Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Survivors

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 37: The Summer House is Completed

Lex Luthor woke from a restless sleep, not sure exactly what had caught his attention. He lay on his stomach but even in the pitch black room, he could feel eyes on him, as if he was being watched. Holding his breath and listening he could hear the feint breathing next to his bed. Mercy would never watch him sleep.

Still pretending to sleep his hand slowly moved to the headboard where an emergency alert button was placed underneath.

“Don’t bother. We gave Mercy the night off. Whatever you are paying her and her boys is too much. Why don’t you get up and move to your desk? I think we have a few things to talk about.”

Lex opened his eyes, his mind going through a million scenarios, from kidnapping to murder. He and his father had many enemies.

But thinking about the timing, it was obvious who these people were. The DEO.

And Lex knew they could do nothing to him. He felt more confident and slid out of bed, moved past the man in all black, hiding behind a black mask and strolled to the desk in his room, sitting in his customary high backed chair. He also noticed the man was not alone. Three other figures dressed in black were also present behind him. They were deeper in the shadows, difficult to make out but he knew they were there.

“What can I do for the DEO?” he asked confidently.

“First, can I see your right hand?” Connolly asked.

“My hand?”

“Yes, if you would put it on the desk, palm down, I would appreciate it.”

Lex smirked and placed his hand as directed. “The palm is supposed to be up if you want to read it.”

Connolly slammed a knife through the top of the hand, pinning it deep into the oak desk. Lex’s eyes widened and he said nothing, staring at the knife that had magically appeared through his hand.

Then the pain hit him and he screamed.

“I don’t need to read your palm to know your future, Luthor. The more you scream and move, the more it is going to hurt. Now stop crying. You are going to answer some questions. If you are a good boy I will take out the knife. If you aren’t you can take it out yourself when I am gone. Are you going to be a good boy?”

Lex nodded his head furiously. Connolly grabbed the knife and ripped it up. The man screamed once more until a towel was stuffed into his mouth.

“When you can stop screaming, you can use that towel to wrap your hand. I placed it in a spot that will not bleed much but the tissues damage is going to take a while to heal. You may want someone else to sign your documents for a bit.”

Connolly waited for Lex to calm down and wrap his hand.

“Do I have your attention now?”

The man nodded, tears still leaking.

“Good. You are probably wondering exactly who I am, so you may have your furious vengeance on me one day. People in your position know me as the Sandman.”

Luthor’s eyes widened.

“So you have heard of me? Good. I did tend to make a name for myself in certain countries. Kind of one of those urban legend monster stories, only I happen to be real. So lets talk about why you have been planting falsified files on Kara Danvers and her family on the DEO server, why you had a tracker placed on her bike and are having her watched. Go ahead, if you think you can talk without blubbering. If not take your time. I have all night and an active imagination. I’m sure we can find some other ways to encourage you to talk.”

The man pulled his mask off, but his features were still difficult due to the black face paint he wore. Lex was frightened and as usual when frightened he became angry.

“You know why! She doesn’t trust you. If she did, she wouldn’t have broken into your building. She needs someone to trust and that person is going to be me. She called you out, did she? She is never going to trust you again. Even if you come up with some story painting me as the bad guy, I will turn it around. She is friends with my sister. She is going to trust are just another government agency looking to use her for a weapon.”

“I see. So you want her to be your weapon, is that it?”

Lex shook his head, pain and fear beginning to give way to anger.

“I have much bigger plans for her than that. You simple minded government agencies see an alien weapon, an easily manipulated teenage girl who is emotionally damaged, probably has severe anger management issues, correct? You people never think long term. You, Henshaw, Eiling, Waller, you think you are all smart but you are just fools playing an age old game.”

“And you play a new game, is that it? You really think she is going to trust you? That is what you want her for? A personal super powered bodyguard?” Connolly asked.

“She is beautiful. She is going to be a Luthor one day. My perfect wife, the perfect weapon. I don’t just want her for her power. I like the girl next door look. It gives investors confidence. She is a gift that fate has brought me and you idiots in the DEO won’t stand in my way. I’m curious, how much have you studied her? Do you think it is going to be hard to have sex with an alien? I plan to find out.”

Connolly clenched his jaw to maintain control. He hoped the ones behind him would as well, but if they lost control, so be it. Just another mess to clean up.

“Uh huh. So you think what? She finds your planted file, we tell her its you and you claim you are being set up by us and you are the only one she can trust? You going to set her up with bodyguards like your sister has? Or are you just going to keep using the guys who are following her already?”

“You are in black ops. Probably not you but whoever is pulling your strings must be a master at manipulation. Henshaw, or Lane, right? You aren’t in my league. It shouldn’t be hard. You men dress in black, even inside your headquarters. What innocent girl is going to trust you? What paranoid 18 year old who thinks she has to break into your headquarters would believe anything you say?”

“I think she can see through you. Maybe you aren’t giving her enough credit.”

“Credit? Just so you know my room scrambles all recording devices. If you are hoping to record this, I promise you, she will never hear it. Turning her away from you will be easy. You threatened me, you assaulted me. You said you would take out anyone she was close to. For instance, Barry Allen. She seems sweet on him. Kid looks like he might have an average future. Be a shame if something happened to him, something that had government hit squad all over it.”

