Sam and Ruby get into an argument, Kara takes on the robber with some backup this time, and some sweet SuperCorp sister moments.

***

"OK," Ruby's principal, Coburn, told Sam as she sat. "Well, then . . . there was some kind of argument between the girls that started before morning bell. It got very heated outside their lockers, and Ruby hit Stephanie."

"OK," Sam bit her lip, trying to process this. "When you say 'hit,' I mean . . . how did she hit her? Did she push her?"

"Oh, no," Coburn shook her head. "She punched her in the face."

"Oh, God," Sam covered her mouth in horror. "Is Stephanie all right?"

"She's OK," Coburn nodded. "It didn't go further than the one punch."

"I just," Sam shook her head. "This is not like Ruby!"

"Ruby is very well-behaved," Coburn frowned. "I was shocked when they told me she was involved in this. Is she acting OK at home? Sleeping normally?"

"Yes," Sam nodded. "Yes, nothing out of the ordinary."

"I know you're a single parent," Coburn told her, and Sam followed her hand motions, thinking. "Has there been some sort of shake-up with Ruby's father? You know, sometimes children can sense – "

"There is no father," Sam interrupted. "It's just us."

"I'm sorry," Coburn winced. "I don't mean to pry. We just want to find out what's going on with Ruby and make sure that this is an isolated incident for her."

"Well, I agree," Sam nodded.

***

It didn't take long to finish the meeting after that. Sam walked out of the principal's office and sighed in frustration when she saw Ruby sitting sheepishly outside. "Today of all days," she grumbled, gesturing for her to follow her. "Come on."

Ruby sighed, then took her backpack and followed.

***

Kara quickly ran out of the elevator, checking her watch. "Hey, how you doing?" James asked, walking up to her, a concerned look on his face.

"I'm OK," she answered. "I'm just running late."

"For what?" James frowned, confused.

"Uh, Lena called a meeting for the news room."

James blinked. "She did?"

"Yeah," Kara blinked back. "She didn't tell you?"

"No, she did not," he scowled.

" . . . huh."

"Kara!" Lena walked up, a relieved look on her face. "There you are!"

"I'm sorry," Kara smiled sheepishly at her. "I tried to make it work, but it just – "

"Good meeting?" James interrupted, and Kara closed her mouth with a click. "Was it good?"

"Yeah," Lena narrowed her eyes. "I was just going around to all the departments, giving them a little pep talk." She looked at Kara and gave her a smile. "I really missed you there."

Kara's phone went off again, and she closed her eyes. "Shoot," she growled, pulling it out and taking a look. "Lena, I am so – "

"Go," Lena nodded, a sympathetic look on her face. "Go on."

"Thank you," she mouthed, hurrying off.

"Did you think that I didn't wanna be there?" James turned on Lena, folding his arms. "Is that why you didn't tell me?"

"Well, to be honest, I thought you would be too busy to act as my chaperone," Lena raised an eyebrow coldly.

"I don't want to chaperone you. I don't consider myself a chaperone. I consider myself the person who's been running this company for a year."

Lena stared him down, then smirked. "All right, Mr. Olsen. I have a meeting with the advertising department in twenty minutes. I'll see you there."

"See you in nineteen," James countered.

"Twenty will be fine," Lena retorted, turning on her heel and walking off.

James shook his head in disbelief, exhaling slowly. What was it about that woman that annoyed him so much?

***

"Dark Archer, on site," reports were coming in as Kara flew towards the next bank.

"Black Siren, on site."

"Supergirl, be careful," Oliver warned.

"I will be," Kara promised, flying into the parking garage.

Malcolm and Laurel were crouched behind a car nearby, and turned when they heard her. "She's coming this way," Malcolm told her.

Kara nodded, walking to the next row of cars. She saw the robber walking towards a car nearby, then start to slow. Kara hurriedly shot her heat vision at her, but the woman moved behind a pillar, avoiding the blast. "Trying to sneak up on a psychic?" she sneered, emerging and dropping the bag.

"Almost worked," Kara told her, Malcolm and Laurel walking out behind her.

The psychic took one look at them, then smirked and threw her head forward. An energy blast of some kind smacked Kara in the face and rippled to Malcolm and Laurel. The two vigilantes went flying, and Kara nearly lost her balance.

***

"Supergirl?" Alex called, not hearing anything. "Are you all right?"

