New Earth: Supergirl

Chapter 17

When Clark arrived at the Tower, he was surprised to find not only his Aunt Alura there waiting for him, but his Uncle Zor-El as well. Sure Kara had told him over the phone, but seeing it wasn't until now that he was actually seeing that he truly believed it. His uncle was alive. His father's brother. For so long he'd been alone in the universe, he'd thought of himself as the last survivor of Krypton. Then Kara came around and he knew that there was nothing he wouldn't do for her. Then he'd discovered Argo and his paternal aunt still being alive as well. But now he was meeting the only other blood related family he had besides Kara.

"Kal-El." Zor-El said at the sight of him.

"Uncle Zor-El." Clark said as he approached his uncle.

"You look so much like your father." Zor-El said, since he honestly felt like he was staring at a younger version of Jor-El.

"I wish I'd gotten to know him." Clark said and Zor-El placed his hand on his shoulder.

"I know that Kara and Alura have both told you so much about him and your mother, but there are things about them that only I know, since he and I were best friends long before I ever met Alura. If there's anything you want to know about either of them. Just ask." Zor-El said and Clark nodded.

"Thank you." Clark said.

"However, there is something I do need to ask you." Zor-El said.

"You want to know why I didn't raise Kara myself when she landed on Earth?" Clark asked and Zor-El nodded.

"To protect her. When Kara landed on Earth, I had already revealed myself to this planet as Superman and in doing so, I'd made several dangerous enemies. Enemies that I knew would not hesitate to use Kara against me if they found out about her. Not to mention all the criminals Aunt Alura sent to Fort Rozz were just released on Earth and I knew that if they found out about her, then they'd come after her before she was even able to control her powers. I knew that the best thing for Kara and her safety would be if she was raised away from me. But whenever she needed me, I tried to be there for her." Clark said and Zor-El nodded, having seen his point.

"Okay, I understand that." Zor-El said.

"And honestly, I think that sending Kara to live with the Danvers is part of what helped her become the person she is today. A hero that honestly puts me to shame." Clark said.

"Clark." Kara said.

"No Kara, it's true. I told you before that you are so much stronger than I am. Not physically, which you are, though it pains me slightly to admit it," Clark said and Kara rolled her eyes at that, "but also, you're a better person then I am. The call you made to end the Daxamite invasion, it's not one I'd be able to make. You gave up your own happiness to save the entire planet." Clark said.

"What did she do?" Zor-El asked.

"My mother didn't react well when she found out I'd fallen in love with a kryptonian, especially one of your house. She blamed Kara for my not wanting to return to Daxam with her, so she took it out on the people of earth. And in order to stop the invasion after my mother went against the Dakam Ur vow of trial by combat, she employed a weapon that rendered the air toxic to daxamites." Mon-El said.

"Really." Zor-El said, looking at his daughter, honestly impressed.

"I did what I had to do to protect my planet. Even if doing so broke my heart." Kara said.

"And as much as I hate to say it, I don't think I would've been able to make the same call. She's a better hero than I am or ever will be." Clark said.

"That's true. I seem to recall Kara being a paragon, one of the 8 beings of the highest order of heroes, while you are not." Alex said smugly as she entered the tower.

"Who are you?" Zor-El asked.

"Dad, this is my foster sister Alex. But honestly, we couldn't be closer sisters if we were blood. She is honestly the one person who made me feel more at home here on Earth than anyone." Kara said as her sister smiled at her.

"Then our house owes you a great debt." Zor-El said and Alura nodded her agreement.

"Now, what exactly is a paragon?" Zor-El asked and Alura nodded, also curious.

"8 beings of the purest will, basically the multiverse's last line of defense. Both Kara and J'onn are among them. Kara is the paragon of hope and J'onn is the paragon of honor." Alex said.

"Did I hear my name?" J'onn asked with a smile as he entered the tower with his father, Astra and two human girls.

"J'onn, not that it isn't good to have you back, but would you mind explaining why you brought two teenagers into our secret base without telling us?" Kara asked.

"Show them girls." J'onn said as the two nodded and shifted to familiar green martian forms, or at least, familiar to Kara, since she'd seen them before. Once, in a memory.

"J'onn, are these?" Kara asked and J'onn nodded with a bigger grin on his face than Kara or Alex had seen him and that was when Alex put the pieces together.

"Alex and Kara Danvers, meet my daughters, Kh'ym and T'ania J'onzz." J'onn said and both Kara and Alex smiled.

"Then they are welcome here any time." Kara said.

"Good because I am actually leaving them in your care for the moment." J'onn said.

"Why?" Alex asked.

"My father and I are going to the Fortress of Solitude to use the phantom zone projector and I don't want to put them at risk." J'onn said.

"I'd better go with you. Kelex is programmed to target intruders and your father would likely qualify at that moment." Kara said and J'onn nodded.

"I actually set up a martian protocol at the Fortress, back in the times when we didn't trust each other." Clark said and J'onn nodded.

"I will let Alex discuss what to do with the DEO's kryptonite with you, since I am resigning from it now to spend more time with my father and my daughters." J'onn said and Clark nodded as he turned to Alex.

"We'll talk about it more later, since while I hate the idea of kryptonite existing, I also think that we can't leave ourselves vulnerable if another kryptonian like Non or Zod show up. But we can discuss measures to protect you all from kryptonite." Alex said.

"Once Lena's recovery is finished, I'm going to have her build me an anti kryptonite suit. I'm sure she'd be willing to build one for you to Kal." Kara said.

"And you trust her, despite what she did?" Clark asked.

"We've made amends and I trust her with my life." Kara said and Clark nodded.

"Okay then." Clark said.

"We should get going. Malefic shouldn't have to suffer any more than he already has. Alex, have Kelly prep the medbay to restore Malefic's full powers." Kara said and Alex nodded as Kara, J'onn and M'yrnn flew out of the tower.