Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Seeing Red

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 28: Central City

Eliza sat on the incredibly comfortable white couch and stared at the column in front of her. She had been here for two hours, taking a break from her research at home and slipping into the Fortress as she often did.

It had been sixty days since they had been home. Nearly two months since they found out about the monster that wanted to turn Kara into one.

The one she hoped was dead from the wound the Amazon gave him.

Life had somewhat settled down. Kara’s anti-anxiety meds were upped but not enough to cause any additional side effects or problems. She seemed relaxed and slept well at night and tweaked the plans for her future homestead during the day. Her daughter was beginning to realize that building her own house without superpowers was not as easy as she hoped but it did not diminish her attitude. The girl came to a sort of peace with this and began parting out what contractors would do what and what she could do herself.

Eliza guessed her illicit sell of the motorbike went through. She didn’t ask, and Kara didn’t offer. The woman was doing her best to pretend she didn’t know Alex was sneaking out with the former head of the League of Assassins and Kara’s best friend and wanted to know nothing about any black-market deals Kara may have worked out.

Alex had started work at UNC Raleigh with Jeremiah in the genetics department and Barry spent the day at Dante’s old house, training with Ty and Hawk, fighting and lifting, downing massive amounts of protein shakes and lifting more. He was now part of an exchange program with the FBI indefinitely while a DEO agent under an assumed FBI title helped Central City PD with forensics related to metas and aliens. Eliza wasn’t sure what else they worked on regarding Barry’s powers and didn’t really care. Her main priority was Kara right now, not the activities of superheroes which her Kara no longer participated in.

Since Kara was with Barry, looking for deer trails and setting up bird feeders in the forest, Eliza had the afternoon to catch up with an old friend.

“Kelex, please bring her up.” Eliza asked quietly.

Kelex knew who her was. He did this often for Eliza.

The older woman was a bit stunned for a moment, as she always was when the figure of Alura appeared. The damn hologram was so lifelike, it was if the woman were in the building, alive. After spending an hour or so looking at videos of Kara as a toddler, it was time to complete her ritual.

Eliza had started this just over two years ago, right after Kara had come home from the DEO after her suicide attempt. She needed to talk to someone. She felt like she had failed and needed to beg forgiveness from someone. Jess assured her that she was being ridiculous. She hadn’t failed Kara.

This didn’t change the fact that she felt as if she had. So, Eliza came to the Fortress and had Kelex call up the image of Alura.

She talked to the image, laid her heart out, asked for guidance as if she were in a church and needed to confess something.

Since then, Eliza would come every few weeks and speak to the woman. Of course, it wasn’t her, but the mother felt Alura could hear her, wherever she was, and seeing her hologram made it easier to talk to her. To tell her about Kara.

“It’s been a while.” Eliza started. “She is doing… better. Better than I ever hoped. She is struggling but has been going to meetings. She found one, a smaller group in a small town fifteen minutes from Midvale. It isn’t as long a drive to Raleigh and she only meets with Alfred once a week and calls him every night. She has been going almost every night, even on weekends. We still have to go to Raleigh for Al Anon meetings but Kara attends AA with Alfred there at the same time. The meetings are only a block apart. She has gotten past her first 90 days counting her time in the Block.”

Eliza stood up and stepped closer, looking closely at the woman’s features. When she first saw the figure it scared her, reminding her of the night Astra had found her. Yes, Alura didn’t have the white streak of hair but they were so similar that her heart felt like it stopped beating.

But on closer inspection, Alura was very different than Astra. Alura’s face looked tired but loving. Astra’s had looked angry, psychotic, full of hate and darkness. At some point Kara had stopped being Astra’s beloved niece and became Astra’s obsession. That obsession had led to her death and a piece of Kara died as well that night.

“We should be past the worst parts. If she hasn’t had any suicidal tendencies caused by the medications by now, she won’t. She hasn’t been cutting herself. I know. I check her twice a night, I check the laundry, the towels, the sinks after she leaves the bathroom. I watch her constantly and she probably gets annoyed, but I don’t care. She is doing good though. Her attitude… she is still sad sometimes. I think she always will be. She still gets angry but not to the degree she used to. Her moods are more stable, not changing every ten minutes. I think we are getting somewhere.”

Eliza closed her eyes and tried to relax. She would like to believe that Kara was in the clear, that she would have her happy ever after. But between the nightmares of finding her on that bathroom floor lying in a pool of blood and this monster Diana may or may not have killed, possibly still stalking her youngest daughter, it was hard to relax. She took her own anxiety meds just as Kara did but Eliza kept it a secret. She didn’t want Kara to know she had panic attacks at the sight of blood, severe panic attacks at the sight of blood on Kara, and even needed blood samples in research projects placed on slides for her to examine, so her heart wouldn’t race.

