Chapter Text
Over the next hour, Kara’s health continued to improve, and the once-tense atmosphere began to gradually relax. Cat and Carter told a few more stories, and they were joined by Eliza and Alex, who talked about Kara’s experiences when she first arrived on Earth.
“You should’ve seen her trying to work the TV,” Alex said, shaking her head. “She just assumed it was a touch screen, and she hadn’t exactly harnessed her powers. She tried to change the channel and the whole thing just shattered.”
Eliza responded, “That was nothing compared to the cell phones.” Shaking her head ruefully, Eliza continued, “She’d just get so excited about something, and suddenly she was holding the shattered pieces in her hand. They started refusing to give us the insurance plan.”
Alex grinned. “Remember our first Christmas?”
“How could I forget?” Eliza responded, smiling. “I was genuinely afraid for her safety. Even superpowers couldn’t protect her from you.”
Alex laughed, and then turned to Cat and Carter to explain. “She came running in to wake me up that morning. And instead of saying Merry Christmas or whatever, she started telling me exactly what I was getting for Christmas, because of course she could see through the wrapping. I was so mad!”
Carter’s mouth fell open. “She told you what all your presents were?” He laughed and shook his head, staring at the sleeping Kryptonian.
“I thought Alex was going to kill her,” Eliza said, sighing ruefully. “But once she calmed down, she actually thought it was kind of funny, and then she had a long talk with Kara about not ruining surprises.” She smiled. “You were always so good with her, Alex.”
“Not always,” muttered Alex. “But eventually I realized how lucky I was.”
Suddenly Kara stirred, and Alex leapt out of her chair to stand next to the hero. Kara’s eyes fluttered open, and she blinked a couple of times, trying to focus.
“Hey, sis,” Alex said softly, fighting back the tears in her eyes. “Welcome back.”
“Alex, am I-“ Kara trailed off, and then started again. “What-” She didn’t seem to know how to finish the sentence.
“Julia made an antidote, and it’s working, Kara,” Alex said, a few tears spilling over. “You’re going to be okay.”
Seeing the emotion in Alex’s eyes, Kara reached her hand out to squeeze her sister’s. “I love you, Alex,” she said softly.
“I love you too, Kara,” Alex said, her voice choked with emotion.
“Are Cat and Carter here?” Kara asked next. “I thought I heard their voices while…” She shook her head. “Maybe I was dreaming?”
Cat squeezed Kara’s hand and responded, “Carter said we should keep talking to you because you might be able to hear us. We’ve been telling you stories all night.”
“I remember… I remember hearing your voices,” Kara mused. “Like they were fading in and out. Carter almost blew up the apartment? And you fired a nanny because she washed something pink with your whites and you had to throw away your favorite shirt?”
Alex laughed. “That sounds like something you’d do, Cat.” She looked at the superhero. “Now Kara, get some rest. Your body needs it.”
“K,” the hero said sleepily, squeezing Cat’s hand and then immediately falling back asleep.
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Eliza ordered everyone to either go home or sleep in the barracks for a couple of hours, promising that she would get some rest herself as soon as Alex woke up. She didn’t want to leave Kara alone, and after the roller-coaster night they’d experienced, no one argued with her.
Kara woke up a couple of hours later, and was surprised to see the Eliza’s face peering down at her. “Eliza? When did you get here?” she asked in confusion.
“I’ve been here since last night, working with Alex and Julia,” Eliza said, smiling gently at the hero. “You gave us quite a scare.”
“Oh,” responded Kara quietly, unsure of what else to say. “I’m sorry?”
Laughing, Eliza shook her head at the young woman. “I’m just glad you’re still with us,” she said, kissing Kara on the cheek. “Rest, sweetie,” she instructed softly.
Kara nodded and closed her eyes.
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Kara woke up again to the voices of Eliza and Alex, who were discussing Kara’s prognosis. After looking over the charts that Eliza had kept for the last several hours, they concluded that she was no longer in any danger. At this point, the kryptonite was nearly gone from Kara’s system. She was still weak and tired, and probably would be for days, as the last traces of poison were expelled from her body. However, there was no longer any doubt that she would make a full recovery.
Alex sent Eliza off to get some rest and took a seat next to her sister. “How are you feeling?” she asked, stroking Kara’s cheek affectionately.
“Better,” Kara responded. Her stomach still threatened to rebel, and her head was throbbing in pain, but she could tell that her body was starting to recover. She surveyed Alex carefully, noting the shadows under her eyes. “Did you get some rest, Alex?”
