Kara sidled up to the edge of the island “Alex, please?”
“No Kara, I am not going to fake being your girlfriend so you can get out of an awkward date.”
Kara sighed as she grabbed Alex’s shoulders “do you never want to see me again because I can guarantee I am going to die from boredom.”
“I said no.”
“But Alex” Kara sighed as she leant against the counter top in her kitchen “you love me.”
Alex huffed “doesn’t mean I want to fake-date you.”
“Fine, I need to get to work. Cat’s been in a real mood lately.”
“She gave you that promotion.”
Kara huffed out a sigh “but apparently since James went packing and I can’t find a suitable replacement for me, I’m taking the heat.”
“James leaving wasn’t your fault.”
“She doesn’t see it that way.”
Alex nodded “okay, take it easy.” She grabbed her bag from beside her on the bench “I’ll talk to you later.”
------------------
“Alex” Lucy called out to her as she exited the locker room “how’d it go?”
“With Kara?” Lucy nodded “she wants me to pretend to be her girlfriend to get her out of a date she doesn’t want to go on.”
Lucy laughed “desperate?”
“Apparently Winn set her up.”
“Mam’s” Vasquez spoke up from the control board “we have a situation.”
Alex and Lucy walked over to join her “what’s going on?”
Vasquez turned to Alex “Lord is on one of his trips again.”
“The ‘I hate Kryptonians’ one or the ‘I hate Supergirl’ one?”
“The latter” Vasquez pulled up the live feed.
“… Supergirl may have saved the planet but look at all the other damage she’s done.” He motioned around at a building that had been damaged as Kara had been thrown through it a few days ago.
Alex shook her head “she didn’t do that, the alien that threw her did.” Alex picked up her phone and fired off a text ‘Lord is trying to vilify you again.’
‘Got it’ was the short reply.
‘Be careful’ Alex sent before putting her phone away.
“…Usually when he’s on one of these trips he’s planning something” Vasquez was saying.
Alex shook her head and grabbed at the railing behind her “I just hope that it isn’t as hair brained as the ‘Doomsday’ bomb he had planned.”
Vasquez scoffed “Supergirl told you about that then?”
“How could she not, you know her. She’s not good at keeping secrets.”
Lucy giggled “yup she has the worst poker face.”
“Try playing actual poker with her” Vasquez laughed.
Alex laughed with them “she usually taps her fingers on the table when she has a good hand and frowns slightly when she’s got a bad one” Alex stood up “plus she x-rays all the players cards to see what they’ve got.”
“Yikes” Lucy grinned “never play poker with a Kryptonian, check.”
“Superman might be better at it than Kara.”
Alex nodded “now that’s a worthy poker opponent” she stepped down “I’ll be in my lab.”
------------------
“Kiera!”
Winn winced as Kara came running through the bullpen “hate to be you right now.”
Kara glanced at him briefly, still not happy about the date “yes Ms Grant?”
“Saving the world is a wonderful feat, but getting me a hot latte is an even better one. Chop, chop.”
Kara sighed “we’ve been over this, I’m not her and I am not your assistant anymore.”
“Save it” Cat stood “are you really going to keep denying it?”
“Denying what?”
“The Secret.”
Kara’s eyebrow rose above the rim of her glasses “I don’t know what you think is going on…”
“Shut. Up” Cat said pronouncing each word slowly, already bored with this line of conversation “my assistant was mysteriously absent during the mind control incident a few months ago but Supergirl just happened to be around. I’m not blind you know.”
“I know.”
“Kara, I’m not going to make life harder for you, in fact that’s why I gave you your own office.”
Kara sighed “thank you.”
“Latte’s don’t appear by themselves.”
“Got it.”
------------------
“Where is Kara?”
Winn turned as Cat appeared at her doorway “ah she went for your latte.”
“That was over an hour ago Whit.”
“Have you tried calling?” Cat’s eyebrow rose “of course you have.”
“Is there something else that could require her attention at the moment?” She stressed the word ‘her’ to get her meaning across.
“Nothing I’ve heard about” Winn clearly received her meaning, she knew Kara’s secret “give me a minute to make a call.” Winn pulled his phone out “yeah hi Pat’s Pizza’s, wondering if the Supergirl Special is available right now?”
“Mr Schott, I’m guessing Cat Grant is in earshot?” Vasquez’s voice sounded a bit amused.
“Gotcha.”
“We don’t have her out on anything at the moment, problem?”
“Just wondering when it’s going to be back on the board.”
“We’ll see what we can dig up, how long has she been missing?”
“Oh, so, over an hour? Wow.”
“Got it Mr Schott. Agent Danvers is going to meet you there.”
“I’ll have to get something else then, thanks.”
Cat’s eyebrow was high on her forehead when he turned back “ordering pizza on company time Whit?”
“Uh, not really” he shook his head “someone is on their way over” he whispered.
“Oh, right.” Cat went back in to her office and sat facing the many monitors on the wall hoping to find any sign of life from her assistant slash hero. She knew that Kara had a plethora of secret government types hiding out taking care of her and watching her back but she couldn’t suppress the worry.
