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Alex walked into the lab after getting a few hours sleep at home and was unsurprised to see Winn and Lena still there. Winn had clearly gotten some rest and a shower in the few hours since Alex had seen them last but Lena was in the same clothes and her normally tight bun had long since started drooping, trailing tendrils of hair around her face. “Lena, have you been here all night? You should get some sleep.” Alex said, frowning slightly when Lena merely nodded, not acknowledging the nearly 16 hours she’d been in the DEO lab. “When did you sleep last?”
Winn looked over from a nearby table. “She was here when I left a few hours ago and was in the same spot when I got back.” He piped up, clearly concerned about the number of coffee cups littering her workspace and the dark circles developing under her eyes.
“Traitor,” Lena mumbled, downing the dregs of a cold cup of coffee Kara had brought her hours ago, grimacing at the taste. “I’m fine, I’m close to a breakthrough on this.”
“You’re not doing your best work when you’re exhausted, Lena. I’ve seen your notes, they’re impeccable. I can keep working on it while you get a few hours of shuteye.” Alex said, frowning slightly when Lena simply shook her head and continued her work. “Don’t make me send Kara in to pout at you.” Alex threatened.
“Drop it, Lex. I’m fine!” Everyone in the room froze and looked at Lena. Winn looked at Alex to just shrugged a shoulder. He opened his mouth to say something then snapped it shut when Alex pinned him with a look and shook her head sharply. The only thing that betrayed the fact that Lena knew what she’d said was the bright red blush working its way over her cheeks. “Alex, I... I’m sorry.” Lena said, trying desperately to fight the blush spreading down her neck. “I just meant that I’m fine and I don’t need you worrying about me. It’s not your job.” Alex took a breath to reply then watched as Lena stood and walked out of the room, leaving Winn and Alex to look at each other in confusion.
“I’ve got her.” Alex waved Winn off as he stood to go follow Lena. She found her in one of the bunks, sitting with her hands over her face muttering to herself. “You know, I’ve been called a lot worse. I actually kind of like it.”
“You don’t have to lie to me Alex. I know what that name means to everyone who isn’t me,” Lena said, pulling hairpins from her bun angrily.
“Stop that, let me help.” Alex sat next to her and began gently teasing the pins from the updo, combing her hair with her fingers and gently massaging her scalp like she’d done for Kara so many times over the years.
“Why are you being so nice to me?” Lena demanded though she settled in to let Alex help with her hair.
“Because I know what that name means to you ,” Alex said, ignoring the way Lena froze. “No matter what he did, he was your big brother first and foremost. I’d be more concerned about you if you weren’t able to separate the two. I’m not upset that you called me your brother’s name while I was big sister-ing you.” Alex kept her voice soft, comforting as she felt Lena slump forward.
“He used to come into the lab when I’d gotten lost in projects and bring me food and then force me to take a nap.” Lena’s voice was so quiet that Alex could barely hear her. “He’d make me explain it to him while he watched me eat, making sure I finished all of my food. The questions he’d ask about my work were always so insightful and they’d almost always lead me to some breakthrough but he’d never let me give him any credit for it. He always said they were my breakthroughs, he was just getting me to realize it.”
“He sounds like a really good brother,” Alex said and surprised even herself at how deeply she meant what she said.
“He really was. I mean, until…” Lena trailed off, shaking her head slightly. “Until he wasn’t a good person anymore. I tried so hard,” Lena’s voice broke but she soldiered on with tears evident in her voice. “I tried so hard to get my brother back. To convince him that his vendetta against Superman was stupid and only hurting himself. But I wasn’t enough. I’m never enough .”
“Sometimes we’re not able to save someone that doesn’t want to be saved. But that doesn’t mean we’re not enough. Lena, you’ve saved Kara when I can’t. When I couldn’t be there. You weren’t the only one who could have brought Lex back from the edge, and he’s not your responsibility.” Alex’s voice brooked no argument. “Now you’re leading the charge to get Reign out of Sam and you figured it out way faster than the rest of us ever could have. You’ve saved the world , Lena, you’re more than enough. You’re amazing.”
“You have to say that, I’m your sister’s best friend,” Lena said, looking up sharply when Alex barked a laugh.
“If you think that, you don’t know me at all Little Luthor,” Alex said, twisting Lena’s hair into a quick braid and tying it off with a hair tie she’d stolen from Kara. “Now, you’re going to lie here for at least 3 hours. You don’t have to sleep, but you will rest. You’re not to get up until I come wake you. Then you’ll take a shower and change into some clean clothes and then, and only then we’ll go get some food. We’ll talk about your research and work through it together.”
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re incredibly bossy?” Lena asked, somewhat bemused by the matter of fact way that Alex had just outlined the next few hours of her life.
“Yes, Kara has. Repeatedly. But she does what I say because she knows I’m right. Just like you do.” Alex pulled Lena into a tight hug, murmuring quietly in her ear. “And you can call me Lex any time you want to.” She kissed Lena on the side of the head then got up and headed for the door. “Three hours Little Luthor, no less. See you in a few.” Lena watched her go, a bemused smile on her face as she got as comfortable as she could on the spartan bunk, but comforted by the feeling that she wasn’t in this alone, and that someone was looking out for her.