“I know you are watching her. I know you are proud of her. I… I am also, but I am so scared. Were you? Knowing you would have to send her away, not knowing when but knowing that one day… you had to live with that fear too. How did you do it? How did you live with it every day, never knowing if this would be the day you might never see her again? Not knowing what would happen to her, if she would live or die or who would find her? If you are watching then you know what we found out at the Block, about what you did to ensure she lived. I knew you loved her, that there was some reason why you had sent her away in the manner you did. I always knew. It would have been impossible to not love her, want the best for her.”

Eliza took a moment and collected her thoughts, wondering not for the first time is she would have had the courage to send her children away to safety as well despite the unknowns.

She has been doing well in therapy. At least Leslie hasn’t seemed as grumpy over the computer when I ask her how she is. I put a picture of you by her bed. I wasn’t sure what effect it would have on her, Jeremiah and I argued about it, he thought it may set her off, but she didn’t say anything. It is still there though. I think the truth helped her more than I ever dreamed it would. I wish I had known all along. I’ll be back soon. I’ll take care of her, I promise.”

Eliza shook her head and motioned to Kelex to turn off the image.

“Eliza, may I ask you a question about human emotions?”

“Of course, Kelex.”

The woman was not surprised. Over the years since he had been released from the crystal, the AI was given a certain amount of latitude to grow. He had trained himself to become familiar with Kara and Alex’s needs and expectations in the field. Kelex no longer gave out odds of plans being successful, simply advising if it was impossible or not. Kara had changed his definition of impossible many times. However, after watching the young girl in charge of him basically emotionally self-destruct over the years, he became curious about emotions, so he could uphold one of his prime directives, keep Kara alive. Since her youngest daughter generally only expressed anger when Kelex attempted to discuss her emotions with her, it fell to Eliza to educate the robot.

“Have you experienced jealousy over Alura, due to her status as Kara’s birth mother?”

The woman was not expecting that. Kelex was often full of surprises though.

“Yes.” Eliza answered immediately. “It became worse when we retrieved the videos and photos of Kara growing up before she came to Earth. I watched her and thought, I wouldn’t have put her hair like that, I would have added two braids and the clothes she wore, I know they weren’t big on fashion, but she could have put some color on her that highlighted her beautiful eyes. I suppose I have always felt jealousy over Kara. Clark has always been mine. But Kara… she and Alex are so close, always have been. So, I suppose you could say I have even been jealous over my own daughter’s relationship with Kara. Not often, but it does happen. Alex is strong, stronger than me or Jeremiah. We are the insecure ones, I suppose.”

Kelex said nothing, Eliza assuming he was dissecting her every word to make sense of the emotion.

“I was more jealous of Astra. I was afraid of her when Kara was growing up, but my greatest fear was that she would one day go to Astra, convince her to try and change her ways and stay with her as a condition. I had nightmares about her leaving us. As the years went on and her hate grew for the woman, the nightmares stopped, I knew she was mine, unquestionably. But when Astra called Kara her daughter once on the phone at the DEO, I completely lost it. The idea that someone… I missed the first half of her life, but she is mine, she always will be. She is my baby girl.”

“I believe I understand. May I ask another question?”

“You don’t have to ask if you can ask a question, Kelex.” Eliza told him, as she often did.

“How do you feel about Kara having sexual relations with Barry Allen on an accelerated basis? Based on the number of times she has checked into a hotel in the past month, spent a large amount of time at Barry Allen’s Midvale residence and has taken her bike to remote areas around Midvale, it is apparent she is having more frequent intercourse than she has at any point in her life. Prior to Barry Allen she averaged 1.2 sessions every three months, but since her release from the Block that number has risen exponentially…”

“Kelex!” Eliza shouted, wanting to scrub her ears. “You can ask any question but that. Never, never, ask Jeremiah anything regarding Kara or Alex’s sex life unless you want to be deactivated. Please. He pretends it doesn’t happen and we pretend he doesn’t know it happens. It works for all of us. Just… please, don’t bring it up.”

While Eliza was washing her brain of any images of her daughter and Barry Allen in compromising positions, the two objects of Kelex’s curiosity were sitting on the newly poured slab of her one-day home, looking out at the ocean, arms curled around their knees and shoulders touching each other.

“So, you aren’t going to any meetings tomorrow night, right?” Barry started, obviously about to bring something up Kara wouldn’t like. She had gotten used to the tones of his voice and this was the casual manner he planned to slip a big question in without sounding as if it was a big deal.

“Nope. Not until Monday, in Pine Tree. I’m hitting Raleigh with Alfred on Wednesday, while everyone else goes to the family support group for junkies.” Kara told him, a bit of sarcasm in her voice. She appreciated the effort but felt like she was the reason her family had to go to groups just as she was the reason they all started therapy in the first place. Kara believed she had a negative effect on everyone’s mental health who came into her life. Barry even still saw Jess, as did the rest of her family, or least they had sessions over video connections.

“So, you have the weekend. I was wondering if you wanted to do something we have never done tomorrow night.”

That caught Kara’s attention.

