Maggie had hit a wall, literally. Her body was slammed against the bricks, dust falling onto her second favorite leather jacket. The pain was sharp, intense, and ran down her entire body. It took a moment for her to regain her balance, but as soon as she did all she could think about was Alex- who had just jumped in front of some sort of alien ray to save a crowd of people, giving them the time they needed to escape. Now it was just the three of them, and Alex was pretty much down for the count.
Maggie limped her way over to Alex, leaning in close to her. "Danvers? Danvers? Come on, Alex. Wake up, I- I can't do this alone," Maggie swallowed in her pain, the tears, everything. She put her back against the barrels that were only going to be a temporary hiding place for the two of them. She pulled Alex close to her, gently placing her head in Maggie's lap.
Maggie's hands were trembling. Whatever had hit Alex, had flung her back hard enough that when she landed, she was instantly out cold. But the wound itself seemed superficial. However, it was still bleeding enough that Maggie needed to do something.
She took off her jacket, tossing it beside her and tore at the bottom of her shirt. The whole time she was whispering to Alex, telling her everything was going to be okay. Trying to soothe herself with the words too, but she didn't feel safer. If they made it through this- she was going to be honest with Alex. She was going to tell Alex exactly why they can't be together- because- because Alex deserves better. The woman who fights alongside Supergirl, who jumps in front of a gun without hesitation, who showed Maggie friendship and kindness and respect more than anyone she had ever met- that woman would just be disappointed to find out who Maggie really was.
All of these thoughts distracted Maggie while she tied her shirt around Alex's wound. Maggie pressed down, hard, to help keep the pressure on it. Alex grunted, her eyes opened for a moment.
"Mag- did the-esca...p..p..," Alex barely got out. Maggie nodded as she bit back tears from seeing Alex conscious.
"Yeah, all the civilians got out safely thanks to you and your heroic deed. Next time, save the mystery alien rays for Supergirl, yeah?" Maggie tried to joke, but Alex was coming in and out of it.
"Supergirl-is Kara here?" Alex's eyes got real wide, then she fell back down again.
"Kara? Why would- holy shit. For a detective, I'm a complete idiot. This whole damn times, Danvers? Guess you really are good at keeping secrets, huh?"
Maggie took one hand off of the stomach wound, and reached inside Alex's pant pockets, praying that she would find it. She pulled the cell phone out, that only managed to have a crack in it from the fall.
"These things are tougher than us these days," Maggie sighed to herself as she attempted to scroll through the names to find Kara. The blood caked on her hand didn't help at all, and neither did the taunting of the alien who was getting closer and closer to their location.
Kara's name came up and Maggie called her. "Please pick up, please-"
"Where the hell are you guys?" Kara demanded into the phone.
"Kara, it's Maggie. I know about you being Supergirl, but this isn't the time for that. We were ambushed at a second location in a warehouse off of the Eastside docks. Alex-she's unconscious," Maggie looked down at Alex, who was starting to convulse.
"Dammit, not like this, Danvers," she dropped the phone, and put both hands on Alex's head.
"I need you, okay? You can't just get out of my life after you only just got in it. You're sister is coming, she'll save you. I know she will," Maggie looked up and saw the red horned alien standing in front of them.
"I was told to take her back with me, but you- you get to die here," the alien laughed and pointed his weapon towards Maggie.
"Stand, human. Take your death with honor. You fought well, but all soldiers must die eventually. It's what we do. Fight. Bleed. Die. You know the code, live the job, perish alone. We don't get happy endings-"
"-no happy endings? For a villain, that's really cliché of you. I mean who doesn't love a good happy ending?" Kara swoops in, interrupting the alien mid sentence and knocking him out in seconds.
Maggie hasn't moved away from Alex, she doesn't know what else to do but to hold her close.
"Maggie, I need you to let me take her back to the DEO. I promise, we'll save her. I'll come back to get you too. If he gets up, shoot him right above where the heart would normally be, and it will- do the job," Kara scoops up Alex, who is still out of it, and flies out.
Maggie is alone. She hits her head on the barrels behind her. She looks down at herself, covered in Alex's blood. Maggie tries to wipe her hands off, as she pushes her body up off the ground and picks up her handgun. She walks over to the alien and points at the spot Kara told her about.
"You almost killed my friend, one of the few people who I actually give a damn about. I should put a bullet right into you and watch you bleed out like I just had to watch while she- but I won't. I'm not like you. I care- but I don't know how to handle feelings. I'm no good at them. I don't do the heart to hearts or the feel good speeches or any of that mushy crap. I know I won't get a happy ending, I'll bleed out on the job one of these days, and I know that's what I signed up for. But-" Maggie moves her finger over the trigger. It wouldn't make her feel better, it wouldn't fix Alex, it wouldn't change a damn thing and she felt helpless all over again.
Maggie's hands were shaking. She lowered the gun. "If she doesn't-I will- I will do it."
Maggie felt a hand on her shoulder, and she jumped, the gun slipping from her clutch.
"Maggie, are you ready?" Kara looked at her, having heard the conversation. She sees it, what Alex sees in her. She's beautiful- yes. She's a fighter, she's a protector, but she is kind. Underneath it, she can see it. Alex and her are both similar, thinking neither of them deserve happiness.
"I can drive, I'm fine. You should be with your sister- she needs you there, Kara. She would want you there," Maggie tries to push Kara away, but Kara isn't having it.
