Capítulo 60: 60. Super Showdown
“You really thought you'd won. Didn't you?” Rhea chuckled.
Kara was hit from behind with such force that the Girl of Steel was sent flying across the room. She looked up to see what had hit her. “Superman?”
He stalked towards her with fire in his eyes. “This is my planet,” he said, lifting her up by her throat. “These are my people.” He punched her across the room, and she went smashing through several pillars. “And I will not let you harm them.”
Supergirl laid on the ground, stunned, but Superman came at her again. She quickly righted herself and punched him in the chest, sending him flying back. “What have you done to him?” she asked frantically.
Rhea stood by and watched with satisfaction. “I once told you that my planet was riddled with the corpse of yours. Not only Green Kryptonite rained down from the skies. There are so many more ways to harm your kind than to simply weaken you. Silver Kryptonite. Your cousin is so much like you. Reckless, stupid. Barreling headfirst into danger. I couldn't have set a better trap if I tried.”
“Kal? It's me, Kara!” she called to him.
“Oh, he doesn't see you,” Rhea smirked as she sat back on her throne. “He sees his worst enemy.”
“You should have stayed away, Zod,” Superman threatened.
“Kal, listen to me!”
He didn’t listen. Instead, he ignited his heat ray, forcing her to do the same.
As they circled the room, equal in power, Rhea continued to taunt her. “You're his mortal enemy, Supergirl. The person he fears most. You will take everything from him, so, this time, he will not hesitate. This time, he will protect his planet. This time…’
“I'll stop you forever,” Superman declared. He used his superspeed to barrel into Kara, throwing them both out of the window of the ship and down to the ground, breaking through several levels of an apartment building before their momentum gave out. Unfortunately, there were two innocent civilians just coming off the elevator where they fell.
Kara got up and went to them, “Don't be afraid!”
“Stay away from them!” The Man of Steel threw his cousin back through the roof of the building and punched her again, sending her reeling back. In retaliation, Kara tackled him to the ground, hitting an unlucky police car in the nearby park. Kal-El bounced off and made a crater in the cement stairway as he landed. He didn’t stay down. He immediately pinned Kara against that same squad car, squeezing her throat painfully. She rocketed back up into the sky to try to dislodge him.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Alex’s team of DEO agents managed to take back their headquarters, but it was a wreck. Before they had even gotten started on cleanup, an alarm started blaring.
“What is that, the cannon?” Maggie worried.
“No, it's something else,” Alex told her. “The DEO system registered a major Kryptonite signature in downtown National City.” She checked the readings on the computer. “Oh, my God. Kara.” She and Maggie ran outside and saw the two Supers duking it out in the sky. “What the hell?”
Alex and Maggie watched helplessly as Superman and Supergirl’s punches echoed thunderously around them. Every punch was absolutely brutal, and it was tearing their hearts out to witness. As if things weren’t dramatic enough, the pair of caped heroes ended up in the fountain, soaking wet and looking haggard. Kara gave Kal a swift uppercut, but missed on the next swing, opening herself up for the devastating punch that came next.
Kara screamed at her cousin, “You have to fight it!”
Neither Alex nor Maggie knew what she meant by that, but they held hands as they watched this unprecedented brawl. There were a few brief terrifying moments there where it looked like Supergirl might lose the fight, but suddenly, she seemed to gather her strength and come back swinging like a champ, and finally Superman was subdued, knocked out cold in the water. Kara fell to her knees, and Alex and Maggie ran to her and held her up from either side.
“Hey, hey! It's okay, we’ve got you. We’re here. We’re here.”
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Lena, Mon-El, Lillian and Hank took the DEO-issued helicopter back to National City. It was much slower than flying with Supergirl, and Lena clutched Mon-El’s hand as they flew. She wasn’t trying to be close to him, she was just terrified of flying, especially after Corben had shot down her helicopter last year. When they returned, miraculously, the L-Corp building had barely sustained any damage, so they were able to land on the helipad there.
Lena went straight down to her office and dug out one of her spare outfits that she kept in her personal bathroom in case of emergencies. She changed out of that horrible red wedding dress that Rhea had forced her to wear, and she wished she had a shower, but that wasn’t as important. The next thing she did was call Alex on Lillian’s phone.
“Lillian?” Alex answered.
“Alex, it’s Lena.”
“Oh, thank God!” the agent practically yelled into the phone. “It’s Lena!” she announced aside.
“Lena!” Maggie exclaimed. “Are you OK?”
Lena wished she could glare at her wife. “Not really, no.”
“Where are you?” Alex asked.
“I’m at L-Corp with my mother, Hank, and Mon-El.”
There was silence on the line for a few long seconds. “Lena, I’m sending the girls to you. After they get there, send Mon-El to the DEO. Eve is a wreck.”
“Do you really want your kids here with my mother?” the CEO scoffed.
“They need to be with family right now, and we’re a little busy with Kara and Clark right now. I’ll send Douglas with them. Jessie got her powers, so they can look after you. I don’t trust Lillian.”
“Jessie got her powers?!” Lena exclaimed worriedly. “What happened?”
“She can tell you when she gets there. Hold tight.”
Lena paced her office while she waited for the kids to show up with Douglas. Sure enough, barely five minutes after she hung up the phone, the twins appeared on her balcony with a fully-armored Douglas Dixon. It was a little strange to see him geared up so much, since more often than not, she saw him at her home in plain clothes instead of at the DEO. He was already a hulking six-foot-three, but with the extra gear, he looked bigger. It was almost funny seeing him carried by a five-foot-five preteen girl. The trio landed gracefully outside, and she hurried to let them in.
“Lena!” the twins dashed in to hug her, and they all three burst into tears at the reunion.
“I’m so glad you girls are OK,” Lena sniffled.
“We’re glad you’re OK too,” Jessie replied.
“So glad,” Jamie added.
“It’s good to have you back,” Douglas patted her arm affectionately. “I’d hug you, but…” he indicated his getup and the guns strapped to nearly every part of him.
“It’s OK,” she waved him off with an attempt at a smile. “Later.”
