Disclaimer: I do not own Supergirl or the characters.

A/N: This is set sometime before the events of For the Girl who has Everything - so Astra is still around.

"You okay?" Alex asked as she sat down opposite her sister in Noonan's. "You look tired."

"Yeah, not been sleeping very well."

"Why?"

"I don't know, well I do know, bad dreams, but I don't know what's causing them."

"Yeah, can't think of anything in your life that is stressful that may cause bad dreams." Alex deadpanned. "Why didn't you ring me?"

"Because they were just dreams."

"Which upset you."

"I'm not a little kid anymore, I can't expect you to always be there to help me through a bad night."

"Yes you can, you'll always be my little sister." Alex pointed out as she reached out and took Kara's hand. "Next time call me."

"Kinda hoping there won't be a next time." Kara said as both their phones started ringing.

"Duty calls." Alex said.

"I'll see you there." Kara said rushing out.

"I'll pay for your breakfast then." Alex said shaking her head as she went to the counter. Once there she picked up another sticky bun for her sister before heading to the DEO.

-00-

"What's going on?" Alex asked when she arrived at the DEO.

"The Kryptonians are in the open again." Hank explained.

"Causing mayhem?" Alex asked.

"No. They seem to be scouting this area." Hank said pointing to a map.

"What's there?"

"No idea." Hank said, hands on hips as he stared at the screen. "Imagery and scans all imply it is dessert, but if that is the case why are they there?"

"Hidden elements under the surface?" Alex asked.

"Or a secret underground base?" Supergirl chipped in.

"Or a location for a meeting." Hank pointed out. "Until we go we won't know, but they are up to something." He then looked directly at Supergirl and said. "You are not to go after them alone. We all go in together."

"What if they start moving?" Supergirl asked.

"Then they move. I mean it, no going in alone. It never ends well." Hank warned. "The rest of you gear up we leave in five."

"Here, eat this while you wait." Alex said handing Kara the bag with the sticky bun.

"You're the best." Kara smiled as Alex followed the others to the armoury.

-00-

When they finally arrived at the remote location the effect was instantaneous and they immediately found themselves under attack from the Kryptonians. Supergirl moved into action and tried to draw the fire away from the helicopters as the DEO agents abseiled to the ground and took cover behind rocks.

With their ground position consolidated the agents returned fire causing the Kryptonians to evade. As the Kryptonians began to disperse Alex and Hank saw Astra disappear into a cave.

"Take your sister and find out where she is going." Hank ordered. "We'll keep things going up here." Seeing Alex nod he added. "Be careful. I have a bad feeling."

As the sisters entered the cave they were both surprised to find it empty.

"You sure she came in here?" Kara asked.

"Absolutely." Alex replied looking round as her sister used her X-ray vision to search for something hidden.

"Over there." Kara said pointing to the right. "There is something metallic." She explained walking over to what she had seen.

"Careful." Alex warned as she saw her sister start to feel the rocks.

Pulling at a rock suddenly a camouflaged door opened. The movement immediately causing Kara to step back and shield her sister from any danger that would come their way. When nothing happened she stepped away from Alex and moved back to the door.

"Found where she went." Kara said looking through the doorway which led to a small tunnel with a ladder leading down a long drop. "I so called it. This is so a hidden underground base."

"We need to be careful, this could be a trap." Alex warned as Kara flew down the ladder shaft leaving Alex to climb down.

Once they were both at the bottom they saw another door through which they could hear Astra's voice as well as another female. Carefully the sisters edged their way to the door trying to figure out what was happening.

As they entered a lab they saw Astra being shot by something. Neither sister knew what it was but the effect was instantaneous and Astra stumbled backwards.

"Kara!" Alex warned as her sister instinctively headed to her Aunt. Alex's attention though was captured by a humming noise emanating from a piece of equipment in the lab. As she stepped towards it she saw the other occupant in the room raise a weapon at Supergirl. Moments later she saw Kara get hit by something before falling to the ground.

"Kara!" She called immediately moving to her sister's side as the machine continued to hum, with the buzzing getting louder. Alex had barely reached Kara's side when the room vibrated and the machine let out a huge flash of light that engulfed them.

-00-

"You okay?" Alex asked as she tried to pick herself off the ground.

"I think so. What happened?" Kara asked sitting up and looking round at unfamiliar surroundings.

"I have no idea." Alex confessed as she looked around and was surprised to see they were at the bottom of a large ravine. "I also have no idea where we are." She added as she pulled out her phone. "Damn, whatever brought us here fried my phone."

"Mine is not working either." Supergirl said standing. "Looks like I'll have to fly us back, or at least to a landmark. Don't look so nervous. Last time we went flying you really enjoyed it."

"Last time we went flying you got me grounded." Alex pointed out as her sister held her.

"Ready?" Supergirl asked. When Alex nodded Supergirl attempted to fly, only she never left the ground. She tried again getting the same result causing her to say. "I think I've lost my powers."

"They're not lost." A familiar voice said from the side.

"Aunt Astra?" Supergirl asked confused as Alex tensed and demanded.

"What did you do?"

"I have done nothing. I am as powerless as my niece."

"How? Why?" Supergirl asked.

"That woman embedded a device on both of us." Astra explained as she held her hair back and revealed a mark on her neck.

"Can't we remove it?" Kara asked before looking at Alex and asking. "Can't you remove it?"

"It looks deep and very close to your artery. I can't remove it here." Alex said examining her sister's neck. She then looked at Astra and asked. "So who was she? And what were you doing there?"

"She was a human who was conducting research of interest to us." Astra said. "We were hoping she would consider an alliance, apparently though she had other ideas."

"What type of research?" Alex asked, worrying about Hank and the rest of the team.

"Research you couldn't hope to understand." Astra said.

"Hey!" Kara protested. "Don't talk down to Alex like that. She's a genius."

"But still only human." Astra pointed out.

"Anything else you want to share?" Alex asked.

"I have told you all I am willing to."

"So you don't know where we are either?" Kara asked.

"No. All I know is I have seen nobody apart from you two."

"So what now?" Kara questioned looking at Alex.

"We get out of this ravine and find help."

"How?"

"We walk." Alex shrugged.

"And Aunt Astra?"

The question caused Alex to think for a moment before approaching Astra and demanding. "Hold out your hand."

"Why?"

"Just do it." Seeing Astra did not look like she would comply Alex said. "You can do it by yourself or I can make you. Your choice."

Curious Astra held out her hand and watched as Alex grabbed her wrist before using her free hand to stab something sharp into her palm.

"What are you doing?" Kara asked as Astra hissed in pain.

"Just checking she really has lost her powers." Alex said.

"You believe me now?" Astra asked looking at her hand which was bleeding from the pin prick.

"For now."

"So what's the plan?" Kara asked.

"You see anything we can use as rope?" Alex asked Kara.

"You think I will let you take me prisoner?" Astra asked.

"Maybe not let, but right now I am fairly sure I can win a fight against you." Alex pointed out.

"Wouldn't we get out of here quicker if we work together?" Kara asked, not wanting to watch her sister and Aunt fight.

"Sure, if we could trust her." Alex said.

"Right now we all want the same thing. You have my word that I will not hurt either of you whilst we are trying to escape from here." Astra said.

"Your word doesn't mean much to me." Alex pointed out.

"It does to me." Kara said looking at Alex with pleading eyes.

"Fine, we work together." Alex said before turning to Astra and warning. "But I will be watching you."

"As I will you." Astra countered.

TBC