“I thought we agreed I wasn’t ready for that. I told you I am not going to the drug store to buy what we need. It would be all over Midvale before noon. You can go there, or run to Raleigh if you want selection…”

“Kara stop.” Barry told her, holding up his hand and mind now on a completely different tangent.

“I told you we could try.” Kara reminded him.

“Yeah.” he agreed, remembering that conversation. “But that isn’t what I am talking about. J’onn took the transporter he had from your National City apartment and has it set up in mine, the one in Central City.”

Kara nodded her head, already knowing this. Alex kept her apprised of everything going on with the Fortress. As of right now, there were only four transporters in the world. One was in the Batcave, one was underneath the very secure hangar in Raleigh, one was in the Midvale house and one was in Barry’s apartment. Those were the only entry points to the Fortress of Solitude and were placed in those locations in the event emergency cover or escape was needed.

“I know. I’m not completely out of the loop.” Kara reminded him.

“Yeah, so you have never been to my apartment, I’ve only been there a few times when I stop by to help Wally train…”

“You can go to your apartment, Barry. You don’t have to stay in Connolly’s old house. If I need you, then…”

“I don’t want to be there. I want to be where you are. Even with the transporter I want to be close to you if… but I was thinking maybe the two of us could visit Central City this weekend. I promised I would work with Wally this weekend on throwing lightning and he can come here but it would probably be less conspicuous in Central City where some of my old training hideouts are. You have gotten used to being in cities a little and we could stay out of crowded areas. I know my friends would love to meet you and I bet Caitlin would love to see you again. What do you say?”

Kara stilled, not having expected this. Yes, she had been to Raleigh for meetings but that was it. Truth told she had barely left the Midvale area, and had not spent much time in town either. She made it a point to do her best and not talk to anyone. Despite her slightly shorter and straighter brown hair and green eyes hidden behind her glasses, the girl still worried about people recognizing her. It was a testament to Kara’s ability to keep her head down that no one recognized her when she first appeared. Luckily no one in Midvale would have suspected that the shy, socially awkward nerd with anxiety problems could have been the confident hero that plucked a falling plane out of the air. Only those who she looked in the eyes, Lena and Barry, knew without a doubt. Lex had always known, before she even became Supergirl.

“Uh…”

Barry saw she was nervous. Kara had not been nervous in a while and he wondered if he moved too soon.

“We don’t have to.” he assured her. “I can help Wally and be right back.”

The girl stood up and began walking back to the house, not saying anything for the moment, just keeping her eyes on the ground in front of her.

“Kara?”

Kara stopped and slowly turned back to Barry.

“I… can I think about it?”

“Yeah…”

“S.T.A.R. Labs… any labs, after the Block I really don’t want to be in any labs.” she tried to explain.

Barry nodded his head. “I understand, but we don’t have to go there. You can stay in my apartment while I work with Wally. I won’t be long. There is a place I would love to take you. It’s a coffee shop, a great place and maybe you could meet just Iris or… whoever. They even have a drink named after me. I think you would like it. We can go when it’s not busy.”

“You mean Jitters?” Kara asked, smiling sadly.

That caught Barry by surprise.

“I thought you hadn’t been to Central City since we met again.”

Kara shrugged her shoulders.

“Only you would have a 21st birthday party at a coffee shop instead of a bar, Barry Allen. Iris, Joe West, a redheaded theater major named Amber Dobbins, her boyfriend Todd, and a couple guys who I can’t remember their names right now. I was there, in a manner of speaking. I watched the whole party.”

Kara looked up at the sky and took off her glasses, wiping her eyes with a wrist.

“I sat in the Fortress and surrounded myself with monitors from every security camera, listened to audio from every phone, filtered so it seemed as if I was at the table with you. I wished I could have been there with you. It was either cry or get drunk. I am sure you can guess which choice I made.”

“Oh.” Barry said, not sure what else to say.

“I got so wasted. I drank an entire bottle and then started another one. After you left, I sat for hours, feeling sorry for myself. Then Kelex told me he had found this man I was searching for, a bounty hunter who went by Carl Draper on Earth. He was a former prison guard on Fort Rozz. I snorted a couple lines and flew after him. Apparently, times were tough, and he took a bounty on me. I found him in Metropolis and lured him underground into an abandoned subway tunnel. My favorite place to fight in a city. The poor guy never had a chance.”

Barry stood still, watching her relive the past, as she often did, seeming to be in the memory.

“I stood before him and asked how many times am I going to have to kill you? He was so confused. He didn’t know I was talking to Astra. I burned his legs first. He wore armor but despite my less than steady state I burned through it and took out his knee caps. I stood over him and tortured him, then I snapped his neck. I laid down next to his body and feel asleep once the high was gone. Alex found me the next morning and helped me change, walked me out. So that was my only experience with Jitters. I stopped watching you after that.”

Barry took a moment then walked behind her, placing his arms around her from behind and pulling her to him until they were pressed against each other. Kara didn’t resist, leaning her head back on his shoulder. Her moods may have been lifted lately, more stable and dare he say, happy, but the darkness inside her would always be there he feared.

