"I need to give you another injection." Alex said.

"But I'm fine." Kara said before wondering if Alex was hiding something and getting worried asked. "Aren't I? I mean I can control my powers and they seem fine. Do you know something?"

"Kara, you are fine." Alex assured her. "But all the last injection did was reverse the effect of the previous one."

"Like it was meant to."

"It won't stop it happening again." Alex went on. "But this," she started waving a syringe, "will give you immunity, just in case any of Max's people still have access to the research."

"Okay. How exactly are you going to inject me seeing my powers are back?"

"The needle is made from very low grade Kryptonite." Alex said.

"Will it hurt?" Kara asked.

"The needle or the contents?"

"Both."

"They shouldn't do, but I can't guarantee it." Sensing Kara's reluctance Alex said. "You don't have to have it, but if you do have it you will be safer."

"Okay." Kara agreed, feeling guilty at how worried Alex looked. Sitting down she waited for Alex to prepare the injection.

Alex was about to press the needle into Kara's skin when Kara flinched.

"What is it?" Alex asked. "I haven't touched you yet."

"You were about to though." Kara said.

"So you are pre-empting pain?" Alex asked.

"Something like that." Kara said. "Don't you always say expect the worse and never be disappointed?"

"Do you see that box over there?" Alex asked nodding to a package on the far side of the lab.

"Yeah."

"In there is something you will like, which you can have after you have had the injection."

"What is it?" Kara asked before using her X-ray vision on the box. Knowing she was distracted Alex drove the needle in.

"Hey! That was a dirty trick." Kara said as Alex released the contents into Kara. Both sisters then looked at each other and waited for something to happen. When nothing did Alex smiled and said.

"Told you it wouldn't hurt."

"Do I get my sticky bun now?" Kara questioned.

-00-

"You ready to re-announce yourself to the world?" Hank asked.

"I am."

"You ready for the Cat Grant exclusive interview she'll demand?"

"More prepared than last time." Supergirl smiled. "But if it all goes wrong I will suggest that reality TV series you came up with last time."

"I'd rather you didn't." Hank said. "You do realise if you fly out there you are kissing your chance of a normal life goodbye."

"I will never have a normal life no matter what I decide." Supergirl said. "But by flying out there I can help people."

"Be careful." Alex warned.

"I will, I promise." Supergirl said moments before flying off.

"She'll be fine Alex." Hank said glancing at Alex as she watched her sister disappear.

"Then what's bothering you?" Alex asked.

"Who said anything is bothering me?" Hank questioned.

"Your face. You get this frown line when you are worried." Alex said waving at Hank's face. For a minute Hank just stared at Alex, but eventually he confessed.

"I'm worried we are missing something with Max."

"What?"

"I don't know. Something isn't sitting right."

"Has Peter found anything yet?"

"Maybe. He requested a meeting. I am heading over later."

"There's something else as well?" Alex guessed.

"Astra."

"She told you where Kara was."

"She did. But she didn't rescue her."

"You said they couldn't make any of their suits."

"That's what she told me, but I'm not sure I buy it. I think the real reason is her people see Kara as the enemy and she knew none of them would support a rescue."

"Which is why she came to you?"

"Indeed. But that means that Astra's hold on power is not as strong as we have assumed. And although she is a wildcard and I don't trust her, her tie to your sister seems to rein her in. If she is replaced, I think the Kryptonians will become a far bigger problem for us."

"And you think that with Supergirl reappearing it may force that outcome?"

"I don't know, it's possible. That is why I wanted to ensure your sister was more than ready before revealing herself again."

-00-

"I need to see Lord." Hank said as he marched past Lord's secretary

"Do you have an appointment?" She asked scrambling off her chair trying to head Henshaw off.

"I don't need one." Hank said reaching Lord's office door and walking straight in.

"I'm sorry." The secretary said entering behind Hank. "He just walked straight in."

"I will deal with it. You may go." Lord said dismissing his secretary.

"How are you doing?" Hank asked when they were alone.

"Are you kidding? I am living like a king." Peter, disguised as Lord, smiled.

"I meant the investigation."

"Oh, that. I have the location of all the labs on this disk." He said sliding a thumb drive to Hank. "Also on that disk is a compressed backup of his secret secret files. Your really want to read them, Supergirl only scratched the surface with the explanation. He has several labs set up. And he is holding prisoners in most of them, manipulating their DNA and well let's just say I don't think the work has been run by an ethics board. Oh, just in case it is a trap I would put it into a stand alone system. I really don't trust the people I employ."

"Do you know if he was working alone?"

"As in, does he have a partner? I don't know. No one has tried to make contact with me, well him. Has he said anything to you?"

"No, but I have not talked to him. Maybe it is time for a chat." Hank said before adding. "Good work."

"So when do we move onto phase two?"

"Phase two?" Hank asked, not remembering ever discussing a phase two.

"Sure, changing Lord's, well my, public profile. Showing more support to Supergirl, especially as she is back on the scene. Some kind words here and there before moving to phase three."

"Phase three?" Hank asked wondering what Peter had planned.

"Dating Supergirl."

"I think you need to crawl before attempting to sprint." Hank warned. "Let's just stick to the original plan."

"But it is so dull."

"But you live like a king." Hank reminded him.

-00-

"Supergirl." Cat greeted as she moved onto her balcony where the caped hero was hovering. "I was wondering if you would show up."

"You mean before you had to resort to blackmailing James Olsen for an interview." Supergirl smiled.