Almost an hour later she heard the heavy booted footfalls enter her office, the gait belonging to one of those secret government types, she could only guess which one “Ms Grant?” Yup, nailed it she thought as she turned around and came face to face with the agent she’d met during the mind control incident, the door was closed behind the agent.
“So not good news then?” Cat discerned from the look on the agent’s face.
“She’s fine.”
Cat smelled the lie immediately “then where is she?”
The young agent stood taller than she remembered “tell me what happened?”
“Two hours ago I sent Kara for a latte.”
Scully’s left eyebrow arched “and you started worrying because…”
“My latte is not here and neither is my temporarily un-promoted former assistant.”
The young agent leant against the desk “that was the last time you heard from her?”
Cat nodded “I take it you haven’t heard from her?”
Alex stood up “not for the last few hours but that’s not unusual.” She held up a finger to forestall Cat’s reply as her phone buzzed “Danvers.”
“We have contact.”
“Patch her through” she waited for Vasquez to signal the patch “where the hell are you?”
“Alex, I don’t know.”
“What happened?”
“I was out getting a latte for Ms Grant and I had that feeling like there was Kryptonite around.”
“Are you in the suit or plain clothes?”
“Kara Danvers walked out of CatCo but Supergirl made a quick appearance at the park, a little girl was having a birthday party, fifth, with a lot of presents and this really huge cake…”
Alex sighed “Kara, focus.”
“Suit.”
“Vasquez, you still there?”
“Yes Mam, triangulating signal now but I gotta tell you I’m not getting very far.”
“Okay, Kara we’re looking.”
“Cool, tell Ms Grant I’m sorry. I know you’re there, I can hear her breathing.”
“You know how I told you that time that listening to someone breathing is creepy? Knowing their breathing patterns from over the phone is even creepier.”
Kara laughed but cut off with a splutter “Alex?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you.”
“Me too.” Alex hung up “I have to go.”
Cat nodded “find her and bring her home.”
------------------
“I don’t know Alex, something feels off.”
“Focus Supergirl.”
“I’m trying. I’m pretty weak though.”
“Kryptonite?”
“Maybe, I guess. I wonder how this is going to affect my date tonight.”
Alex sighed “god Kara, focus.” Come on Alien Girl you can do it.
Kara sighed over the connection “I don’t know why they haven’t taken the ear piece or my phone yet. Surely they know that I’m not talking to myself here.” Kara sighed again “if I get out of here remind me to tell Winn that I’m not interested in any more blind dates.”
“We’ll get you out of there Supergirl” Lucy cut in.
“Hey Luce, tell me honestly, how is Alex doing?”
Alex gritted her teeth “right here Kara.”
“Well, she looks like shit. Hasn’t eaten anything for the last eight hours or so and I’m guessing her BSL is so low at this point that adrenaline is keeping her upright.”
“Thanks Director” Alex stared daggers in Lucy’s direction.
“Alex, seriously, take care of yourself. You’re no use to me if you’re lying in the infirmary bed beside me.” Kara coughed out, Alex could hear the wheezing over the link “I love you, you dummy.”
“Focus, dammit Kara.”
“What’s the point Alex? I don’t know where I am. I can’t see anything out of the ordinary or familiar, I can’t hear anything out of the ordinary or familiar, except you guys.”
Alex looked around Vasquez’s shoulder to see Kara’s stats “okay, just breathe Kara, we’ll figure it out.”
“Yeah, I know yo…”
“Kara?” She tried after Kara had been suddenly cut off “Supergirl?” Silence was her only answer “KARA?” She pulled the ear piece from her ear and threw it across the space and flinched when a booming voice sounded from behind her.
“Did that make you feel better?”
Alex turned to find J’onn standing on the lower level by the round table “not particularly.”
“I understand that you’re worried Alex.”
“No sir I don’t think you do…”
He waved his hand in a ‘come here’ motion “I know you love her Alex but you need to control yourself. Getting angry and throwing government property is not going to help any.”
Alex sighed “I need to call for reinforcements.”
“If he’s busy…”
Alex shook her head “he’s never too busy for her. Family is everything to them.” Then why are you being a coward Danvers?
J’onn’s eyebrow rose on his head as she picked up her phone and glanced at the screen, he saw the wallpaper she had set. What are you doing Alex? “Find her Alex.”
“As if you have to order me to.”
He nodded. Where Kara was concerned his leading agent would do everything possible to keep her alive and well.
------------------
“Kal?”
“Alex?”
Alex sighed “Kara’s missing, we had brief contact but lost it just a little while ago. Any chance of providing a little aerial support?”
The deep chuckle over the phone soothed her somewhat “Search and Rescue? You need Superman for that?” He settled “DEO not able to do it?”
Alex shivered, she didn’t want to admit that they couldn’t find Kara. “She’s weak Kal, I’m pretty sure they’ve doused her with Kryptonite or are holding her in a cell lined with it.” Alex let out a shaky breath “I’ve never heard her sound so weak Clark” she whispered.