"No. Whether you like it or not, you're family now. You know about me, you fight alongside my sister, and I know you care about her- more than even you want to admit. Yes, you hurt her, and I held her tight while she cried that night, but I don't hate you Maggie, if that's what you think. I don't hate you," Kara spoke honestly.
"You should. I don't deserve your forgiveness, or your sister's for that matter. It was selfish of me to think everything would be okay after I pushed her away that night. That I could just go around and say, yeah we're friends even though deep down I like her. I liked that kiss. I like being with her, even though she kicks my ass at pool every game. But, come on. Her sister is Supergirl. What am I? A cop, who can't even admit to- I'm happy that Alex is finally able to be herself. I know how that feels, like you can finally breathe. But then I am like a punch in the gut to her whenever I'm with her, and I feel it. Like I hurt her now, and tonight-she's bleeding out and I realized that I-I-"
"You know, Maggie, you and my sister are two of the most stubborn people I have ever met. I could scream. Both independent and trying to do the right thing for everyone else, save the day, and never thinking about what you want or thinking that you are good enough. Let me tell you something. I don't know you, not really, but I can tell a good soul when I see one. Don't push her away now because you're scared. Whatever is between you two, you'll both work it out. I just know that I'm taking you back to the DEO with me, and we are both going to be there when she wakes up. Because, that's what she would want. And I'm not taking no for an answer, as Supergirl or as Kara," Kara grabs Maggie with one arm as DEO agents fill the warehouse to capture the alien.
Maggie wants to argue with Kara, but she is flying. She's flying and everything else goes away as she feels like she could touch the stars and the cold air hits her hard but Kara's warmth keeps her from feeling chilled. The night sky reinvigorates her, it gives her a new purpose. All the petty problems seem just that-petty.
Just as it started, it's over and they are at the DEO and Kara is helping a stumbling Maggie to medical. Kara never leaves her sight, even at Maggie's request for her to be with Alex.
"You've just been through a lot. Alex is under good hands. You don't need to do this alone," Kara smiles and Maggie shakes her head.
"Alex was right about you. You are a saint, and impossible to say no to," Maggie smiles back, feeling relieved. Is this what belonging felt like? Kara had called her family-family. The word felt foreign on Maggie's lips. Not that her parents and her had a falling out but she never felt at home there with them. But here, everything was different.
After Maggie was cleared from medical, Kara and her walked over to Alex's room. She was still unconscious, but her vitals were normal. She wasn't bleeding anymore. Now, it was just a waiting game.
The two of them sat down next to each other and stared at Alex for awhile, until Maggie broke the silence.
"Are you okay with me knowing about you? I mean I'm sure you guys could Men in Black me if you didn't feel safe," Maggie said, half thinking that they probably had a device to do just that.
"No- no it's fine. You were bound to find out eventually. I trust you, Maggie. I do. No need to wipe your memory. It's nice having a friend of Alex's to share my secret with. And I'm happy she has someone like you she can talk to about- anything. Thank you for being there for her. I mean that," Kara grabs Maggie's hand. Maggie almost pulls away at first, not knowing what to do. But she lets her grab it, and it's strange to have a hand holding her for comfort. But it feels nice.
"Of course. I couldn't imagine my life without her. You know- that reminds me. Before you got there tonight, the alien said something. About taking Alex back with him, like that was his mission. He was working with Cadmus, that much we know. That's why we were at a different location, because we fought off a group of trained soldiers and the alien got away so we chased after, not having time to call for back up. They were trying to get to Alex-the whole thing was a set up. That's why they had two attacks at once tonight, to separate you and her. But, why? What would they want with her?" Maggie asked.
"Her strength. They want her to fight with them. They have her dad already, and if they had Alex, they could use her against him, and against me. I've already had to fight her once, I won't do it again. I need you to promise you won't tell her what you just told me. Because if she knew they wanted her- she'd go and try to strike a deal to save her dad. She'd sacrifice herself, you know that. Dammit. Alex knows who the head of Cadmus is now, too. She's not safe, and I can't be with her to protect her all the time. Maggie-" Kara's hold on Maggie's hand tightens and Maggie winces at the strength. She pulls away but pats Kara on the leg. That's how Maggie comforts someone.
"Don't worry about it, Danvers. Alex won't be alone. She might not like it, and it won't be easy, but I won't let anything happen to her. If she gets taken, I'll be right there with her. She's stuck with us, whether she likes it or not," Maggie sits back in her chair. She's half crying, half smiling, and she's scared. She's so scared about losing Alex, but she's also strangely happy. As if this weight that has been burying her down is now lifted.
The world wasn't trying to swallow her anymore. It was all new. She had a purpose, she had friends, she had a family. Maggie sat back in the chair, and usually she'd have ran out of the room by now, needing some fresh air, overwhelmed with everything. But today, even with Alex right there, still not awake yet, still not healed up yet, still in pain and nothing Maggie could do to fix it, Maggie could deal. Kara was nothing like Alex, that was for sure. But Kara was the light that Maggie needed, the reminder that she was important.
Now Maggie just needed Alex to wake up so she could tell her that she, too, was important. Hell, Maggie just wanted to kiss her awake and tell Alex that she was scared because- because she loved her. She had known her for only a few months but she loved her. She just wasn’t ready for that big step. Not yet. As Alex was doing her own soul searching, Maggie too needed to figure out some things for herself. Damn these Danvers sisters. They know how to make a girl’s heart bleed.