"Blackmail is such a strong word." Cat said. "Drink?"

"No thank you."

"So where have you really been?"

"Off the record?"

"If you insist."

"I was imprisoned."

"By who?"

"I can't tell you."

"Can't or won't?" Cat asked.

"Won't."

"Will you at least tell me if they were human or alien?"

"Human."

"Interesting. And is this person or organisation still a threat?"

"No."

"Well that's comforting at least." Cat said. "But how did they manage to capture you and hold you for so long without escaping?"

"There are things out there that can harm me and take my powers from me. They used this against me."

"But you are okay now?" Cat asked.

"I am."

"So what exactly am I meant to publish about your return?"

"What would you recommend?"

"I could go for the mundane your cousin rescued you from the building and has been nursing you back to health since then, but that gives him far more credit than he deserves."

"And is a lie." Supergirl pointed out.

"I could just say you had a break down and needed time out. But a mentally weak hero is hard to believe in."

"And a lie." Supergirl repeated.

"To keep the masses believing in you admitting a weakness is risky, but the fact you do what you do at risk to yourself may inspire more of them." Cat said sipping her tea. "This will be challenging. But if anyone is up to the task it is me. Don't worry, any criticism will be constructive." She then paused and looked at Supergirl before commenting. "You could have walked away from being Supergirl. Lived a safe, normal life, yet you chose to become Supergirl again. That says a lot about you. I like resilience."

-00-

"You not sending in your Shizu today?" Max asked as Hank entered his cell area.

"Lord." Hank said ignoring the comment. "I thought it was time we talked."

"I am perfectly willing to talk about my release."

"There will be no release." Hank said.

"Then we have nothing to discuss."

"Really? A man of your tastes has no requests?"

"Oh, I see, the reason you are really here is because you want something from me." Max said smiling. "After all this time you still don't know what my plan was. You know you have missed something, but you don't know what. You are hoping I will confess all."

"It was my understanding that you liked to talk and talk. Supergirl said you would never shut up."

"And I controlled all our conversations. She heard only what I wanted her to hear."

"We've found your other research facilities." Hank said.

"Are you sure you have found all of them?" Max asked.

"If we haven't yet, we will." Hank said.

"And what about Alex?" Max asked.

"What about her?"

"Have you figured out what side she is on?"

"Doesn't take much figuring out." Hank said. "She is on the same side she has always been on. Her family's."

"If that is the case why won't you let me see her?" Max asked. "We both know you don't trust her anymore."

"I trust Alex completely. The reason she is not seeing you is because she has better things to do with her time."

"In which case I don't see the point of furthering this conversation." Max said lying down.

"That surprises me." Hank said. "You see the one thing I really know about you is you are self serving. So I am amazed you don't want to deal or trade."

"You have nothing worth trading." Max said. "You may think you hold the cards, but I have the power." Max said.

"You really are delusional." Hank said.

"Yet you have come in here seeking out information. The missing link that you can't see. I will enjoy watching this blow up in your face." Max said.

-00-

"Alex." Hank said when he left the cell area and saw her watching the camera feed.

"You think he is bluffing?"

"I don't know." Hank confessed. "Peter has found no proof of anyone else being involved and we have the locations of his labs. But experience has shown me to be weary round Lord."

"You want me to talk to him?" Alex offered.

"No. Not because I don't trust you or because I don't think you can handle it. But because that is what he wants." He explained immediately picking up on Alex's insecurities.

"So what now?"

"We keep him in there and hope no one ever finds out. Maybe eventually he'll crack, but for now we have Peter. If there is something we are missing, he will find it."

-00-

Kara flew round waiting for Astra to contact her. Eventually she spotted her aunt and flew towards her before they both landed on a rooftop.

"You are recovered?" Astra asked.

"Thanks to you."

"Why do you wish to join sides with people who could do such a barbaric act?"

"Most of them aren't like that." Kara said. "I didn't seek you out to argue."

"Then why did you seek me out?"

"Firstly, to thank you for saving my life."

"Which you have done."

"Secondly, to give you this." Kara said holding out a box.

"What is it?"

"The antidote and immunisation for what they did to me. The facility was destroyed as was the research, but just in case."

"Do your human friends know you are giving it to me?"

"They do." Seeing the doubt in Astra's face she added. "You can use it or not, but it is there if you want it."

"Thank you." Astra said taking the box before saying. "I heard your screams, I wanted to help, but I could not get to you."

"I know."

"Your mother was right you are so brave, you really have the heart of a hero. I can only hope that one day you will see where your heart should sit. Goodbye Little One."

-00-

"How did it go?" Alex asked when Kara flew back in.

"Good mainly. We spoke, there was no violence, no insults, no criticism against my mother. There was even a compliment."

"But?" Alex probed as Kara flopped down on the couch next to her.

"But there was a disapproving tone and criticism of working with you."

"She's not going to be happy until you join her." Alex pointed out.

"I know, but the fact she saved me…I don't know I just kinda hoped she was coming round."

"Maybe she will, one day." Alex said hugging her sister. "In the mean time you'll have to make do with your human family."

"You and Eliza are the only family I need."

"Doesn't mean you can't want more." Alex said as the two fell into a comfortable silence. Eventually though Kara looked over at Alex grinning as she asked.

"Does that mean you aren't going to object to me having the last potsticker?"

"I said it was okay to want not to have." Alex said playfully hitting Kara with a cushion.

-The End

A/N: Thank you for reading and reviewing - for those I couldn't reply to thank you, I did appreciate them.