There was a moment of silence among the gathered heroes after they watched Tomar’s ring fly off into the outer reaches of space.  Clark, Hal, and Barry all bowed their heads in gratitude while Kara, no less distraught, leaned her head on Barry’s shoulder.  Only Zod was absent as he was in Brainiac’s dormant vessel searching for something he knew had to be there.  He had nearly torn the whole ship apart before searching the last place he thought to look.

Since Brainiac had become more machine than Coluan, he no longer required the quarters he himself had set up.  From a cybernetic interface chair he could monitor the entire galaxy and his destinations while his body remained in stasis.  This final location is where Zod found what Brainiac had stolen all those years ago.

“Kandor.  The true and final remnant of Krypton.  With its population of six million.  Krypton shall once again live and thrive.”

Zod was about to depart when he noticed a recessed compartment with a blinking blue light.  Thinking it may be some sort of weapon, he cautiously approached.  When he was within a short distance, the light expanded out and scanned Zod.  He was only slightly surprised when he heard a voice speaking from all around him.

“Kryptonian D.N.A. confirmed.  Releasing the device now.”

Zod could only stare as the compartment opened and a clamp emerged with a device he was all too familiar with.  Brainiac had at some point acquired a Phantom Zone projector.  With the projector he could banish Kal-El, Kara and the Worldkillers to the Zone and be free to rule Earth.

Down on the ground in Pompeii, the heroes were paying their final respects as Hal encased Tomar’s body in a green bubble.  Like all the Lanterns before him, he would be laid to rest on Oa in the sacred tombs.  But they first had to make a trip to Xudar for his family’s last rites.

With the battle ended, it was time for Barry, Clark and Kara to each go their separate ways.  Before they departed, there was still the issue of the remaining Worldkillers and Ultragirl to attend to.  Clark looked around and was the first to notice who was not among them.

“Kara, Barry…did either of you see where Zod disappeared off to?”

“No.  But that’s something we still need to discuss; Clark.  Why did you never tell me you’d kept Zod imprisoned in the Fortress?”

“Time enough for that later.  We can’t let him get away.  He may have helped stop Brainiac and the Worldkillers, but him loose on the world is something we can’t afford.”

Just as Clark finished speaking, Zod dropped down from Brainiac’s vessel, the Bottle City of Kandor under his left arm, and the projector in his right hand.  Barry, Kara and Clark all turned to see him as he stood up, eyes filled with malicious intent.

“The war is over Zod.  Brainiac, the Worldkillers, Ultragirl.  We ended it.”

“You did nothing of the sort Kal-El.  I; General Zod saved this planet from its fate.  Stories will be told about my heroics until the end of time and our people, the people entrapped in Kandor will see me as the hero I always was.”

Recognition flared in Kara’s mind as Zod said the name of the long lost city.  She had been five when Kandor was taken by Brainiac.  It was the end of the first war between Colu and Krypton.  The other item Zod held, both she and Clark immediately recognized it for what it was.

“Put the projector down, Zod.  I don’t know where Brainiac got it…”

“Nor do I Kal-El, but as for putting it down, I shall do so, once I’ve used it for its purpose.”

Zod slowly walked forward, and set Kandor down as operating the projector required both hands.  As he activated the device a red beam of light started to power up before he pointed it at the Worldkillers and Ultragirl.  When the projector reached full power the beam arced out, surrounding the four, transporting them into the darkest recesses of the Phantom Zone.  Kara had been edging closer to Kandor while Zod was making his way forward only to stop as he turned his attention to her and Clark.

“Kandor is mine, daughter of Zor-El.  And I am not without a sense of mercy.  I give both you and Kal-El a choice.  Kneel at my feet, swear loyalty to Zod and I shall allow you to remain on Earth.”

“You tried this once before Zod, or have you forgotten?”

“I have forgotten nothing, son of Jor-El.  We are a long way from your Fortress; here you cannot take my powers away.  Now this time, kneel before Zod.”

Clark and Kara saw little other choice but to kneel.  If they remained on Earth, they would still be able to fight Zod even while feigning loyalty to him.  The Phantom Zone projector was always only able to transport alien D.N.A.  Clark knew this as Hawkman had not been affected.