“So that’s a no to coffee?”

The girl snorted and laughed, shaking in his arms and shaking her head.

“No, it’s not a no. I can handle it. If you want me to meet your friends, I can handle it. Is it… is it okay if Alex comes with me?”

Kara didn’t say it, but Barry knew. She was still banned from weapons, hers locked away from her reach in the Fortress and none in the house she could get to. She wouldn’t go anywhere near Central City without some sort of weapon, especially if Barry would be spending time with Wally, so Alex would be her weapon.

“Of course.”

Kara nodded her head. “Great. She will be excited. Central City is one place neither of us has seen much of. I’ll go let her know. See you for dinner tonight? Mom is making enchiladas again or trying to.”

Barry agreed, thinking Kara seemed more relaxed and honestly surprised she agreed. He was also surprised she told him the story of his 21st birthday. He knew she didn’t often talk about her… activities in the past with him but she had been opening more lately. Therapy and meetings probably had something to do with it, but he also liked to think he had something to do with it as well. They were growing closer every day. He had even become comfortable enough to talk with her about his own therapy experiences and the loss of his mother and father, something he never would have done even a month ago.

He would be lying if he said he wasn’t a little annoyed that she wanted Alex there. Alex was Kara’s security blanket it seemed. He wanted to be the one she clung to for security but knowing the history between the two, it was obvious why. Despite their love, they didn’t have the history her and her older sister had, the hell the two had went through together.

Cameron Chase’s words also stayed in the back of his mind, though he hated to think of it. She had told him he would always be second to Alex. Always. Perhaps one day Kara would cling to him for comfort first but for now he was behind her sister, her father, her mother. They were the ones she ran to.

At least he was ahead of Bruce Wayne and J’onn Jonzz, so he had that going for him.

After Barry left to shower before dinner, Kara went to the house, finding Alex was less than enthusiastic.

“No! I do not want to go to Central City. You are a big girl and can go with your boyfriend to his apartment and for coffee. It’s not like you are taking a plane. You are walking through our transporter into the Fortress and then into his closet. The whole trip should take a minute if you aren’t in a hurry.”

Kara shook her head.

“I don’t want to go without you. I… new people and… S.T.A.R. Labs, what if I have to go there? He is probably going to want me to go there.”

“You have been there before. Remember? You were going to destroy the place?”

“That was different! How many times in high school did I sit at a park or at the mall by myself while you were out with a girl, so Mom and Dad wouldn’t know? How many times, Alex?”

Alex crossed her arms. “Not as many times as I have saved you from vomiting. Remember that ogre thing? It was about to slime you. I shot it and it was an avalanche of green goo all over me. It got in my mouth. Any favors from High School that I owed you were repaid in full during that little adventure.”

Kara admitted that was a disgusting creature and she had held back a laugh, watching Alex try to wipe the remains off her body and face, especially her mouth. Kara may have fibbed about how ineffective her heat vision would have been against it, knowing if she took it out, it would cover her, and she would have been washing green out of her hair for weeks.

So, the former Girl of Steel pouted.

“Don’t do that.” the older sister told her quickly, recognizing that ploy. “Seriously, stop.”

“Dad probably won’t want me to go without you there anyway. Barry was excited, and you know Mom and Dad are just starting to relax and realize I won’t kill myself. Do you want them worried?”

“They trust Barry.” Alex pointed out.

“And they would be even more secure with you there. Don’t you think they deserve that peace of mind?”

Alex grabbed her short hair and groaned.

“I don’t want to meet his friends, okay?”

That caught Kara by surprise. She knew Alex had formed a relationship with Caitlin Snow that while not friendship was a mutual respect, considering they didn’t have a long history together.

“Why? What do you have against them?” Kara asked suspiciously, wondering if Alex was keeping something from her.

“Nothing! I’m sure they are all nice people, but Dante is training Caitlin. How are you going to feel about him seeing him in a similar situation with someone else that he used to only share with you?”

“It’s not like they are screwing, and I wouldn’t care anyway. I love Barry. I have gotten over that.”

“You never get over anything. You may love Barry, but you have always been weird, like possessive weird, about Dante. It isn’t love but its… weird. Want another reason? Ramon is probably pissed off that we have had Kelex hacking into his feed to guide Barry in his new suit we made. He is going to have questions about our tech, tech we can’t let him or anyone else know about for reasons we discussed. I trust Barry not to share but that material is only given to Connolly’s team, Bruce and Dick. S.T.A.R. isn’t secure but Ramon seems to think it is, and if it falls into the wrong hands, like the US military, they could… we don’t provide weapons for them to use against other countries. Ramon is going to have a million questions I can’t… I won’t answer. He will be pissed off, probably say something sarcastic and I will have to put him gently to sleep.”

“Barry won’t let him ask.” Kara assured her, plopping back on her bed. “What else you got?”

“The last time I saw his foster father I took the man’s gun, forced him to his knees and held it to the back of his head?”