Douglas nodded. “Later, you’re getting a bear hug.”
Lena actually chuckled at that. “I look forward to it.”
“Why did Rhea kidnap you?” Jessie whimpered.
Lena sighed. “She had this crazy, convoluted plan to make me marry her son in order to unite Daxam with humanity. She threatened to blow up all the hospitals in the city, if we didn’t do it. She also planned to create a child with our genetic makeup. Apparently, they only need a lock of hair to do so.”
The twins looked puzzled. “Why didn’t she just pick Eve? That’s Mon-El’s actual girlfriend.”
The CEO shrugged. “I don’t pretend to understand that crazy woman’s logic.”
“Where is everyone?” Douglas inquired.
“Foraging the place for food,” Lena shook her head. “They were hungry. Well, Mon-El was hungry, and I’m assuming my mother and her henchman are taking the chance to case the place.”
Douglas growled.
“Don’t worry, the building should be secure enough, and Mon-El knows not to let them out of sight.” She pulled the girls back to her and hugged them again, breathing them in. Jessie held her a little too tightly, but she didn’t complain. It simply reminded her, “So, Jessie, I hear you got your powers.”
“I sure did!” the preteen beamed.
“What happened?”
Jessie took a deep breath, “Well, when Mama came and told us that you were kidnapped, I kinda lost it. I’ve never been so angry in all my life.”
“You were angry, not scared?”
“Yeah.”
“So I guess you were trying all the wrong things to trigger them, huh?”
“Apparently,” Jessie looked sheepishly down at her feet. “I’m sorry, Lena.”
“For getting your powers?” Lena asked in confusion.
“No, for trying to trigger them and making you all worry about me.”
“It’s in the past,” Lena replied, kissing her on the head. “Now, how about we go home?”
The twins looked at each other in dismay. “Um… Well?”
“About that…”
XXXXXXXXXXXX
“Mikey!” Eve exclaimed as Mon-El entered the DEO. “Oh, thank God!” She ran and hugged him as tightly as she could, and he lifted her up off the ground and spun her around.
“I’m OK,” he assured. “I’m here. I’m OK.”
“I was so worried about you!” she clasped his face in her hands and kissed him.
“Are you OK?” he checked.
“Yes, I’m fine,” she nodded. “Did you know that Kara was Supergirl?”
“Uh… Well, yeah, I did know that.”
“I guess I should have put two and two together when you said she was an alien, but I guess I just assumed she was a Daxamite like you.”
“Nope. She’s Kryptonian, hence my mother’s hatred of her.”
“I see,” she responded.
Mon-El looked around the nearly restored room, “Come with me, and let’s see if there’s any food left in the kitchen. I’m starving!”
XXXXXXXXXXXX
As she lay in bed with her wives, Kara felt the warmth of the sunlight beaming in through the windows. She sighed happily and snuggled into Alex. “Let's just stay here a little while longer, okay?”
“How long?” Alex mumbled sleepily.
“Until tomorrow.” The Kryptonian nuzzled her face into her wife’s chest.
Alex chuckled, “Okay, woman of tomorrow.”
Kara yawned, then kissed the bare skin of Alex’s shoulder. “I know we can't stay all day, but let's just stay a little while longer, please?”
“But, Kara, you're not here,” Alex whispered.
“What?” she mumbled.
“You're in the fortress.”
Kara gasped as she awoke from her dream to find herself in the Fortress of Solitude. She hurt all over, and it was a struggle to sit up. She groaned, and Alex and Maggie immediately ran to her.
“Hey, hey, you're okay,” Alex soothed.
“What happened?” Kara groaned. She noticed that all her Kryptonite blockers were completely wrecked.
“Well, you passed out, and then you woke up, flew us here and you passed out again,” Maggie explained.
Kara climbed off the strange ice bed she was laying on, “Ah!” she cried out in pain.
“Easy,” Alex said as she and Maggie braced her from either side.
“I feel like…”
“Like you got punched by Superman?” Maggie quipped.
“Repeatedly,” Kara confirmed.
“Yeah,” Alex breathed.
Not a minute later, and Superman gasped as he woke up.
“Kal!” Kara called.
The Man of Steel sat up in alarm, “Kara? What happened?”
XXXXXXXXXXXX
“Oops! Sorry, Lena!” Jessie tried to reattach the head of the knight from her chessboard, but it was broken.
“That chessboard's been in the Luthor family for generations,” Lillian groused.
Lena stood up from her office couch, and Douglas and the twins stood sentinel in front of her, ready to fight.
“Did you come here to yell at me for not treating the family heirlooms with respect, or to blame me for what's happening outside?” Lena grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest.
“How could you let that woman deceive you?” Lillian spoke as if the others weren’t even there. “I taught you to be a scientist. To question everything.”
“No,” Lena disagreed. “What you taught me was to doubt myself. To look for validation elsewhere, so much that I was willing to take it from the first mentor that offered it to me.”
“I'm sorry,” Lillian sighed.
Lena scoffed.
“I am, Lena. When you came to visit me in jail, I honestly wanted to be a better mother to you. But every time I've had the opportunity to choose you over something else I've chosen something else.”
“Well, congratulations on saying the first honest thing in your life.”
“I have justified the worst behavior for the best of causes. But I was right. The threat was real. But maybe I backed the wrong child to stop it. The transmat portal you created? That was brilliant, Lena. And if you could do that with the portal, maybe you could do something with this.” Lillian pulled out a silver box from her bag.
“What is it?” Jessie demanded.
“Is that from Lex's vault?” Lena asked.
“He created it to get rid of Superman,” Lillian explained.
“Does it work?” Lena wanted to know.
Lillian shrugged, “Well, you'd need to adapt it. But if you could, you would be the Luthor who saved the world.”
XXXXXXXXXXXX
“Silver Kryptonite?” Superman mused. “That's a new one. The whole time I thought I was fighting Zod. But it didn't weaken me at all.”
“It might have,” Kara offered.
Kal shook his head. “No. No, I was at full strength and you beat me.”