When he and Carter were on a mission, one of Zod’s disciples had used Clark’s own projector against them. Though Clark was immediately transported to the Zone, Carter remained to fight and gave the Kryptonian a battle he’d not soon forget.  Had the Kryptonian been fully powered, Carter would have lost that battle, but experience won out.

Behind Zod, Barry was at a loss.  He was effectively being ignored and anger rushed through his veins as he watched Clark and Kara kneel.  After all they’d been through; to think they were just giving up infuriated him.  But then Zod did what he planned to do and activated the projector one more time.

As the device was powering up, Barry saw tears slip from Kara’s eyes.  She wasn’t giving up and neither was Clark. They were protecting Earth while keeping Zod distracted. Zod was going to send them to the Phantom Zone regardless of whether they kneeled or not.  In that instant, Barry knew what he had to do.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Barry hit his top speed, running circles around Zod just as the first red beam was fired.  The energy completely missed the speedster even though Zod tried to track him and kept firing.  The Flash was living up to his name as he was a blur of red and gold.  Every beam missed him or fired above his head as he ducked and phased.

Zod was becoming increasingly infuriated as he failed to hit the Scarlet Speedster dodging and weaving to avoid every attack.  Clark and Kara had flown out of harm’s way while Barry continued to protect them from the General.  Just as the projector was beginning to lose power, Barry stopped running, pretending he had worn himself out.  Expelling heavy breaths, he spoke the best he could.

“Okay Zod…you-you win.  I-I can’t run anymore.  If you want to send someone to the Phantom Zone, send me.  Just leave Kal and Kara alone.  I’ll sacrifice myself for them.”

“Nobility.  I admire that.  But even after I send you to the Phantom Zone, I’ll still be sending them there as well.  Your sacrifice was for nothing.  Soon you, Kal-El and Kara can experience what I did after Jor-El banished me.”

With a sneer, Zod powered up the projector one more time.  Just as the beam lanced forward, Barry phased again, getting out of the way just in time as Kara landed with a piece of the hull from Brainiac’s vessel.  The metal was perfectly reflective and she tossed it to Barry who positioned it between himself and Zod.

The red beams immediately bounced back, enveloping Zod in their crimson light.  The General could only scream in agony as he and the projector itself were transported to the Phantom Zone.  As the light dissipated there was an explosion of the red energy which knocked the three heroes off their feet.  When they could stand up, the grass where Zod had been standing was burned away.  Barry kneeled in front of the spot and could still feel the heat from the energy that had been released.

“Clark?  What happened?”

“You turned the Phantom Zone back on itself.  That dimension can’t fight against its own energy.  That much power closed the Zone off for good.  Even if the projector is still intact there with Zod, he’ll never be able to use it again.  Escape has become impossible.”

“Indeed it has Kal-El.”

Barry, Clark and Kara turned to see Brainiac recovered from his war with Zod.  Each of them prepared to fight as they knew Brainiac was still a threat.  But he remained standing there, not making a move to engage them.

“Further hostilities are unnecessary at this point in time Kryptonian.  Several cycles will be required to repair the damage Zod caused to my form and my vessel.  And as he no doubt believes my programming is now defunct, I need not worry about him either.”

“You know we’re not just going to let you leave; Brainiac.  You still have to answer for your crimes against Krypton, against Earth.”

“And in time I will, Kal-El.  But it will not be a Kryptonian that judges me.  Make no mistake however, you and I will meet again.  Until such time, keep the bottle city of Kandor.  Restore your people.  I surmise that your Fortress even possesses a design Jor-El created that will restore them to their natural state.  My study of your kind is at an end, for now.”

Clark and Kara were both about to fire their heat vision off at Brainiac but he disappeared before they could.  In seconds his vessel was out of Earth’s atmosphere as if it needed no repairs at all.  With Brainiac, Zod, Ultragirl and the Worldkillers gone, the three heroes breathed a sigh of relief.  There was still massive damage to be cleaned up and cities to get back on track.  Clark took Kandor to the Fortress where Alura was still helping Kelex repair the systems.

Barry and Kara watched him fly away before looking at each other.

“Well Kara, this was an interesting start to our first year of marriage.”