“If there is Kryptonite around I’m not going to be much better.” His voice was serious as he continued “she told me what happened when you were younger Alex. Why haven’t you told her?”
“It’s complicated, will you help?”
“As if you have to ask. Stronger together Alex, Human and Kryptonian alike.”
“That’s what she said.”
“I know, I’ll find her. Don’t worry Alex, I’ll find her.”
------------------
Kara had been missing for over ten days when Alex’s phone flashed with the House of El coat of arms that she’d installed as Kal’s caller id picture. “Alex, I have her.”
Alex picked up her tactical vest from where it laid on the back of the chair at the command centre “I’m on my way, thanks Superman.”
“You remember where the loft is?”
“Yep, I’ll be on the next Hawk out” she picked up a helmet as she passed the weapons armory “I’ll see you there.” Pulling the phone from her ear, she tucked it into her vest pocket and turned to find J’onn behind her “Director.”
“Agent Danvers, good news?”
“Superman has our girl.” Alex side stepped him “I’m going to retrieve my sister.”
“Be safe Alex.”
Alex nodded as she headed to the main hangar and found a two-man team standing ready by a Blackhawk “get me there as fast as possible.”
“Got it Alpha leader.”
It was a quiet ride, well quiet in that there was no radio chatter in her headphones. The two pilots could obviously sense her anxiety and for their silence, she was grateful. Alex lost herself in the memories of the past during the journey. “Alpha leader?” the second pilot’s voice came through her headphones.
“Go ahead.”
“Approaching target destination, instructions?”
Alex looked out the side window at the building they were approaching “hover over the roof, I’ll make my way from there, you’re clear to head back to base as soon as I’m clear.”
“Understood.”
Alex crouched near the side door of the Hawk with the grappling rope in hand waiting for the signal from the pilot that they were close enough. Watching his closed fist, she opened the door and waited until his closed fist turned into a thumbs up. Throwing the rope from the doorway she attached the rest of the gear and sailed down to the roof top.
Unhooking the gear, she grabbed her flashlight and shone it at her raised thumb to show them she was clear. Heading for the stairway door she ran down the required flight before sliding to a stop in front of a heavy metal door, a door that slid open for her before she even caught her breath.
“Hey Lois.”
Lois smiled at her “good to see you again Alex. She’s with Clark in the other room.”
“I just have to make a quick call.” Alex slipped her phone from her vest “Director, I’ve arrived.”
“Good work, hey Alex?”
“Yeah?”
“Tell my sister I say ‘Hi’.”
“Gotcha.” Alex slid her phone away “Lucy says ‘hi’.”
Lois smirked “well she certainly wised up.”
Alex nodded “once Kara told her, I think things kinda fell into place.”
“Well, it’ll make family gatherings more interesting” Lois chuckled “not that there are many.” Alex moved over to the door leading into the other room and watched “she’s lucky he found her.”
“Tell me about it.”
Lois studied Alex’s face “what the hell happened?”
Alex shook her head “I don’t know.”
------------------
Kara looked up as she heard Alex and Lois talking in the door way “hey you.”
“Hey yourself.” She nodded at Clark as he stood from the bed “good to see you up and about Super Dude.”
He chuckled as he paused in front of her “where were you when Lois came up with Superman, Super Dude sounds so much better.”
“Be quiet you” Lois claimed from behind Alex “I do believe Agent Danvers was probably still running around telling boys they had cooties.”
Kara laughed from the bed “she probably was.”
Alex hid her face behind her palm “guys I’m standing right here.”
Kara held out her hand “then come over here” Alex shuffled to the bed and sat “I missed you.”
Alex sighed and watched as the room grew darker when Lois or Clark shut the door behind them as they left them alone “you were gone for over ten days Kara.”
“Felt like longer than that.”
“It scared me when Winn called and told us that Cat had been the one to notice you’d been gone too long.” She grabbed Kara’s hand and held it between both of her own “it’s not like you to not check in and I should have realised...”
Kara cut her off “don’t beat yourself up Alex” and then smiled “well at least I missed that date. I hope Winn let the poor guy know.”
Alex smirked “I’m glad you found an alternative than me being your girlfriend.”
“Okay so maybe that wasn’t one of my finer suggestions.”
Alex’s smirk turned into a smile “it would have been awkward to explain to Winn when the guy told him but I can picture the shock on his face.”
“What do you think he’d do if he knew a certain little secret then?”
Alex shook her head “you promised me you’d never bring that up again.”
“What do you think he’d do if he knew that my name isn’t Danvers because I’m your sister.”
Alex reached out “it doesn’t matter, technically we aren’t anymore anyway Kara.”
“That wasn’t my choice Alex.” Kara tried to sit up in the bed and cringed when she felt the aches that hadn’t quite left her body “I never wanted to get it annulled.”
“How did this turn into a discussion about a past mistake?”