“So you blame us for this, which we are admittedly responsible for, you kill a kid she likes who lives far away, then what? Go after her parents?”

Lex actually laughed despite the pain in his hand.

“God no. I want her under my control, not absolutely out of control. Thats the difference between you and I. You kill everyone, I kill the right people. You may torture me, but you won’t kill me. You would have done it already. Is this some conversation to warn me off? Despite your best efforts, a knife wound is not going to dissuade me.”

“Just a conversation.” Connolly told him. “You can’t exactly call the police. We have already downloaded enough from your servers to put you and your father away for life. Stealing from investors, insider trading, FDA trials with falsified test results. Under the table arms deals with North Korea and Pakistan. Thats treason, Lex. You and your father have been bad boys. Lets not forget breaking into official government servers. Is your sister involved in this? Is she part of your master plan?”

“You would like that, wouldn’t you? Lena knows nothing except she likes Kara Danvers. That fondness is a great help but also a sign of fate. She is going to be mine. She is an idiot child. She acts tough, but has no idea about the world. Anger, depression, paranoia, all are signs of a emotionally traumatized person and those people are so easy to manipulate. All you have to do is show them a bit of love and trust and they will do whatever you want. I was serious about any studies you have conducted. Everything is where it is supposed to be, right?”

Connolly grabbed him by his neck and dragged him over the top of the desk, tossing him on the floor.

“Get up.” he told the man, calmly.

Lex staggered to his feet.

“Just so you know, if anything happens to Barry Allen or anyone she knows, I am killing your sister before I come for you. We understand each other, Lex? I don’t play by any governments rules. I play by my own.”

“You stay away from my sister!”

“You behave and I will be glad to. If Barry Allen even has a car accident you aren’t involved in, I am still coming for Lena. I will make you watch.”

“You think I frighten that easily? You won’t go near my sister! I am going to have Kara. It may take five years but I will have that girl eating out of my…”

Lex’s rant was cut short when a fist hit him from the side. He dropped to the ground and one of the figures in black who had stood behind Connolly was on top of him. He felt his jaw break, his head was taking multiple shots. The agent stood up and kicked him in his ribs. He could swear the person was screaming in rage and it sounded like a female’s voice. That was his last thought before he passed out.

Connolly pulled Alex Danvers off the unconscious man, before she killed him, or broke her foot on his bald head.

“Time to go, team.”

The two remaining figures in black stood still for a moment, Jessica rubbing Kara’s shoulders. Connolly pulled Alex out, hoping she could regain some sort of control before they met her parents at the hotel. He had worried about Kara losing it but Alex is the one who had snapped. He understood, he wasn’t far off himself.

Once inside the large van, driven by Webb, the four took off their masks. Kara was softly crying and Alex was still enraged. She had never wanted to kill someone as badly as she wanted to kill that slime.

Once they arrived, Jeremiah and Eliza exited the hotel and entered a new van that was now being driven by Ty Gavin. Alex, Jess and Kara slipped into the back with them.

“Vivian, all cameras for ten mlle radius blacked out?” Connolly asked, grateful that no one seemed to notice on the mostly abandoned streets his group in black changing vehicles.

“No, I left them all on. Even have a few closeups of your beautiful face. I can’t stop random people noticing figures dressed in black with face paint on so please be as discrete as possible. Follow the route I am sending to GPS and you should stay blacked out until you reach the location of the chopper. Dante has it prepped and ready to fly back to Midvale. Lex hasn’t even called 911 yet. What the hell did you do to him?”

“He is probably still unconscious. Let Dante know Alex may need some ice for her fist. Connolly out.”

“Kara, are you okay?” Eliza asked.

“He planned to kill Barry and blame it on the DEO.” she whispered. “He talked about me like I was some idiot he could manipulate and I guess he was right. I…”

“Kara, don’t. You decided to trust the right people. It is going to be okay. You aren’t as easy a target as he thought.” Jess told her. “I was very proud of how you held it together. That couldn’t have been easy. Alex, how is your hand?”

“Worth it.” she answered.

“We will get it looked at when we reach Midvale. I can take you to Raleigh.” Jeremiah offered.

“My hand isn’t broke. HIs jaw is and some of his ribs. I should have…”

“You did fine Alex. That was a warning shot. He will stay away and I am betting never report this, probably pass it off as a mugging. He doesn’t want our attention.” Connolly told her.

“I just want to go home. Is Clark okay? Have either of you talked to him tonight?” Kara asked her parents.

“We spoke to him twenty minutes ago. He and Dan are playing Mario Cart and he has won three out of four races so far. He will probably still be up when we get home.”

Kara and Alex slept together that night, Streaky tangled in Kara’s hair as usual while Kara held an ice pack over Alex’s hand. Clark had fallen asleep just before they arrived home at 1 AM so slept in. The entire house slept in.

Eliza and Jeremiah watched the girls closely. Alex had been greatly upset by what she had heard and informed them all while Kara was in the shower. Luckily it was a quick shower, meaning Kara had not done anything and wanted to avoid being walked in on. The parents watched both girls but they seemed to be lighter. Even Kara seemed more relaxed than usual.