“Well, I'm just glad we're both okay,” Kara said, arms crossed over her chest. “But we need to come up with a plan to defeat Rhea or she's just going to keep coming after us.”
“The positron cannon was the only weapon we had capable of penetrating their ship's shields,” Alex chimed in. “Is there anything that powerful here?”
“Not a weapon,” Superman answered, “But I might have something we can use against them.” He lead them over to the main computer terminal.
“What?” Kara asked a little desperately.
“Information. I feel like there was something in the archives about the early wars with Daxam.” Kal-El brought up the search terminal and scrolled through the information until he found what he was looking for. “You know, this really would be a lot easier with Kelex.”
Kara sighed. “Yeah. Sorry, I kinda had to blast him.”
“No, no, it's fine. Just- You owe me a new robot.” Superman finally found what he was looking for.
“Dakkam Ur?” Kara read. “I've never heard of that.”
“It's old, but it might work,” Superman mused.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Superman and Supergirl flew back to the DEO with Maggie and Alex. As soon as they landed on the balcony, they were greeted by friendly faces.
“Yes, yes, yes!” Winn cheered.
“Kara!” Mon-El greeted her with a hug. “Are you okay?”
“I’ll be OK,” she replied.
Winn nervously approached the male Kryptonian. “Hi. Hey. I'm sure you probably don't remember me. Hi.”
“Winn Schott, resident genius of the DEO? It's good to see you, buddy.” Kal-El clapped him on the back affectionately.
“It's good…” Winn stuttered.
“Good.” Kal finished for him, feeling the tech’s awkwardness. He looked at Mon-El. “And you're the guy we’re trying to save?”
“Yes, sir. Mon-El of Daxam. Though not Not like the, uh… You know, the others from Daxam. The killy ones?”
“You must be a good guy or she wouldn't be fighting for you.” Superman shook Mon-El’s hand.
“Winn, what's happening here?” Alex wanted to know.
“Oh, uh, yes,” the tech nodded, leading them into the briefing room. “J'onn is still unconscious, unfortunately. But he's stable. Uh, we've cleared all Daxamite soldiers from the building.”
Kara interrupted, “Uh, we might have found a way to get rid of the Daxamites in the archives at the Fortress of Solitude.”
“What?” Mon-El asked.
“Dakkam Ur,” she replied.
Mon-El balked. “No. No, no, no. No way in hell!”
“It's the only option we've got!” she insisted.
Before they could argue further, the alarm system started blaring.
“What is it?” Alex inquired.
“The energy weapons in the Daxamite ships are charging up,” a DEO operative informed them.
“They're waging another attack,” Maggie guessed.
Kara stepped forward determinedly, “Winn, get me face-to-face with Rhea.”
As soon as Winn connected her, Kara spoke with authority, “Queen Rhea of Daxam, I, Supergirl, champion of planet Earth, invoke the sacred rite of Dakkam Ur. To meet with you in single combat before the gods. May the fate of my people rest on the fate of my life.”
“She spoke the sacred oath. How will you respond?” Rhea’s guard asked her.
Rhea showed no fear, “Dakkam Ur. I accept your challenge, Supergirl. We duel in four hours. Daxam assures you it will be your last.”
When the transmission ended, Winn asked, “Okay, what just happened?”
“The ships' radiation signature is diminishing,” Alex observed. “Their weapons are powering down.”
“What did you just do?” Winn wanted to know.
“She's gonna end this,” Superman stated cryptically.
Mon-El dragged Kara away from the group. “You just invoked a trial by combat created by barbarians! It's been around since we crawled out of the caves on Daxam with rocks and sticks.”
“If I win, she goes,” Kara reasoned. “They all go. They are bound by ancient law to leave this planet in peace. She's not gonna win.”
“But what if she does? Do you know what it will happen? You'll have to stand by and watch her walk this planet, trampling everyone underfoot.”
“I just have to beat her. And I will.”
“Why not Superman? Isn't this his fight, too?”
“It's everyone's fight,” Superman interrupted. “But Kara just defeated me. She's the champion of Earth.”
“I don't have time for you to be afraid,” Kara told Mon-El. “I need you strong… Hey, where the hell are my kids?”
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Alex looked over J’onn’s vitals. They seemed to be the same as before she left, but that wasn’t necessarily a good thing. “Please, J'onn, wake up soon,” she begged. “We need you.” She went back to her computer to log the information.
XXX
“It's true. You have to wake up.”
“M'gann.”
“Your friends need you, J'onn. The great fight is coming.”
“I don't know if I'm gonna be strong enough to help them.”
“Don't worry. Everything will be fine. Now wake up.”
XXX
J’onn awoke with a start, sitting up and gasping with shock.
“Oh, thank God!” Alex ran to his side.
Still breathing heavily, J’on inquired, “Where's M'gann?”
Alex frowned. “You've been out for days, J'onn. You must be a little confused.”
“She was right here!” the director insisted.
“No. She's on Mars,” Alex pressed.
“What happened here?” he demanded.
Alex sighed, “Everything.”
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Winn and the gang stared at the big screens in the DEO briefing room watching the news.
“It's being touted as the intergalactic fight of the century. As Supergirl and Rhea of Daxam face off in a trial by combat - for the very fate of our world.”
“Woof. No pressure,” Winn huffed in an attempt to lighten the mood.
“We need to contain this,” J’onn said, coming around the corner into the briefing room.
Winn brightened and ran to hug him tightly. “Hey! Papa Bear!”
“Easy!” Alex chided him.
“It's good to see you on your feet,” Superman shook hands with the Martian.
“Welcome, my friend,” J’onn replied.
Kara hugged him next. “Should you be up and walking around?” she worried.
“You need all the help you can get,” J’onn stated. “Alex told me about the offer you made. We'll get you everything you need, but for right now, that needs to be handled. You don't want an audience of innocent civilians when you fight Rhea.”
