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The flames burn higher, licking at the sides of the school building as Kara watches on in horror, Alura dragging her out of her room.
"Come, Kara! We have no time to waste!"
Kara feels her feet moving as she switches into autopilot, following the tugging on her arm as she casts her eyes about, watching the red-orange consume the city she knows and loves.
"Ieiu, what's happening?"
Alura doesn't answer and Kara tries again.
"Ieiu?"
Alura finally makes it to their intended destination and Kara registers where they are. This is where they launch escape pods.
Alura turns and drops down to meet Kara's eyes.
"I love you so much, my little bird. I have something important to tell you, okay?"
Kara feels herself nod.
"Your baby cousin, Kal-El, was sent to Earth. You are going to go with him. I want you to protect him. Promise me you'll protect him, Karanizu."
"I promise, Ieiu."
Alura relaxes and moves Kara further into the room, helping her step into a pod of her own.
"On Earth, there is a yellow sun. You will have powers. You'll be able to fly, my little bird. You'll be there before you know it."
The situation seems to set in then and Kara finally registers what her mother is talking about.
"Ieiu, no-"
"I love you so much, Karanizu. Go fly, my little bird."
The glass lid of the pod shuts and Kara turns to watch her mother waving at her, pounding against the glass as she tries to get out, tries to get back to her mother.
She's almost out of the atmosphere when the planet underneath her explodes. Shrapnel and rock flies out from inside the core and Kara only has a moment to brace herself before one of the chunks of rock hits the pod.
The world goes black.
Kara sits up out of bed, gasping, cold sweat tangible on her forehead as the blankets slide off the top of her body.
She hunches over, curling into herself as she remembers the red of the flames that consumed her home, the black abyss she was sent into after she left.
She feels the blankets shifting as Lena stirs awake, rubbing blearily at her eyes.
"Kara? Darling, are you okay?"
Kara curls even further into herself as Lena's hand comes to rest on her shoulder.
"What's wrong, my little bird?"
Kara breaks, turning to collapse into Lena's arms as the tears finally come.
She feels Lena's hand, warm and grounding, on her back, rubbing soothing circles as she holds Kara.
Kara moves even closer to Lena, pressing her face against her shoulder as she sobs.
"You're okay. You're okay, my little bird. I promise."
Kara finally calms enough under Lena's touch and cuddles closer against her.
"You okay now, darling?"
Kara looks up at Lena, eyes still a little hazy from sleep, but so fond, so full of love, and she smiles.
"My mother used to call me her little bird."
Lena smiles back at her and holds her even closer.
"Tell me about her?"
Kara smiles even wider and presses a kiss against the side of Lena's neck.
"Okay."
"Okay?"
Kara hears the double meaning in the question and smiles again, pulling back to press a soft kiss against Lena's lips.
"Yeah. I promise."
She talks until the dark sky brightens, until the pastel colors of the early morning paint the sky. Lena listens, and Kara knows now. She's okay.
She looks at Lena again, still listening intently as she stifles little yawns here and there, and she knows even more that she loves Lena and she will never stop loving her.