“That’s putting it mildly Barry.  From here on out I think things are going to get progressively weirder as we go along.  You can still back out if you want to.  Being married to an alien is…”

Barry silenced Kara with a passionate kiss to the lips.  He would never want out of what they have and Kara felt how their kiss spoke the words more succinctly than he ever could.  When they broke for air, he had a dopey smile on his face.

“I said it before and I’ll say it again; Kara.  I could never want out of our marriage.  I don’t care how weird our lives get.  Every challenge that comes our way, I’m going to face them with you, side by side.  So why don’t we go home?”

“I’ll meet you there.  I have to see Ms. Grant first.  You’d better be waiting for me.”

Kara flew off after giving Barry a seductive smirk.  How could he do any less?  But before they could relax and settle in, there was one place he wanted to take her, and someone he wanted her to meet.

At Cat Co. Media, Kara landed outside Cat’s office to see the glass windows still being repaired.  Inside, Cat, James and Snapper were locked in a heated discussion over the week’s previous events.  Cat looked frazzled but hid it behind an air of professionalism.  James still had his wrist and hand wrapped in a cast from Ultragirl breaking the bones.  Snapper, as usual was pacing and ranting about how the public still needs to see Supergirl for who she really is.  That’s the moment when she spoke up.

“Excuse me Ms. Grant, Mr. Carr, Mr. Olsen.  But perhaps I could be given the chance to set the record straight?”

All three turned to see Supergirl standing on the balcony.  She hadn’t entered the office because she didn’t want to make an already volatile situation worse.  Cat had gotten part of the story from the Martian Manhunter and ran a brief article about Ultragirl in an effort to exonerate the hero standing in front of her.

“Please Supergirl, come in to my office.  I’m sure we’d all love to hear the full story.”

“Are you out of your freaking mind Cat?!  Supergirl is a threat!  You can’t just let her…Miss Tessmacher, call security, the F.B.I., I don’t care!”

“Snapper, shut up,” Cat and James both screamed at the enraged and fearful editor of Cat Co. Magazine.

“Miss Tessmacher, ignore Mr. Carr.  Supergirl deserves the right to be heard.”

“Thank you Ms. Grant.  I promise I won’t take up to much of your time.”

“Olsen, make sure we record this.”

James grabbed three digital recorders and sat across from Cat’s desk as Kara began to relate the story.  She spoke for a good two hours about Brainiac, the black kryptonite creating an evil clone of her from her blood.  She went through the Worldkillers and her birth mother being alive.  She talked about how the clone had gotten all of her memories while she had regressed to a thirteen year old girl in an adult’s body.  She talked about the final battle in Pompeii where she, Superman, the Flash, and two Green Lanterns had stopped the villains and how they were transported to the Phantom Zone with General Zod.

Cat and James were both familiar with Zod as they had worked for the Daily Planet when he and his disciples had first come to Earth.  Snapper had tried to interrupt a few times to chastise Supergirl but quickly shut his mouth when Cat shot him a disapproving glare.  When Kara finally finished relating the story, she gave a heartfelt apology to National City and the world, and a promise that she wouldn’t let the people down again.  That same night the story went out across every major news publication in the world followed by a public apology to Supergirl personally written by Snapper Carr.

Back at their loft In Central City, Barry and Kara were cuddled up on their couch watching the news reports of the day while waiting for their new bed to be delivered.  They weren’t even really paying attention to what was being said as Barry gently massaged her shoulders.  The silence was peaceful until Barry remembered where he wanted to take her.

“Hey Kara?”

“Yeah, Barr?”

“What would you say to a trip to another Earth?”

“Right now?”

“No, tomorrow morning.  I figured we could use a little mini-vacation.”

“Uh-huh, and how many threats are we going to have to fight on this other Earth?”

“None, this is just a short trip.  I want you to meet someone.”

“Okay.”

That night, Kara got the best night’s sleep she’d had in months since all this had happened.  She lay there in Barry’s arms without a care in the world.  The next morning they were in the Speed Lab as Cisco finished fine tuning some new equipment.

“All right Barry, from the vibe I got by reading you and your experience on this other world, you and Kara are all set.  Both of you just have to run at your fastest and the breach generators will do the rest.”

“Thanks Cisco.  You ready for this Kara?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.  Let’s go.”