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Cat Grant sat at her desk typing furiously. “Tessmacher, get Snapper on the line! His dispatches have no teeth! Where's the hook, where's the lead, where's the stats and where the hell is my latte? I've been typing for 12 hours, I need caffeine, I need carbs, I need a-” She stopped speaking for a second and calmed down at the sight of Clark Kent standing in front of her, Kara at his side. “Clark Bar. Oh. And what, pray tell, brings you here?”
“Gosh, Ms. Grant, I just wanted to see what I could do to help,” Clark answered coyly.
Cat smirked, stalking towards him. “Oh, you do love danger, don't you, Clark Kent? Yet another reason why Lois made no sense.” She finally seemed to notice Kara, “Oh, and Kiera, where the hell have you been?”
Kara opened her mouth to answer, but Cat interrupted her.
“No, no, no. You are ostensibly employed here as a reporter. And Supergirl is out there about to have the biggest skirmish of her career and I thought maybe you might want to go out there and report?”
“Yeah, that's actually why we're here,” Kara informed her, sitting down in the chair across from Ms. Grant. “So, uh, the fight between Rhea and Supergirl…”
“Go on,” Cat purred.
“Uh, Supergirl gave us an exclusive interview,” Kara offered.
“In exchange for?” Cat drawled.
“A request,” Clark replied. “She'd like you to tone down the, um- Gee, how do I put this? The sensational tone that the battle's been receiving in the media.”
“Oh, I don't know how I can do that,” Cat shook her head. “People are finally starting to fight. Finally starting to stand up.”
“Supergirl doesn't want anyone showing up and getting hurt,” Kara explained.
“And I don't know anyone who cares more about the people than you do, Ms. Grant,” Clark pressed.
Cat grinned, “Once again, Kansas, you're the only person who really gets me.”
“I try,” he answered.
“Fine,” Cat sighed. “Deal. And what do you think, Kiera? Do you think Supergirl is ready for this?”
Kara grew fiercely determined. She was exhausted, she hadn’t slept in days, and she’d just gotten pummeled by Superman, but she knew this was a battle for the earth, and she answered solemnly, “She told me she is.”
“Well, great. Then, I put all my chips on the Girl of Steel,” Cat nodded. “Now, you go out there and you tell Supergirl that we are all rooting for her.”
“Sure thing. It's good seeing you, Ms. Grant,” Clark stood up and headed out.
When the man was a few feet away, Cat said to Kara, “Mmm. Oh, those big green eyes I promise you, when he takes off those glasses, he is a tiger in bed.”
Kara chuckled awkwardly, and said to herself, “Oh, God, I hope Rhea kills me.” When she exited Cat’s office, she gave Eve a quick hug.
“Good luck!” the assistant whispered in her ear. “Please, be careful!”
“Thanks,” Kara replied gratefully. “I will.”
The two journalists headed out, and on the way down in the elevator, Kara’s phone chimed with a text from Lena. “You’ll never guess who wants to see us,” she told her cousin. They made their way to L-Corp, and landed on the balcony.
“Of course, the two of you would make an entrance,” Lillian grumbled.
Lena rolled her eyes. “Unfortunately, this is her on her best behavior.”
“Mama!” the twins ran to her and squeezed her with all their might.
“Oh, there’s my girls!” Kara hugged and kissed them full of relief. “I love you so much.”
“We love you too, Mama! We’re so glad you’re OK!” Jessie replied.
The twins didn’t let her go. “Hey, I love you guys, but I need to hug my wife too.”
“Sorry!” Jamie said meekly, letting her go.
Kara opened her arms to Lena, and the CEO fell into them gratefully. Kara rocked her and rubbed her back. “There’s my girl. I love you so much, Lena.”
“I love you too, Kara.” She was well aware that both Superman and her mother were watching them, but that didn’t stop her from kissing her wife the way she wanted to, no, needed to.
When they didn’t pull away right away, Lillian cleared her throat to get their attention.
Kara sighed, and reluctantly pulled back. “So what did you need, my love?”
Lena opened her mouth to answer, but Lillian spoke first, “My daughter has a way to save us.”
“It's a device that my brother invented to keep humans safe while radiating the atmosphere with Kryptonite. It would've made the planet uninhabitable for both of you.”
Kara scoffed. “Well, lucky they put him in jail before he could make it work.”
“And lucky for you, I found it,” Lillian countered.
“I've been studying it,” Lena told them, “And I think I can convert it to irradiate the atmosphere with lead, rather than Kryptonite.”
“Just a trace amount, harmless to humans,” Lillian added. “But the atmosphere would become toxic to Daxamites. The aliens would be forced to leave. Or stay and die.”
“All of them?” Kara checked.
Lillian nodded, “Mmm-hmm.”
“And they could never return,” Lena added. “Even Rhea's son.”
“Mon-El would have to leave Earth,” Kara breathed worriedly. She thought hard for a minute before saying, “Start working.” She turned to leave and took one last look at Lillian Luthor. “Lena, do you mind if I take the kids back?”
The CEO looked at her step-children, and then at her mother. “Sure,” was all she answered.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
When the Supers got back to the DEO, the twins ran to their mother and Maggie, hugging them as tightly as they dared.
“What did Lillian want?” Alex demanded.
Superman sighed heavily, “Lillian and Lena have a way, a fail-safe, to get rid of the Daxamites if Kara doesn't beat Rhea.”
“It's a device that will seed the Earth's atmosphere with lead. No Daxamite would survive on this planet.” Kara looked meaningfully at Mon-El.
“Except for Mon-El, right?” Winn stammered.
Kal-El shrugged. “Mon-El might be able to survive a little longer than the others. He's been exposed to our yellow sun for a few months.”
“Well, if it comes down to it, you use it,” Mon-El said bravely. “I won't be the reason this planet suffers.”
“No,” Kara replied sternly. “No, it's not going to come to that. I told Lena to start working, but I want to be very clear about something. We will not have to use that device. And I am going to beat her. Your mother's going to leave. For good.”
“Agent Schott, Agent Danvers, figure out a way to keep Mon-El from dying if we use this device,” J'onn commanded.
“Yeah, sure thing,” Winn saluted.