“A little,” Alex said. “I’ll sleep better once you’re out of here.” She saw movement out of the corner of her eye, and glanced up to see Julia entering the room.
“Good to see you awake, Supergirl,” the CEO observed. “How are you feeling?”
“Okay,” Kara responded weakly. “Getting better.” She looked at Julia, and then added, “Thank you. Alex said you came up with the antidote.”
“Well, it was a team effort,” Julia responded. “I just happened to test the compound that worked.” The CEO walked over to where Alex was sitting and leaned down to hug her from behind. “We make a good team.”
“Still,” Kara insisted, “you saved my life.”
“Well, now I guess we’re even, Kara,” Julia said, smiling.
As Kara drifted off to sleep again, she wondered briefly when Julia and Alex had gotten so close. She didn’t even realize they knew each other, but the look on Julia’s face when she had hugged Alex was… well, it was something she was too tired to ponder.
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It was another two days before Kara was allowed to leave the DEO, and she survived this forty eight hour period only because Cat organized a delivery schedule, assigning a rotation of DEO agents to pick up breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, second lunch, dinner, and late night snack. The agents looked at Hank in confusion when Cat ordered them to follow the schedule, but he simply shrugged and grinned, so they complied.
Once Kara’s nausea had dissipated, she was hungrier than ever. DEO agents who hadn’t seen her legendary appetite for themselves were stunned by the amount of food that Cat had ordered, and stared in disbelief as Kara finished every bite.
As time went on, Kara managed to stay awake for longer periods of time, and she began to study the interactions between Alex and Julia. They had clearly grown close. Julia stayed with Eliza and Alex at the DEO, continuing to run tests and monitor Kara’s kryptonite levels. Kara was fascinated by this new development, and when Julia came in to take a blood sample, she couldn’t resist doing a little bit of sleuthing.
“So, Julia,” the hero began, trying hard to sound casual, “you and my sister…” She trailed off. How could she finish that sentence without blurting out her suspicions? She tried again. “Do you… Are the two of you…um…”
At this point, the CEO had completely stopped what she was doing, and was eyeing Kara with amusement. She enjoyed watching the superhero stumble over her words, and Kara’s face was turning beet red as she struggled her way through this conversation. Julia couldn’t help herself. Rather than end the hero’s misery, she decided to prolong the agony a bit. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand the question, Kara,” she responded. “What exactly would you like to know?”
Kara sighed and tried again. “Are you… Areyoudatingmysister?” She rushed through the question, as if worried that she would never be able to finish it otherwise.
“Why? Are you jealous, Supergirl?” Julia asked, grinning. At the young woman’s exasperated look, she relented. “We’ve been on a couple of dates, Kara. I like her a lot, but we haven’t really discussed the status of our relationship.” She gestured around her. “We’ve been a little busy keeping you alive.”
Kara nodded, contemplating this new development. She liked the confident, brash CEO and respected her tremendously. She could see how Julia and Alex might be good for each other. But… “You know I’m Kryptonian, right?” Kara offered.
Julia arched an eyebrow. “That did come up at some point while we were saving your life,” she responded, not sure what the hero was getting at.
“Well, it seems like you make her happy. I think the two of you could be really good for each other,” Kara said thoughtfully. “But if you ever hurt her, just remember that I could kill you with one finger.”
Julia laughed and grinned at the superhero. “I really like you, Kara. Almost as much as I like your sister. I promise I’ll do my best not to screw this up, okay?”
Kara smiled. “I like you too, Julia,” she admitted. “I’m really happy for the two of you.”
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The next morning, Kara was finally wheeled out of the medical wing to a waiting SUV. She was being taken back to Cat’s apartment – actually, their apartment, she supposed. She smiled as they approached the building, thinking about that conversation she’d had just a few nights ago. She remembered Cat’s nervousness, and Carter’s earnest sincerity, and how her heart nearly burst with love as she accepted their offer.
Though it was just a key, she knew that Cat and Carter were offering much more than that. They were offering her a home, and a family. For a woman who had traveled thousands of light years in search of just that, it was…well, it was everything.
Kara thought of the world she’d left behind on Krypton, and the people whom she loved there, so very much. She thought of Alex, Eliza, and Jeremiah, and the family she’d found here on Earth. And she marveled at this amazing woman, whom she loved more than anything in the world, and this beautiful boy, whom she never wanted to lose. They, too, had become her family, and being here with them somehow felt more…right…than anything she’d ever experienced.
For the girl who had once lost everything, this was more than she’d ever dreamt of finding.
She was finally home.