Kara closed her eyes, admitting Alex had a point.

“He wouldn’t hold a grudge. He probably hates me more. I am sure between Lobo, Batman and our raid on their headquarters he has figured out that I am not exactly how the media portrays me. Besides you had your mask on. No way he will recognize you.”

Alex looked at her in disbelief.

“My build, my hair, my voice, he is going to recognize me. Hell, he knows I am your sister!”

“Want to wear glasses?” Kara joked. Alex didn’t smile, so she gave up.

“Fine, I’ll just tell him I’m not ready.”

Alex shook her head, frustrated. “You are ready! It not like you are going to a concert surrounded by thousands of people. He just wants you in his apartment and at his favorite coffee shop. You don’t even have to go to the damn lab. If you get scared hop back to the Fortress. It’s easy.”

The younger sister shook her head and sat up, moving out the door.

“Kara,” Alex called after her.

“I can’t do it, Alex. Not by myself. I need you to do this with me and now you are telling me no? Since when do we give a damn about cops who get their guns taken away? He should have defended himself better. Since when are we afraid to tell someone they can’t look at our tech? You are right, it is probably best we stay away for now.”

“I didn’t say that! I said you should go! You don’t need…”

“I don’t need you? Since when do I not need you? I have done everything you asked since you kidnapped me months ago but now you are telling me I don’t need you? This is when I need you, Alex! Just because it isn’t an alien you love fighting doesn’t mean I don’t need you to have my back! I said don’t worry about it. I’ll go another time, on my own or take Dad.”

Alex laughed sharply. “You are going to take Dad to Barry’s apartment? He may be in denial about some things when it comes to you, but he isn’t that clueless.”

Kara admitted she was right. At this point, she had two options, tell Barry she wouldn’t be able to go right now or use her final ploy.

“Fine, I’ll tell him I’m not ready.” she told Alex, sounding resigned. “I’m going to take a shower.”

Head dropped, shoulders shagging and feet dragging, Kara made her way out of the bedroom. On her return thirty minutes later, she didn’t look at Alex, instead lying in bed with her back to her.

“You are serious right now? You are pulling the full on super pouting? You are such a brat! Clark doesn’t pout as much as you do!”

Kara shrugged her shoulders under the covers but didn’t turn towards her.

“I’m not pouting. I just want to go to sleep. It’s no big deal. I shouldn’t go until I can go by myself. I’m 24 years old. I don’t need you to go with me. I may try it. What’s the worst that could happen? Have a massive panic attack? Not likely with the meds I’m on. I suppose I might look like a fool if I am afraid to talk to someone but that’s nothing new. Happened all the time in high school and college. I should be used to looking like a fool around new people. You don’t want to go and have made that very clear. I get it. Goodnight Alex.”

Central City the next night

Barry walked out of the portal first, Kara following right behind him, bag in hand. He opened the thick Nth metal door with a palm reader inside the lit up false closet and walked into his bedroom along with Kara. They both turned to wait for Alex, who walked out with a look on her face that did not indicate joy at being here.

“So, welcome I guess. This is technically my place, not that I spend much time here.” Barry offered, standing aside and letting the girls wander.

Kara took in the bedroom and saw it was a bit impersonal. The only real personal touch was the framed photo of his parents on his nightstand. There were a couple reprints of art on the wall but nothing that stood out. Following him into the living room, she saw it was much the same, very tidy, neat and no signs that anyone lived here full time. Of course, considering his activities over the past couple months, he really didn’t live here full time. He spent more time with the League or in Midvale than in this place. Kara thought he may have only used this place for storage.

“Nice place.” Alex offered, approving of the layout, the cleanliness and the view. She could see nearly the entire downtown area in the distance and as dark fell it was stunning to see. “How do you exit after you suit up?”

“I haven’t had to yet.” Barry told her. “But there is roof access, so I can always go up there. Its small but enough for what I need right now. The house I am staying at is a lot more room than I am used to.”

“Yeah but for the heart of a major city this is a good space.” Alex assured him. “Okay, I’ll be in the Fortress. Kara, if you need me, just call Kelex and I can step back into the closet. No jokes, Kara. Have fun, you crazy kids.”

Kara stood in shock as Alex gave her a quick hug and with a wave to Barry walk back into the closet, the door closing and the sound of the nth metal door and transporter energy field opening inside.

While Kara stared dumbfounded at the spot her sister had just been, Barry smiled, pleasantly surprised.

“Wow. I got the impression from you that Alex was staying here all weekend. I… Kara? Are you okay? You aren’t blinking.”

Kara shook her head, forcing herself to concentrate on the here and now. She could do this. She was not the same girl she used to be. She was alone with Barry. She had been alone with him before, quite often lately. But she was now a very long way from Midvale, half a country away. Sure, the Fortress was only a few strides away, but it wasn’t the same.

She was in Central City and probably would have felt the same as if she had been dropped off in the middle of Metropolis. Alex was her anchor to Midvale while she was physically in Central City.

