āIām sorry it took us so long to find you.ā
Kara canāt see Alexās face from where her head is currently resting in her sisterās lap, but the way the words get caught in Alex throat before they fall out, the sob that follows, hits Kara right in the chest.
āHey, I know, I know,ā Kara says, sitting up and pulling her sister into her arms. She presses a kiss to the side of Alexās head as fresh tears fall down Alexās face. āIām here now, itās okay.ā
Kara knows the Phantom Zone is something thatās going to haunt her for a long time, if the nightmares from the past three days since her return are anything to go by.
But itās also going to haunt those who love her, those who lost her, those who didnāt know if sheād ever return and spent over a month fighting to get her back.
āIā¦ā Alexās voice catches on a sob again. Kara wishes there was something she could do, some way to make Alex feel better because sheās the reason sheās hurting in the first place.
āItās okay,ā Kara repeats, holding her sister close. Alexās touch is grounding, reminds her that sheās back on Earth, that sheās back with her family, that sheās back home. She hopes it does the same for Alex.
āNoā¦Iā¦we had a way to find you, a month ago. Lena built a device to lead us to you, but we had to-ā Alexās voice catches again before she clears her throat. āWe had to choose, you or thousands of people and I-I chose them over you. You were stuck there for so long because I didnāt choose you. Iām you sister and I didnāt choose you.ā
Kara can hear the guilt in her sisterās voice and tears fall from her own eyes. She doesnāt blame Alex, she doesnāt blame any of them, sheās just happy they found her.
āAlex,ā Kara says, waiting until watery eyes look up and meet her own. āYou saved thousands of people, I wouldāve given my life for them in heartbeat. I donāt blame you, youāre the one that brought me home. And Iām here now, everythingās okay.ā
Alex has been the one comforting her for the past few days, itās Karaās turn to return the favour.
āI know, but it was the hardest thing Iāve ever had to do, choosing others over you.ā
āCome here,ā Kara says, tugging her sister forward again.
Alex easily tucks her head into Karaās shoulder as another wave of tears soak through Karaās shirt.
It takes a while but Alexās breathing eventually evens out, Alexās face dry even if sheās still tucked into Karaās side. They both need this, this reassurance that itās not a dream, that sheās really back and isnāt going to disappear if they open their eyes.
āLena couldnāt choose.ā
Karaās heart skips at the mere mention of Lena. She swallows heavily. āWhat?ā
āNo, thatās wrong. She did choose, but she chose you. She knew thousands of people would die but she chose you anyway.ā


















