Bar Tricks

"You're acting weird? Why are you acted weird?" Kara called from the living room. 

"I’m not acting weird." Alex replied. Her eyes moving over her wardrobe selection again. What did one wear on a date that might not really be a date? A dress would be too much but a work outfit would be too little. 

"Um. Ok I've known you for like 20 years and can tell when you’re being weird." Kara calls again. Her voice carrying into the bedroom where Alex was.

"I'm not be weird!" Alex repeats. "Don't you have to go soon?  Aren't you meeting James and Winn?" 

"Why do you want me to leave? You going somewhere?" Kara replies. Alex hears Kara get up and come toward the bedroom. She quickly closed the closet and picked up her laptop bag and pretended to be rifling through it. 

"Nope. I've got work to do." Alex says. Pulling out some files to complete the illusion.

"You're also boring. Come out with James, Winn, and I. It'll be fun. Please." Kara asks. Puppy dog eyes in place. Alex turned away to avoid their power. 

"I can't Kara. I've got work." Alex replied. 

"Yeah, yeah. Work." Kara huffs.

"Stop pouting. It won't work." Alex replies.

"Fine. Alex....I love you Alex. You know that right." Kara says. Her eyes on her big sister.

Alex sighs. "Of course I know that. I love you too. Now leave. Go have fun." 

"Ok. Love you. Bye!" Kara said with a quick kiss to Alex's cheek before heading out the door. Leaving Alex to her struggle to decide what to wear tonight. She didn't know what Maggie expected so she sent her a text. 

ALEX:             What are you wearing?

MAGGIE:        that's a bit forward Danvers. We haven't even been on a date yet

ALEX:             That's not what meant! I mean tonight!!! What are you wearing tonight????

ALEX:              I can't decide what to wear so I wanted to know what you were gonna wear! 

MAGGIE:        If you must know I'm wearing a little black dress I think you'll like

ALEX:             Ok good to know

MAGGIE:        What are you wearing? 

MAGGIE:        And yeah I mean right now. 

ALEX:              I'll see you in an hour 

Alex threw her into phone on her bed. That text conversation had gone worse than she really thought possible. And damn if Maggie was wearing a dress than Alex should probably step up her game. 

***

An hour later Alex was waiting at the bar of a restaurant where she had made reservations. It was a nice place. It had expensive wines, coursed meals, an amuse, and wonderful service. To be honest, Alex wasn't sure if this place was quite Maggie's style. It wasn't really Alex's style either. But she wanted Maggie to feel special and this place was special.

"You clean up good, Danvers." A voice said from behind her. Alex spun around and saw Maggie. Who was indeed wearing a little black dress that Alex definitely liked. 

"And you look great...with the hair... and the shoes...and everything." Alex's ability to form coherent sentences apparently abandoned her when she was face to face with Maggie in a tight dress and heels. 

"Thanks. Danvers. Sorry I was late. I've thought I was being followed and... it's not important. Have you ordered a drink?" Maggie asked. Giving Alex that magical little head tilt half smile she had.

Alex turned to the bartender, "I'll have the house Pino Nior and Maggie what would you like?"

"I'll have a Woodford reserve on the rocks. Thanks" Maggie told the bartender. 

"So your Bourbon girl then?" Alex asked. 

"Yep. And you’re a wine snob?" Maggie countered. 

"Hey, I ordered a house pino and you ordered Woodford reserve. I'm not the snob here." Alex replied. 

"Touché." Maggie laughed as she took a sip of her drink. 

Just then waitress came over and informed them their table was ready. They were led to a booth in the back of the restaurant. The table was dimly lit and had romantic atmosphere about it. The candles and yellow haze of the lighting made it obvious to everyone watching that this was indeed a date. Alex liked that idea. She liked the idea that people knew that Maggie was here with her.

"It's been a longtime since I've been on a date like this." Alex said. A bit surprised at the sound of her own voice. It seemed she had no control of herself when Maggie was around. 

"Yeah?" Maggie asked. 

"Yeah." Alex replied. 

"I'll be honest Danvers. I go out on a lot of dates with a lot of women. I like having a good time. But I've never seen a women wear a dress the way you do." Maggie ended her sentence with a wink. Leaving Alex flustered. A feeling she was not accustomed too. 

"Oh.....um thanks....ah......Kara bought it for me." Alex heard herself say. Kara seemed like a safer topic then dresses and dates and other women. 

"Kara?" Maggie raised an eyebrow. 

"My sister." 