Kara’s eyebrow rose “mistake? You think me taking you for my wife was a mistake?”
Alex huffed out an exasperated breath “you were thirteen and new to our customs, you didn’t know what you were doing.”
The blonde head tilted slightly to the left “still don’t understand why they annulled a Kryptonian marriage that can’t be annulled really but once Eliza and Jeremiah explained I let them because it made you uncomfortable.”
“This discussion is pointless Kara.” Alex dropped the hand she held in her own “I don’t love you in that way.” She looked up just in time to see the clear heartbreak on Kara’s face.
“Way to break my heart all over again” was muttered so quietly Alex barely heard her.
“Kara.”
“Don’t, don’t do that Alex” Kara wiped at the tears that had begun to fall.
Alex pulled her into a hug “what do you want me to do, pretend to be the dutiful, happy wife when I don’t love you?” She pulled back “can’t we just forget it?”
Kara shook her head “I’m tired of forgetting about it. When I say I love you I mean it and not in a sisterly way Alex, and if you can’t accept that then maybe I don’t need to be around you. It hurts enough as it is.”
“Don’t say that Kara.”
Kara stood from the bed on shaky legs “it’s true Alex” she turned away “I think you should find somewhere else to stay and go back in the morning. Clark has offered to let me stay for a few days longer.”
“You’re seriously blowing this out of proportion Kara.”
Kara turned to look Alex in the eyes “I had gathered the courage to finally tell you, right after defeating Myriad. I told James that night that I couldn’t be with him because during my flight with Fort Rozz I came to some realisations.” She sighed before turning away again “when I told you to be happy, to find love and do everything that you couldn’t before, I honestly thought I wasn’t going to see you again and I’d made my peace with that.” She watched out the window as the sun began setting over the horizon beyond the city “Rao gave me you and in that moment I’d let you go, knowing I’d done my duty and protected you.”
Alex wiped at the tear falling from her left eye “Kara.”
“I love you Alex but right now it hurts too much” she crumpled to the floor as she allowed her feelings to take hold “it hurts so much to be near you and not be able to hold you.”
“Okay” Alex stood from the bed and walked to the door “okay.”
------------------
It was almost six am when Alex walked into the DEO two days later. She had hired a car and driven back to National City in the hopes of sorting out her feelings. She had driven straight through from Metropolis without stopping.
She didn’t even feel as fatigued as she knew she should be but her little argument with Kara had cemented in her mind that things hadn’t been right between them since that night after defeating Myriad when Kara had woken to find herself on the sunbed.
Alex hadn’t really considered that Kara’s behavioural change had been to do with that night a few days after her initial arrival on Earth.
Kara had walked into her bedroom in the middle of the night, once again wearing the white outfit she’d arrived in and held out a blue dress of Alex’s that had been hanging in the back of the closet since her cousins wedding a few years before. The dress had been flung in her direction with a simple command to dress and meet her on the lawn.
When teenaged Alex had finally emerged from the house it was to find her parents sleepily blinking at her and flicking their gazes to Kara thinking something was wrong. Walking to Kara she’d asked what was going on before receiving a formal ‘Alexandra Danvers, tonight I will take you as my wife and we will merge our houses.’
Naturally Eliza and Jeremiah had attempted to smooth things over by explaining that Kara didn’t need to do that as they were willingly taking her in but Kara had not been mollified. She’d taken Alex’s left hand and wrapped a blue strand of ribbon around it before tying her own left wrist in the same loop while speaking in Kryptonian.
Alex had gotten the sense that Kara had been muddling her way through the ritual given her probable lack of being witness to very many wedding ceremonies on Krypton but had been too shocked to stop what was happening. When Kara looked up at her and spoke in English for her to repeat what she said next Alex had nodded and done so.
When the ceremony was presumably complete, Kara had leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss on Alex’s lips.
Alex smirked slightly at the memory, it was the first time she’d ever seen her mother’s jaw practically hit the ground.
A few days later her father explained to her that they were going to talk Kara into ‘annulling’ the marriage because it was wrong for them to let two underage girls get married (even if gay marriage wasn’t yet a thing). Alex had protested to deaf ears that Kara should be allowed to hold onto the customs of home for as long as possible.
But now, in this present day and time, she wondered if it had been such a good idea to let them convince Kara to annul the marriage.
“Alex?”
“Hey Lucy” she greeted the co-director.
“What the hell are you doing here at six in the morning and where is Kara?”
Alex sat heavily on the stool in her lab as Lucy shut the door “I screwed up Luce.”
Lucy sat on a stool opposite her “how?”
Alex told her everything, even the tale of the biggest secret in National City “but I do love her.”
“Then why won’t you tell her that.”
Alex threw her hands in the air “I have no goddamn idea, every time I try, I clam up and it ends up coming out as sisterly affection. An awkward kind of sisterly affection.”
