiled. Harry shook his head and Jeremiah’s face was blank, devoid of all emotion, not even shock or anger. He wasn’t sure what he was feeling, happy for Kara or extremely worried.

“I guess we need to get you set up for a gynecological exam.” Caitlin squealed, thrilled. Eliza and Alex were also beginning to get very excited. It was new territory, frightening territory but still, this was amazing.

“A gyno what? That thing Alex has to do every year? The one I won’t let you talk to me about? No Caitlin. Not happening.”

“Its kind of important Kara. You’re going to be a mother, and examinations are a part of it.” Caitlin told her softly.

“But Eliza never made me…”

“I didn’t think you would have any problems since you were immune to just about everything. But now, yes, it is going to be necessary.”

Kara felt as if she had motion sickness. Alex had told her… enough. She would rather live on a plane.

Then it hit her. She was going to be a mother. She had to tell Barry. They were superheroes. They… Oh Rao, what was she going to tell him?

“Barry is going to be happy.” Caitlin told her, hoping it was true. If it wasn’t then she would personally hurt him.

“I… I need a minute. I guess since we have this figured out I can go home?”

“Yeah. I’m coming with you. We have a lot to talk about.” Caitlin told her, grabbing her hand and leading her to the locker room to change. The rest of the table looked at each other.

“This should be fun.” Harry said with a chuckle, enjoying the reactions of the table. “I’m really glad Jessie wanted to stay on this Earth now. I definitely wouldn’t want to miss the birth of the first ever metahuman, Kryptonian hybrid. I can wait to see if the baby’s first step is at Mach 1. I need a burger. Anyone else hungry?”

When he received no answer, Harry shrugged his shoulders and walked off. Eliza and Alex followed Caitlin and Kara home while Jeremiah begged off, opting to stay at the lab, saying he planned to research potential problems Kara could face. Eliza found this strange since the two had planned to look at a condo this afternoon but shook it off to his surprise at the news.

At five PM, Jeremiah asked Cisco to leave for an hour or so. Cisco, not having heard the joyous news yet, recognized Jeremiah seemed a bit off and left as requested. Ray was still at the office and Jax was with Dr. Stein at his home having dinner. That left the lab empty.

Barry was surprised to not hear any noise when he walked in. Normally, always, someone was here and he briefly wondered if Kara had revolted and flown away, sending everyone looking for her. Then he noticed her suit back on the mannequin.

He heard the noise but didn’t bother to turn around, not recognizing it immediately. He definitely felt it when it hit his leg, He turned as best he could to see Jeremiah, weapon in hand.

“So this is the B.O.O.T. huh? Cisco showed me how it worked last week. Does it really immobilize you? Keeps you from running away?”

Barry sat down as best he could, stretching his leg out and trying to ignore the slight pain and heavy weight of the boot around his thigh.

“You could have just asked me.” he hissed.

“Yeah I suppose I could have, but I didn’t want you running off to Kara before we had a talk. Alex told me you planned to ask Kara to marry you at Christmas?”

“Yea… yes sir.”

“Guess what? You are going to ask her a lot sooner than that.”