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Maggie leaned back into Alex's arms, enjoying the couch that Alex's mother had sent for them. Alex had gotten a scholarship and position at a school in Seattle. Maggie moved up with her, deciding to stay as long as possible up there. Alex would be coming back to Midvale at the end of the month, but Maggie wanted to enjoy their moments of simplicity and domesticity that they got whilst alone.
"Did you look at the academy up here?" Alex asked and Maggie shook her head. "Have you looked at any academy?"
"No." Maggie said and Alex moved slightly. "I mean, technically I looked at one for the NYPD, but they haven't contacted me back yet. Besides, I want to stay here as long as possible."
"I don't start up here for another month, so I guess we can look around at different places for a bit." Alex said and Maggie's phone rang. Maggie excused herself and walked out to the hallway. Alex was terrified, there was a high chance that Maggie would be able to go to the NYPD Training Academy and she'd be stuck there while Alex was stuck in Washington. They would be essentially a country apart and it terrified Alex, not having Maggie an arm's reach away wasn't something that she wanted. She quickly put on a facade of false confidence when Maggie returned. "What was that about?"
"I've got to start packing, NYPD wants me there next week." Maggie said and Alex felt everything shatter around her at those words. "Unless you don't want me to go. I mean, I could start applying at some of the places here."
"No, NYPD is your dream, you want to go and I shouldn't be the one to stop you." Alex said and Maggie looked her directly in the eye. She could see that Alex didn't want her to go, but she wanted to go and if what Alex was saying was anything, she wanted Maggie to do what makes her happy.
"We'll sleep on it." Maggie said and Alex nodded. They laid down, neither of them really sleeping, but neither of them acknowledging it. Halfway through the night Alex got up and walked out to the little balcony/porch they had on their floor. She sat down on one of the chairs, not minding how cold the metal was against her skin through her thin pajama pants. She looked up at the stars and thought about everything going on. She was here at what was practically her dream school, but there was a chance that she'd lose the love of her life to some distance. Although the thought that she was still young and it seemed practically impossible for Maggie to be her only, so maybe the distance would help them actually figure out their lives, but Maggie managed to, even after five years, she's always on Alex's mind. All of their important moments playing on a loop in her head seemingly all of the time, distracting her, yet giving her something to focus on.
"Hey." Alex looked up to see a stranger standing behind her. She sat down next to Alex on the chair, taking a sip from her bottle. "What's on your mind? Nobody comes out here at this time without needing to talk or think."
"Relationship troubles." Alex said and the woman nodded.
"I get that." The woman said and Alex looked up at the stars, as if they held the answers she so desperately needed. "Meredith."
"Alex." Alex said glancing at the woman next to her. "My girlfriend has a spot at the NYPD Training Academy and I want her to go and be happy, but at the same time, I don't want her to leave. We've pretty much been together since high school."
"Let her go for now. If it'll make her leaving easier, take a break while she's in New York. Just remember that goodbye for now can mean a hello for later." Meredith said and Alex nodded. She went back to her apartment after thanking Meredith for her advice.
"Maggie I need to talk to you." Alex said and Maggie sat up, rubbing her eyes a bit. "I want you to go to New York, become a great detective, and then when I'm finished with school here, I'll go over to you and we'll spend our days together if you'll still have me."
"Alex, I don't want to leave you here." Maggie said, her bottom lip quivering just a bit. "If it means leaving my girlfriend, I won't go."
"Which is why, while you're off becoming a cop, we'll be on a break. A wise woman I met outside a few minutes ago once said to me that a goodbye for now can mean a hello for later." Alex said and Maggie nodded. "You'll go to New York, call me at least once a week, and I want you to live your life like you would if I was never in it. We're not just romantic partners, but I'd like to think that we're best friends too and best friends want to see their best friends thrive."
"Okay, if this is really what you want." Maggie said and Alex nodded, not trusting herself to say anything. "I'll start packing then."
"I'll help you." Alex said and they didn't actually pack until the last day. They spent practically ever moment Alex wasn't in a class together, doing everything they could from attempting to make complex foods they found online to playing video games that hadn't been touched since college.
"I'll see you later Danvers." Maggie said and Alex sniffled, hugging Maggie tightly. "I love you."
"I love you too." Alex said and Maggie walked onto the airplane behind her. "Goodbye for now."