The week went by quickly, Clark finally being released for his shorter winter break and the family began preparing for their last Christmas as full time residents of Midvale. They would still be here during summers for trips and holidays but after the New Year, the move began.

Two nights before Christmas, Kara stood by the edge of the cliff close to where her cave was. No matter where she was, or what Fortress she was building, she would always consider this hole in the ground, hers. It was where she met Alex, where she discovered so many foods, where she learned her first words of English, where she tried to sleep, tried not to think about what was coming next. It was hers.

As she stood by the cliff she did what she often did, almost every night before she went to sleep. She ran through motions of fighting styles slowly and then sped up. She kept her eyes closed but in her mind it was always the same. Sometimes it started with Henshaw or Astra, sometimes Jor El but she always ended up battling Non in her head, preparing for the day she knew would come.

After a series of spin kicks, perfectly executed, her leg extended at shoulder height while standing on the tips of her toes on her plant foot, twirling like a dancer, she stopped and took a deep breath.

“Hawk is like a bull walking over broken glass and tin cans. Ty can’t stop mumbling quietly to himself, constantly humming. Webb and Connolly are nearly completely silent but you are a ghost Dante. No one is as quiet as you. Still, you can’t stop your heart from beating. Are you going to say hi or continue observing my technique?”

The man stepped out from behind a tree. No one without Kara’s vision would even see him in the dark.

“Why?” he asked. That simple word conveyed everything he wanted to know.

“I never said I didn’t trust you. I didn’t trust the DEO…”

“Don’t lie to me, Kara! What have I ever done to give you reason not to trust me? Tell me!”

Kara looked out over the darkening ocean, flinching at the accusation in his voice.

“I don’t know. Nothing I guess. You never told me my mother and father were coming to work for the DEO. Why not?”

“I was asked not to by your father. He wanted to tell you.”

“But your loyalty is always to me, right? Unless its something you think will make poor unstable Kara go nuts.”

“He asked and I agreed. It wasn’t my place. So that is it? I didn’t tell you about your Mom and Dad because they asked me not to and that was enough for you to make me your enemy? What about the years we have spent together? The hundreds of times we have gotten in that little cave and worked on your heat vision? I always trusted you. I let you spar with me, trusting you wouldn’t put a fist through my chest. I would do anything for you and that is how you show me your thanks? I would have gotten any information you wanted from the DEO. I would have given you the entire lineup of Fort Rozz. All you had to do was ask!”

“Yeah, I know.” Kara told him quietly. “What do you want me to say? I made a bad decision, I got played, I couldn’t control my emotions and could have gotten killed. I screwed up Dante. Don’t talk to me anymore. Move out of my building. Hold it against me forever. Of course if I told you to leave and never come back, I guess my name would have been your password, right?”

Dante said nothing, seething on the inside but trying to remain calm.

“Is that what this is about?”

“No, I am completely over that. I have been for a while. I just don’t understand why you would be hung up on a woman who told you to get lost a long time ago. But that is just the way you are. You hang on to lost causes like me. I wish I hadn’t jumped to the wrong conclusion. I wish I hadn’t been played by Luthor. I wish I didn’t have to cut off contact with Barry because he could be harmed or killed just from talking to me. Anybody I get close to can be harmed, killed. Alex is in the same boat I am. I still wish at times, that I had died on Krypton. But this is the life I have been given. It would be a great life if I didn’t have all this other stuff in my head. If Rozz had never landed. If it was just me and Clark and Alex, Mom and Dad taking care of us, no government agencies, no danger. I am sorry, Dante. I think you know what you mean to me. I made a mistake.”

“I don’t want an apology. I want to know why.”

“I don’t know why. I’m not really in the mood for self reflection. I listened to Lex Luthor not long ago, talk about me like I was an idiotic, easily manipulated, basket case piece of meat, a possession he wanted to add to his trophy case. He wasn’t even that far off the mark. Maybe I don’t truly trust anyone outside of my family. You don’t trust me completely.”

“I have always trusted you completely, Kara. Since the first day in that cave I have trusted you.”

The blonde shrugged her shoulders.

“Like you said, you don’t want an apology, you want answers and I don’t have any. You think I like to live the way I do? Do you think I like being afraid, paranoid, constantly angry and depressed? You think I like being the freak who is 18 and can’t go to the bathroom by herself because my family is afraid I will hurt myself? You think I like the nightmares? Christmas morning is in two days and I am going to have so much fun. I am going to watch Clark open presents and see Alex’s face when she sees what Dad and I got her. But even then, do you know what is in the back of my mind? All day, all night, Astra and Non are never far from my thoughts. I am constantly running battle scenarios in my head. I am constantly wondering how I can get better, faster, deadlier. I wonder why I feel absolutely no remorse despite the fact that I have killed twice and neither time I didn’t have to. I’m sorry Dante. I do trust you. I don’t know why I doubted you, everyone, but I did. I’m as far from perfect as a girl can get.”

“Kara, I just… I…”

“Its okay. Don’t be around me. We can work together and that is it. Or not. I won’t hold it against you.”