Lucy stood and came around the lab table to stand in front of Alex “I saw how you were when she was missing, you were shit scared Alex.” Alex acknowledged her statement with a small nod “are you seriously going to deny yourself the chance to love her?” Lucy placed her hands on the other woman’s shoulders and stared into her eyes “I can tell that girl loves you more than anything.”
“I know she does.”
“Then fight for what’s right and what’s right is you and her, together.”
“She won’t believe me now, not after denying it again.”
Lucy smirked “then you’ll have to romance her.”
“Lucy.”
Lucy shook her head “I’ll help.”
“God help me.”
Lucy laughed “God won’t save you this time Danvers.”
------------------
“Kiera?”
Kara looked up from where she stood at the corner of Winn’s desk. She had been back in the city for only a few days and had come straight back to work the day after arriving back. It had been three weeks now since her abduction and rescue at the hands of her cousin “yes Ms Grant?”
“Come in.” Cat motioned to her office and closed the door when Kara followed “are you better?”
“Fine.”
Cat’s left eyebrow perched itself higher on her forehead, she smelled the lie and caught the slight grimace from Kara as it slipped out “liar.”
Kara sighed and clarified “physically I’m fine.”
“And I assume that emotionally, you aren’t” Cat sat behind her desk “I’ve noticed these last few days since you’ve been back that something isn’t quite so sunny now.”
“No” Kara admitted quietly “it’s not.”
Cat looked harder at Kara, she could see that something had changed in the young hero “you’re in love” she observed.
“Um… I’m… No” Kara stuttered.
“Yes, you are, but this someone” Cat scrutinised Kara “this someone doesn’t love you back.”
Kara sighed and looked down at the carpet, was she really always this easy to read? “I’ll attempt to not let it affect my job.”
Cat nodded aware that the conversation was getting too personal “see that it doesn’t Kara.”
Kara turned and exited the office to return to her own windowless office. Turning on the light she stopped abruptly. Perched around the office were eight bouquets of different flower arrangements, each with an envelope numbered one through eight. Opening the first she read the single word before opening the rest and laying them out on her desk, in order, to reveal one whole sentence.
‘I’m sorry, dinner tonight? I love you, Alex.’
Picking up her phone from the desk where she’d placed it before opening the first envelope she typed out a quick message ‘I’m still mad at you, no to dinner.’
The reply came quickly ‘OK. I’m still sorry.’
Kara picked up the flowers one by one and moved them into the outer areas of the office, she wouldn’t waste them, someone would appreciate the flowers in the office. Returning to her own office she placed the cards into her bag and carried on with her work load.
An hour or so later her phone buzzed beside her on the desk, she answered blindly “I told you no Alex.”
“Ah, not Danvers, Supergirl.”
“Sorry Director, what’s up Luce?”
She heard Lucy sigh on the other end “one, she’s miserable and two, we have a building collapse on the other side of town, they could use Supergirl’s help.”
“I’ll take care of the building but stay out of things you don’t understand, Director” Kara exclaimed icily.
“Ouch Kara, I was only telling you what you need to hear.”
“Lucy, please stay out of it.”
“Okay. See you for the debrief once the building is secure, Lane out.”
Over two hours later Kara touched down at the edge of her tunnel at the DEO and stalked through to the command centre to find Alex standing with Lucy and J’onn at the main table. As soon as Alex saw her she turned and made her way over to the lab in the corner, completely ignoring Kara. Kara however, had seen the resigned look to the shell of a woman walking away.
Kara stepped up to Lucy and pulled her to the side “is it really that bad?” she looked over to where Alex had gone to indicate what she meant.
“She’s not eating, not sleeping and she hasn’t left here since she arrived at six am two days after she left to get you from Metropolis.” Lucy pulled Kara into the training room “I know everything and I tried convincing her to fight but your rejection earlier hurt.”
“She told you?”
“Everything Kara, including that she does love you.”
“So you know about the marriage?”
Lucy nodded “everything” she stressed.
“Oh Rao, what have I done?”
“Kara, don’t blame yourself for this” Lucy pulled her into a hug “she’s just as much to blame for not coming clean sooner but I guess she thought you wouldn’t want her, that when you married her it was just a misguided custom of yours.”
Kara let out a quiet “argh.”
“She’s a little apprehensive about it all.”
Kara nodded “I get it but I’m just so tired Lucy.”
Lucy released the hug “she tried to apologise and make it up to you but when she got that text earlier I swear she burst into tears.”
“You’re exaggerating.”
“Oh no” Lucy shook her head “I saw her wipe them away before she straightened her spine and stalked off to the gym.”
“Lucy?”
“You’re breaking the un-breakable Alex Danvers.”
J’onn came in and prevented Kara’s reply “let’s get this over with.”
------------------
After the debriefing Kara walked through the DEO trying to locate Alex before finding her in the bunk room “Alex?” she called softly through the door. When only silence greeted her she tried again “Alex, I know you’re there. I can hear your heart beating and breathing, super hearing. Remember.”
“Go home Kara” was the growled reply.
“Can’t we talk first?”
“No.”
