Monaco
“Mama? Where’s Uncle Tony?”
Kara looked down at her daughter and sighed. It was movie night, something she and Layna did every week. Lately, it seemed like Tony joined almost every week. This time, however, he wasn’t there, and Kara knew Layna was sad about it.
“I told you, baby. He’s in France.” She said and smoothed out the girl’s dark tresses.
Layna nodded and frowned. “When is he coming home?”
“I’m not sure yet. I’m sure I’ll talk to him later.” The young mother smiled. “Now shush, or you’re going to miss the movie!”
It had been Layna’s choice of movies for the night, so naturally, Disney characters were singing onscreen. Kara watched as the young Asian woman fought her way through the war and learned to embrace her true destiny.
“Kara? Are you listening to me?”
Blinking her eyes, Kara saw her mother staring back at her. “Sorry, Mom. What were you saying?”
“You asked me when you would know who you are supposed to be in this world.” Her mother smiled. “That is some pretty deep material for someone your age, but if you really want to know…”
Alura came and stood in front of her daughter. “I often used to worry about who I would grow up to be.”
“When did you know?” The young girl asked quietly.
“Well, one day, I was out with your grandmother shopping for supplies. Suddenly, we were robbed right there on the street. The man got away before we could even call for help.
"The man was never caught. I heard my mother tell my father that night that she wished there was someone out there who would fight for us. I knew that would be me. When I told her a few years later, she told me she believed in me. I knew immediately that it was what I was meant to do.”
“Really?”
Alura nodded. “Everything changes when someone believes in you, sweetheart. You suddenly have the power to do anything.”
“Mama?”
“Yes, my darling?”
“Mama!”
Shaking her head, Kara looked down and saw Layna staring at her. “Mama, are you okay?”
“Sorry, baby. I was just…thinking about your grandmother.” She pulled the girl closer to her. “She would have loved you.”
“Which one?” Layna looked at her with wide eyes. “Alien Gramma or Earth Gramma?”
Kara let out a laugh and sighed. “Both of them. So, what did I miss?”
“Mulan ended, so I started the next one.” Kara looked up and saw The Incredibles starting to play on her tv. “I really like this one.”
Kara was quiet as Layna watched. When her phone lit up, she saw that it was a text from Tony.
Did you know Hammerhead was going to be here?
Kara rolled her eyes. How would I have known that?
Ugh. He’s a shithead. Pepper’s mad at me.
She smirked. I’m guessing you didn’t tell her about Natalie?
I don’t need to tell her my whole life! God.
Sure, you don’t. Layna misses you.
Tell the bug to get some sleep, and I’ll see her soon.
Locking her phone, Kara watched as Elastigirl combined motherhood and being a hero. Biting her lip, she paused the movie.
“Honey…have you ever thought about having a mommy like her? Like a superhero as your mom.”
Layna nodded. “Yep.”
Kara’s eyebrows raised slightly. “You have? Is that something that you want?”
“I think it would be cool. Uncle Tony is a superhero, so it wouldn’t be too silly.” She said simply. “But you’re already a hero, Mama.”
“I am?”
Layna hugged her. “You’re my hero. And Uncle Tony’s.”
“Uncle Tony’s hero?”
The girl nodded so fast Kara thought her head might snap off. “He told me! Last time we watched movies, and you went to get more popcorn, he told me! He said you were his hero and that one day you would see it like we did.”
Kara felt tears in her eyes and didn’t respond. Layna went back to watching her movie, so she didn’t notice when her mother’s phone rang and she pulled it back out.
Kara stared at it in shock. She wasn’t sure how the person got her number, but it sent a shot of panic into her system. Quickly, she sent off a text and tried to focus on the movie.
…
In the silence of the bathroom, Tony checked his blood levels. The toxins in his blood were up to 53% and rising every day. Looking at himself in the mirror, he sighed.
He couldn’t believe what was happening. He knew that everyone saw him as a playboy and eccentric billionaire who only cared about his stuff. He was good at putting on a front. In reality, he didn’t care about any of that. He took out his phone and flipped through the pictures he’d saved on it.
He stopped at one of his sister, holding a small pink bundle in her arms. He had taken it the day Layna was born, and he had never seen his sister look happier. Setting his phone down, he looked at himself in the mirror and thought about that night.
Walking back into the house, Tony dropped his wallet on the counter.