“I just want to know. For the first time since I met you, I felt you locked me out, you left me out of something big. We have always been there for each other. Do you know why I picked you up in Gotham that night? I was coming back from the mission, flying the chopper to the Hangar and heard what was going on in Gotham. I knew, I knew in my heart that you would be there so I kept flying. I asked Viv to triangulate your phone and found you. I knew you would be there because I know you, Kara.”

“Then you know why I question everything. There are only three people that I will never question. I trust you, I trust you all, but when I found out that Mom and Dad were coming to work for the DEO, you all fell outside of my circle. You of all people should have known how I would feel about that!” Kara suddenly shouted.

“I wanted to tell you but it wasn’t my place.”

“You could have made it your place! You locked me out! You could have tried to talk the Martian out of it. You could have told my parents it was a bad idea! I wanted them safe and you have brought them deeper into this!”

“It wasn’t me.”

“Yes it was! It was all of you, and no one talked to me about it. You want a reason? That is your reason! You say you are loyal to me but that isn’t true. You are loyal to them first so when I found what I found I considered you as part of them and you are. There, happy? There is your reason. I have three people on my team and you people are taking two of them and I have no doubt Connolly, probably all of you, want Alex when she graduates. Then what? I am forced into working with a Government full of people like Henshaw and Lane. I am betting there are worse than those out there. I should be separating myself from any form of government and those around me are getting deeper in bed with them. I said I would trust your team and I will. But if you know me as well as you think you do, then you know my reasoning.”

“It doesn’t sound like trust to me, Kara. It feels like you have given yourself no other option.”

“One day, the DEO will be asked to kill me. It is going to happen. They will take Mom and Dad and Alex out of the equation eventually or use them as hostages but they will come after me. Do you know what would happen if a tank fired a shell at me from fifty feet away? Absolutely nothing. My cape wouldn’t even tear. You think the Government is going to let that stand? There is only one thing that can harm me and the DEO has it in bulk. Do not think for one instant that this will never happen. The US Government believes it runs the world and makes decisions for the good of the entire Earth. That arrogance is pervasive in the Government. I won’t be controlled so I will be a target. How can I trust anyone, Dante? They will come after my family first. I have to look out for them while trying to stay alive myself so I can do what Lane can’t. So yeah, I am always scared, always paranoid and will never fully trust anyone working for the Government.”

“Then I will quit.”

“Why?! You don’t love me! You don’t owe me any loyalty! Why? What does it matter to you?”

“Because when I give my loyalty to someone that is it for me. I have given my loyalty to you and expect the same in return! If you had doubts about them you could have come to me!”

“You are them!”

“No I am not! I am my own person! The only reason I am still involved is because you need someone on the inside looking out for you and your family so you don’t have to be worried about them all the time. I can kill anyone planning on taking you down before they even attempt. This damn job puts me in the best position to protect you just like it does your parents. We are doing this for you, so would it kill you to say thank you instead of treating me like the enemy?”

“I never asked you to look out for me!”

“You never will have to! That is what loyalty is! Right now, Kara. Make your decision. I don’t give a damn what you told Connolly, I want to know, me and you. Do you trust me or not? I won’t be doubted. I have done nothing to deserve that. The others I understand but not me!”

“I told Connolly I would trust you all and I meant it. No more doubts. Why isn’t that good enough for you?”

“You know why.”

Kara turned away from him. “I gave you my reasons. It won’t happen again.”

Kara stared at the black ocean until she heard him walking away. She closed her eyes and bit her lip to keep the tears at bay. The sound of his heartbeat eventually faded. Walking slowly back to the house, she took the time to straighten up and appear perfect. She would smile, a genuine smile, and enjoy watching her family. She would try not to wonder how many of these moments they had left. The best home she had ever had, wouldn’t be lived in soon. It would be empty and it wasn’t right. They were all in the whirlwind, all trying to save the world, a job that should have been solely hers.

She took a couple deep breaths and walked in with a large smile. Her family was eating cookies and watching a Christmas Story on TNT.

“Fresh cookies? Please tell me Stinky didn’t eat them all?”

“I set you some back, sis. They are under a paper towel on the table. You doing okay?” Alex asked. Kara assured her she was, meaning she hadn’t cut herself. It didn’t stop all three of their eyes roaming up her arms and checking the fabric of her white tee. Kara ignored it as she usually did and they acted like they hadn’t done it as usual. It was a sign of love and one that almost comforted her if it didn’t remind her of so many bad things and how different she truly was. The cookies were where Alex said they were, hot, fresh chocolate chip. Alex walked in for a refill of milk.

“Want to know one of my favorite Christmas memories?”

“Every meal we have ever eaten on Christmas?” Kara guessed.

“Nope. I loved Kara’s salt cookies.”

The blonde dropped her head in embarrassment. It was only the second Christmas she had been on Earth and considering what she had done to herself at the cabin the year before, she was determined to make up for it. She even learned to bake.

“You accidentally made sugar cookies with salt and not sugar.” Alex reminded her, as if she needed reminding. “Clark had the first one. He stayed away from cookies for nearly a year after than but he would not say they tasted bad. He didn’t want to hurt your feelings.”