And her anchor just abandoned her.

“I’m fine. I think she just wanted to see the place. She had some other plans tonight. Probably going to play X Box with Clark at the Fortress. You know he loves those huge monitors. So, just the two of us tonight, right? We are just going to hang out here? I probably need to take my meds in a few hours and Mom is going to want me to call her afterward… I wouldn’t be surprised if you get a text asking you to discreetly watch me…”

“Kara.” Barry stopped her. “If you want to go back, its fine. I don’t mind.” he told her, and she noted the sincerity in his voice. His voice was reassuring as it usually was, and she began to feel more comfortable if not totally relaxed. If she had time with just her and Barry she could become acclimated and would feel at home in no time.

“No, of course not. You know how I am in unfamiliar places. I just need a night, just the two of us and it will feel like a second, or third home by morning…”

Her assurance was cut off by a knock on the door and she actually jumped towards Barry.

“Hey, relax. Whoever it is, I will get rid of them.” he assured her. “Nobody is supposed to be here tonight.”

Kara stood back, face calm and heart racing which greatly disturbed her since it didn’t happen very often. Her medications generally kept her calm, no matter the situation, except for a few triggers and times she felt especially vulnerable without her powers… like now.

Barry walked to the door, bordering on anger but also adrenalin. He suspected who this was but what if he was wrong and a red monster wearing a red ring was behind it?

Of course, why would Atrocitus knock?

His first suspicion was right. He had suspected Iris, but she also had Wally with her.

Both had huge smiles on their faces and bags of greasy fast food in their hands.

“Hi!” the siblings greeted at the same time, then pushed their way in.

“I thought we could eat before we worked on throwing… oh hey,” he stopped, faking surprise at seeing a stone-faced Kara in the middle of the living room. “I didn’t realize… this is Friday night, right? We said Saturday. I’m sorry, man. Hi, my name is Wally West.”

Kara looked at his offered hand and smiled, reaching out to hesitantly take it. Her grip was light, and she knew her palms were probably sweating but the young man with the bright, big smile didn’t seem to mind.

“Hi, I’m Iris. I’m sorry, we didn’t mean to intrude. My brother is…”

“A liar, who knew exactly what day we were going to meet. I said we wanted to be…” Barry complained before Kara stopped him.

“Its fine, Barry. Hi, I’m Kara.” she introduced herself, offering her hand to a smiling Iris.

Iris shook her head in almost disbelief over quite a few things. She was standing in front of the woman she had idolized for the past six years, Supergirl was smiling at her and Supergirl did not look like Supergirl. This girl had brown, chestnut hair, dark green eyes and her hair was in a ponytail, hanging just past her neckline. The dark rimmed glasses threw her as well. It was obvious, on close inspection that this was the greatest hero in history but if Iris were to see her on the street, she wouldn’t have given her a second look.

“It’s nice to meet you, Kara.” Iris offered, staying as neutral as she could be and trying not to fangirl.

Kara for her part, had seen Iris before on video but never face to face. She knew the woman was beautiful and judging by the articles she had read about the Flash, seemed to be a good writer, reminding her of Lois when Lois was starting out, chasing Kara, hounding her would be more accurate, all over the country. Lois had moved on to other things in addition to Kara’s adventures just as she had no doubt that Iris would move on from the Flash. Barry had told her Iris was already a reporter on the local crime beat and getting more front-page headlines.

Kara also surprisingly felt comfortable with her. There were not many women Kara felt comfortable with at first meetings. Nyssa was one, but their meeting was unusual to say the least and at the time, she was not Kara Danvers, not even Supergirl. She had been Kara Zor El on a mission to murder Malcolm Merlyn and make Oliver Queen hurt. Lena was the first and probably only female friend Kara had ever had met and felt comfortable with instantly as Kara Danvers and not Supergirl. Even though she considered Lois a friend, to Lois, she would always be Supergirl. Only Cat had come to really see her as Kara.

“We brought food. Big Belly Burger.” Wally said, wanting to get her attention back.

“Kara only eats certain things.” Barry explained. Since she had given up her powers and realized she could gain and lose weight like the rest of the world, Kara was zealous with her workout and diet. Eliza had found a right combination of foods Kara could stomach that were healthy and didn’t make her nauseas because of the side effects of the meds. The diet she consumed was also designed to boost her immunity system.

“But it’s very nice of you.” the blonde cut in, seeing disappointment on Wally’s face. “I would love some fries. Barry, do you actually have drinks in that refrigerator?” she asked, beginning to loosen up a bit. Barry nodded and moved quickly, not wanting to leave Kara alone for long but pleasantly surprised she was doing well and wondering if it was all an act.

The four sat in the living room, the two siblings on the couch and Barry and Kara on a love seat with fast food on a coffee table between them.

Kara was the one who made Wally’s night, by asking him about the crimes he had stopped lately. The young man talked for thirty minutes about the actions of criminals in Central City who thought for a while it was a safe place to do business with the Flash being seen all over the world.

