Krypton

...Six Months Before Inner Core Failure

Alura looked at her husband, "She can handle this" She pleaded lightly as she walked towards her daughter's room. "Kara is still a child" Zor-El urged his wife not to continue in her pursuit. Alura smiled softly at her husband, taking his face in her hands. "We have raised a strong girl so far, if she is not ready I will make sure the situation gets handled" Alura kissed his cheek before entering the room.

Alura smiled at her daughter, watching her study on her bed. "Mother!" Kara smiled brightly, running up to hug her tightly. "Hello my darling star" Alura kissed her head gently. She guided her to sit down. "Have you begun your studies about how we further our linege?" Alura asked her, tucking some of her hair behind her ear.

Kara nodded, "Yes, after we are born our genetics are uploaded to a moonstone crystal. It finds our future partner and begins the early stages of infantcy" She explained from memory. Alura gleamed at her proudly, "Very good Kara" She praised her.

Kara noticed the far away look in her mother's eyes, "Mother what's wrong?" She asked her. Alura caressed Kara's cheek, "Kara, someone has used your genetic material to create a baby" She explained to her carefully. Kara scrunched her eyebrows, not responding to her mother. "You don't have to do anything if you don't want you, there is no rush" Alura explained to Kara.

Her daughter looked up at her softly, "Can I see them? Wait, are they a boy or girl?". Alura only smiled at her daughter's questions. She patted her shoulder lightly, "Of course you can and it's a girl".

~~~

Kara opened her door, allowing Mara to walk in first before she locked it. Mara stood in the middle of the apartment, taking in the lack of change. Kara stood by the door, a soft smile on her face. "I missed you" Kara spoke up, her voice soft. Mara turned to her, her pink eyes almost glowing in the darkness. "I missed you too, a lot actually" Mara admitted.

Kara walked over to her, holding Mara's face in her hands. "I am so sorry I hurt you, that I didn't listen when I should have..." Kara rambled, tears gathering in her eyes. Mara smiled as she hugged Kara tightly. "I forgive you" Mara told her, "If I had lost you for over a decade and when I finally got you back someone told me you were evil...I wouldn't believe them" She looked up at her.

"I love you Kara".

Kara hugged her tighter before an ache in her heart began to tug at her. "Why don't you get changed and I'll see what's there to eat?" Kara suggested. Mara nodded before running off to her room. Kara let out a breath of relief as Mara disappeared into the apartment.

Her heart was heavy as she walked over to the mint green unit by her TV. Opening the bottom drawer, Kara's mouth twitched a sour smile for a moment. Her hands touched the soft silk like material. No one would be able to find the material on Earth, the baby blue blanket was made from the universe's most gentle and durable materials found in her home solar system.

Kara held it up to her face, taking in the faint smell that still lingered. It was like she was back on Krypton, holding her baby for the first time. That feeling, your baby's nimble little fingers reaching out to touch your cheeks. Kara could never forget that jolt of life she got. And she got it once more. When Mara ran to her after being trapped on Slavers Moon.

"Hey Kara, find anything edi...ble?" Mara stopped by the fridge, looking over at Kara. Her eyes flashed gray with a hint of dark orange. She walked over to her slowly, Kara turning with the blanket in her hands. Mara stopped, furrowing her eyebrows as her eyes landed on the baby blanket.

Kara mentally cursed as Mara took a cautious step back. "Why does that look like my baby blanket?" Mara asked her, her eyes following Kara as she stood up. Kara placed the blanket on the couch before reaching for Mara's shoulders. Mara looked at her with worry and fear while Kara gently sat her down on the couch. "Kara, what's..." Mara tried to ask her a question only for Kara to softly shush her.

Kara admired Mara for a moment, taking in all of her features and little quirks. How she had the same crinkle in her forehead as her, the way she fidgeted with her fingers when she was nervous. Kara gently caressed Mara's cheek, wiping the stray tear that fell on her thumb. "Mara, I haven't been completely honest with you about something" Kara began, waiting for Mara's reaction.

Expecting her to shout and get angry, Mara only looked at Kara eagerly waiting for more. "It's time I told you the truth about who you are"

~~~

Midvale

...Fourteen years ago

"Kara calm down!" Jeremiah placed his hands on Kara's shoulders. The young kryptonian jumped back, tears streaming down her eyes. "NO! I WANT MAR-EL" Kara shouted at him. She had been on Earth for six months now and there was no sign of the third pod. Eliza and Jeremiah had no idea who this Mar-El was, they assumed the missing pod held a sibling or relative of Kara and Clark.

Eliza gently passed her husband by, approaching Kara gently. "Sweetie, I know this is hard but you need to tell us more" Eliza spoke kindly, seeing the tears streaming down her daughter's face. Kara shook her head, Alex told her that it was wrong for someone her age to have a baby. She didn't want the Danvers to cast her aside like Kal-El did. Kara didn't want to be alone again.

"I can't" Kara insisted, curling into herself as she cried. Before Jeremiah and Eliza could talk more, a familiar boom echoed from outside. Kara's head turned up in an instant, her body ran past the Danvers before they could even turn their heads.