"Is there anything you can do?" Slade asked J'onn.

"I can try and create a psychic shield to protect their minds from the attacks," J'onn answered, turning around and putting his fingers to his temple.

"Will it work?" Oliver asked.

"I don't know," he admitted, his eyes glowing red.

***

The psychic took a few steps forward, then stopped, tilting her head. "Someone else has come to play."

"J'onn," Kara whispered, watching Malcolm and Laurel roll back into crouches.

"Your friend should be careful," the psychic smirked, closing her eyes.

***

J'onn suddenly grunted, then groaned in pain, slumping to the floor. "J'onn?" Alex blanched, running over with Oliver to help the Martian.

***

The psychic opened her eyes and grinned. "Just you and me now."

Kara blew a blast of freezing wind at her, and the psychic went flying back into her car. Malcolm raised his bow, drawing a tranquilizer arrow, and shot, but the psychic rolled out of the way just before it hit her. Laurel let out a loud scream, but the psychic jumped back behind the pillar, avoiding it. She emerged a second later and aimed another energy blast at them, this one strong enough to throw Malcolm and Laurel far away from Kara.

The next energy blast she sent was directed at Kara, making the Kryptonian fall to her knees, the window of the Jeep behind her smashing. "Mind over matter," the psychic sneered, walking up.

Kara tried to get to her feet, but wobbled, completely off balance. "What are you doing to me?" she gasped.

"Fear is a powerful tool," was all the psychic answered with.

Kara tried to regain her balance, only to watch in shock as the landscape around her changed. Malcolm and Laurel were no longer in her sight, and the psychic . . .

"Kara."

Kara fell to her knees, then looked at the hand outstretched to her. It wasn't the psychic's anymore. "Kara," Alura Zor-El's voice said, and Kara looked up at the face of her mother in shock. "Kara, I love you."

"Mom?" Kara whispered.

"Kara," Alura continued. "Because of the Earth's yellow sun, you will have great powers on this planet. You will do extraordinary things."

Kara was about to say something, but something flickered in her view, and the next thing she knew, she was looking at flickering electronics. Then the wind rushed by, and all she saw was fire and explosions. Then she was in black space, being rocked about, and before her eyes, she saw an entire planet as a fiery inferno.

***

"Supergirl?" Slade called as Oliver and Alex helped J'onn stand.

"Supergirl!" Oliver shouted.

***

Kara whimpered, curled up in a ball, then gentle hands were rolling her onto her back. "Almas?" Malcolm asked worriedly.

"We've got her," Laurel said as Kara took deep, shuddering breaths. "She's here."

***

Kara leaned against the console, her head on Oliver's shoulder, his arm around her comfortingly, Malcolm and Laurel reentering with Slade, no longer in their uniforms. "Here," William walked up to them all, three water bottles in his hands.

"Thanks, William," Kara smiled, taking one of the water bottles.

"Thanks," Laurel nodded as well, she and Malcolm taking the other two.

"I'm sorry I couldn't hold her off," J'onn apologized as he and Alex walked up. "She's more powerful than any psychic I have ever countered."

"What happened this time?" Alex asked.

"It was the same as before," Kara shrugged.

"I got our girl!" Winn suddenly cheered in excitement, and they turned around as Winn ran in, working on his tablet. "Gayle Marsh: law-abiding citizen of Skokie, Illinois until one day, she snapped and went on a bank-robbing spree. Uh, let's see . . . authorities nicknamed her 'Psi' after a string of psychologically-enhanced robberies which ravaged a series of small town banks throughout the Midwest a couple of months ago."

"Where do we go from here?" Alex asked.

"Well, now that we know a little bit more, I thought I might start trying to adapt our psychic dampening technology to stop her," Winn answered.

"Good work, Agent Schott," J'onn nodded.

"I still love it when he calls me that," Winn grinned.

"But we still need to know how she's infiltrating people's minds, so get started," he ordered.

Winn nodded, turning to his tablet. "I'll head to the precinct and see if there's an update on any witness reports that might help," Alex volunteered, walking towards the door.

Kara bit her lip, thinking about what to do, then made up her mind. She grabbed Winn's arm as he passed and hissed, "I need to talk to you." Winn's head shot up, but he obediently followed her as she led him off.

"Should we go after her?" Laurel asked as the five from Earth-1 watched.

"No," Oliver answered after a moment, folding his arms. "She'll tell us when she's ready."