“Lucy told me what happened” Kara tried the handle of the door but the door wouldn’t budge. When she x-rayed the door, she found Alex leaning against it. Sliding down to a squat she rested her hand against the door where Alex’s back met the metal “I’m sorry, I thought it was going to be like every other time you’ve told me you love me.”
“Forget it Kara, go home.”
“You need to rest, you need to eat, please Alex.” She was met with silence but she could hear Alex sobbing through the door “I’d planned how I was going to get you to be my wife for two days before I came to you that night” she admitted softly. “You were a complete mystery to me, you intrigued me and I knew then that my family would approve, had they been alive and we were on Krypton.” Kara slipped to rest fully against the door resting her back against it, mirroring Alex. “I knew Jeremiah and Eliza would try to talk me out of it but I wanted it so much.
“If I were still on Krypton I’d already have been married for eight years, did you know that?” She whispered but certain Alex heard her by the hitch in her breath “I’d have been paired off with a male member of another great house, a marriage for power and power only, it would not be for love.” She rested her hands in her lap and stared down at them for a long moment “when I looked up that first day and saw you in the window, I knew then that you’d be unlike any other person I’d met in my short span of betrothal meetings.”
She heard the shift of fabric against the door “Alex, please.” She sighed when the door did not budge again “you were right when you said my mother would have appreciated your piloting skills.” She tried a different tactic “I think my mother would have absolutely loved you. Just as I do.” Kara smiled when she felt the counter weight against the door shift “I love you with everything I am Alexandra Danvers.” The door swung open and she felt the hug instantly “why did you keep denying it?” she asked softly.
“Call me a big idiot but why would you want me?”
“Is that why?” Kara turned in Alex’s arms.
Alex shook her head “my parents told me they were going to convince you that it was wrong later that night. They drummed it into my head every time I tried to protest so I guess along the way I just convinced myself that I didn’t love you.”
“You big idiot” Kara smiled “what changed?”
Alex dropped her face and buried it against Kara’s shoulder “your speech at Clark’s.” Alex looked up again “I thought about nothing else for the entire forty-eight hour drive from Metropolis.”
“You drove?” Alex nodded “without stopping?” Alex nodded again “you are an idiot, what if you’d been in an accident? You’d already been up for a long time before coming to Metropolis.” Kara grabbed Alex’s face and forced her to look up “you look tired.”
“I haven’t slept a full eight hours in like, a few weeks, you try looking beautiful after that.”
Kara smiled sadly “you look beautiful all the time.”
“Sap” Alex smirked. “Take me home Supergirl.”
------------------
As they touched down on the small balcony at Kara’s loft, Alex stepped off the red leather boots and into the apartment. She felt Kara come up behind her and hug her “my wife.”
“Not yet Kara, I’m not ready for that title.”
Kara sighed “doesn’t change the truth though.” She sped through the apartment, showering and changing out of the suit as she went about tidying up.
Alex flopped down on the couch as she tried to follow Kara’s movements and gave up trying. Pulling her phone from her back pocket she dialled the Chinese restaurant just a few blocks away. She finished placing the order as Kara dropped down beside her and snuggled into her side “were you always this clingy?”
Kara sighed “I’m not allowed to be?”
Alex matched her sigh with a huff “can we take it slow? This is going to be awkward enough until I get used to it.”
Kara turned around and read the expression on Alex’s face “you are uncomfortable with this” she stated as she moved away to the seat opposite the couch “is this even what you want or are you just doing it for me?”
“Kara” Alex missed the warmth of the Kryptonian against her “can we not fight again?”
“I thought we’d worked through this at the DEO.” Kara shook her head as she slumped back into the seat “do you really love me Alex?” The slight grimace told Kara what she needed “you’re placating me.” Kara stood and knelt in front of Alex “why?”
“I miss you” Alex admitted quietly.
“So you’re placating me in order to soothe your guilt?”
“Kara…”
“No Alex” Kara stood abruptly and paced “if you can’t be everything I need you to be then maybe…”
Alex stood quickly, grabbed her by the arms and cut her off “don’t finish that sentence.”
Kara shook out of the hold “let me go.”
“Kara” Alex shook her head as she tried to gather her thoughts “just please, be patient with me. Twelve years of conditioning are hard to overcome.” They were interrupted by a knock at the door “that’ll be dinner, stay there” where Kara was currently standing was out of the sight line of the door.
As Alex shut the door Kara moved back and reclaimed the seat opposite the couch and waited. When Alex sat down and passed her two of the three boxes in the bag and the plastic container of potstickers she smiled lightly. Opening the container, she sniffed and pulled out two of the six parcels before handing the container back to Alex “take the rest.”
“Sacrificing potstickers?”
“For you, yeah.” Kara looked down with a shy smile.
“Kara.” Alex shook her head cutting herself off before she said something that started another argument. Holding out the container she said “at least take one more, then we’re even.”
Kara nodded before standing from the chair and moving back to the couch beside Alex. Putting her potstickers back in the container she met Alex’s puzzled look “I’ll get them later.”