“When you go to meet her, I'm coming, too,” Mon-El told Kara.
“You can't fight for me,” she reminded him.
“But I can be with you.” He looked at Superman, “I know you probably want to go, but I-”
“No. You'll be a good second,” Kal-El nodded.
“I could use your help though, Kal,” Supergirl told him. “Spar with me. And keep me on my toes until I meet her.”
“I’m coming too!” Jessie insisted.
“Me too!” Jamie added. “I’m going stir crazy. I need to let off some steam.”
Jessie nodded emphatically, “Me too!”
XXXXXXXXXXXX
The Supers had been sparring for hours. By now, the kids had disappeared to find food, so it was just the cousins left. Kara was tired, and her bones ached, but she was determined to press forward. She practiced a move that Superman had been teaching them.
“That's good, that's good,” Superman tapped out. “You're a quick learner. I learned that move on Warworld.”
Kara sighed heavily.
“What is it?” Clark pressed.
“I just- I feel like I'm on the brink of having everything I've ever wanted. Family, friends, a job I love. A life as a hero I never could have imagined. And I’ve got four babies on the way, Kal. Four! If I beat Rhea, I get to keep all of that. I don't know. I don't know if it's possible. I don't know if it's possible to have everything you want.”
“Well, it is. But only because you worked for it. Whenever I fight, no matter who it's against or where it is, I'm always fighting for Lois. I fight with her right here,” he tapped his heart. “The people we love, they're, uh, they're another secret superpower. Keep them with you.” Kara nodded, and he leaned over and hugged her. “It's time.”
Kara headed out toward the DEO balcony, and her family intercepted her before she could leave.
Alex hugged her tightly and kissed her. “Give ‘em hell, Angel.”
Maggie hugged and kissed her next. “We believe in you, Kara.”
Kara looked at her daughters. There was no fear in their eyes. Only fierce determination and pride. It bolstered her courage.
“We believe in you, Mama,” Jessie said confidently.
“Yeah,” Jamie grinned. “Go get her!”
She hugged them and soaked up their energy, letting it lift her. “Thanks, girls. I have to make one last stop before I go.” She flew to L-Corp in the blink of an eye, landing roughly on the balcony to make herself known. “It’s time for me to go,” she told her wife.
Lena stepped out onto the balcony with her, handing her a small black device. “I love you, Kara. I know you’ll take care of this, and I promise when you get back, I will spend the rest of my life attoning for what I’ve done. Just come back to us, OK?”
“I will, Lena. This isn’t your fault. I love you.”
Lena pulled her in for one last kiss before the fight. “Up, up, and away.”
Douglas waved at her from inside. “Good luck, my friend!”
She smiled and waved back at him with a confidence she didn’t feel, and then she was off.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Kara and Mon-El landed on the official meeting place of the big fight.
“I'm here for you,” Mon-El encouraged.
“I know.” Kara nodded in thanks.
Rhea beamed down with her guard. “I see you brought some moral support.”
“I see you did, too,” Kara observed.
“So,” Rhea stepped forward, “Once you are disposed of, I have your word that your forces will lay down arms? That the city, the nation, and the planet will be surrendered?”
“On my honor,” Supergirl confirmed. “And if I defeat you, your invasion ends. You leave. Once and for all.”
“For the Earth.”
“For the Earth.”
At the same time, the pair leapt at each other, and Kara landed a punch right to Rhea’s face. The Daxamite queen swung and missed, leaving her open for another hit. The next hit by the queen was blocked by Supergirl, and the hero blasted the queen in her stomach and again in her face, but the next swing was wild, and Rhea grabbed the Kryptonian’s cape and flung her backwards into an electrical box.
Kara quickly got up and sped towards the queen, but Rhea dodged her, and she ended up face-first on the ground. She was tired, but this wasn't over yet. She had to beat Rhea, and then this would all be over. Three more solid connects with the Daxamite’s face, and Rhea fell to the ground and started to laugh.
Without warning, the smaller Daxamite ships started firing at the city again.
“You agreed to the Dakkam Ur!” Kara exclaimed. “Send them back!"
Mon-El stepped forward. “You will dishonor yourself before the gods.”
Rhea stood to her feet, “My gods are only concerned with my victory.”
Supergirl watched helplessly as her city continued to be ravaged. “No. No, destroying this city is not the answer.”
“A city that's destroyed will need a new leader to rebuild it,” Rhea explained casually.
Supergirl looked at her Daxamite friend, “Go. Be a hero.”
Mon-El looked grim, but nodded and took off to help the city.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
“Kara's alone,” Superman observed her on the DEO big screens. He started to head out, but J’onn stopped him.
“Supergirl's handling Rhea,” the director said. “Right now, we need to help the people in that building.”
“We?” Kal raised his brow.
“El Mayara,” the Martian vowed, changing into his natural state.
“U-th-aur.” (Brother) Kal responded
“Alex, you're in charge,” the director told her on the way out.
Alex nodded.
“Don't worry,” Maggie took her hand and squeezed. “I got your back.”
XXXXXXXXXXXX
“You're getting tired,” Supergirl commented, a bit relieved.
“Finish me, then,” Rhea challenged. “Hit me. Consider it a gift.”
Kara did just that, cracking the queen right upside the temple, sending her to the ground. “You ready to give up now?”
“Hardly,” Rhea scoffed. She wiped her brow and held her fingers out to the Kryptonian. They glowed an unnatural shade of green, and Kara’s heart dropped. The fight with Kal had destroyed her Kryptonite blockers, and she had no defense against the substance. She felt the sickness right away and tried not to fall down, but she was exhausted and it overcame her strength.
“Because of your people, Kryptonite poisoned my entire world," Rhea taunted. "I've carried it across galaxies. It's part of me now. So go ahead. Make me bleed.”
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Back at L-Corp, Winn had finished with the emergency anti-lead room for Mon-El, and now he was helping Lena.
“Can I have the- Uh, the- Yeah. Thank you, Winn.”
“You know, I'm pretty good in a crisis,” he preened. A nearby explosion had him jumping in fright, “Oh, God!”