"Oh and let me guess you’re the oldest right? You have the whole confident protective "take no shit" attitude of an protective older sister." Maggie said. 

"I am the oldest and I do my best to protect her when she needs it." Alex replied.

"And does she protect you?" Maggie questioned. 

"When she can."

"When she can?” Maggie said sarcastically.  “She doesn't have the time to protect you when it's not convenient to her?" Maggie questioned.

"No! It's not like that. Kara....Kara has more important things to worry about than me." Alex insisted.

"More important than her big sister?"

"Yes, much more important than me. She has other.....priorities that come first." Alex adds. 

"But she is your first priority?" Maggie questioned.

"Yes. Always."

"But you aren't hers?" Maggie says cynically. Her brows furrowed.

"It's not like that. You...you don't understand Kara has other responsibilities and she can't be worried about me and......" Alex started to get defensive. 

Maggie held her hands up and said, "I'm sorry Alex, I didn't mean to offend. We don't have to talk about it anymore ok?"

"Ok....sorry but Kara is really great. She's my life and I don't want you thinking less of her than what she is." Alex replied. Maggie smiled at her. A small adoring smile and Alex could feel her heart melt.

"You really are as loyal as they come. You must really love her. I hope I get to meet her one day." Maggie replied. Maggie had of course already met Kara at a crime scene but she wasn't aware of that. 

"You'll love her. I promise." Alex smiled. 

"I'm sure I will. Ok, danvers I'm sorry to interrupt but I need to use the ladies room. I'll be back in a sec." Maggie said as she got up. Alex's eyes following as she walked toward the back of the restaurant where the bathroom was. 

About 60 seconds after Maggie disappears around a corner a fire alarm when off. The loud sound pulsing through the restaurant. The patrons began to get up from there tables and head toward the exit. Annoyance rather than fear written on their face. 

"Bam! Bam!" 

Alex heard the sound of 2 gun shots in rapid motion. Screaming followed as the patrons now ran for the door of the restaurant. Pushing each other out the way as they went. 

"Maggie." Alex said aloud to no one. A bolt of fear ran through Alex at the thought of harm coming to Maggie. Alex drew her weapon from the holster on her leg and went to search for her. She ran toward where she heard the shots fired from. Passing the bathroom she looked for Maggie inside but only saw Maggie's gun discarded on the floor. 

"Shit. You better not die on me Sawyer." Alex said as she went toward the back of the restaurant. She took a guess and turned through a back door that led to an ally. Where she saw 2 men walking heading toward a parked van. One of them holding an unconscious women in his arms. 

"Stop or I'll shoot!" Alex yelled. She kept her gun trained on the man and began walking toward him. The man not holding Maggie turned. His hand going to his weapon. Alex didn't hesitate. She put 2 in his chest before retraining her gun on the other man. 

"Put her down." Alex demanded. She was about 6 feet away from them at this point with her gun on his head. 

"Your bullets won't hurt me. She already tried. I'm not human. Shoot me and I'll kill her." He said. 

"These aren't normal bullets. You know who she works for?" Alex asked. Indicating Maggie. 

"I don't care." The alien said.

"A special police unit dedicated to aliens. But since she's police she has a normal slug in her gun. But you see I work for the DEO. A secret government agency responsible for bringing down aliens like Astra and Electra. You must have heard of them. You see at the DEO we have special weapons. Made especially for aliens such as yourself. These bullets could take out Supergirl." Alex bluffed. 

"I don't believe you." He yelled.

"The nice thing about these bullets is that they don't care if you believe me or not. But you see that women your trying to kidnap she's recently made me rethink my 'shoot first ask questions later' policy." Alex said. The alien look scared now. His face a mix of worry and frustration as he decided his next move. 

A moment later he quite literally through an unconscious Maggie at Alex. Maggie's body collided with Alex and they both fell to the ground. Alex scrambled to get Maggie off of her and get eyes back on the alien. Seeing him round a corner Alex followed with her gun. But he was gone when she turned the corner. 

"Dammit." Alex muttered before turning around and heading for Maggie who was lying on the ground. Alex sat cross legged in the ground gently placed Maggie's head in her lap. Her eyes and hands searching for any injury. She checked Maggie's breathing and her pulse was strong. There didn't seem to be a mark on her except for what looked like a punctured wound on her neck. Alex frowned as he fingers ghosted over the mark. The only imperfection on Maggie's skin. 

"You better not do something stupid and die on my Sawyer." Alex told the unconscious women. 

Alex quickly called Hank and told him to send a med unit and a pursuit team for the escaped alien. She then called Maggie's boss and told them about the attack and asked them to begin an investigation into who would want to harm the detective. 