Kara for her part, loved the enthusiasm he had. Like Barry, Wally had an infectious personality that made it almost impossible for someone not to like him.

It was Iris she would have to do something about and the blonde wasn’t certain she could. Still, it may have been worth the effort if it could get her what she wanted, what she and Leslie had talked about in therapy that Kara needed more of.

She needed more real friends, a larger support structure and a diverse group of people, who she could truly get to know. Kara had agreed to work on this and she supposed since she was already out of her element so to speak, there was nothing to lose.

Actually, there was a lot to lose but if Iris was Barry’s best friend, she would find out eventually anyway.

Barry was not prepared for Kara suggesting that he and Wally go out and work tonight while she got to know Iris. The man couldn’t even answer right away, instead staring at her in mild shock.

“If you are sure.” he offered hesitantly.

“Go Barry.” Iris ordered, beyond excited at this unexpected opportunity.

“I’ll be back by ten.” he told her. What he meant was he would make sure she took her meds, but Barry would pretend he didn’t and Kara would pretend she didn’t know why he said ten. She always took her meds. They were part of her routine and Kara needed routine.

Soon enough, the two speedsters were gone, leaving the two women alone, facing each other with fast food remains between them.

“So… we can go out and get you something more to your liking? I noticed you didn’t eat much. I wasn’t sure…”

“Its fine, Iris. I ate before I arrived. I haven’t read any news in the last couple months, but Barry tells me you are doing great. Crime reporting? It must run in the blood with your Dad being a cop.”

“Yeah, I guess. Not like it runs in your blood, all the crimes you have stopped…”

Kara stood up and walked around the table, sitting next to Iris and taking her hand, turning towards her. The move quieted Iris.

“Iris, you are important to Barry. I think the two of us could become good friends. I would like that. Would you?”

Iris nodded her head. She had hoped to get to know her hero, but this was more than she expected.

“Yeah, I would. I would like that very much.”

“Then you’re going to have to do something for me, for us, to be friends. Relax. I get it. Supergirl was a big deal to the world. She was a fabrication of Cat Grant and yeah, she did some great things for the world, but she wasn’t perfect. Supergirl is gone and she isn’t coming back.”

Seeing that Iris was really listening to her, she decided to carry on. She had spoken in groups before and could do the same now. She would either scare Iris away or have the possibility of a true friend. It was worth the risk.

“My name is Kara Danvers. I’m a recovering alcoholic and drug addict. I take medications for a multitude of psychological problems and have tried to kill myself twice. I have killed others, a lot of others, many of whom I didn’t have to kill to defeat. I’m not a perfect superhero. I wish I could be but I’m not. I’m just me, a screwed up girl who is in love with Barry and doing everything I can to get better and maybe deserve him. I gave up my powers because all I wanted to be since I landed on this planet was safe and normal. I want you to be my friend, not the legend or the myth, just Kara Danvers. Are you still interested?”

Iris took a moment, trying to take that in. Of everything she had expected to hear, those were not on the list.

But so much became clear to her instantly, her investigative mind sharp. The disappearances, Barry’s absences, his working with Batman and this new crew of heroes, the training he had been doing, he knew she wouldn’t be back. The substance abuse, the killing, the psychological issues surprised the hell out of her and were like a dose of cold water but made sense.

Iris looked into Kara’s eyes, eyes that she knew were bright blue but hidden, just as her blonde hair was. Despite the smile on her face, Iris knew she it took a lot for her to say this and she was very nervous, her hand so hot it was warming Iris’s.

For the first time that night, Iris West saw Kara Danvers and not Supergirl in disguise.

“I was a waitress at a coffee shop, who had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I saw the Flash and he started talking to me because he was my best friend and I didn’t know it. I started a blog that got me a job as a reporter that I am not even sure I deserve. I still think everybody sees me as the girl blogger who is only good for writing about the Flash. My Dad lied to me about my mom, told me she was dead. I didn’t even meet her or Wally till last year and she was dying. She had substance abuse issues too and though she got clean the damage had been done. I didn’t even know she was alive and then she was dead just when I finally was beginning to let her back into my life. I am angry at my Dad for that, but I love him so much. I had to forgive even though I feel he stole something from me that I will never get back. I don’t know what to do with that.”

Iris took a deep breath and looked away for a moment then met Kara’s eyes again, squeezing her hand.

“The man I love killed himself in front of me to save us all and I have nightmares about it all the time, I wake up alone in bed and I want to scream, I am so angry but there is no one to be angry with. Right now, I don’t know if I will ever get over it, ever be able to love again or if I am going to feel this bitterness for the rest of my life and that scares me because I don’t want to be alone. So that’s me. Still want to be friends?’

“Yeah, I think this will work.” Kara told her with a genuine smile. For the first time tonight, Iris wasn’t looking at her as a legendary hero and Kara didn’t see her as the woman with a career who had it all figured out.