“We can see that,” Lillian shook her head.
“I don't like you,” Winn retorted.
The Cadmus leader rolled her eyes.
“It's done,” Lena announced.
“Turn it on. We can end this,” Lillian demanded.
“Hey, no, no, no, wait!” Winn said, blocking her from the contraption. “No, you can't do that.”
“There's too much at stake to wait,” Lillian huffed, shoving Winn and Lena away and grabbing the machine.
“Mother!” Lena shouted.
“No!” Winn whined.
Lillian crossed the room and pressed the button, but nothing happened. “You said it worked,” she complained.
“Oh, it does,” Lena smirked. “I just gave Supergirl the remote. Only she can turn it on.”
Lillian frowned and put the box down.
“We should call the DEO,” Lena said to Winn. “Get them to let Supergirl know it's ready if she needs it.”
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Mon-El, Superman, and the Martian Manhunter were down on the ground getting people out of harm’s way. Mon-El picked up a teenage boy of the ground and hurried to shoo him away from danger. “Come on, get out of here. Get out of here.”
A troop of Daxamite soldiers spotted the rebel prince, “Get the traitor!”
Mon-El dispatched them all quickly, “Sorry, not sorry.”
“Get to safety!” J’onn exclaimed, ushering civilians away from the chaos.
Alex spoke on the comms, “Superman, we've got bogies above National City Hospital!”
“I'm on my way,” he replied, flying up into the sky.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Now that Supergirl was weakened, Rhea took advantage of the fight and pummeled the hero through walls and floors and ceilings. When they returned to the roof of the building, Rhea saw Superman attacking some of her ships.
“Get the Kryptonian!” she shouted to her guard.
The man bowed and took off.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
“This is worse than Myriad,” Superman heard Cat Grant say to James Olsen. I never thought I would say that.”
The hero was flung into the building by the queen’s guard, and they battled it out, trashing the once-again pristine offices. With one last final blow, the guard went flying out the window, falling to the ground below. “Well, at least he tried,” Clark quipped.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
As J’onn was getting people to safety, he was met by a large troop of Daxamites. He paused a moment to think about his options, but before he had a chance to make a move, someone appeared beside him, knocking the soldiers off their feet when they landed. He turned to see another Green. M’gann.
“You came,” he grinned.
“You called,” she replied.
A large horde of White Martians flew over their heads, “They followed you.”
“Don't worry,” M’gann assured him. “They're friends.” No sooner than the words were out of her mouth, the White Martians landed around them and started fighting against the Daxamite soldiers.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Rhea continued to pummel the Kryptonite-weakened Supergirl. “It won't stop here.” She blocked the hero’s wild swings, catching her arm and punching her in the stomach. “There's Star City and Metropolis.” Another uppercut to the Kryptonian’s chin. “I will destroy city after city until your whole world is gone.” One last punch had the Kryptonian on the ground, weak, pathetic and aching. The world around her was starting to go grey.
Suddenly, Kara could smell the presence of two familiar people. Her heart skyrocketed, and she tried to get up, but she couldn't. The Kryptonite was too much for her exhausted body. She could do nothing but watch as her daughters flanked her, looking furious.
Rhea laughed. “Looks like I win, Supergirl.”
“I don't think so,” Jessie growled. She wasted no time hitting Rhea, sending the queen flying back into a wall of industrial fans.
The queen stood up and taunted the elder Kryptonian. “You’re so weak, your children have to come to your rescue? Pathetic.”
This time Jamie hit Rhea, right on the temple where she was bleeding. Jamie pulled a glowing green fist back and just stared at it. “Ew!” she complained.
Kara and Rhea both stared at the girls in amazement.
“Why is she bleeding green?” Jamie asked Kara.
“It’s Kryptonite,” Kara panted. “It’s why I can’t fight her anymore.”
The twins looked at each other and grinned, for the first time realizing that they were unaffected by this supposedly toxic substance. Jessie hit the queen again, also coming away with a green bloody fist. “This is our home,” she reminded Rhea, punching her in the stomach. “And we’re going to protect it.”
“Yeah, you’re going down!” Jamie added, uppercutting the queen so hard she flew up into the air and fell down to the ground on her back.
“It doesn't matter if I live or die,” Rhea told them. “We'll keep coming.” She indicated the continued assault on National City.
Mon-El appeared then, and shouted at the twins, “What do you think you’re doing? Your mother is freaking out right now!”
“Mama needed help!” Jessie shouted back.
Alex came in over the comms, “Supergirl, they've locked onto every school, hospital, and municipal building in the city. They're going to destroy everything.”
Kara looked solemnly at Mon-El, who nodded his permission. “I'm so sorry,” she whispered. Pulling out the device Lena gave her, Kara gave Rhea one last look, then pressed the button.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Back at L-Corp, Lena, Winn, Douglas and Lillian were waiting impatiently for something to change. They had no way of watching the fight like the people at the DEO, so they were sitting ducks until the machine whirred to life.
“Finally,” Lillian sighed, seeing the box light up.
The lead dust exploded out of the building, affecting every Daxamite it touched.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
On the ground, Rhea clutched her throat and coughed. “Mon-El. Please! Save me.”
Mon-El started coughing too, “Like you saved Father?” he retorted.
Rhea quickly beamed back up to her ship, and the rest of the Daxamites followed.
Mon-El started to fall from the reaction to the lead.
“Mon-El!” the kids exclaimed, running to him and holding him up.
“No!” Kara exclaimed. “No, please, please. I'm gonna get you somewhere safe. I'm gonna take you somewhere safe.”
“It's okay,” Mon-El assured her.
“No, stop,” Kara whimpered. “Alex! Do something! Tell me what to do!”
“The entire atmosphere's been affected, you have to bring him back to the DEO right now!” Alex insisted.
“How long does he have?” Kara asked frantically.
“I don't know, a few minutes? Move fast!” Alex demanded.
The three Supers flew the Daxamite back to the DEO at top speed. “We’re here! What do we do?”