***

"Ooo, this is very covert ops," Winn turned to Karaas they stopped in a dark hall. "What's up?"

"I know how she's doing it," Kara answered. "I felt her this time. She's targeting people's fear."

Winn's eyes widened. "How do you know that?"

"I saw my mother," Kara answered quietly, her voice cracking. "I saw Krypton explode. I relived my last moments there. And then, being stuck, floating through space for so long, knowing I could never have my life back . . . " She gulped. "Psi put me back in that pod, completely trapped and alone. It was . . . it was so quiet. Silence was the worst part. I felt completely cut off from everything and everyone I have ever known. We have to stop her, Winn!"

"You should tell J'onn, Alex, Oliver," Winn began.

"No," Kara shook her head. "They can't know. They'll just worry. And then that means William will start worrying, and . . . he doesn't need me to worry about, not after Samantha. You have to be the one to solve this. That's why I'm telling you. You're already altering the psychic dampeners, right? This will help?"

"Yeah," Winn nodded. "I mean, knowing that it targets fear centers, sure."

"Good," Kara nodded, then turned around when her cell phone rang. "Hang on." She winced when she saw the Caller ID. "It's Lena. I've got to go."

"Hey, hey," Winn put a hand on her shoulder, wincing. "I'm . . . I'm sorry that this is happening. If – "

"I'll be fine," Kara interrupted, walking off, leaving Winn to watch her go.

***

"Got in a fight?" Sam asked Ruby over lunch. "I mean . . . I just want to understand here, baby. What happened?"

"She called me a liar," Ruby answered.

"Well, who cares what Stephanie Harrison thinks?"

"I'm not a liar."

"What did you tell her?" Sam frowned.

"I told her that you rescued me at the waterfront, that you have superpowers."

"That I have superpowers?" Sam repeated, then shook her head. "No! No, I don't have powers!"

"Then how did you lift that huge thing?" Ruby demanded.

"Honey, I told you, I had help," Sam sighed. "And it was adrenaline, OK? I'm not – "

"Why don't you just admit it?" Ruby asked, and Sam stared at her in shock. Was Ruby thinking this just because she was her mother? "Do you know how many people in this world want to have superpowers? Do you know how special it is?"

"I'm not special!" Sam blurted.

"Yes, you are!"

"No, I'm not! I'm just an average mother trying to take care of her kid!" Sam yelled, then blanched as Ruby looked away. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm sorry. Ruby, I need you to hear me. I don't have powers, OK?"

"You think I'm a liar, too," Ruby mumbled, standing up and taking her bowl to the counter.

"No, I don't think you're a liar, I just think you need to let it go," Sam told her, then groaned and rubbed her face when Ruby left without saying a word. "God, I just want you to let it go!"

***

"Kara!" Lena walked up to her desk worriedly. "Is everything OK? That was twice in one day."

"Yeah, everything's fine," Kara nodded. "I got your message. What's up?"

"My contact with Morgan Edge's bank came through. I would like you to go interview."

"I can," Kara nodded, writing down the note. "But there's . . . " She bit her lip, looking around the office nervously.

"Hmm," Lena tilted her head, then gestured to her. "Come on." Kara sheepishly followed Lena until they were out of the main office area, then Lena turned to her. "Talk to me."

Kara fidgeted, then sighed. "There was a bank robbery," she finally said.

"There's always a bank robber," Lena frowned.

"Not like this one," Kara shook her head. "She's a psychic. She targets people's fears. And what I saw . . . "

Her voice quivered, and Lena immediately held up her hands. "That's all you need to say. Is that what's been bothering you?"

"She's been hitting them repeatedly," Kara told her. "I'm trying to stop her, but . . . I haven't yet."

"Is that what you're worried about?" Lena tilted her head. "You'll get her eventually, Kara."

"But what I've seen," Kara whispered, tears in her eyes.

"OK," Lena took her arm. "I'm turning into your boss now. This is unacceptable behavior for an employee. You are not focused on your work, and that is impacting your ability to do your job. Therefore, I am going to make sure you get something to cheer you up so you can get back to work."

Kara laughed, startled. "Lena!"

"Boss's orders," Lena smirked.

They were out the door when Kara's phone rang again. "Ugh!" she complained before pulling out her phone. "Alex?"

"Kara, she hit another bank," Alex cut to the chase.

