Where Secrets Lie

"It's Alyssa!"

Kara and Michael looked at each other with worried looks. He rushed to the door and unlatched it. Alyssa burst inside, and Michael closed and locked the door behind her.

"What hell is going on?" she demanded.

"How did find us?" Kara asked.

"The GPS tracker on your phone. I wouldn't have to find you if you were answering my calls." She looked more upset than Kara had ever seen her. Even more upset when Kara showed up after to Immortal.

"You can't be here right now," Kara demanded. She shoved Alyssa toward the door. "Go home."

"No. I'm not a little kid anymore, Kara. Whatever is going on, you need to tell me." She clung to her sister, refusing to go.

"You're right." Kara admitted to herself "but you'll always be my little sister." She placed a hand on Alyssa's check. The entire situation reminded her of the death of her adoptive parents and how close she had been to losing Alyssa. It was so tangible that all she wanted to do was cry, but she held herself together.

Tears beaded in the corner of Alyssa's eyes. "I know."

"I'll let you two talk," Michael said as he left the room.

Kara stared after Michael a long time after he left. Part of her wanted him to be there while she explained everything. Finally, she gathered the courage to tell Alyssa every little detail about Luciano and their parents.

"So you're saying that Luciano ordered the hit on Mom and Dad?"

Kara nodded, but she refused to look at Alyssa. She felt too guilty.

"But, why are you doing this? It's too dangerous," Alyssa said.

Kara forced herself to look at her sister. "It's my fault that Mom and Dad are dead. I have to do this," she replied.

"It's not your fault," Alyssa hugged her sister tight. The tears that had been brimming her eyes began to fall as she sobbed. "Mom and Dad are already gone; I can't lose you too."

******************************

They both fell asleep for what seemed like minutes but the sun shining through the window, indicated morning had come. Kara and Alyssa woke as Michael returned to the room. Kara looked around, groggy and a little confused as to where she was, but then she remembered.

"What's going on?" Alyssa sat up beside her sister.

"You have to see this," Michael said as he turned on the TV.

Kara stared in amazement at the reporter on the news. Luciano turned himself into the police the previous night. He admitted to all his crimes and his long reign was over. He even provided information on many other leading crime bosses throughout the country. "I can't believe this," Kara said.

"Oh my God," Alyssa cheered. "This is great. I'm going to call Logan." She pranced out of the room to make her call in private.

Kara rushed to the window and looked down at the street, but the goons were gone. Obviously, Luciano hadn't suddenly grown a conscience. Michael was behind this, but she had no idea how. She turned around and looked at him suspiciously. "What did you do after you left last night?"

"I was listening to you and Alyssa talking. I used to be that close with Logan, and I know what it feels like to want to protect that person. I paid Mr. Luciano a visit, and he saw things my way."

"You," but Kara couldn't finish. His urge to protect Kara moved her so much that words failed her.

"I can be very persuasive." He smirked.

"I was wrong about you." Kara walked up to him and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you."

Her action caused Michael to struggle with words as well "It was nothing," he said.

**************************

After the incident with Luciano, life returned to normal at the Caswell mansion. Except that Kara kept herself quite busy, planning something special. When she finally called for Michael, however, he did not come, but that didn't stop her.

"I called for you," she said as she entered his room.

He sat at his desk, working. "Yes, I know," he said. "But I'm the one who gets to call you, not the other way around, remember." He smirked. "Plus, I knew you'd come to me when I didn't come, and I love the way you rush in here, eager to see me."

"I'm not...whatever," Kara said flustered. "I need you to come with me." She took his hand and led him out of the room.

"Where are we going?" he asked, curiously.

"SURPRISE!" The whole clan stood by the pool waiting for them.

He looked at Kara nervously. "What is this?"

"A sincere show of gratitude. I needed closure and you got it for me. I haven't had that nightmare since." said Kara.

"That's great!" Michael grinned and hugged Kara.

"This is a pool party so get in the pool!" Logan pushed Michael into the water, and nearly everyone else jumped in behind him.

Michael popped his head out of the water, sputtering. "You could have at least let me put on swimming trunks."

Logan chuckled as he grabbed Alyssa and jumped into the pool with her.

"Wait for me!" Kara called.

She whipped out of her shirt and blue jeans to reveal a bikini hidden under her clothes. Michael stared at her, speechless. He hadn't had the chance to see her naked or even nearly naked yet, and the sight made him feel strange.

Kara jumped in and splashed him in the face, but Michael climbed out of the pool.

"Where are you going?" Kara asked.

"I'm just going to get my trunks."

"Okay, but hurry back," she said. "This is your party."

Michael hurried to his bedroom to change. He wanted to get back to the party to have fun with Kara and everyone else. However, as he tried to leave the bathroom, Kate blocked his path. She wrapped her arms around his neck and began kissing him. "What are you doing?" he asked, pushing her away.

"Doing what we always do: having a little fun before going back to the party." She kissed him again and put her hand down his trunks, but she quickly stopped, staring at something behind Michael. "Stalker much?" She scowled.

Michael turned around. Kara stood, watching them with a hurt look on her face. She quickly turned to leave without speaking.

"Kara, wait." He quickly appeared in front of her. "Get out, Kate."

"What?" Kate demanded, her stare still on Kara.

"I said out!" He repeated calmly, but there was a hint of something dangerous in his voice.

Kate must have sensed it because she turned around and left without further argument.

"Kara," Michael said, looking at her softly.

"It's none of my business. Kate is your servant and that's what you do."

She started to walk away, but he grabbed her arm. "I don't know what to say here."

The concern on his face made Kara's heart flutter, but he was such an idiot. He knew her better than anyone else, yet he failed to realize her feelings for him. She wanted to whisper sweet nothings and be swept away in a romantic embrace, but that was never going to happen with him.

"I don't know what's wrong with me," she said. "Michael, I've started to truly care about you."

Michael smiled and opened his mouth to reply, but she wouldn't let him.

Her voice cracked, trying to hold back the tears, "And I hate it."