Alex ran to them and grabbed a hold of Mon-El. “This way!” She led them into the cells where she and Winn had rigged a mega filter to keep the prince safe until they could figure something else out. “In here! Quick!”
Mon-El hurried into the cell and closed the door, finally able to breathe easy. “How long do I have to stay in here?” he worried.
“I promise, we’ll work on nothing else until we get you out of there,” Alex said earnestly. “We’re so proud of you, Mon-El. You don’t deserve to be locked up, but this is the best thing we could figure out for the time being.”
The Daxamite hung his head and nodded. “I understand.”
Kara put her hand on the glass, “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Mon-El shook his head and put his hand against the glass too. “You did what you had to do. As long as the earth is safe again.”
“You’re so brave,” Kara told him tearily.
“I couldn’t have done it without you teaching me,” he replied. “I’m a better man because of you.”
The twins approached the cell and touched the glass too. “We love you, Mon-El. We’re sorry you lost your parents,” Jamie whimpered.
“Its OK, girls,” he spoke softly. “Thank you for your help.”
“You’re welcome,” they answered.
“We’ll be back,” Alex told him.
“Hey,” he stopped them, “Can you please call Eve? Ms. Grant insisted she go back to work.”
“I’ll call her right away,” Kara promised.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Once they were out of earshot, Alex stopped and turned to the twins. “What the hell were you girls thinking?!” she hissed. “I can’t believe you had the audacity to go out there and reveal yourselves! Do you have any idea what you’ve done? It’s all over the news that there are new Supers now. How the hell are we going to deal with this?”
“Mama needed help!” Jessie insisted. “We had to go!”
“We couldn’t just stand by and watch her get killed!” Jamie whined.
“Alex, they saved my life,” Kara interjected. “Rhea had Kryptonite in her system, and I wouldn’t have survived if they hadn’t come. Apparently, they’re immune to Kryptonite.”
The redhead just stared at them for a moment. “Really?”
The twins nodded.
“Well, that doesn’t excuse you for doing what you did!” Alex said to the kids. “Superman could have gone and helped her, but you didn’t even give me a chance to call him. I am so upset with you two.”
The twins crossed their arms over their chests. She wasn’t going to convince them that they did the wrong thing. It was bad enough that Mon-El lost his family. They weren’t going to lose theirs too. They stared their mother down defiantly.
“Mama would have died if we hadn’t gone!” Jessie hollered.
Jamie was not to be left out, “Superman would have been affected by the Kryptonite, too!”
“You didn’t know you were immune to Kryptonite!” Alex argued.
“We didn’t know there was Kryptonite in the first place,” Jamie explained. “We just saw Mama getting beat up.”
Alex growled. Why couldn’t she get through to them? Not only did Cadmus know about them now, but they were on the news for all the world to see. “You girls are grounded for the rest of your lives.”
“What? No!” the girls balked.
“Try me!” Alex snapped.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Lena arrived at the DEO a short time later with Winn and Douglas. The CEO was a little overwhelmed when seemingly everyone ran towards them. She expected a lecture, but what she got was lots of hugs and congratulations. It stunned her. Her family was crying and taking turns hugging and kissing her over and over. It was if she hadn’t done anything horrible at all.
“I’m so glad you’re OK,” everyone told her.
“We love you so much,” her family added.
Kara leaned down to Lena’s stomach and tuned her hearing to the babies’ heartbeats, instantly relieved when she heard each strong little thump. She grinned at her wife. “The babies are OK too,” she assured them all.
For some reason, it was this comment that finally broke through Lena’s shock, and she started to tear up. “I’m so sorry for everything. I really let everyone down, and this whole invasion is my fault!”
Kara pulled her into her arms and shushed her. “This is not your fault, Lena. You were trying to save the world, but Rhea tricked you. The blame is on her, not you.”
Lena sobbed and buried her head in Supergirl’s shoulder. “I’m sorry!” she hiccupped. “I’m so sorry!”
Her family surrounded her and whispered words of love and encouragement until she settled down.
“I’m so… I’m so tired,” she whimpered.
“I know, sweetheart,” Kara stroked her hair. “I think we’re going to have to go crash with Eliza for a little while. Especially since the twins revealed themselves on camera. We’re going to need to get out of dodge for a while.”
Lena paled. “Oh, no! What happened?” There was a clamor of voices trying to answer her at once, but she stopped them with a raise of her hand. “Kara?”
The Kryptonian told her about the fight with Rhea, the Kryptonite blood, and her subsequent rescue by the twins.
“Oh, boy,” Lena breathed, hands on her hips. “I hope Eliza doesn’t mind us crashing.”
“I need to call her,” Alex commented. “I’m sure she’s worried sick.”
“I hate to change the subject, but, um, what happened to Mon-El?” Lena wondered.
“He’s downstairs in a cell that Winn and I rigged to keep him alive until we can figure something out,” Alex informed her. “Do you want to see him?”
“Yes, please,” the CEO said meekly.
Alex led her down to Mon-El’s cell, and their family followed, including Superman.
“Lena!” the Daxamite exclaimed. “Thank God! I was so afraid that your mother was going to try to kidnap you again!”
“I can’t say it didn’t cross my mind,” Lena agreed. “But she was too busy talking to the press to pay any attention to us leaving.”
“Lillian was talking to the press?” Maggie whistled. “This should be good.”
“Don’t worry,” Kara replied. “Catco will make sure the real story gets out there.”
Lena sighed. “Don’t hold back anything on my account. I deserve whatever comes of it.”
“Don’t talk like that,” Mon-El hit his palm against the glass.
Alex nodded. “You don't deserve anything bad happening to you. So you were taken advantage of. That happens to the best of us sometimes, and, Lena, you are the best of us, so don’t put yourself down for what happened.”
The CEO looked back at Mon-El. “I’m sorry for not listening to you in the first place. You were right. All Rhea ever wanted was to use me as a pawn. I can’t believe I trusted her.”
“I, of all people, know how manipulative my mother can be,” Mon-El growled.