“Yeah, hard to forget. Not a great Christmas memory.”

“Depends on how you look at it. I saw a 2 year old who would do anything to make his big sis happy, even pretend a salt cookie was tasty. What about you? What is your favorite Christmas memory?”

“Maybe the first Christmas at the cabin. Christmas Eve night we slept almost under the Christmas tree. I couldn’t stop staring at it. I had never seen anything so beautiful. But I think the second Christmas here, was probably the best, salt cookies aside. It may have been the first time I really felt like this was my home and not a place I was staying. You were my family, my real family, but the house… I don’t know. I was watching Dad play with Clark on the floor and you and Mom were nerding out over something in her microscope. For a few minutes, I felt absolutely comfortable, not a care in the world. I felt warm. It was the first time I realized that if some magical doorway opened up and I was given the chance to go back to Krypton, to have a life there, I wouldn’t do it. There was no way I would leave. It just hit me that this was my home. It felt really good.”

“Yeah, I think I noticed. You did seem a lot more relaxed after that. Hey, I wasn’t sure if I should give you this until Christmas or after or now, but while you were shopping with Mom today a package arrived for you. Its from Barry.”

Alex pulled a small box out of her nightstand drawer and handed it to her sister, who suddenly had shaking hands.

“I was doing my best to forget about what I had to do.” Kara said, taking the box.

“You don’t have to.”

“Yes I do, Alex. Our lives are going to be complicated from now on. Anyone we become close to is someone that can be used against us. I won’t do that to him. He deserves better.”

Kara slowly opened the box. Inside was a necklace, a gold bolt of lightning hanging from it. There was also a note.

Merry Christmas,

I saw this and thought of the one girl I know who loves speed. A lightning bolt seemed appropriate. I wish I could be with you. I am hoping to have enough saved for a trip back to National City before school starts again. Can’t wait to see you.

Barry

“Its beautiful.” Kara whispered looking at the 14 carrot gold necklace that must have cost him quite a bit, especially a broke college student.

“Yes it is. What are you going to do?”

Kara stared at the necklace for another moment and closed the box.

“Can I borrow your phone? The one Mom picked me up today sucks. I can barely text on it because the letters are too close and too small and the sound quality…”

“Yes, you can use my phone. Do you want me to stay with you?” her sister asked. Kara shook her head.

“No. I am just going to do what I do best. I am going to lie and hurt someone I care about.”

Alex handed her the phone and walked out of the room. Kara dialed the number she had memorized. He answered on the first ring.

“Hey, good to hear from you. You have kind of been MIA for a few days.” Barry told her as a greeting.

“Yeah, sorry about that. Some… things have happened. I got your package. The necklace is beautiful.”

“You had to have it. A girl who loves speed as much as you do has to have a lightning bolt somewhere on her. How is being back home? Your parents still planning on moving to National City?”

Kara steeled herself. She would not break down. It was better this way.

“Barry, I have to send the necklace back to you. I can’t accept it.”

“Uh… okay. Is something wrong with it?”

“No, its perfect. Its just… you know how I have told you before I have anxiety problems, right?”

“Yeah…”

“My problems are worse than just anxiety. I have to… I have to go to a treatment center for a while. I need to get some help I can’t find on my own. I don’t know how long I will be gone. It could be a year or more.”

“Okay… Kara, its okay. It is nothing to be embarrassed about. I’m not going anywhere. I realize we aren’t officially dating, we have only had one weekend, but…”

“Barry, I think we should stop talking to each other. My therapist, she thinks I need to concentrate on me right now. I don’t know how long I will be gone and the thought of holding you back is going to drive me crazy… er”

“Kara, you aren’t…”

“Barry, please stop. I am sorry. I really like you but it is better this way, for both of us. I will mail the necklace back after Christmas when the Post Office reopens.”

Barry said nothing for a few moments and Kara figured she had said enough.

“Keep it.” he told her suddenly, before she could say goodbye.

“I can’t.”

“Yes you can. I bought it for you, I want you to have it. I will leave you alone, give you all the time that you need. You won’t hold me back, but just know if you ever need someone to ride on the back of your bike, I am always going to be there. Whether I ever hear from you again or not, it belongs to you. Wear it and remember me, okay?”

Kara wiped her eyes and held back the sob that was wanting to break free, her chest burning instead.

“O… okay Barry. Hey, thanks. If I am never able to be with you or anyone again, you gave me that weekend and it was magical. It was a dream I never thought I would have. Thank you so much, Barry Allen.”

Kara hung up before he could say bye. She didn’t want to hear those words. She slipped out the window and sat on the roof, the necklace in her hand rubbing the lightning bolt. She heard Eliza behind her but didn’t turn.

“Hey precious. How are you? Thats a dumb question, isn’t it?” she asked, sitting behind Kara and wrapping her arms around her, legs on both sides. The blonde leaned back into her adopted mother and relaxed.

“I could have loved him.” she whispered. “I think I really could have. Its never fair, is it?”

“Sometimes it can be. This will be over one day. We will win. We have each other and that is all we need. We have had a lot of challenges and beat them all. We will beat this one too and then, you and Alex can have normal lives without looking over your shoulders all the time.”