"Alex..."

Alex looked down and saw that Maggie had opened her eyes. 

"Hey Mags." Alex said with a sad smile. Her hands running through Maggie's' hair. 

"What.....what happened? Why can't I move my legs?" Maggie asked. 

"You were attacked. I think an alien stung you with some sort of anesthetic. Possibly causing temporary paralysis. A med team is on the way." Alex responded. 

"I don't ne…..need a med team. I'm starting to feel my legs again. I just need a little time." Maggie said. 

"Nope. You're not playing the hero today. You're getting checked out by a doctor and then you’re going into protective custody until we can figure out who attacked you and why." Alex said. Maggie's body moved slightly. As if she was trying to lift herself up out of Maggie's lap but she quickly fell back down. 

"That's not happening." Maggie said after a groan.

Alex was about to argue but she heard sirens and an ambulance soon rounded the corner. The paramedics came over and quickly took Maggie to the ambulance. Alex filled them in on what happened. The medics began checking Maggie's blood pressure and preforming other tests. Just then Supergirl landed a few feet behind them. 

"Alex how did you get here so fast?" Supergirl asked when she saw her.

"What are you doing here?" Alex countered.

"Hank called and said there had been an alien attack. Why are you wearing a dress? You said you were working tonight?" Supergirl asked as she took in Alex's blue dress. Alex tried to avoid both Supergirl's and Maggie's looks of confusion and turned to the medic. 

"You ready?" Alex asked.

"Yep. Let's go." The medic nodded.

"I told you I don't need to go the hospital!" Maggie argued. She tried to pull herself up but fell down once again. Alex nodded to the medic who signaled the driver to go.

"You're going to the hospital detective Sawyer. And I'm going to find your attacker. Feel better. And Alex you better call me when you get a second." Supergirl said before shutting the ambulance doors. 

“Looks like you’re in trouble with Supergirl, Danvers.” Maggie said as they rode to the hospital.

“She’ll get over it.” Alex replied. Alex watched closely as the medic started Maggie on an IV.

“You two close or something?” Maggie asked.

“Yeah, she’s…..she’s a very good friend.” Alex replied.  Maggie frowned and tried to lift herself up again. She made it farther this time and Alex reached out and helped her sit. Supporting Maggie’s back with her arm.

“Stop it Sawyer you’re gonna hurt yourself.” Alex protested. Still supporting most of Maggie’s weight.

“I’m fine. Don’t get your panties in a twist.” Maggie grumbled.

The ambulance stopped and the door flung open. Maggie was taken on a stretcher into the hospital and Alex was forced to remain outside the room as they checked Maggie out. Alex tried telling the nurse that this was an alien toxin and Alex was an alien expert so she should be with Maggie but the nurse kept saying things about policy and forced Alex to remain outside. Alex sat and brooded in a chair in the waiting room. At one point a pretty blonde women rushed in. She spoke to a nurse and Alex heard her say the name ‘Sawyer” and then she watched as the women was led to the back of the wing.

As soon as the nurse reemerged the Alex questioned her, “Why did she get to go back and see Maggie?”

“That women was the patient’s emergency contact and their allowed in the room. You’ll be allowed in after a few more minutes but please stay calm for now. We’re just doing a few more tests.” The nurse said.

Alex went back to brooding. She was worried for Maggie but also a wondering who the women was. She certainly wasn’t Maggie’s sister. She called Kara. But Kara didn’t answer so Alex was left with her thoughts. About 10 minutes later doors opened again and the nurse told Alex she could come inside. Alex rounded the corner and entered Maggie’s room just as the blonde women was about to leave.

“I swear I love you Maggie but you make it so damn hard sometimes. Please call me when you leave and I’ll pick you up. Don’t do anything stupid between now and then.” The blonde women said before giving Maggie a kiss goodbye. When the women turned and saw Alex she paused.

“Hi, I’m Alex.” Alex introduced herself.

“Oh right the secret agent chick. Look I can’t stay but please shoot her if she tries to leave the bed before the doc clears her.” The women said before she left the room.

Turning back to Maggie, Alex asked, “Ok…anyways so are you ok and who the hell was that?”

“I told you before I was fine. I’m regaining feeling slowly and they haven’t found any permanent damage. I’ll be fine in a few hours. You and Rach worry too much.” Maggie huffed. Alex was glad to see she was sitting up by herself now.

“Who’s Rach?”

“The blonde that just left. She’s….she’s a very close friend.”