“No one blames you, Lena,” Superman spoke up. “We’re not going to get people all riled up thinking you’re some monster. You are not a monster. You are a beautiful, strong, capable woman who is going to bounce back after this. You are not going to beat yourself up over something you had no control over.”
Lena leaned into the glass, resting her forehead where Mon-El’s hand was. “I don’t know if I can stop.”
“You can,” Kara encouraged. “You will. We won’t let you down, Lena. We love you, and we will encourage you with every breath we take until our dying days. You’re a good person, my love.”
“You’re the best kind of person, Lena,” Jessie told her.
“Yeah,” Jamie agreed. “We’ll never stop loving you, Lena.”
Lena started crying again, and they all enveloped her in a big group hug until she calmed down.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Kara was looking out at the now clear sky from the balcony of the DEO, holding tightly to a half-dozing Lena.
“I have to get home,” Superman told them.
“I know,” Kara replied.
“You okay?” he checked.
“Of course,” she tried to smile at him.
“You don’t seem OK,” he countered.
Supergirl sighed and breathed Lena’s scent in for strength. “I just- I failed spectacularly today. I couldn’t beat Rhea with all that Kryptonite in her system, and my twelve-year-old girls had to come and save me. I’m ashamed of myself.”
Clark put his hand on her shoulder. “You have nothing to be ashamed of. I couldn’t have done what you did, Kara.
“You don't have to try to make me feel better,” she grumbled.
“I'm not,” he assured. “I'm humbled by you. You are so much stronger than me. Stronger than I ever will be.”
Kara looked into his eyes to see if there was any hint of teasing. There wasn’t. “Thank you,” she sighed. “Say hi to Lois for me.”
“I will.” And with that, Superman took off into the skies and headed home.
“Kara,” Lena whispered. “This might sound bad, but I’m glad the girls came to save you. I can’t lose you.”
“I can’t lose you either, Lena.” They kissed urgently.
“And I don’t think you should be ashamed of anything, Kara. You’ve been through hell and back the last few days, and I don’t blame you for anything, just like you don’t blame me for anything, OK?”
Supergirl sighed. “Thank you, my love.”
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Inside the DEO J’onn and M’gann were walking together, holding hands and leaning close.
“You have changed me forever,” M’gann grinned.
“I'm so glad you're here, M'gann,” J’onn smiled back at her.
“Of course I'm here,” she replied.
“And you brought an army,” he commented.
She nodded. “Well, it turns out I'm not the only White Martian who regrets. Disagrees. Fights. There are a lot of us. We're trying to change things. Make tomorrow better. On the old world and the new.”
“How did you know to come?” he inquired.
“Your mind cried out,” she recalled. “I felt you fall away. You needed me.”
“I hope you didn't come out of a sense of duty,” he said.
She shook her head.
“Can you stay?”
“For a while,” she confirmed.
“Good.”
They both leaned in and kissed, irreverent to the people around them.
XXXXXXXXXX
Alex, Maggie and the twins wandered out to the balcony with Kara and Lena.
“Hey,” Alex said softly, trying not to break the delicate mood. “Mind if we join you?”
“Not at all,” Kara and Lena answered in unison.
Alex pulled Kara into a bearhug, squeezing with all her might. “I’m so proud of you, Kara. I know how exhausted and beat up you are. You did so great.”
Supergirl closed her eyes and took comfort in the embrace. “I don’t feel like I did great,” she admitted. “I feel like a failure. I was so helpless when Rhea broke our agreement and continued to attack the city, and then when she had Kryptonite in her bloodstream, I just couldn’t fight anymore. Please, don’t ground the kids. They saved my life.”
The twins looked surprised at her words.
Alex looked at her children with compassion in her eyes. “Oh, alright.”
“Thank you,” Kara sniffled. “And thank you Jamie and Jessie for coming to my rescue.”
“You’re welcome, Mama,” the twins replied, hugging her tightly.
She relished their Superhugs, and urged them to hold on just a little longer.
“Um… Mom?” Jamie grimaced at Alex. “Where are we going to sleep tonight?”
XXXXXXXXXXXX
The Danvers combed through their stuff at the penthouse, gathering up clothes and electronics and things that they would take to Eliza’s until they could come back and clean the place up. It was late, and they were all tired, and they still had to drive to Midvale. That would be no small feat. The city below was trashed, and Supergirl would have to fly their cars packed full of things outside the city limits and then fly her family out to the cars. Then Alex and Maggie, who were exhausted, would have to drive the two hours it took to get to Midvale in the middle of the night, after having been awake for days. Kara insisted she could drive, but Alex wouldn’t let her. She wanted the blonde to sleep on the way. Between the van and the Land Rover, they managed to get most of their things, and then they were on their way.
Eliza was there on the porch waiting for them when they arrived. She looked like she hadn’t slept either, and was relieved when they finally pulled in her driveway. She already had the air mattress up for them, so all they had to do was grab their overnight bags and head inside. They barely talked except to greet one another. Eliza offered them coffee, but they just wanted to sleep. The six of them trudged upstairs, washed up and fell into bed.
Before they could fall asleep, Kara’s phone rang with Cat on the other line. “Where are you? Where’s my copy of Supergirl’s interview? Why aren’t you here right now?”
Kara felt even more defeated. She couldn’t write an article right now. She could barely think about anything more than sleep.
Alex read the look on her face and took the phone, “Cat, you listen to me, and you listen good. Kara will get that stuff to you when she’s good and ready, and you’re not going to call her again for the next 48 hours. Is that understood?”
Ms. Grant was quiet for a moment before sighing, “Understood.”
“Good. Goodnight, Ms. Grant.”
“It’s morning, Agent Danvers.”
“Whatever it is, we’re going to sleep. Goodbye.” Alex clicked the ‘end call’ button and powered the phone down. “Supergirl? Sleep. You’re on bedrest for the next twelve hours.”
Kara fell back onto the bed and wished they could all fit in it. It made her heart ache, and when Lena laid down beside her, she scooped her up into her arms and held her tightly until they fell asleep.
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