“She should have that now.”

“Not until you have it as well. We are a family, Kara. We always have been and we won’t be divided.”

“I really wish you would not go to work for the DEO.” she tried.

“And I really wish you would let them do their job and live your life, be happy. But since you won’t Jeremiah and I are going to be in the best place to help you. We probably won’t be there forever. Once these people are defeated we will do something else. We all will, even if I have to drag Alex away.”

Kara shook her head.

“Mom, I really have a bad feeling. I think I can win, but I don’t know if I will survive. If I don’t you have to promise me you will stay strong, for Alex and Clark. Never let Clark do what I plan to do. Just keep him safe. Keep both of them safe.”

Eliza shook her head. “I can’t do that Kara, because what happens to you will happen to me. So you better survive if you want everyone safe and happy.”

“Yeah, I guess I’ll try. I… I really think I could have loved him.” she said once more. Eliza said nothing, just holding her as she often did when Kara was upset. As much as she hated her adopted daughter being upset she loved holding her. It was times like this that Kara actually let herself rely on others instead of pretending to be stronger than her fears and worries.

“I need to go write. Then I should probably take a shower. I hate to say this but you should probably stay in with me.”

Kara was flexing her fingers.

“I’ll always be wherever you want me to be as long as it is by your side. Let me know when you are ready and we can talk while you shower. Maybe you can serenade me.”

Two days later, Christmas morning had arrived. Clark waded into his usual pile of toys with relish, Jeremiah wishing they would have waited until National City because there would be so much more to move. Seeing his face was worth it though.

Kara was surprised at her gift.

“A Fender?!” she half asked and half shouted. The shiny blue electric guitar was out of the box and in her hands in a second.

“Amp is in the shed.” Jeremiah told her. “As an added incentive to make sure you visit our sweet beach house often, we have a separate garage. I made it sound proof so you can play as loudly as you want and even open it up on nice days and play looking at the ocean. It should take you what? A week or two and you will be an expert.”

“Thank you both so much!” Kara shouted, moving at a blur to hug both of them.

Alex looked around, wondering where the hell her gift was. Jeremiah walked to the safe and brought out a wrapped present.

“Thought it might be better to keep this in the safe in case Clark got curious.”

Opening the gift quickly, becoming very excited by the size and weight of the box, she was still surprised when she found a Glock G24 inside.

“Oh my God.” she whispered. Her parents had never bought her a gun. Ever.

“Yeah, it isn’t as fancy as your laser gun but I figured since you aren’t in soccer anymore maybe some combat shooting competitions might take care of that urge to compete. This is supposed to be one of the best guns for that.” her father told her

“It is. Thank you so much!”

“We aren’t done. Since Kara’s death trap seemed to pacify you both in high school we never bought you a car…” he started.

“You bought me a car! Wait, what kind of car?” she asked, hoping it had under two hundred thousand miles on it.

“No we didn’t buy you a car.” Eliza told her. “But Kara has assured us that you are competent on a motorcycle so there is what used to be one in the shed. Your sister says she can have it fully restored for not much money before we go to National City.”

Alex didn’t wait for anyone, jumping over the couch and running for the back shed. Of course Kara beat her there.

The blonde opened the door and Alex saw her.

“A 2013 Ducati Monster Diesel.” she whispered. “Or it used to be.” she added, noting the bent frame and dented gas tank, the back high rise seat barely hanging on and shattered headlight. The engine also looked worse for wear.

“It had a few minor problems. Once again the owner and insurance company gave up on it and Dad picked it up as a parts bike from a junk yard. Cost a thousand but I already have everything I need. Give me two weeks and it will be perfect.”

“Oh thank you God,and Kara and Mom and Dad.” she shouted, practically jumping on her little sister.

“How did you convince them to let me…”

“I told them if you were able to handle a blaster a bike shouldn’t be a problem. Just please be careful.”

Alex heard the click of a camera and tuned to see a smiling mother and father. Eliza had a camera in her hand, watching the two jumping up and down in each others arms.

“Did that used to be a motorcycle?” Clark asked, running up with a remote control drone in his hand.

“Yes and it will be again.” Kara told him. “And she will definitely treat her better than the last owner. I will start working on it first thing in the morning. Dad rented out a paint shop for me December 28 and I will have the engine running and the frame straightened to perfection. We just need to talk about designs and colors and we are set.”

That night, the girls were able to relax, their kitten sleeping between the two of them on the couch. They were alone in the living room, everyone else retired from a long day and a big meal.

“So, you really think you can have the bike running before we head to National City?”

“Yep, probably by the end of the week. I knew what I wanted to do to it the minute I saw it online. She is going to be amazing.”

“So… when do you want to finish out summer house?” the older sister asked.

“January 2. Good way to start the new year, don’t you think?”

“Depends on how much we have to destroy. I’m a little scared Kara. Seeing things from Krypton has never been good for you.”

The blonde shrugged her shoulders.

“I’m not sure there are any other dirty secrets I couldn’t know about. I need to disable certain machines, set up security locks based on DNA, retinal and voice scans. Passwords… there are going to be a lot of security measures. If J’onn really wants to see it and I have no doubt he will, he can visit with one of us.”