"Kal!" Kara wiped her tears as she ran to her cousin. Kal-El smiled softly, his arms behind his back as his cousin hugged his middle. Kara felt the soft material, her entire body jolting back from Kal. She knew that material anywhere, one she hasn't been able to find on this planet since she arrived.

Kara looked up at Kal, their family crest shining in the yellow sun's light. She knew those eyes as he looked down at her. It brought her back to when Jor-El came to visit her and her parents after she decided to raise her baby. "No" She whispered.

Tears flooded her eyes as Kal revealed a light blue baby blanket that resembled his own. Kara choked on her sobs, knees hitting the ground so hard a small shallow hole surrounded her. "No" She cried as Kal kneeled down to hug her tightly.

Alex had joined her parents, seeing her adoptive little sister crying in her superhero cousin's arms. "What happened?" She asked her parents as they watched Kara in both worry and utter confusion. Alex didn't give them a moment to answer before seeing the blanket. She didn't need to best view to know who is belonged to.

One night, Alex and Kara stayed up for hours after the former heard her sister crying in the middle of the night. Kara told Alex everything, from how her people were born to the day she landed on Earth. "It's Mar-El's baby blanket" Alex gasped in horror. Eliza and Jeremiah looked at Alex and back at Kara then back at Alex. "Mar-El is a baby?" Eliza asked, making Alex turn her head to her mother.

"Mar-El's not just a baby, Mom" Alex elaborated, she looked over at her sister who spoke her mother tongue so fast she almost missed it. "Mar-El's her daughter"

~~~

"You had a daughter?"

Mara looked at Kara in shock. She never suspected her to be a mother at such a young age. Kara nodded, "My DNA was stolen, I never found out who or why" She let her fingertips glide across the blanket. It was still folded pristinely in her lap.

Mara looked at the blanket and up at Kara. "I have one in pink" She blurted out softly. Kara stopped her movements, blue eyes turning to meet Mara's yellow ones. She was afraid? Of what, Kara questioned silently. Mara took the silence as a sign, she got up and ran to her room.

She kneeled down on the ground, pulling a small bag from underneath. Opening it, Mara was met with a pink baby blanket and a glasses case covered in stickers. Holding the blanket, Mara took in it's scent and feel. Just like the Kara's, the blanket's soft touch was indescribable. The only different was the right bottom corner.

Mara brought the blanket to Kara, holding it close as if it would disappear the moment she let it go. "Ms Cordial told me she found me wrapped in it, my necklace tucked inside when she brought me to the home" Mara explained the story of how she was found. She didn't talk about it much, the only other person who knew was Henry. Kara reached her hand out slowly, her eyes and face asking the question without any words.

Nodding, Mara gently handed her baby blanket over. She gently gripped it as Kara placed it on her lap before letting go. She could trust Kara, she knew she could. Kara's hands gently unfolded the blanket, ghosting over the material as her eyes landed on the right bottom corner. Kara looked at Mara, she was still standing at the edge of the couch.

"Do you know what this is?" She asked, holding up the stitching on the blanket. Mara shook her head. She had never been able to decipher the symbols, no one at the home could. "It's your birth name in Kryptonian, every newborn gets one" Kara explained as her fingers ghosted the stitching. Mara noticed the tears gathering in Kara's eyes.

"Why are..." Mara stopped herself, hearing her heart pounding in her ears. Kara told her that her daughter was the only other Kryptonian to escape alongside her and Superman. Mara stumbled back, knocking into the small coffee table. Frightened by the loud noise, Mara stumbled further back into the kitchen island. Reaching from behind her, Mara stabilised her body.

"Mara!" Kara called out, rushing over to the teen. Mara held her hand out for Kara to stop. "What's my name?" Mara asked her. Kara bit her lip, "Mara, please just sit down and we can talk about this" Kara tried to calm Mara down. She shook her head, "My name...tell me my name" Mara gritted her teeth.

Kara dropped her head, "Mar-El...I named you Mar-El" She spoke softly. Mara froze in her place, looking up at Kara. "Wait...are you saying?" Mara gasped. Kara looked at her with sad eyes, "I'm... I'm your birth mother" Kara admitted, her entire body relaxing. Mara looked at Kara, she didn't seem as surprised by the information or emotional.

"How long have you known?" Mara's eyes turned purple as she glared at Kara lightly. Kara didn't answer her, only stepping forward. Mara moved closer to the door, "How long?" Mara asked her again, her glare hard as her hands were fists hanging low.

"Since the day I brought you to Noonan's" Kara answered her, "Alex told me after you fell asleep" She explained. Mara looked at Kara, the purple in her eyes dying down for a moment. "I'm your daughter?" Mara asked her, her nails digging into her palms as if the pain would wake her from this dream.

Kara nodded. Mara swallowed back the spit gathering in her mouth, slowly walking backwards to the door. A shaky "Okay" echoed from her lips. Mara shook her head as she met Kara's eyes. "I...I need to go...Uh..." Mara turned to open the door.

"I'm sorry"

~~~

Mara was curled up on the floor, crying into her arms as her knees pressed up against her chest. Her sobs echoed around her, her body trembling with each tear that flowed from her eyes to the stains on her sleeves and pants.