Alex popped open the lid of her box of Kung Pao chicken with a sigh. She watched Kara for several moments before sighing again “I do love you, you know.”
“Then why won’t you let yourself be who you are to me?”
“Your wife?” Kara nodded “because you’ve been my ‘sister’ for so long that ‘wife’ seems wrong to me.” She held up a placating hand before Kara could protest “let me say it. Though I know my feelings for you are anything but sisterly, wife is just too big of a leap. How about we start with lover, girlfriend, partner or whatever. Give me time to ease into it, please.”
Kara eventually nodded “I think I’ve been pushing too hard since the hug at the DEO, it’s just when you hugged me and told me to bring you home I thought you’d finally accepted it.”
Alex’s phone chose that moment to bleep, Kara picked it up and stared at the calendar notification on the lock screen. Turning with a raised eyebrow she leant forward until she was an inch from Alex’s mouth “you kept a notification?”
“Every year” Alex noted, with a smirk, the look of shock on Kara’s face “had you forgotten what today was?”
“I knew what day it was four days ago” Kara’s landing anniversary had been four days ago.
“I have two calendar notifications programmed in that get a repeat every year. Scroll back four days.”
Kara swiped her thumb to take her back “Kara’s ‘birthday’” was filled in for all day. She swiped back to the current day, “anniversary” was blocked out in blue. “You do want it.”
Alex sat her almost empty box aside and reached for her bag that was laying on the floor. Usually she would leave a small gift or offer a special treat, like crullers, on this date every year and this year was no different “I got this for you two years ago but chickened out at the last minute.” Kara flopped back to her side of the couch and took the gift.
Kara opened the thin rectangular box and looked at the gold bracelet laying on a bed of red velvet, it was a simple small rope chain with a small ball charm dangling from the centre of the chain. Looking closely at the ball she saw the outlines of each continent and country on planet Earth. “You gave me the world?”
Alex smirked, she hadn’t seen it like that at the time “I wasn’t planning on it but now that you mention it…”
Kara dropped her head to Alex’s left shoulder as she pulled the bracelet from the box “put it on?”
Alex took the offered bracelet and wrist and clasped the bracelet in place “I don’t know how you didn’t pick up on this sooner.”
“What?”
“I’ve been giving you gifts on this day for twelve years.”
Kara gasped as she turned to face Alex “you have?”
“An extra potsticker here, an extra sticky bun there. A cruller that I suddenly didn’t want but never had the intention of eating or you know that new blue shirt you liked, the one that I said I bought for myself but decided I didn’t need after all.”
“So, even though you wouldn’t be my wife, you still honoured our anniversary?” Alex nodded and Kara looked at her with a shy smile “can I kiss you?” Alex nodded and Kara leaned forward slowly giving Alex time to back out but she was met halfway as Alex closed the space between them and took Kara’s lips in an almost chaste kiss. “I don’t want to pressure you here but I love you so much Alex.”
“And I love you, I really do Kara, just give me time.”
“You got it.”
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Kara stepped off the elevator at CatCo to find Cat waiting in the main lobby outside of her office “Ms Grant?”
“Ah, there you are.” Cat turned to her and motioned to the locked door “I was beginning to think you’d disappeared again.”
“Nope.” Kara pushed the door open and motioned for Cat to precede her into the room “what can I do for you?”
Cat’s left eyebrow rose “bit sunnier today, don’t you think.”
“Much sunnier” Kara agreed with her trademark megawatt smile.
“I do like the sunshine much better than the gloomy, cloudy days” Cat nodded “it agrees with my hair more.”
“Agreed, though your hair is always perfect.” Kara blushed lightly “why are you here?”
“Truth be told, I wanted to see if you were doing better.”
Kara’s phone beeped with a notification, a text from Alex. Cat watched as Kara’s smile got wider as Kara muttered “much better.”
“Ah the unrequited feelings mess has been resolved?”
Kara looked up as she put the phone face down on her desk “yes, thankfully.”
Cat finally sat down in the chair in front of Kara’s desk “good. When do I get to meet the lucky guy?”
Kara sputtered “ah.”
“I do get to give this man a stern lecture about making sure the Kryptonian stays sunny?”
Kara’s phone beeped again, she picked it up quickly and glanced at the message “ah how about now?” She stood from her seat and made her way to the door.
“Agent Scully” Cat greeted.
“Ms Grant” Alex nodded “you left this at home” she handed over the folio folder to Kara.
Kara smiled at her “come in” she placed the folio on her desk “Ms Grant I’d like you to meet my wife, Alex.”
“Wife?” Cat jumped up and looked between the two women “wow, you Kryptonians move fast.”
Alex chuckled “what’s even more astonishing is that we’ve been married for twelve years” the chuckle turned into a full on laugh at the shock on Cat’s face.
Cat glared in Kara’s direction “but isn’t she your sister?”
Kara shook her head in the negative “technically, no.”
“Oh, nice joke Kiera.”