Kara perked up. "I'm on my way," she said, stepping into the elevator with Lena.

"Another bank?" Lena guessed dryly as Kara opened her shirt, revealing her suit underneath.

"Yeah," Kara confirmed, taking off her glasses and reaching out to press one of the buttons.

However, before she could reach it, she froze, trembling. "Kara?" Lena asked in concern, then gasped when Kara stumbled backwards into the corner of the elevator. "Kara!" Kara gasped for breath, clinging to the rails in the elevator, her heart pounding and her vision blurring. She sank to the floor, curling up into a ball, her head in her arms. "Kara!" Lena crouched by her.

"Stop the elevator," Kara rasped, putting her purse in front of her torso. "Stop it! Get me out!"

Lena ran to the buttons on the door, pressing the buttons to try and stop the elevator. She eventually hit the right button, and the elevator stopped, opening. "Come on," she took Kara's arm, escorting her out of the elevator, ignoring the people staring at them. "What are you looking at?" she snapped, making them turn away.

"Supergirl?" Alex's voice asked in Kara's ear as Kara finally burst into the bathroom, Lena locking the door behind them.

"I'm OK," Kara took deep breaths as Lena came up behind her, rubbing her back comfortingly. "I'm on my way."

"She got away," Alex informed her grimly, and Kara's eyes closed in defeat.

One look at Lena, and she understood. "Come on," she said quietly, taking Kara's hand. "Let's go."

***

"She must be getting stronger," Kara mumbled, Lena sitting with her on the medical bed as Winn checked a computer. "I felt her in that elevator with me. She was in my head again."

"Well," Winn walked over, "there is no sign of any psychic intrusion."

"What?" Kara blinked.

"I think that you just had a good old human panic attack," Winn nodded.

"That's not possible," Kara shook her head. "No, I'm stronger than that!"

"You said she got in your head," Lena reminded her. "I don't know the details, but if she's forcing you to live through some serious trauma, that will take its toll on anyone, even if you're the strongest person in the world. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"I never said I was ashamed!" Kara protested.

"Winn," Alex walked into the medbay, slowing when she saw Kara and Lena there. "J'onn's looking for you. What are you guys doing up here?"

"Just talking," Winn grinned nervously. "We're hanging out . . . just being friends."

"I have to go," Kara abruptly stood up, heading for the door. "Sorry."

"Come back when you need to!" Lena called after her.

"Yeah, mmhmm," Winn nodded, Alex frowning as she watched her sister leave. "How's it going? I'm good, thanks for asking." Alex slowly turned back around, frowning as Winn continued to babble. "Just a normal day in the D.E.O., man. Nothing abnormal happening in here. Nothing going on."

"Shut up," Lena advised.

"Yeah, OK, I'm gonna go talk to J'onn," Winn ran past Alex. "Hi, Oliver!" he added as he continued to run.

Oliver blinked as he watched Winn leave, then turned. "Lena," he greeted in surprise.

"Hey, Oliver," Lena smiled. "How's William?"

"Doing good, thanks," Oliver nodded. "Did I see Kara leave?" The smile faded from Lena's face, and Oliver immediately looked concerned. "What happened?"

"I think the two of you need to talk," was all Lena answered. "You, and maybe Malcolm, Slade, and Laurel."

With that, she walked past the two, leaving Oliver and Alex to look at each other, confused.

***

"So sorry again about today," Sam said, holding her phone against her shoulder as she took the pizza from the delivery man. "My daughter had an issue at school. It's never happened before. Yes, I've pushed all the meetings to tomorrow, I've gone through the charts for the presentation. It should not be an issue. Thank you so much for understanding. OK, great. Yeah, thanks again. I'll see you tonight." She hung up, opened the pizza, and smirked when she saw Ruby's favorite. "Yes," she whispered, then called back the way she had come. "Ruby! Dinner!" She stopped at the staircase, frowning. "Hey, Rube?"

She headed upstairs, knocked on Ruby's door, and entered when she didn't answer. "Rube?" she asked, only to look around when she didn't see Ruby. She sent a quick text on her phone, then shouted, "Ruby?"

***

At a pizza place in downtown National City, Ruby was about to take a bite of pizza when her phone beeped. She looked at the message from her mother, then ignored it and took another drink of her soda.

***

I really did feel bad for Kara in this episode. And it was cool to see more of Sam.

Hopefully the next (and last) part will be up tonight!