Barry and Kara were streaks of red, blue and gold as they took off running through the Speed Lab.  Barry didn’t even need to hold her hand to help her keep up with him.  She was matching him step for step as they ran faster and faster.  For a very brief moment she felt as if the Speed Force was working in tandem with her own super-speed.  When the couple made their third circle, the breach opened and they came out on the other side in the exact same location Barry had previously arrived in.  But this time he knew what to expect and hopped over a couple of rocks so he didn’t trip again.

Kara watched him jump and used a little bit of her flight to avoid the obstacles.  Finally when they came to a stop, she looked around at the empty landscape, immediately questioning where they were.

“Barry?  You’re telling me when you breached to this other Earth; you came out in the middle of nowhere?”

“Well, yeah.  I wasn’t thinking about anything or anyone but you.  I could have been kind of distracted.”

Kara kept surveying the area when the sound of feet hitting the ground sounded out behind them.  It was a light thud accompanied by an amused voice.  Kara thought to go on the defensive but relaxed as Barry squeezed her hand.

“Humph.  I didn’t think I was ever going to see you again Speedy.  Max did say that it was near impossible for you to breach to this Earth a second time.”

Barry and Kara turned to see the woman face to face.  The former had a huge smile while Kara once again thought she was looking in a mirror that was about ten years ahead of her.

“Well, Max doesn’t know everything, Karen.  My friend Cisco, he was able to create that interdimensional extrapolator I was telling you about.  That’s how we got here.”

“It’s good to see you again Barry.  Really.  So, are you going to continue to be rude or you going to introduce me?”

“Right…sorry.  Karen Starr, I want you to meet Kara Zor-El Danvers Allen.”

Karen quickly eyed Kara in an appraising way.  She barely remembered being that young.  But she did know that the similarities were uncanny. Deep down she couldn’t help feeling like she was actually meeting herself from ten years prior which doesn’t happen often or ever.

Kara was flabbergasted at the sight of the woman standing in front of her.  She could see extremely similar features in the facial structure, but to her eyes, Karen looked stronger, her muscles more defined, and there was a weariness behind her eyes that indicated years of hardship.  As both women finished appraising each other, they spoke at the same time.

“So…you’re me?”

There was a nervous chuckle from Karen and Kara was still having trouble wrapping her head around having another double despite her Bizarro clone and Ultragirl.  Barry just stood there rubbing the back of his neck while the reality of the multiverse set in for both Kara’s.

“Yep.  I’m you, Kara.  Give or take about ten years?  Sound about right?”

“Yes…I’m twenty-six.  Of course I’d be a whole lot older if my pod…”

“Hadn’t got knocked off course and trapped in the Phantom Zone.”

“How’d you know that?  Did Barry tell you?”

“Didn’t have to.  Same thing happened to me.  How long were you trapped there?”

“Twenty-four years.”

“Wow.  And Kal rescued you?  He rescued me.”

“No.  My Aunt Astra found a way to break Fort Rozz free.  When she broke the barrier with the prison, my pod was released as well.  The homing beacon in my pod reactivated and tracked Kal’s pod to Earth.  I was still twelve when I arrived.”

“I’m sorry, Aunt…?”

“Aunt Astra.  Mom’s twin sister?”

“My mom Allura was an only child.  Well at least one thing was the same on our Krypton’s.  Jor-L and Zor-L?”

“Yes.”

“Well Kara Zor-El, Supergirl.  You can call me Karen, but I was born Kara Zor-L and I go by Power Girl.  So…let’s see what you’ve got.”

Karen quickly jumped into the sky and just hovered for a moment.  She adopted a snarky grin to which Kara accepted the challenge.  She jumped into the air herself as Karen shot off like a rocket.  Not to be outdone, Kara followed and immediately caught up to her older self.  Back on the ground Barry just shook his head, this really wasn’t why he had wanted Kara to meet Karen, but he supposed it was bound to happen.

As Barry watched them playfully circle the skies and mock fight each other, another figure landed next to him.  He had a feeling that his and Kara’s arrival would get noticed by more than just Karen and wasn’t surprised when he looked over to see Superman.

“Welcome back Barry.  I see that you managed to restore your Kara?”