“And couldn’t he just phase through when he learns the location?”

“Yes, but to operate the databanks he will have to be solid. Once that happens Kelex will destroy him or anyone else who manages to get past security.”

Alex shook her head in disbelief. “You mean your flying, super robot has weapons as well?”

“Of course.” Kara told her as if it should be obvious.

The week went by quickly, Alex watching and trying to help Kara rebuild the bike from a black wreck to a black beauty with a small solid red streak across the gas tank. The engine was amazing and Alex had to force herself not to speed with Kara and her parents watching.

January 2nd arrived and the girls debated how to get permission from their parents to fly to Antarctica. Alex dressed in her thermal suit in the event Kara was able to pull this off.

The both waited until the dryer door was closed. Kara stuck her head in the washroom as soon as her mother turned the dryer on.

“Hey Mom, Alex and I need to go to Antarctica. We will be back in the morning.” she said quietly, knowing Eliza hated the very old and loud dryer.

“What?”

“Alex and I are going to Antartica.” Kara said quietly,”We will be back” she said a bit louder, then quietly, “tommorrow.”

All Eliza heard was they would be back just as Kara wanted.

“Okay, be careful on that bike.” she told the blonde and turned back to the basket of clothes ready for the washer, She also was glad she would be getting a new dryer in National City. This one was way too loud.

Alex left a note on the counter, thanking her mother for giving them permission to spend the night in Antarctica and the two left quickly Kara flying them off as the sun was setting. Alex Kept her head straight, her camp making her more aerodynamic and the two sped off. It still took them four hours to make it there and once again, Alex was sore all over.

“Man, these trips are killing me.” she grumbled. Kara tossed the well worn backpack to the ground and they began setting up the tent. Alex checked her phone and saw 16 missed calls from her mother and two texts telling her that she and Kara were going to be literally grounded.

“Here I am, freezing my ass off in the worst place on Earth and she is grounding me. To hell with that, she gave us permission. Right?”

Kara shrugged it off. “I’m already grounded. Doesn’t matter to me. The alien alcohol probably has me sentenced to life. You are on your own.”

“Thanks Sis.” the brunette grumbled. “There isn’t cell service so once we get this done, we should probably fly back instead of spending the night.”

“Yeah I know. You have to face the music. Just hide your phone and you will be okay.”

Kara and Alex walked slowly into the area that Alex had been surveying and Kara had been carving out over the past few months. Alex couldn’t help but be amazed at the space of the area. It was still rock and ice but it was a huge hall the size of a professional football stadium. Kara had only almost crashed it in on itself three times.

Taking the bag of crystals from their hiding spot under some snow, the blonde selected the core crystal and walked to the middle of the hall, Alex by her side. Kara couldn’t help but keep her hand from shaking. This was it and if it failed the knowledge of her planet would be lost forever. She had no care for Jor El’s AI but she needed the information on different aliens and their weaknesses and other tech she thought might be available.

“Here goes everything.” she whispered, holding Alex’s gloved hand and with the other slamming the central core crystal into the ground. The tip hit and the crystal shown brightly. Both girls smiled until the ground started shaking as the crystal sunk into the rock floor, as if it had turned to pure energy.

“We should probably wait outside.” Kara suggested nervously.

“Yep, great idea.”

She grabbed her sister and the two were outside in seconds. The cliff that hid the Fortress was shaking but the rock and ice seemed to be holding. The shaking went on for thirty minutes, in which time the tent was set up and Alex was inside, out of the elements. Kara used her vision to watch what was going on, fascinated by the technology. She had never actually seen a crystal capable of storing inorganic matter operate before.

Once the shaking stopped, Alex carefully stepped out of the tent.

“Did it collapse on itself?”

The blonde shook her head and took Alex’s hand, walking inside. Alex gasped at what she saw.

“Wow.”

“Yeah. Kryptonian architecture.” Kara told her. The crystals had grown but there were also wide holo screens, keyboard banks, statues, larger crystals and structures and four small covered beds. Alex saw what looked like small incubators and a bed with what looked like a solar panel over it. Kara’s eyes immediately lit up and the incubators and beds were gone.

“Guess I know what those were.” Alex told herself.

Then she saw the clear case with the suit in it. It was obviously built for a tall man, a deep blue with a red house of El symbol on the front, and red boots along with a red cape that resembled Kara’s.

Before Alex could ask what it was for, the floating robot she had heard about long ago was in front of the two.

“Kara Zor El.” Kelex greeted them. “Is English acceptable?”

“Yes English is acceptable. Call me Kara. The name of the House of El is not to be spoken in these halls after today. I am the master of this Fortress. You may consult the AI if you need verification.”

“You had been given primary custody of the crystals five years ago. My protocol is to follow your commands. I understand the limitations and changes to the primary instructions. Shall I rebuild the harvesters and growth matrixes you disintegrated?”

“If you ever rebuild those I will disintegrate you. Understand?”

“Yes Kara. What are your wishes?”