“So, do you like Star Wars or Star Trek?” the blonde asked.

“I really don’t care for either.” Iris admitted.

Kara shook her head. “Nobody is perfect I guess. Do you think Rose murdered Jack?”

“Yeah, no doubt. There was plenty of room on that board.”

Kara patted her on the shoulder. “And that is why you are going to make a great crime reporter. So, tell me about your family and I will tell you about mine.

So, Iris did. The two talked for the next three hours about everything, ranging from parental issues to Hollywood stars Kara had met, to favorite books and movies. When Barry arrived back to the apartment at 9:45 with Wally, he was surprised and very glad to see the two sitting close to one another laughing.

What pleased him most was Kara’s laughter. She was being genuine, not forced and had taken off her glasses, an unconscious gesture she did around those she trusted.

After the two left, Kara delayed her sedative for an hour, spending the time with Barry in bed. By that point, she had completely relaxed and spent a restful night in his arms. In the morning, she accompanied him to Jitters where they were met by Wally and Iris at Kara’s request.

After breakfast, the two West siblings begged off further activities for the time being, reluctantly, both having places to be that morning.

Barry took Kara on a walk around Central City, the lake shore, the downtown area that thankfully wasn’t too crowded, the University, the police station though they didn’t go inside and Joe’s house. The man wasn’t home, so Barry used his key to show the house he spent the second half of his childhood in.

Kara took it in, seeing the similarities between this place and her parent’s home in Midvale and National City. The home felt lived in, had an aura almost, of happiness and warmth. Pictures were on the walls and shelves of Barry and Iris both.

“You two are adorable.” Kara told him, holding a framed photo of Barry and Iris perhaps 12 years old, wearing dance recital costumes. “I didn’t know you danced.”

Barry grinned and took the offending picture gently from her hand. “I like singing, too. If you ever want to have a dance off, I am pretty sure I can take you.”

Kara barely held in a laugh, holding one hand over her mouth.

“Babe, don’t make bold statements that you can’t back up. If we ever have a dance off, the stakes are going to be high and I will have no mercy. You may be a meta, but I have moves this galaxy hasn’t dreamed of yet. So, what is next? Joe isn’t here, I’m not hungry since we ate breakfast late and I won’t be rude and go for a run. My entire workout routine is destroyed because of this trip into unfamiliar territory. I hope you have something planned to make it worth my while.” she told him suggestively.

Barry smiled but wouldn’t be distracted. This was always a tricky time of day and Eliza’s text twenty minutes ago had proved to be correct. It was almost like she could see the future where Kara was concerned.

“We may have had a late breakfast, but you still need something. You have your afternoon meds every day at 12:30 after you eat. You have to have something on your stomach before you take them, or you will be drowsy, and we won’t do anything the rest of the day. How about a sandwich. A deli two blocks from here makes a great club sandwich, or there are vegan rolls…”

“Are you seriously getting instructions on how to feed and care for Kara from my mother?” she asked, realizing Barry had put more thought into this than she would have normally suspected. “I took my meds this morning and I always take them. I never forget. If I am an hour later eating lunch and swallowing down a couple anti psychotics, it won’t kill me or anyone else. I’m not hungry right now and I will let you know when I am.”

Barry was taken back by the angry tone of her voice. She had been genuinely happy all morning, but the mention of a sandwich set her off?

He decided to stand his ground.

“Just to be clear, you wanted Alex with you all weekend to make sure you are okay, but if I suggest that you need to take your medicines on time you become angry? I’m confused. Do you want help acclimating or do you just want help from Alex? Yeah, your mother sent me a few texts. Yes, I responded and yes, I am going to follow her advice because I want you safe and I don’t want your family to worry. Alex isn’t here, and your parent aren’t here but I am, and I am asking you to eat a sandwich and take your medication so that, unlike your workout routine, that routine will not be disturbed. If you don’t want to, then just say no, but there isn’t a reason to get an attitude over it. People love you, deal with it.”

Kara’s face softened, and the red shade remained, only more of a blush now.

“Sorry. Yeah, maybe a small sandwich, nothing big and I can take the meds. A couple blocks, you said?” she confirmed. He nodded so she took his hand and left the house, finding the deli soon enough.

After forcing herself to consume the tasteless food, she swallowed her two pills and wondered what would be next. She knew Barry wanted her to meet Joe and Cisco, but Joe hadn’t been home, and his car hadn’t been at the precinct when they walked by. That meant he was probably at S.T.A.R. Labs with Cisco and Caitlin.

“You aren’t mad, are you? Because of what I said a…”

“Its fine, Barry. You were right but don’t get used to bossing me around. I don’t let it happen often. In Midvale, what I say goes. So, are you ready?”

“Ready for what? You want to go back to the apartment? Lay in bed all day, watch some movies and eat pizza…”

“You wanted me to meet all your friends. Joe and Cisco included. I am sure Caitlin is around. I am betting I know where. I’m not going to be afraid of anything. Take me to S.T.A.R. Labs.”