“With the help of your Kelex and ours.  Yes.  Can’t thank you enough.”

“Barry, I’m still the one who should be thanking you.  If you hadn’t hit me with that supersonic punch, I might still be Darkseid’s slave.”

“Karen told you then?”

“Everything, not long after you left, in fact.  So, how long have they been going at it?”

“Ten minutes.  I think this is good for my Kara.  The only experience she’s had so far with doppelgangers is a Bizarro and an Ultragirl who was created by black kryptonite and her blood.”

“Listen to them, Barry.”

“I can’t.”

“Right, you don’t have super-hearing.  They’re up there laughing and having fun.  This is good for both of them.  You and I both know healing takes time.  You helped push Karen into healing from five years ago.”

“She needed to.”

“So…black kryptonite?”

“Yeah, not on your Earth?”

“Nope, just the green and red.”

“You’re lucky then.”

“Guess so.  Hey Kara!”

Both Karen and Kara turned at the sound of Kal’s voice calling their name.  Immediately both of them flew back down to where he and Barry were standing.  Karen gave Kal an affectionate slug on the shoulder while Kara once again stared in shock.  She couldn’t have been prepared for how this older version of her cousin wrapped her in a bear hug, lifting her off the ground.

“Barry spoke very highly of you Kara Danvers.  I’m glad to get to meet you.  It isn’t often you’ll find someone willing to risk everything for you.”

“Don’t I know it?  Barry and I will do anything for each other.”

“Like Lois and I always did.”

“Barry, we should get going.  I was glad to meet you too Kal.”

“Wait, wait.  Before you two go home, I want you to meet someone.”

From out behind Kal, a young boy about ten years old shyly stepped forward.  He had a striking pair of blue eyes and a full head of dark brown hair that he kept brushing away from his forehead with his hand.

“This is Jason, my son.  I thought I had lost him when the Joker attacked the Daily Planet.  It wasn’t long after that I was abducted and brainwashed by Darkseid.  Wildcat was looking after him.  Kept him safe until you and Karen saved me Barry.”

Barry and Kara both knelt down in front of the boy.  He allowed for a small smile as Barry removed his mask and introduced himself.

“Hey kid, I’m Barry.  Your dad is one of the bravest men I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.”

Barry stuck his hand out which Jason tentatively took.  He was still nervous about meeting the man in the red suit but his Dad had taught him to be polite.  He shook Barry’s hand with a grip much stronger than a ten year old should have.

“He’s definitely your son, Clark.  Super-strength on full display.”

As Barry was shaking his hand to get the feeling back, Kara affectionately tousled Jason’s hair.  He wasn’t as shy with her and spoke to her in reply.

“Be sure to take care of your Dad and your Aunt Karen, Jason.  Family is the most important thing in the world.”

“I will Kara.  It was nice to meet you and Barry.”

“Kara, you ready to go?”

“I am, let’s go home.”

Barry took the lead, running at the peak of his speed as Kara joined him again step for step.  Three circles they made before the breach opened and deposited them back in the Speed Lab at Star.  Back on Earth-2, Jason looked up at Karen and voiced his question.

“Why did she look just like you, Aunt Karen?”

“That’s a story for another time.  Kal?”

“Let’s go home.”

After their trip to the other Earth, Barry and Kara were once again relaxing at their loft and talking about the day.  They were more committed to each other than ever and Barry surprised Kara with an idea and wanted to know how she’d feel about it.

“Kara, I was thinking?”

“About what?”

“Us getting married.”

“We’re already married genius.  Are you talking about renewing our vows?”

“No, getting married by Kryptonian tradition.  You’ve officially tied yourself to my family by taking my last name.  I think that it would be fair if I did the same and became a member of the House of El.”

“Barry…I’d love that.”

“Then we’ll do it.  How about tomorrow?”

“That’s a little soon.  You’re going to have to learn a lot, including how to speak Kryptonian.”

Before Barry could respond, lightning lit up the sky and thunder crashed, shaking the walls of their apartment.  Thinking it was just a thunderstorm; the couple got up and opened the doors of the balcony.  What they saw was something neither of them could have expected.

“Barry?”

“I know, Kara.  Iris’ article about me is coming true.  Red skies, lightning, thunder.  Crisis is coming.”