“Sir…”
“Not now, JARVIS. I’m tired.”
“Sir, I must tell you that…”
“JARVIS, I said, not now.”
“Tony!”
The man’s head flew up, and he took off in the direction of the living room. “JARVIS?”
“That is what I was trying to tell you, sir. Miss Stark seems to be in labor.”
As Tony ran into the room, the first thing he saw was Kara hunched over on the couch; her arm stretched out for him. He ran over and grabbed her hand, feeling her squeeze it hard.
“Hey there, honey. Why didn’t you call me?” He asked nervously as he hugged her to his chest.
She breathed out a large breath and looked up at him with tears in her eyes. “I’m scared, Tony.”
He shook his head. “Hey, no, none of that. You’re fine. Have you called Terry yet?”
“Four times,” JARVIS responded for her. “He hasn’t answered.”
Kara yelled out as Tony cursed under his breath. “Okay, new plan. Let’s go.”
He helped her stand slowly, and she gripped his shirt between her fingers. “Tony…”
“Hey, everything’s okay.” He looked directly into her eyes. “I’m not going anywhere.”
He smiled and remembered the long car ride in traffic as she screamed and cried. He couldn’t do anything for her, and he felt as helpless as he had when she was a teenager. But he’d held her and talked her down from the ledge until a loud cry filled the room and they were granted with the best thing in their life. He remembered how he’d promised her to always be there for Layna and promised he’d never do anything crazy enough to leave her.
Now he didn’t know what to do. Sighing, he looked at himself in the mirror and thought ‘screw it’. “Got any other bad ideas?”
…
“Is she asleep?”
Kara nodded as she sat next to Kit on the couch. “Thankfully. She was starting to wonder who called.”
“That piece of shit.” Kit hissed. “Why is he back now?”
The Kryptonian shrugged. “I have no idea.”
“God, Tony is going to freak.”
“Which is why I’m not telling him,” Kara said quickly. “I already have JARVIS running traces and blocking his calls. Tony has enough going on…”
“Speaking of which,” JARVIS’s voice filled the room. “if you would look toward the television, you may find something you find interesting.”
As she turned, Kara’s heart fell. “Dammit, Tony.”
The women watched as Tony walked onto the racetrack and jumped into his racecar. Kara was horrified and couldn’t believe her eyes. She knew that something was wrong with him, but this confirmed every one of her worst fears.
They jumped as a man walked onto the track, wearing what looked like electrical whips.
“What are those things attached to?” Kit asked, but Kara shook her head.
“They’re not.” She said as she stood slowly. “It’s Arc Reactor technology.”
“But…how…?”
“I have no idea.”
Kara stood frozen in her spot as she watched Tony’s car flip, and he crawled out onto the pavement.
“Kara…” Kit looked up but was met with nothing but space. “Kara?”
…
Tony tried to think of a hurried plan as he watched Whiplash stand up after being hit by Happy’s car. “Oh shit.”
Happy was about to hit him again when a flash of blue and red smashed him from the side, and he was thrown along the ground. Looking up, they saw Supergirl hovering above them. “Stand down.”
The man just grinned at her as Tony looked at Pepper. “Give me the case!”
As he got his suit situated, Kara used her freeze breath to stop the mystery man from hitting the car again. As Tony kicked the remnants of the car out of the way, Kara landed next to him.
“Nice, isn’t it?”
“Shut up.”
Tony ducked as a whip came their way, and Kara caught it. She was thrown aside as Tony rushed past her, quickly wrapping himself in its coil. Kara watched as Tony fought and when he slammed the man on the ground, she landed and ripped out the reactor core from his chest piece.
While Tony held the piece in his hand, the man started laughing. “You lose.”
Tony looked at Kara, who shook her head. Then she rocketed into the sky and left Tony on the ground surrounded by police, pieces of burnt metal, and screaming onlookers.
…
When Kit finally wandered into the lab, she stopped at the door. “Wow.”
Standing in the middle of the room, Kara still wore the Supergirl suit as she looked at herself in the mirror. “Obie wasn’t the only bad guy out there, was he?”
“No, honey. I don’t think so.” Her friend said quietly.
“Kit…I’m tired.”
Kara finally looked up at her, and Kit saw the pain and exhaustion in her eyes. She knew it wasn’t the fight that had taken a toll on her, but the whole night. “Come on, let’s get some sleep.”
“Stay?”
“Duh.”