Extra Extra

Maggie took a long pull from the longneck beer.

She'd spent the last four hours viewing surveillance video in reference to her newest case. She was exhausted. And to top it all off there had been a rumor circulating about their division chief granting media access to the Science Division. She hadn't believed it herself. Not until she got a text from Kara excited to tell her that she, another reporter and a photographer would be working with her division all next week for a nationally run campaign.

It was early to start drinking. But sometimes she just wanted to lose her cool. To take the edge off. Embedded media and cops didn't mesh well. Even if it was Little Danvers.

She lifted her hand to the new bartender. Her skin was hued orange and her skin had flecks of gold throughout.

"What can I get ya?" She asked with a surprisingly southern drawl.

Maggie rolled the bottle in her fingers. M'Gann had known her order. Without asking. So had Darla. Now they both were gone.

She dropped her head slightly and exhaled.

"Bourbon." She held up three fingers. The bartender returned quickly with 3 shot glasses. Maggie held them awkwardly and took them to the narrow tables near the back of the bar. She set each one up in a row and took up residence on a stool.

The last time she'd sat like this was after all of her suspects had collapsed as they were transferred into a police transport vehicle. That night Alex had come to check on her. She smiled at the memory. It felt like a lifetime ago.

She took the first shot and turned the glass upside down on the wooden surface.

She felt a hand trail across her back and smiled.

"Detective Sawyer." Alex said with a sly grin.

"Agent Danvers." Maggie replied.

They kissed softly in greeting then Alex sat down facing her.

Maggie took the second shot. Turning it over and placing it directly next to the first.

Alex furrowed her brow. "Everything ok?"

Maggie nodded and mustered a smile.

Alex looked down at the glasses in front of Maggie. "I feel like there's a story to this little ritual."

Maggie nodded again. "Very perceptive."

"Agents detect too." Alex lightly teased.

Maggie reached across the table and entwined her fingers loosely with Alex's.

"Hey." Alex said softly. "You're scaring me a little. What's going on?"

Maggie reached for the third shot. Strong hands held her hands in place. She looked up and saw Alex looking at her with such concern.

Maggie exhaled and licked her lips lightly.

She began to speak when she was accidentally interrupted by Kara Danvers happily bounding over to her table. She and Alex greeted each other warmly.

"So did she tell you?" Kara asked with excitement.

"Tell me what?" Alex asked with a smile on her face. She looked back and forth between her sister and her girlfriend.

"Hadn't gotten the chance yet." Maggie said as she took the last shot of bourbon. It burned.

Alex noticed the hint of sarcasm in Maggie's tone as she answered Kara.

Maggie was feeling just good enough to almost forget about how much she didn't want reporters around her Precinct the next week. It was hard enough to get cooperation from aliens and meta humans in her line of work. Now a spotlight shone on their every move. She wasn't a story. And their unit, proudly nicknamed "the cloak and dagger team" didn't want their names plastered in print. She'd argued with her bosses on behalf of the team letting them know that this was as dangerous and reckless as letting reporters roll with the Gang enforcement team or the Narcotics detectives.

Real exposure could make the officers targets. Hell some of the guys still didn't tell their families what it was they did out of fear for their safety from evil villains,rogue Aliens and other "things that go bump in the night." Not to mention the high cost she'd seen paid for information getting to the wrong people. Intentionally or not.

Kara excitedly described the assignment in detail. Alex smiled at her sister's level of joy but kept fixing her gaze on Maggie's face which was clearly marred with concern.

Alex frowned slightly as she felt Kara pull her towards the bar to grab a "celebratory drink" and to "nailing Snapper's first real assignment."

Alex turned and saw Maggie staring at the three overturned shot glasses.

Something was definitely wrong. And as she looked back and forth between her dejected lover and her over excited sister she felt her nerves stir. She was stuck in between the two people she cared for most in the world.

"Crap." She said quietly.