Alex smirked at Kara before leaning in and pressing a brief kiss on her lips “see you tonight.”
Cat waited for the agent to leave before standing from her chair and pacing before Kara’s desk “there’s a story there, I can smell it.”
Kara nodded and caught Cat’s eyes “there is but it isn’t one you can print because it would reveal my identity.” She crossed her arms across her chest “a total of seven people know the real story.”
“You don’t trust me. That’s why you never told me about Supergirl.”
Kara dropped her arms and her eyes “I do trust you but I need to keep you and everyone else safe. The more people that know my secrets, the more people to be used against me.” She sighed and grabbed Cat’s arms “you were there the night Non used Kelly, Winn and James against me, he did that because he knew I was close to them, Kara Danvers was close to them.”
Cat’s eyebrow rose as something occurred to her “he used your own wife against you.”
“Thankfully Alex is very good at compartmentalizing; he didn’t know of the marriage.”
“But it could have been used against you.”
Kara nodded once “yes.” Kara sat down in her desk chair “James already knew about Supergirl, of course, my cousin sent him to watch over me. I told Winn because I needed his help. The same with Lucy.” She looked up at Cat “but you, I couldn’t tell you because the last time you thought you’d figured it out you tried to fire me.”
Cat sat back down in the chair she had vacated, shame easily showing on her face “so the more I know, the more that can be used against you. I get it Kara.” She stood again and moved to the door “I hope to hear the story one day and I’m glad that you’ve found your little piece of paradise.”
“Maybe you’ll find yours someday too.”
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Supergirl strode through the halls of the DEO looking for Alex but finding only Vasquez at the command centre “where is everyone?”
“Briefing with General Lane.”
“He’s here?”
“Showed up at 1400” Vasquez smiled up at her “the Directors put him in his place before he insisted they go to Henshaw’s office.”
Kara sighed and rested her arms on the railing by Vasquez “it’s never good when he just shows up.”
“Agreed” Vasquez nodded before turning back to the screens “between you and me, Danvers was pissed.”
“I’m not surprised.”
“Miss Danvers, nice of you to join us” General Lane called from behind her.
Alex glared at the back of his head before moving to Kara’s side and muttering low enough not to be overheard “he wants you taken into custody over that little disappearance.”
“But that wasn’t my fault Alex.”
“I know.”
General Lane motioned to one of his lackeys “take her.”
Kara glared at him “you can’t take me, I have rights.”
“You’re an alien, you don’t have rights.”
Alex glared at him again “even if they’re married to an American citizen?”
Lucy smirked over her father’s shoulder “she has rights Sir.”
“Alex it was a Kryptonian ceremony. No paper trail.” Kara spoke quietly.
“There is a paper trail” Alex assured her.
“How?”
“Took care of it a few years ago, remember that extra signature I needed on that lease agreement?” Alex whispered loud enough to be heard only by Kara.
Kara remembered questioning the extra piece of paper but never actually questioned her aloud. “I remember.”
“Point is General” Alex turned to face him again “there is a marriage certificate sitting in my desk drawer clearly signed by myself and Kara, proving we are married.” Kara glanced around the room, noting the shocked looks on each agent’s face and the matching grins on J’onn’s and Lucy’s faces. “And yes before you ask, both parties were over the age of consent at the time of the wedding, no loopholes.” Kara knew that last part was technically a lie but the signatures had happened while over the age of twenty-one.
Lane turned and glared at J’onn “is this in her file?”
“Miss Danvers is listed as next of kin and Agent Danvers’ relationship status is listed also, I’m very sorry you’ve wasted your time coming here General.” J’onn grinned and motioned the General to the exit “please do stop by again soon, perhaps next time you won’t want to detain one of my assets.”
As soon as the General and his Army personnel were out of ear shot the room erupted in cheers and a chorus of “way to go Danvers.”
Kara turned to Alex “you know you just outed us, right?”
Alex sighed and rubbed at her forehead “it was the only way Kara.”
“You made it legal though?”
“Of course I did and I’m very glad I did it too.”
Kara took her hand “were you ever going to tell me?”
“Maybe in a few years, thought it would make a nice fifteenth anniversary gift.”
Kara pulled Alex away from the main room and into the training room “everything you’ve done suggests you’ve wanted this marriage from the start.”
“Of course I have.”
“Then why are we just going around in circles with this argument?”
Alex rested her hands on either side of Kara’s face “my parents convinced me it was best but I knew it wasn’t. I wanted you to have that little piece of home that you apparently sought in me.”
“Shut up Alex” Kara said with a grin as she leant in and kissed Alex soundly on the lips “legally you are my wife” she whispered as they pulled apart “will you please act like it?”
“You make it hard to say no.”
Kara smiled happily “then stop.”
Alex studied Kara’s face for several long moments before leaning in and capturing Kara’s mouth again “fine Mrs Danvers.”
“That’s Mrs Supergirl to you.”
“No that’s me.” Alex grinned as she leant in again and sealed the deal with a passionate kiss.
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The End
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