Lost, only to be found (Supergirl AU - Short Story)

Waiting

- DEO -

Kara sat down near her daughter's bed. She was reluctant to touch her, scared anything could break her. She looked so fragile, pale. But her veins still had a faint green hue and burned Kara at the touch. 

"I'm sorry, that you had to go through that, Lee" A single tear fell down Kara's cheek. "That you sacrificed your powers to save me. I'm not worth that." Another tear fell on the other side. One look at Lena's figure and you could tell that she wasn't waking up any time soon. It had been a full week since the attack, no sign of recovery. It scared Kara that she might lose another person she cares about.

"I'm really sorry." Winn stood at the doorway. Kara sniffled and wiped away her tears, walking over to Winn, who offered his arm. She turned around and stopped next to him, taking his arm and hugging it while softly crying. They stood in an almost complete silence, peacefully watching Lena's slumber. After a while, Winn spoke up. "I suppose you want to know what Lillian's planning?"

"To hell with her," Kara muttered, again drying her cheeks. "Just tell me the broad details."

"Kara, she wants to become president. Then she can issue a law against Aliens. I'm just going to tell her that there isn't a way. It's not that I don't have any ideas, I just..."

"Do it. Help her."

"Wait, why?"

"You need to stay as our inside man. Winn, she isn't going down easily, we need to plan this well."

"Fine. I'll go back to Cadmus and tell her the ideas." Winn left reluctantly and Kara stayed completely still. She took a shaky breath in, then let it out slowly.

"Kara?" She turned slowly, tears threatening to fall. "How is she?"

"She'll be okay. She has to be." Mon-El pulled Kara in for a hug, holding her for a while. "Alex said that the effects from the Kryptonite could be permanent. Mon-El, I'm really scared."

"I know." Mon-El and Kara looked up, seeing Lena's eyes still closed. "But you don't have to be, I'm fine." She opened them and tried to sit up. Kara, using her super-speed, ran to her side and gently pushed her down.

"Baby, you need to rest." Kara looked up at Mon-El, and he nodded while walking towards them both. 

"She's right, you were hit with a lot of Kryptonite, enough to hurt Kara permanently. For now, you're staying right here until we know for sure you're okay." Lena looked at her hands, startled at the colour of her glowing veins. A tear rolled down her face, and Kara quickly grabbed her hand, ignoring the searing pain up her own arm.

"Don't worry, Lee, we'll figure out how to fix this." Kara winced but kept holding, not wanting to let her daughter go. 

"You're hurting..." She pulled her hand away, seeing the third-degree burns on Kara's hand. "I hurt you." She sobbed. It was Mon-El this time who grabbed her hand to comfort her. 

"We just need to be careful," he looked up at Kara, who sat back in a chair, wondering if her new idea would work. "We can handle this, and it won't be permanent."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"Kara, I swear to Rao, if you do this, you're being kicked from the DEO."

"I have to, it's the only way to get Lena's powers back. She's stronger than me, she has is a better fighter. She grew up training." Kara still had the box in her hand and was about to open it.

"And that is exactly why you're going to keep your powers, so she can have a rest from all of that." Alex huffed and walked closer to Kara, worried that her sister was about to sacrifice herself. Just as Alex opened her mouth to talk again, Kara flicked the lock on the lead box and stared at the green glow, immediately feeling faint. Alex rushed to help her stand and closed the box. "Dammit, Kara."

"Now she..." Kara was interrupted a coughing fit, that resulted in her falling unconscious. Alex knew she'd wake up and be fine, but it still scared her to death to think Kara won't have her powers again. 

"I love you." Alex planted a kiss on Kara's head and lifted her up, carrying her bridal style to a private room so nobody would see. Alex then went back to the room and picked up the lead box, glaring at it as if it was the entire reason her sister was no longer Supergirl.

As she walked back to the room she'd placed Kara in, Mon-El stopped her and asked where Kara had gone. Obviously, Alex lied and said she didn't know. As if she'd let Mon-El find out what Kara had done to herself. Alex figured she'd just fix the problem and get it over and done with.

When Alex found herself already in Kara's room, her blood ran cold and she nearly fainted. Kara was face-down on the floor, eyes wide and blood everywhere.