Henry ran into the room, panic coursing through his body. He looked around for his sister, hearing her crying, making him even more concerned. The moment he landed on her small form, Henry practically slid across the metal floors.

"You messaged 911! What happened?" He asked, kneeling next to her. Mara turned to him with red rims around her eyes and glowing an abnormal blue. Henry had known Mara long before the whole emotion reflected in her eyes, he knew when her eyes were the normal blue she had. Mara took a few deep breaths, her sobs getting caught each time she tried to speak.

Henry rubbed her back, waiting for the words to form properly. "Kara" Mara was able to cry out, more tears falling as she leaned into Henry's side. Wrapping his arms around her, Henry placed his chin on Mara's head. "I don't care if she's Supergirl, I'll kill her" He whispered to Mara, hoping to get a reaction from her besides crying. Mara shook her head, "Then I'll really be an orphan" Mara muttered back at him.

Henry looked down at her, eyebrows furrowed at her statement. "She didn't adopt you...did she?" Henry questioned light heartedly. Mara looked up at him, sniffling as she wiped her face. "She doesn't have to" Mara gave him a tight lipped smile, "She's my bio mom". Surprise, shock, amazement, absolute bafflement were not even the right words to comprehend Henry's face, emotions or physical reaction to Mara's revelation.

"You're Kara's daughter" He repeated softly, the only sound that echoed besides the snores coming from Mara.

~~~

The light knock of the door grabbed Kara's attention. Leaping from the couch, much to Mon-El's dismay, Kara opened her door so fast it caused a gust of wind to pass through the apartment.

J'onn stood in slight awe at the response time, silently wondering why Kara didn't react this fast to every single threat she's faced in the past two years. In his arms, Mara was sound asleep with her head resting on his shoulders. Kara didn't fail to notice the tear stains on her cheeks.

"I had to pry her from Henry's grip" J'onn whispered with an amused smile. Kara could only imagine the difficulty of separating the pair. Kara smiled as she went to take her from his arms. "Actually, I was hoping Mon-El could take her. We have a topic to discuss" J'onn stepped in.

Mon-El walked up to them, gently taking Mara in his arms. "Be gentle" Kara warned him, her eyes not leaving her daughter's form. Mon-El only tilted his head in disbelief, "I would never" He told her in the most serious tone that he even surprised himself. Mon-El was quick to walk away, feeling Mara shift in his arms as he carried her bridal style.

Kara allowed J'onn to fully enter the apartment, closing the door behind him. "So from the way Henry glared at me, you told Mara you're her mother" J'onn assumed correctly off the bat. Kara nodded with a dark blush. "Yeah... it's a lot for her to process" Kara sighed. She never thought that Mara would panic like this, hell she never thought she would actually find her.

J'onn seemed to read her mind without his powers, placing his hands on Kara's shoulders. "Don't worry, Mara won't stay mad for long. She loves you Kara and I don't need to read her mind to see it" He told her. Kara smiled at his reassuring words, "Thank you but I know that's not the only reason you're here". J'onn let out a sigh, "Are you sure you're ready for this?" He asked her.

Kara leaned against her kitchen island, "J'onn" She sighed. The Martian didn't falter, "I'm serious Kara, being Supergirl and a full time single mother isn't exactly the easiest to deal with" He began. Kara stood up straight and glared at J'onn. "I know that and I am going to do whatever it takes to raise my daughter" She stated, the words that fell making her body move out of time.

My daughter.

MY DAUGHTER.

J'onn didn't seem convinced, "And if you had to stop being Supergirl?".

"I would give up everything I have whether it be my powers, my home, my job to raise Mara. There is nothing I wouldn't do for my daughter and I am raising her whether you approve of it or not J'onn" Kara's eyes never left his as her hands clenched into fists. "I am her mother, I have always been her mother. I chose to raise her at fourteen and I will never regret the day I made that choice" Kara's voice was softer, her words hitting J'onn and Mon-El who stayed a very healthy distance away from them.

J'onn smiled, "Good" He spoke firmly. Kara felt her body calmed and buzzed with excitement at the same time from J'onn's approval. "I'll leave you three, bye" J'onn nodded and left without another word. Mon-El walked up to Kara, kissing her forehead. "I've never seen you so passionate about anyone like that before" He commented softly as Kara leaned into his touch.

"I've been searching and waiting for Mara for fifteen years, I am not losing her again" Kara explained to him before moving away. "I'm gonna go check up on her" Kara walked away from her boyfriend before turning to enter her daughter's room.

The sight of Mara curled up under the duvet made Kara's heart swell. Her soft snores filled the silence as Kara brushed some hair behind her ear. "I promise I will make up every single day I missed of your life, inah" Kara whispered softly before kissing her daughter's head.

"You will never know just how much I love you, Mara"

Inah = Daughter in Kryptonese