“We have much to do and not much time. You will begin stabilizing the temperature of this environment while not effecting the outside. I want the mean temperature set at 74. How powerful is the power source for the Fortress?”

“The power source will function for 5012 years, at which time it will need to be recharged.”

“Fine. Are you able to replicate material from Krypton?”

“Yes.”

“I am going to give you designs I have drawn. I want three outfits, one black Kryptonian military suit, one with a skirt and one with pants, similar to the one in the case. I have brought a cape for the suit with the skirt. I want another made for the suit I want you to build with battle armor. I need it to protect me from heat vision blasts, at least in the chest. Both will have our houses symbol on them. I want it prominent. There will be no doubt about this target.”

Kara pulled out the drawings she had made. Alex took a look before she showed them to Kelex.

“Wow, I love the boots.”

“I know, cool right? I should be a fashion designer.”

“You won’t be able to because if Dad sees you flying around in this skirt he will kill you.”

“No, he won’t.”

“Its short.” Alex told her.

“Its not that short. Besides I am basically wearing a long sleeve one piece bathing suit under it. Its not like I am wearing lacy underwear.”

“He isn’t going to like it. Are you going to leave your legs bare? I think it looks cool but you want this so people will trust you. It looks pretty and optimistic but every news reporter in the world is going to try and get shots up your skirt. Just saying.”

Kara sighed, frustrated. “Fine, I’ll add an inch to the skirt but that is it. I can wear some sort of bare leggings underneath even it if will take an extra second to dress.”

“The long pants with armored boots and top look cool. Complete bad ass. Why the black though?”

“Just in case I feel like getting dirty or need a stealth mode.” Kara took out her glasses from inside her flight jacket.

“Kelex I need different pairs of these but I am going to need a hologram caster on the top as well, behind the ear pieces. I want my hair to be brown, sort of a chestnut if possible. It can’t be blonde while the glasses are on.”

“I understand.”

“You are changing your hair color?” Alex asked, surprised.

“It will be necessary. A pair of glasses won’t work for a secret identity. I really don’t even like the change in color and glasses byt themselves but I will be damned if I am wearing a mask like the Gotham City freak show. Okay, from what I have seen he looks pretty badass but still, not for me. At least the hair color will help. When I take the glasses off I am back to sunny blonde. It will work. I think. So long as I can keep up the geek charade instead of bitter angry psycho.”

“Not a bad idea.” Alex admitted. She had seen her sister make many facades for herself over the years. Kara was an expert at deception. Unfortunately this was the case when it came to self harm as well.

Kara handed another drawing to Kelex.

“This is for Alex. You will also answer to her or anyone she shares DNA with, understand? Other than Kal, her parents, and the two of us if anyone comes in this Fortress alone without one of us present you will destroy them.”

“I understand. You wish this suit to be made of Kryptonian material?”

“Thats why I gave it to you. Keep up Kelex. Padding over vital areas. Plug into this worlds’s information sources and study ballistics of the weapons here. I know it will be impenetrable but I want effective but flexible armor over her vital areas in the event she is shot. I can’t have her bones broken Face mask over the entire head, I also want an exoskeleton suit made, power it off the same source of the Fortress. Make very sure it does not harm her in anyway. I will bring you her weapons. She will need holsters for them on her legs and slots for Kryptonite swords on her back. The exoskeleton needs to ehance her speed and strength, not detract from it. Make it sleek, not bulky.”

“I understand.”

“The suit in the case is for Kal when he is older?”

“That was the primary purpose. Protocols have changed. Shall I destroy it since he will no longer be the ambassador of Kryptonian culture and leader of a new race?”

Kara took a moment then shook her head. “No, he may need it one day. Leave it as it is just in case.” In case she died was what Kara left out.

“My boots have heels but I want them to have grip as well.”

“The bottoms are flat soled. How shall I do this?”

“You just popped out of a crystal after being in there for decades. Figure it out. I am going to need small communication devices that I can use to contact you at anytime no matter where I am on the planet. Alex will need one as well.”

“I understand, Kara. It will be done in less than one Earth month.”

“Fine. Lets go over the security protocols and have them… are those statues of Kal’s parents?” she asked, noticing the columns for the first time.

“Yes.”

“Get rid of them. If they are load bearing make them straight columns. Jor El shall never be in this Fortress. Download any information he has that the databanks do not have and wipe the AI out. Once this is done I have some questions about Astra, Non and something called Myriad.”

“I understand. Before we begin, I have an original secondary protocol that was not put in place by Jor El but afterward. It was hidden in the library of knowledge and was to be shown the first time you entered the Fortress. Shall I erase that protocol as well?”

Alex groaned while Kara stood perfectly still, not wanting to know but already knowing.

“What… what is the protocol?”

“I have a message recorded from your mother before you left Krypton. Would you like to see it?”

Kara looked at Alex who shrugged. “If you do you are going to two therapy sessions a day instead of just one. But I back you. I always do.”

Kara reached out her hand which Alex took.

“Fine. We will go over security and all information on Myriad but first, show me the message.”

Both girls stood waiting for Kelex to return with a hologram projector. It lit up and Kara saw the familiar face for the first time since the shuttle bay on Krypton.

“Mother.” the girl whispered.